People who dumbly suffer tyranny and injustice are like breathing corpses. It is moral to bow to justice, immoral to bow to injustice.

Even the nut caught in the nutcracker leaps. Under severe pressure the cannon- ball explodes. Even a mild animal gets ready to retaliate against cruelty, without thinking of what may happen.

The king who lost their kingdoms because they had no sons, the members of their families, their dependents, the disbanded army, the well-wishers of all these people – all were seething with discontent.

Tatia Tope, Raghunath Simha, Jawahar Simha and such lovers of freedom were secretly coming to meet Rani Lakshmi Bai. They used to give her details of the dissatisfaction and discontent of the people.

Rani Lakshmi Bai had carefully studied the geography of her kingdom, the strategic points and the formation of the Sikh army of Punjab in its fight with the British

When the Rani went out on horseback she was attired like men; she wore a metallic helmet and on top of it, a flowing turban, a protecting metallic plate bound close to the chest, pyjamas and a sash over them. On both sides she carried pistols and daggers. In addition she carried a sabre.

The Rani, who was conversant with the characteristic marks and the mettle of different types of horses, liked most the Kathiawar horse of spotless white color.

The Rani had flowing hair and so it was difficult for her to wear the helmet and tie the turban over it. In Maharashtra widows used to shave their heads. The Rani decided to have her hair removed at Benares. In addition, she wanted to study the political situation in that part of the country.

But the British officials did no permit her journey.

The Rani took an oath: " I will remove my hair only after the country gains freedom; otherwise it can take place only in the cemetery."

The dissatisfied Nana saheb and Rao Saheb, Bahadu Shah, the King of Delhi, and the well-wishers of the Nawab of Oudh were all anxious to meet. The same thought came to the Rani also.