Rani Lakshmibai

Rani Lakshmibai Biography

Rani Lakshmibai, popularly known as Jhansi ki Rani is the most popular woman freedom fighter of India. She was the queen of the Maratha-ruled princely state of Jhansi, situated in the north-central part of India. She is always regarded as ‘woman of brave heart’ who stood against British and East India Company during Indian Rebellion of 1857 when Doctrine of Lapse was introduced.

It’s widely believed that Lakshmibai was born on 19 November 1828. Her birth name was Manikarnika and nick name – Manu. She was born in Varanasi to Moropant Tambe and Bhagirathi Bai, both Maharastrians. She lost her mother at the age of four and her father worked for a court Peshwa of Bithoor district. She was educated at home and she learnt archery, horsemanship, and self-defense, though she is a girl.

Manikarnika was married to the Maharaja of Jhansi, Raja Gangadhar Rao, in 1842 and afterwards she was called Lakshmibai. She gave birth to a boy named Damodar Rao in 1851. But he died four months after his birth. Raja adopted a child called Anand Rao, the son of Gangadhar Rao's cousin. One day before he died, he renamed Anand Rao as Damodar Rao. The adoption was in the presence of the British political officer and he gave a letter to British asking him to treat Lakshmibai as a widow and grand her kingdom as well.

After the death of Raja Gangadhar Rao in 1853, as Damodar Rao was adopted, the British East India Company rejected Damodar Rao's claim to the throne and annexing the state to its territories, applying Doctrine of Lapse. In March 1854, Lakshmibai was given a pension of Rs. 60,000 and ordered to leave the palace and the fort.

On 10 May 1857 the Indian Rebellion started in Meerut. Lakshmibai asked the British political officer, Captain Alexander Skene, for permission to raise a body of armed men for her own protection and was given as well. But later, she decided to rebel against British in want of Kingdom. Her escape from the fort carrying her son on her lap, riding on her horse Badal became an iconic statue everywhere in India. She got help from Tanti Tope and Nana Sahib as well. However, despite being several attempts made she was killed in the battle against British. After her death a few local people cremated her body as she didn’t wish British to capture her body. She was dressed as a sowar when she did the final fight against British on June 18, 1958.

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Updated: July 19, 2018