Serbian Studies Research Vol. 9, No. 1 (2018): 291–302. 291 UDC 94(540)"1857" Оригинални научни рад Dr Abdul Azim Akhtar1 SGT University (Gurgaon) Faculty of Law India THE REVOLT OF 1857: FOCUS ON GWALIOR AND INDORE Abstract: The Revolt of 1857 was a defining moment for India. Indians suffering from atrocities, discrimination, racism, inequality, denial of basic rights and freedom considered the Revolt as the best chance to get rid of the Union Jack. In this hour of crisis and extraordinary moment, Indians of different faiths, background and castes were united in their opposition to the Colonial rule. The commons were at the forefront of the revolt for different reasons. Many guided by personal interests combined with patriotic fervour joined the Revolt and attained immortal fame and martyrdom. Yet, most of the aristocrats, royals, landlords, powerful and influential people guided by narrow gains and selfish interests proved to be the loyal foot soldier for the British Empire. This paper makes an attempt to examine the role of the Scindia of Gwalior and Holkars of Indore during the Revolt of 1857. As a successor of Marathas, Gwalior and Indore rulers were expected to play the role of sheet anchor in spreading the patriotic fervour, but this did not happen. Keywords: 1857 Revolt, Gwalior, Indore, Holkar, Scindia, Indian War of Independence, loyals, royals Introduction The Revolt of 1857 in India is accepted as the most formidable challenge to the mighty British Empire. As early as 1855, the British expected large scale trouble coming and perceived this as a potent danger. ‘We must not forget that in the sky of India, serene as it is a small cloud may arise at first no bigger than a man’s hand but which growing larger and larger may at last threaten to burst and overwhelm us with ruin᾽, Lord Canning, August 1, 1855 during banquet given in his honour by the East India Company.2 1 2 [email protected] (Абдул Азим Актар, СГТ Универзитет, Гургаон, Индија) Gautam Gupta, 1857 The Uprising, Publications Division, Delhi, 2016. 292 Abdul Azim Akhtar Panikkar writes, ‘It was unmistakably a struggle for independence, and is worth recalling when the country is steadily slipping into dependence in the name of development’.3 It is argued by some strategic experts that the timing was not conducive for the revolt, with the onset of Monsoon around the month of June. But this premise is contested. The plan of the Revolt was well laid and boldly executed. As Biswas says, ‘The time selected by the rebels for the uprising was the 31st of May 1857, a time most suitable for the Europeans as they could not stand heat.’ Some of the top leaders of the Revolt were erstwhile rulers like Bahadur Shah Zafar, Nana Saheb, the Rani of Jhansi, Kunwar Singh, and Tantia Tope. Most of them (rebel rulers) saw the Revolt as an opportunity to regain their lost status.4 These rebel leaders lacked unity in their ranks, and often faced flak from within for petty reasons. As Historian R C Majumdar says, ‘Reference may be made in this connection to the following extract from Lawrence’s minute, dated April 19, 1858: Had a single leader of ability arisen among them, nay, had they followed any other course than that they did pursue in many instances, we must have been lost beyond redemption᾽.5 Hence, the rebel native rulers lacked ability and suffered from many drawbacks. This did not mean that Indian rulers were united in their opposition to the British. A fairly large number of them, particularly from central India and Punjab, supported the British with men and material. The British officers had opined that if Maharaja Scindia of Gwalior had supported the Revolt at a crucial juncture the outcome would have been different. Similarly, the capture of Delhi was possible only with the assistance of the rulers of Punjab.6 The loyal rulers had the support of the government machinery, logistics, and one of the best trained armies of the time. The efficient network of espionage of the East India Company also kept an eye on the movement of the rebels. Amongst the loyals, the princely states of Gwalior and Indore seized the moment to cement their ties and bond with the Colonial power for a certain and luxurious future than to side with the rebels. These chiefs along with feudal landlords not only sustained the exploitative domination of the British but also gave it a new lease of life for another nine decades till 1947. There was genuine reason, as a result, for the British rulers to be grateful to the Maharaja of Gwalior and their ilks.7 Why were the British so grateful to the Maharaja of Gwalior? 3 K. N. Panikkar, “Recalling the legacy of the 1857 Revolt”, Маy 10, 2007. Ibid. 5 R. C. Majumdar, The Sepoy Mutiny and Revolt of 1857, Firma K. L. Mukhopadhyay, Calcutta, 1957, p. 278. 6 Panikkar, op. cit. 7 A. K. Biswas, “On 150th Anniversary of 1857 Revolt: Sepoy Mutiny and Indian Patriotism”, Mainstream, Vol. XLVI, No. 1, 2007. 4 The Revolt оf 1857: Focus оn Gwalior аnd Indore 293 Scindias of Gwalior In Central India, Gwalior under Scindia occupied important position, after the downfall and end of Maratha Confederacy in early 19th century. Peshwa Baji Rao wrote to Daulat Rao Sindhia, ‘Your father Mahadaji Sindhia, agreeably to the orders of the Sircar went to Delhi, was made a Vizier, and attained a high reputation. He served us with heart and soul. When you became his successor, you entered into alliance with the English; thus you govern in Hindustan, and thus you show your gratitude. In thus serving us, it is befitting for you to put bangles on your arms, and sit down like a woman. After my power is destroyed, is it possible that yours should stand?᾽.8 The state of Gwalior occupied crucial strategic position during the Revolt. Among all the Princely States in British India in the 1850s, Maharaja Jayajirao Scindia had the chance to provide leadership and support to the rebels and icons like Nana Saheb, the Rani of Jhansi and many others. The author of The Memorial of Service in India writes, ‘Gwalior should in a sense be considered as the key to India or we can say it was such a chain of India the breakage of whose link would have brought our sure disaster. if the Gwalior ruler breached trust with us or was controlled by the rebels, then the revolt would not have remained a local or military revolt, it would have turned into a popular, widespread and national revolt...this revolt would have assumed such horrible dimensions which we cannot even imagine᾽.9 We get an in-depth account of the happenings at this time in Central India and the blunders committed by the nationalists from Samuel Charter Macphersons. He has very perceptively described Gwalior as ‘one link of a chain which could not have given way in any part without ruining our power in India. If Scindia had joined the rebellion the revolt would almost certainly have been national and general instead of its fate being decided by those operations in the easily traversable Gangetic valley, upon which the public attention was concentrated we should have had to face the warlike races of Upper India combined against us the character of the rebellion might have been changed beyond speculation᾽.10 The Gwalior contingent, which was at the centre of the revolt in the Gwalior territory, was created in 1844 after disbanding of a major part of Scindia᾽s army.11 In addition to the Gwalior contingent, there were present in the Gwalior territory in 1857 three other bodies of troops each one of which also participated in the Revolt 8 Khushhalilal Srivastava, The Revolt of 1857 in Central India-Malva, Allied Publishers, Calcutta, 1966, p. 5. 9 Ibid. 10 Gautam Gupta, op. cit. 11 Iqtidar Alam Khan, “The Gwalior Contingent in 1857–58: A Study of the Organisation and Ideology of the Sepoy Rebels”, Social Scientist, Vol. 26, No. 1/4 (1998): pp. 53–75. 294 Abdul Azim Akhtar to a limited extent.12 Who were the sepoys? A British Lady, who was an eyewitness, recalls, ‘I was astonished at the fine appearance of the sepoys whom I saw drilled and exercised every morning. They were tall, well-made, intelligent looking men; many of them more than six feet high. They looked a soldierly set in their gay regimentals’.13 The sepoys in this regiment were of mixed background and were also joined by a large number of volunteer fighters on the eve of the Revolt. From the random mention in records of Muslim names or references to some of the sepoys joining a body of ghazis on the eve of the rebellion [...]. It goes on to show that unlike the Bengal Army, men in Gwalior contingent were not exclusively high caste people. at least some of them in the cavalry were known to have belonged to a lower caste ( of the Kychees).14 A good number of recruits came from neighbouring Oudh as reported by eyewitness, ‘Many of the Gwalior sepoys were natives of Oude, and recruits were daily coming in’.15 A revolt at Gwalior could have created a very difficult situation for the already endangered military position of the East India Company᾽s government in the North-Western Province and Central India.16 And the news reached here soon. Major Macpherson, Political Agent in Gwalior wrote, ‘The outbreak at Jhansi on the 7th of June 1857 brought the revolt in its most savage form from home to Gwalior᾽.17 Even at the time of the Rebellion, the English believed that there were no issues of the sepoys, and that the soldiers were happy in service. As eyewitness recalls, ‘Their lines were rows of neat small houses on each side a road, planted with trees, and kept clean by mehters. Each regiment had its separate lines and parade ground. They are well paid and handsomely rewarded, have a chance of promotion and of retiring on a good pension; all their fancies are humoured, and their religion and caste are attended to: even their festival days were kept, and (so far as I saw) their officers always treated them kindly; yet these very men were in a short time butchering their officers in cold blood’.18 on 14 June 1857, the Gwalior based contingent army revolted in the cantonment. The revolt at Gwalior was a logical and inevitable result of the revolt in other parts of India.19 A powerful army of revolutionaries led by among others by Tatia Tope, Rao Saheb Peshwa and Rani Lakshmi Bai were at Gwalior to welcome Scindia in the 12 Ibid. R. M. Coopland , Lady᾽s Escape from Gwalior and Life in the Fort of Agra, during the Mutinies of 1857, Smith Elder & Co., London , 1859. 14 Iqtidar Alam Khan, op. cit. 15 R. M. Coopland , op. cit. 16 Iqtidar Alam Khan, op. cit. 17 Khushhalilal Srivastava, op. cit., p.5. 18 R. M. Coopland, op. cit. 19 Khushhalilal Srivastava, op. cit., p. 99. 13 The Revolt оf 1857: Focus оn Gwalior аnd Indore 295 ranks.20 If the Gwalior Maharaja agreed to join the ranks of the rebels, the fate of the British would have been sealed. As an eyewitness account narrates about the valour of the sepoys, ‘The natives are too quick for us: they don᾽t wait to be shot at; and by their knowledge of the country and quick marches, have great advantages over us. There is little doubt that, had they been better led, we should not have regained India so easily, for our training had made good soldiers of them. It appeared, from documents found in the palace at Delhi, that a sort of monarchical government was established, of a military character’.21 Even Lord Canning, the Governor General is reported to have said that, ‘if Scindia joins the rebels I will pack off tomorrow᾽.22 But, the Scindia kept the cards close to his chest and kept the rebels guessing about his next moves. In the opinion of the rebels, the Scindia was an ally of the English. on the 27th May a conference of the rebel leaders was held near Gwalior to decide their future course of action.23 But this remained a dream for the rebels and their leaders, as the Maharaja and his advisors were busy in their game plan to save the Empire and punish the rebels. By the end of August 1857, it appears that there was a difference of opinion between the various sections of the rebels. 24 While the rebels were eagerly waiting for a word from the Scindia, he decided to offer his support the British. In a letter dated May 25, 1857 The Home Secretary to the Government of India, Sir Cecil Beadon, who rose to be the LieutenantGovernor of Bengal [1862–67] discloses that “The Maharajah of Scindia and other chiefs, unsolicited, have given prompt and powerful support to the Government”.25 The Maharaja of Gwalior and his Dewan Sir Dinkar Rao were aiding the Europeans in every way.26 It is recorded that the Maharaja and his key minister were occupied in weakening the rebel ranks and saving the Empire in the face of biggest challenge. It was he (Dinkar Rao) who prevented the young Maharajah from joining in the Revolt of 1857, and thus he not only preserved Scindia᾽s independence but also saved the cause of the English.27 The Maharaja and Dewan ensured the safety of the British officials and soldiers. Scindia made serious efforts to save the British soldiers. Jayaji Rao Scindia was also worried due to army revolt. He granted permission to Macpherson also to go Agra. Scindia were strongly faithful to the Britishers. So, they did not extend any cooperation to the rebels. Scindia quietened the rebels in Gwalior after good counselling and reasoning and Englishmen remained safe in 20 V. D. Savarkar, The First War of Independence, Karnatak Printing Press, Bombay, 1946. R. M. Coopland , op. cit. 22 R. C. Majumdar, The Sepoy Mutiny and Revolt of 1857, Firma K L Mukhopadhyay, Calcutta, 1957, p. 278. 23 Khushhalilal Srivastava, op. cit., p. 108. 24 Ibid, p.105. 25 A. K. Biswas, op. cit. 26 Ibid, p. 100. 27 M. W. Burway, Rajah Sir Dinkar Rao, Tatva Vivechaka Press, Bombay, 1907, p. 214. 21 296 Abdul Azim Akhtar Agra. By sending the English to Agra, the Maharaja saved their life, and ensured regular communication with the higher authorities. The Correspondence between the Gwalior Darbar and Major Macpherson brings to light the important measures adopted for tempting the rebels to be detained at Gwalior. They (rebels) were given three months pay and reward in advance.28 All this was done to play safe, buy time and wait for the reinforcements to arrive. The Maharaja also indulged in Mock fight with his own soldiers to prove his loyalty to the British Masters. The Scindia on the 31st of May 1857 decided to face the rebels and at night marched with his troops to fight them...After a mock fight the Scindia army joined hands with the rebels the Fort at Gwalior was surrendered by its keeper.29 At this time, the Maharaja sent his special forces for the protection of British authorities in Agra. The Scindia had to send to Agra 300 of his own bodyguards to attend the Lieutenant Governor and his Maratha troops and Paiga of 100 Maratha Horse to Etawah.30 The History of Gwalior after the departure of Europeans to Agra is an account of Scindia and his friendly policy towards the British by adopting every means in his power to detain the rebels from crossing the Chambal for Agra until the British Forces could rally and recpature Delhi.31 When such loyal Maharajas were readily available, the task of dealing with native rebels was not difficult. After providing safe passage to the English, the Maharaja and his Dewan considered it safe to leave Gwalior and join their masters. The Sindhia accompanied by a few companions, and later on followed by his Dewan fled to Agra.32 ‘Of His Highness pampered favourites and boon companions not one man followed him, while scarcely one followed the Ranis. These men almost without exception accepted instantly from the rebels, pay, gratuities, rank and office or became perfectly intimate with them᾽.33 The rank and file of the Maharaja officials and army joined the rebels. On the 25th December 1857, there was a memorable meeting between the Scindia and Major Macpherson at Agra, in which the former prayed that a British force of sufficient strength be sent as soon as possible to re-establish the British supremacy and to assert his authority by punishing every rebel.34 While the Maharaja failed in this testing time, many Rajas in his area joined the rebel camps. Man Singh, the Raja of Narwar, a Jagirdar of Gwalior, rebelled in July 1857.35 This was an excellent example of patriotism. Few other Rajas from the area also refused to be amongst the 28 Khushhalilal Srivastava, op. cit., p. 103. Ibid, p. 109. 30 Ibid, p. 101. 31 Ibid, p. 103. 32 Ibid, pp. 109–110. 33 Ibid, p. 110. 34 Ibid, p. 107. 35 Ibid, p. 119. 29 The Revolt оf 1857: Focus оn Gwalior аnd Indore 297 loyalists. The Raja of Raghogarh, another jagirdar of Gwalior during the Revolt, did not supply rations and information about the rebels when called upon to do so by the the British.36 While some Rajas were ready to go with the rebels, the loyalty of the Maharaja and his Dewan came in for special praise and reward from the British Raj. Throughout the trying events of 1857–1858, Rajah Dinkar Rao᾽s devotion and services to his masters were beyond all praise. He was in truth, the impersonation in his own territory of loyalty to his Chief, and of order amidst the wild anarchy then raging and which threatened to sweep away all before it; and his attachment for, and friendly good feelings towards, the British Government and its officers, when the power of the government was for a time at its lowest point.37 Together with his Master, the Dewan received rewards for loyalty. The Calcutta Gazette, on June 26, 1858, published: The Honorable Governor General has the highest gratification in announcing that the Town and Fort of Gwalior were conquered by Major-General Sir Hugh Rose, on the 19th instant, after a general action, in which rebels, who had usurped the authority of Maharajah Scindia, were totally defeated. On the 20th June, the Maharajah Scindia, attended by the Governor General’s Agent for Central India, and Sir Hugh Rose and escorted by British Troops was restored to the palace of his ancestors, and welcomed by his subjects with every mark of loyalty and attachment. It was on the 1st June that the rebels, aided by treachery of some of Maharajah Scindia’s troops, seized the Capital of His Highness’ Kingdom and hoped to establish a new government under a pretender in His Highness’ Territory. Eighteen days had not elapsed before they were compelled to evacuate the Town and Fort of Gwalior and to relinquish the authority which they had endeavoured to usurp. The promptitude and success with which the strength of the British Government has been put forth for restoration of its faithful Ally to the capital of his territory, and the continued presence of British Troops at Gwalior to support His Highness in the re-establishment of his administration, offer to all convincing proof that the British Government has the will and the power to befriend those who, like the Maharajah Scindia, do not shrink from their obligation or hesitate to avow their loyalty.38 Savarkar mentions about the episode in his book, ‘And so, Jayaji Rao Scindia, coward as he was, and his minister, Dinkar Rao fled not only from the field, but from Gwalior itself and ran to Agra’.39 Major Macpherson from the interior of the fort at Agra, ruled the course of events at the Court of Gwalior. In the chapter Lakshmi bai, V D Savarkar writes, ‘The Scindia declined to join the Revolutionaries marched and captured Gwalior on June 1, 1858. Dinkar Rao, with his master fled to Agra. The 36 37 Ibid, p. 120. M. W. Burway, op. cit., p. 228. 38 Quoted by Biswas, op. cit. 39 V. D. Savarkar, op. cit., p. 485. 298 Abdul Azim Akhtar British recaptured Gwalior on June 19, 1858 and the Scindia was reinstated on the throne.40 The British reserved their rewards and awards for the Gwalior and its rulers for their loyalty during the Great Revolt. Lord Canning at Agra Darbar said, ‘Dewan Dinkar Rao, with the concurrence of your sovereign and Master, the Maharajah of Gwalior, I take this opportunity of testifying the appreciation by the Government of India of the services you have rendered to His Highness and to the Paramount Power. You will receive a confiscated estate in, or near to, the Benares Division free of revenue in perpetuity and yielding a rental of Rs. 5000 a year. I believe that seldom has a ruler been served in troubles times by a more faithful, fearless or able Minister than yourself᾽.41 It was also decided that the Maharaja will be honoured beyond the boundaries of his princely state for standing up for the British Raj and helping in crushing the Rebellion. The Right Honorable Governor General, in order to mark his appreciation of the Maharajah Scindia’s friendship, and his gratification at the re-establishment of His Highness’ authority in his ancestral dominions, is placed to direct that a Royal Salute shall be fired at every principal station in India.42 Hindi poetess Subhadra Kumari Chauhan’s popular poem “Jhansi ki Rani”, which is in text book in many states of India and is recited often by the people during patriotic functions, mentions the role of Scindia during the Revolt : ‘Vijay Rani Age chal di, Kiya Gwalior par Adhikar-Angrezo ke mitr Scindhia ne Chori Rajdhani thi (Victorious queen marched ahead and conquered Gwalior, And this forced the loyal ruler Scindhia to run away and abandon his capital). Thus, one of the major misfortune for the nationalists was the fact that Scindia did not strike. He remained loyal to the British.43 The focus on the incontestable truth that Maharaja Jiwajirao Scindia had joined the East India Company as a faithful ally when Rani Lakshmibai fought valiantly against the British forces and died a heroic death on the battlefield is indeed embarrassing. The Scindia’ proximity to the British was rewarded in the Imperial Durbar in Delhi in 1877. Maharaja Jayajirao Scindia received the rank of a general and a 21-gun salute from the British Empire. Holkar / Indore Holkars were another important rulers during 1857 Revolt. Holkar dynasty was Maratha rulers of Indore in Central India. The family of peasant origin and of shepherd caste, is said to have migrated from the Mathura region to the Deccan 40 Ibid, p. 489. M. W. Burway, op. cit., pp. 215–216. 42 A. K. Biswas, op. cit. 43 Gautam Gupta, op. cit. 41 The Revolt оf 1857: Focus оn Gwalior аnd Indore 299 village of Hol, or Hal, the name of which, coupled with kar (“inhabitant of ”), became the family surname. The dynasty’s founder, Malhar Rao Holkar, rose from peasant origins by his own ability. The Holkar family rule continued until Indian independence in 1947. During the Revolt of 1857, Holkar ruler was also poised to play an important role. Takoji Rao Holkar II ‘saw on his right hand and on his left most terrible proofs of a general rebellion against the domination of the English. The ruler and the English official were aware of the danger and had held meeting to discuss the matter in case of the outbreak. In a book The Residency, Indore Dev Kumar Vasudevan, writes, ‘On the morning of July 1, 1857 as Colonel Durand (the AGG officiating on behalf of Sir Robert Hamilton) was writing a telegram for Lord Elphinstone, the Residency Kothi in Indore was attacked by artillery guns provided by Holkar Maharaja for protection of the Residency itself. These guns had originally been placed at the entrance to the city bazaar and had been shifted at night and were now pointing at the Residency’.44 Colonel Durand even anticipated the outbreak of the Revolt before the Sehore troops could arrive at Indore. So he met the Maharaja Tukoji Rao Holkar II of Indore and requested him to send his troops. The Maharaja promised every assistance. Given the alarming situation at hand, the Indore ruler was ready to extend all cooperation to the British. The Maharaja was certainly much disturbed at the news of the revolt at Mehdipur, and he told Colonnel Durand who came to see him in this connection that his own cavalry and the United Malwa Contingent of Mehdipur were as one. He feared that his own troops would now revolt and that he had no confidence in them. The lack of confidence in own soldiers shows that the Rebellion was the dominant mood in the rank and file. The rebels were united in their command. By the end of June the preparations for the revolt at Indore were complete. To test the sincerity of the British Contingents that the Indore troops should first begin the revolt. The organisation of the rebels was so complete and successful that it was impossible for Colonel Travers to withstand the onslaught of the rebels. It was one of the few well organised units during the Revolt, where unity remained one of the main challenge for the rebels. A prominent figure of the uprising in Indore was Saadat Khan. Vasudevan writes, ‘First shot at the residency was fired by Holkar armyman Saadat Khan, nephew of Hafizbhai, the former Bakshi or Commandant of the Risala Cavalry, using a cannon named Fatah Mansoor, which can be seen in Indore Museum today. He had come galloping into the Residency Area with eight companions exhorting Holkar soldiers on duty at the Residency to kill Sahibs claiming this to be the order of the 44 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/indore/Total-recall-Day-when-1857-uprising-reachedMhow/articleshowprint/47907151.cms 300 Abdul Azim Akhtar Maharaja᾽. The British finally entered Indore, which was in a sense left abandoned on the day of the rebellion, on December 15, 1857. The popularity of the rebels and their leaders is illustrated with the treatment of the rebel leader. The Maharaja got him (Saadat Khan) arrested and detained him in the Palace, but subsequently released him on the same day on his promising to exert his influence to bring the rebels under control and stop the revolt.45 The retreat, escape of large number of British officers emboldened the will of the rebels. The news of Colonel Durand᾽s retreat spread like wild fire and served as a signal for several other British officials in Malwa to flee from their posts. This created an impression on the public mind that the authority of the company’s government had ended.46 Now, the ruler decided to take the rebels head on. After the news of the retreat of Colonel Durand and his party, His Highness, realising the gravity of the situation, hastily summoned a council at Indore Palace, and it was agreed there that Bhau Sahib Reshimwale should be directed to cope with the situation created by the rebels.47 In the operation, the Maharaja directed all his strength to crush the rebellion. A total of 24 soldiers were martyred during the uprising in Indore, with five of them were sentenced to death. Saadat Khan, was finally captured by the British 17 years later in 1874. He was executed by hanging to death. The Banyan tree from which he was hanged still stands in the compound of the Residency and a small memorial has been built at that spot. The valour and chivalry of the rebels became folklore in the region for the generations. Despite his loyalty to the British, some officials were doubtful of the loyalty of the Indore Maharaja to the British Empire. It was believed that he was playing a dangerous double game, and could swim either given the circumstances. Many British authorities have held the view that the Maharaja had directly or indirectly a hand in the Revolt. However, the mutiny of the Bengal army in 1857 exposed many weaknesses of the army. This resulted in its complete change and reorganisation.48 The change in the organisation is obvious in the composition of Indian Army, which continues to deny exclusive regiments to some sections on the basis of castes and community, yet continues to have regiments such as Sikh (community), and Jat (caste). In the Revolt of 1857, several Indian rulers and landed aristocracy could not rise above the narrow selfish interests of their own and their families.49 This proved that the patriotism was not the first priority for many rulers and loyalists. 45 Khushhalilal Srivastava, op. cit., p. 126. Ibid, p. 129. 47 Ibid, p, 130. 48 Syed Hussain Shaheed Soherwordi, “‘Punjabisation᾽ in the British Indian Army 1857–1947 and the Advent of Military Rule in Pakistan”, Edinburgh Papers In South Asian Studies, no. 24 (2010): p. 1. 49 Khushhalilal Srivastava, op. cit., p. 242–243. 46 The Revolt оf 1857: Focus оn Gwalior аnd Indore 301 Glossary vizier = minister; mehter = sweeper; darbar = court ; paiga = contingent; dewan = finance minsiter / prime minister; rani = queen ; jagirdar = landlor LITERATURE: • Rana, Bhawan Singh. Rani of Jhansi. Diamond Pocket Books, New Delhi, 2016. • Srivastava, Khushhalilal. The Revolt of 1857 in Central India-Malva. Allied Publishers, Calcutta, 1966. • Syed Hussain Shaheed Soherwordi, ‘Punjabisation’ in the British Indian Army 1857–1947 and the Advent of Military Rule in Pakistan, Edinburgh Papers In South Asian Studies Number 24 (2010). • Majumdar, R. C. The Sepoy Mutiny and Revolt of 1857. Firma K. L. Mukhopadhyay, Calcutta, 1957. • Biswas, A. K. “On 150th Anniversary of 1857 Revolt: Sepoy Mutiny and Indian Patriotism”. Mainstream, Vol. XLVI, No. 1 (2007). • Khan, Iqtidar Alam. “The Gwalior Contingent in 1857–58: A Study of the Organisation and Ideology of the Sepoy Rebels”. Social Scientist, Vol. 26, No. 1/4 (1998): 53–75. • Savarkar, V. D. The First War of Independence. Karnatak Printing Press, Bombay, 1946. • Gupta, Gautam. 1857 The Uprising. Publications Division, Delhi, 2016. • Coopland, R. M. Lady᾽s Escape from Gwalior and Life in the Fort of Agra, during the Mutinies of 1857. Smith Elder & Co., London, 1859. • Burway, M. W. Rajah Sir Dinkar Rao. Tatva Vivechaka Press, Bombay, 1907. 302 Abdul Azim Akhtar Абдул Азим Актар ИНДИЈСКИ УСТАНАК ИЗ 1857. И УЛОГА ДИНАСТИЈА КНЕЖЕВИНА ГВАЛИОР И ИНДОР Сажетак: Устанак из 1857. године је представљао одлучујући тренутак за Индију. Индијци, који су били предмет различитих видова дискриминације, злочина, неједнакости, порицања основних људских права и слобода, у подизању устанка су видели најбољу прилику да се ослободе британске владавине. Вођени различитим побудама, у тим тренуцима, Индијци различитог порекла, вероисповести и припадници различитих касти су се на неки начин уједињени успротивили колонијалној управи. Ипак, највећи део аристократије, чланови владајућих породица, земљопоседници, моћни и утицајни људи су, истичући пре свега сопствене интересе, остајали лојални Британској империји. Овај рад чини покушај да се испита улога гвалиорске династије Шинде и индорске династије Холкар током устанка из 1857. године. Као од насладника Марата, хиндуске државе која је током од краја 17. До почетка 19. Века представљала значајну препреку британским колонијалним интересима, од владара Гвалиора и Индора се очекивало да предводе антибританску побуну, што се, међутим, није догодило. Кључне речи: Индијски устанак из 1857, Гвалиор, Индор, Шинде, Холкар, Индијски рат за независност, лојалисти, ројалисти Received 22.07.2018/ Accepted 25.10.2018.