The year 1857 holds a special significance in India’s freedom movement. This movement spread a new wave of nationalism in India. Many brave women participated enthusiastically in this movement. Jhalkari Bai was one of them. National poet Maithili Sharan Gupt has also paid tribute to Jhalkari Bai through some lines of his poetry.
Jhalkari Bai was born on 22 November 1830. Historians say that Jhalkari Bai lived near Jhansi Fort. To the south of the fort was the Unnao Gate, where Bhojla village was situated. People of Jhalkari Bai’s family still live in this village. Jhalkaribai’s mother Jamunabai (aka Dhaniya) passed away when she was very young. He was brought up like a boy by his father Sadova (aka Moolchand Koli).
Jhalkari’s bravery was visible since childhood. Two such tales are part of folk literature. It is said that once Jhalkari Bai was going into the forest, during which she had an encounter with a tiger. He attacked the tiger with his axe, killing it. Another such story is prevalent in every household of Jhansi. It is said that once some dacoits attacked the house of a village businessman, even then Jhalkari Bai gave a befitting reply and chased them away from the village.
Jhalkari Bai was married to Puran Koli. Puran Koli was a soldier in the Jhansi army. After marriage, Jhalkari Bai met Rani Laxmibai during a puja. Rani Lakshmibai was surprised to see Jhalkari Bai, because she looked exactly like Lakshmibai. Rani Lakshmibai was impressed by Jhalkari’s bravery and personality. He ordered Jhalkari to be included in the Durga army. Jhalkari took training here along with other women in gun firing, cannon firing and fencing.
Under Dalhousie’s policy, the British army attacked the fort to capture Jhansi. In April, 1858, the Queen of Jhansi along with her soldiers did not allow the British to enter the fort for several days but Dulherao, a soldier of the army, betrayed the Queen. He opened a gate of the fort for the British. The generals advised Rani Lakshmibai to leave the fort. After the departure of Rani Lakshmibai, Jhalkari Bai took the command. By then her husband had also attained martyrdom while protecting his motherland.
Jhalkari wore makeup like Rani Laxmibai and fought the war as a queen, dodging the British. Since she was a lookalike of Rani Laxmibai, she fought against the British army in the guise of a queen. But in her last moments she was captured by the British army. During this time the queen got a chance to leave the fort. But a shell fired by the British hit her and she fell on the ground saying ‘Jai Bhavani’. He attained martyrdom while fighting on 4th April.
