Rasmani was highly regarded for her courage and public spirit. Once, on the day preceding the worship of the Divine Mother Durga, her priests went in a musical procession to the Ganges to perform a particular ritual. It was early in the morning and the music disturbed the sleep of an Englishman. He ordered the musicians to stop, but no one paid any attention to him. He then complained to the police and sought immediate action. But Rasmani engaged even more musicians for the next day and, without caring for the protest, she had the ritual performed with great enthusiasm. As a result a case was brought to the court against Rasmani, which she lost, and she was fined fifty rupees. Rasmani was infuriated that the government had acted against a religious observance. She paid the fine, but at the same time she ordered barricades to be put up at both ends of Babu Road, from Janbazar to Babu Ghat, so that no traffic could pass through. When the government protested, Rasmani replied in a letter: “The road is mine. Without receiving compensation I shall not allow anyone to pass through it.” The government was helpless to do anything against Rasmani’s challenge because legally she was the owner of Babu Road. The news spread quickly all over the city, and the people composed a couplet about this brave woman:
When the Rani’s horses and carriage roll down the street, they say, None, even the English Company, dares to stand in her way.
At last, the British Government reimbursed her the fine and earnestly asked her to open the road for the public, and she then had the barricades removed. (Source: They Lived with God)