8. The Queen of Jhansi

At Ujjain, I and Uncle parted ways with the other companions; they went to their relative's place. We stayed at Ujjain for some time, and then proceeded to Dhar, and then on to Gwalior.

The chief of charity took us to her ladyship Bayaja-bai Scindia. Because of the uprising, the Yagna had been called off. Yet, every brahmin who had reached Gwalior for the Yagna received meal allowance of rupees ten a month. We stayed there through the month of Kartik (October-November). Then we thought of going to Jhansi.

The Queen of Jhansi: Childhood

The Uncle had lived at Brahma-vart, as in-charge of the Hom-shala (where sacred fire is lit), for fifteen years. (After the collapse of Maratha state in 1818, and take -over of Pune by the British,  Peshwa Bajirao II settled down, in exile, at Brahmavart in central India. - Kapil)

Uncle knew the past of  the Queen of Jhansi. This is what he told me:

Moro-pant Tambe and his family lived under the patronage of the late Peshwa at Brahmavart. Tambe worked under me (Uncle said) at Hom-shala; he was my apprentice. Tambe's wife passed away when their daughter, the (future) Queen of Jhansi, was five years old. Tambe raised her by himself. She had no companion at home, hence she would come to Hom-shala with her father. She studied letters, both Dev-nagari and cursive. She was a darling of her father's. A bustling, bubbly girl. Everyone in the Peshwa's palace pampered her, because she was a mother-less child. She had fair complexion, straight nose, high forehead; she was well-endowed and had a small waist. 

When she was eleven, her father started looking for a groom. It was a bit difficult, because Tambes were Karha-de Brahmin, there were few of them in the area.  He grew anxious.

The rulers of Jhansi belong to the same sub-caste. Years ago, when Mahadaji Scindia was installed at Gwalior as the regent of Peshwa in the North India, the Peshwa carved out province of Bundel-khand for himself. (Rest of the North was governed by Scindia, and Peshwa wanted a foothold for himself.) Jhansi became the headquarters of this province, and Shivrao Parolkar was sent as Peshwa's deputy there.

When the Peshwa's rule ended, Jhansi became an independent state. Gangadhar was the last prince of Jhansi. His wife passed away around this time, and he wanted to remarry. He wanted a girl from a good family, even if poor.