Tara Anand’s illustrated series shines a spotlight on forgotten powerful female Indian warriors

Indian history speaks highly of the accomplishments of remarkable male warriors and leaders, however, little is known or said of their female counterparts. Except for a few exceptions such as Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi and Mastani from Bundelkhand, female bravery in India is practically unheard of, and indeed, even the descriptions of these warriors focus more on their personal life rather than battlefield achievements.

Realizing that that the contributions of India’s powerful queen regents and warriors were by-and-large unheard of in popular narratives as well as the history textbooks, Mumbai-based 17-year-old student, Tara Anand sought to redress this one-sidedness through a series of illustrations titled, ‘I am no man’. The title was inspired by the character Eowyn in Tolkein’s The Lord of the Rings series, who screams out ‘I am no man’ when striking down a foe during battle.

Anand’s illustrations include famous warriors such as Chand Bibi, a 16th century warrior from Ahmednagar and Bijapur; Nagamma, who played a major role in the Battle of Palnad; Bibi Dalair Kaur, who fought with the Mughals in the 16th century, and Onake Obavva from Karnataka, who fought against Hyder Ali and his forces in the 18th century amongst others.

Each of these illustrations speaks to the breadth and depth of the critical role women have played throughout India’s history, by highlighting their agency and public role nationally. The series’ greatest significance, however, lies in its potential impact on younger generations of Indians, who now, by remembering and relating to strong and inspirational women role models from the past, have an alternative history and framework through which to navigate the world.

See the complete series on Instagram and follow updates on Anand’s artwork on Facebook.

Featured image source: FirstPost

Written by Shikha Pandey