India celebrates the 150th anniversary of it's First War of Independence which is also referred to in western history books as the Sepoy Revolution of 1857. A moment in history when a certain section of India rose against the British Colonialists in an attempt to gain freedom. Rather it's inability to rouse countrywide support meant it faltered and met its end after a while, to be remembered in history books.
Somehow, there is this underlying sense of disappointment that the anniversary of the First War of Independence of a nation does not hold the Indian media's attention or that of the general public the way a Bachchan-Rai wedding did a few weeks back. To most people, the celebrations on television almost seem forced. A festivity which was suddenly imposed on the unsuspecting public.
This event was a turning point in world history. "The rebellion saw the end of the British East India Company's rule in India. In August, by the Government of India Act 1858, the company was formally dissolved and its ruling powers over India were transferred to the British Crown. A new British government department, the India Office, was created to handle the governance of India, and its head, the Secretary of State for India, was entrusted with formulating Indian policy. The Governor-General of India gained a new title (Viceroy of India), and implemented the policies devised by the India Office. In 1877 Queen Victoria took the title of Empress of India. (Wikipedia)
For long, this uprising had been sidelined in post-Independent India where the almost uninterrupted Congress rule meant that the only Independence effort that would truely be recognized and taught in the history books would be that led by Mahatma Gandhi through his principles of non-violence and non-cooperation. The incident would be relegated to history books as an insignificant revolution. Attention was diverted away from the revolution with more focus on the lives of illustrious leaders like Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi, Bahadur Shah Zafar and Mangal Pandey.
"Bits of the 1857 uprising are played down in the interests of sanitizing the event for public consumption. The brutalities committed by both sides are less the focus of attention than the freedom-fighting zeal that gave birth to the independence struggle. For a nation publicly committed to Gandhian principles of nonviolence, the bloodthirsty nature of the struggle has to be overlooked." - The International Herald Tribune
How then, can the general public be expected to celebrate an event which they have lost touch with? Today, the Indian Congress Government is even being accused of hijacking the event for political mileage by keeping opposition parties out of the celebrations as reported by the Times of India.
"A government-organized march, retracing the steps of several hundred mutinous Indian soldiers who made their way from their base in Meerut to Delhi 150 years ago to seize the city from the British, descended into chaos on Wednesday, as the modern-day marchers (mainly students from around the country) rioted over the poor quality of the food they were served along the way. Showing less stoicism than their ancestors (but arguably the same restive, rebellious spirit), they smashed car windows and crockery and blocked the Meerut-Delhi highway for two hours in protest at the low-grade chapattis on offer.
A number of marchers had already been taken to a hospital, suffering from severe dehydration after just the first day of the 80-kilometer, or 50-mile, five-day trek. The 10,000 marchers were persuaded to continue on their way and, assuming things go more smoothly, they are scheduled to arrive in the capital on Friday morning for the start of a daylong gala ceremony, marking the anniversary of the 1857 uprising." (International Herald Tribune)
An event of historical significance commonly termed the "War of Independence of 1857", "First War of Independence", "Indian Mutiny", "Great Indian Mutiny", the "Sepoy Mutiny", the "Sepoy Rebellion", the "Great Mutiny", the "Rebellion of 1857" and the "Revolt of 1857" "the Uprising" could have been commemorated by the government in a much much better way with the aim of renewing interest in history and instilling a sense of nationhood.
The writer Pavan Varma, author of "Being Indian," an analysis of modern Indian life, noted: "Indians have no sense of recent history. They are so avalanched by the vicissitudes of daily life and their current aspirations. That is why it is important to have such events as an antidote. Newly independent nations need to find such milestones to consummate the sense of nationhood." (International Herald Tribune)
Related Articles:
Letter from India - International Herald Tribune
Who were the sepoys of 1857? - The Indian Express
Mangal Pandey village forgotten in 1857 hype - The Indian Express
Unexpected 'mutiny' erupts in Parliament - Times of India
First War of Independence 1957 - Wikipedia
Somehow, there is this underlying sense of disappointment that the anniversary of the First War of Independence of a nation does not hold the Indian media's attention or that of the general public the way a Bachchan-Rai wedding did a few weeks back. To most people, the celebrations on television almost seem forced. A festivity which was suddenly imposed on the unsuspecting public.
This event was a turning point in world history. "The rebellion saw the end of the British East India Company's rule in India. In August, by the Government of India Act 1858, the company was formally dissolved and its ruling powers over India were transferred to the British Crown. A new British government department, the India Office, was created to handle the governance of India, and its head, the Secretary of State for India, was entrusted with formulating Indian policy. The Governor-General of India gained a new title (Viceroy of India), and implemented the policies devised by the India Office. In 1877 Queen Victoria took the title of Empress of India. (Wikipedia)
For long, this uprising had been sidelined in post-Independent India where the almost uninterrupted Congress rule meant that the only Independence effort that would truely be recognized and taught in the history books would be that led by Mahatma Gandhi through his principles of non-violence and non-cooperation. The incident would be relegated to history books as an insignificant revolution. Attention was diverted away from the revolution with more focus on the lives of illustrious leaders like Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi, Bahadur Shah Zafar and Mangal Pandey.
"Bits of the 1857 uprising are played down in the interests of sanitizing the event for public consumption. The brutalities committed by both sides are less the focus of attention than the freedom-fighting zeal that gave birth to the independence struggle. For a nation publicly committed to Gandhian principles of nonviolence, the bloodthirsty nature of the struggle has to be overlooked." - The International Herald Tribune
How then, can the general public be expected to celebrate an event which they have lost touch with? Today, the Indian Congress Government is even being accused of hijacking the event for political mileage by keeping opposition parties out of the celebrations as reported by the Times of India.
"A government-organized march, retracing the steps of several hundred mutinous Indian soldiers who made their way from their base in Meerut to Delhi 150 years ago to seize the city from the British, descended into chaos on Wednesday, as the modern-day marchers (mainly students from around the country) rioted over the poor quality of the food they were served along the way. Showing less stoicism than their ancestors (but arguably the same restive, rebellious spirit), they smashed car windows and crockery and blocked the Meerut-Delhi highway for two hours in protest at the low-grade chapattis on offer.
A number of marchers had already been taken to a hospital, suffering from severe dehydration after just the first day of the 80-kilometer, or 50-mile, five-day trek. The 10,000 marchers were persuaded to continue on their way and, assuming things go more smoothly, they are scheduled to arrive in the capital on Friday morning for the start of a daylong gala ceremony, marking the anniversary of the 1857 uprising." (International Herald Tribune)
An event of historical significance commonly termed the "War of Independence of 1857", "First War of Independence", "Indian Mutiny", "Great Indian Mutiny", the "Sepoy Mutiny", the "Sepoy Rebellion", the "Great Mutiny", the "Rebellion of 1857" and the "Revolt of 1857" "the Uprising" could have been commemorated by the government in a much much better way with the aim of renewing interest in history and instilling a sense of nationhood.
The writer Pavan Varma, author of "Being Indian," an analysis of modern Indian life, noted: "Indians have no sense of recent history. They are so avalanched by the vicissitudes of daily life and their current aspirations. That is why it is important to have such events as an antidote. Newly independent nations need to find such milestones to consummate the sense of nationhood." (International Herald Tribune)
“It is not easy to see how the more extreme forms of nationalism can long survive when men have seen the Earth in its true perspective as a single small globe against the stars.”
~Arthur C. Clarke (English Writer)
~Arthur C. Clarke (English Writer)
Related Articles:
Letter from India - International Herald Tribune
Who were the sepoys of 1857? - The Indian Express
Mangal Pandey village forgotten in 1857 hype - The Indian Express
Unexpected 'mutiny' erupts in Parliament - Times of India
First War of Independence 1957 - Wikipedia
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