First war of independence: 1857

[ramana]

X-posted

William Darlymple's interview to Indian Express

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>‘In 1857 a largely Hindu army found a symbol in the Mughal emperor. The contrast with the Babri demolition in ’92 is striking’</b>

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<b> • Eighty-five per cent upper-caste Hindus who need a symbol, and this symbol for them is the Mughal emperor in Delhi. No matter how decrepit he is, but they want that symbol and they have no problem with the fact that he is a Muslim. Right?</b>

Sure. What it implies is that the big division with the two great religions took place after 1857. Took place in the second half of the 19th century and not before. And I think that’s really important.
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• It is said the British figured it and they figured that their future lay in pushing ahead that divide. If not creating a divide, then widening the divide. And divide and rule begins then, leading to the partition.</b>

Well, you have references to divide and rule earlier, but what I think really is the case is that you get much more self-consciousness of Hindus and Muslim identities. Among Muslims, you have Deoband growing up. Among Hindus, you have the Arya Samaj.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
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Another thing to do is to review the Urdu and Hindi literary output of the post 1857 era to understand the deep impact of the Rising.