Rani Lakshmi Bai
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Image:Ranilaxmibai.JPG Rani Lakshmi Bai also known as Jhansi Ki Rani, was the queen of Jhansi, a Maratha-ruled princely state of northern India, was one of the great nationalist heroes of the War of Independence of 1857, and a symbol of resistance to British rule in India. She was born on 19th November 1835 at Kashi and died on 18th June 1858 at Gwalior. Her childhood name was Manikarnika.
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Early life
Lakshmi Bai was born on 19 November 1835 at Kashi (Presently known as Varanasi). Her father Moropanth Tambey was a brahmin and her mother Bhagirathibai was cultured, intelligent and religious. Born Manikarnika, she was affectionately called Manu in her family. Manu lost her mother at the age of four, and responsibility of looking after the young girl fell to her father. She completed her education and martial training, which included horse riding, fencing and shooting, when she was still a child.
She was married to Raja Gangadhar Rao Niwalkar, the Maharaja of Jhansi in 1842, and became the queen of Jhansi. After the marriage she was given the name Lakshmi Bai. The ceremony of the marriage was performed at the Ganesh Mandir, the temple of Lord Ganesha situated in the old city of Jhansi. Rani Lakshmi Bai gave birth to a son in 1851, but this child died when he was about four months old. After this, the couple adopted Damodar Rao as their son. But Maharaja Gangadhar Rao expired on 21 November 1853, when Lakshmi Bai was 18 years old.
Alternate historical records mention her as playmate to young Nana Saheb and Rao Saheb and mention her advanced age at marriage. The document indicate that she might be born in 1826 and was 27 years of age when she became a widow.
Annexation
At that time Lord Dalhousie was the Governor General of British India. Though little Damodar Rao, adopted son of late Maharaja Gangadhar Rao and Rani Lakshmi Bai was Maharaja's heir and successor as per the Hindu tradition, the British rulers rejected Rani's claim that Damodar Rao was their legal heir. Lord Dalhousie decided to annex the state of Jhansi under the Doctrine of Lapse. Rani then did the unprecedented, she hired a British Lawyer on retainer and appealed her case in London. Although these petitions were well-argued, they were ultimately rejected. The British Indian Authorities clearly sought to punish Rani for her presumptive behavior and confiscated the state Jewels, and deducted her husband's debts from her annual pension of Rs. 60,000 and was also ordered to leave the Jhansi fort. But Rani Lakshmi Bai was determined to defend Jhansi. She proclaimed her decision with the famous words :Main apni Jhansi nahin doongi (I will not give up my Jhansi).
The war
Rani Lakshmi Bai started strengthening the defense of Jhansi and she assembled a volunteer army of patriots. Women were also recruited and given military training. Rani was accompanied by her generals Gulam Gaus Khan, Dost Khan, Khuda Baksh, Lala Bhau Bakshi, Moti Bai, Sunder-Mundar, Kashi Bai, Deewan Raghunath Singh and Deewan Jawahar Singh. Many from the local population volunteered for service in the army ranks, with the popular support for her cause on the rise.
When the Revolt of 1857 broke out, Jhansi became a center of the rebellion. A small group of British officials took refuge in Jhansi's fort, and the Rani negotiated their evacuation. When the British left the fort, they were massacred by the rebels. Although the massacre probably occurred without the Rani's consent and she protested her innocence, she stood accused by the British.
In September and October of 1857, the Rani led the successful defense of Jhansi from the invading armies of the neighboring rajas of Datia and Orchha. In March of 1858, the British Army advanced on Jhansi, and laid siege to the city. After two weeks of fighting the British captured the city, but the Rani escaped the city in the guise of a man, strapping her adopted son Damodar Rao closely on her back. She regrouped loyal soldiers in the town of Kalpi where Tantya Tope other patriots joined her. On June 1, she and her allies captured the fortress city of Gwalior from the Sindhia rulers, who were British allies. She died three weeks later at the start of the British assault, when she saw Tatia Tope being attacked. She rode silently towards him when a British came up behind her and hit her on the head with a club, while at the same time another hit her with a spray of bullets. The British captured Gwalior three days later. The 22 year-old Rani's dying words were not to let the British touch her body. Her soldiers put her body on a nearby haystack and put fire to it. Her samadhi is in Gwalior.
Because of her unprecedented bravery, courage and wisdom at very young age, and her progressive views on women's empowerment in 19th century India, and due to her sacrifies, she became an icon of Indian nationalist movement.
Epilogue
The fall of Jhansi and the death of Rani Lakshmibai was the last series of the resistance to British Raj under India's First War of Independence. Its immediate effects included:
- She has often been likened to the Boudicca of India
- The Rani earned the respect of her British enemies for her bravery, and became a nationalist and feminist hero in India. When the Indian National Army created its first female unit, it was named after her.
- Her father, Moropant Tambe, was captured and hanged a few days after the fall of Jhansi.
- Her adopted son, Damodar Rao, was given a pension by the British Raj, although he never received his inheritance.
- The administration of Undivided India passed on from the East India Company to the British crown.
- The Rani was memorialized in bronze statues at both Jhansi and Gwalior, both of which portray her in equestrian style.
Poem on Jhansi ki Rani
Subhadra Kumari Chauhan created a famous heroic poem in honour of Jhansi ki Rani which is very popular in India.
सिंहासन हुल उठे राजवंशों ने भृकुटी तानी थी,
बूढे भारत में भी आई फिर से नई जवानी थी,
गुमी हुई आजादी की कीमत सबने पहचानी थी,
दूर फिरंगी को करने की सबने मन में ठानी थी |
चमक उठी सन सत्तावन में, वह तलवार पुरानी थी,
बुंदेले हरबोलों के मुँह हमने सुनी कहानी थी,
खूब लडी मर्दानी वह तो झाँसी वाली रानी थी |
Timeline
Please see [1]- for a presentation of Timeline, from the birth Lakshmibai, Rani of Jhansi, until her death.
See also
External links
- Lakshmibai, Rani of Jhansi
- In memory of our Rani
- Poetry on Jhansi Ki Rani by Subhadra Kumari Chauhan
- Ron Schuler's Parlour Tricks: Lakshmi Bai, Maharani of Jhansi
References
Maajha Pravas by Vishnu Bhatt Godse. Amar Balidani by Janki Sharan Verma Zila Vikas Pustika, 1996-97, Jhansi Meyer, Karl E. and Shareen Blair Brysac. Tournament of Shadows. Washington D.C.: Counterpoint, 1999.