Rani Rashmoni was born into a poor family she was married to Babu Rajachandra Das of Janbazar, Kolkata, a member of a wealthy zamindar family, when she was eleven years old. After her husband’s death she took charge of the zamindari and business. She soon proved herself a natural leader. While the prestige of the zamindari grew.
Rani Rashmoni, being very pious from childhood, continued to lead an extremely religious and austere life, befitting a widow in Indian Bengali Hindu society.
This Hindu widow was extremely courageous and is popular for her clashes with the British. By blocking the shipping trade on a part of Ganges she compelled the British to abolish the tax imposed on fishing in the river, which threatened the livelihood of poor fishermen. When Puja processions were stopped by the British on the charge that they disturbed the peace, she defied the orders. The British had to withdraw the penalty imposed on her in the face of public opposition and rioting in her support.
She was responsible for the revival of Hindu religion when it was on wane in Bengal. Thus she disproved the western myth that widows are a marginalized and oppressed lot in Hindu society.
The Dakshineswar Temple was built by Rani Rashmoni in 1855.
Rani Rashmoni also had to her credit numerous charitable works and other contributions to society. She funded the construction of Babughat (in memory of her husband), Ahiritola Ghat and Nimtala Ghat for the daily bathers in the Ganges.