Surveying the Town

This cannon is placed above the Ganesh temple in the fort. It faces the old entrance(Now closed.) with a typical serpentine path leading in. Standing here we spied the orange coloured tower of a church and a butterscotch coloured building which the guide told us was the Rani Mahal. The place where Rani Lakshmibai was moved to when the British took over the fort. The Mahal has some fine wall paintings and is a sort of museum housing ancient stone sculptures. Both structures looked as if they had been transported straight from Spain.( I have no idea why I thought so.) Like a lot many old garrisons Jhansi has more than it’s share of churches.

The Fort’s Fire and Fury

So one of the cannons is called Kadak Bijli and another Bhavani Shankar.  I think naming objects confers them distinct personalities instantly. This cannon was a piece of art and I love the way it looks as if it’s been placed on an elephant’s back with the stone base also curving like an elephant’s trunk.

More Than What Meets the Eye

The fort was made by a Bundela king around 1613 AD but was gifted to Bajirao a century or so later. A substantial part of it is actually underground including tunnels that disappear in different directions and several structures on top were razed by the British. The voices of Om Puri and Shushmita Sen tell the subsequent intertwined destiny of a fort and it’s last queen, who supposedly (and famously) said- I will never give up my Jhansi!

The Site and the Sights

Standing literally on the spot where history was made- where Lakshmibai on her horse Baadal with her son tied to her back jumped to escape the British. She survived to fight another day but her horse did not last long. She met her end soon dressed, apparently, as a soldier in a last battle at Gwalior.

Concluded

Pictures by Mandvi