30. Jhansi: Hangings and Auctions

On the eighth day, the English government had it announced that that people may return home, without any fear. Let the corpses be taken away and disposed. Water tankers were brought to douse the fires. Bonfires were lit at the junctions of streets, and corpses were cremated. Pieces of furniture from the houses were taken out to make the bonfires.

After hearing the announcement, four-five of us stepped out to wander. Some stalls of food-stuffs, opium, tobacco, etc had been put up in front of the city governor's office. We bought some rice, tobacco-n-lime. Wind carried the stench of burning flesh around the city. It was very tiring (depressing).

The Queen had escaped, but those who were caught were brought back to the city and hanged. The lady's father, Moropant Tambe, had had his thigh slashed by the sword while fleeing. The thigh had been cut deep, still he ran off on horseback and reached Datiya town by the day-break. It was enemy's town, but he had nowhere else to go. 

His clothes blood-soaked, he reached the town-gate. A coppersmith took him home and later informed the (local) king. The king put Tambe in jail, and handed him over to the English.

He was brought to Jhansi and hanged in the afternoon. Searches were going on in the city, the culprits were hanged forthwith.

There were auctions (of the loot and the royal wealth) every day. Sinde (Scindias), Holkars, Gaiwads etc bought up elephants, horses, camels. Likewise, the royals picked up big pots and pans (from the palace kitchens).

I made a sense of all this: The men of Bundelkhand were impotent. Therefore, or by the virtue of this land, the women here were adulterous.Jhansi was the capital city, and looking at the history -- the affair of Bhangi woman, etc -- this city was awash with sin.

Now the God had willed it, on account of Laxmibai, purified.

I and uncle talked at night. We decided to go to Chitrakoot.