At the age of 22, Mangal Pandey was selected for the army of East India Company.
Ballia district, situated on the border of UP and Bihar, is spread within the border of both these states. It is known by another name, rebel Ballia. Actually, this name seems quite correct because it was here that Mangal Pandey, who was first awakened for independence in the minds of Indians.
He burnt the first spark of rebellion against the British rule. Only after this, the first freedom struggle was started in 1857. Let’s know stories on the birth anniversary of the same Mangal Pandey. Mangal Pandey was born on 19 July 1827 in a Brahmin family in Nagwa village in Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh. His father’s name is Diwakar Pandey.
Admitted to East India Company’s army at the age of 22
At the age of only 22, Mangal Pandey was selected for the army of East India Company. He was appointed in the 34th Battalion of Bengal Native Infantry, in which a large number of Brahmins were admitted and this is why Mangal Pandey was also selected. Mangal Pandey, who was admitted to the army as a soldier, got 1446 and posted in Barrackpore Cantonment near Calcutta (now Kolkata).
Cow-beautiful fat in cartridge
Whenever the story of the revolution of 1857 is told, it starts with Barrackpore Cantonment. A bullet of gun was caused by this rebellion, which raised a sense of patriotism among the countrymen and eventually the country became independent. In fact, the British gave a new infected rifle to the battalion of Mangal Pandey posted in Barrackpore. The target of this rifle was considered infallible. However, the cartridge had to be opened with teeth before filling the bullet. Meanwhile, the news spread that the cartridge that is used in the infield rifle. Pigs and cow fat have been mixed in it. About this matter, dissatisfaction started to flourish in the soldiers of the battalion. On seeing this, it started wearing the form of rebellion, whose leader became Mangal Pandey.
Folded colleagues with barefoot gun
In the midst of this wave of dissatisfaction, the soldiers of Barrackpore Cantonment decided to rebel. It was the evening of February 2, 1857. During the parade in Barrackpore, Indian soldiers expressed their disagreement to the British for using new cartridges. After this the day came, which added a new chapter to Indian history. The date was 29 March 1857. Mangal Pandey created a stir in the Barrackpore Cantonment on the evening of 29 March.
Renowned historian Rudranshu Mukherjee wrote in his book Dateline 1857 Revolt Against the Raj that Mangal Pandey wore a dhoti with the regiment’s coat and rushed to the soldiers with a gun filled barefoot and started abusing them. He said that why are you not all ready for protest? By cutting this cartridge with tooth, we will be religious.
British caught and sentenced to death
On receiving the information of this protest, the British attacked the British, but Sheikh Palatu caught Mangal Pandey with a traitor. On threatening the British, other soldiers also started moving towards Mangal Pandey. At this, he shot his own gun with the chest and shot them. However, the bullet hit the rib and slipped. The injured Mangal Pandey was caught by the British and on April 6, he was sentenced to death. For this, the date of 18 April 1857 was fixed. But the British feared that the delay in the hanging of Mangal Pandey could lead to rebellion. Therefore, on April 7, he planned to hang him.
The executioner had to be called from Calcutta to hang on the noose
Then two executioners were called to hang Mangal Pandey in Barrackpore Cantonment in the early hours. When they came to know who to hang, refused. After this, the British called the executioner from Calcutta and hanged him at the parade ground of the cantonment on the morning of April 8. At the age of 22, he became a soldier and at the age of 30, Mangal Pandey, who was hanged on the noose, awakened a new Alakh in the minds of the countrymen. People are convinced that revolt could also be made against the British. On the one hand, the British were gathering their feet across the country, while the spark of the second and rebellion was also spreading. On seeing this, the struggle for freedom started across the country. Even though the British crushed the revolution of 1857, the new path of revolution for Indians also opened through this.
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