Childhood
Rani
Laxmi Bai was born to Moropant Tambe and Bhagirathi Sapre (Bhagirathi Bai) in a
Marathi Brahmin family in Varanasi. Her real name was Manikarnika. Her pet name
was Manu. Her mother, Bhagirathi Bai died when she was only four years old. As
a result, her father took the responsibility of her a as a child.
Education
and Marriage
She
was educated at home only by a tutor. Along with that, he was given training in
martial arts also. That included horse riding, shooting and fencing. At the age
of fourteen, she got married to the Maharaja of Jhansi, Raja Gangadhar Rao
Niwalkar. After marriage, she was called Lakshmi Bai. After three years of
marriage, she gave birth to a baby boy. But the infant did not survive more
than four months. After sometime, Raja got ill and they adopted a child.
War
“Khoob
ladi mardani wo to Jhansi waali rani thi” used for Jhansi ki Rani only because
a women who is so strong and brave that without any support and carrying her
infant at her back during the war is a symbol of courage, fighting spirit and
her love for the state. She formed a volunteer army on her own which was a mix
of men and women both, those brave women. Women along with men got military
training to face and fight in the war, in the battle. Rani constantly defended
Jhansi from being invaded by the armies of the neighboring rajas of Orchha and
Datia. However, in the fight of two indigenous parties, one outside party i.e.
Britishers managed and succeeded in entering the country.
At
the end
However,
even in such a mess, Lakshmi Bai managed to escape along with the infant and to
her luck, she met Tatya Tope, the then Great warrior. She went unconscious
while fighting for Gwalior and there and then she died on 17th June 1858.
