Rani Lakshmibai, widely known as the Rani of Jhansi, was one of the most prominent figures of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. She became a symbol of resistance against British colonial rule. Born as Manikarnika Tambe in 1828 in Varanasi, she was raised in the household of the Peshwa Baji Rao II, where she learned horse riding, fencing, and archery—skills unusual for women of her time.
Early Life and Marriage
In 1842, she married Maharaja Gangadhar Rao Newalkar of Jhansi and was renamed Lakshmibai. The couple had a son who died in infancy. They later adopted a child named Damodar Rao.
After the Maharaja died in 1853, the British Governor-General Lord Dalhousie applied the Doctrine of Lapse. This policy stated that any princely state under the influence of the British would be annexed if the ruler died without a natural heir. The British refused to recognize Damodar Rao’s claim and annexed Jhansi in 1854.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Want to invest in share market! Then here is the way:
Open a free demat account with Zerodha and start investing in stocks, derivatives, mutual funds, ETFs, bonds, IPOs, and more.https://zerodha.com/open-account?c=EY6878
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Role in the 1857 Rebellion
When the Indian Rebellion (the Sepoy Mutiny) broke out in Meerut in 1857, Jhansi became a center of the uprising in Central India. In March 1858, British forces led by Sir Hugh Rose besieged Jhansi. Despite being outnumbered, the Rani led her army—which included a women’s unit called the Durga Dal—to defend the fort for two weeks.
Betrayal by local commander and her escape
After the fort was breached due to the betrayal of a local commander Dulaji Thakur (Dulaji or Dulaju). Dulaji was in charge of the Orcha Gate (Southern Gate) of the fort. It was a secret entry gate and Dulaji accepted a bribe from the British and opened this gate under the cover of night. This allowed the British soldiers to enter the city and the fort area, leading to fierce street-to-street fighting. It was this breach that eventually forced the Rani to make her daring escape from the fort. She famously jumped from the fort walls on her horse, Badal, with her son tied to her back. She joined forces with other rebel leaders like Tatya Tope and captured Gwalior. She died fighting the British on June 18, 1858, at Kotah-ki-Serai near Gwalior.
Sir Hugh Rose, her opponent acknowledged her extraordinary bravery and said “the only man among the rebels.”
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Want to earn money from blogs and website! Then click here:
https://monetag.com/?ref_id=uXdu
_______________________________________________________________________________________________