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> Write a short note on Revolt of 1857. ( max 150 words..)
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Answers
!! INTRODUCTION !!
The revolt of 1857 forms one of the most important chapters in the history of the struggle of the Indian people for liberation from the British rule. It shook the foundations of the British Empire in India and at some points it seemed as though the British rule would end for all time to come.
The hatred of the people for the ferangis was so intense and bitter than one observer, W.H. Russell, was forced to write:
'In no instance is a friendly glance directed to the white man’s carriage'
!! CAUSES !!
How did the Revolt break out ? What were it causes? The main reason for this was the ruthless exploitation of the Indian people by the British. The British rule which was formally established after the Battle of Plassey in, 1757 in Bengal, strove to fill the coffers of the East India Company at the expense of the Indians.
The East India Company was governed by greedy merchants and traders who could go to any extent to enrich themselves. The Company was formed in 1600, and was given a Royal Charter by Queen Elizabeth which conferred on it the exclusive privilege to trade with the East.
!! THE REBELLION !!
On 29 th March, 1857, young soldier, Mangal Pandey, stationed at Barrackpore. Revolted single-handedly attacking his British officers. He was hanged, and not much notice was taken of this event. But it showed the resentment and anger aroused among the sepoys.
Less than a month later, on 24th April ninety men of the Third Native Cavalarly, stationed at Meerut, refused to use the greased cartridges. Eighty – five of them were dismissed and sentenced to ten years imprisonment on 9 the May. The rest of the Indian sepoys reacted strongly to this, and the next day, on 10th May, the entire Indian garrison revolted.
!! LEADERSHIP !!
♦ Nana Saheb and Tantya Tope :
At Kanpur the revolt was led by Nana Saheb, the adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II, The rebellious sepoys also supported Nana Saheb and under his leadership both the military and civilian elements were united. They expelled the British from Kanpur and declared Nana Saheb Peshwa who acknowledges Bandur Shah as the Emperor of India.
♦ The Begum of Awadh :
At lucknow the Begum of Awadh provided the leadership and proclaimed her son. Birji kadr, as the Nawab of Awadh. But here again, the more popular leader was Maulavi Ahmadullah of Faizabad, who organized rebellions and fought the British.
♦ Rani Lakshmi Bai :
Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi was another great popular leader. She believed that she had been robbed of her ruling rights in defiance of recognized Hindu law Though she showed some hesitation at the initial stage, she fought valiantly once she joined the ranks of the rebels.
♦ Kunwar Singh :
But the most representative and outstanding leader was Kunwar Singh of Arrah. Under his leadership the military and civil rebellion was so completely fused that the British dreaded him most. With a war band of about 5000 including about 600 Danpur sepoys and the rebellious Ramgarh state battalion he marched across hundreds of miles to reach Mirzapur, Banda and the vicinity of Kanpur. He reached up to Rewa state and it was thought that as soon as Rewa feel to the rebels, the British would be forced to move to the south. But, for some reasons, Kunwar Singh did not move southwards. He returned to Banda and then back to Arrah where he engaged and defeated the British troops. He was seriously injured and died on 27th April, 1858in his ancestral house in the village of Jagdishpur.
♦ The Unknown Martyrs :
Apart from these acknowledged leaders who
are remembered for their patriotism and
courage, there were many unknown and unacknowledged but no less valiant leadersamong the sepoys, peasantry and petty Zamindars.
They also fought the British with exemplary courage to expel them from India.
Peasants and sepoys laid down their lives for the cause of their country, forgetting their religious and caste differences and rising
above their narrow personal interests.
!! DEFEAT !!
It now became clear why the British concentrated with so much attention to retain Delhi at all cost. And for this they suffered heavily both in men and material. In Delhi, Emperor Bahadur Shah was taken a prisoner and the royal princes were captured, and butched. One by one, all the great leaders of the revolt fell.
Nana Saheb was defeated at Kanpur after which the escaped to Nepal early in 1859 and nothing was heard of him afterwards. Tatya Tope escaped into the jungles of central India where he carried on bitter guerrilla warfare until April 1859 when he was betrayed by a zamindar friend and captured while asleep. He was hurriedly tried and put to death on 15th April, 1859.
[ Thank you! for asking the question. ]
Hope it helps!
Why was the revolt a failure. The revolutionaries failed to retrieve the power from britishers due to their limitations, some of which are:
The rebels locked coordination. There was an absence of centralised leadership. There was no provision of reinforcement of men, money and ammunition.
The outbreak of the revolt happened way before the preplanned date. As a result the planning was disrupted and it aleated the British.
The revolt remained concentrated largely north-India many social reforms refrained directly or indirectly by joining the revolt. This proves that the intellectual class didn't support the revolt.
India is a country known for its regional diversity in languages, food habitats, dressing etc before the rule,the people were ruled by regional dynasties. As a result the sentiments of nationalism belonginess to India as one nation had not developed either sided with the British or remained passive at the time of the revolt.
The Sikhs and the gurkhas fought by the side of the British which proved to be a major disadvantage for the rebels.
The britishers had a superior Army, weapons and military commanders compared to the rebeals.
All the leaders were fighting for regaining their power or territories lost to the British. They were not fighting freedom of their nation