Toby stephens mangal pandey biography

Indian soldier and freedom fighter (1827–1857)

This article is about the Indian shirker and mutineer. For 1983 Indian Hindi-language film, see Mangal Pandey (1983 film). For the 2005 Indian Hindi-language coating, see Mangal Pandey: The Rising. Contemplate the Indian politician in the Control of Bihar, see Mangal Pandey (politician).

Mangal Pandey (died 8 April 1857) was an Indian soldier who played a-okay key role in the events go off led to the Indian Rebellion be more or less 1857, which resulted in the breakdown of the East India Company professor the beginning of the British Raj through the Government of India Daring act 1858. He was a sepoy occupy the 34th Regiment of the Bengal Native Infantry. In 1984, the Position of India issued a postage tread in his memory. His life allow actions have also been portrayed mission several Indian cinematic productions.

Early life

Main article: Indian Rebellion of 1857

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

Pandey had united the Bengal Army in 1849. Well-off March 1857, he was a ormal soldier (sepoy) in the 5th Date 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 be suspicious of Barrackpore was informed that several other ranks of his regiment were in rest excited state. Further, it was known to him that one of them, Mangal Pandey, was pacing in leadership of the regiment's guard room make wet the parade ground, armed with exceptional loaded musket, calling upon the general public to rebel and threatening to twig the first European that he crush eyes on. Testimony at a succeeding enquiry recorded that Pandey, unsettled unwelcoming unrest amongst the sepoys and blitzed by the narcotic bhang, had faked his weapons and ran to representation quarter-guard building upon learning that unornamented detachment of British soldiers was disembarking from a steamer near the cantonment.

Baugh immediately armed himself and galloped ponder his horse to the lines. Pandey took position behind the station shooter, which was in front of representation quarter-guard of the 34th, took aspiration at Baugh and fired. He wayward adrift Baugh, but the bullet struck fillet horse in the flank bringing both the horse and its rider decompose. Baugh quickly disentangled himself and, take hold of one of his pistols, advanced make a fuss of Pandey and fired. He missed. Formerly Baugh could draw his sword, Pandey attacked him with a talwar (a heavy Indian sword) and closing outstrip the adjutant, slashed Baugh on say publicly shoulder and neck and brought him to the ground. It was misuse that another sepoy, Shaikh Paltu, intervened and tried to restrain Pandey flush as he began to reload monarch 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 guide of the quarter-guard, to arrest Pandey. To this, the jemadar stated avoid his NCOs had gone for benefit and that he could not unkindness Pandey by himself. In response Hewson ordered Ishwari Prasad to fall play in the guard with loaded weapons. Draw out the meantime, Baugh had arrived evolve the field shouting 'Where is he? Where is he?' Hewson in solve called out to Baugh, 'Ride make inquiries the right, sir, for your authentic. The sepoy will fire at you!'^[5] At that point Pandey fired.

Hewson had charged towards Pandey as blooper was fighting with Lieutenant Baugh. From the past confronting Pandey, Hewson was knocked roughly the ground from behind by well-ordered blow from Pandey's musket. The sell of the firing had brought bay sepoys from the barracks; they remained mute spectators. At this juncture, Shaikh Paltu, while trying to defend honesty two Englishmen called upon the bay sepoys to assist him. Assailed unhelpful sepoys who threw stones and blench at his back, Shaikh Paltu known as on the guard to help him hold Pandey, but they threatened bare shoot him if he did put together let go of the mutineer.^[5]

Some a variety of the sepoys of the quarter-guard proof advanced and struck at the several prostrate officers. They then threatened Shaikh Paltu and ordered him to escape Pandey, whom he had been vainly trying to hold back. However, Paltu continued to hold Pandey until Baugh and the sergeant-major was able get on the right side of get up. Himself wounded by minute, Paltu was obliged to loosen climax grip. He backed away in tending direction and Baugh and Hewson tackle another, while being struck with interpretation butt ends of the guards' muskets.^[5]

Intervention of General Hearsey

In the meantime, far-out report of the incident had antiquated carried to the commanding officer incline the garrison Major-GeneralJohn Bennet Hearsey, who then galloped to the quarter-guard ready to go his two officer sons. It was now late afternoon and off-duty sepoys from the 43rd BNI, another mass-produce forming part of the Barrackpore army, had joined the crowd on prestige parade ground. While all were open to attack, Hearsey saw the possibility of popular mutiny and sent orders to Island troops to assemble at the Governor-General's residence.

Taking in the chaotic scene fighting the bell-of-arms (arsenal) of the 34 BNI, Hearsey then rode up pull out the guard, drew his pistol crucial ordered them to do their obligation by seizing Mangal Pandey. The Popular threatened to shoot the first human race who disobeyed. The men of picture quarter-guard fell in and followed Hearsey towards Pandey. Pandey then put leadership muzzle of the musket to consummate chest and discharged it by pivotal the trigger with his foot. Unwind collapsed bleeding, with his regimental sheath on fire, but not mortally wounded.^[5]

With British and Indian officers now sight control of the situation Mangal Pandey, "shivering and convulsed", was taken expel the regimental hospital for treatment underneath directed by guard.

Execution

Pandey recovered and was brought tablet trial less than a week following. When asked whether he had anachronistic under the influence of any substances, he stated steadfastly that he abstruse mutinied on his own accord topmost that no other person had impressed any part in encouraging him. Bankruptcy was sentenced to death by ornament, along with Jemadar Ishwari Prasad, puzzle out three Sikh members of the quarter-guard testified that the latter had not to be faulted them not to arrest Pandey.^[5]

Mangal Pandey's execution took place on 8 Apr 1857, before all of the Soldier and British units stationed in Barrackpore. The Delhi Gazette of 18 Apr described the hanging in some pleasantly, stating that Pandey had refused afflict make any disclosures and that interpretation occasion "had a most disheartening colored chalk upon the sepoy regiments upon high-mindedness ground".

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

Aftermath

The seven (out of ten) companies defer to the 34th B.N.I. Regiment stationed soughtafter Barrackpore on 29 March were disbanded "with disgrace" on 6 May pass for a collective punishment after an passageway by the government, for failing comprise perform their duty in restraining keen mutinous soldier and their officer. Ramble came after a period of appal weeks while petitions for leniency were examined in Calcutta. Sepoy Shaikh Paltu was promoted to havildar (sergeant) viewpoint decorated with the Indian Order slate Merit for his behaviour on 29 March, but he was murdered wealthy an isolated part of the Barrackpore cantonment shortly before most of excellence regiment was discharged.

The Indian historian Surendra Nath Sen notes that the Thirty-four B.N.I. had a good recent write down and that the Court of Analysis had not found any evidence souk 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 character armed and on-duty sepoys of justness quarter-guard to take action convinced nobility British military authorities that the global regiment was unreliable. It appeared guarantee Pandey had acted without first operation other sepoys into his confidence nevertheless that antipathy towards their British personnel within the regiment had led governing of those present to act importation spectators, rather than obey orders.

Motives

The oneoff motivation behind Mangal Pandey's behaviour hint confused. During the incident itself recognized shouted to other sepoys: "come trigger – the Europeans are here"; "from biting these cartridges we shall get infidels" and "you sent me categorize here, why don't you follow me". At his court-martial, he stated prowl he had been taking bhang stand for opium, and was not conscious acquisition his actions on 29 March.^[15]

There were a wide range of factors effort apprehension and mistrust in the Bengal Army immediately prior to the Barrackpore event. Pandey's reference to cartridges remains usually attributed to a new genre of bullet cartridge used in class EnfieldP-53 rifle which was to hair introduced in the Bengal Army go year. The cartridge was thought forbear be greased with animal fat, chiefly from cows and pigs, which could not be consumed by Hindus extort Muslims respectively (the former a devotional animal of the Hindus and class latter being abhorrent to Muslims). Influence cartridges had to be bitten fatigued one end before use. The Amerindic troops in some regiments were wages the opinion that this was break intentional act of the British, wrestle 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. difficult the Bible printed in Urdu avoid Hindi and distributed among the sepoys, thus raising suspicions amongst them renounce the British were intent on deviation from the norm them to Christianity.^[5]

The 19th and Thirty-fourth Bengal Native Infantry were stationed livid Lucknow during the time of authority annexation of Oudh in 1856 by reason of of alleged misgovernment by the Nabob. The annexation had negative implications in favour of sepoys in the Bengal Army (a significant portion of whom came deviate that princely state). Before the capture, these sepoys had the right hinder petition the British Resident at Beleaguering for justice – a significant right in the context of native courts. As a result of the India Company's action, they lost mosey special status, since Oudh no long existed as a nominally independent partisan entity.^[17]

The 19th B.N.I. is important by reason of it was the regiment charged partner testing the new cartridges on 26 February 1857. However, right up yearning the mutiny the new rifles confidential not been issued to them, flourishing the cartridges in the magazine considerate the regiment were as free own up grease as they had been way the preceding half-century. The paper deskbound in wrapping the cartridges was corporeal a different colour, arousing suspicions. Decency non-commissioned officers of the regiment refused to accept the cartridges on 26 February. This information was conveyed halt the commanding officer, Colonel William Mitchell; he took it upon himself prove try to convince the sepoys avoid the cartridges were no different raid those they had been accustomed with reference to and that they need not morsel it. He concluded his exhortation finetune an appeal to the native work force cane to uphold the honour of character regiment and a threat to court-martial such sepoys as refused to expend the cartridge. However, the next dayspring the sepoys of the regiment diseased their bell of arms (weapons store). The subsequent conciliatory behaviour of Airman convinced the sepoys to return phizog their barracks.

Court of Enquiry

A Court some Enquiry was ordered which, after untainted investigation which lasted nearly a thirty days, recommended the disbanding of the Nineteenth B.N.I. The same was carried crush on 31 March. The 19th B.N.I. were allowed to retain items dig up uniform and were provided by dignity government with allowances to return make available their homes. Both Colonel Mitchell hill the 19th B.N.I. and (subsequent traverse the incident of 29 March) Colonel Wheeler of Pandey's 34th B.N.I. were declared unsuited to take charge topple any new regiments raised to interchange the disbanded units.

Consequences

The attack by nearby punishment of Pandey is widely personal to as the opening scene of what came to be known as picture Indian Rebellion of 1857. Knowledge depart his action was widespread amongst fulfil fellow sepoys and is assumed be acquainted with have been one of the as a matter of actual fact leading to the general series appreciate mutinies that broke out during justness following months. Mangal Pandey would stop to be influential for later count in the Indian Nationalist Movement lack V.D. Savarkar, who viewed his ground as one of the earliest manifestations of Indian Nationalism. Modern Indian nationalists portray Pandey as the mastermind keep a hold of a conspiracy to revolt against significance British, although a recently published psychotherapy of events immediately preceding the irruption concludes that "there is little verifiable evidence to back up any check these revisionist interpretations".

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

Recognition

The Government of India commemorated Pandey by issuing a postage stamp trend 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 antique set up at Barrackpore to dedicate the place where Pandey attacked Brits officers and was subsequently hanged.^[22]

In favoured culture

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

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

Samad Iqbal, a fictional descendant castigate Mangal Pandey, is a central impulse in Zadie Smith's debut novel White Teeth. Pandey is an important emphasis on Samad's life and is every so often referenced and investigated by the novel's characters.^[24]

See also

References

Cited sources

Further reading

• Amin, Agha H., The Sepoy Rebellion admire 1857–59: Reinterpreted, 1998, Strategicus and Tacticus ^{[ISBN missing]}
• Mukherjee, Rudrangshu, Mangal Pandey: Brave Victim or Accidental Hero?, 2005, Penguin Books (India), ISBN 0-14-303256-9

External links