Heroines

Title: Heroines – Powerful Indian Women of Myth and History

Author: Ira Mukhoty

Publisher: Aleph Book Company, 2017 (First)

ISBN: 9789384067496

Pages: 211

Women have historically been relegated to a subsidiary role in historical narrative where kings and nobles followed a one-to-many relationship with the females in their harems until quite recent times. This naturally reduced the power and influence of women as they had had to compete with other wives, mistresses and slaves for the lord's attention. There are noble exceptions to this general rule and this book details the lives of eight women from India's past who had won for themselves the aura of immortality on account of their steadfast determination and strength of character. The eight women chosen are: Draupadi, Radha, Ambapali, Razia bint-Iltutmish, Mirabai, Jahanara Begum, Rani Lakshmibai and Begum Hazrat Mahal. The author has an excellent answer to those who frown on the inclusion of two mythic characters in the list – Draupadi and Radha. This is because history blends into mythology and vice versa in the Indian context. The history of Rani Lakshmibai is embellished with colourful lore to make her a semi-divine personage no longer bound by the physical limitations inherent in mortal beings. Making the horse jump with her adopted son tied to her back from the ramparts of Jhansi fort to the ground below is one such example. The logic in selecting them is clear cut – all women share an unassailable belief in a cause for which they are willing to fight and they refused to borrow a man's prerogative – whether a father's, husband’s or son’s. Mukhoty is a popular writer who had developed an interest in the evolution of mythology and history and its relevance to the status of women in India. She has written for magazines on culture and travel.

This book’s evaluation of Rani Lakshmibai is patently unfair and merciless. The author assigns the dubious epithets of an ‘accidental heroine’ and ‘reluctant participant in the drama that made her a heroine’ (p.146). Mukhoty explains the reasons for this strange judgement of a nationally loved historical personality. She points out the ‘Doctrine of Lapse’ put in place by Lord Dalhousie as soon as he became the Governor General of India. This policy sought to remove all travesty of self-governance of princely states whose ruler died without a legal heir to succeed him. In the case of hereditary ancestral kingdoms, adoption of an heir was permitted. As far as Jhansi was concerned, the deposed Peshwa of Pune conceded all his territorial claims in Bundelkhand to the British in 1817. The ruling Navalkar family signed a separate treaty with the East India Company, who recognised Ram Chand Rao as its ruler. Gangadhar Rao, Lakshmibai's husband, followed him to the throne. He was a transvestite and no children were born to him. He adopted the five-year old Damodar Rao on his death bed. So, on a close examination of the finer nuances of law, it may be argued that the British were right in denying the continued enjoyment of the throne to the adopted son, which is exactly the attitude the author assumes.

The author’s attacks on the Rani of Jhansi don't stop there. She concedes the Rani’s bold decision of not shaving her head and declining renouncement of her pearls and diamonds on the death of her husband. She sometimes dressed like a man, argued with men, rode horses and wielded the sword. This was revolutionary for the time and quiet unthinkable activities for a woman. Rani Lakshmibai explored all avenues open to her as part of the British judicial system to argue her case and win the control of her principality. For this purpose, she hired the services of a maverick lawyer named John Lang. The reception accorded to Lang is given in great detail in the book which is however clearly intended only to tarnish the queen’s repute in nationalist chronicles. Mukhoty claims that Lang was brought from Agra in a horse-drawn carriage accompanied by the Diwan of Jhansi and a butler carried a bucket of ice containing water, beer and wine all the way. A servant stood outside the palanquin on a footboard and fanned the men with a punkha. The constant appeals and entreaties made by Lakshmibai to the British are also projected in an unfavourable light. As a parting shot, the author claims that she had no option but to fight the British after the massacre of innocent men, women and children of British origin at Jokhun Bagh under her watch. No clemency could be expected from the Europeans for such a heinous deed.

Mukhoty’s criticism of Rani Lakshmibai is propelled by the high renown she enjoys in nationalist circles. While she knocks about the Rani unceremoniously, her encounter with Begum Hazrat Mahal is with kid gloves. The Begum of Lucknow is, no doubt, a great leader of the 1857 war of independence, but the author’s arguments against the Rani are equally applicable against the Begum too. She had even threatened her soldiers that if they don't fight enough, she will negotiate with the British to spare her life (p.162). The Rani fought the British and fell in the battlefield while the Begum fled to Nepal on a tacit agreement with the British. She tried to come back later in life, but her appeals were rejected. One crucial point to be noted here is that this comparison is in no way meant to degrade the role of Begum Hazrat Mahal. On the contrary, it is included to highlight the similarities in the parts played by these two brave women for the country. It is the author who picks one among the great stalwarts of the Independence movement for making a disreputable attack.

This book does not promote nationalism of a more intense kind, but in the early part of the book, she notes a general disregard about the country’s heroes and heroines from every historical period. She nearly taunts the countrymen for continuing names such as Havelock and Neill for islands in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago who were British military generals who had brutally put down the 1857 uprising. Vishnu Bhatt Godse was a traveller and chronicler of the 1857 war, but the book uses the spelling ‘Godshe’ as if to pre-empt any confusion with the person who assassinated Gandhi. The book does a great service by omitting Indira Gandhi from the list. Even though she deserves to be there on account of the impact of her rule of post-independent India, it is better to leave her out, because most of that impact was detrimental to the nation as a whole.

The book is recommended.

Rating: 3 Star