Descent

I sat enraptured at Priya Kanungo’s repetition of Meera’s signature lines of devotion. To call out to the lord is the utmost sweetness, to call him by his various names is for Meera the whole point of devotion. Is Meera fact or fiction? Are these songs composed by herself and not others? - asked the artiste Priya.

I watched Priya watching Meera in her mind’s eye. She smiled genially at the accompanists from time to time. She reached some high notes, only to dive down into the various playful ones in the mandra saptak. Her effortless enjoyment transported the audience in the hall. Meera was real. It didn’t matter if historians could provide evidence of Meera’s existence or not. Meera sang out in the vocal cords of the artiste and maestro Priya Kanungo. Meera was rebellious at times, angry at society, patiently waiting as Radha at times, enjoying monsoon love at other times, dancing in the end. I didn’t see Meera in the hall though. I saw Krishna watching the performance in some quiet enjoyment. I have struggled to write sound. The sound that entered my senses was sheer delight - one that archiving or documentation would destroy. I won’t, thus, try to describe her song and craft. It would be futile.

[Lightly edited excerpt from my Substack. April 2025.]