2018-02-15 Thu

India is a land of rich heritage, and in it has been born numerous great authors and poets who are famous world over. While some have got critical acclaim on a larger scale, some remained unknown till long after their deaths. Today we explore one such unsung great poetess, Subhadra Kumari Chauhan.

Subhadra Kumari Chauhan, the Hindi poetess who combined in her personality the patriotic fire of Joan of Arc and the lyricism of Meera, was born in 1904 at Nihalpur village, which now forms a part of the city of Allahabad.

Chauhan has authored a number of popular works in Hindi poetry. Her most famous composition is Jhansi Ki Rani, an emotionally charged poem describing the life of Rani Lakshmi Bai. The poem is one of the most recited and sung poems in Hindi Literature. A popular stanza from it reads thus:

Bundele Harbolo ke Muh hamne suni Kahani Thi
Khub Ladi Mardani Weh to Jhansi Wali Rani Thi

In 1921, Subadhra and her husband joined Mahatma Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement. She was the first women Satyagrahi to court arrested in Nagpur and was jailed twice for her involvement in protest against the British rule in 1923 and 1942.

She died on 15th February 1948 in a car accident. Today, on her death anniversary Mintage World pays tribute to her.

To honor this great Freedom-fighter, and activist, Subhadra Kumari Chauhan, India Post has released 25 Paisa Commemorative Postage Stamp.