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Biography of Lakshmi BaiName: Lakshmi BaiBirth Date: November 19, c. 1835 Death Date: June 17, 1858 Place of Birth: Poona, India Nationality: Indian Gender: Female Occupations: queen, military leader Lakshmi Bai Lakshmi Bai (c. 1835-1858), the Rani of Jhansi, is a national hero in India for her fight against the injustices of the British Raj.As the reigning queen (Rani) of the Jhansi province of India, Bai was killed in a battle during the Indian First War of Independence provoked by the reigning British invocation of lapse, a policy by which the British claimed the lands of Indian kings (Rajas) without male heirs. She has since become emblematic of Indian rebellion against the encroachment of British imperialism and is celebrated by her country people as a woman who lived contrary to the perceived notions of nineteenth-century Indian feminine decorum. Many contradictory stories have been written about Bai that depict her as either an honorable head of state or as a ruthless, deceitful, and cunning warrior. Likewise physical descriptions of Bai vary; some describing her as possessing beautiful facial features, and others describing …showed first 150 words…
…showed last 150 words…assailant but missed. He, in turn, allegedly shot her, failing to realize who she was because she was dressed in men's clothing. Some reports say that Bai was not killed instantly, but was removed to a mango grove where she reportedly distributed her jewels to her subordinates. Her servants cremated her body according to Hindu custom. Rose wrote about his foe: "The Ranee was remarkable for her bravery, cleverness and perseverance; her generocity to her Subordinates was unbounded. These qualities, combined with her rank, rendered her the most dangerous of all the rebel leaders." Further Reading Commire, Anne, editor, "Lakshmibai," in Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia, Vol. 9: Laa-Lydu, Yorkin Publications and The Gale Group, 2001.Hibbert, Christopher, The Great Mutiny: India 1857, The Viking Press, 1978.James, Lawrence, Raj: The Making and Unmaking of British India, St. Martin's Press, 1997. "Lakshmi Bai," Distinguished Women, http:www.distinguishedwomen.com/biographies/bai.html, (January 29, 2002). |