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

NANA SAHIB AND LAKSHMI BAI
thus she learned to read, though stumbling often. Nana
Sahib would be sitting in howdah on an elephant and the
sweet child would affectionately call up to him, "Won't
you take me too?" ¹ Sometimes Nana would lift her up,
and both would learn to ride the magnificent animal.
Sometimes Nana would be on a horse and wait for
Lakshmi to come and join him; just then she would come
up galloping with a sword at her side, with her hair slight-
ly dishevelled by the wind, and her fair complexion
becoming ruddier by her efforts to curb the spirited horse.
And both would start away at a smart pace. At this time,
Nana was eighteen years old and Lakshmi Bai was seven;
what a pleasant memory to us that the heroine should
have started her training for the holy war at the age of
seven? These two jewels were extremely fond of each
other from their earliest childhood. In Brahmavarta, at
that time, were being brought up three of the most im-
portant characters of the Revolutionary War of 1857,
Nana Sahib, Queen Lakshmi Bai, and Tatya Tope. It is
said, that on every festival of Yamadvitiya, these two,
Nana Sahib and Lakshmi Bai—historical brother and
sister—used to perform the ceremony of Bhaubij. We can
well picture to ourselves the sweet attractive spirited
Chabeli, with a golden dish and with lamps in her hand,
performing the ceremony. Such occasions when a
Lakshmi Bai is waving the sacred lamp round the face of
a Nana Sahib, such occasions make history more romantic
than romance!
In the early life of Nana Sahib and Manu Bai, we have
the key to their future greatness. Their flesh and blood,
even in early childhood, had been permeated by the
love of Swaraj and a noble sense of self-respect and
pride of ancestry. In 1842, the Chabeli was given in
marriage to Maharaja Gangadhar Rao Baba Sahib of
Jhansi, and thus became Maharani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi.

1. Pârasnis's Life of the Queen of Jhansi.
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