India's Struggle for Independence #The Revolt of 1857.

The Revolt of 1857

By the first half of the 19th century, the East India Company had brought major portions of India under its control. One hundred years after the Battle of Plassey, anger against the unjust and oppressive British Government took the form of a revolt that shook the very foundations of British rule in India.

10. May. 1857, A band of Soldiers killed a European Officer in Meerut.  On 11. May. 1857 the band of Soldiers started from Meerut , Crossed Yamuna, set toll house on fire and marched towards Red Fort.

They entered the red fort through Raj Ghat gate, followed by an excited crowd to appeal Bahadur Shah 2^nd, the Moghul Emperor –A pensioner of the British East India Company.  Bahadur Shah vacillated in the beginning but later on, he was persuaded to be Shahanshah-e- Hindustan.

 Areas affected- North Indian, Central India, as well as Western India.

Not participated – South India.

Punjab and Bengal were marginally affected.

Other Resentments before Meerut Mutiny: -      Berhampur, March 1857, the 19^th Native Infantry refused to use the newly introduced Enfield rifle was disbanded.

A young Soldiers-Mangal Pandey, 34th Infantry fired at his Sergeant major of his regiment. The seventh Oudh regiment, which defied its officers, met with similar fate.

Areas effected after Mutiny – Kanpur Lucknow, Banaras, Allahabad, Bareilly, Jagdishpur and Jhansi.

 

Leaders of the Revolt 1857

Nana Sahib, the adopted son of the last Peshwa, Baji Rao 2^nd. He refused the family title and Banished from Poona and led from Kanpur.

Begum Hazarat Mahal, Lucknow- Her son Bijris Qadir was proclaimed Nawab and a regular administration was organized with important offices shared equally by Hindus and Muslims.

Khan Bahadur led from Bareilly. In the beginning, he did not support the revolt much but later on, he gave a stiff resistance to British.

Kunwar Singh led from Jagdishpur, Bihar

Rani Lakshmi Bai led from Jhansi.

Key Connector for Revolt – Nana Sahib and Maulvi Ahamad Shah of Faizabad had established links with various cantonments and were instrumental in instigating the Revolt.

Reasons of Revolt

Religion

1.      The upper caste of Hindus of the North Western Provinces and Oudh came into conflict with the prejudices of the Soldiers.

In the beginning, the administration sought to fulfill their demands, and facilities were to provide to them according to their caste and religion. However, with the extension of the army’s operation, the administration failed.

The company thought to discourage the recruitment of Brahmins, but by the middle of 19th centaury, the Upper caste predominated.

The unhappiness of Soldiers first surfaced in 1824 when the 47^th Regiment at Barrackpur was ordered to go to Burma, and to the religious Hindus, crossing the sea meant loss of Caste. The Soldiers therefore refused, the regiment was disbanded, and those who led opposition were hanged.

Soldiers who participated in Afghan War, they were forced to eat and drink whatever came in their way. When they returned, they were not welcomed in their caste.

2.      The rumors about the Government secret design to promote conversions to Christianity.  The official missionary Nexus gave credence to the rumor. In some cantonments, missionaries were permitted to preach against other religion and that angered the Soldiers.

3.      The reports about mixing bone dust into Atta came into conflict with the religious beliefs.

4.      Introduction of Enfield rifle in which the cartridges of the new rifle were bitten off before loading and the grease was reportedly made of pig fat and beef which again was against the religion of Muslims and Hindu.

Emoluments

Soldiers were equally unhappy with emoluments.  A soldier  got seven rupees per month while  Sawar in the cavalry  was paid 27 rupees, out of which he had to pay for his uniform, food and was hardly left with rupees one or two.

Discrimination

The Soldiers was made to feel a subordinate at every step and was discriminated against racially and in matter of privileges and promotions.

Peasant in Uniform: Almost every agriculturist family in Oudh had a person in army, so whatever happened to the peasant, there was an immediate concern to the Soldiers.  The land revenue system introduced after the annexation and confiscation of land attached to the charitable institutions affected his well-being. Near about 14000 petitions were received from the Soldiers about the hardship of revenue system.

Misery to artisan and handicrafts man

British Rule cut off artisans and handicraftsmen major source of patronage. The company rule discouraged the handicrafts and promoted British goods. It brought poverty.

Legislation: The orthodox Hindu and the Muslims feared that through Social Legislation, their power of ruling would go.

Reasons for failures:

1.      No Organizing and Planning.

2.      For an year the rebels carried on their struggle but they had no source of arms and ammunition and they were forced to fight with the help of swords and pikes,

3.      They had no quick system to communicate and hence no coordination was possible.

4.      They were unaware of the weaned and strength of their compatriots and as a result they could not come to each other’s rescue and fought lonely hand.

5.      Although the rebels have sympathy of people, the country, as a whole was not behind them.

6.      The Merchants, intelligentsia, and Indian Rulers showed no interest in helping them. They supported the company.

References:

NCERT Books 8th class - Social Science, Chapter - 5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Rebellion_of_1857


Indian Struggle For Independence – Bipan Chandra, Mridula Mukherjee, Aditya Mukherjee, Sucheta Mahajan and K.N. Pannikar.