Rani Rashmoni

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the film, see Rani Rasmani (film).

Dakshineshwar Kali Temple in Kolkata
SpouseBabu Rajachandra Das (Marh)
ChildrenPadmamoni Das (Dutta), Kumari Chowdhury, Karunamoyee Biswas, Jagadamba Biswas.[1]

Rashmoni Das, popularly known as Lokamata Rani Rashmoni, also spelled as Rani Rasmani, (28 September 1793 – 19 February 1861), was an Indian businesswoman, entrepreneur,

Nimtala ghat for the everyday bathers at the Ganges. She also offered considerable charity to the Imperial Library (now the National Library of India), and the Hindu College (now Presidency University).[3]

Presently, the Lokmata Rani Rashmoni Mission is situated at

Nimpith, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, 743338, India.[4]

Biography

Rashmoni was born on 28 September 1793 in a peasant family of Harekrishna Das, who lived at 'Kona' village, Kanchanpalli ( a bordering area of present-day North 24 Parganas and Nadia) .

Janbazar, Kolkata, a member of a wealthy Mahishya zamindar family, when she was eleven years old. They had four daughters.[8]

Dakshineswar Kali Temple, built by Rani Rashmoni in 1855

After her husband's death in 1836, Rashmoni assumed responsibility of the zamindari and finances.

After inheriting property from her husband, she managed to endear herself to the people through her management skills of the estate and her many charitable works in the city. She was well loved and revered by the people and proved herself to be worthy of the title, "Rani".[9]

The Rani had clashes with the British in India. By blocking the shipping trade on a part of the Ganges she compelled the British to abolish the tax imposed on fishing in the river, which threatened the livelihood of fishermen. When Puja processions were stopped by the British on the charge that they disturbed the peace, she defied the orders. The British withdrew the penalty imposed on her.

She tacitly supported social activist/scholar Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's campaign for widow remarriage. She even submitted a draft bill against polygamy to the East India Company, who handled the administration during those days.

The Eden Gardens (then Marh Bagan) was also a part of their Zamindari area, which they later gifted to the Eden sisters of Lord Auckland, the then Governor-General of India, as they helped him in saving life of Babu's 3rd daughter from a fatal disease.

The Rani also had to her credit numerous charitable works and other contributions to society. She oversaw the construction of a road from

Zamindari in now South 24 Parganas (part of present-day Santoshpur and adjoining areas) to Rashmoni for his passage to England. This part of land which was then a part of the Sunderbans was marshy and almost uninhabitable except for some families of thugs who found the area convenient to stay and venture out for plunders in far away places mounted on stilts. Rashmoni persuaded these families and helped them to build up fisheries in the surrounding water bodies that later turned into large, rich bheris. They gradually gave up their profession of plundering and transformed into a community of fishermen.[10]

Profoundly affected by a dream to build a temple of Goddess Kali, Rani looked for and purchased a 30,000-acre plot in the village of Dakhineswar. The large temple complex was built between 1847 and 1855. The 20-acre (81,000 m2) plot was bought from an Englishman, Jake Hastie, and was then popularly known as Saheban Bagicha.[11] It took eight years and nine hundred thousand rupees to complete the construction. The idol of Goddess Kali was installed on the Snana Yatra day on 31 May 1855 amid festivities at the temple formerly known as Sri Sri Jagadishwari Kali, with Ramkumar Chhattopadhyay as the head priest. Soon his younger brother Gadai or Gadadhar (later known as Ramakrishna) moved in and so did his nephew Hriday to assist him.[12][13][14][15][16]

jatras (folk theatre), rather than by entertainment for the Englishmen with whom she carried on a running feud. After her death in 1861, her sons-in-law took to celebrating Durga Puja in their respective premises.[17]

Being an ardent devotee of the Goddess Kali, "Sri Rasmani Dasi, longing for the Feet of Kali " were the words engraved in the official seal of her estate.[18]

In popular culture

Rani Rashmoni on a 1994 stamp of India
Shrine dedicated to Rani Rashmoni within the precincts of Dakshineswar Kali Temple

Rani Rashmoni has also been subject of a biographical film in Bengali language, titled Rani Rasmani (film) (1955), directed by Kaliprasad Ghosh, and wherein lead played by famous theatre personality and actress Molina Devi.[19]

Zee Bangla also featured a daily soap depicting the life of the illustrious Rani, Karunamoyee Rani Rashmoni, which premiered on 24 July 2017 and was telecasted daily till 13 February 2022.[20][21]

Monuments

Gallery

  • Rani Rashmoni's palace in Janbazar, Kolkata.
    Rani Rashmoni's palace in Janbazar, Kolkata.
  • Sculpture of Rani Rashmoni at her palace.
    Sculpture of Rani Rashmoni at her palace.
  • Statue of Rani Rashmoni near her birthplace, Bagmore, Kanchrapara, North 24 Parganas.
    Statue of Rani Rashmoni near her birthplace, Bagmore, Kanchrapara, North 24 Parganas.
  • Rani Rashmoni ghat near her birthplace, now at CharNandanbati, Kalyani, Nadia.
    Rani Rashmoni ghat near her birthplace, now at CharNandanbati, Kalyani, Nadia.
  • A temple which resembles Dakshineswar Kali temple near Rani Rashmoni's birthplace, Kalyani, Nadia.
    A temple which resembles Dakshineswar Kali temple near Rani Rashmoni's birthplace, Kalyani, Nadia.
  • Front view of the entrance gate of Rani Rashmoni Kachari Bari. In 1852, when the Nadia royal family could not retain the zamindari of Nabadwip, Rani Rasmoni bought the zamindari of Nabadwip. She then built this kachari house in Nabadwip to manage the zamindari of Nabadwip. There are temples of Radha Govinda Jiu and Gouranga Jiu served by Rani Rasmoni.
    Front view of the entrance gate of Rani Rashmoni Kachari Bari. In 1852, when the Nadia royal family could not retain the zamindari of Nabadwip, Rani Rasmoni bought the zamindari of Nabadwip. She then built this kachari house in Nabadwip to manage the zamindari of Nabadwip. There are temples of Radha Govinda Jiu and Gouranga Jiu served by Rani Rasmoni.
  • The famous Annapurna Temple, Titagarh of Barrackpore of North 24 Parganas. It was built by the youngest daughter of Rani Rashmoni. This temple resembles the famous Dakshineswar Temple.
    The famous Annapurna Temple, Titagarh of Barrackpore of North 24 Parganas. It was built by the youngest daughter of Rani Rashmoni. This temple resembles the famous Dakshineswar Temple.
  • The heritage house of freedom fighter Pronita Devi. She fought against the British with the assistance and guidance of Rani Rashmoni.
    The heritage house of freedom fighter Pronita Devi. She fought against the British with the assistance and guidance of Rani Rashmoni.
  • Chhoto Raasbari of Bawali Mondal family in Tollygunge. Rani Rashmoni's Dakshineswar Kali temple was inspired by the Navaratna styled Radhakanta temples of Bawali and Tollygunge.
    Chhoto Raasbari of Bawali Mondal family in Tollygunge. Rani Rashmoni's Dakshineswar Kali temple was inspired by the Navaratna styled Radhakanta temples of Bawali and Tollygunge.

See also

Further reading

References

  1. ISBN 81-8040-345-9
    . pp. 196-232
  2. ^ Guru to the World: The Life and Legacy of Vivekananda: Ruth Harris. Harvard University Press
  3. ^ Rashmoni Devi Dakshineswar Kali Temple website.
  4. ^ NGO's working with Environment Department Archived 31 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine Environment Department, Government of West Bengal.
  5. ^ "Rasmoni, Rani - Banglapedia". en.banglapedia.org. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  6. ^ Bandopadhyay, Sudhindra Kumar (1964). Yugasādhikā Rāṇīrāsamaṇī (in Bengali). Pratimā Pustaka. p. 3.
  7. ^ Bandyopādhyāẏa, Tāpasa (1995). Ūniśa śatakera Rānāghāṭā (in Bengali). Sāhityaśrī. p. 13.
  8. S2CID 144046925
    .
  9. ^ Saradananda, S. (1952). Sri Ramakrishna the Great Master (3 ed.). Mylapore. pp. 114–115.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  10. ^ Nandi, Amrit Kumar (2017). Bratyajaner Rani Rashmoni. Kolkata: Kamalini Prakashan.
  11. ^ Prabhananda, Swami (October 2003). "The Kali Temple at Dakshineswar and Sri Ramakrishna". Vedanta Kesari.
  12. ^
    ISBN 978-0-14-306371-1
    .
  13. ^ "History of the temple". Dakshineswar Kali Temple. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  14. ^ "Dakshineswar - A Heritage". Government of West Bengal. Archived from the original on 2 September 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  15. ISBN 978-93-80262-15-4
    .
  16. ISBN 978-0-916356-79-8
    .
  17. ^ Dutta Dey, Deblina (4 September 2019). "জানবাজারের ঐতিহাসিক রানি রাসমনির বাড়ির পুজো, এই পুজোয় সামিল হতেন রামকৃষ্ণ পরমহংসদেব". Asianet News Network Pvt Ltd (in Bengali).
  18. ^ Saradananda 1952, p. 115.
  19. IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  20. ^ "Official page of Karunamoyee Rani Rashmoni". www.zee5.com.
  21. ^ "Rani Rashmoni beats popular shows on TV; rules the TRP chart". timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
  22. ^ Ganguly, Biswarup (7 February 2015). "Rani Rashmoni Avenue - Esplanade - Kolkata".
  23. ^ Skywalk to adorn Dakshineswar soon | Kolkata News – Times of India. Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com (22 April 2012). Retrieved on 2018-11-30.
  24. ^ "Birth Bicentenary of Rani Rashmoni: Commemorative Stamps". www.indianphilatelics.com. Thakkar Numismatic & Art Foundation.
  25. ^ Sarma, Ch R. S. (18 June 2018). "Rani Rashmoni inducted into Indian Coast Guard". @businessline. The Hindu.

External links

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