१८५७ का स्वातन्त्र्य समर (वीर विनायक दामोदर सावरकर - अंग्रेजों द्वारा छपने से पूर्व प्रतिबन्धित महाग्रन्थ)

RANEE LAKSHMI BAI
asters, why is Queen Lakshmi looking so earnestly in that
particular direction ? And see, she is smiling too ! Be
ready now and fire your salutes ; let triumphal drums beat
loudly ; let war-cries rend the air ! For there is Tatia
Topé advancing with his army to aid Jhansi !
Tatia Topé has come with his army to dishearten the
English army and to give courage to Jhansi. After the
defeat of Wyndham at Cawnpore and Sir Colin's victory,
Tatia crossed the Ganges and joined Shrimant Nana.
Then, leaving Nana, he crossed the Jumna near Kalpi.
As the Raja of Charkhari refused to help in the war for
the country started by the Peshwa, Tatia, as representa-
tive of the Peshwa, attacked his capital, punished the
traitor well, captured twenty-four of his guns, and took
from him a contribution of three lacs of Rupees. And
then Tatia turned towards Kalpi. There, he received a
letter from Ranee Lakshmi Bai requesting him to come to
Jhansi and relieve the siege. He sent the note to the
Rao Sahib Peshwa, the chief in authority ; and, as soon
as he got the orders, he charged the rear of the English
army. It is on seeing him that a smile of hope has come
to the lips of Lakshmi. These two had played together as
children in the palace at Brahmavarta, without anyone
noticing them particularly. To-day they are playing on
the battle-field ; the one, on the fortifications of Jhansi,
is standing amidst rings of flaming fire, the other is ap-
proaching close to the Betwa, with his twenty-two thou-
sand troops. While playing as children, people hardly
noticed them ; to-day, the whole world is looking on
their game !
Tatia had under him, now, the largest number of troops
he ever had, and hence the English were not a little dis-
concerted. They would have been completely so in the
battle too, handful as they were. For, in front of them
was the Ranee Lakshmi Bai ; behind them was this Mah-
ratta tiger, with his twenty-two thousand claws. Why
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