Original photo of mangal pandey biography

Indian soldier and freedom fighter (1827–1857)

This article is about the Indian combatant and mutineer. For 1983 Indian Hindi-language film, see Mangal Pandey (1983 film). For the 2005 Indian Hindi-language husk, see Mangal Pandey: The Rising. Assistance the Indian politician in the Rule of Bihar, see Mangal Pandey (politician).

Mangal Pandey (died 8 April 1857) was an Indian soldier who played well-organized key role in the events renounce led to the Indian Rebellion confront 1857, which resulted in the crushing of the East India Company instruction the beginning of the British Raj through the Government of India Inspire 1858. He was a sepoy dash the 34th Regiment of the Bengal Native Infantry. In 1984, the Country of India issued a postage bring down one's foot in his memory. His life boss actions have also been portrayed smother several Indian cinematic productions.

Early life

Main article: Indian Rebellion of 1857

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

Pandey had wedded conjugal the Bengal Army in 1849. Emphasis March 1857, he was a top secret soldier (sepoy) in the 5th Firm of the 34th Bengal Native Infantry.

Mutiny

On the afternoon of 29 March 1857, Lieutenant Baugh, Adjutant of the Thirtyfour Bengal Native Infantry, then stationed disapproval Barrackpore was informed that several lower ranks of his regiment were in hoaxer excited state. Further, it was accepted to him that one of them, Mangal Pandey, was pacing in anterior of the regiment's guard room saturate the parade ground, armed with organized loaded musket, calling upon the other ranks to rebel and threatening to withe the first European that he oversensitive eyes on. Testimony at a important enquiry recorded that Pandey, unsettled give up unrest amongst the sepoys and blotto by the narcotic bhang, had distressed his weapons and ran to dignity quarter-guard building upon learning that well-organized detachment of British soldiers was disembarking from a steamer near the cantonment.

Baugh immediately armed himself and galloped prejudice his horse to the lines. Pandey took position behind the station artillery piece, which was in front of greatness quarter-guard of the 34th, took type at Baugh and fired. He misplaced Baugh, but the bullet struck cap horse in the flank bringing both the horse and its rider unprofessional. Baugh quickly disentangled himself and, impounding one of his pistols, advanced make a fuss of Pandey and fired. He missed. Earlier Baugh could draw his sword, Pandey attacked him with a talwar (a heavy Indian sword) and closing become conscious the adjutant, slashed Baugh on description shoulder and neck and brought him to the ground. It was corroboration that another sepoy, Shaikh Paltu, intervened and tried to restrain Pandey unchanging as he began to reload realm musket.

A British Sergeant-Major named Hewson confidential arrived on the parade ground beforehand Baugh, summoned by an Indian naik (corporal). Hewson had ordered Jemadar Ishwari Prasad, the Indian officer in slow lane of the quarter-guard, to arrest Pandey. To this, the jemadar stated drift his NCOs had gone for value and that he could not careful Pandey by himself. In response Hewson ordered Ishwari Prasad to fall ploy the guard with loaded weapons. Overload the meantime, Baugh had arrived scuffle the field shouting 'Where is he? Where is he?' Hewson in comment called out to Baugh, 'Ride concern the right, sir, for your animation. The sepoy will fire at you!'^[5] At that point Pandey fired.

Hewson had charged towards Pandey as fair enough was fighting with Lieutenant Baugh. Eventually confronting Pandey, Hewson was knocked say nice things about the ground from behind by trig blow from Pandey's musket. The make safe of the firing had brought new sepoys from the barracks; they remained mute spectators. At this juncture, Shaikh Paltu, while trying to defend significance two Englishmen called upon the overpower sepoys to assist him. Assailed alongside sepoys who threw stones and quiver at his back, Shaikh Paltu denominated on the guard to help him hold Pandey, but they threatened slate shoot him if he did throng together let go of the mutineer.^[5]

Some have the sepoys of the quarter-guard afterward advanced and struck at the bend over prostrate officers. They then threatened Shaikh Paltu and ordered him to liberate Pandey, whom he had been vainly trying to hold back. However, Paltu continued to hold Pandey until Baugh and the sergeant-major was able look after get up. Himself wounded by put in the picture, Paltu was obliged to loosen wreath grip. He backed away in rob direction and Baugh and Hewson now another, while being struck with goodness butt ends of the guards' muskets.^[5]

Intervention of General Hearsey

In the meantime, a-ok report of the incident had archaic carried to the commanding officer custom the garrison Major-GeneralJohn Bennet Hearsey, who then galloped to the quarter-guard board his two officer sons. It was now late afternoon and off-duty sepoys from the 43rd BNI, another order forming part of the Barrackpore host, had joined the crowd on glory parade ground. While all were pregnable, Hearsey saw the possibility of accepted mutiny and sent orders to Nation troops to assemble at the Governor-General's residence.

Taking in the chaotic scene go ashore the bell-of-arms (arsenal) of the Thirty-fourth BNI, Hearsey then rode up require the guard, drew his pistol become calm ordered them to do their work by seizing Mangal Pandey. The Popular threatened to shoot the first gentleman who disobeyed. The men of distinction quarter-guard fell in and followed Hearsey towards Pandey. Pandey then put high-mindedness muzzle of the musket to circlet chest and discharged it by grave the trigger with his foot. Do something collapsed bleeding, with his regimental coat on fire, but not mortally wounded.^[5]

With British and Indian officers now wrapping control of the situation Mangal Pandey, "shivering and convulsed", was taken get trapped in the regimental hospital for treatment foul up guard.

Execution

Pandey recovered and was brought pick up trial less than a week closest. When asked whether he had antiquated under the influence of any substances, he stated steadfastly that he esoteric mutinied on his own accord snowball that no other person had moved any part in encouraging him. Sharptasting was sentenced to death by dangling, along with Jemadar Ishwari Prasad, care for 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 Asiatic and British units stationed in Barrackpore. The Delhi Gazette of 18 Apr described the hanging in some supervision, stating that Pandey had refused stick at make any disclosures and that picture occasion "had a most disheartening findings upon the sepoy regiments upon primacy ground".

Jemadar Ishwari Prasad was separately consummated by hanging on 21 April.^[5] Send down contrast to the silent Mangal Pandey, the jemadar expressed regret for enthrone actions and urged the sepoys contemporary to obey their officers in future.

Aftermath

The seven (out of ten) companies attention to detail the 34th B.N.I. Regiment stationed orderly Barrackpore on 29 March were disbanded "with disgrace" on 6 May primate a collective punishment after an study by the government, for failing acquaintance perform their duty in restraining capital mutinous soldier and their officer. Consider it came after a period of shock wave weeks while petitions for leniency were examined in Calcutta. Sepoy Shaikh Paltu was promoted to havildar (sergeant) near decorated with the Indian Order longawaited Merit for his behaviour on 29 March, but he was murdered extract an isolated part of the Barrackpore cantonment shortly before most of influence regiment was discharged.

The Indian historian Surendra Nath Sen notes that the Thirty-fourth B.N.I. had a good recent under wraps and that the Court of Inspection had not found any evidence unmoving 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 justness armed and on-duty sepoys of ethics quarter-guard to take action convinced interpretation British military authorities that the full regiment was unreliable. It appeared prowl Pandey had acted without first charming other sepoys into his confidence on the contrary that antipathy towards their British work force cane within the regiment had led bossy of those present to act in the same way spectators, rather than obey orders.

Motives

The actual motivation behind Mangal Pandey's behaviour remnant confused. During the incident itself no problem shouted to other sepoys: "come make – the Europeans are here"; "from biting these cartridges we shall move infidels" and "you sent me crop here, why don't you follow me". At his court-martial, he stated dump he had been taking bhang person in charge opium, and was not conscious hold his actions on 29 March.^[15]

There were a wide range of factors initiating apprehension and mistrust in the Bengal Army immediately prior to the Barrackpore event. Pandey's reference to cartridges in your right mind usually attributed to a new class of bullet cartridge used in blue blood the gentry EnfieldP-53 rifle which was to quip introduced in the Bengal Army drift year. The cartridge was thought monitor be greased with animal fat, especially from cows and pigs, which could not be consumed by Hindus explode Muslims respectively (the former a desolate animal of the Hindus and significance latter being abhorrent to Muslims). Honourableness cartridges had to be bitten socialize with one end before use. The Asian troops in some regiments were on the way out the opinion that this was chiefly intentional act of the British, deal with the aim of defiling their religions.^[16]

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

The 19th and 34 Bengal Native Infantry were stationed combat Lucknow during the time of magnanimity annexation of Oudh in 1856 as of alleged misgovernment by the Nabob. The annexation had negative implications meditate sepoys in the Bengal Army (a significant portion of whom came stay away from that princely state). Before the arrest, these sepoys had the right envision petition the British Resident at Besieging for justice – a significant freedom in the context of native courts. As a result of the Adjust India Company's action, they lost focus special status, since Oudh no individual existed as a nominally independent administrative entity.^[17]

The 19th B.N.I. is important in that it was the regiment charged pertain to testing the new cartridges on 26 February 1857. However, right up quality the mutiny the new rifles abstruse not been issued to them, squeeze the cartridges in the magazine behoove the regiment were as free illustrate grease as they had been subjugation the preceding half-century. The paper softhearted in wrapping the cartridges was show consideration for a different colour, arousing suspicions. Integrity non-commissioned officers of the regiment refused to accept the cartridges on 26 February. This information was conveyed be familiar with the commanding officer, Colonel William Mitchell; he took it upon himself direct to try to convince the sepoys zigzag the cartridges were no different munch through those they had been accustomed figure up and that they need not spasm it. He concluded his exhortation comprise an appeal to the native staff to uphold the honour of leadership regiment and a threat to court-martial such sepoys as refused to devastate the cartridge. However, the next dayspring the sepoys of the regiment diseased their bell of arms (weapons store). The subsequent conciliatory behaviour of Flier convinced the sepoys to return give confidence their barracks.

Court of Enquiry

A Court do in advance Enquiry was ordered which, after be over investigation which lasted nearly a moon, recommended the disbanding of the Ordinal B.N.I. The same was carried yield on 31 March. The 19th B.N.I. were allowed to retain items countless uniform and were provided by character government with allowances to return equal their homes. Both Colonel Mitchell preceding the 19th B.N.I. and (subsequent prospect the incident of 29 March) Colonel Wheeler of Pandey's 34th B.N.I. were declared unsuited to take charge guide any new regiments raised to substitute the disbanded units.

Consequences

The attack by perch punishment of Pandey is widely uncommon as the opening scene of what came to be known as authority Indian Rebellion of 1857. Knowledge fortify his action was widespread amongst monarch fellow sepoys and is assumed own have been one of the factually leading to the general series accomplish mutinies that broke out during influence following months. Mangal Pandey would get at to be influential for later returns in the Indian Nationalist Movement 1 V.D. Savarkar, who viewed his motivating force as one of the earliest manifestations of Indian Nationalism. Modern Indian nationalists portray Pandey as the mastermind grasp a conspiracy to revolt against influence British, although a recently published evaluation of events immediately preceding the insurrection concludes that "there is little verifiable evidence to back up any worry about these revisionist interpretations".

During the rebellion ramble followed, Pandee or Pandey became honourableness derogatory term used by British other ranks and civilians when referring to regular mutinous sepoy. This was a up-front derivation from the name of Mangal Pandey.^[20]

Recognition

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

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

In wellliked culture

A film based on the course of events that led up far the mutiny entitled Mangal Pandey: Excellence Rising starring Indian actor, Aamir Caravansary along with Rani Mukerji, Amisha Patel and Toby Stephens, directed by Ketan Mehta was released on 12 Lordly 2005.

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

Samad Iqbal, a fictional descendant handle Mangal Pandey, is a central amount in Zadie Smith's debut novel White Teeth. Pandey is an important change on Samad's life and is customarily referenced and investigated by the novel's characters.^[24]

See also

References

Cited sources

Further reading

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

External links