Jhalkari bai - the other Jhansi Ki Rani

The valorous tale of Jhalkari Bai has been lost in the pages of history. Jhalkari Bai was born to a poor dalit family in 1830. She was the only child of her parents, Sadoba Singh and Jamuna Devi. Having lost her mother in childhood, Jhalkari Bai's father brought her up as single parent. Poverty didn't allow Jhalkari Bai to afford a formal education. However, right since her childhood, she was trained to use weapons and she learnt horse riding. Even today, tales of her bravery resound in household in Jhansi. She is known to have single-handedly fought and drove away dacoits who had attacked a bussinessman's house. There is also a popular story of Jhalkari Bai overpowering a leopard with just a stick. Jhalkari Bai's marriage to Puran Singh, a soldier, brought her close to Rani Lakshmi Bai, who was taken aback by the uncanny resemblance she shared with Jhalkari. The Rani was briefed about the brave acts of Jhalkari and seeing her extra ordinary skills at warfare, the queen promptly inducted her into the women's wing of the army. As the army was preparing for British invasion, she was trained to shoot and ignite cannons.  We all know of the uprising in 1857, which is considered to be India's first war of Independence. Jhansi played a crucial role in the rebellion and Rani Lakshmi Bai was one of the leaders who took on the British forces. In 1858, field marshal, Hugh Henry Rose, decided to put an end to the mutiny once and for all and attack Jhansi. With a small army of four thousand, the brave queen took on the mighty British forces. She held on the fort for long, but one of her commanders betrayed her and she was sure to face defeat. On the counsel of her Generals, she stealthily escaped from the fort on horse back. That is when Jhalkari Bai's courageous act came to the fore. She instantly swung into action without giving a second thought to the dangers of the task she was undertaking. Disguising herself as the queen, she went back to the battle field and walked straight up to General Rose's camp and demanded to meet him. The Britisher's mistook her to be the queen and held her captive. Meanwhile, the real queen, Rani Laksmi Bai, could evade capture and get out of harms way. It is only a day later when a man named Dulha Joo identified Jhalkari that the Britisher's came to know about the treachery. It is unfortunate that the brave act of this incredible woman has been lost in the pages of History. Now, historians are taking efforts to highlight the story of the brave Jhalkari Bai. There is a statue in her honour in Gwalior. In 2001, the Government of India's Post and Telegraph department had issued a postal stamp as a tribute to her bravery. The Archaeological Survey of India is also setting up a museum at Panch Mahal inside the Jhansi fort in remembrance of Jhalkari Bai.