Revolt of 1857 : Freedom Fighters

About Bahadur Shah Zafar

Introduction

• Bahadur Shah Zafar or Bahadur Shah II (24 October 1775 – 7 November 1862) was the last Mughal emperor.

• He was the second son of and became the successor to his father, Akbar II, upon his death on 28 September 1837.

• He was a nominal Emperor, as the Mughal Empire existed in name only and his authority was limited only to the walled city of Old Delhi (Shahjahanbad).

• Following his involvement in the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the British exiled him to Rangoon in British-controlled Burma (now in Myanmar), after convicting him on several charges.

Role played by Bahadur Shah Zafar in 1857 Revolt

Role in 1857 Revolt

• Bahadur Shah Zafar (1837-1857) was the last ruler of Mughal Empire.

• In the First battle of independence against British East India Company by all the princes and princesses of India United to fight against the company, they made Zafar the leader and commander in chief for them.

• He got the name of "Emperor of Hindustan".

• They started their war initiation from Shahjanabad, the capital of Mughals.

• This was the major role played by Zafar in this war. All fought bravely and courageously but the war was a failure and company won over Indian princes.

• Zafar was prisoned by British ending the Mughal rule in 21st September 1857. Zafar was imprisoned by British and sent to Rangoon (now Yangon, Mynamer), where he died in 1862.

Interesting facts about Bahadur Shah Zafar

Interesting facts

• His full name was Mirza Abu Zafar Sirajuddin Mohammed Bahadur Shah Zafar.

• He received education in Urdu, Persian and Arabic.

• He was last Mugal Emperor.

• He was a patron of music, arts and literature (especially shayaris).

• He was a brilliant poet.

• When he was exiled to Rangoon, he carried the soil of India in his tobacco pouch so that it could be sprinkled on his grave.

About Mangal Pandey

Introduction

• Pandey was born in a town near Faizabad in what is now eastern Uttar Pradesh state in northern India, although some give his birth place as a small village near Lalitpur (in present-day southwestern Uttar Pradesh).

• He was from a high-caste Brahman landowning family that professed strong Hindu beliefs.

• He was an Indian soldier who played a key part in the events immediately preceding the outbreak of the Indian rebellion of 1857.

• He was a sepoy in the 34th Bengal Native Infantry regiment of the British East India Company.

Role played by Mangal Pandey in 1857 Revolt

Role in 1857 Revolt

• Mangal Pandey was an Indian soldier under the British who is associated with the Revolt of 1857.

• His attack on British officers on March 29, 1857, marked the beginning of the Revolt.

• During his service in the Bengal Infantry at Barrackpore, The British had introduced new ‘Enfield Rifle’ in the army. This rifle needed a cartridge which had a greased paper cover. This paper cover had to be bitten off before loading the cartridge into the rifle. The rumors spread that the greased paper was made up of beef and pork.

• Mangal Pandey urged his fellow soldiers to not use the rifle.

• On 29 March 1857, he attacked his officers in Barrackpore.

• He was later hanged. This incident sparked the revolt of 1857.

Interesting facts about Mangal Pandey

Interesting facts

• It was believed that Mangal Pandey became so furious at the introduction of "Enfield Rifle" by British that he vouched to kill the very first Englishman he sees.

• The place where Mangal Pandey opened fire on the British Officers and where he was later hanged is known as ‘Shaheed Mangal Pandey Maha Udyan’ now.

• He was a diligent follower of Hinduism. The reason behind the outburst of his anger was a cartridge of a riffle( Enfield P-53 rifle).

• A movie ‘The Rising’ (2005) was made on the events of mangal pandey’s life. His picture was also depicted in a postal stamp by Indian government.

• He was hanged till death on April 8, 1857. He is also remembered as a first martyr of Indian freedom movement.

About Rani Laxmi Bai

Introduction

• Lakshmibai, the Rani of Jhansi (19 November 1828 – 18 June 1858), was an Indian queen of the Maratha princely state of Jhansi in North India currently present in Jhansi district in Uttar Pradesh, India.

• Brought up in the household of the peshwa (ruler) Baji Rao II, Lakshmi Bai had an unusual upbringing for a Brahman girl.

• She was one of the leading figures of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and became a symbol of resistance to the British Raj for Indian nationalists.

Role played by Rani Laxmi Bai in 1857 Revolt

Role in 1857 Revolt

• Lord Dalhousie sought to annex Jhansi when the Maharaja died applying the Doctrine of a lapse since the king did not have any natural heir.

• As per this, the Rani was granted an annual pension and asked to leave the fort of Jhansi.

• The Revolt of 1857 had broken out in Meerut and the Rani was ruling over Jhansi as regent for her minor son.British forces under the command of Sir Hugh Rose arrived at Jhansi fort with the intention of capturing it in 1858. He demanded that the city surrender to him or else it would be destroyed. Rani Laxmibai refused.

• For two weeks the battle went on where the Rani led her army of men and women valiantly against the British. Despite courageous fighting, Jhansi lost the battle.

• The Rani, tying her infant son on her back, escaped to Kalpi on horseback.

• Rani Laxmibai died while fighting in Gwalior on 18th June 1858, aged 29. She was dressed as a soldier when she died.

Interesting facts about Rani Laxmi Bai

Interesting facts

• Laxmi's real name was Manikarnika Tambe. But it was renamed to Laxmi bai by her husband, Raja Gangadhar Rao Newalkar, after marriage at the age of 14.

• In her childhood, she was gleeful and playful and was rightly known as chabbilli.

• She was educated at home and her coaching included shooting, horsemanship and fencing which was in contrast to the cultural expectations for women in Indian society at the time.

• She was accustomed to horseback riding and had three horses.

• She became the ruler of Jhansi when she was only 18 years old.

• Sir Hugh Rose has commented, “Remarkable for her beauty, cleverness and perseverance, she had been the most dangerous of all the rebel leaders. The best and bravest of all.”

• It is said that Lami Bai didn't want the British to capture her body, so she asked a hermit to burn it.

About Tatya Tope

Introduction

• Tatya Tope also misspelled as Tantia Tope (1814–1859), was a general in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and one of its notable leaders. Despite lacking formal military training, Tatya Tope is widely considered as the best and most effective rebel general.

• Tantia Tope was a Maratha Brahman in the service of the former peshwa (ruler) of the Maratha confederacy, Baji Rao, and of his adopted son Nana Sahib, who was also prominent in the mutiny.

• Born as Ramachandra Panduranga Yawalkar to a Marathi Deshastha Brahmin family, in Yeola, (near Nasik). Tatya took on the title Tope, meaning commanding officer. His first name Tantia means General.

Role played by Tatya Tope in 1857 Revolt

Role in 1857 Revolt

• During the revolt of 1857, Tatya Tope was among the closest military aides of Nana Saheb.

• During the siege of Kanpur, forces loyal to Nana Saheb launched an attack on the British forces holed up in the area. Eventually, many British army personnel were taken prisoner or killed.

• He played an active part in the rebellion at Kanpur and then at Gwalior, where he came to the aid of Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi.

• Tatya Tope could not be captured by the British in the marathon chase of about 2,800 miles horizontally and vertically through forests, hills, dales and across the swollen rivers.Tope was betrayed by his trusted friend Man Singh and was defeated by general Napier’s British Indian troops. He was defeated and captured in 1859 and was tried by a military court. On April 18, 1859 the British government executed him at Shivpuri.

Interesting facts about Tatya Tope

Interesting facts

• Despite having no formal training in fighting skills, Tope was a brilliant fighter and a master in the art of guerrilla warfare. His guerrilla tactics left the British amazed at his soldiery.

• The Nana Rao Park in Kanpur was made in honour of Nana Sahib and Tatya Tope. There is a statue of Tatya Tope at the park. His statue also stands at his hometown at Yeola.

• Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi was Tantia's childhood playmate. He cremated her body and performed the last rites when she was killed by a sword

• He fought 150 battles against the British during his life span and demolished 10,000 British soldiers.

About Nana Saheb

Introduction

• Nana Sahib, byname of Dhondu Pant, also spelled Nana Saheb, ( 1820—1859?, Nepal?), a prominent leader in the Indian Mutiny of 1857–58.

• Although he did not plan the outbreak, he assumed leadership of the sepoys (British-employed Indian soldiers).

• Adopted in 1827 by Baji Rao II, the last Maratha peshwa (ruler), Nana Sahib was educated as a Hindu nobleman.

Role played by Nana Saheb in 1857 Revolt

Role in 1857 Revolt

• On June 1857, Nana Saheb and the sepoys he led attacked the British entrenchment at Kanpur and captured it.

• On July 1857, the British were successful in recapturing Kanpur by defeating Nana Saheb’s forces.

• From Kanpur, Nana Saheb escaped to Bithoor.

• The British took possession of his palace in Bithoor but could not get hold of Nana himself.

• In 1858, Nana’s associates Rani Laxmibai and Tatya Tope proclaimed him as the Peshwa at Gwalior.

• By 1859, he was believed to have escaped to Nepal. It is not known how, when or where he died.

Interesting facts about Nana Saheb

Interesting facts

• His childhood friends were Tatya Tope and Manikarnika Tambe (later Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi).

• Despite being stated as the heir in the will of Baji Rao II, the British refused to accept Nana Saheb’s rightful claim to be the next Peshwa.This ‘insult’ from the British led him to take part in the Revolt of 1857.

• Nana studied Sanskrit and was known for his profound religious nature.

• Independent India hailed Nana as a freedom fighter. There is a park in Kanpur called 'Nana Rao Park' that was named in his honor.