Spectrum Test: The Revolt of 1857 - UPSC

Centres of Revolt and Leaders 

Delhi - General Bakht Khan 

Kanpur - Nana Saheb 

Lucknow - Begum Hazrat Mahal 

Bareilly - Khan Bahadur 

Bihar - Kunwar Singh 

Faizabad - Maulvi Ahmadullah 

Jhansi - Rani Laxmibai 

Baghpat - Shah Mal

• White Mutiny: In the wake of the transfer of power from the British East India Company to the British Crown, a section of European forces employed under the Company resented the move that required three Presidency Armies to transfer their allegiance from the defunct Company to the Queen, as in the British Army. This resentment resulted in some unrest termed as White Mutiny. 

• Lord Canning's legalistic interpretation of the laws surrounding the transfer also infuriated the affected White soldiers. 

• The White Mutiny was seen as a potential threat to India's already precarious British position with a potential of inciting renewed rebellion among the 'still excited population in India'. The demands of the European Forces' included an enlistment bonus or a choice of release from their obligations. 

• Finally, the demand for free and clear release with free passage home was accepted, and men opted to return home. It is also believed that open rebellion and physical violence on the part of European Forces' were such that there was little possibility of being accepted into the 'Queen's Army.

• As per the Queen's proclamation, the era of annexations and expansion had ended, and the British promised to respect the dignity and rights of the native princes. 

• Henceforth, the Indian states were to recognise the Paramountcy of the British Crown and were to be treated as parts of a single charge. 

• The people of India were promised freedom of religion without interference from British officials. The proclamation also promised equal and impartial protection under the law to all Indians, besides equal opportunities in government services irrespective of race or creed. 

The British Resistance: 

Delhi - Lieutenant Willoughby, John Nicholson, Lieutenant Hudson 

Kanpur - Sir Hugh Wheeler, Sir Colin Campbell 

Lucknow - Henry Lawrence, Brigadier Inglis, Henry Havelock, James Outram, Sir Colin Campbell 

Jhansi - Sir Hugh Rose 

Benaras - Colonel James Neill

• During the entire revolt, there was complete cooperation between Hindus and Muslims at all levels-people, soldiers, leaders. 

• All rebels acknowledged Bahadur Shah Zafar, a Muslim, as the emperor and the first impulse of the Hindu sepoys at Meerut was to march to Delhi, the Mughal imperial capital.

• According to Maulana Azad, "Two facts stand out clearly in the midst of the tangled story of the Rising of 1857. 

• The first is the remarkable sense of unity among the Hindus and the Muslims of India in this period. The other is the deep loyalty which the people felt for the Mughal Crown." 

• Rebels and sepoys, both Hindu and Muslim, respected each other's sentiments. Immediate banning of cow slaughter was ordered once the revolt was successful in a particular area. 

• Both Hindus and Muslims were well represented in leadership; for instance, Nana Saheb had Azimullah, a Muslim and an expert in political propaganda, as an aide. In contrast, Laxmibai had the solid support of Afghan soldiers. 

• The events of 1857 demonstrated India's people and politics was not basically communal or sectarian before 1858.

V D Savarkar in his book, the Indian war of independence, 1857 called The Revolt the first war of Indian independence. He said the lofty ideal of self-Rule inspired it by Indians through a Nationalist upsurge.

• Big zamindars acted as "break-waters to storm"; even Awadh taluqdars backed off once land restitution promises were spelt out. 

• Money-lenders and merchants suffered the wrath of the mutineers badly and anyway saw their class interests better protected under British patronage. 

• Educated Indians viewed this revolt as backwards-looking.

• Most Indian rulers refused to join and often gave active help to the British. 

• Rulers who did not participate included the Sindhia of Gwalior, the Holkar of Indore, the rulers of Patiala, Sindh and other Sikh chieftains and the Maharaja of Kashmir. 

• Indeed, by one estimate, not more than one-fourth of the total area and not more than one-tenth of the total population was affected.

Delhi - General Bakht Khan 

Kanpur - Nana Saheb Lucknow - Begum Hazrat Mahal 

Bareilly - Khan Bahadur 

Bihar - Kunwar Singh 

Faizabad - Maulvi Ahmadullah 

Jhansi - Rani Laxmibai 

Baghpat - Shah Mal

• The 19th native infantry at Berhampur refused to use the newly introduced Enfield rifle and broke out in mutiny in February 1857 was disbanded in March 1857. 

• A young Sepoy of the 34th native infantry, Mangal Pandey, went a step further and fired at the Sergeant Major of his unit at Barrackpore. 

• He was overpowered and executed on April 8 while his Regiment was disbanded in May. The 7th Avadh Regiment which defied its officers on May 3 met with a similar fate. On April 24, 90 men of 3rd native cavalry refused to accept the greased cartridges.