MANGAL PANDAEY: Was he a legendary hero?? (Editorial)

In the Indian history, the revolt of 1857 was the most outbursts of anger and discontent accumulated in the hearts of Indian Masses ever since inception of British rules in Bengal, following the battle of Plassey and Buxer. British historians dubbed it as a sepoy mutiny and Indian historians have hailed it as the first war of independence. Jawaharlal Nehru in his book, “Discovery of India,” described it feudal revolt of 1857.

The Indian soldiers of East Indian Company started the revolt and it spread like a fire across the country. Millions of peasants, artisans and soldiers participated in the revolt and formed a glorious chapter in the Indian History. Mangal Pandey was also among those freedom fighters but we know nothing about his personal life except that he sacrificed his life for the freedom of the country.

Resent researches conducted by the historians are different from the old ones. Personal life of Mangal Pandey is lacking with enough facts . According to the old researchers, Mangal Pandey was a Brahmin. Like his father he was also a loyal sepoy in the East India Company. New bullets were introduced with cartridges greased with cow and pig fat. (Blasphemous for both Hindus and Muslims soldiers). When Pandey saw manufacturing of grease, in the simmering flame he killed the two sepoys and later hanged to death. This incident made him a matyr among masses.

But few authors deny that he was a matyre. According to the authors, Rudranshaud and Shahid Amin, Mangal Pandey was not a matyre and the killing of two sepoys by Mangal Pandey was manipulated and he was hailed as a hero. According to theses researchers, it was by chance that Mangal Pandey had consumed opium and had killed two sepoys and then he was hanged to death. But Amaresh Mishra refuted them and said that they are manipulating the story. Mangal Pandey will always be a hero because he sacrificed his life for the freedom of the country. According to him he existed in 1857 and it’s too difficult to collect the facts that points out that he died after consuming opium.

The research that has been done confuses the reader. Before independence, maximum of those who were eyewitness of his life were illiterate. India had no constitution, no rules and regulation of its own but was a puppet of British. The credibility of facts is in question because the researchers are digging the facts of 1857 in this 21st century. It’s not sure how intensely the research has been done. According to the recent researchers, the existence of Sita Ram Pandey is also vague. Whatever is the truth, but one cannot deny the fact that this freedom fighter inspires the masses to be loyal their country. That was an era, when every Indian citizen participated in numerous revolts, and some legendary leaders gave up their life for the freedom of India.