Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi rose as an epic figure out of the national insurrection. She was only 22 years old in martyrdom and death on the battlefield which added to her popular image of herosim, reistance, boldness and insurgency. There is a telling song in folklore on how she raised her revolutionary army from the common people and made soldiers out of them
'From clay and stones
She moulded her army
From mere wood
She made swords
And the mountain she transformed
into a steed
Thus she marched to Gwalior!
The genius of Rani in countering the mass terror of the British is also depicted in folk poetry.
'Fell the trees
Commanded the Rani of Jhansi
Lest the Firanghis hang
our soldiers on them
So that the coward British
may not be able to shout
"Hang! Hand them in the trees!"
so that, in the hot sun
they may have no shade!'
Rani's leadership and level of self-confidence is reflected in this folk song:
'Amidst tears from his eyes
Proud Hugh Rose spoke
I beg you for one pot of water
To quench my thirst
with the first potful
and ask for more'
Replied Rani:
'To get that coveted pot
Hand over the guns,
and ammunition
and also your sword'
Mirza Ghalib on the loss of lives in the 1857 Mutiny:
"Sab kahan kuchh lala-o-gul mein numayaan ho gaye"
Some have turned into tulips and roses, where are the rest?
"Khaak mein kya sooratein hongi ke pinhaan ho gayein"
What beauteous shapes lie concealed beneath the shroud of dust!
"Yaad thi humko bhi ranga rang bazm aaraeaan"
I too revelled in colourful sessions in days of yore,
"Lekin ab naqsh-o-nigaar-e-taaq-e-nisiaan ho gayein"
But now they only serve to deck the oblivion's gloomy chest.
The spirit of the masses to sacrifice willingly their lives for the cause is amazing. Here the menfolk are being exhorted to go and bravely fight the British and be ready to have their heads smashed or sacrifice their lives. The womenfolk were ready to wipe their sindoor, symbolizing widowhood, but not willing their men to refuse to pick up the gauntlet. "The object of the mutineers were to wipe out all traces of Europeans, and of everything connected with foreign rule.
ba jan ganwai ke nevta
Churl forwai ke nevta
Sindoor pochwai ke nevta
Jai ho hamar te math del
Jai ho hamar te sath del
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