The amazing Rani Rashmoni

So, Rani Rashmoni bought a land, on the banks of the Hooghly river, that was shaped like the hump of a tortoise, partly owned by a European Christian and partly owned by Muslims who buried their dead there. On this land, associated with foreign forces and foreign religions, she would build a Hindu temple for a goddess, known for her power and transgressive nature—Kali. She was perhaps inspired by the Shyama Sangeet songs of Ramprasad Sen who lived in the 18th century and saw the Tantrik goddess with a devotional eye.

Within her temple stood Kali on the chest of Shiva, a powerful image of female power for Rani Rashmoni who, no doubt, had to face many difficulties, despite her wealth and intelligence, on account of her being a woman. She had to direct much of her work through her sons-in-law. And, when the temple was built, she had to donate it to a Brahmin and only then did the Brahmin community agree to consecrate it. In this temple, she celebrated Durga Puja, once again affirming female power. During these festivals, she organised jatras to entertain the masses and mobilise them as a force, much as Lokmanya Tilak would a few decades later, establishing the community-based Ganpati Puja, in Pune, to raise political consciousness.

Rani Rashmoni challenged rules of gender, caste, class and religion. She provided an ecosystem for new thinking. The idea of Kali would in many ways inspire Bengali intellectuals who played a key role in the early years of the Indian national movement.

People in 19th century Bengal were told that that Kali sticks her tongue out in embarrassment, on discovering she has accidentally stepped on her husband, who, in traditional patriarchal Hindu society, is considered the wife’s god (pati parmeshwar). More likely, the tongue sticks out to mock men who deny the power of women like Rani Rashmoni who played a key role in changing India forever.