Rani Lakshmibai was born Manikarnika “Manu” Tambe on 19 November 1828, in the town of Banaras. She was daughter of Moropant Tambe and Bhagirathi Sapre. Her mother died when she was four years old; her father worked for a court Peshwa (prime minister) of Bithoor district who brought up Manikarnika like his own daughter. She was educated at home and was a very independent child; her studies included shooting, horsemanship, fencing and mallakhamba.
Manikarnika was married to the Maharaja of Jhansi, Raja Gangadhar Rao Newalkar, in May 1842. She adopted the name Lakshmibai in honour of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi. Lakhsmibai gave birth to a boy, Damodar Rao, in 1851; he died aged just four months. The Maharaja adopted a child, named Anand Rao, who was renamed Damodar Rao, on the day before the Maharaja died. The adoption was in the presence of the British political officer who was given a letter from the Maharaja instructing that the child be treated with respect and that the government of Jhansi should be given to his widow for her lifetime. After the death of the Maharaja in November 1853, the British East India Company, under Governor-General Lord Dalhousie, applied the Doctrine of Lapse, rejecting Damodar Rao’s claim to the throne and annexing the state into its territories. When Lakshmibai was informed of this, she cried out I shall not surrender my Jhansi! In March 1854, Lakshmibai was given an annual pension and ordered to leave the palace and the fort.
On 10 May 1857, the Indian Rebellion started in Meerut. When news of the fighting reached Jhansi, the Rani asked the British political officer for permission to raise a body of armed men for her own protection; he agreed. The city was relatively calm amid the unrest, but the Rani conducted a Haldi Kumkum ceremony with pomp in front of all the women of Jhansi to provide assurance to her subjects, in the summer of 1857 and to convince them that the British were cowards and not to be afraid of them.
Until this point, Lakshmibai was reluctant to rebel against the British. In June 1857, rebels of the 12th Bengal Native Infantry seized the fort containing the treasure, and after persuading the British to lay down their arms by promising them no harm, they broke they word and massacred 40 to 60 European officers along with their wives and children. The Rani’s involvement in this massacre is still a subject of debate.
Four days after the massacre, the Indian soldiers left Jhansi, having obtained a large sum of money from the Rani, and having threatened to blow up the palace where she lived. Following this, as the only source of authority in the city, the Rani felt obliged to assume the administration. The Rani’s forces defeated an attempt by the mutineers to assert the claim to the throne of a rival prince. Then, there was an invasion of Jhansi by the forces of Company allies; their intention was to divide Jhansi between themselves. The Rani appealed to the British for aid, but it was now believed by the governor-general that she was responsible for the massacre and no reply was received. She set up a foundry to cast cannon to be used in the walls of the force and assembled forces, which were able to defeat the invaders in August 1857. Her intention currently was still to hold Jhansi on behalf of the British.
From August 1857 to January 1858, Jhansi under the Rani’s rule was at peace. The British had announced that troops would be sent there to maintain control but the fact that none arrived strengthened the position of a party of her advisers who wanted independence from British rule. When the British finally arrived in March, they found Jhansi well-defended and the fort had heavy guns. Sir Hugh Rose, commanding the British forces, demanded the surrender of the city; if this was refused, it would be destroyed. After deliberation, the Rani issued a proclamation: We fight for independence. In the words of Lord Krishna, we ill if we are victorious, enjoy the fruits of victory, if defeated and killed on the field of battle, we shall surely earn eternal glory and salvation.
The bombardment began on 24 March but was met by heavy return fire and the damaged defences were repaired. The defenders sent appeals for help to Tantia Tope; an army of more 20000 (headed by Tantia Tope) was sent to relieve Jhansi, but they failed to do so when they fought the British on 31 March. On 2 April, the British forces decided to launch an assault by breach in the walls. Four columns assaulted the defences at different points and those attempting to scale the walls came under heavy fire. Two other columns had already entered the city and were approaching the palace together. Determined resistance was encountered in every street and in every room of the palace. Street fighting continued into the following day, The Rani withdrew from the palace to the fort and after taking counsel, decided that she must leave and join either Tantia Tope or Rao Sahib (Nana Sahib’s nephew).
According to tradition, she jumped on her horse from the fort with Damodar Rao on her back; they survived, but the horse didn’t. The Rani escaped in the night with her son, surrounded by guards. She decamped to Kalpi, where she joined additional rebel forces, including Tantia Tope. On 22 May, British forces attacked Kalpi; the Indian forces were commanded by the Rani herself and were again defeated.
The leaders fled once more. They came to Gwalior with the intention of occupying the strategic Gwalior Fort. The rebels proclaimed Nana Sahib as Peshwa of a revived Maratha dominion, with Rao Sahib as his governor in Gwalior. The Rani was unsuccessful in trying to persuade the other rebel leaders to prepare to defend Gwalior against a British attack, which she expected would come soon.
On 17 June 1858, in Kotah-ki-Serai near the Phool Bagh of Gwalior, a squadron of the 8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars fought the large Indian force commanded by Rani Lakshmibai which was trying to leave the area. The 8th Hussars charged into the Indian force, slaughtering 5000 Indian soldiers. According to an eyewitness account, Rani Lakshmibai put on a sawar’s uniform and attacked one of the hussars; she was unhorsed and wounded, probably by his sabre. Shortly afterwards, as she sat bleeding by the roadside, she recognised the soldier and fired at him with a pistol, whereupon he dispatched the young lady with his carbine. Lakshmibai, the fearless Rani of Jhansi, was dead at the young age of 29. After her death, a few local people cremated her body.
The British captured the city of Gwalior after three days. In the British report of this battle, Hugh Rose commented that Lakshmibai was personable, clever and beautiful and she was the most dangerous of all Indian leaders. She was buried with great ceremony under a tamarind tree under the Rock of Gwalior.
On 10 May 1857, the Indian Rebellion started in Meerut. When news of the fighting reached Jhansi, the Rani asked the British political officer for permission to raise a body of armed men for her own protection; he agreed. The city was relatively calm amid the unrest, but the Rani conducted a Haldi Kumkum ceremony with pomp in front of all the women of Jhansi to provide assurance to her subjects, in the summer of 1857 and to convince them that the British were cowards and not to be afraid of them.
Until this point, Lakshmibai was reluctant to rebel against the British. In June 1857, rebels of the 12th Bengal Native Infantry seized the fort containing the treasure, and after persuading the British to lay down their arms by promising them no harm, they broke they word and massacred 40 to 60 European officers along with their wives and children. The Rani’s involvement in this massacre is still a subject of debate.
Four days after the massacre, the Indian soldiers left Jhansi, having obtained a large sum of money from the Rani, and having threatened to blow up the palace where she lived. Following this, as the only source of authority in the city, the Rani felt obliged to assume the administration. The Rani’s forces defeated an attempt by the mutineers to assert the claim to the throne of a rival prince. Then, there was an invasion of Jhansi by the forces of Company allies; their intention was to divide Jhansi between themselves. The Rani appealed to the British for aid, but it was now believed by the governor-general that she was responsible for the massacre and no reply was received. She set up a foundry to cast cannon to be used in the walls of the force and assembled forces, which were able to defeat the invaders in August 1857. Her intention currently was still to hold Jhansi on behalf of the British.
From August 1857 to January 1858, Jhansi under the Rani’s rule was at peace. The British had announced that troops would be sent there to maintain control but the fact that none arrived strengthened the position of a party of her advisers who wanted independence from British rule. When the British finally arrived in March, they found Jhansi well-defended and the fort had heavy guns. Sir Hugh Rose, commanding the British forces, demanded the surrender of the city; if this was refused, it would be destroyed. After deliberation, the Rani issued a proclamation: We fight for independence. In the words of Lord Krishna, we ill if we are victorious, enjoy the fruits of victory, if defeated and killed on the field of battle, we shall surely earn eternal glory and salvation.
The bombardment began on 24 March but was met by heavy return fire and the damaged defences were repaired. The defenders sent appeals for help to Tantia Tope; an army of more 20000 (headed by Tantia Tope) was sent to relieve Jhansi, but they failed to do so when they fought the British on 31 March. On 2 April, the British forces decided to launch an assault by breach in the walls. Four columns assaulted the defences at different points and those attempting to scale the walls came under heavy fire. Two other columns had already entered the city and were approaching the palace together. Determined resistance was encountered in every street and in every room of the palace. Street fighting continued into the following day, The Rani withdrew from the palace to the fort and after taking counsel, decided that she must leave and join either Tantia Tope or Rao Sahib (Nana Sahib’s nephew).
According to tradition, she jumped on her horse from the fort with Damodar Rao on her back; they survived, but the horse didn’t. The Rani escaped in the night with her son, surrounded by guards. She decamped to Kalpi, where she joined additional rebel forces, including Tantia Tope. On 22 May, British forces attacked Kalpi; the Indian forces were commanded by the Rani herself and were again defeated.
The leaders fled once more. They came to Gwalior with the intention of occupying the strategic Gwalior Fort. The rebels proclaimed Nana Sahib as Peshwa of a revived Maratha dominion, with Rao Sahib as his governor in Gwalior. The Rani was unsuccessful in trying to persuade the other rebel leaders to prepare to defend Gwalior against a British attack, which she expected would come soon.
On 17 June 1858, in Kotah-ki-Serai near the Phool Bagh of Gwalior, a squadron of the 8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars fought the large Indian force commanded by Rani Lakshmibai which was trying to leave the area. The 8th Hussars charged into the Indian force, slaughtering 5000 Indian soldiers. According to an eyewitness account, Rani Lakshmibai put on a sawar’s uniform and attacked one of the hussars; she was unhorsed and wounded, probably by his sabre. Shortly afterwards, as she sat bleeding by the roadside, she recognised the soldier and fired at him with a pistol, whereupon he dispatched the young lady with his carbine. Lakshmibai, the fearless Rani of Jhansi, was dead at the young age of 29. After her death, a few local people cremated her body.
The British captured the city of Gwalior after three days. In the British report of this battle, Hugh Rose commented that Lakshmibai was personable, clever and beautiful and she was the most dangerous of all Indian leaders. She was buried with great ceremony under a tamarind tree under the Rock of Gwalior.
From the bards of Bundela we have heard this story
She fought much valiantly, she was the queen of Jhansi
Jhansi ki Rani - Subhadra Kumari Chauhan
 |
Lakshmibai, Rani of Jhansi
|
Wow, such a brave woman! She fought bravely until her very last breath... All for the safety of her own people. May her courage and resilience never be forgotten :) Btw, i can't deal with your drawing... How come you make portraits that are so freaking cute? It's absolutly gorgeous ️:)
ResponderEliminar