explain the rebelion of surpur against british
Answers
The King of Surpur Samsthana a place in South ,Nalwadi Venkatappa Naik was one of the few kings of British ruled India who played a huge role in the First War of Independence and fought with the intention of defeating and rebelling against the British in the country though there was no immediate effect of this war.
The ruling family of Surpur which is also known as Shorapur hailed from the Bedar community in Surpur area. Bedar community is the principal community in Surpur area. When the king of Surpur ,Krishnappa Naik died in 1841 his son Venkatappa Naik was a minor boy of seven years only. The British decided to impose Meadows Taylor as their political agent at Surpur and also completely entrusted the work of supervising the prince’s education as well as his upbringing during that time.In 1853, when Venkatappa Naik turned 19, Taylor returned to Hyderabad and the prince inherited his legacy. Although the Britishers proposed to the young king to keep a British Officer as an adviser for the state for some more years at a princely sum of Rs. 20,000 per annum.
The first independent decision of king Venkatappa Naik was the rejection of the British proposal of an adviser on the grounds by saying that there was no need of an adviser from the British Government and that the financial condition of the state did not permit him to keep an adviser.
It is said that the kings of other samsthanas and representatives of kings of South India including Anegundi, Jamkhandi, Tasugaon (Maharastra), Jat, Mudhol, Malakhed, Mundargi, Jambagi and Gamvar Samsthana held a meeting in Mysore somewhere between 1855-56 had entrusted the leadership to King Venkatappa Naik to wage war against the British.
All these Samsthanas not only supplied explosives and weapons to Surpur Samsthana but also warriors from the various states who actively participated in the first war of independence which took place in Surpur in 1857 and the young King defeated the British but did not live long to see the fruits of his success.
In this way the Surpur district waged war and rebelled against the british.