Karma bai

Karma bai (20 January 1615 – 1634) also known as “Bhakt Shiromani Karmabai”. She was born on 20 January 1615 in the family of Choudhary Jiwanji Dudi and Choudhran Ratni Devi in the village Kalwa situated in Nagaur district, She was a devotee of Krishna.

Karma bai’s father was a devotee of Krishna. Once he had to do some work away from home, so he instructed Karma bai to have food only after offering the food (bhog) to the lord. Karma was very young and she took this instruction literally. Next morning she woke up early and made khichdi to offer it to the Lord. But when she saw that lord was not eating, the innocent Karma bai did not eat anything at all and waited for lord to come and eat first.

Lord Krishna was very impressed by her determination and showed mercy on her. He himself appeared before her and ate her khichdi.

He followed the same routine till her father’s return. When her father returned, she told him everything. Her father was shocked and refused to believe her. Karma pleaded before Lord to appear once again to prove her innocence. The merciful Lord Krishna thus appeared before Karma once again to prove his devotee’s innocence.
It is common belief that she had offered ‘khichadi’ to Krishna in his presence. As this news spread and reached the saints of Puri, they asked Karma bai to come there and give Bhog of khichadi to the Lord. Krishna appeared there as well. After that, Karma bai started living in Puri.

A folk song tells the story like this –

Thalibhar’rlyayikhichadoupar ghee kibatki !

JeemomharasyamdhanijeemavaibetiJatki !!

Karmabai took a living samādhi on 25 July 1634 in Puri.

Karma Bai was married into the Sohu clan in the village Mored via Bidiyad (Nagaur). But she became a widow in a short time and spent her entire life as a child widow in devotion to God, Now during PuriJagannathRathYatra, the chariot of Lord Jagannath stops near her samadhi for short period. It is believed that, without her sight the chariot couldn’t move a single inch and it is God’s own choice for Karmabai.