The true story behind a ‘real’ photograph of Rani Lakshmibai

In 2003, a painted portrait of Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar was installed in Parliament, sparking an uproar. Objections were raised over the fact that he had been accused in the Mohandas Gandhi assassination case, even though he escaped being charged in the conspiracy.

As the controversy raged on, it was also discussed by us members of Sahmat, the trust established in memory of activist-artist Safdar Hashmi. Sahmat ideologue Rajendra Prasad had found Savarkar’s book, The Indian War of Independence of 1857, in Delhi’s Teen Murti library. Banned by the British, the first edition of the book in English was published in 1909.

Leafing through the book I was astonished to see a reproduction of a postcard with a photograph titled “Lakshmi Bai – The Rani of Jhansi and leader in the Indian War of Independence of 1857”.

My heart raced. I thought I knew my photo history, but I had never seen this image or even a reference to it.

I had visited the Jhansi fort as a child with my mother and the vivid tales told by the guide were seared in my memory. I had grown up hearing the famous poem Jhansi Ki Rani by Subhadra Kumari Chauhan. I have also seen countless paintings and other images of Lakshmibai....

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