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RaniofJhansi
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Lakshmibai,theRaniofJhansi(19November182818June

RaniofJhansi

1858[1][2]),bornasManikarnika pronunciation(helpinfo),wasthe

RaniLakshmibai,theRaniofJhansi

queenoftheMaratharuledJhansiState,situatedinthenorthcentral
partofIndia.ShewasoneoftheleadingfiguresoftheIndian
Rebellionof1857andbecameforIndiannationalistsasymbolof
resistancetotheBritishRaj
Contents[hide]
1 Biography
1.1 IndianRebellionof1857
1.1.1 MayJuly1857
1.1.2 August1857June1858
2 Culturaldepictionsandmemorials
2.1 Literature,filmandtelevision
3 Seealso
4 References
5 Furtherreading
6 Externallinks

Biography

Lakshmibai,theRaniofJhansi(portrayedas
asowar)

[ edit ]

Lakshmibaiwasbornon19November1828[2][3][4][5]intheholytown
ofVaranasiintoaMarathiBrahminfamily.[6][7]Shewasnamed

Predecessor GangadharRao
Successor

BritishRaj

Born

ManikarnikaTambe
19November1828
Varanasi,India

Died

18June1858(aged29)
KotahkiSerai,nearGwalior,
India

Spouse

JhansiNareshMaharaj
GangadharRaoNewalkar

Issue

DamodarRao,AnandRao
(adopted)

House

MarathaEmpire

Father

MoropantTambe

Mother

BhagirathiSapre

ManikarnikaandwasnicknamedManu.[8]HerfatherwasMoropant
Tambe(aretainerofChimnajiAppa,thebrotherofBajiRao)[9]and
hermotherBhagirathiSapre(BhagirathiBai).Herparentscame
fromMaharashtra.Hermotherdiedwhenshewasfour.Herfather
workedforacourtPeshwaofBithoordistrictwhobroughtup
Manikarnikalikehisowndaughter.[10]ThePeshwacalledher
"Chhabili",whichmeans"playful".Shewaseducatedathomeand
wasmoreindependentinherchildhoodthanothersofherageher
studiesincludedshooting,horsemanship,andfencing.[11][12]
ManikarnikawasmarriedtotheMaharajaofJhansi,RajaGangadhar
RaoNewalkar,inMay1842[3][13]andwasafterwardscalled

Lakshmibai(orLaxmibai)inhonouroftheHindugoddessLakshmi.[14]Shegavebirthtoaboy,laternamed
DamodarRao,in1851,whodiedafterfourmonths.TheMaharajaadoptedachildcalledAnandRao,thesonof
GangadharRao'scousin,whowasrenamedDamodarRao,onthedaybeforetheMaharajadied.Theadoption
wasinthepresenceoftheBritishpoliticalofficerwhowasgivenaletterfromtheMaharajainstructingthatthe
childbetreatedwithrespectandthatthegovernmentofJhansishouldbegiventohiswidowforherlifetime.After
thedeathoftheMaharajainNovember1853,becauseDamodarRaowasadopted,theBritishEastIndia
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Company,underGovernorGeneralLordDalhousie,appliedtheDoctrineofLapse,rejectingDamodarRao'sclaim
tothethroneandannexingthestatetoitsterritories.InMarch1854,Lakshmibaiwasgivenanannualpensionof
Rs.60,000andorderedtoleavethepalaceandthefort.[15][16]RaniLakshmibaihasbeenknowntotheBritish
mostcommonlyas"theRaniofJhansi"inHindisheisoftenknownas"JhansikiRani".
RaniLakshmibaiwasaccustomedtoridingonhorsebackaccompaniedbyasmallescortbetweenthepalaceand
thetemplealthoughsometimesshewascarriedbypalanquin.[17]HerhorsesincludedSarangi,PavanandBadal
accordingtotraditionsherodeBadalwhenescapingfromthefortin1858.TheRaniMahal,thepalaceofRani
Lakshmibai,hasnowbeenconvertedintoamuseum.Ithousesacollectionofarchaeologicalremainsofthe
periodbetweenthe9thand12thcenturiesAD.
AccordingtoamemoirpurportingtobebyDamodarRaohewasamonghismother'stroopsandhouseholdatthe
battleofGwaliortogetherwithotherswhohadsurvivedthebattle(some60retainerswith60camelsand22
horses)hefledfromthecampofRaoSahibofBithurandasthevillagepeopleofBundelkhanddarednotaidthem
forfearofreprisalsfromtheBritishtheywereforcedtoliveintheforestandsuffermanyprivations.Aftertwo
yearstherewereabout12survivorsandthesetogetherwithanothergroupof24theyencounteredsoughtthecity
ofJhalrapatanwheretherewereyetmorerefugeesfromJhansi.DamodarRaosurrenderedhimselftoaBritish
officialandhismemoirendsinMay1860whenhehasbeenallowedapensionofRs.10,000,sevenretainers
only,andisintheguardianshipofMunshiDharmanarayan.[18]

IndianRebellionof1857

[ edit ]

MayJuly1857 [ edit ]
ArumourthatthecartridgessuppliedbytheEastIndiaCompanytothesoldiersinitsarmycontainedporkorbeef
fatbegantospreadthroughoutIndiaintheearlymonthsof1857.[19]On10May1857theIndianRebellionstarted
inMeerutwhennewsofthisreachedJhansi,theRaniaskedtheBritishpoliticalofficer,CaptainAlexanderSkene,
forpermissiontoraiseabodyofarmedmenforherownprotectionandSkeneagreedtothis.[20]Thecitywas
relativelycalminthemidstofunrestintheregionbuttheRaniconductedaHaldiKumkumceremonywithpompin
frontofallthewomenofJhansitoprovideassurancetohersubjects,[when?]andtoconvincethemthattheBritish
werecowardsandnottobeafraidofthem.[21][22]
Tillthispoint,LakshmibaiwasreluctanttorebelagainsttheBritish.InJune1857,menofthe12thBengalNative
Infantryseizedthefortcontainingthetreasureandmagazine,and,afterpersuadingtheBritishtolaydowntheir
armsbypromisingthemnoharm,broketheirwordandmassacredtheEuropeanofficersofthegarrisonalong
withtheirwivesandchildren.Herinvolvementinthismassacreisstillasubjectofdebate.[23][24]Anarmydoctor,
ThomasLowe,wroteaftertherebellioncharacterisingherasthe"JezebelofIndia...theyoungraniuponwhose
headrestedthebloodoftheslain".[25]FourdaysafterthemassacrethesepoysleftJhansihavingobtaineda
largesumofmoneyfromtheRani,andhavingthreatenedtoblowupthepalacewhereshelived.Followingthisas
theonlysourceofauthorityinthecitytheRanifeltobligedtoassumetheadministrationandwrotetoMajor
Erskine,commissioneroftheSaugordivisionexplainingtheeventswhichhadledhertodoso.[26]On2July
Erskinewroteinreplythatherequestedherto"managetheDistrictfortheBritishGovernment"untilthearrivalof
aBritishSuperintendent.[27]TheRani'sforcesdefeatedanattemptbythemutineerstoasserttheclaimtothe
throneofarivalprincewhowascapturedandimprisoned.TherewasthenaninvasionofJhansibytheforcesof
CompanyalliesOrchhaandDatiatheirintentionhoweverwastodivideJhansibetweenthemselves.TheRani
appealedtotheBritishforaidbutitwasnowbelievedbythegovernorgeneralthatshewasresponsibleforthe
massacreandnoreplywasreceived.Shesetupafoundrytocastcannontobeusedonthewallsofthefortand
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assembledforcesincludingsomefromformerfeudatoriesofJhansiandelementsofthemutineerswhichwere
abletodefeattheinvadersinAugust1857.HerintentionatthistimewasstilltoholdJhansionbehalfofthe
British.[28]
August1857June1858 [ edit ]
FromAugust1857toJanuary1858JhansiundertheRani'srulewasatpeace.TheBritishhadannouncedthat
troopswouldbesenttheretomaintaincontrolbutthefactthatnonearrivedstrengthenedthepositionofapartyof
heradviserswhowantedindependencefromBritishrule.WhentheBritishforcesfinallyarrivedinMarchthey
founditwelldefendedandtheforthadheavygunswhichcouldfireoverthetownandnearbycountryside.Sir
HughRose,commandingtheBritishforces,demandedthesurrenderofthecityifthiswasrefuseditwouldbe
destroyed.[29]AfterduedeliberationtheRaniissuedaproclamation:"Wefightforindependence.Inthewordsof
LordKrishna,wewillifwearevictorious,enjoythefruitsofvictory,ifdefeatedandkilledonthefieldofbattle,we
shallsurelyearneternalgloryandsalvation."[30]ShedefendedJhansiagainstBritishtroopswhenSirHughRose
besiegedJhansion23March1858.
Thebombardmentbeganon24Marchbutwasmetbyheavyreturnfire
andthedamageddefenceswererepaired.Thedefenderssentappealsfor
helptoTatyaTope[27]anarmyofmorethan20,000,headedby
Tantiatope,wassenttorelieveJhansibuttheyfailedtodosowhenthey
foughttheBritishon31March.DuringthebattlewithTantiaTope'sforces
partoftheBritishforcescontinuedthesiegeandby2Aprilitwasdecided
tolaunchanassaultbyabreachinthewalls.Fourcolumnsassaultedthe
defencesatdifferentpointsandthoseattemptingtoscalethewallscame

JhansiFort,1882

underheavyfire.Twoothercolumnshadalreadyenteredthecityand
wereapproachingthepalacetogether.Determinedresistancewas
encounteredineverystreetandineveryroomofthepalace.Streetfightingcontinuedintothefollowingdayand
noquarterwasgiven,eventowomenandchildren."Nomaudlinclemencywastomarkthefallofthecity"wrote
ThomasLowe.[31]TheRaniwithdrewfromthepalacetothefortandaftertakingcounseldecidedthatsince
resistanceinthecitywasuselessshemustleaveandjoineitherTantiaTopeorRaoSahib(NanaSahib's
nephew).[32]
AccordingtotraditionwithDamodarRaoonherbackshejumpedonher
horseBadalfromtheforttheysurvivedbutthehorsedied.[34]TheRani
escapedinthenightwithherson,surroundedbyguards.[35]Theescort
includedthewarriorsKhudaBakhshBasharatAli(commandant),Gulam
GausKhan,DostKhan,LalaBhauBakshi,MotiBai,SunderMundar,Kashi
Bai,DeewanRaghunathSinghandDeewanJawahar
Singh.[citationneeded]Alongwithallthesewarriorsthelocalpopulationof
Jhansiirrespectiveoftheirreligionorcastewerealwaysdeterminedto
fightandgivetheirliveswithpleasureforthecauseofindependenceand
theirbelovedRani.[citationneeded]ShedecampedtoKalpiwithafewguards,

TheplacefromwhereRani
Lakshmibaijumpedonherhorse,
Badal[33]

whereshejoinedadditionalrebelforces,includingTatyaTope.[32]They
occupiedthetownofKalpiandpreparedtodefendit.On22MayBritishforcesattackedKalpitheIndianforces
werecommandedbytheRaniherselfandwereagaindefeated.Theleaders(theRaniofJhansi,TantiaTope,the
NawabofBanda,andRaoSahib)fledoncemore.TheycametoGwaliorandjoinedtheIndianforceswhonow
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heldthecity(MaharajaScindiahavingfledtoAgrafromthebattlefieldatMorar).Theymovedon
toGwaliorintendingtooccupythestrategicGwaliorFortandtherebelforcesoccupiedthecitywithoutopposition.
TherebelsproclaimedNanaSahibasPeshwaofarevivedMarathadominionwithRaoSahibashisgovernor
(subedar)inGwalior.TheRaniwasunsuccessfulintryingtopersuadetheotherrebelleaderstoprepareto
defendGwalioragainstaBritishattackwhichsheexpectedwouldcomesoon.GeneralRose'sforces
tookMoraron16Juneandthenmadeasuccessfulattackonthecity.[36]
On17JuneinKotahkiSerai261244.26N781024.76EnearthePhoolBaghofGwalior,asquadronofthe8th
(King'sRoyalIrish)Hussars,underCaptainHeneage,foughtthelargeIndianforcecommandedbyRani
Lakshmibaiwhichwastryingtoleavethearea.The8thHussarschargedintotheIndianforce,killingmanyIndian
soldiers,takingtwogunsandcontinuingthechargerightthroughthePhoolBaghencampment.Inthis
engagement,accordingtoaneyewitnessaccount,RaniLakshmibaiputonasowar'suniformandattackedoneof
thehussarsshewasunhorsedandalsowounded,probablybyhissabre.Shortlyafterwards,asshesatbleeding
bytheroadside,sherecognisedthesoldierandfiredathimwithapistol,whereuponhe"dispatchedtheyoung
ladywithhiscarbine".[37][38]AccordingtoanothertraditionRaniLakshmibai,theQueenofJhansi,dressedasa
cavalryleader,wasbadlywoundednotwishingtheBritishtocaptureherbody,shetoldahermittoburnit.After
herdeathafewlocalpeoplecrematedherbody.TheBritishcapturedthecityofGwaliorafterthreedays.Inthe
Britishreportofthisbattle,HughRosecommentedthatRaniLakshmibaiis"personable,cleverandbeautiful"and
sheis"themostdangerousofallIndianleaders".[39][40]Rosereportedthatshehadbeenburied"withgreat
ceremonyunderatamarindtreeundertheRockofGwalior,whereIsawherbonesandashes".[41][42]Hertombis
inthePhoolBaghareaofGwalior.TwentyyearsafterherdeathColonelMallesonwroteintheHistoryoftheIndian
Mutinyvol.3London,1878'WhateverherfaultsinBritisheyesmayhavebeen,hercountrymenwillever
rememberthatshewasdrivenbyilltreatmentintorebellion,andthatshelivedanddiedforhercountry.'[43]

Culturaldepictionsandmemorials

[ edit ]

EquestrianstatuesofLakshmibaiareseeninmanyplacesofIndia,which
showherandhersontiedtoherback.LaxmibaiNationalUniversityof
PhysicalEducationinGwaliorandMaharaniLaxmiBaiMedical
CollegeinJhansiarenamedafterher.RaniLaxmiBaiNationalAgricultural
UniversityinJhansiwasfoundedin2013.TheRaniJhansiMarineNational
ParkislocatedintheAndamanandNicobarIslandsintheBayofBengal.
Awomen'sunitoftheIndianNationalArmywasnamedtheRaniofJhansi
Regiment.In1957twopostagestampswereissuedtocommemoratethe
centenaryoftherebellion:the15n.p.stampportrayedtheRanion
horseback.

Literature,filmandtelevision

AnequestrianstatueofLakshmibai
inSolapur,Maharashtra

[ edit ]

Songsandpoems
PatrioticsongshavebeenwrittenabouttheRanioneofthemincludes
theselines(translated):"Howvaliantlylikeamanfoughtshe/TheRaniof
Jhansi/Oneveryparapetagunsheset/Rainingfireofhell/Howwelllike
amanfoughttheRaniofJhansi/Howvaliantlyandwell!"[44]Sheisa
symbolofwomanmanhoodasthelinesaysinherrespect"Khoobladi

ThesamadhiofRaniLakshmibai

mardaniwotojhansiwaliranithi"(Bravelyandrelentlesslyshefoughtlike
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men).
ThemostfamouscompositionofSubhadraKumariChauhanistheHindi
poemJhansikiRani,anemotionallychargeddescriptionofthelifeofRani
Lakshmibai.
Novels
FlashmanintheGreatGamebyGeorgeMacDonaldFraser,a

RaniLakshmiBaiPark,Jhansi

historicalfictionnovelabouttheIndianRevoltdescribingseveral
meetingsbetweenFlashmanandtheRani.
Lafemmesacre,inFrench,byMicheldeGrce.AnovelbasedontheRaniofJhansi'slifeinwhichthe
authorimaginesanaffairbetweentheRaniandanEnglishlawyer.Pocket,1988,ISBN9782266023610
LaReinedescipayes,inFrench,byCatherineClment,Paris:Seuil,2012,ISBN9782021026511
Rani,a2007novelinEnglishbyJaishreeMisra.
NightrunnersofBengal,a1951novelinEnglishbyJohnMasters.
Manu(ISBN072788073X)andQueenofGlory(ISBN0727881213),(2011&2012)byChristopherNicole,two
novelsaboutLakshmibaifromthetimeofhermarriageuntilherdeathduringthe'IndianRevolt'asseenand
experiencedbyanEnglishwomancompanion.
RebelQueen:ANovelbyMichelleMoran"ATouchstoneBook"NewYork:SimonandSchuster,March
2015[citationneeded]
Filmandtelevision
TheTigerandtheFlame(1953),oneofthefirsttechnicolorfilmsreleasedinIndia,wasdirectedandproduced
byIndianfilmmakerSohrabModi.
JhansiKiRani(TVseries)anIndianhistoricaldramatelevisionseriesairedonZeeTV.
TheRebel,afilmbyKetanMehta,acompanionpiecetohisfilmMangalPandey:TheRisingthescreenplayis
byFarrukhDhondyfromastorybyChandraPrakashDwivedi.
Videogame
TheOrder:1886isasingleplayerthirdpersonshootervideogamedevelopedbyReadyatDawnandSCE
SantaMonicaStudioandpublishedbySonyComputerEntertainment.Itwasreleasedexclusivelyforthe
PlayStation4onFebruary20,2015.AfictionalversionofRaniLakshmiBaiisapivotalcharacterinthegame
andisreferredtoasLaxmi/Lakshmi,LakshmiBai,QueenofJhansi,andRaniinthegamebyprotagonist
Galahadandtherani'sdaughterDevi.Inthegame,sheistherebelleaderfightingtheUnitedIndiaCompany
plottingtoruletheworldwithunethicalforce,ashadtheEastIndiaCompanyinreality.[citationneeded]
Otherworks
TheQueenofJhansi,byMahaswetaDevi(translatedbySagareeandMandiraSengupta).Thisbookisa
reconstructionofthelifeofRaniLakshmiBaifromextensiveresearchofbothhistoricaldocuments(collected
mostlybyG.C.Tambe,grandsonoftheQueen)andfolktales,poetryandoraltraditiontheoriginal
inBengaliwaspublishedin1956theEnglishtranslationbySeagullBooks,Calcutta,2000,ISBN8170461758.

Seealso

[ edit ]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rani_of_Jhansi

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