JHALKARIBAI: THE SYMBOL OF DALIT PRIDE AND HONOUR

Jhalkaribai (22 November 1830 – 1858)was an Indian woman soldier who played an important role in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 during the battle of Jhansi. She was a soldier in the women’s army of Queen Laxmibai of Jhansi. Born into a poor Kori family, she started her career as an ordinary soldier in Laxmibai’s army, but rose to a position of advising the queen and participating in vital decisions. During the rebellion, at the height of the battle of fort of Jhansi, she disguised herself as the queen and fought on the front to let the queen escape safely out of the fort.

The legend of Jhalkaribai remains in the popular memory of Bundelkhand over centuries. Her life and especially the incident of her fighting with the East India Company army on the front in disguise, continues to be sung in various Bundeli folklores. Her bravery along with her identity as a Dalit has helped to create a sense of pride and cultural unity in Dalits in North India.She was afterwards hanged to death by the British.

Jhalkaribai was daughter of a Sadoba Singh, and Jamuna Devi. She was born on November 22, 1830 in Bhojla village near Jhansi.After the death of her mother, when she was very young, her father raised her like a boy. She was trained in horse-riding and using weapons. Consistent with the social conditions of those days, she could not have a formal education, but soon became well-trained as a warrior. She killed a leopard in the forest with a stick she used to herd cattle.

Jhalkaribai bore resemblance to Rani Laxmibai. She married an artilleryman, Puran Singh, from the artillery unit of Rani Laxmibai. Jhalkaribai was introduced to the queen by Puran Singh. She joined her. After joining the army, she gained further expertise in all aspects of warfare.

During the Rebellion of 1857, General Hugh Rose attacked Jhansi with a large army on 23 March 1858. The queen valiantly faced the army with 4000 of her troops in her fort. She waited for relief from Peshwa’s army camping at Kalpi but it did not come because Tatya Tope was defeated by Rose. Meanwhile, Dulhaju, in charge of Orcha Gate, made pact with English and opened doors of Jhansi for English Army. The English Army rushed through and amidst this mayhem, Rani, on advice of her Courtier escaped through Bhanderi Gate with heavy fighting and casualties. On hearing escape of Jhalkaribai thought of a plan to Confuse Gen Rose.Jhalkaribai set out for General Rose’s camp in disguise as the queen and declared herself to be the queen Laxmibai. This led to a confusion that continued for a day and she was released only after it was revealed that she was not the queen.

A novel where we can find Jhalkaribai was written in the same year by Ram Chandra Heran in his Bundeli novel Maati. Heran depicted her as “chivalrous and a valiant martyr”. The first biography of Jhalkaribai was written in 1964 by Bhawani Shankar Visharad, a Dalit intellectual.

The death anniversary of Jhalkaribai is celebrated as ShahidDiwas(Martyr Day) by various Dalit organizations.

The movement to create a separate Bundelkhand state has also used the legend of Jhalkaribai to create the Bundeli identity. The Government of India’s Post and Telegraph department has issued a postal stamp depicting Jhalkaribai.

Archaeological Survey of India is setting up a museum at PanchMahal, a five storey building located inside the Jhansi Fort in remembrance of Jhalkaribai. The ASI, which comes under the Union Culture Ministry, proposes to display sculptures and architectural heritage at the museum to highlight the history, archaeology of the area and life history of JhalkariBai and Rani Lakshmibai