1051) Rani Gaidinliu (1915-1993): Celebrating her Birth Centenary (1915-2015) by issue of this Rs.5/- Collector's Coin issued by the Hyderabad Mint in 2019 (Coin dated 2015):
The cover jacket of the Coin Album received by me from the India Government Mint, Hyderabad
The Cover jacket is inscribed at the top - "COMMEMORATIVE COIN" in both Hindi and English.
In the centre is inscribed the title of this Coin Album - " - BIRTH CENTENARY OF RANI GAIDINLIU - 1915- 2015."(in both Hindi and English).
The Front (Cover Page) of the Coin Album shows a different photograph of Rani Gaidinliu
The Front Cover Page is also inscribed at the top - "COMMEMORATIVE COIN" (in both Hindi and English).
As with the Cover jacket, in the centre is mentioned - "BIRTH CENTENARY OF RANI GAIDINLIU" (in both Hindi and English).
Page 2 of the Coin Album gives a brief description about Rani Gaidinliu:
"Rani Gaidinliu (1915-1993) was a spiritual & political leader of the Heraka cult of present day Manipur. She was a fearless freedom fighter who led a political revolt against British rule particularly in Manipur and surrounding area of Nagaland. She was arrested in 1932 and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Released in 1947 after India's independence, she continued to work for upliftment of her people including integration of the Zeliangrong Tribe under one administrative unit. She was bestowed upon with the title of "Rani" by the Indian Government and honoured with the Padma Bhushan by the Govt. of India in 1982."
More about Rani Gaidinliu (26.01.1915-17.02.1993):
She was a Naga spiritual and political leader who led a movement against British rule in India.
At 13 years of age, she joined the Heraka religious movement of her cousin Haipou Jadonang. This movement was a revival of the Naga Tribal religion, which also aimed to end the British rule and establish self-rule for the Nagas ("Naga Raj"). It attracted several followers from the Zeliangrong tribes - the Zeme, Liangmai and Rongmei.
The movement gathered momentum against British policies of forced labour and ruthless oppression and became a political movement to drive out the British from Manipur and the surrounding Naga areas. With the arrival of guns from Cachar, the movement turned into an armed uprising, in which Rani Gaidinliu became a leader of the guerilla forces fighting against the British rulers.
Jadonang was arrested and martyred by the British and Rani Gaidinliu at the age of 16 became the leader of the guerilla forces fighting against the British.
As part of her strategy, she openly exhorted the Zeliangrong people not to pay taxes to the British. She received support from the local Nagas. many of whom also joined her forces as volunteers. She evaded a massive manhunt and arrest by the police by moving across villages in what is present day Assam, Nagaland and Manipur. Her forces engaged in several armed engagements by the British India Assam Rifles in 1932. Finally she was taken prisoner and sentenced to life imprisonment. Most of her associates were either jailed or martyred. The movement petered out finally in 1933.
After her release on India gaining independence, she continued to work for the upliftment of her people. She passed away on 17.02.1993 at the age of 78.
She was conferred the "Tamrapatra Freedom Fighter Award (1972), the Padma Bhushan (1982) and the Vivekananda Seva Award (1983), the Birsa Munda Award (posthumously). In 1996, a postage stamp of 100 Paise (or Re.1/-) was brought out by India Post in her honour.
Within the Heraka faith, she came to be considered as an incarnation of the Goddess Cherachamdinliu.
Page 3 of the Coin Album shows the Nagas performing a traditional folk dance.
Part of the coin's specifications are given on this page - Denomination: Rs.5/-; Alloy: Nickel-Brass - Copper 75%, Zinc 20%, Nickel 5%.
Also seen on this page is the Obverse of the Rs.5/- Coin.
This enlarged scan of the Obverse of the Rs.5/- Coin shows the State emblem of the Government of India in the centre - the Three-Lion Capitol - adapted from the Lion Capitol of Samrat Ashok (Emperor Ashok) of Ancient India.
Below the Lion Capitol is the inscription in Hindi "Satyameva Jayate" (meaning "Truth Always Wins"). On the left and right peripheries is the name of the issuing country "BHARAT" (in Hindi) and "INDIA" (in English) respectively.
The denomination of the coin "5" is engraved on the lower periphery, preceded by the Rupee symbol.
Page 4 of the Coin Album presents the Reverse face of the Coin featuring Rani Gaidinliu and the remaining specifications of this Rs.5/- Coin:
Denomination: Rs.5/-; Diameter/Size: 21.0 mm; Weight: 6.0 grams; No. of Serrations: 100 nos.
The Reverse of the Rs.5/- Coin shows an engraving of Rani Gaidinliu in the centre with the Centenary years - "1915-2015".
The peripheral inscriptions are - "RANI GAIDINLIU KI JANMSHATI" (in Hindi) on the upper periphery and "BIRTH CENTENARY OF RANI GAIDINLIU" (in English) on the lower periphery.
The "5-pointed Star" Mint Mark of the IGM Hyderabad is engraved below her life years.
Page 5 of the Coin Album shows the front cover of a book titled "A history of the Zeliandgrong Nagas - from Makhel to Rani Gaidinliu" by Gangmumel Kamei (Author), a well-known historian and activist.
Also seen on this page is a representation of the 100 Paise (or Re.1/-) stamp issued in Rani Gaidinliu's honour in 1996.
The Back Cover of the Coin Album gives a brief history of the India Government Mint, Hyderabad from when it was the erstwhile Nizam's Mint at Hyderabad and was taken over by the Government of India as part of the Federal Financial Integration in 1950.
The Hyderabad Mint traces its origins to 1803, when it was established under Nawab Sikander Jah, the third Nawab. The present mint at Cherlapally was started on 20.08.1997 and is currently making 1200 million pieces of coins and 1900 million pieces of coin blanks every year.
Ram Lalingkar has commented:
ReplyDelete"Really inspiring story of 'Rani Gsidinliu' which was not known so far!"
She was a guerilla fighter and her soldiers gave many a sleepless night to the British Raj while they were active.
DeleteSatyajit Pratap has commented:
ReplyDelete"Didn't know that Stamps and Coins , can be such a critical link , even in modern digitised environment . Kudos to P&,T and to u Rajeev Prasad for unraveling such heroic contributors to our lineage .... Many of them , who are forgotten and trampled in this rush for digitisation."
Thanks, Satyajit. In fact, one P&T senior officer has brought out a book titled "India's Freedom Struggle through Indian Postage stamps". Though in limited numbers, I managed to get one copy for my collection. I an still trying to get out stories and stamps from this valuable piece of work. Maybe, one day I will be able to bring up details on more freedom fighters highlighted through Indian stamps. I am also awaiting some coins on Indian Freedom fighters.
Delete