9. We All Wear Bangles

(Uncle continued) Gangadhar, the ruler of Jhansi, was hard pressed to get a bride. The reason: he was a queer, one of the eight types described in ancient texts. He was known to wear women's clothing when indoors. He would also wear jewelery, and sometimes,  plait of false hair. He talked like a woman. Therefore, no alliances were offerred to him; it would be better for a girl to drown than becoming his bride, it was said.

Ancient texts speak of eight types of queers. In one of them, person likes to touch other man's organ. It was surmised that the king of Jhansi was like that.  And the king must be a man enough, because his wife had borne a child. She was not known to be adulteress.

Every month, he would segregate himself for a couple of days, much like menstruating women.

And yet, despite these eccentric habits, he ruled the state with a firm hand. His subjects and servants feared him and respected him. He carried himself well when amongst the Englishmen.

Once the (English) Regent said to the king: `My Lord, pardon the impudence, but I want to ask you something... You are a prince, and a brahmin. I have heard that you dress like a woman, and segregate yourself like a menstruating lady. You wear bangles. Is it becoming of a king?'

The king, it is said, smiled, and replied:  `Sir, I am a minor vassal. There are far mightier princes in this land, and yet, before the English, they all behave as if they are wearing bangles.  You Englishmen came from across the seas, and decimated us. Is there a brave man left here?