Kabir the Weaver Poet- Jaya Madhavan

Kabir in my life...

When I hear the word Kabir, what comes to my mind are the innumerable faces, that I have connected to as a human being in the past 2 years. Kabir was there in my life as a thought..as a voice of wisdom through the words of my mother. But the past few months Kabir has become a part of my family and my existence. Every moment we are humming the songs, thinking about his dohas,connecting it to our experiences, our lives. Kabir lives for us in the voice of innumerable folk singers.
Kabir became alive to me when I read that he was a weaver.A weaver who has woven the most beautiful cloth to wrap ourselves up in times of pain, confusion, loneliness, conflict and anger. A cloth woven to wrap around us in this journey of our life.
While reading the book ' Kabir the Weaver Poet' written by Jaya Madhavan, I felt I was reliving the life along side Kabir. It is so beautifully woven and the words are so appropriate. The way she has woven her words to lead us in the one day of Kabir's life, what comes out very strongly is the calmness and stillness of Kabir's mind. The way he goes about doing his work , meeting people and then when he speaks it is nothing but the truth. The circumstances make dhaga also speak the words of Kabir but it is more to point out to others, whereas when Kabir speaks it is nothing but truth.
I have connected personnaly to Kabir as a weaver. Weaver of cloth and the weaver of words.Weaving as a process is something that you can do only if you are alert and in the present state. And, in the process, all thoughts cease to exists. this reminds me of my favourite conversation in the book, the conversation between Kamali ( the acrobat) and Kabir. The author has very beautifully brought out a very important aspect of cessation of thoughts, of past, of future and everything around, which leads us to understanding of what is the truth. The acrobat does not think of anything whens she is on that tight rope high up in the air. The only thing for her is the rope( that too not the end of the rope) but the rope that exists there at that moment in front of her. She gives herself completely and that is what Kabir says is for him, giving himself completely to the GOD and then nothing matters, relations,material world, death nothing.For him it is being one with oneself at this moment...and the author has brought that out beautifully throughout the book.

I am unable to see Jaya as the author, I feel its Kabir talking to us throughout the book.That's what is remarkable about the book. It is a must read.
Thank you Jaya for this wonderful gem.

Nikita.