Laxmibai and Jhalkari Bai led the Durga
Dal ( women’s army) recruits to repeatedly foil attacks by the British
army. And but for the betrayal by one of Laxmibai’s generals, the Jhansi
fort would have remained invincible for at least some more time.
Ignored by mainsteam historians, Jhalkari — a dalit woman — has now
emerged from oblivion and finds mention in works of local writers, which
include an epic poem by Chokhelal Verma, Virangana Jhalkari Bai by
Bhavani Shankar Visharad, and a biography by dalit scholar and Arunachal
Pradesh Governor Mata Prasad.
Her appearance, which was strikingly
similar to Laxmibai, helped the Jhansi army evolve a military strategy
to deceive the British. But before all that, Jhalkari was an ordinary
village girl in Bundelkhand who would take care of household chores
besides tending cattle and collecting firewood from the jungle.
She once had an encounter with a tiger
in the jungle and killed the beast with her axe. On another occasion,
she challenged a gang of dacoits who raided the house of a village
businessman and forced them to retreat.
As a mark of gratitude, the village
organised her marriage with Pooran Kori who matched her in courage.
Pooran was inducted into Laxmibai’s army and his fighting skills were
soon recognised by her generals. Once on the occasion of Gauri Puja,
Jhalakari with the other village women went to the Jhansi fort to pay
homage to the queen.
Laxmibai was struck by Jhalkari’s
uncanny resemblance to her. After being told about her courage, she
ordered Jhalkari’s induction into the Durga Dal. Jhalkari, along with
the other village women, was trained in shooting and igniting the
cannons at a time when the Jhansi army was being strengthened to face
any British intrusion.
The British did not allow the childless
Laxmibai to adopt her successor, in a bid to bring the state under their
control. However, her generals and the people of Jhansi rallied round
the queen and resolved to take up arms against the British instead of
surrendering to them.
During April 1858, from inside the
Jhansi fort, the queen led her army and repulsed several attacks by the
British and their native allies. One of her commanders, however,
betrayed her and opened a well protected gate of the fort. When the fall
of the fortress became imminent, her generals advised Laxmibai to
escape with a handful of fighters. The Rani slipped away from Jhansi on
horseback.
Jhalkari’s husband Pooran was killed
defending the fort but instead of mourning her loss, she worked out a
plan to deceive the British. She dressed up like Laxmibai and took
command of the Jhansi army. After which she marched out of the fort
towards the camp of British general Hugh Rose. On reaching the British
enclave, she shouted that she wanted to meet the general. Rose and his
men were exultant. Besides capturing Jhansi, the British thought they
had caught the queen alive. When the general — thinking she was the
queen — asked Jhalkari what should be done to her, she firmly said, "hang me."
Bundelkhand legend has it that her reply
stunned the general, who said that if even one per cent of Indian women
were like Jhalkari, the British would soon have to leave India.
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