VARANASI: The birth place of Maharani Lakshmi Bai, which was renovated and turned into a memorial only last year by the tourism department, is lying in utter neglect in absence of a proper system for its upkeep. Forget a gatekeeper, the department has not even provided this place with basic necessities required for daily maintenance. Even a visitor’s register was not provided by the government officials to the memorial which sees over 250 visitors, including foreigners, on a daily basis.

In a noble gesture, a group of professors from Banaras Hindu University ( BHU) and some locals provided some necessary articles like visitor’s register, broom, water tubes, scissors and knives for gardening by means of charity and donation.

As there is no appointed caretaker or gatekeeper to look after the memorial, a local family led by Harinath Prasad Gond takes care of the upkeep of the memorial without any financial support from the government. “I have been looking after this place for the past 10 years as I am inspired and attached with this place. I sleep here at night and sweep and wash the entire area almost daily and even contributed as a labourer during the renovation work. The work requiring cutting the grasses, cleaning the statue and other maintenance is done by me and my wife. But we do not get any money from any department. It is the locals who come and donate some money and articles to us for the upkeep of the place,” Harinath said.

Harinath is a poor labourer and his wife works as a help in some houses in the locality. Despite their poor condition, they are looking after the place. Harinath and his family has placed a donation box and tourists and visitors donate some money voluntarily for the upkeep of the place.

According to Harinath, the place has also seen some architectural damage. The metal mount situated behind the golden coloured statue fell a few days ago and is still to be repaired. The water fountains are also lying defunct. Harinath has written to several officials to make permanent arrangement for the upkeep of the place but nothing has been done yet.

The memorial, after its renovation was completed in November 2012, is yet to be handed over to Varanasi Municipal Corporation (VMC) and the proposal is pending for a year now. Earlier in March 2013, Uttar Pradesh tourism minister Om Prakash Singh visited the place and ordered to place a sign board, solar street lights and coupling bricks pathway near the memorial. But several months after the order, the street lights and sign boards are yet to be provided.

Regional tourism officer Ravindra Mishra was not available for comments. When Mayor Ramgopal Mohale was contacted, he said, “I am not in a position to comment at the moment.”

A budget of Rs 52.24 lakh was spent on the project and construction work was started in 2010. The memorial comprises a golden colour statue of Lakshmi Bai, accompanied by pictorial representation of major events from the life of the warrior queen on the side walls. The boundary lines of the campus have been constructed with pink stones. The motivational stories and events from Lakshmi Bai’s life have been carved out.

The inscription of lines from the poetry (Khoob Ladi Mardani …) written by Subhadra Kumari Chauhan on the side walls fill evoke feelings of respect and patriotism.

Prior to the renovation, the birthplace had been lying neglected for a long time. According to Harinath, very often tourists and educationists used to come in search of the birth place of the warrior queen but after witnessing its condition, they had to return dejected. At present, the memorial attracts thousands of tourists, educationists, historians and students to witness the birth place of the woman, who was an epitome of bravery and empowerment.

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Read : Lakshmi Bai : Warrior Queen of Jhansi

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1857 saw one of the bloodiest revolutions in world history as hundreds of thousands perished as India bid for freedom and the greatest empire in the world tottered for a fall.

Racial prejudices and brutality exposed itself at its worst as Indians were subjected to the worst forms of apartheid in their own country with the increasing hold of the British over the political structure of India backed by its native Indian army.  Everything was set for an explosion.

And matters exploded in 1857 memorably by the first martyr for Indian freedom, Mangal Pandey. Soon Northern India was on fire as the British and their troops scurried for cover as the name of dharma and justice rang through the land.

Central in this struggle was a young widow, Lakshmi bai of Jhansi (19 November 1828 – 18 June 1858). At birth she was named Manu. The young Manu, unfortunately she lost her mother when she was only four. The entire duty of bringing up the daughter fell on her father. Along with formal education she acquired the skill in sword fighting, horse riding and shooting. Manu later became the wife of Gangadhar Rao, Maharaaj of Jhansi, in 1842. From then on she was known as Maharani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi.

In 1851 Maharani Lakshmi Bai bore a son but her fate was cruel and she lost her child within three months. Her husband, the Maharajah of Jhansi passed away on the 21st November 1853. Although prior to this the Maharaja and Maharani adopted a boy the British government claimed they did not recognise the right of the adopted boy. Thus they tried to buy off the Rani however she stated:

“No, impossible! I shall not surrender my Jhansi!”

It did not take her long to realise how difficult it was for the small state of Jhansi to oppose the British when even the Peshwas and Kings of Delhi had bowed down to the British Demands. The Rani’s battle now was against the British who had cunningly taken her kingdom from her.

After the British took over her government her daily routine changed. Every morning from 4am to 8am were set apart for bathing, worship, meditation and prayer. From 8am to 11am she would go out for a horse ride, practise shooting, and practice swordmanship and shooting with the reins held on her teeth. Thereafter she would bathe again, feed the hungry, give alms to the poor and then have food; then rested for a while.

After that she would chant the Ramanyan. She would then exercise lightly in the evening. Later she would go through some religious books and hear religious sermons. Then she worshipped her chosen deity and had supper. All things were done methodically, according to her strict timetable. Such a dedicated and devoted women!

When the fires of freedom were spreading the Rani had no hesitation in throwing her lot in with the freedom fighters. Her brave and steady character with her son Damodar Rao was strapped tightly to her back going onto the battlefield earned her the respect of the other fighters such as Tatya Tope, Kunwar Singh, Amar Singh , Peshwa Nana Saheb and others.

She maintained a determined and gritty struggle for over a year  as the leaderless revolutionaries fought desperately in small groups and pockets all over north India facing the reinforced British and their Indian lackeys.

The tide of war washed over the subcontinent as the British were everywhere uprooted and the Indians bid to reverse the inequities thrust upon them. However without trained leadership and fighting independently from each other, united by nothing more than a desire to be free they were subdued one by one.

Despite the turning of the tide she scored some notable victories over British troops earning even the grudging respect of the British in this brutal race war.

All these disciplined and training patterns came in use during the Indian war of Independence in 1857. Many lives were lost and innocence people killed. Although India  did not gain independence the Rani did win back Jhansi and created the state to its former glory having a full treasury and army of women matching the army of men.Finally, in  1858 with the rebel leaders either killed in action or hanged Sir Hugh Rose attacked Jhansi  . The next day’s battle was the Rani’s last.

Her death was heroic, her army had declined as they were out numbered by the opposition. The British Army had encircled her and her men. There was no escape blood was flowing, darkness was approaching. The British army was pursuing her. Holding the reins of her horse in her mouth and wielding a sword in either hand she made a last attack on the British After a great struggle the Rani died muttering quotes from the Bhagvad Gita. She died as she had lived. –

A martyr to freedom, for dharma and independent womanhood. She was the very embodiment of the War Goddess Kali. Her name remains as a beacon for Dharma

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