India’s War of Independence was not just a collective uprising against years of tyranny and colonial oppression by young and old alike from all the nooks and corners of India but also a unified voice that brought together people from all social backgrounds, castes, and communities. India has seen years of segregation of the population in the name of caste and community. Still, it was the struggle for independence that remarkably organized people, regardless of their identities, to tell the tale of fierce battles and the triumph of patriotism. One such voice from the marginalized section of the society was that of Jhalkari Bai, who played a crucial role in the Sepoy Mutiny as the commander of the army of Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi.
Jhalkari Bai was born and brought up in a Dalit family of Jhansi. She was the only daughter of Sadoba Singh, a farmer, and his wife, Jamuna Devi, living in the Bhojla village of Jhansi. After she was born in 1830, her mother died soon, leaving baby Jhalkari Bai only with her father to take care of her. Since she was a little girl, the villagers narrated stories of Jhalkari Bai’s gallant feats across the fires. Some of these stories included episodes of her encounter with a wild leopard, which she killed with just a stick used for herding the cattle, and her famous killing of a tiger with an axe. Unlike the other privileged children who had access to warfare training from renowned masters, Jhalkari Bai had to learn the usage of weapons, horse riding, and warfare all by herself. The feats of Jhalkari Bai impressed Pooran of Namapur, Jhansi, a member of the same Kori community as Jhalkari Bai and a famous wrestler himself. As he realized that Jhalkari Bai shared his expertise in horse riding, sword fighting, and wielding firearms, he immediately expressed his wish to marry the brave girl, which soon materialized in 1843. By finding a perfect match for herself, Jhalkari Bai proved that her talent and quality fetched her so much love and respect from her community, although she was deprived of the other benefits from the upper-class people of the society back then. Time and again, Jhalkari Bai repeatedly defied societal norms and rebelled against the stereotypical tendency of subjugating women. Starting from learning the skills exclusively reserved for men to committing acts of incredible courage that made her a name to be revered in her community, Jhalkari Bai has directly rebelled against the rigidity of the hierarchical society that sought to restrict her potential and identity within the confines of an underprivileged community that no one knew about.
There have been several narratives celebrating the achievements of Jhalkari Bai and her courage as a warrior hailing from the marginalized background of Indian society. Some of the narratives presented her as an ideal wife who supported her husband in cloth weaving and occasionally visited the Royal Palace for small chores. On the other hand, some mainstream history books, predominantly manifestos of Brahminism, deliberately neglected her contributions influenced by upper caste hegemony. However, the resistance put up by the Dalit community against British colonialism and its commemoration is impossible without mentioning Jhalkari Bai, which is evident in several poems and songs written as a tribute to this fierce warrior. With such a humble beginning, far from the glitters and hustle and bustle of the royal palaces, the life of Jhalkari Bai experienced a 360-degree turn when she became a key ally for Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi. From being a woman from an underprivileged community with a very obscure recognition, Jhalkari Bai rose to prominence when she became the chief confidant of Rani Lakshmi Bai from being a maid in the Royal Palace.
However, Jhalkari Bai emerged as a phoenix from the ashes of tyranny and age-old oppression when the British forces surrounded the fort of Jhansi after the death of King Raja Gangadhar Rao, intending to claim it due to the absence of a rightful heir to the throne. Although many narratives only celebrate the role of Rani Lakshmi Bai, owing to her bravery in the face of such a crisis to save her kingdom from the clutches of the British by deliberately ignoring the contribution of Jhalkari Bai, due to her Dalit background, it was Jhalkari Bai, who was the true and real martyr and virangana, who leveraged her resemblance to Rani Lakshmi Bai and met the forces outside the fort. Little did the British forces know that the real Rani Lakshmi Bai was already regrouping her troops and had successfully escaped the fort of Jhansi as a tactical maneuver against the enemy in the war. Although it was a strategic move from the perspective of war experts, this act of self-sacrifice consolidated the truth that it is not the privileges and luxuries reserved for the elite class but patriotism, loyalty, and undiluted courage needed to confront the foreign armies. Unruffled by the fact that her death was inevitable should the British forces find out her true identity, Jhalkari Bai did not flinch even once from putting herself forward in place of the real Rani Lakshmi Bai. It was not only because of her loyalty as a commander and adviser to the queen but also because of her love for her most excellent companion and homeland, which she wanted to protect with the last drop of blood.
Conclusion
According to the historical narratives, Jhalkari Bai was immediately killed in the battle that ensued between the British forces and the army of Jhansi, but till the last moment, her identity was left undisclosed. She became a symbol of resistance not only due to her role in the army of Jhansi but also for being a voice of the entire population of marginalized women in the Indian society, whose names and legacies are deeply buried in the mysteries of history deliberately shrouded by the patriarchy and caste mentality of the Indian society. However, her indomitable spirit and the power of self-sacrifice have emblazoned the name of Jhalkari Bai by the brightest star among the female freedom fighters of India.