Tisha Tiwari
In the long arc of Indian history, Dalits, particularly Dalit women, have borne the compounded weight of caste, gender, and class oppression. Marginalised from the centers of power, their labour, bodies, and identities have been appropriated, invisibilised, and mythologised to serve dominant caste narratives. While upper-caste women have often been seen as the symbols of honor and purity, Dalit women were instrumentalised as workers, warriors, and scapegoats without being given due credit, autonomy, or protection.
Across colonial and nationalist retellings, the role of Dalits in resistance movements has either been erased or tokenised. Their stories are told only when they bolster the heroism of upper-caste figures. Nowhere is this clearer than in the case of Jhalkari Bai, a Dalit woman warrior who fought valiantly in the 1857 Rebellion, yet remains a footnote in the grand narrative centered around Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi.
Born in 1830 to a farmer’s family in the Dalit community from the village of Bhojla near Jhansi, Jhalkari Bai was a skilled archer, wrestler, horseback rider, sword-fighter and a sharp shooter. She was a perfect wife while supporting her husband, Puran Kori, in his customary job of weaving fabric. Tragically, she became a widow at a very young age and later joined Rani Lakshmi Bai’s woman army as the Head of Durga Dal, the women’s brigade.
Jhalkari Bai’s extraordinary rise from a low-ranked soldier to the chief advisors of the Queen is a testament to her selflessness, valour, strength and intelligence. Her exemplary military service and contributions to the Revolt of 1857 are unforgettable.
In 1858, when Hugh Rose, a British Field Marshal, attacked Jhansi, Laxmibai took on the British forces from her kingdom with a strong army of 4000 soldiers. During the war, Jhalkari Devi proved her loyalty and intelligence. She strategically used her uncanny resemblance to the Queen to her advantage. Disguised as Laxmibai, she risked her life for her Queen. Jhalkari Bai fought in place of Laxmibai and helped her Queen to quietly escape from Jhansi on horseback. She fought like a tigress and declared herself the Queen. Her mistaken identity created confusion amongst the British forces which continued for the whole day, giving Laxmibai enough time to escape.
Jhalkari Bai died on April 4, 1858 while defending her Queen, fighting for her motherland and killing many British soldiers alongside. She received praise from one of the British Generals who said, “If even one per cent of Indian women were like Jhalkari, the British would soon have to leave India.”
During the revolt of 1857, the Dalits made up the majority of the army in Jhansi and hence have an emotional connection with the 1857 Revolt and Jhalkari Bai. The people of Bundlekhand believe that Jhalkari was a goddess, born to serve this country.
Tales of Jhalkari Bai’s valour of 1858 are replete with folktales and folk songs of Bundelkhand. Till today, they are still discussed in kirtan circles in village’s ‘Chaupals’ and in Dalit gatherings. Jhalkari Bai holds a celebrity status amongst the Bundelkhand Dalit Community.
Today, Jhalkari Bai’s birthday is celebrated in Uttar Pradesh as ‘Gaurav Diwas’, Day of Pride, to commemorate her contributions, but neglected by the mainstream Brahmanical academia and media. While upper caste historical tales glorify the contribution of the privileged heroines like Laxmibai, the heroic Dalit women who participated in the 1857 Revolt, the ‘Dalit Viranganas’ such as Jhalkari Bai and Uda Devi, are often forgotten and overlooked in history.
Jhalkari Bai is still fondly remembered in the hymn sung in the kirtan circle which glorifies and hails their Goddess, their Devi.
‘Jai Jhalkari Durga Kali Jai Jai Maa Angrejan Ka Garv Tune Chur Chur Kiye’
(Author is a grade 12 student of The British School New Delhi, with a fervent interest in history, politics and international relations. Views are personal.)
