Name the poetess, dedicated to Krishna and also known as ‘Meera of Wagad’.
2025
Name the poetess, dedicated to Krishna and also known as ‘Meera of Wagad’.
- A.
Gaura Dhai
- B.
Panna Dhai
- C.
Meera Bai
- D.
Gavari Bai
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Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Concept: In Rajasthan's Bhakti-era tradition, several later women saint-poets were honoured with the epithet 'Meera of <region>' when their Krishna-devotional poetry echoed the intensity of the 16th-century poetess Meera Bai, even though each remained a separate historical figure from Meera Bai herself.
Application: The historical region called Wagad corresponds to the present-day Dungarpur–Banswara belt of southern Rajasthan. The saint-poetess honoured there with the title 'Meera of Wagad' for her Krishna-bhakti hymns, still sung in the local Wagdi dialect, is Gavari Bai (Gavri Bai) of Dungarpur.
Gaura Dhai — a Marwar (Jodhpur) wet-nurse of the 17th century, remembered for sacrificing her own infant son to save the newborn prince Ajit Singh from Aurangzeb's court; a caretaker figure, not a devotional poetess.
Panna Dhai — the royal nurse of Udai Singh II of Mewar, remembered for sacrificing her own son to shield the prince from Banbir; likewise a caretaker role, not a poetess.
Meera Bai — the original 16th-century poetess-saint, born a Rathore princess of Merta and married into Mewar's Sisodia family, whose Krishna-bhakti tradition gave rise to the 'Meera of ___' epithets used for later devotees in other regions; she is the reference figure, not the Wagad-region bearer of the title.
So the Krishna-devotee poetess known as 'Meera of Wagad' is Gavari Bai.