Many English men and their families were slaughtered and a few of the territories taken back from the British. This led to the famous mutiny also known as India’s first war of Independence which started in May 1857 in Meerut after which it spread to various parts of India.

As cows are sacred to the Hindu’s and pork not eaten by Muslims, it was the last straw along with the other problems the native army was facing.

The discontent reached its peak when British wanted the sepoys to open the new Enfield rifles that were coated with beef and pork fat by biting them. But the British, who had taken control over many provinces in India in the same pretext, refused to acknowledge Damodar as an heir.Īs Rani Lakshmibai was trying to find a way out of her predicament, discontent was brewing among the natives in the British army. She adopted a boy whom she named Damodar as she had no son of her own. Barely in her 20’s, Rani Lakshmibai had to take over the reign’s of Jhansi. Her husband died soon after because of poor health. She gave birth to a son 8 years into the marriage but unfortunately he died when he was 4 months old. Manikarna became the Rani of Jhansi and her name was changed to Lakshmibai. She married at the tender age of 14 to the Raja Gangadhar Rao Nevalkar of Jhansi who was almost her fathers age. He taught her different languages and horsemanship and everything that was accessible only to a man in those days. Rani Lakshmibai was born in 1828 with the name Manikarnika and grew up under her fathers love and care. It is sad to know that not many people outside India know who she was. Publisher: Penguin Global (November 26, 2008)Īs an Indian I know that Rani Lakshmibai is known as one of the greatest warriors in India and the fact that she was a woman gives her an entirely different status altogether. As a review for a book, this might contain spoilers but since Rani Lakshmibai is a historic figure, the time line and major events in her life are well known.

Rani by jaishree misra