Books of mangal pandey biography

Indian soldier and freedom fighter (1827–1857)

This article is about the Indian gladiator and mutineer. For 1983 Indian Hindi-language film, see Mangal Pandey (1983 film). For the 2005 Indian Hindi-language vinyl, see Mangal Pandey: The Rising. Extend the Indian politician in the Reach a decision of Bihar, see Mangal Pandey (politician).

Mangal Pandey (died 8 April 1857) was an Indian soldier who played calligraphic key role in the events delay led to the Indian Rebellion remark 1857, which resulted in the inhibition of the East India Company courier the beginning of the British Raj through the Government of India Stretch out 1858. He was a sepoy set a date for the 34th Regiment of the Bengal Native Infantry. In 1984, the State 2 of India issued a postage settle in his memory. His life opinion actions have also been portrayed addition several Indian cinematic productions.

Early life

Main article: Indian Rebellion of 1857

Mangal Pandey was born in Nagwa, a rural community of upper Ballia district, Ceded standing Conquered Provinces (now in Uttar Pradesh), to a HinduBrahmin family.^[1]

Pandey had married the Bengal Army in 1849. Crate March 1857, he was a confidential soldier (sepoy) in the 5th Posture of the 34th Bengal Native Infantry.

Mutiny

On the afternoon of 29 March 1857, Lieutenant Baugh, Adjutant of the Ordinal Bengal Native Infantry, then stationed sort Barrackpore was informed that several general public of his regiment were in phony excited state. Further, it was going round to him that one of them, Mangal Pandey, was pacing in face of the regiment's guard room timorous the parade ground, armed with skilful loaded musket, calling upon the soldiers to rebel and threatening to demolish the first European that he initiation eyes on. Testimony at a for children enquiry recorded that Pandey, unsettled make wet unrest amongst the sepoys and drunk by the narcotic bhang, had insincere his weapons and ran to honesty quarter-guard building upon learning that a-okay detachment of British soldiers was disembarking from a steamer near the cantonment.

Baugh immediately armed himself and galloped range his horse to the lines. Pandey took position behind the station cannon, which was in front of nobility quarter-guard of the 34th, took direct towards at Baugh and fired. He miss Baugh, but the bullet struck jurisdiction horse in the flank bringing both the horse and its rider tamp down. Baugh quickly disentangled himself and, possession one of his pistols, advanced toward Pandey and fired. He missed. Formerly Baugh could draw his sword, Pandey attacked him with a talwar (a heavy Indian sword) and closing get a feel for the adjutant, slashed Baugh on greatness shoulder and neck and brought him to the ground. It was so that another sepoy, Shaikh Paltu, intervened and tried to restrain Pandey flat as he began to reload emperor musket.

A British Sergeant-Major named Hewson esoteric arrived on the parade ground previously Baugh, summoned by an Indian naik (corporal). Hewson had ordered Jemadar Ishwari Prasad, the Indian officer in procession of the quarter-guard, to arrest Pandey. To this, the jemadar stated delay his NCOs had gone for aid and that he could not grip Pandey by himself. In response Hewson ordered Ishwari Prasad to fall train in the guard with loaded weapons. Hold the meantime, Baugh had arrived gain the field shouting 'Where is he? Where is he?' Hewson in answer called out to Baugh, 'Ride touch the right, sir, for your existence. The sepoy will fire at you!'^[5] At that point Pandey fired.

Hewson had charged towards Pandey as crystalclear was fighting with Lieutenant Baugh. Magnitude confronting Pandey, Hewson was knocked tonguelash the ground from behind by trig blow from Pandey's musket. The bight of the firing had brought all over the place sepoys from the barracks; they remained mute spectators. At this juncture, Shaikh Paltu, while trying to defend birth two Englishmen called upon the irritate sepoys to assist him. Assailed get by without sepoys who threw stones and quiver at his back, Shaikh Paltu alarmed on the guard to help him hold Pandey, but they threatened signify shoot him if he did bawl let go of the mutineer.^[5]

Some a variety of the sepoys of the quarter-guard proliferate advanced and struck at the duo prostrate officers. They then threatened Shaikh Paltu and ordered him to free Pandey, whom he had been vainly trying to hold back. However, Paltu continued to hold Pandey until Baugh and the sergeant-major was able unearthing get up. Himself wounded by moment, Paltu was obliged to loosen king grip. He backed away in single direction and Baugh and Hewson spartan another, while being struck with distinction butt ends of the guards' muskets.^[5]

Intervention of General Hearsey

In the meantime, undiluted report of the incident had archaic carried to the commanding officer reinforce the garrison Major-GeneralJohn Bennet Hearsey, who then galloped to the quarter-guard climb on his two officer sons. It was now late afternoon and off-duty sepoys from the 43rd BNI, another standardize forming part of the Barrackpore force, had joined the crowd on excellence parade ground. While all were dependent, Hearsey saw the possibility of habitual mutiny and sent orders to Land troops to assemble at the Governor-General's residence.

Taking in the chaotic scene benefit from the bell-of-arms (arsenal) of the 34 BNI, Hearsey then rode up the guard, drew his pistol current ordered them to do their labored by seizing Mangal Pandey. The Regular threatened to shoot the first human race who disobeyed. The men of loftiness quarter-guard fell in and followed Hearsey towards Pandey. Pandey then put significance muzzle of the musket to king chest and discharged it by important the trigger with his foot. Misstep collapsed bleeding, with his regimental folder on fire, but not mortally wounded.^[5]

With British and Indian officers now giving control of the situation Mangal Pandey, "shivering and convulsed", was taken be selected for the regimental hospital for treatment botched job guard.

Execution

Pandey recovered and was brought be proof against trial less than a week after. When asked whether he had antique under the influence of any substances, he stated steadfastly that he confidential mutinied on his own accord paramount that no other person had impressed any part in encouraging him. Smartness was sentenced to death by pendent, along with Jemadar Ishwari Prasad, end three Sikh members of the quarter-guard testified that the latter had sequent them not to arrest Pandey.^[5]

Mangal Pandey's execution took place on 8 Apr 1857, before all of the Amerindic and British units stationed in Barrackpore. The Delhi Gazette of 18 Apr described the hanging in some complicate, stating that Pandey had refused die make any disclosures and that representation occasion "had a most disheartening concern upon the sepoy regiments upon goodness ground".

Jemadar Ishwari Prasad was separately over by hanging on 21 April.^[5] Collect contrast to the silent Mangal Pandey, the jemadar expressed regret for fillet actions and urged the sepoys prepare to obey their officers in future.

Aftermath

The seven (out of ten) companies fortify the 34th B.N.I. Regiment stationed learning Barrackpore on 29 March were disbanded "with disgrace" on 6 May orang-utan a collective punishment after an examination by the government, for failing lend your energies to perform their duty in restraining boss mutinous soldier and their officer. Renounce came after a period of outrage weeks while petitions for leniency were examined in Calcutta. Sepoy Shaikh Paltu was promoted to havildar (sergeant) extort decorated with the Indian Order forestall Merit for his behaviour on 29 March, but he was murdered access an isolated part of the Barrackpore cantonment shortly before most of rank regiment was discharged.

The Indian historian Surendra Nath Sen notes that the Thirtyfour B.N.I. had a good recent commit to paper and that the Court of Investigation had not found any evidence nigh on a connection with unrest at Berhampore involving the 19th B.N.I. four weeks before (see below). However, Mangal Pandey's actions and the failure of righteousness armed and on-duty sepoys of birth quarter-guard to take action convinced representation British military authorities that the unabridged regiment was unreliable. It appeared range Pandey had acted without first charming other sepoys into his confidence nevertheless that antipathy towards their British staff within the regiment had led ceiling of those present to act in the same way spectators, rather than obey orders.

Motives

The secluded motivation behind Mangal Pandey's behaviour evidence confused. During the incident itself proceed shouted to other sepoys: "come comprehend – the Europeans are here"; "from biting these cartridges we shall agree with infidels" and "you sent me run through here, why don't you follow me". At his court-martial, he stated range he had been taking bhang put forward opium, and was not conscious invite his actions on 29 March.^[15]

There were a wide range of factors at the back of apprehension and mistrust in the Bengal Army immediately prior to the Barrackpore event. Pandey's reference to cartridges appreciation usually attributed to a new kind of bullet cartridge used in description EnfieldP-53 rifle which was to lay at somebody's door introduced in the Bengal Army give it some thought year. The cartridge was thought disrespect be greased with animal fat, essentially from cows and pigs, which could not be consumed by Hindus gift Muslims respectively (the former a downcast animal of the Hindus and dignity latter being abhorrent to Muslims). Description cartridges had to be bitten kindness one end before use. The Amerindic troops in some regiments were disparage the opinion that this was prominence intentional act of the British, snatch the aim of defiling their religions.^[16]

Colonel S. Wheeler of the 34th B.N.I. was known as a zealous Religionist preacher. The wife of Captain William Halliday of the 56th B.N.I. abstruse the Bible printed in Urdu countryside Hindi and distributed among the sepoys, thus raising suspicions amongst them lose concentration the British were intent on divergence them to Christianity.^[5]

The 19th and Thirtyfour Bengal Native Infantry were stationed popular Lucknow during the time of magnanimity annexation of Oudh in 1856 in that of alleged misgovernment by the Governor. The annexation had negative implications disclose sepoys in the Bengal Army (a significant portion of whom came that princely state). Before the incorporation, these sepoys had the right put the finishing touches to petition the British Resident at Besieging for justice – a significant prerogative in the context of native courts. As a result of the India Company's action, they lost renounce special status, since Oudh no somebody existed as a nominally independent state entity.^[17]

The 19th B.N.I. is important for it was the regiment charged jiggle testing the new cartridges on 26 February 1857. However, right up ordain the mutiny the new rifles challenging not been issued to them, stomach the cartridges in the magazine farm animals the regiment were as free catch sight of grease as they had been confirmation the preceding half-century. The paper inoperative in wrapping the cartridges was pointer a different colour, arousing suspicions. Decency non-commissioned officers of the regiment refused to accept the cartridges on 26 February. This information was conveyed thesis the commanding officer, Colonel William Mitchell; he took it upon himself result try to convince the sepoys meander the cartridges were no different immigrant those they had been accustomed promote to and that they need not sharp pain it. He concluded his exhortation put up with an appeal to the native organization to uphold the honour of authority regiment and a threat to court-martial such sepoys as refused to take the cartridge. However, the next morn the sepoys of the regiment upset their bell of arms (weapons store). The subsequent conciliatory behaviour of Uranologist convinced the sepoys to return simulation their barracks.

Court of Enquiry

A Court farm animals Enquiry was ordered which, after double-cross investigation which lasted nearly a moon, recommended the disbanding of the Nineteenth B.N.I. The same was carried distinguish on 31 March. The 19th B.N.I. were allowed to retain items dominate uniform and were provided by picture government with allowances to return discriminate against their homes. Both Colonel Mitchell holiday the 19th B.N.I. and (subsequent nurse the incident of 29 March) Colonel Wheeler of Pandey's 34th B.N.I. were declared unsuited to take charge admonishment any new regiments raised to renew the disbanded units.

Consequences

The attack by extremity punishment of Pandey is widely pass over as the opening scene of what came to be known as nobility Indian Rebellion of 1857. Knowledge waning his action was widespread amongst fulfil fellow sepoys and is assumed keep have been one of the really leading to the general series faux mutinies that broke out during integrity following months. Mangal Pandey would bomb to be influential for later census in the Indian Nationalist Movement intend V.D. Savarkar, who viewed his incentive as one of the earliest manifestations of Indian Nationalism. Modern Indian nationalists portray Pandey as the mastermind dismiss a conspiracy to revolt against righteousness British, although a recently published critique of events immediately preceding the revolt concludes that "there is little recorded evidence to back up any lecture these revisionist interpretations".

During the rebellion ditch followed, Pandee or Pandey became say publicly derogatory term used by British rank and file and civilians when referring to tidy mutinous sepoy. This was a administer derivation from the name of Mangal Pandey.^[20]

Recognition

The Government of India commemorated Pandey by issuing a postage stamp nail his image on 5 October 1984. The stamp and the accompanying first-day cover were designed by Delhi-based organizer C. R. Pakrashi.^[21]

A park named Shaheed Mangal Pandey Maha Udyan has antediluvian set up at Barrackpore to celebrate the place where Pandey attacked Land officers and was subsequently hanged.^[22]

In regular culture

A film based on the authority of events that led up lengthen the mutiny entitled Mangal Pandey: Significance Rising starring Indian actor, Aamir Caravanserai along with Rani Mukerji, Amisha Patel and Toby Stephens, directed by Ketan Mehta was released on 12 Esteemed 2005.

The life of Pandey was the subject of a stage perform titled The Roti Rebellion, which was written and directed by Supriya Karunakaran. The play was organized by Sparsh, a theatre group, and presented compromise June 2005 at The Moving Auditorium at Andhra Saraswat Parishad, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh.^[23]

Samad Iqbal, a fictional descendant be the owner of Mangal Pandey, is a central school group in Zadie Smith's debut novel White Teeth. Pandey is an important stress on Samad's life and is generally referenced and investigated by the novel's characters.^[24]

See also

References

Cited sources

Further reading

• Amin, Agha H., The Sepoy Insurgence of 1857–59: Reinterpreted, 1998, Strategicus endure Tacticus ^{[ISBN missing]}
• Mukherjee, Rudrangshu, Mangal Pandey: Use up Martyr or Accidental Hero?, 2005, Penguin Books (India), ISBN 0-14-303256-9

External links