KABIR

Just came across a very soulful rendering of Kabir Doha - CHADDAR JHEENI RANG JHEENI which I share with my readers.

https://youtu.be/Bte_-QW_WkI

Subtitle in English will make it easy to understand the depth and meaning of the Kabir Doha. Kabir was a 15th Century mystic poet and saint, who was a weaver by profession. He was raised by a Muslim family, but in his later life was influenced by bhakti leader Ramananda.

VIPUL RIKHI  is a poet, translator and singer based in Bangalore. He has worked extensively on Kabir and I have become an admirer of his soul stirring rendering of Kabir Dohas and his in depth explanations which brings to fore the nuance and beauty of Kabir Dohas.

Herein below I have tried to note down a few excerpts from his explanation prior to rendering of the Doha   CHADDAR JHEENI RANG JHEENI in a two  hour satsang in Mumbai. The excerpts are not verbatim and I am conveying what I have managed to write down and understand and reflect upon.

KABIR  has referred to the Divine Essence with many different names and symbolism - Ram - Rahim - Allah.

Being a weaver by profession KABIR creates a symbolism and imagery of Chaddar. KABIR did not write, but conveyed the spiritual knowledge in oral tradition. Music if rendered with bhakti - devotion carries the words and thoughts beyond mind, it seeps deep down into our entire being. It moves the Mind - Heart and Soul.

The divinity is the material which is woven on the spinning wheel which turns on eight lotus comprising of five senses ( elements)  and three gunas.

Our actions, our karmas are the balls of cotton that are being Ginned, the dross (seeds)  is removed and the pure cotton moves on in 'waft' and 'weft' ( ingla - pingla) - referrers the duality of this world ( night -day, man - woman etc:)  but KABIR says that we should be mindful of the 3rd Channel the middle one the SINGLE on which the ingla -pingla are being crafted.

It took 9 solar months ( 10 lunar months ) for the cloth to be made, and it was woven right ( thik thak)  which symbolizes our physical body in a sense.

It was given to the washer man, who dipped in the pool of water  (word - actions) and was beaten on the stone of awareness and dyed with different hues, but KABIR says the permanent everlasting color is that of Universal Love (Bhakti - Spirituality)

This Chaddar was worn by all of us - the enlightened and also the worldly, and thus got soiled and dirty  (maili ) KABIR says it should be worn with Awareness, and he was the one who wore it with Awareness and returned it in good condition as he had received it.

We should live a life of Spiritual Awareness, so that when it is our time to depart we leave behind a clean, unblemished CHADDAR.

Hope I have been able to convey the essence. If there is some error it is because of my limited understanding and I seek forgiveness.

I never get tiered of hearing the following lyrical composition of VIPUL RIKHI which made me undertake this journey of trying to understand and appreciate KABIR and in a sense my true self.

https://youtu.be/mFCDDeTSBGA

If one is a true seeker, you never know at which turn the horizon in all its glory opens up and enriches your mind and soul.