Modern Day Jhansi Ki Rani

I was standing at the side of the road, trying to cross over to the other side in Ahmedabad and saw the following incident with my own eyes.

There was this lady on a scooter who just crossed the traffic red lights, the thing that happens quite a lot of times, when the lights turn red suddenly and you have crossed it already... So she just moved (as did some others) on but there appeared a traffic policeman from behind the trees and wielding his baton pointed the lady to the side of the road!!

"Madam, stop... You have jumped the red light!!" The traffic cop, chewing tobacco and sporting fake Hugo Boss glasses, blurted.

This was a sticky situation that she had got herself into, I thought... What would a normal person caught in this way do?? Try explaining to the cop that it was by mistake that she had crossed it... argue with him... bribe him quietly and get away... or the least likely pay the whole fine... My guess, looking at the lady, was that she will probably try to bribe and get away...

The lady stopped the scooter, got down from it calmly and to my surprise slapped the traffic cop and shouted "What were you doing hiding behind those trees, does the government pay you for hiding behind the trees??" She further chastised him, "There are scores of people breaking all sorts of traffic rules like driving on the wrong side, not wearing helmet, talking on mobile while driving, etc... Don't they catch your eyes??"

A sizable crowd had gathered by now watching the whole scene... Even I could not move away as I too, like others, was captivated by the fire shown by the lady!!!

The traffic cop managed "But... But... You jumped the red light, that could have caused an accident... You have broken the traffic rules!!!"

Ignoring the reply, she went on further admonishing him, "You only look for easy prey like me who can bribe you but that is not going to work with me, you understand.. SIR!!"

Saying this she shot off on her way, still muttering words under her breath... leaving behind a very stunned and somewhat embarrassed traffic cop, a chatting motley of bystanders and some car and bike riders who had stopped to witness this extremely unusual incidence!

I chuckled to myself at how the common man had just got his own back!! Most of the traffic cops generally look for people who can bribe them and they lie in wait for them. But this lady was a fiery character who not only won fighting against the system but also taught a few lessons to people like me watching... And what surprised me further was that this incident took place only a few hundred meters from the famous statue of Jhansi Ki Rani in Ahmedabad!

Statue of Rani Laxmi Bai Of Jhansi

I had just seen the modern day Jhansi ki Rani, I thought to myself and moved on towards my destination humming one of my famous poems written by Subhadra Kumari Chauhan on Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi...

Giving the English translation below -

Rani, who was fighting like a lioness, succumbed to the wounds and fell down.

She had to achieve a glorious death in war (Martyrdom).
From the mouths of the Bandelas and the Harbolas (Religious singers of Bandelkhand), we heard the tale of the courage of the Queen of Jhansi relating how gallantly she fought like a man against the British intruders:

such was the Queen of Jhansi.

Giving the English translation below -

You, by yourself be the memorial of Rani (queen of Jhansi)
because you had been an eternal token of courage.
From the mouths of the Bandelas and the Harbolas (Religious singers of Bandelkhand), we heard the tale of the courage of the Queen of Jhansi relating how gallantly she fought like a man against the British intruders:

such was the Queen of Jhansi.

This poem (what I have given is only two stanzas of a long poem) is one of my all time favorites and is a fitting tribute to the young and exceptionally fearless queen, one of India's many heroines... Reading the poem evokes a deep sense of patriotism and gives me goosebumps!!

PS - Images courtesy, http://ennapadampanchajanya.blogspot.com/

PPS - This was my entry to the contest on Indiblogger - Sets You On Fire

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