Love Songs of Rasakhan -Paperback

Love Songs of Rasakhan is one among the numerous works of medieval Muslim Vaishnava poets. A sixteenth-century poet, Rasakhan was born in a Pathan Muslim family at Pihani in Uttar Pradesh. His original name was Said Ibrahim. On seeing a picture of Shrinathji, Said Ibrahim instantly fell in love with Krishna. His love for Krishna made him yearn for a vision of Krishna. He stayed with Krishna devotees in Braj, but could not get a vision of Krishna. He unsuccessfully tried his luck at the Gopalpura Shrinathji Temple and finally went to Govindkund and lay there three days without food and water. Pleased, Shrinathji gave him darshan and this made him to move on the Pushtimarg with the guidance of Gosain Vittalnath. He spent his entire life in Brij composing songs of the many lilas of Radha and Krishna with the pen-name, Rasakhan. Touched by the sensuality of the love of Radha and Krishna, he produced many mellifluous and melodic songs, celebrating their love. Other than his poetic genuis, this bilingual illustrated volume contains the stories of 252 Vaishnavas, articles on “Rasakhan: A Poet and His Poetry”; “Medieval Muslim Vaishnava Poets”; “Rasakhan and the Fluidity of Identity”; “The Mind of Rasakhan”; “Muslim Vaishnavas of Bengal”; and “Poets, Painters & Patrons”, being Krishnalal Sharma; Narmada Prasad Upadhyaya; Vidya Rao; Harsha V. Dehejia; Sumanta Banerji; and Harsha V. Dehejia as respective authors.