Neelam Gupta

The first war of India's independence, fought in 1857, may not have achieved its objective due to various reasons, but it is a well-known fact that this struggle unveiled many women freedom fighters who became legends in their life and death.

Azizan Bai, a dancing girl, was one such woman who lived a double life. For common people and the British authorities, she was just a dancing girl who entertained the rich and resourceful with her mujra at her kotha. However, this young woman was the epitome of patriotism. True to her profession, Azizan showered love on freedom fighters and revolutionaries by handing over her house to them. They held meetings there and used it as a safe house. Later, she jumped into the struggle for India’s freedom.

In the end, the British could kill her but never make this feisty woman bow to their might and firepower. At the young age of 25, Azizan Bai looked in the eyes of the soldiers ready to shoot her in front of a British General. She laughed loudly as the soldier fired the first bullet from his gun and riddled her body with bullets. Azizan thus immortalized her name in the war history.

Azizan was born to a prostitute in Lucknow in 1832. Her mother, however, passed away soon after her birth. After coming of age, Azizan took charge of the kotha as the main dancing girl. She soon shifted to Kanpur and started holding Mujra mehfils. She came in contact with many soldiers of the Army of Maratha Peshwa Nana Saheb would come to see her mujra.

In June 1857, when the British army surrounded Nana Saheb at the fort of Kanpur, she was struck with a deep sense of passion for Nana sahib, who was fighting against the British. She opened her house for his soldiers. With this incident, the soldiers started regularly using her place as a secret base to meet for deciding their war strategy.

Gradually Azizan Bai’s name reached Tantya Tope, General of Nana Saheb’s Army. He asked Azizan to visit the camp of British soldiers at night as a dancer to entertain them while her real mission was to get important information for the rebels.

Now, Azizan used her skills of charming ithers on the soldiers and extracted information from them for the use of revolutionaries. Interestingly, this was her mission in the night. What did she do in the day?

During the day, she rode a horse, picked a sword to fight against the soldiers she had entertained in the night. There were occasions when she beheaded her enemies. Wearing soldiers' clothes, sword in her hand and hanging gun and cartridges on her back, she roamed among the soldiers of Nana Saheb’s Army throughout the day. She would distribute bullets to those who fell short of ammunition and also helped them by running errands. She nursed the wounds of the soldiers and served them food and milk that villagers gave her for the them. Later, for expanding the support system for the soldiers, she raised a network of  women volunteers and called them Mastanis.

So, the scene was something like this: On the battlefield, a group of Mastanis would roam around throughout the day holding swords in their hands, and zeal in hearts, and serving the soldiers. To keep the Mastanis motivated, Azizan would tell stories of the valour of freedom fighters. She made sure to inspire the women in villages to join the gang of Mastanis.

She took training in sword fighting from the soldiers and then imparted the same to Mastanis. This thought was surely revolutionary given the times in which women were barred from leaving the house. Besides, Azizan being a nauch girl was not looked at with respect by society; she surely must have been a magnetic personality to have overcome her inherent weak points. Her image of a dancing girl far was eclipsed by her deed of serving the soldiers who were fighting for defending their state against the agressors.

People happily offered food, medicine, liquor and logistics for the soldiers. On her way back, she would make passionate speeches to inspire more women into joining her. Her efforts had filled women with the spirit of service of those who were fighting against a foreign regime and they stood with Azizan.

The war lasted about 20 days and the British had to retreat in front of Nana Saheb's Army. The two armies signed an agreement. However, the British violated the agreement and attacked the Nana Saheb’s Army and also captured the fort of Kanpur. Thereafter they started arresting all those who were fightin on Nana's side. Azizan was also one among them. In captivity, she was produced before Commander Havelock. When Havelock saw her in a soldier's disguise, he kept staring at her. He had heard stories about her skills of camouflage yet he had never imagined she was a pretty woman.

It is said that Havelock proposed to Azizan that if she surrendered and agreed to serve the British, she would be pardoned. Azizan raised her head and said, “I have no other desire than to see the complete defeat of the outsiders. You can take my life; you cannot make me bow down.”

At this, Havelock was angry and ordered his soldiers to shoot Azizan. She walked up to the firing squad, stood and proudly raised her head. She challenged the soldier by saying, “Maro Goli” (Come and shoot me).

Azizan symbolized the pride of an Indian; her spirit pervades this land. However, many people feel the memories of this valiant woman will fade unless her story is commemorated. Probably installing her statue in Kanpur will be a perfect tribute to this brave Indian freedom fighter in the 75^th years of our India's Independence.

(Writer is a senior Journalist formely associated with the Indian Express group)