Lower Caste/Caste Movements and Organisations

Lower Caste/Caste Movements and Organisations

Causes of the Revolt of 1857

The revolt of 1857 was a combination of political, economic, socio-religious and military causes.

• Political: Nana Sahib was refused pension, as he was the adopted son of peshwa Baji Rao II. Avadh was annexed in 1856, on charges of mal-administration Satara, Jhansi, Nagpur and Sambhalpur were annexed owing to Doctrine of Lapse.
• Economic: Heavy taxation, forcible evictions discriminatory tariff policy against Indian products and destruction of traditional handicrafts that hit peasants and artisans.
• Socio religious: British social reforms (abolition of sati 1829; legalisation of widow remarriage, 1856 etc.) huri the sentiments of orthodox and conservative People
• Military: Discrimination with Indian soldiers.
• Immediate cause: The introduction of Enfield rifles whose cartidges were said to have a greased cover made of beef and pork sparked off the revolt.

The Beginning and Spread of the Revolt:

On March 29, 1857, an Indian sepoy of 34 Native Infantry, Mangal Pandey, killed two British officers-Hugeson and Baugh on parade at Barrackpore (near Calcutta). The Indian soldiers present, refused to obey orders to arrest Mangal Pandey. However, he was later on arrested, and hanged.

• The mutiny really started at Merrut on 10th May 1857 The occasion was the punishment of some sepoys for their refusal to use the greased cartridges. The soldiers alongwith other groups of civilians, went on a rampage shouting 'Maro Firangi kti. They broke open jails murdered Europeans, burnt their houses and marched to Delhi after sunset.
• The appearance of the marching soldiers next morning (i.e. 11th May) in Delhi was a signal to the local soldiers who in turn revolted, sei2ed the city and proclaimed the 82-year old Bahadur Shah 'Zafar', as Shahenshah-i-Hindustan (i.e. Emperor of India).

• Within a month of the capture of Delhi, the revolt spread to the different parts of India (esp. all over the North India, Central India and Western India). South remained quiet and Punjab and Bengal were only marginally affected.

Note

1. Bahadur Shah II: was Deported to Rangoon, where he died in 1862. His sons were dead; Nana Sahib (original name - Dhundhu Pant), Begum Hazrat Mahal and Khan Bahadur Khan: Escaped to Nepal; Tantiya Tope (Original name - Ramchandra Pandurang): was captured and executed on 15th April, 1859; Rani Laxmi Bai: Died in the battle-field; Kuer Singh: was wounded and died on 26 April, 1858.
2. Sir Huge Rose described Laxmi Bai as 'the best and bravest military leader of the rebel'.
3. Other Important Leaders: Khan Bahadur Khan (Bareilly), Maulavi Ahmadullah, Shah alias, Danka Shah (Faizabad), Azimullah Khan (Fatehpur), Devi Singh (Mathura), Kadam Singh (Merrut) etc.
4. English authority re-established in India during July-Dee. 1858.

Causes of Failure of Revolt:

The Revolt of 1857 was an unsuccessful but was a heroic effort to eliminate foreign rule. The main causes were:

1. Disunity of Indians and poor organisation

2. lack of complete nationalism-Scandia’s, Holkars, Nizam and others actively helped the British

3. Lack of coordination between sepoys, peasants, zamindars and other classes

4. Many had different motives for participating in the revolt.

Significance: The important element in the revolt lay in Hindu-Muslim unity. People exhibited patriotic sentiment without any touch of communal feelings. It no doubt began as a mutiny of soldiers, but soon turned into a revolt against The British rule in general.

Nature of the Revolt of 1857

• There are two main views about the nature of the Revolt of 1857:

1. Sepoy Mutiny: Syed Ahmed Khan, Munshi Jeevan Lal and Durgadas Bandyopadhyaya (Contemporary Historians); Stenley (Secretary of state for India), John Lowerence, John Seeley, Malleson, R.C. Mazumdar.

2. National Struggle/War of Independence: Benjamin Disraely, Karl Marx, V.D. Savarkar, K.M. Pannikar, Ishwari Prasad, A.L. Shrivastva, Tarachand.

Other views:

Racial Struggle/Black-White Struggle - Medley

Religious Struggle /Hindu-Muslim-Christian Struggle -Rees

Civilisation-Barbarism Conflict/English-Indian Conflict -T.R. Holmes

Hindu-Muslim Conspiracy against Christians - Outram and Taylor

Important Books on 1857 Revolt

Opinions on 1857 Revolt

“It was wholly unpatriotic and selfish Sepoy Mutiny with no native leadership and no popular support." - John Seeley

"The so-called First National War of Independence is neither 'First', nor 'National', nor 'a war of Independence.” - R.C. Mazumdar

 "A national revolt rooted in deep mistrust." - Benjamin Disraely (Opposition Leader)

"The Revolt of1857was 'the First war of Independence.' - V.D. Savarkar

"What began as a fight for religion ended as a war for independence." - S.N. Sen

Impact of the Revolt of 1857

1. In August 1858, the British parliament passed an act, which put an end to the rule of the Company. The control of the British government in India was transferred from the company to The British Crown.

2. A minister of the British government, called the Secretary of state for India was made responsible for the governance of India.

3. The British Governor-General of India was now also given the title of Viceroy, who was also the representative of the monarch.

4. Marked the end of British Imperialism and Princely States were assured against annexation. Doctrine of Lapse was withdrawn.

5. After the revolt, the British pursued the policy of divide and rule.

6. Far-reaching changes were made in the administration and increase of white soldiers in the army.

7. Total expense of the suppression was thrown on the Indian people.

8. The revolt had brought in its trail a difficult financial problem. The Government was burdened with a heavy debt. Two British financial exepert, James Wilson and Samuel Leing, cut down government expenditure and introduced an income tax (), a paper currency () and annual budget (). With these measures the dificit was converted into a surplus by 1864.

9. It has been said that Julius Caesar dead was more powerful than Julius Caesar alive. The same may be said about the Revolt of 1857. Whatever might have been its original character, it soon became a symbol of challenge to the mighty British Empire in India and remained a shining star for the rise and growth of the Indian national movement.