Jhansi Ki Rani-Laxmibai
-- Venisha Bali, Grade-3, ICSK, Khaitan
Tuesday, July 26, 2022
Independence Day is celebrated on August 15th as it marks the end of British rule in India in 1947. The story of our fight for independence is an inspiration to the whole world. It all started with the East India Company which was a British stock company founded on December 31, 1600 by Thomas Smythe and John Watts. It was formed to establish trade relations in the Indian Ocean region initially with East Indies and later East Asia. They came to India in 1608 with the purpose of trade mainly in spices and in silk, cotton, indigo-dye and tea. After the Sepoy mutiny of 1857, India came under the direct control of the monarchy in the form of the new British Raj.
There were many struggles for independence in various parts of our country. One of the unforgettable battles was led by Rani Laxmi bai. Rani Lakshmi Bai, also called as Jhansi Ki Rani, was born on November 19, 1835 in Kashi, India as Manikarnika Tambe. She was brought up in the household of the peshwa ruler Baji Rao II and was trained in martial arts, sword fighting and horse riding. At a very young age she was married to Maharaja Gangadhar Rao of Jhansi. Soon after the maharaja’s death, she became the rani of Jhansi taking care of the state on behalf of their adopted son. Lord Dalhousie, the then Governor-general of India refused to recognize the adopted heir and posted an agent of the East India company in Jhansi to look after the administrative matters. The young rani refused to handover her beloved kingdom to the British and offered stiff resistance. She was known for her courage and valour and being one of the exemplary leaders of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 who offered stiff resistance to the British rule. Under Gen. Hugh Rose, the East India Company’s forces advanced to the fort of Jhansi. Rani Lakshmi Bai single-handedly opposed the forces with all her might and did not concede Jhansi even after her troops were defeated. She escaped from Jhansi with a small army and joined another rebel leader, Tantya Tope. Together they successfully launched an assault on the fortress of Gwalior and seized the treasury and arsenal. Thereafter, she moved to Morar to fight the British forces led by Gen. Rose. Dressed like a male warrior she fiercely fought with the forces but was murdered in a bloodshed on June 17, 1858. Rani Laxmi Bai is one of the greatest freedom fighters of India who will always be remembered as a fearless warrior and the bravest queen who fight for the pride of nation.
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Venisha Bali, Grade-3, ICSK, Khaitan |
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