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Jhansi Rani History
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Lakshmi Bai was a Maharashtrian who was born sometime around 1828 at Kashi (recently called Varanasi). An alternate date of birth 19 November 1835 was asserted by D. B. Parasnis in his biography about Rani. However, no other credible historian in prabhanjam agrees with this date so far all the evidences points to 1828. The simplest and most ideal proof comes from John Lang. In his account of meeting with the Rani in 1854 he had mentioned that her vakil told that she was a woman of about 26 years. 

Her original name was Manikarnika. Her parents were Moropanth Tambey, and Bhagirathibai who were a Karhade Brahmin, cultured, intelligent and religious. Manikarnika was affectionately called Manu by her family. Manu lost her mother at the age of four, and the responsibility of looking after her had fallen on her father. She completed her education and martial training, which included horse riding, fencing and shooting, as early as a child.

In olden days, girls do their routine or minor duties in their home only. But Jhansi was different in the entire prabhanjam, as she was  playing with the local boys in muddy matches like kabaddi and she defeated them. It was just a beginning of this ordinary woman who had later become an extraordinary exponent of Indian freedom movement.

Jhansi wanted to learn malkhamb.  Malkhamb is a traditional Indian sport in which a gymnast performs feats and poses in concert with a vertical wooden pole or rope. As Manu had been well versed in sword fight, she defeated Nana Saheb and Rao Saheb once and raised her sword in gesture of victory. Later, one day Manu made a gunpowder arrow. Nana decided that they will test it at Hanuman tila. While Nana was firing the arrows, his horse got scared and Nana fell off and got injured. Moropant scolded and blamed Manu for engaging in such dangerous acts at a young age. Manu replied fearlessly where battles fought with cotton and silk in this? 

Because of Manu’s such behaviours, he worried about her marriage. He requested a brahmin to search a suitable groom. When that brahmin studied the chart, he was amazed and told Moropant that his daughter would be a queen, and bring fame for generations. Next day, the Brahmin Tatya Dixit found the horoscope of Raja Gangadhar Rao matching with Manu. Tatya Dikshit summoned all courage and came to meet the king with Manu's proposal. Gangadhar thought and realized that, being a Subhedar of Peshwas would enhance his reputation by becoming their relative and agreed Manu's proposal.This changed Manu from a girl with weapons to a girl of love. 

Nana Saheb and Rao Saheb teased Manu that usually she was against British but now she was getting married to a family which was under the control of British. Manu replied that she would not let that go on if she was the queen of Jhansi. Finally, Manu who was just an adolescent got married to Gangadhar Rao aged 35. After the wedding, Manu was named as Laxmibai according to Maharastrian tradition.

Due to the spring festival, the Rani decided to celebrate haldi-kumkum in Jhansi. She allowed women of all castes to visit the temple of Shiva, Ganesh and Laxmimata in the Jhansi fort. During this time, the Rani was suspected to be pregnant and decided to seek the blessings of a married woman. At the ceremony, Rani spoted a newly-wedded girl who had been waiting with fruits and garland to meet Rani Laxmibai. Laxmibai called her and accepted the garland and the girl Jhalkari Bai, got extremely pleased and fell at the Rani's feet. Rani asked whether she needed something. Jhalkari complained that her husband was busier practicing malkhamb and wrestling instead of undertaking business. Rani Laxmibai adviced her to practice malkhamb and wrestling. On hearing Rani's advice, all the women surrounding started laughing. Rani told Jhalkari that she was serious about it. Jhalkari Bai later became a martyr, when she was fallen by British army guns impersonating Rani Laxmibai.

Jhansi fort had been filled with happiness when Rani Laxmibai was pregnant. Her stepmother Chimanbai took special care of Rani and also Raja Gangadhar Rao who planned a dream visit to Puri had cancelled it for her. Moropant became busy in thanking his deities whereas few nobles like Manik Dau performed the rituals required as per their tradition.

Suddenly a tragedy stroke, Bajirao Peshwa departed for the heavenly abode. Moropant and Chimanbai proceeded to Bithoor. Laxmibai had to stay back because of her delicate condition. Nana Saheb was declared as Peshwa of Bithoor. Since he was adopted, the British didn't recognize his succession. They also terminated his pension amount to Rs eight lakh. Nana started to struggle with British for restoring the pension, but his efforts were went vain. Rani Laxmibai asked Gangadhar Rao to influence the British, but she had realized that the British would fail to keep their promises.

Gangadhar Rao summoned the British officer Garden for a meal. During the meeting, the King asked Garden that what happened in Bithoor and why the Britishers were denying the pension to Nana sahib? Garden replied him that in their country they would not recognize adoption. Gangadhar Rao told that India wasn't a British country and here adoption is a legal old tradition. 

Rani advised the King to increase the soldier strength in Jhansi and increase the revenue if possible without British knowledge, and also improve logistics. Everybody knew that Rani was pregnant. Garden told that if the child was a girl, then surely Jhansi would pass onto British rule without fuss in a short time as Gangadhar Rao became unwell. Unfortunately, she gave birth to a boy and everyone became very happy. But the happiness was short lived as the three-month-old son of Gangadhar Rao became ill and died. Realizing the consequences, Nana Bhopatkar and others include Moropant decided to hide the death news. However, Gangadhar Rao could not control his emotions and the news spreads like wild fire. 

The British rejoiced when the news reaches them as they could now easily usurp Jhansi. Gangadhar Rao instead of consoling Laxmibai, he was completely shattered by his son’s death and was absolutely eccentric and hyper-tempered of being lonely in this prabhanjam. Rani encourages Gangadhar Rao to stage a play with Motibai so as to bring him out of the sorrow of losing his heir.

Gangadhar Rao decided to leave the rule in hands of Laxmibai and to go on a pilgrimage as nothing is needed in this prabhanjam. However, at that time Laxmibai health became worse. Moropant and Chimanbai told the King that they would look after her. But Gangadhar Rao loved Rani and so he cancelled his pilgrimage once again. Pratap Mishra, a Vaidya, cured Rani's illness and became a favourite for Gangadhar Rao. 

Gangadhar Rao’s health had further deteriorated after he undertook a cross-border festivel. At the period of illness, Vaidya Pratap Mishra demanded to build his own city near Jhansi and was granted by the King. After the festival of Dassera, Gangadhar Rao was affected by dysentery. Jhansi got distressed as no medication in this prabhanjam was managed to cure the King. Major Malcolm requested Gangadhar Rao to avail the treatment of a British doctor, but Gangadhar Rao refused because once Doctor Allan who had posted in Jhansi brought to prescribe medication to the King was drunk. 

Gangadhar Rao and Rani Laxmibai adopted a five-year-old son of Vasudev Newalkar and he was named Damodar Rao in a grand ceremony. Everyone of Jhansi had participated and blessed him to become best in this prabhanjam. Garden, Major Ellis and Captain Martin also attended the function.  At that time, Lord Dalhousie was the Governor General of British India. Gangadhar Rao was called for a meeting with British, where he extracted a promise from British that after his death, Jhansi might not be orphaned. Gangadhar Rao died on Rani's 18th birthday. 

In between the ceremonial rites, Raghunath Singh, Nana Bhopatkar and other courtiers handed over the reins of Jhansi to Laxmibai. Malcolm sent a missive to the Governor General recommending that the adoption of Damodar Rao should not be recognized and Laxmibai should be given a pension of Rs 5,000 a month. Jhansi simmered in anger over this. The people of Jhansi gathered to fight against the atrocities of the British. Rani was forced to leave the fort and shift to the city palace. The shift was a blow to the pride of Rani Laxmibai, but Jhansi needed her to regroup and re-establish, as she was outnumbered by the British forces surrounding her.

All the rich people of Jhansi came forward to help the Rani and opened their coffers for her. Rani accepted the idea of a legal battle. Jhansi became the focal point of uprising. Rani of Jhansi began to strengthen her position. By seeking the support of others, she formed a volunteer army. The army not just consisted of the men folk, but the women were also actively involved and were given military training to fight in the battle. In the revolt, Rani Lakshmibai was accompanied by her generals. 

From the period between Sep-Oct 1857, Rani defended Jhansi from being invaded by the neighbouring kings of Orchha and Datia. In January 1858, the British army headed towards Jhansi. The conflict went on for two weeks. Finally, the Britishers succeeded in the annexation of the city. However, Rani Laksmibai managed to escape along with her son. She took refuge in Kalpi, where she met Tatya Tope, a great warrior.

During the battle of Gwalior, Laxmibai was severely injured and her horse was mortally wounded. The horse was replaced by a younger, more energetic, but it was less trained. During the war, Rani tried to escape and two British officers followed her. The horse reached a cliff. Being insufficiently trained, it could not pass over it and hence the Britishers surrounded her. Gathering her energies, Laxmibai stood up to counter the British. Capt. Mac shot Laxmibai. Despite the injuries, Laxmibai attacked Capt Mac. As she was cornered, she knew there was only one option to take was to jump off which she did. Laxmibai escaped from the temple and stopped a passing carriage.  She asked the carriage driver to ensure no one should know about her death. The carriage driver honored his promise. He carefully took her to his ashram. She lay there unconscious for a moment then her last words were "Jai Hind!", meaning victory to India which shook this prabhanjamThe driver cremated the queen of Jhansi. Lord Canning believed Laxmibai to be dead. However, Indians refused to believe the news and kept the spirit of freedom alive.

Throughout the uprising, the aim of Rani was to secure the throne for her adopted son Damodar. But the British captured Gwalior three days later. 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. In his report of the Battle for Gwalior, General Rose commented that the Rani had been "the bravest and the best" of the rebels in the prabhanjam. 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 and an example to all women in this prabhanjam. The fall of Jhansi and the death of Rani Lakshmibai was the last series of the resistance to British Raj under the Sepoy Mutiny.

Due to her bravery, she became a heroine of this prabhanjam and the epitome of female bravery in India. When the Indian National Army, formed by Subhas Chandra Bose of Indian prisoners of war to fight the British created its first female regiment, it was named after her. The administration of an 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.


Reference : india-forums.com, Zee TV Website, Wikipedia.org

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