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She had the English scurrying for cover in the First War of Indian Independence. She was the extraordinarily fearless Rani of Jhansi.
Born Manikarnika (alias Manu), Lakshmibai had a very different childhood. When girls her age reveled in dolls and dreams, Manu sported with horses and swords, stuff that a boy’s world was made of.
She married the ruler of Jhansi and bore him a royal heir too. Even as Jhansi rejoiced, Lakshmibai’s world came crashing with the death of her son, barely 4 months old and soon, the brokenhearted king.
A widowed Rani and a princely state with only an adopted incumbent to the throne! The English seized the opportunity to annexe Jhansi under the Doctrine of Lapse. But Rani Lakshmibai would not part with what was rightfully hers.
The English laid siege to Jhansi. Rising to the occasion, Lakshmibai mobilized volunteers, even women to put up a stiff resistance. Her prowess astounded the English, who acknowledged her as the most dangerous combatant in the 1857 rebellion. Lakshmibai finally died of her wounds in Gwalior, a martyr at the age of twenty-three.
Rani Lakshmibai stands out as the epitome of heroic valour, immortalized by the Subhadra Kumari Chauhan’s ballad – ‘Khoob Ladi Mardani Woh To Jhansi Wali Rani Thi’
Why we find her inspiring?
– Because she was a gutsy and confident woman
– Because notwithstanding her tender age, she took on a mighty enemy by herself
– Because she exhibited exemplary courage and determination in the face of personal grief
– Because she galvanized an entire nation by her heroic example
Suggested readings:
Rani of Jhansi
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The plight of Indian women's mental health often goes unnoticed. Co-founders Vivek Satya Mitram and Pooja Priyamvada conceived the idea of the Bharat Dialogues Women & Mental Health Summit to address this.
Trigger Warning: This contains descriptions of mental health trauma and suicide, and may be triggering for survivors.
Author’s note: The language and phraseology used are not the author’s words but the terms and narrative popularly used for people living with mental illnesses, and may feel non-inclusive. It is merely for putting our point across better.
I have seen how horrifying was the treatment given to those with mental illness.
People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
In some cases, women do not feel the need to make any decisions. They are taught to obey the patriarchal system, which makes them believe that they are right. In my family, I was never taught to make decisions on my own. It was always my parents who bought dresses and all that I needed.
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