Puran Chand Sharma
There is good chunk of people in our country having scant knowledge of Indian history holding the view that the war fought in the year 1857 was just a mutiny and a rebellion against the British empire and not a full scale first war of freedom for liberating India from the strong clutches of well established and powerful English empire. But this notion/ general impression is far from being the reality. Therefore, with a view to fully understand this proposition, holistic view has been taken and arrived at the conclusion that it was an all out first war of freedom which laid the rock solid foundation of the edifice of cherished freedom from the colonial rule in India. This highly significant first war of freedom was led by committed and dare devil revolutionaries. It is a matter of great pride for all of us to remember and pay them our heartfelt salutations and regards. They could not achieve their goal but inspired innumerable youth to take a plunge into the ongoing grim fight for liberation. Let us have look at their daring deeds in the course of critical times and educate our progeny about their exemplary sacrifices and impactful contribution.
MANGAL PANDE
This aggressive revolutionary is famous for his huge contribution in the realm of sustained struggle for reaching out to the common masses and their adversaries. The first bullet for full fledged freedom was fired by Mangal Pande in Bairakpur which created not only fearsome panic in the British camp but generated a powerful current of fear psychosis which shook the invincible English empire from the roots. His significant contribution lies in daringly challenging the mighty British Empire and Major Heuson was his first prey of 1857. Pande was Sepoy No. 1446 of 34th Platoon. He was born to Diwaker Pande in the village Akbarpur Distt, Balia. He got too exercised and angered over remarks of few village women that British Rulers were clandestinely using Cow flesh in the bullets which had to be opened with the help of mouth and teeth and accordingly all Indian soldiers were eating cow flesh, being excessively provoked and enraged, killed Major Heuson, Lieutenant Bob and prematurely sparked off the revolutionary onslaught against the British Empire. He was sent to the gallows on 8 April, 1857 in Bairakpur and a memorial has been raised for his sensational Martyrdom with the remarks ‘First bullet of 1857 revolution was fired from this place.’
NANA SAHIB PESHVA
He was the principal strategist of 1857 revolution from Kanpur to the whole of India who disseminated the message of 1857 revolution across the National horizon. He took pains to spread the message and the Mantra of freedom from North to South and ruthlessly opposed the cruelties and injustice being perpetrated by the foreign rulers. Rani Lakshami Bai, Tantya Tope, Azimullah Khan, Nana Sahib Peshva were cohorts and outstanding warriors. They secretly visited all important places and prepared the incumbent rulers to join the ongoing war for freedom. Maharaja Gulab Singh from Jammu & Kashmir also agreed to join the struggle together with his Army and the profuse financial support. Nana Sahib himself undertook responsibility of Punjab for mobilizing massive support, generating awareness for acute urgency becoming active part of the freedom movement and Nana received huge positive response from Punjab. Soon after the martyrdom of Maharani Lakshami Bai, he mysteriously disappeared and is said to have moved to Nepal and became a Sanyasi for rest of rest of his life. Whatever it is, Nana Sahib Peshva was a beacon light for the revolutionaries, for whatever period he lived, he was blessed with tremendous courage, infinite energy and remarkable self pride. He fought for independence of the country staking everything he owned in this mortal life.
TANTYA TOPE
The real name of Tantya Tope was Ramchander. His father Pandurang Pant was respected member of the royal court of Peshva Bajirao Dwitya. He was born to Rukmabai (Mother) in 1814 in Yevla village near Nasik. He was the last Guerilla warrior Commander. He also mentored Manu (Lakshami Bai) and trained her in Horse riding and imparted weapons training to 20 year’s younger Manu. Tantya Tope was a very disciplined, clever and belligerent commander. Though the first war of freedom had spread across the country yet Tope chose to remain in dormant state waiting for the accurate time to go for the impactful assault. His area of operation was Kanpur and Bithoor. At the appropriate time he contacted Subedar Tika Singh in Kanpur and administered him oath for liberating the country from the clutches of British Empire. It was planned and resolved to launch attack on Kanpur in the midnight on 4th June, 1857, Nana Sahib was gracefully declared as Peshva. Resultantly Kanpur was liberated from British slavery on June 5, 1857 but unfortunately Kanpur was recaptured by the British forces. The quick witted and par excellent warrior, Tantya Tope did not give in and recaptured Kanpur from alien forces. Dare devil Tantya fought 150 battles in Guerilla Style living in Jungles ,mountains and the deserts for ten months, but he never suffered any defeat, never succumbed to any kind of horrible conditions and never retreated and bowed down before the towering challenges. Heartfelt salutations and Naman to the invincible Tantya Tope.
Azimullah Khan
Azimullah Khan is another unsung hero of 1857 whose outstanding contribution in the first war of freedom has remained hidden in the pages of our history, Being indebted to his sacrifices, it is our bounden duty to highlight his phenomenal services for enlightening the countrymen plus our most valued readers in terms of national duty. Azimullah khan , apart from being a freedom fighter, was a Writer, Journalist, strategist and a great warrior as well. He is also submerged in the history books, quite far from the public esteem and fame. He faced highly disturbing hardships in his childhood. The currents of his fame, bravery , fighting skills reached Nana Sahib, who invited him to Bithoor , got remarkably impressed with his personality, national bent of mind and revolutionary thought process. Veer Savarkar was very great admirer of cynosure revolutionary Azimullah. He also composed a patriotic song “Hum Hain Iske Maalik, Hindustan Hamara, Paak Batan Hai Kaum Ka, Jannat Se Bhi Piara,” which became instrumental in uniting the whole Nation. There are numerous others who chose to be the foundation stones for comprehensive freedom of the beloved Motherland. Jai Hind.
(The Author is President Ved Mandir)
