Putlibai (dacoit)
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The Putli Bai (Hindi: पुतली बाई) (1926[1] or 1929 - 1958) was a dreaded female dacoit, often known by the epithet "Indian bandit queen".. She was the first female dacoit of India.[2] Her area of dacoity was the famed Chambal valley, which remained for a long time a stronghold of dacoits. Supposedly, she never wanted to be a dacoit, but became so because of excessive cruetly meted out upon her time and again, and dacoity - kind of - became her last resort.[2]
She was born as Gauhar Bano in a small village in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh.[3] Gradually as she became famous in the world of dancing, she began to be called Putlibai. The name appears to be a reference to a typical Indian puppet, who is made to dance by a hidden artist.[4] Another conjecture is that she used to slither as smoothly as the pupils of an eye, and hence the name.[5]
Once as she was dancing in a marriage ceremony, a dreaded dacoit Sultana reached there, and forced her to go along with her, lest he would kill her brother Alladin. Unwillingly, she had to go with him. Gradually she fell in love with him.[3]
The end of Sultana[edit]
Putlibai had a daughter Tanno[5] with Sultana. With the passage of time Sultana included a dreaded dacoit Lakhan in his gang. On May 25, 1955, police ambushed Sultana and killed him. It was at least the claim of the police. However as Putlibai was living with Sultana, she knew for sure, that Sultana was actually assassinated by a dacoit Kalla [another member of the gang], on the orders of Lakhan.[3] She was so upset at Police false claims, that she is said to have even written a letter to the then Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru stating how the police under his rule had been claiming false laurels.[5]
Death[edit]
On January 23, 1958, Bai was killed by police in an encounter.[3]
In popular culture[edit]
Putlibai, because of her beauty, courage, and rebellion against the establishment, became a kind of semi-legend. Two Hindi films were made on her life.
- Putlibai (1972 film), starring Sujit Kumar, and Jaya Mala[6]
- Putlibai (1999 film), starring Raj Kiran
References[edit]
- ^ "पुलिसवालों के हाथों की दसों उंगलियां काट दीं, बीवियों के कान चीर दिए; पुतली को प्यार ने पहुंचाया था बीहड़". Dainik Bhaskar. 2022.
- ^ a b चंबल की खूंखार डकैत पुतलीबाई का रियल घर- Chambal wanted putlibai real house on YouTube
- ^ a b c d भरतपुर, सतपाल सिंह (2023-02-04). "पैरों में घुंघरू बांध कर महफिल रोशन करने वाली गौहरबानो बनीं चम्बल की पहली महिला डाकू पुतलीबाई". www.abplive.com (in Hindi). Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ चंबल की पहली दस्यु सुंदरी पुतलीबाई की कहानी on YouTube
- ^ a b c Mangal, Uddeshya (2022-10-16). "जानिए डाकू पुतलीबाई की कहानी, जिन्होंने लिखा था प्रधानमंत्री को". MojoPatrakar. Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ Putlibai (1972) Daku Garib Logon koh Nahi Loot teh ! on YouTube