Tattva

Rani Lakshmi Bai, the queen of the Maratha-ruled princely state of Jhansi in North India, was one of the great women of the 1857 war of independence, and a symbol of resistance to British rule in India. She was born sometime around 1828 at Kashi and died on 17th June 1858 at Gwalior.

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. Rani Lakshmi Bai gave birth to a son in 1851, but this child died when he was about four months old. In 1853 Gangadhar Rao fell very ill and he was persuaded to adopt a child. To ensure that the British would not be able to contest the adoption, the Rani had it witnessed by the local British representatives. Maharaja Gangadhar Rao expired the following day, 21 November 1853.

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. This led Jhansi to the revolt of 1857. When the Revolt broke out, Jhansi became the center of the rebellion.

It is during the battle for Gwalior that the Rani met her death. During this battle, the Rani’s original horse was mortally wounded. He had to be replaced by a younger, more energetic, but less trained horse. During the battle the Rani was trying to escape and two British officers followed her. The horse reached a ditch and not being trained could not jump over it. The British set upon her slashing her face in half. Being badly injured she still managed to kill the two of them. She then proceeded and saw the hut of a washerman. There she gave her son to him and told him who she was. Knowing she would die soon, the Rani of Jhansi instructed him to use his hut as her pyre to prevent her body from falling in the British hands and died soon after. The British captured Gwalior three days later. In his report of the battle for Gwalior, General Rose commented that the Rani had been “the bravest and the best” of the rebels. Because of her unprecedented bravery, courage and wisdom, and her progressive views on women’s empowerment in 19th century India, and due to her sacrifices, she became an icon of Indian nationalist movement.

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