Sinhasan hil uthey raajvanshon ney bhrukuti tani thi,
budhey Bharat mein aayee phir se nayi jawani thi,
gumee huee azadi ki keemat sabney pehchani thi,
door phirangi ko karney ki sab ney man mein thani thi.
Chamak uthi san sattavan mein, yeh talwar purani thi,
Bundeley Harbolon key munh hamney suni kahani thi,
Khoob ladi mardani woh to Jhansi wali Rani thi.
Kanpur key Nana ki muhn boli bahen chhaveeli thi,
Lakshmibai naam, pita ki woh santaan akeli thi,
Nana key sangh padhti thi woh Nana key sangh kheli thi
barchhi, dhal, kripan, katari, uski yehi saheli thi.
Veer Shivaji ki gaathaayen uski yaad zabani thi,
Bundeley Harbolon key munh hamney suni kahani thi,
Khoob ladi mardani woh to Jhansi wali Rani thi.
Lakshmi thi ya Durga thi woh swayan veerta ki avatar,
dekh Marathey pulkit hotey uski talwaron key vaar,
nakli yudh-vyuh ki rachna aur khelna khub shikar,
sainya gherna, durg todna yeh they uskey preeya khilwad.
Maharashtra-kul-devi uski bhi aaradhya Bhavani thi,
Bundeley Harbolon key munh hamney suni kahani thi,
Khoob ladi mardani woh to Jhansi wali Rani thi.
Huee veerta ki vaibhav key saath sagai Jhansi mein,
byah hua ban aayee Rani Lakshmi bai Jhansi mein,
rajmahal mein baji badhai khushiyan chhaee Jhansi mein,
sughat Bundelon ki viroodaavalee-si woh aayee Jhansi mein.
Chitra ney Arjun ko paya, Shiv sey mili Bhavani thi,
Bundeley Harbolon key munh hamney suni kahani thi,
Khoob ladi mardani woh to Jhansi wali Rani thi.
Udit hua saubhagya, mudit mahalon mein ujiyali chhayee,
kintu kaalgati chupkey-chupkey kali ghata gher laayee,
teer chalaaney vaaley kar mein usey choodiyan kab bhaayee,
Rani vidhva huee hai, vidhi ko bhi nahin dayaa aayee.
Nisantan marey Rajaji, Rani shok-samani thi,
Bundeley Harbolon key munh hamney suni kahani thi,
Khoob ladi mardani woh to Jhansi wali Rani thi.
Bujha deep Jhansi ka tab Dalhousie man mein harshaaya,
Raajya hadap karney ka yeh usney achhaa avsar paaya,
fauran fauj bhej durg par apna jhandaa phehraya,
lawaris ka waris bankar British Raj Jhansi aaya.
Ashrupurna Rani ney dekha Jhansi huee birani thi,
Bundeley Harbolon key munh hamney suni kahani thi,
Khoob ladi mardani woh to Jhansi wali Rani thi.
Anunay vinay nahin sunti hai, vikat shaasakonki maaya,
vyapari ban daya chhahta tha jab wah Bharat aaya,
Dalhousie ney pair pasaarey, ab to palat gayee kaaya
Rajaon Nawwabon ko bhi usney pairon thukraaya.
Rani daasi bani, bani yeh daasi ab Maharani thi,
Bundeley Harbolon key munh hamney suni kahani thi,
Khoob ladi mardani woh to Jhansi wali Rani thi.
Chheenee rajdhani Dilli ki, Lucknow chheena baaton-baat,
Qaid Peshwa tha Bithur mein, hua Nagpur ka bhi ghaat,
Udaipur, Tanjore, Satara, Karnatak ki kaun bisaat?
jabki Sindh, Punjab Brahm par abhi hua that vajra-nipaat.
Bengaaley, Madras aadi ki bhi to vahi kahani thi,
Bundeley Harbolon key munh hamney suni kahani thi,
Khoob ladi mardani woh to Jhansi wali Rani thi.
Rani royee rinvason mein, Begum gum se thi bezaar,
unkey gehney kapdey biktey they Calcutta key bazzar,
sarey aam nilaam chhaptey they angrezon key akhbar,
"Nagpur key zewar le lo, Lucknow key lo naulakh haar".
Yon pardey ki izzat pardesi key hath bikani thi
Bundeley Harbolon key munh hamney suni kahani thi,
Khoob ladi mardani woh to Jhansi wali Rani thi.
Kutiya mein bhi visham vedna, mahalon mein aahat apmaan,
veer sainikon key man mein tha apney purkhon ka abhmaan,
Nana Ghunghupant Peshwa joota raha tha sab saamaan,
bahen chhaveeli ney Ran-Chandi ka kar diya prakat aahvaan.
Hua yagna prarambh unhey to soyee jyoti jagani thi,
Bundeley Harbolon key munh hamney suni kahani thi,
Khoob ladi mardani woh to Jhansi wali Rani thi.
Mahalon ney di aag, jhonpdi ney jwala sulgayee thi,
yeh swatantrata ki chingari antratam sey aayee thi,
Jhansi cheti, Dilli cheti, Lucknow laptey chhayi thi,
Merat, Kanpur, Patna ney bhari dhoom machayi thi,
Jabalpur, Kolhapur, mein bhi kuchh hulchul uksani thi,
Bundeley Harbolon key munh hamney suni kahani thi,
Khoob ladi mardani woh to Jhansi wali Rani thi.
Is Swatantrata Mahayagna mein kayee veervar aaye kaam,
Nana Ghunghupant, Tantya, chatur Azeemullah sarnam,
Ahmedshah Moulvi, Thakur Kunwar Singh, Sainik Abhiram,
Bharat key itihaas gagan mein amar rahengey jinkey naam.
Lekin aaj jurm kehlati unki jo Qurbani thi,
Bundeley Harbolon key munh hamney suni kahani thi,
Khoob ladi mardani woh to Jhansi wali Rani thi.
Inki gaatha chhod, chaley hum Jhansi key maidanon mein,
Jahan khadi hai Lakshmibai mard bani mardanon mein,
Lieutenant Walker aa pohoncha, aagey bada jawanon mein,
Rani ney talwaar kheench li, hua dhandh asmanon mein.
Zakhmi hokar Walker bhaga, usey ajab hairani thi,
Bundeley Harbolon key munh hamney suni kahani thi,
Khoob ladi mardani woh to Jhansi wali Rani thi.
Rani badhi Kalpi aayee, kar sau meel nirantar paar,
ghoda thak kar gira bhoomi par, gaya swarg tatkaal sidhaar,
Yamuna tat par angrezon ney phir khayee Rani sey haar,
vijayee Rani aagey chal di, kiya Gwalior par adhikar.
Angrezon key mitra Scindia ney chhodi rajdhani thee,
Bundeley Harbolon key munh hamney suni kahani thi,
Khoob ladi mardani woh to Jhansi wali Rani thi.
Vijay mili, par Angrezon ki phir sena ghir aayee thi,
Abkey General Smith sammukh tha, usney munhki khayee thi,
Kaana aur Mandra sakhiyan Rani key sangh aayee thi,
Yudh kshetra mein un dono ney bhari maar machayi thi.
par peechey Hughrose aa gaya, Hai! gheeri ab Rani thi,
Bundeley Harbolon key munh hamney suni kahani thi,
Khoob ladi mardani woh to Jhansi wali Rani thi.
To bhi Rani maar kaat kar chalti bani sainya key paar,
kintu saamney naala aaya, tha woh sankat visham apaar,
ghoda adaa, naya ghoda tha, itney mein aa gaye avaar,
Rani ek, shatru bahuterey, honey lagey vaar-par-var.
Ghayal hokar giri Sinhni, isey veer gati paani thi,
Bundeley Harbolon key munh hamney suni kahani thi,
Khoob ladi mardani woh to Jhansi wali Rani thi.
Rani gayee sidhaar chita ab uski divya sawaari thi,
mila tej se tej, tej ki woh sachchi adhikaari thi,
abhi umr kul teis ki thi, manuj nahin avtaari thi,
humko jeevit karney aayee ban Swatantrata-naree thi,
dikha gayee path, sikha gayee humko jo seekh sikhani thi,
Bundeley Harbolon key munh hamney suni kahani thi,
Khoob ladi mardani woh to Jhansi wali Rani thi.
Jao Rani yaad Rakhengey yeh krutagna Bharatwasi,
yeh tera balidaan jagavega Swatantrata avinasi,
hovey chup itihaas, lagey sachchai ko chahey phansi,
ho madmaati vijay, mitaa dey golon sey chahey Jhansi.
Tera Smarak tu hi hogi, tu khud amit nishaani thi,
Bundeley Harbolon key munh hamney suni kahani thi,
Khoob ladi mardani woh to Jhansi wali Rani thi.
English Translation. Dated 08/02/2006
1st Stanza
1) The throne was shaken and tensions rose among the Raajvanshs, the royal heirs,
2) In aged India, new ideas were taking hold,
3) The people of all India lamented their lost freedom,
4) And decided to cast off British rule,
5) Old swords glittered anew as the freedom movement of 1857 started.
6) The Bandelas and Harbolas sang once again of the courage of the Queen of Jhansi,
7) How she fought like a man against the British intruders
8) So was the Queen of Jhansi.
2nd Stanza
1) She was as dear to the Nana (Nana Ghunghupant ) of Kanpur as his real sister,
2) Laxmibai was her name, her parents only daughter
3) Shed been with Nana since her schoolgirl days
4) The spear, knife, sword, and axe were her constant companions.
5) She knew by heart the tales of valor of Shivaji
6) The Bandelas and Harbolas sang once again of the courage of the Queen of Jhansi,
7) How she fought like a man against the British intruders
8) So was the Queen of Jhansi.
3rd Stanza
1) None were sure, was she Laxmi or Durga devi or Devi durga reincarnate?
2) The people of Marathward were awed by her (expertise) skill with the sword,
3) They learned from her how to fight, the strategy of war,
4) To attack and humiliate the enemy were her favorite sports.
5) Her love for Maharashatra-kul-Devi was equaled only by her love for Bhavani.
6) The Bandelas and Harbolas sang once again of the courage of the Queen of Jhansi,
7) How she fought like a man against the British intruders,
8) So was the Queen of Jhansi.
4th Stanza
1) Laxmibai was married in Jhansi, with great jubilation
2) Entering the joyous city as Queen,
3) Grand celebrations were held in the palace in Jhansi, in honor of her coming.
4) Just as when Chitra met Arjun or Shiv had found his beloved Bhavani.
5) The Bandelas and Harbolas sang once again of the courage of the Queen of Jhansi,
6) How she fought like a man against the British intruders,
7) So was the Queen of Jhansi.
5th Stanza
1) Her presence was a blessing at the palace of Jhansi and candles of celebration burned long
2) But as days passed the dark clouds of misfortune overshadowed the royal palace.
3) She put aside her bangles and prepared for battle
4) For fate was unkind and made her a widow
5) Grief stricken she was, with no heir for her king,
6) The Bandelas and Harbolas sang once again of the courage of the Queen of Jhansi,
7) How she fought like a man against the British intruders,
8) So was the Queen of Jhansi.
6th Stanza
1) The candlelit hope of Jhansi had died and Dalhousie was overjoyed at his luck.
2) Hed long awaited the time to usurp this kingdom
3) He sent his solders to Citadel and raised the flag of Britain on the royal palace,
4) British rule came to Jhansi as a guardian comes to an orphan,
5) While with tear filled eyes the Rani watched as her city became deserted.
6) The Bandelas and Harbolas sang once again of the courage of the Queen of Jhansi,
7) How she fought like a man against the British intruders,
8) So was the Queen of Jhansi.
7th Stanza
1) Despotic kings used flattery and lies
2) And came to India disguised as poor merchants
3) Dalhousi exerted his power, ill-gotten, and changed the fate of India,
4) Insulting all of Indias leaders, without exception.
5) The Queen played the part of a maidservant, but truly she was still the Queen,
6) The Bandelas and Harbolas sang once again of the courage of the Queen of Jhansi,
7) How she fought like a man against the British intruders,
8) So was the Queen of Jhansi.
8th Stanza
1) The capital Delhi fell, followed by the fall of Lucknow,
2) Peshwa was imprisoned in Bithur and the Nagpur tragedy occurred.
3) And after the fall of Nagpur, Udaipur, Tanjore satara, and Karnatak fell quickly at the hands of the intruders.
4) The British already had control of Sindh, Punjab and Assam.
5) It was the same sad tale for Bengal ,Madras and many other states.
6) The Bandelas and Harbolas sang once again of the courage of the Queen of Jhansi,
7) How she fought like a man against the British intruders
8) So was the Queen of Jhansi.
9th Stanza
1) Feeling sick with helplessness the Rani wept bitterly for her beloved India.
2) Her royal ornaments and clothes were being sold in the markets of Calcutta.
3) This humiliation was published in the British daily papers:
4) Buy the ornaments of Nagpur, buy the Naulakha locket of Lucknow were the highlights of this loss of honor.
5) This is how the honor of the royal ladies of India was sold to foreigners.
6) The Bandelas and Harbolas sang once again of the courage of the Queen of Jhansi,
7) How she fought like a man against the British intruders
8) So was the Queen of Jhansi.
10th Stanza
1) Both the poor and the royals suffered insult and atrocity at the hands of the British rulers.
2) Brave soldiers of India recalled the honor of their ancestors,
3) The lost treasures, the names and titles of great warriors and leaders, like Ghunghupant, and Nana,
4) The beloved sister of Nana ,Rani, the Queen, invited him to Ran-Chandi,
5) To awaken the sleeping, divine spirit of the Indian people, the holy war had already begun.
6) The Bandelas and Harbolas sang once again of the courage of the Queen od Jhnasi,
7) How she fought like a man against the British intruders
8) So was the Queen of Jhansi.
11th Stanza
1) The desire for freedom was as a burning fire of revolt, from the royal palace to the poor and common folk,
2) This spark, which was born in the inner soul of the people.
3) It consumed Jhansi first, then spread in Delhi and engulfed even Lucknow,
4) In Merat, Kanpur and Patna, the struggle for freedom raged strong,
5) Which inspired the peoples of Jabalpur and Kolhapur
6) The Bandelas and Harbolas sang once again of the courage of the Queen of Jhansi,
7) How she fought like a man against the British intruders
8) So was the Queen of Jhansi.
12th Stanza
1) In that great freedom struggle, many brave brothers lost their lives.
2) Among them: Nana Ghunghupant, Tantya, great Azeemullah,
3) And many more: Ahmedshah Moulvi, Thakur Kunwar singh, Sainik Abhiram.
4) Though by the British, they were considered rebels and their sacrifices a crime,
5) Their names will always shine in the heavens of the ancient history of India.
6) The Bandelas and Harbolas sang once again of the courage of the Queen of Jhansi,
7) How she fought like a man against the British intruders
8) So was the Queen of Jhansi.
13th Stanza
1) Well, leave the tale of the bravery of those great men, and back to the battlefield of Jhansi
2) Where Laxmibai stands boldly like a man among other brave men,
3) Lt. Walker met her in battle, and pushed back this brave army of men,
4) But as Rani drew her sword, drums thundered in Heaven,
5) Walker retreated after Rani wounded him, astonished at her skill and agility.
6) The Bandelas and Harbolas sang once again of the courage of the Queen of Jhansi,
7) How she fought like a man against the British intruders,
8) So was the Queen of Jhansi.
14th Stanza
1) Rani pursued Walker for hundreds of miles to the (city) of Kalpi,
2) Where his horse was exhausted and fell to the ground, Walker was thrown off as well.
3) In the field of Yamuna, Rani was defeating the British once more,
4) Rani pushed back the British and took control of the state of Gawalior,
5) The British soon left and ended their rule of Vsindia of Gawalior,
6) The Bandelas and Harbolas sang once again of the courage of the Queen of Jhansi,
7) How she fought like a man against the British intruders
8) So was the Queen of Jhansi.
15th Stanza
1) The British army reorganized, under the command of General Smith,
2) And still the freedom fighters prevailed.
3) Rani was joined in the battle by Kaana and Mandra, and all together they fought furiously,
4) But, alas, when Commander Hughrose came with reinforcements,
5) The Rani was completely surrounded on the field.
6) The Bandelas and Harbolas sang once again of the courage of the Queen of Jhansi,
7) How she fought like a man against the British intruders,
8) So was the Queen of Jhansi.
16th Stanza
1) Though deeply wounded, Rani still fought her way through the British army,
2) But alas! Ranis horse became mired in a canal at the edge of the field of battle,
3) And while she struggled with the untrained animal, the British caught up with her there,
4) Like a lioness she fought, all alone while being attacked from all sides,
5) She fell mortally wounded, the glorious death of a martyr.
6) The Bandelas and Harbolas sang once again of the courage of the Queen of Jhansi,
7) How she fought like a man against the British intruders,
8) So was the Queen of Jhansi.
17th Stanza
1) A battlefield martyr was Rani.Her departed soul was then riding a divine vehicle, moving towards heavens
2) Her light enjoined to the Divine, as a true heir of divinity
3) Only 30 years of age, she was a superhuman, she was a holy being.
4) In the form of a freedom fighter, she came to give us light and a noble life,
5) She showed us the path of freedom and taught us the lesson of courage
6) The Bandelas and Harbolas sang once agina of the courage of the Queen of Jhansi,
7) How she fought like a man against the British intruders,
8) So was the Queen of Jhansi.
18th Stanza
1) Oh Rani Laxmibai, India will remember you forever, Blessed Rani,
2) Your lifes sacrifice awakens an Eternal freedom in the soul of Indias people,
3) History may forget, Jhansi may be destroyed,
4) But your name Rani, Queen of Jhansi, will be an eternal memorial of courage
5) The Bandelas and Harbolas sang once again of the courage of the Queen of Jhansi,
6) How she fought like a man against the British intruders,
7) So was the Queen of Jhansi.
