Category Archives: Freedom Fighters (under research project)

Lala Jaidayal & Mehrab Khan

Amazing Feats, First War of Independence 1857 / Naval Mutiny 1946 / Others PreIndependece (wef. July 27th, 2022), Freedom Fighters (under research project), Martyrs of the Nation,

Kota District, RAJASTHAN :

We all know about the Great War of Independence 1857. We have heard tales about Mangal Pandey, Nana Saheb and the Queen of Jhansi, Rani Lakshmibai. But there was also an uprising that took place in Kota district of Rajasthan in the same year led by Lala Jaidayal Bhatnagar and Mehrab Khan, and we have neither heard of them, nor do we have any pictures of the unsung heroes.

Lala Jaidayal was born on 4th April 1812 in Kama in Bharatpur. After completing his early education, he was appointed as an Advocate by the Kota Maharao in Hadaoti Agency. He was the prime leader of the Kota uprising. Mehrab Khan, his associate was the ‘Risaldar’ in the Kota army and was born on 11th May 1815 in Karoli. Lala Jaidayal along with Mehrab Khan had issued a circular in which they described in detail, about the new weaponry that was used by the British army that had its cartridges made up of animal flesh which was against the religious sentiments of both the Hindus and the Muslims. They also described how the flour and other eatables had the granules of human bones mixed in them. They made an appeal to the people to destroy the British who were intoxicating their lives.

The troops had started feeling the atrocities committed to them and what fuelled the fire was an advice given to the then ruler of the Rajputana state of Kota, Handa Rajput Maharao Ram Singh by the political agent of Kota, Major Burton, which somehow reached the troops. He advised Maharao to dismiss some of his non British soldiers. This message triggered the fire of discontent among the troops. Major Burton had visited Kota on 12th October 1857, with his two sons Frank who was 21 and Arthur who was 16. Maharao ordered a salute in honour of the British annexation of Delhi. The advice was given to Maharao on 14th October 1857 when Burton went to meet him along with his sons. The Kota Raj Pultan, furious with the news, decided to revolt against the King and Major Burton on the very next day i.e. 15th October 1857.

The troops, fuelled with anger, collected their swords and guns and surrounded the residency bungalow. They were also joined by the local civilians. The guards of the palace, having surrounded by around 3000 people offered almost zero resistance. The troops open fired and soon the palace was taken over. Major Burton, on hearing the commotion, thought that it was a procession that was coming out to welcome his return but he wasn’t aware of the reality. First among the victims of the mutineers were Dr. Salder, a native surgeon and a native Christian of Kota dispensary, Dr. Contemm.

A minute by minute description was given by Khoom Singh, the shooter sawar of Major Burton. He was with Major Burton and his two sons till the very end. They ran upstairs. Every Chawkidaar and Chaprasis that were appointed for the safety of Major Burton had run away when they saw the rebels coming. They climbed the ladders and killed Major Burton and both his sons. A parade was taken out by the rebels in the city with the severed head of Burton and was later fired upon with a gun.

source: https://images.app.goo.gl/JdXFRVKhBTw58ek16

The rebels took over the city and Lala Jaidayal was in charge of its administration. Maharao was captured and imprisoned in his own palace. Her queens were sheltered by Maharaja of Udaipur on the request of Maharao but five of his most trusted people were executed with guns as they refused to side with them. Gosain Maharaj, who was the religious head of Kota, acted as a mediator and Maharao had to walk into a treaty with the rebels. He was made to sign an agreement which stated that Major Burton was killed at his instance. For 6 months, the administration of Kota was under Jaidayal, and Mehrab Khan was incharge of the defence of the city. He sought help from the ruler of Sumbalgarh, Vitthal, which shows his ability as an able diplomat. Jaidayal also received a letter from the Thakur of Salumber (Mewar) in which he asked Lala to join him. They were able to win the love and support of a large number of officers in Kota state and many of them were posted in districts and were given the charge of many forts and palaces. But their rule didn’t last long and they were dislodged by the British troops along with the Maharaja of Karauli on 30th March 1858. Jaidayal left Kota and went to Bikaner. A bounty of 12000 was declared on him by the rulers of Kota and Bundi.

An analysis of the events that happened during this rebellion reveals how well planned and well
organized it was. They were hugely supported by the civilians and also by the state officials. They mostly attacked government offices and stores. The rebellion was against the British but when they came to know that Maharao was seeking help from them, they became furious and started the campaign against him. The aftermath of these events were even more heinous. The British troops burned down houses and property and plundered each and every house they came across. The ornaments that decorated the statues of lord Ganesha were also not spared. The followers of Lala Jaidayal and Mehrab Khan were put through miseries and were subjected to merciless torture. Maharao of Kota was unable to control the uprising. The native people were strongly anti-British and General Lawrence, the agent of Governor General and Maharao were aware of their feelings. They also cautioned Major Burton not to visit Kota. This was the reason why he visited Kota just with his two sons, and the rest of his family, including his wife and four other sons, were in Neemuch.

The fact that the leaders of the uprising, Lala Jaidayal and Mehrab Khan were Hindu and Muslim inspired the people of both religions to join hands against the tyranny of the British. The deep rooted dissatisfaction, the constant injustice, and the able leadership of Jaidayal and Mehrab Khan gave them the strength to stand behind their leaders and fight for the atrocities committed against them.

The greed for money has always been one of the main curses that the people of this country have faced throughout history. Same as the case with Liliya, who was responsible for the arrest of Lala Jaidayal Bhatnagar. The trial started in the court of political agent of Hadauti, W.H. Benan during April-May 1860 and he was given death penalty on 17th September 1860 in Kota.

Reference/s:

1. The people’s rising in Kota during the upheaval of 1857 by Vinita Parihar

2. The dictionary of Martyrs of the freedom struggle of India

source: http://www.sanelywritten.com / Sanely Written / Home> Freedom Fighter / by Sanely Writter / August 13th, 2020

Khan Bahadur Khan & Battle at Bareilly

Amazing Feats, First War of Independence 1857 / Naval Mutiny 1946 / Others PreIndependece (wef. July 27th, 2022), Freedom Fighters (under research project), Leaders, Martyrs of the Nation, Uniquely Indian - Inter Faith (wef. February 08th, 2023), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bareilly, UTTAR PRADESH :

One of the most significant features of the rebellion of 1857-58 was that many scions of the former ruling houses took part in it. One such man was Khan Bahadur Khan (1860), a descendent of Hafiz Rehmat Khan (d. 1774). In this very blog of the Independence Week series, we will be throwing some light on Khan Bahadur Khan and his rebellion. How almost an eighty year old man kept the torch of rebellion against the Company in Bareilly burning.

Source: https://images.app.goo.gl/kLJF62BfAdgBSyRu5

Very little is known about the early life of Khan Bahadur Khan. It seems that having acquired traditional education in Arabic and Persian and Islamic learning; he joined the Company’s service, rising to the position of Sadar Amin (arbitrator or a native civil judge).

Upon retirement he continued to live at Bareilly where he enjoyed considerable status as grandson of the widely venerated Ruhela chief, Hafiz Rahmat Khan. In 1857 when the rebellion began, Khan Bahadur Khan was well over 82 years of age. During the rebellion, Bareilly became one of the important centers of the rebels under Khan Bahadur Khan’s leadership. In course of time, many rebel leaders came to Khan with a view to continue the struggle against the Company’s Government. A communal harmony was maintained in Bareilly despite the constant efforts of the Company to ignite the flame of hatred amongst the people through Bribery and inciting the Rajputs against Khan. This maintenance of harmony amongst the different classes of people in Bareilly is considered one of the major achievements of Khan despite the constant attack by the Company.


The old farmers of the region were affected badly because of the forceful sale of their lands by the British to suit a “capitalist” concept of property. This constant suppression led the uprising of 1816 when the company imposed the Chowkidari taxes. This uprising was soon crushed but it had led to a widespread range and discontent and people from all other regions came to Bareilly to join the uprising. The Rebellion of Bareilly was not just a religious war against the Company, it was due to the bitterness of those who had lost their lands and the anxiety of those who would be forced to lose them.


The rumors of trouble had started circulating in the region a couple of months before the actual revolt took place. The 18th Infantry Regiments and the 8th Irregular Cavalry were stationed at Bareilly. Of these the 8th Irregular Cavalry consisted almost entirely of Pathans. No European troops were stationed at Bareilly. The artillery branch which had in its ranks, as a subedar, Bakhat Khan, a disciple of Moulvi Sarfaraz Ali, the latter took a leading part in the Rebellion of 1857 and brought numerous Ulema of Delhi to call the struggle against the British as Jihad (holy war). It seems that the rebel sepoys were keen to raise Khan Bahadur Khan the Nawab of Bareilly as their leader but in the beginning he did not respond favourably to their overtures.

Ultimately on May 31, 1857. i.e. twenty-one days after the outbreak of the revolt in Meerut, Bareilly joined the rebellion. On 1 June under the guidance of Bakht Khan, concerted efforts were made by the rebels to persuade Khan Bahadur Khan to assume leadership. How Khan came to be persuaded by the rebels is evident from his own letter to the Governor General dated 14th February 1860 where he states that upon the deterioration in law and order, a deputation of the citizens of Bareilly headed by Syed Miyan Jan, Syed Faizullah, Miran Khan from Nau Mahla Mohalla, accompanied by several other persons and traders of the city approached him to take step to restore order. Syed Miran Jan at last prevailed upon him to move out of his residence.


Khan, now assuming leadership visited the city to restore order once again. He held a Darbar were prominent Hindu and Muslims were present. Like other rebel leaders, Khan Bahadur Khan also issued a proclamation addressed to all the Rajas and others, appealing to their zeal in defending religion. The main thrust of his proclamation was that the Indians’ religions (Hinduism and Islam) were in danger owing to the Company’s pro-Christian policy and attempts at Christianizing Indians. The proclamation also criticized some of the progressive measures taken by the Company’s Government such as the prohibition of Sati and widow- remarriage. The Bareilly proclamation was clearly an attempt to win the support of the Rajputs, a social group which practiced Sati and adoption, and so resented their suppression. The Bareilly proclamation also added that the Muslim leaders had to ban cow slaughter — a step considered of vital importance to maintain communal harmony. This was specially so when the majority of the rebel sepoys consisted of Hindus.


Khan Bahadur Khan was so keen to raise an efficient army that he did not burden the Rebel treasury with the pensions he had been receiving earlier from the Company.


The end of March 1858, Bareilly remained in the able control of Khan Bahadur. Despite a clear state resolution, the British policy, just to incite a division of the rebels assumed a new proportion on the cow slaughter issue. This time some Muslims mongers became active and insisted on slaughter on public places which was unacceptable to the Hindu sepoys. This led Khan hold a meeting of both the prominent Hindus and Muslims. It was attended by 12 Hindus and 20 Muslims. It was a tense atmosphere for obvious reasons and an axious and sad Khan Bahadur intervened saying “O Allah, why is so? Why is there so many squabble and blood-shed among the brothers, Hindus and Musalmans? The Hindus are my right hand and my right ear, because of their support and strength; I am able to sit on this seat. From today I declare that if any Muslim oppresses any Hindu or kills a cow at a forbidden place, he would be punished severely. Hindus and Muslims are the same. This ought to be the slogan of the two communities from this day”. In order to further strengthen the communal harmony, Muhammad flags by Hindus and Mahabiri flags by Muslims were hoisted in Bareilly and people were requested to gather under the respective flags to unite against the British. Khan himself visited different parts of the city to unite people and raised the slogans “Hindu and Muslims are one”, “Ram and Rahim are one”, and the people pledged to oust the British from this country.


One of the reasons for the long duration of the rebel regime at Bareilly was the British pre-occupation with the rebellion at other places. During this period Bareilly became a refuge for rebel leaders from far and near.


The movements of the rebel to and from Bareilly were very closely monitored by the British. The rebels lacked an efficient system of communication and the British on the other hand started communicating with Delhi, Agra, Nainital and Ambala and couriers with areas where they had no complete control. The rebels were fully aware of the danger that they had from the British Army and they made elaborate arrangements for guarding various ferry crossings. They also attempted to dislodge the Company officials from Nainital and other places, capturing Haldwani and Bhamauri (October 1857), and then Bundia on the high road between Haldwani and Bareilly. Their advance was checked by Colonel Mclausland at Baheri. The reverse was enough to persuade Khan Bahadur Khan to change the strategy. He instructed the rebel forces: “Don’t attempt to meet the regular column of the infidels, because they are superior to you in discipline and bandubast. and have big guns, but watch their movements. guard all the ghauts on the rivers, intercept their communication, stop their supplies, cut up their daks and posts, and keep constantly hanging about their camps; give them no rest”.

Though the company’s attempt to put the Rajputs against Khan in Bareilly had failed, they had succeeded in pitting the Rajputs of Dhatiganj in Bafaun against Khan, and Khan on the other hand had to take care of the Shia’s and the Sunni’s at this juncture.

The British in Bareilly had caused an explosion with the help of their agents on 24th March 1858, killing 63 people. At the same time, the strength of the rebels were fast deteriorating due to the constant pressing forward of the company forces. They had recovered areas around Bareilly by the company troops, and the rebels were surrounded from all the sides. The company troops led by Brigadier General Jones surrounded Bareilly on 6th May. Khan Bahadur Khan had no option but to fight a pitched battle. He divided his troops into two lines. The first line was supported by the artillery commanding the bridge. The second comprising the Ghazis, defended the suburbs of the city. The British forces speedily broke the first line. They, however, had to face stiff resistance from the second line which displayed remarkable courage and determination against the enemy’s trained and organized forces. They resisted with such energy and boldness that Sir Colin Campbell was taken by surprise. To quote Russell “…a lot of Gazees got in pass the left of their right wing, attacked Walpole and Cameron, and wounded them……Sir Colin (Campbell) had a narrow escape… The Gazees were fine fellows, grizzly bearded elderly men for the most part, with green turbans and cummerbunds, and every one of them had a silver signet-ring, a long text of Koran engraved on it. They came on with their heads down below their shields, and their tulwars flashing as they whirled them over their heads, shouting, Deen! Deen! And dancing like mad men (6 May 1858)”. Sheer chivalry was, however, futile. The rebels lost the battle. Bareilly was occupied by the British forces on 7 May 1858.

“Conflict with the Ghazees before Bareilly, scence from the Indian Mutiny. Engraving from 1858, Engraver Unkown Photo by D Walker” / Source : https://www.istockphoto.com/vector/battle-at-bareilly-gm172740161-5022003

Having lost the battle, Khan Bahadur Khan took to flight. At this critical moment, the Kurmis around Bareilly provided shelter to the fugitives. From Bareilly, Khan Bahadur Khan moved towards Shahjahanpur with the intention of joining Ahmadullah Shah. Khan kept on moving and attacked the out skirts of Shahjahanpur on 12 June driving in all the pickets posted there.

He, however, could not join Ahmadullah Shah as the latter was treacherously killed by the Raja of Pawayan on 15th June. Ahmadullah Shah’s death left Khan Bahadur Khan alone. The British forces were at their heels. He took shelter in the Terai forest bordering Nepal. He wandered from place to place until Rana Jung Bahadur captured him, in December 1859, near Butwal. For some time he remained a prisoner of the Rana. Subsequently he was brought to Bareilly and confined in the Bareilly fort. He was charged with rebellion and inciting others to rebel and tried by a special Commission of enquiry. He was sentenced to death. He was hanged and laid to rest at the Bareilly Jail on 24 March 1860.

Reference/s :

Bareilly in 1857, Indian History Congress

source: http://www.sanelywritten.com / Sanely Written / Home> Freedom Fighters / by Sanely Written / August 10th, 2020

Remembering Shaikh Mushir Husain Kidwai (1878-1937)

Freedom Fighters (under research project), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Gadia (Barabanki District), UTTAR PRADESH :

Photo Credit: Islam and Socialism, London, 1913.

Shaikh Mushir Husain Kidwai (1878-1937) was a multifaceted personality — an Islamic scholar, writer, lawyer, politician, and freedom fighter. Born on August 17, 1878, in Gadia, District Barabanki (UP), he came from a Zamindar family of Gadia, Awadh (UP).

After completing his education in Lucknow, he went to England where he passed the bar exam. He started his practice at the Allahabad High Court in 1921 and became a consultant to the British Indian Association and also held the post of Senior Judge at the Lucknow Bench.

He was one of the active leaders of the Khilafat and Non-cooperation Movement and was the Joint Secretary of Anjuman-e-Islam London, a branch of the Pan Islamic Society.

In early 1913, he formulated a scheme for the establishment of a society for the protection of the Haramain Sharifain along with Maulana Abdul Bari Firangi Mahli so that these holy places would not be attacked by non-Muslims during the First World War. This scheme was first published in Maulana Abul Kalam Azad’s Al-Hilal on 30 April 1913. In this regard, Maulana Abdul Bari and his colleagues founded the “Anjuman Khuddam-e-Kaaba” on May 6, 1913, with Mushir Husain Kidwai as its Secretary.

He wrote a pamphlet entitled “Future of Muslim State”, which was published by the Central Islamic Society of London in 1921, in which he wrote that Turkish exploitation and disintegration would destroy the Muslim World. He also published a manifesto in London which was widely circulated in support of Turkey.

In March 1920, he also signed a manifesto with Maulana Abdul Bari, Maulana Azad and Maulana Shaukat Ali, which was drawn up in the background of the conspiracy to dismember Turkey.

In May 1920, he presided over the Awadh Khilafat Congress at Faizabad.

Sultan Abdul Hamid II awarded him Order of Osmaniah for his outstanding contribution to Pan-Islamic causes.

He was a member of the All India Muslim League meeting, which was a member of the Commission of Inquiry into the causes and events of the Mopla Rebellion, which was constituted by the Muslim League in December 1921.

In May 1926, he was also a member of a committee formed by the League whose purpose was to draw up a scheme for a constitution for India.

He participated as a distinguished delegate in the Nationalist Muslim Conference at Lucknow on July 20, 1930. He was a member of the Central Legislative Assembly four times (1924, 1930, 1935 and 1936) and was elected unopposed each time.

He was also a prolific political writer, both in English and Urdu, and his articles on Islam, Khilafat, Socialism, and politics of the Subcontinent appeared in several English and Urdu periodicals of that time. He also authored several books on Islam, Khilafat and politics. Some of them are:

  1. Swaraj and How to obtain it
  2. Pan-Islamism and Bolshevism
  3. Islam and Socialism
  4. Islam and Woman
  5. Taleem-e Niswan
  6. Duniya ke teen shohdae Salasa.

He passed away on 27th December 1937.

source: http://www.milligazette.com / The Mili Gazette / Home> News> History / by The Milli Gazette Online / by Dr Asad Faisal Farooqui, Aligarh / November 22nd, 2024

Unsung heroes of freedom movement from Belgaum Munshi Mazahar Ali

Community Involvement / Social Issues, First War of Independence 1857 / Naval Mutiny 1946 / Others PreIndependece (wef. July 27th, 2022), Freedom Fighters (under research project), Karnataka (under research project), , , , , , , , , ,

Belagavi (Belgaum) , KARNATAKA :

Munshi Mazahar Ali was a freedom fighter of Belgaum who lived near HESCOM counter at Kacheri Road, Shaniwar Khoot, Belgaum.

He was said to be a butler in the British army at the Belgaum regiment and being a staunch Muslim, was a follower of Wahabi moment. This movement was strictly against British rule in India and played an important role in First Independence war of 1857.

The Belgaum gazette (page 133) refers this great son of the land as “One Muslim Munshi in the army at Belgaum, who had been a Wahabi, was discovered instigating the others, transported for life in the connection “

Munshi Mazahar Ali was involved in the “Reshmi Rumal Movement “and was arrested by the British. He was assassinated at the Race Course grounds in presence of thousands of people.

The Corporation of the City of Belgaum has given the name of Kacheri Road as “Munshi Mazahar Ali Road”. But even now Kacheri Road is used by Govt and the public.

source: http://www.allaboutbelgaum.com / All About Belgaum / Home> History / by editor / August 14th, 2009

Tiger, Tyger: A Tipu Sultan birthday story

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Events, Exhibitions, Conferences (wef. Nov 18th, 2021), Freedom Fighters (under research project), Karnataka (under research project), Leaders, World Opinion, , , ,

Srirangapatna, KARNATAKA :

On November 10, the 274th (or 273rd) birthday of Tipu Sultan was celebrated peacefully in his erstwhile capital, Srirangapatna, amid heavy security.

The date of his birth is disputed – there is little agreement on whether it is November 10, November 20, or December 1, or whether that event happened in 1750 or 1751. (File photo)

This past Sunday, November 10, the 274th (or 273rd) birthday of Tipu Sultan was celebrated peacefully in his erstwhile capital, Srirangapatna, amid heavy security. The security was necessary because Tipu has become, in recent years, a polarizing and politicised figure, with successive state governments casting him alternately as monster and Messiah. Even the date of his birth is disputed – there is little agreement on whether it is November 10, November 20, or December 1, or whether that event happened in 1750 or 1751.

Be that as it may, one well-documented fact about Tipu is that he commissioned, around 1795, the famous Tipu’s Tiger, a mechanical automaton built by local craftsmen using local materials, possibly with inputs from French engineers. It featured a painted wooden tiger mauling a man who, judging from his costume, was decidedly European. The hollow toy housed various mechanisms that were worked by the turning of a crank handle. Each time it was turned, one of the man’s arms moved up, seemingly in a (futile) bid for self-defence, while the bellows inside pushed air out of the man’s throat and several openings in the tiger’s head, producing what sounded like a wail of distress from the man alongside a growl from the tiger. Symbolic of the self-styled Tiger of Mysore, the tiger was as large as life; the hapless European just a little smaller.

Tipu’s Tiger may well have been a product of Tipu’s fancy, meant to inspire him after his defeat in the Third Anglo-Mysore War in 1792, following which he not only lost half his kingdom but was obliged to give up two of his sons as hostages to Lord Cornwallis. But there is a popular theory that the visual of the tiger attacking the soldier was based on a real incident that happened later the same year.

On 21 December 1792, so the story goes, the goodly ship Shaw Ardaseer, bound for Madras, stopped to take on cargo at Sagar Island, situated at the mouth of the Hooghly in Calcutta, at the point where the Ganga meets the Bay of Bengal. On the ship was 17-year-old Hector Sutherland Munro, a ‘cadet for Madras’ who had only arrived in India on the 8th of November. Along with his fellow cadets, young Hector went ashore to try his luck at hunting deer, but was unsuccessful. The party had just sat down at the edge of the jungle to eat a meal when they heard, in the words of eyewitness Capt Henry Conran, ‘a roar like thunder,’ and saw ‘an immense royal tiger spring on the unfortunate Munro.’ In a moment, continues Conran, Munro’s head ‘was in the beast’s mouth,’ and it had raced into the jungle, carrying Munro with it. Conran and the others shot at the tiger and killed it, but Munro could not be saved.

Conran’s sensational prose, and the fact that young Munro was the son of the celebrated General Sir Hector Munro, the hero of the Battle of Buxar (1764) and the capture of Pondicherry (1778), and one of the main players in the Second Anglo-Mysore War (1780) against Tipu‘s father Hyder Ali, ensured that the story went viral in England, perhaps even inspiring William Blake’s famous 1793 poem ‘The Tyger.’ Given that his sons were being held in Calcutta at the time, the story almost certainly also reached Tipu. In the aftermath of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War, in which Tipu was killed, Tipu’s Tiger, which had little intrinsic but much emblematic value, was carried back to England in triumph, and installed, in July 1808, in East India House on Leadenhall Street.

Today, Tipu’s Tiger sits behind glass at the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) in London, where it has long been, according to the museum’s website, ‘one of the V&A’s most popular exhibits.’

(Roopa Pai is a writer who has carried on a longtime love affair with her hometown Bengaluru)

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home / by Roopa Pai / November 12th, 2024

Maulana Syed Kifayat Ali Kafi: A Forgotten Freedom Fighter

Amazing Feats, First War of Independence 1857 / Naval Mutiny 1946 / Others PreIndependece (wef. July 27th, 2022), Freedom Fighters (under research project), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bijnor District / executed in Moradabad, UTTAR PRADESH :

Koi gul baqi rahega na chaman reh jaayega

Par Rasoolullah ka deen-e-hasan reh jayega

(No flower will be left, nor will any garden remain; but the beautiful religion of Muhammad (pbuh) will forever endure.)

Maulana Syed Kifayat Ali Kafi, a prominent Islamic scholar, poet, and freedom fighter, was executed by the British on May 6, 1858, at the crossroads of Moradabad. His execution marks a significant, yet often overlooked, chapter in India’s struggle for independence.

Early Life and Education

Born in Bijnor district, Maulana Kafi hailed from a respectable Sadat family. He pursued his education in Moradabad, Bareilly, and Badaun, gaining expertise in religious studies, traditional medicine (Hikmat), and poetry. His teachers included Sheikh Abu Saeed Rampuri in religious knowledge, Sher Ali in medicine, and Maulvi Mehdi Ali Khan and Zaki Moradabadi in poetry. Maulana Kafi was not just a scholar but also an accomplished poet, with works such as Diwan-e-Kafi, Diwan-e-Tanha, Kamalat-e-Azizi, and Naseem-e-Jannat to his name.

A Patriot’s Call to Arms

As British rule continued to oppress India, Maulana Kafi’s determination to see a free Hindustan grew stronger. When the First War of Independence erupted in 1857, Maulana Kafi actively participated in the struggle. His fatwa of Jihad against British rule, posted on the walls of the Jama Masjid in Moradabad, was a rallying cry for Muslims to rise against the oppressors.

Joining General Bakht Khan Rohilla’s forces, Maulana Kafi fought bravely from Delhi to Bareilly and Allahabad. After liberating Moradabad, he helped establish a local government under Nawab Majiduddin Khan, also known as Nawab Majju Khan. Maulana Kafi was appointed Sadar-e-Shariat, where he oversaw judicial matters according to the Sharia law.

Betrayal and Capture

Despite the initial successes, the freedom movement in Moradabad faced significant setbacks due to betrayals by local traitors and the Nawab of Rampur who had aligned with the British. As a result, the British recaptured Moradabad, and on April 30, 1858, Maulana Kafi was arrested, following a tip-off by a local informer named Fakhruddin Kalal.

Martyrdom

Maulana Kafi’s trial was swift and brutal. On May 6, 1858, after enduring severe torture and refusing to renounce his faith and commitment for his motherland, he was hanged by the British. His final moments were marked by an extraordinary sense of calm and composure.

Maulana Syed Kifayat Ali Kafi’s sacrifice remains a poignant reminder of the countless unsung heroes who fought and gave their lives for India’s freedom. His legacy, though forgotten by many, continues to inspire those who remember the courage and conviction of one of the nation’s noble martyrs.

source: http://www.themilligazette.com / The Milli Gazette Online / Home> News> Special Reports / by Sahil Rizvi / August 18th, 2024

Remembering The 19-Year-Old Civilian Who Took 14 Bullets To Save Kashmir in 1947

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Baramulla, JAMMU & KASHMIR :

Maqbool Sherwani, a 19-year-old National Conference party worker, has been credited with singlehandedly stalling the advance of Pakistan-sponsored tribal raiders to Srinagar.

On 26 October 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh, the ruler of the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir signed the Instrument of Accession with the Government of India. Despite the official accession, the situation on the ground was in a real state of flux.

(Photo above: Left-Maqbool Sherwani, Right-Indian soldiers in the ’47 War. Source: Facebook/Wikimedia Commons)

There was an invasion by Pakistan-sponsored tribal raiders from the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). The Indian armed forces were still days away from getting troops on the ground. At the same time, the Pakistan-sponsored raiders had already made their way to Baramulla, a mere 54 km away from Srinagar, just days before the signing of the Instrument of Accession.

If Srinagar had fallen to the tribal raiders, many commentators believe that the outcome of the 1947 war would have been very different. But it was the sacrifice of one 19-year-old political worker of the National Conference party from Baramulla, Maqbool Sherwani, ensured that the Indian armed forces had enough time to thwart the raiders.

One Hero, Many Versions

There are two popular versions of how he ensured that the raiders would not proceed to Srinagar. According to one version, Maqbool told the raiders that he would show them the way to Srinagar and led them astray. This gave the Indian Army time to land at Srinagar airport on 27 October.

Another version of the story notes that on 22 October, when the Pakistan-sponsored raiders stormed Baramulla, Maqbool thought of a ruse to put them off track. He told them that the Indian Army had already landed in Srinagar. This reportedly stalled their advance towards Srinagar. Eventually, they were intercepted by the Indian Army at Shalteng, a few kilometres outside Srinagar on 7 November and driven out altogether.

However, what’s not in question is that the raiders brutally executed him for misleading them. Sherwani was in Sumbal, which is about 35 km away from Baramulla when the Pakistan-sponsored raiders found out about his ruse and brought him back.

According to report filed by the Times of India correspondent, who visited Baramulla on 9 November, the day after the Indian Army captured the town, “the most popular local leader of the National Conference, Meer Maqbool Sherwani, went through torture for his politics and was finally bound to wooden bars and shot dead—14 bullet holes were found in his body.”

Other reports spoke of how the raiders had even posted a note on his forehead in Urdu stating, ‘He is a traitor, his punishment is death’ before nailing his body to a wooden plank. Many Indian commentators believe he is a hero who turned the tide of a 1947 war. After the raiders were driven out of Baramulla, his body was buried with full military honours.

Mulk Raj Anand, the author, wrote a novella in his honour called ‘Death of a Hero’.

Novel – Death of a Hero – author: Mulk Raj Anand / pix: amazon.in

“To his grandchildren, my grandfather, who was Deputy Commissioner (Wazir-i-Wazarat, as the position was known then) of the district from 1948 to 1954, described Sherwani as the one man who saved Kashmir for India,” notes Amitabh Mattoo, a Professor of International Relations at Jawaharlal Nehru University, in The Hindu .

Maqbool Sherwani of Kashmir (Image courtesy Facebook/Images and Culture of J&K)

Understanding Maqbool Sherwani

As a political worker in Baramulla for the National Conference, a party established by Sheikh Abdullah, Maqbool idolised Sheikh Abdullah and did the party’s bidding in Baramulla.

In a conversation with Scroll.in , Khaliq Parvaiz said how one day when he was sitting on a ghat by the Jhelum river in Baramulla, he saw Maqbool being chased by some rival political workers.

However, he escaped their clutches after jumping into the river and swimming to safety. Although many didn’t agree with his politics, what people agreed on was that he was “something of a hellraiser, a swashbuckling character who could impress the crowds”.

In fact, Parvaiz adds, “He did not know how to ride a bike, he learnt in three days to lead the raiders astray. Kashmiris knew he was a khatarnak [deadly] person.”

Similarly, there are stories of how he tried to disrupt a public address of Mohammed Ali Jinnah, who had arrived in Baramulla on 25 July 1944.

Margeret Bourke White, a reporter for Life magazine, who visited Baramulla in December 1947, described Maqbool as an “a sort of Robin Hood character, from the stories the townspeople told me” and portrayed him as a staunch believer of religious tolerance who sought to frustrate the raiders in their advance towards Srinagar.

In fact, according to some accounts, moments before the raiders executed him, Maqbool is believed to have shouted “Victory for the unity of Sikh, Hindus and Muslims”. In a prayer meeting later, Mahatma Gandhi recalled how Maqbool’s act “was a martyrdom of which anyone, Hindu, Sikh, Muslim or any other, would be proud [of].”

Others, however, are less charitable in their description of Maqbool. Historian Andrew Whitehead, a renowned scholar of the region, writes about his encounter with Muhammad Yusuf Saraf, a rival political activist from Baramulla, who referred to Maqbool as a “semi-literate man of about 40 years” who had become “very unpopular for his goondaism.”

“Saraf, however, acknowledged both Sherwani’s devotion to Sheikh Abdullah and the courage with which he sought to impede the lashkar advance and approached his own death,” writes Whitehead.

In fact, Saraf went on to recall events as he remembered.

“He was brought down to Baramulla and after several days of interrogation, was tied to an electric pole in the centre of the town and nails were driven into his hands and forehead. Ultimately he was shot dead. How fanatically devoted he was to his leader and basically how brave he was, maybe judged from the fact that even while he was so nailed, he continued to shout ‘Sher-e-Kashmir Zindabad’ [Long Live the Lion of Kashmir – a title for Abdullah],” said Saraf.

Whitehead recalls another encounter with Pran Nath Jalali, who had spent time in the Maharaja’s prisons with Maqbool and went on to join the National Conference militia.

“Jalali told me that Sherwani was among those who offered to go undercover into areas controlled by the tribesmen. ‘In fact, there was a list of 22 volunteers which we framed to go behind the enemy lines. [Sherwani] was one of them. But being an adventurer and a bit showy—he held public meetings village to village and rode into the enemy on a motorbike. That motorbike undid him.’ Sherwani was, as far as Jalali recalled, the only one of these behind-the-lines militia volunteers to lose his life,” writes Whitehead.

The bravery and subsequent martyrdom of Maqbool Sherwani in 1947 and the story of his role during the Pakistan-backed invasion of Kashmir needs to be mainstreamed throughout India- Prof. @amitabhmattoo /National Symposium and Virtual Exhibition Live on the ‘Memories of #22OCT1947‘ pic.twitter.com/q17ljOjBAF

— Ministry of Culture (@MinOfCultureGoI) October 18, 2020

Whatever said and done, Maqbool lost his life in service of a nascent Indian nation that was still struggling to come to terms with the violence and chaos surrounding its birth. In risking his life, he significantly contributed to giving India a serious foothold in the Kashmir Valley when all seemed lost.

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

source: http://www.thebetterindia.com / The Better India /Home> Stories> History> Jammu & Kashmir / by Rinchen Nobu Wangchuk / edited by Vinayak Hegde / October 21st, 2020 / Notes pix of Novel – Death of a Hero – author: Mulk Raj Anand, pix: amazon.in added /

Well, Well

Amazing Feats, Freedom Fighters (under research project), Inventions, Innovations (wef. Nov 30th, 2021), Karnataka (under research project), Leaders, , , , , ,

Nagara Fort (Shivamogga District), KARNATAKA:

Rockets, Nagara Fort, India (Courtesy Karnataka Department of Archaeology, Museums, and Heritage (DAMH))

More than 1,000 unexploded rockets have been recovered from an abandoned well in the state of Karnataka in southern India.

The excavators believe the corroded shells date to the eighteenth century when the Muslim warrior King Tipu Sultan ruled the region.

The cache was uncovered when the well, located at Nagara Fort in the Shivamogga District, was being repaired. “The rockets, which are of several sizes, are metallic cylinders filled with some powder, possibly saltpeter or some form of explosive propellant,” says R. Shejeshwara Nayaka, assistant director of the Karnataka Department of Archaeology, Museums, and Heritage (DAMH), who led the excavation in 2018. “They have circular end caps on oneside, while on the other side there is an opening which lights like a fuse. We have also found some equipment that might have been used for assembling or making them.”

G. Venkatesh, commissioner of DAMH, adds, “Records say that Tipu Sultan’s father, Hyder Ali, was the first to use metal-cased rockets. He also had an armory and factory at Nagara Fort, a strategically very important city. There is a strong possibility that this site was used as a storage point or a factory for the rockets.”

source: http://www.archaelogy.org / Archaelogy Magazine / Home> Digs & Discoveries / by Gurvinder Singh / Nov-Dec 2018

Ghulam Rasool Khan: Nawab of Kurnool who fought against East India Company

First War of Independence 1857 / Naval Mutiny 1946 / Others PreIndependece (wef. July 27th, 2022), Freedom Fighters (under research project), Leaders, Royal Families, PreIndependence -Descendants (wef. Jan 02nd,2022), , , , , , , ,

Kurnool, ANDHRA PRADESH :

His fort at Kurnool was turned into an ordnance factory

Ghulam Rasool Khan, the Nawab of Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh, who created terror among the officials of the East India Company, came to power in 1823.

Since his childhood, Ghulam Rasool Khan never cared foreign rulers. After coming into power, he took every care to protect his state from the British. He was sure that he had to fight against the British, and was prepared for the same. He befriended Gohar Ali Khan alias Mubariz-ud-Doula, a prince of Nizam state. He turned his fort at Kurnool into an ordnance factory.

The jealous cousins of Nawab Ghulam Rasool, who wished to capture power, colluded with the English and hatched conspiracies against him. They informed General Fraser, who was the British Resident, about the preparedness of Ghulam Rasool for war on 23 August 1839.

Alarmed at this, the East India Company appointed Edward Armstrong to probe into the matter and report it immediately. Edward wrote a letter to General Fraser stating that ‘the armoury of the Nawab of Kurnool is enormous. His preparedness for war is hard to describe. He turned the gardens and the royal palaces into ordnance factories.’ This information sent shivers down the spine of General Fraser, who sent the East India Company forces immediately under the command of Colonel A .B. Dyce to capture the fort of Kurnool and arrest Nawab Ghulam Rasool Khan.

East India Company troops attacked and rounded the Kurnool fort on 12 October, 1839. After six days of fierce fighting, the enemy was able to detain Ghulam Rasool Khan, on 18 October, 1839 at Joharapuram, a village near Kurnool.

Later on, they took him to Tiruchinapalli and imprisoned Rasool Khan in Tiruchinapalli Jail. The British rulers wished to eliminate the Nawab of Kurnool. So they bribed his personal servant into serving poisoned food to Nawab, due to which Nawab Ghulam Rasool Khan died on 12 July, 1840.

The Company charged the servant of murder and sentenced him to death. The British rulers tried their level best to hide this conspiracy, but history revealed the fact in course of time.

Ghulam Rasool Khan is still remembered by the people of Rayalaseema region of Andhra pradesh, where they still eulogize him singing the ballad titled ‘Kandanavolu Nawabu Katha’ (Story of Kurnool Nawab).

Syed Naseer Ahamad is a Telugu writer and journalist who has written several books on the role of Muslims in the struggle for the freedom of India. Many of his books have been translated into other languages. He can be contacted at naseerahamedsyed@gmail.com and cellphone number 91-9440241727.

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> Opinion / by Sued Naseer Ahamed / September 04th, 2022

When Syed Ahmad Barelvi asked a Maratha to join hands against British

Community Involvement / Social Issues, Freedom Fighters (under research project), Leaders, , ,

BRITISH INDIA / Rae Barelli ( United Provinces of Agra & Oudh), UTTAR PRADESH :

Freedom movement in Bihar

The British used the policy of dividing Indian resistance against their rule based on religions, castes, languages, regions, etc. They used historians to write about Indian history as a constant conflict among different religions, especially between Hindus and Muslims. The propaganda was so successful that even today, after more than seven decades of Independence Indian scholars repeat these distorted versions of history.

A Slice Of History

Syed Ahmad Barelvi, or Syed Ahmad Shahid, of Rai Bareilly, is a freedom fighter whose image was distorted by historians employed by the british. The perception is that Syed Ahmad was a fanatical militant Muslim leader who waged war against Sikhs and Hindus. His movement was erroneously called Wahabi by colonial officials to create rifts among Muslims in particular and Indians in general.

The fact is that Syed Ahmad was a military leader who wanted to reform Muslim society during the early 19th century. He organised Muslims against extravagance, promoted widow remarriage, and asked people to follow the path of religion. Like most of the movements of that period, his movement also became political. Foreign rule was considered one of the major reasons for the backwardness and corruption among the Indian Muslims. His teacher, Shah Abdul Aziz was the first to pronounce a fatwa to boycott and fight against British rule.

Contrary to popular opinion, Syed Ahmad did not raise arms to establish an Islamic state. His movement was not limited to Muslims, let alone Wahabis. In 1957, K. K. Datta wrote History of the Freedom Movement in Bihar, which was a project by the Government of Bihar.

In the book, he published a letter by Syed Ahmad which was given to him by his research assistant F. Balkhi. This letter was written to Raja Hindu Rai, a Maratha chief of the Scindia clan.

Syed Ahmad asked Raja to join hands with him against the British. The letter reads, “It is apparent to you that unfriendly foreigners of a distant land have become master of the country, that traders have assumed the dignity of ‘Sultanate’ and destroyed the rule of great rulers and chieftainship of high-placed chiefs by depriving them of their respect and honour.”

“Since the rulers and statesmen have sought refuge in privacy, a band of poor and helpless persons have girded up their loins. This weak band does not aspire to any worldly gains. They are inspired by the spirit of service to God without the least desire for wealth and power.

“The moment India is cleared of the foreigners and the arrow of efforts reaches its target, the offices and rulership shall remain intact for those who want it and their dignity and power shall be strengthened. This weak band wants only this much from the great rulers and high dignitaries that while they occupy the masnad of rulership, service to Islam with heart and soul should be done.

“Although this poor band has not got ample means, yet by the desire of the Lord, it is glad and cheerful and detests the desire for power and pelf, and keeps its hands off from wealth and riches which they do not want to enjoy either now or in future.

Any one of the rulers of old states that may come forward to help will only be strengthening the foundation of his state. The purport of this affectionate letter will truly be explained to you in detail by Haji Bahadur Shah who is an old associate of mine.”

In another letter, Syed Ahmad wrote that his intent was not to carve out a state for himself to rule, or to establish a new system. He wanted to kick the Europeans out of India and let Indians, Hindus, and Muslims, rule among themselves like they were living before British imperialism.

source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Saquib Salim / September 28th, 2024