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In a park in Meerut, a beautiful statue of a woman stands with pride on her face and a sword in her hands. It aspires to tell a tale that has been silenced by the ravages of time. This is the story of a liberator who defeated a large army of British soldiers, as well as a revolutionary queen who became a symbol of sacrifice, heroism, and revolution.
The story of Rani Avantibai
Rani Avantibai was born in 1831 to a wealthy zamindar clan in the village of Seoni, Madhya Pradesh. Since her childhood, she had been a gifted child. She was well-versed in Yudh Niti and demonstrated her political expertise at a young age. She was trained in archery, sword-wielding, and horseback riding and could manage governmental affairs and military strategies. In a society that looked down on women, she pushed the boundaries and proved herself to be no less than a great ruler.
The tales of her unanticipated talent and pleasing personality quickly spread throughout the surrounding areas, and every deserving prince desired to marry this influential girl. Finally, she tied her knot with Vikramaditya Lodhi, the Prince of Ramgarh. Years passed, and Vikramaditya ascended the throne of Ramgarh. Avatibai used her knowledge and wit to advise for the betterment of their kingdom. However, readers should not be deluded by the ongoing happy story because the real story is yet to begin.
Her story took a tragic turn when her husband fell seriously ill. Rani Avantibai took over the administration during the inefficiency of the king. After a few months, Vimramaditya passed away, and the entire Ramgarh mourned his loss. The situation for Avantibai became even worse. The entire burden of managing the kingdom and her children weighed heavily on her shoulders, but she rose like a warrior once more. Lodhi's kingdom flourished under the command of the mighty queen. However, the shrewd Britishers did not accept a woman’s rule.
No one could be more cunning than the Britishers, who never missed a chance to exploit the wealth of India. According to the East India Company's arbitrary policy of the Doctrine of Lapse, if the ruler of any princely state is ineffective or dead, without a male heir, the Britishers will take over the administrative charges of the state.
Following this policy, they refused to acknowledge Avantibai as the ruler and even discarded the rights of her two sons by declaring them minors. Keeping this law as a weapon, they snatched away all the rights of Ramgarh from Avantibai.
The British declared Ramgarh as a "Court of Wards" and appointed a British administrator named Sheikh Mohammad to rule over the state. Avantibai did not approve of the unjust treatment she and her kingdom received. Deeply insulted and infuriated by this fact, she decided to rebel against the East India Company and declared war against them.
Every person in Ramgarh supported her decision and prepared for the war, but this was not sufficient. She understood the need for more soldiers in her army at that hour. She decided to send her bangles along with a penned letter to the neighbouring kingdom in which the queen wrote:
‘If you think you are grateful and dutiful towards your conquered motherland, then pick up your swords and step into the war against the injustice of Britishers. Otherwise, wear my bangles and hide in the corners of your palace.’
With this note, she was able to raise a strong army of 4,000 people to fight against the East India Company and contribute to the 1857 rebellion. The battle was fought in a village named Kheri, where Avantibai won the war with her clever war tactics. But the defeated Britishers were enraged and decided not to sit quietly. After a few months, they declared another brutal war against her, destroying her military power and setting fire to her region. Avantibai fought bravely until the end, but she could not stand alone in front of such a massive force.
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