05-19-2004, 11:13 AM
<b>Mangal Pandey : First Freedom Fighter</b>
The first freedom fighter and martyr Shree Mangal Pandey was born in village Nagwa District Ballia. He was famous for bravery amongst his colleagues.An english scholar "Fisher" has written that Shri Mangal Pandey was having all qualities of a good soldier. He was so brave and capable to embrace his death peacefully.
It began at Barrackpore at the end of March 1857. British introduced new Enfield rifle, cartridge was heavily greased - with animal fat. Sepoys heard and quickly passed on the rumour that the grease was a mixture of cow (sacred to Hindus) and pig (abhorrent to Moslems) fat. Biting such a cartridge would break the caste of the Hindu sepoys and defile the Moslems.
Mangal Pandey,a young sepoy of the 34th Native Infantry, shot at his sergeant-major on the parade ground and shouted to other sepoys, "Come on and save our religion!"
When the British adjutant rode over, Pande shot the horse out from under him and as the officer tried to extricate himself Pande severely wounded him with a sword.
In the meantime higher military authorities came rushing and overpowered Pandey, who shot himself seriously, but did not die.
Another news added to the unrest. It was that powdered bones of cows were mixed with the wheat flour supplied to the Jawans. Meerut was an important military station. There was a strong unit of British soldiers.
When the native sepoys of this place heard all the news, 85 of them refused to touch the cartridge supplied to them.
The sepoys who were thus dismissed returned to their homes and spread the news about the cartridges.
Soon this news spread to other places where armies were kept and similar mutinies took place at Ambala, Lucknow, Meerut.
Pandey was executed for his mutiny. His infantry was also disbanded.
According to the records available in Jabalpur museum( general order books). Shri Mangal Pandey was due to be executed on 18th April but he was hanged ten days before i.e. 8th April and it was kept secret. Because english rules were well aware of the fact that if Mangal Pandey remains alive it will endanger British rule.
Thus Mangal Pandey became the first freedom fighter & and martyr of 1857. The name of Mangal Pandey became an emblem of revolt against British rule.
The first freedom fighter and martyr Shree Mangal Pandey was born in village Nagwa District Ballia. He was famous for bravery amongst his colleagues.An english scholar "Fisher" has written that Shri Mangal Pandey was having all qualities of a good soldier. He was so brave and capable to embrace his death peacefully.
It began at Barrackpore at the end of March 1857. British introduced new Enfield rifle, cartridge was heavily greased - with animal fat. Sepoys heard and quickly passed on the rumour that the grease was a mixture of cow (sacred to Hindus) and pig (abhorrent to Moslems) fat. Biting such a cartridge would break the caste of the Hindu sepoys and defile the Moslems.
Mangal Pandey,a young sepoy of the 34th Native Infantry, shot at his sergeant-major on the parade ground and shouted to other sepoys, "Come on and save our religion!"
When the British adjutant rode over, Pande shot the horse out from under him and as the officer tried to extricate himself Pande severely wounded him with a sword.
In the meantime higher military authorities came rushing and overpowered Pandey, who shot himself seriously, but did not die.
Another news added to the unrest. It was that powdered bones of cows were mixed with the wheat flour supplied to the Jawans. Meerut was an important military station. There was a strong unit of British soldiers.
When the native sepoys of this place heard all the news, 85 of them refused to touch the cartridge supplied to them.
The sepoys who were thus dismissed returned to their homes and spread the news about the cartridges.
Soon this news spread to other places where armies were kept and similar mutinies took place at Ambala, Lucknow, Meerut.
Pandey was executed for his mutiny. His infantry was also disbanded.
According to the records available in Jabalpur museum( general order books). Shri Mangal Pandey was due to be executed on 18th April but he was hanged ten days before i.e. 8th April and it was kept secret. Because english rules were well aware of the fact that if Mangal Pandey remains alive it will endanger British rule.
Thus Mangal Pandey became the first freedom fighter & and martyr of 1857. The name of Mangal Pandey became an emblem of revolt against British rule.