Monday, March 3, 2008

Empowered


Talk of empowered woman today?
But thats no surprise is there.

Here is a woman of yester years
Who was the true liberator

Married at 14 to the King of Jhansi
She was renamed to be known as Lakshmi Bai

The greatest revolutionary that ever was

The bravest queen that she was!

To the courts in London she ran
When her adopted son wouldn't be considered heir (to the throne)

Banned from her kingdom was the ruling

But that did not work to deter!

She assembled an army of men and women
Trained them to fight and win!
And sitting on a horse in all her valor

She led them in a rebellion battle of honor


The personification of empowered women
The start of a big revolution
And when she breathed her last still at war

The words she uttered "Jai Hind!" (Jai Hind means Long live India)


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This week's topic at Writer's Island was Empowered. Today empowered woman are no wonder. But this tale happened in 1857. Rani Lakshmibai as she is called and worshipped now, led the revolution of men and women to fight against the British. All she asked for was the right to rule her kingdom Jhansi! Read more at wikipedia
I know the poem is not very rhythmic as I like poems to be! I think this story is so close to my heart there is no rhyme or rhythm there just the naked truth!!

12 comments:

Ramya Ramadurai said...

Beautiful. Truly empowered.

Linda Jacobs said...

An amazing story! Thanks for sharing it with us! That's one of the cool things about blogging with people from around the world!

Preethi said...

Jen - The first movie ever made on Jhansi ki Rani (Queen of Jhansi) was in 1952 in Hindi - You can find it here
Now ex- Miss Universe Sushmita Sen is making the movie in English. It will be released in Nov 2009. Look out for it!!
Linda - Oh yes we learn so much from each other don't we?
Galadriel - Thanks

Jeques said...

History tells us many stories of women who did their job, their purpose, their sweet ways of making the difference. Their stories are always inspiring.

Theis stories are not only limited to empowering the women, but men as well. As all success stories should.

I wish you well.

~ Jeques

aMus said...

rani laksmi bai...i remember devoring those amar chitra kathas on her and other empowered women like her!!!

nice take on empowerment...it takes guts and conviction to do something you believe in!!!

Prats said...

This is so beautiful...and I've always admired her. So when she gets to be featured here, it makes me feel proud of her achievements....

Aryan-Arjun said...

Very true about Jansi ki Rani...she is really empowered..
Aryan's mom

Rambler said...

SO many from the legacy, how about Mother Theresa or even Kiran bedi for that matter.

Fantasies of a Lifetime said...

she is truly amazing isnt she? Its great that she came out to fight for her land and what she believed in .....that too in 1857!!

Preethi said...

Jeques - Very well put, yes it empowers people of both sex.
Suma - I am waiting to see the movie - both versions
Prats - We all should be.. think of how progressive our country was?
Aryan's mom - Yes she was.. and I admire her courage and valor. So was Kannaki and Andal. Should write about them next!!
Rambler - You are right. But they are from more recent times. Jhansi Rani is from a time and age when no one thought of empowered women
Vish - Yes she is amazing that is

anthonynorth said...

When you look into history, it's amazing how many women such as this there were, but often not written about to the extent they should.
Think Boudicca, Joan of Arc, as well known ones. There is an argument that Sun Tzu, who wrote the first known manual of warfare, was a woman.

Preethi said...

Antony - I should look up Sun Tzu.. the rest I know.. and Florence Nightingale.. yes these were truly empowered women. Thanks for mentioning them!! :)