Starting As A Revolt of The Sepoys

It was soon accompanied by a rebellion of the civil population, particularly in the NorthWestern Provinces and Oudh. The masses gave vent to their opposition to British rule by attacking government buildings and prisons.They raided the "treasury", charged on barracks and courthouses, and threw
open the prison gates.

» The civil rebellion had a broad social base, embracing all sections of society - the territorialmagnates, peasants, artisans, religious mendicants and
priests, civil servants, shopkeepers and boatmen.

» For several months after the uprising began in Meerut on May 10, 1857 - British rule ceased to exist in the northern plains of India. Muslim and
Hindu rulers alike joined the rebelling soldiers and militant peasants, and other nationalist fighters.

» Among the most prominent leaders of the uprising were Nana Sahib, Tantia Tope, Bakht Khan, Azimullah Khan, Rani Laksmi Bai, Begum Hazrat Mahal, Kunwar Singh, Maulvi Ahmadullah, Bahadur Khan and Rao Tula Ram.

Former rulers had their own grievances against the British, including the notorious law on succession, which gave the British the right to annexe, any princely state if it lacked "legitimate male heirs".

» The rebels established a Court of Administration consisting of ten members - six fromthe army and four civilians with equal representation of Hindus and Muslims. The rebel government abolished taxes on articles of common consumption, and penalized hoarding. Amongst the provisions of it's charter was the liquidation of thehated 'Zamindari' system imposed by the British and a call for land to the tiller.

» Although the former princes who joined with the rebels did not go quite as far, several aspects of the proclamations issued by the former rulers are
noteworthy. All proclamations were issued in popular languages.

» Hindi and Urdu texts were provided simultaneously. Proclamations were issued jointly in the name of both Hindus and Muslims. Feroz Shah - in his August 1857 proclamation included some significant points. All trade was to be reserved for Indian merchants only, with free use of Government
steam vessels and steam carriages. All public offices were to be given to Indians only and wages of the sepoys were to be revised upwards.

» Threatened by such a radical turn of events, the British rulers poured in immense resources in arms and men to suppress the struggle. Although the
rebels fought back heroically - the betrayal by a number of rulers such as the Sikh princes, the Rajasthani princes and Maratha rulers like Scindia allowed the British to prevail.

» Lord Canning (then Governor General) noted that " If Scindia joins the rebel, I will pack off tomorrow". Later he was to comment: " The Princes acted as the breakwaters to the storm which otherwise would have swept us in one great wave".

Such was the crucial importance of the betrayal of the princes. The British were also helped by the conservatism of the trading communities who were
unwilling to put up with the uncertainties of a long drawn out rebellion.

» But equally important was the superior weaponry and brutality of the British in defending their empire. British barbarity in suppressing the uprising was unprecedented. After the fall of Lucknow on May 8, 1858 Frederick Engels commented: " The fact is, there is no army in Europe or America with so much brutality as the British. Plundering, violence, massacre - things that everywhere else are strictly and completely banished - are a time honoured privilege, a vested right of the British soldier."

» In Awadh alone 150,000 people were killed - of which 100,000were civilians. The great Urdu poet, Mirza Ghalib wrote from Delhi, " In front of me, I
see today rivers of blood". He went on to describe victorious army went on a killing spree - killing every one in sight - looting people’s property
as they advanced.

» Bahadur Shah's three sons were publicly executed at "KhooniDarwaaza" in Delhi and Bahadur Shah himself was blinded and exiled to Rangoon where he died in 1862. Refusing to plead for mercy from the British, he courageously retorted: " The power of India will one day shake London if the glory of self-respect remains undimmed in the hearts of the rebels".

» The 1857 revolt, which had forged an unshakable unity amongst Hindus and Muslims alike, was an important milestone in our freedom struggle - providing hope and inspiration for future generations of freedom lovers. However, the aftermath of the 1857 revolt also brought about dramatic changes in colonial rule.

» After the defeat of the 1857 national revolt - the British embarked on a furious policy of "Divide and Rule", fomenting religious hatred as never before.
Resorting to rumors and falsehoods, they deliberately recast Indian history in highly communal colors and practised pernicious communal politics to divide the Indian masses.

» That legacy continues to plague the sub-continent today.However, ifmore people become aware of the colonial roots of this divisive communal gulf
- it is possible that some of the damage done to Hindu-Muslim unity could be reversed. If Hindus and Muslims could rejoin and collaborate in the spirit of 1857, the sub-continent may yet be able to unshackle itself from it's colonial past.

Outcome of 1857

» By the middle of the nineteenth century, the British Empire was the largest and richest empire in the world. This naturally gave rise to the belief that the British themselves, were the chosen race; chosen to bring the benefits of western civilization to the less developed and civilized areas of the
world.

» This white supremacy was enforced in Britain's colonies, especially in India and naturally, saw much native opposition. Indian uprisings against British rule, however, were unsuccessful due to the superior technology and organization of the British army.

» In 1857, with the outbreak of the Indian Mutiny, India witnessed its first war of independence against the British. Thanks to the efficiency of British
media coverage, the Britishers followed the developments of the mutiny avidly.

» The British saw the India Mutiny as a fight against barbarians who were rejecting the civilizing influence of Victorian Britain. But as the suppression
developed, the atrocities committed by both sides became obvious. The British armies swept across Northern India in an enraged and cruel
rampage of rape, murder and savagery, which shocked Victorian society.

Regards

Engr.Shoaib Awan

Assistant Engineer(Production)
Oil & Gas Development Company Ltd(OGDCL)
Islamabad.

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"Always have the DETERMINATION like a MIRROR, who NEVER loses its ABILITY to Reflect back Even if BROKEN into THOUSAND pieces" BE DETERMINED.........