How Rani of Jhansi escaped the Nehruvian hammer of oblivion
I happened to watch “Manikarnika—The Queen of Jhansi” in the theatre the other day. People of my generation surely remember the immortal poem of Subhadra Kumari Chauhan : “Bundele Harbolon Ke Moonh Humnein Suni Kahani Thi; Khoob Ladi Mardani Woh to Jhansi Waali Rani Thi.”. The other issue which interests me is how Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi escaped the censorious Nehruvian impact which usually has been the fate of glorious figures of Hindu kings, generals and dare I say politicians. Contemporary historian John Lang, who knew her, wrote in Wanderings in India: “Her dress was plain white muslin, so fine in texture and drawn about her in such a way that the outline of her figure was plainly discernible—a remarkably fine figure she had.” Christopher Hibbert in his Great Mutiny says that Rani was to acquire among British officers an “undeserved reputation for excessive lasciviousness.” Basically, the colonial myth of British masculinity and the domesticity of Hindu women didn’t conform to Rani’s persona. It’s a staggering amount of work.. One of the more remarkable work is by Harleen Singh: The Rani of Jhansi: Gender, History and Fable in India.
Discover Related
In Kolkata, a lit fest that will celebrate the vanquished
Values enshrined by Jainism offer answer to global challenges: PM Modi
Babu Jagjivan Ram’s services remembered on his birth anniversary
Nehru: ‘His mistakes are magnified, his achievements belittled’
Report: Kokrajhar Literature Festival
Kumbh showcased India’s grandeur to world: PM Modi
‘Muslim women’s liberation cannot be boxed into a single narrative’
The invisible struggle: Addressing the plight of deserted women in India