By Emilia Espinoza
Also termed the Rebellion of 1857, the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 and other descriptions identity a transforming event in the British colonial history of India. This event was significant as it was very influential on what followed. Its repercussions have lasted for present day India.
Complex causes and numerous repercussions are associated with this rebellion. It is notable that it started in Bengal, the base of colonial power. The Bengal Presidency was a benighted part of colonial India precisely because it had direct rule for the longest period. Oppression was more extreme here. Its effects remain in the continuing poverty of the present states of its constituent territory.
Several underlying causes provided a fertile soil for resistance. The shared element tying these factors together was a perceived threat to the leading religions of the native population. This threat was tied to a change in the tone of policies. This change was an increasingly religious factor in the foreign presence.
Originally, the East India Company exhibited a principally commercial orientation. But, in the 1800s, its representatives started to become religiously active in subtle and not so subtle ways. This change in behavior was noticed by their Indian subordinates and native population as well. The Muslims and Hindus allied against this unwelcome change in behavior.
Partially this insensitivity to native loyalties was because the English were getting out of touch with native links. After the 18th century, they spent more time in their own circle. This was a natural development of having a greater number of English officers on Indian soil.
As a distance grew between them and their soldiers, they began to view their mores differently. An associated result of this distance was a decline in the language skills of the officers. Once their families arrived to join the occupying forces, their contacts with local subordinates were also further distanced and diminished.
There were other factors that weakened the connection, but, the eventual trigger for the conflagration was the use of animal fat in a new form of cartridge. It contained a combination of beef and pork that was abhorrent to both Hindu and Muslim sensibilities. The beef component was offensive to the Hindu sepoys and the pork component offended the Muslim sepoys. The 19th Native Infantry was the first to resist and was disbanded in punishment. Subsequently, a young sepoy named Mangal Pande killed two officers and called on his comrades to rebel for their religion. He was unsuccessful and was instead court marshaled and hanged. Subsequently, 85 sepoys in Meerat refused to accept the cartridges. After they were court-martialed and sentenced to imprisonment and hard labor, the mutiny took off.
However, since the mutiny was not a widely followed event colonial forces were able to rigorously subdue the rebels. Numerous repercussions followed. Among these repercussions was the termination of any remnant of Mughal governance, replacement of EIC governance by direct British government rule. A documented policy of divide and rule was implemented which was physically also reflected in the territorial division of Bengal along religious lines. Continuation of communalism today is a direct result of this policy. The Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 was a transformative event for many reasons.
Complex causes and numerous repercussions are associated with this rebellion. It is notable that it started in Bengal, the base of colonial power. The Bengal Presidency was a benighted part of colonial India precisely because it had direct rule for the longest period. Oppression was more extreme here. Its effects remain in the continuing poverty of the present states of its constituent territory.
Several underlying causes provided a fertile soil for resistance. The shared element tying these factors together was a perceived threat to the leading religions of the native population. This threat was tied to a change in the tone of policies. This change was an increasingly religious factor in the foreign presence.
Originally, the East India Company exhibited a principally commercial orientation. But, in the 1800s, its representatives started to become religiously active in subtle and not so subtle ways. This change in behavior was noticed by their Indian subordinates and native population as well. The Muslims and Hindus allied against this unwelcome change in behavior.
Partially this insensitivity to native loyalties was because the English were getting out of touch with native links. After the 18th century, they spent more time in their own circle. This was a natural development of having a greater number of English officers on Indian soil.
As a distance grew between them and their soldiers, they began to view their mores differently. An associated result of this distance was a decline in the language skills of the officers. Once their families arrived to join the occupying forces, their contacts with local subordinates were also further distanced and diminished.
There were other factors that weakened the connection, but, the eventual trigger for the conflagration was the use of animal fat in a new form of cartridge. It contained a combination of beef and pork that was abhorrent to both Hindu and Muslim sensibilities. The beef component was offensive to the Hindu sepoys and the pork component offended the Muslim sepoys. The 19th Native Infantry was the first to resist and was disbanded in punishment. Subsequently, a young sepoy named Mangal Pande killed two officers and called on his comrades to rebel for their religion. He was unsuccessful and was instead court marshaled and hanged. Subsequently, 85 sepoys in Meerat refused to accept the cartridges. After they were court-martialed and sentenced to imprisonment and hard labor, the mutiny took off.
However, since the mutiny was not a widely followed event colonial forces were able to rigorously subdue the rebels. Numerous repercussions followed. Among these repercussions was the termination of any remnant of Mughal governance, replacement of EIC governance by direct British government rule. A documented policy of divide and rule was implemented which was physically also reflected in the territorial division of Bengal along religious lines. Continuation of communalism today is a direct result of this policy. The Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 was a transformative event for many reasons.
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