npublished till 1972 when Khwaja Ahmed Farrukhi published it as Aag-o-khoon ja-ba-ja. He repeats the gory story, but recounts some tragic-comic episodes too. For example a rumour in Hissar of a fight between the rebels and British forces on Id-ul-fitr (25 May) turned out to be a scrap between the local Dogar and Mali communities. At Allahabad, one Maulvi Liaquat Ali declared himself as Imam and began instigating people against the British. Freebooters and riff raff became his followers. Encouraged, he declared himself a Khalifa and started holding court. But when the British forces came looking for him he found himself abandoned by his followers, and fled. Later he was arrested in Bombay and sentenced to death. At Danapur rebels tried to smoke out besieged British soldiers by burning sackfuls of red chilies. Unfortunately the wind changed direction and the acrid smoke made them run helter-skelter.

 Sayyed Zaheer-ud-din Zaheer Dehlvi says in Yam-e-gadar mein dekhi-suni that realizing their wakening position the rebels requested Bahadur Shah to flee with them but he declined. Later, one Sanders escorted the king to Delhi. At the Delhi Darwaza Sanders made him witness the massacre of civilians by the British forces. Thereafter the king was taken to his abode. Next day Bahadur Shah’s sons, daughters, grandchildren etc, numbering about 30, were rounded up and beheaded and their heads presented to him.
Pt. Kanhaiyya Lal’s inquilab-e-1857 gives details of the battles in the territory comprising modern Haryana. There is also a mention of Hindu traders pleading with the British officials to save them from Muslim looters.

Mrs. Hortistit’s memoirs were translated into Urdu by Zafar Taban as Gadar Kay Manazir. She was a French woman married to an Englishman. She too affirms that Indians – like Maharaja of Patiala and other rulers in Punjab, Rajasthan and elsewhere helped the British re-establish and perpetuate their rule.

The events of 1857 certainly coalesced feudal interests with the rising popular resentment against the firangi. This eventually metamorphosed into a powerful and focused nationwide movement that gave birth to a united Republic of India in 1947.
This volume is a welcome addition to the saga of India’s freedom struggle.
 

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