Women and the Indian Independence Movement.

 "The woman who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The woman who walks alone is likely to find herself in places no one has ever been before."

~Albert Einstein

The role and contribution of women in society has drastically changed over the span of time. From being house-makers to being sole breadwinners of the family, women have, time and time again, proven that they are capable of wonders. Women have, in totality, moulded the thinking of society. The 18th century, better known as, the 'Romantic Period', saw prolific writers penning their thoughts about romanticism and the unparalleled beauty of females. Senoras, ever since the beginning of mankind, have been staunch and fierce, yet the authors of the 18th century chose to portray the enticing and captivating side of them.

In India, however, the situation was pretty grim and unpleasant. Horrendous traditions like the 'sati pratha' and the 'purdah' system were very prevalent. In addition to that, the diabolical practices of polygamy and infanticide too were omnipresent. Girls were debarred from formal education and were forced to get married at a very early age. The status quo grew acutely chaotic due to lack of literacy and knowledge. Females were reckoned fragile and liabilities. Nonetheless, with ineffable struggle, rose the tough women who were determined to change the entire picture. The tables turned, though gradually, with the rise of vigorous women. Those presumed to be meek and sensitive, became the embodiment of Dunkirk spirit and fortitude, bringing about justice to their motherland by giving her the independence and freedom which she longed.

As we come together to celebrate the 75th Independence day of India, our hearts are ecstatic and eyes suffused with pride and honour. It is imperative that we not only commemorate the independence of India but also the 'sheroism' and moxie of our women who played a remarkable role in the Independence Movement of India.

The Revolt of 1857, also known as the 'First War of Independence', witnessed the rise of female leaders who undauntedly lead the rebellion against the tyrant British regime. Begum Hazrat Mahal and Rani Laxmibai are just two of the many names who were applauded for their veritable valour. There are many unsung 'sheroes' too who palpably contributed to the freedom struggle. Barriers of gender were crumbled in the revolt of 1857 when freedom fighters like Ashgari Begum and Bhagwati Devi Tyagi fought against the British. Ashagri Begum, who was born in 1811, took part in the revolt of 1857 and challenged the British at the age of 45 in Thana Bhawan, present day-Western Uttar Pradesh. Unfortunately, she was captured by the British in 1858 and was later burnt alive. Similar is the story of Bhagwati Devi Tyagi who was hanged for raising arms against the East India Company. Among them were thirteen other girls hailing from various religions who united against the British regime and sacrificed their lives at very tender ages.

Uda Devi, who hailed from Lucknow, was a Dalit warrior in the uprising of 1857. During a fracas that broke out between the Indians and the British, Uda Devi donned men's clothing to participate in the uprising. Many British causalities had bullet wounds indicating a steep, downward trajectory, which made the British suspicious of a sniper hiding in a tree nearby. As a result, British officers fired at the tree and dislodged a rebel who fell off to the ground with a thud, dead. The rebel was none other than Uda Devi who battled fearlessly against the British troops. Azizun Bai of Kanpur was yet another woman with conspicuous devotion to the freedom struggle. She had nothing to gain personally, she was simply inspired by Nana Sahib. Azizun Bai was not oblivious to the use of arms and into the bargain taught other women. She used to dress in male attire and ride on horses with pistols. She assembled other women who would collect and distribute arms and ammunition along with taking care of wounded mutineers. She might not have taken part in the rebellion directly but her dedication and endeavours were extremely significant.

The Revolt of 1857 would be incomplete without mentioning the role of Begum Hazrat Mahal and Rani Laxmibai. Various Hindi and English compositions have been concocted to pay tribute to the courage of Rani Laxmibai, better known as 'Jhansi ki Rani', who battled with her infant tied from a sling to her back and two swords in both hands. In the words of Rahi Masoon Raza;

"Nagaha chup huye sab, aa gayi bahar Rani

Fauj thi ek sadaf, us mein gauhar Rani

Matla-e-jahad pe hai ghairat-e-Akhtar, Rani

Azm-e-paikar mein mardo’n ke barabar Rani"

While the rebellion was upfront in Jhansi, Begum Hazrat Mahal took charge in Awadh after her husband, Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was deposed. Although she was divorced by the Nawab, she proclaimed her eleven-year-old son as the ruler of Awadh under her regency. The Begum stepped up to tend to all affairs and ruled Awadh with utmost dexterity for a period of ten months as regent. She was able to muster the biggest army among any rebel leaders that fought in 1857. She fought for as long as she could and finally sought asylum in Nepal where her body rests. These lines have been attributed to her;

"Likha hoga Hazrat Mahal ki lahad par

Naseebo'n ki jali thi, Falak ki satayi."

Not just through physical battles, but also through sagacious words did the women participate in the national movement. The sophisticated words etched in the form of allegory kept the movements jubilant and euphoric. The works of female maestros in the pre-independence era continue to remain a bijou for voracious readers. Sarojini Naidu, for instance, played a very significant role in the freedom struggle. Through her poems 'In the Bazaars of Hyderabad' and 'The Gift of India', she depicted the beauty of India and also invigorated the spirit of nationalism and jingoism respectively. She was the first Indian woman President of the Indian National Congress and was the first Indian female to be appointed as an Indian State Governor. She was also among the very few females to be selected in the drafting committee of the Indian Constitution.

Qurratulain Hyder, born in Aligarh, came from a cognitive family. Completed her education from Isabella Thoburn College, Lucknow, Hyder, popularly known as 'Ainee Aapa', was a woman of letters. Through her staggering and sensational work, in no time did she enter the thesaurus of literature. Through her novels, she limned women characters as competent and proficient as men who, unfortunately, were in a paucity of equal opportunities. With such work, she was able to impact and alter the perceptions regarding gender stereotypes which eventually paved way for women to stage themselves in different arenas. The pièce de résistance of her novels depicted the fate of Indian Muslims before, during, and after the partition. Her most notable work is 'Aag ka Dariya' (River of Fire).

In addition to novelists and story writers, there were women in the Indian realm who were the pioneers of women's education in India. To cite one of the best examples, Sultan Jahan Begum, born in Bhopal, was one of the very few women who initially contributed for the upliftment and emancipation of women's education. She was a staunch supporter of the Aligarh Movement and generously supported Sir Syed Ahmad Khan in the establishment of what is called today as the Aligarh Muslim University. Furthermore, she even subsidised the establishment of the Women's College of the university and ever since, has been the only female Chancellor. Her daughter, Rashid Jahan, too became a spearhead of women's education along with being an Urdu novelist. Similarly, Savitribai Phule, wife of Jyotirao Phule, laid the foundation of the first girl's school in Pune along with her husband. Just like Rashid Jahan, Savitribai Phule too was a litterateur.

Among these women were others too who left their marks on the hearts of people with their out-of-the-ordinary work. The exalted and lionised women like Annie Besant, Captain Laxmi Sehgal, and Aruna Asaf Ali stout-heartedly and gallantly pitched in and did their part with perseverance. The Home Rule League was endowed by Annie Besant while on the other hand, Captain Laxmi Sehgal led India's first All-Women Regiment in the India National Army. Aruna Asaf Ali, yet another political figure, who is also known as the 'Grand Old Lady of India', participated in the Salt Satyagrah and was the first woman to hoist the flag at the Gowalia Tank Maidan in Mumbai. She was also the first elected Mayor of Delhi and post-independence worked for the empowerment of women by encouraging women's education. She was bestowed with India's highest and second-highest civilian awards, Bharat Ratna and Padma Vibhushan, respectively.

As I conclude the essay, I would like to pay a tribute and salute those mothers who raised men to fight for their motherland, those sisters and wives who, day and night, strived for freedom. These women were the backbone of the nation and in the words of Asrar-ul-Haq Majaz;

"Tire māthe pe ye āñchal bahut hī ḳhuub hai lekin

Tū is āñchal se ik parcham banā letī to achchhā thā"

*This is an older piece which was written to commemorate the spirit of the 75th Indian Independence Day.*