Blow your trumpets loudly now, O Heralds of History, for soon there are to arrive on the scene two great heroes ! These are two bright pearls in the necklace of Mother India. Now, then dark night has overspread the horizon of the whole country, these two alone are shining as luminous stars. They are fiery Akalis ready to avenge their country’s unjust wrong with the last drop of their blood. They are two martyrs sacrificing their lives for Country, Religion, and Freedom. They are two witnesses, sword in hand, to prove that the blood of Hindusthan that gave birth to Shivaji is not yet dead. They are two noble souls that could entertain in their hearts the grant and holy ambition of Swaraj. They are two crusaders in the Holy War, glorious even in their defeat. Therefore, O readers, stand up in all awe and reverence, for the noble figures of Nana Sahib Peshwa and the Queen of Jhansi are coming on the stage of History !
We do not know which to describe more - the splendour of the mountain tops of Matheran in the holy Maharashtra, or the green, velvet- soft, grassy meadows adorning the feet of those hiolls. In the lap of the graceful plateau below, almost overhung by the sky-reaching peaks of the Matheran, there nestled a tiny little village called Venu, heightening the beauty of the already beautiful region. Among the old and respectable families of Venu, the family of Madhavrao Narayan Bhatt was the most prominent. Madhavrao and his noble wife Gangabai, though living in circumstances of domestic poverty, were happy in the enjoyment of mutual love. In the small house of this good family, all factrs beamed with joy and happiness in 1824, for the good Gangabai had given birth to a son. That son of Madhavrao and Gangabai was no other than the Peshwa Nana Sahib, at the very sound of whose name the Feringhi shudders with fear, - that same Nana who has made his name immortal in history as a hero who fought for liberty and for his country.
About the same time, the last Bajirao had abdicated his throne and was leading a life of retirement on the banks of Ganges. Many Maratha families had followed him and, hearing that Bajirao was generous enough to
support them in good state on his pension, many new families also emigrated thither. Among the latter was the family of Madhavrao, who went to Brahmavarta in 1827 to seek the generosity of Bajirao. There, the little son of Madhavrao captivated the heart of Bajirao, and little Nana Sahib became a great favourite of the whole Durbar. His spirit even in childhood, his serious mien and his intelligence made a deep impression upon Bajirao, who eventually resolved to adopt him. On the 7th of June, 1827, Bajirao formally placed him on his lap and adopted him. At this time Nana was only two- and-a-half years old. In this manner, the child born in the village of Venu became, by a stroke of luck, the heir presumptive to the throne of the Peshwas !
It was no doubt a great good fortune to be made heir to the seat of the Peshwas of the Mahratta Empire. But, O brilliant Prince, do you realise the great responsibility accompanying this good fortune ? The throne of the Peshwas is not an ordinary thing ! It was on this that the great Baji sat and ruled an Empire. It was for this that the battle of Paniput was fought. On this have been poured the sacred waters of the Sindhu for the anointing of generations of Peshwas; on this the treaty of Wargaon had been made and, most important of all, on this is to come, or any, already has come, the contaminating touch of slavery. Do you realise all this ? To be the heir to a throne is to undertake, to guarantee, the protection and dignity of that throne. Then will you or will your not guard the dignity of the Peshwa throne ? Either the Gadi should be adorned with the crown of victory, or it should be burnt in a brilliant pyre of glory, like the proud women of Chitore ! There is no third way of saving the glory of the Peshwa’s throne ! O brilliant Prince ! Think of this terrible responsibility, and then site on the Gadi of the Peshwas ! Since your father gave reason for the taunt that the Peshwa’s Gadi surrendered, the whole of Maharashtra has became black with shame, and all desire that if the Gadi is to enter after all, it should end even as it began - that if it is to die, it should die fighting ! Sit proudly on that Gadi, O young Nana, so that History may say with pride that the Gadi, whose first Peshwa was Balaji Vishvanath, had for its last occupant Nana Sahib !
At about the same time in sacred Varanasi, there lives in the retinue of Chimnaji Appa Peshwa, Moropant Tambe and his wife Bhagirathi Bai. Little did the couple know at the time that their name would become immortal in History ! This couple, which had the good fortune of giving
birth to a daughter who was to be a veritable flashing sword in the hands of Hindusthan, this couple hardly understood its good fortune. Do the thorny branches know that, in the spring, a rose, delighting all with its fragrance, would spring forth from out of them ! But though the branches knew it now, still, as soon as the spring time of Hindusthan came, the flower did come forth ! It was in 1835 that Bhagirathi gave birth to the heroine, Ranee Lakshmi Bai. This brave woman’s name in youth was Manu Bai.
When Manu was hardly three or four years old, the whole family left Benares and went to the court of Bajirao at Brahmavarta. There she was so much liked by all the people that they called here “Chabeli”. Prince Nana Sahib and the sweet Chabeli ! When two such children braced each other in childish affection, what a sight must it have been to the people of Brahmavarta ! What eyes would not glisten with joy to see Prince Nana Sahib and the Chabeli playing together in the armoury and learning their lessons in sword-play - lessons which they were destined to use in later life for the defence of their country and their religion? How limited, indeed, is the vision of man ! When Nana Sahib and Lakshmi Bai were learning sword-play together, the spectators did not see the future glory of these brilliant children, and now those who do see their glory, have no longer the good fortune to see those children’s games of the past ! Still, if, to remove the short-sightedness of these eyes of flesh, we put on the spectacles of imagination, then we can easily see those games of the past. While Nana Sahib and Rao Sahib (his cousin) were learning their lessons under their tutor, this Chabeli too would closely watch them, and thus she learned to read, though stumbling often. Nana Sahib would be sitting in howdah on an elephant and the sweet child would affectionately call up to him, “Won’t you take me too ?“10 Sometimes Nana would lift her up, and both would learn to ride the magnificent animal. Sometimes Nana would be on a horse and wait for Lakshmi to come and join him ; just then she would come up galloping with a sword at her side, with her hair slightly dishevelled by the wind, and her hair complexion becoming ruddier by her efforts to curb the spirited horse. And both would start away at a smart pace. As this time, Nana was eighteen years old and Lakshmi Bai was seven; what a pleasant memory to
10 Parasnis’s Life of the Queen of Jhansi.
us that the heroine should have started her training for the holy was at the age of seven ? These two jewels were extremely fond of each other from their earliest childhood. In Brahmavarta, at that time, were being brought up three of the most important characters of the Revolutionary War of 1857, Nana Sahib, Queen Lakshmi Bai, and Tatya Tope. It is said, that on every festival of Yamadvitiya, these two, Nana Sahib and Lakshmi Bai - historical brother and sister- used to perform the ceremony of Bhaubij. We can well picture to ourselves the sweet attractive spirited Chabeli, with a golde dish and with lamps in her hand, performing the ceremony. Such occasions when a Lakshmi Bai is waving the sacred lamp round the face of a Nana Sahib, such occasions make history more romantic than romance !
In the early life of Nana Sahib and Manu Bai, we have the key to their future greatness. Their flesh and blood, even in early childhood, had been permeated by the love of Swaraj and a noble sense of self-respect and pride of ancestry. In 1842, the Chabeli was given In marriage to Maharaja Gangadhar Rao Baba Sahib of Jhansi, and thus became Maharani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi. She was extremely popular at the Court of that place and gained the affection and devoted loyalty of all her subjects, as the later part of this history will show.
In 1851, the Peshwa Bajirao II died. Let not a single tear be shed for his death ! For, after losing his own kingdom in 1818, this blot in the escutcheon of the Peshwas spent his time in helping to ruin the kingdoms of other kings ! He saved considerably on the pension of eight lakhs of Rupees allowed to him by the Company’s Government, and invested it in the notes of the Company. Later when the English went to war with Afghanistan, he helped them with a loan of fifty lakhs out of his savings. Soon after, the English went to war with the Sikh nation of the Panjab. And all were in hopes, and the English in fears, that the Mahratta at Brahmavarta would make common cause with the Sikh Misals against the English power. When almost the whole of India was fighting against Aurangzeb, Shri Guru Govind Singh, after a defeat in the Panjab, had come into the Maharashtra, it is said, to enter into an active alliance with the Mahrattas. Now it seemed that the Mahrattas would go into Northern India on a similar mission, and perform the unfulfilled promises of the alliance. But Baji spoiled the sport at the eleventh hour. This Baji - this Peshwa of Shivaji and his descendants - spent money out of his own pocket and sent one thousand infantry and one
thousand cavalry to the assistance of the English ! This Bajirao had not troops enough to help the enemy to desecrate the house of Guru Govind Singh ! O unfortunate nation ! The Mahrattas should take the kingdom of the Sikhs and the Sikhs should take the kingdom of the Mahrattas - and all this for what ? In order that the English might dance in joy over the corpses of both. We have rather to thank the God of Death that such a traitor - this Baji - died before 1857.
Before his death, Baji Rao made a will by which he bequeathed all the rights of succession and powers of the Peshwa to his adopted son Nana Sahib. But immediately on the news of Baji Rao’s death, the English Government announced that Nana Sahib had no right whatsoever to the pension of eight lakhs. What must have Nana Sahib thought on hearing this decision of the English ? The conflict of passions in his heart is portrayed to some extent in the despatch written under his direction. It says : “It is simply unjust that the high family of thePeshwa should be treated by the Company so lightly as this. When our throne and kingdom were handed over to the Company by Shrimant Bajirao, it was done so on the condition that the Company should pay eight lakhs of Rupees every year, as its price. If this pension is not to last for ever, how can the surrender of the kingdom, which was given as a consideration for this pension, last for ever in your hands ? That one party alone should be bound by the contract, while the other itentionally fails to do its part is absurd, unjust, and inconsistent.“11 Then follows a clear and well reasoned passage refuting the theory that he, being an adopted son, cannot get his father’s rights, citing authorities from Hindu Shastras, from rules of politics and customary law. After that, the despatch of Nana Sahib continues :- “The Company puts forward another excuse to cease to pay the pension, namely that Bajirao II has saved a considerable sum which is quite sufficient to defray the expenses of his family. But the Company forgets that the pension was given as a condition of the treaty, and there is no single clause in the treaty directing the mode in which the pension should be spent. The pension is the price of the kingdom given, and Bajirao would have been justified had he saved even the whole of the pension ! We ask the Company whether they have got the least right to
11 Nana’s Claims against the East India Company.
question the manner in which the pension is expended ? Nay, can the Company ask even its own servants as to how they spend their pensions or what they save out of it ? But it is strange that a question, which the Company dare not ask even of its own servants, is raised in the case of the heir to a royal dynasty, and is made the pretence to break a treaty.” With this argumentative and spirited despatch, Nana’s faithful ambassador, Azimullah Khan, left for England.
Of the important characters in the Revolutionary War of 1857, the name of Azimullah Khan is one of the most memorable. Among the keen intellects and minds that first conceived the idea of the War of Independence, Azimullah must be given a prominent place. And among the many plans by which the various phases of the Revolution were developed, the plans of Azimullah deserve special notice.
Azimullah was very poor by birth. He rose gradually on the strength of his own merits, and at last became the trusted adviser of Nana Sahib. His early poverty was such that he served as a waiter in the household of an Englishman. Even while in such a low state, the fire of ambition was always burning in his heart. He took advantage of his profession as a Baberchi in order to learn foreign languages, and in a short time he had learned to speak English and French with fluency. After acquiring a knowledge of both these languages, Azimullah left the service of the Feringhis and began to study in a school at Cawnpore. By his extraordinary ability, he soon became a teacher at the self-same school. While still serving as a teacher in the Government school at Cawnpore, his reputation as an able scholar reached the ears of Nana Sahib, and he was introduced at the Brahmavarta Durbar. Once, at the Durbar, his wise counsels were appreciated and valued by Nana Sahib, who would take no important step without first consulting Azimullah. In 1854, he was made the chief representative of Nana Sahib and sent to England. His face was noble, his speech sweet and silvery. Knowing very well the customs and manners of contemporary English life, he soon became very popular among Londoners. Attracted by his pleasant and silvery voice, his spirited mien and Oriental magnificence, several young English women well in love with Azimullah. There used to be a crowd, in those days, in the parks of London and on the beach at Brighton, to see this jewelled Indian “Raja”. Some English women of respectable families were so much infatuated with him that, even after his
return to India, they would send him letters couched in the most affectionate terms. When, later, Havelock’s army captured Brahmavarta, he saw there the original letters written by some English ladies to their “Darling Azimullah !” But though English women were captivated by Azimullah, still the East India Company would not leave their stern attitude. They put him off for some time with beguiling words, and at last gave the stereotyped answer, “We entirely approve of the decision of the Governor-General that the adopted so of Bajirao has no claim whatsoever to his father’s pension.” Thus, as regards the principal object of his mission he was disappointed, in a way. We say “in a way”; because at this very moment, a new inspiration, a new hope, was rising in his heart. There was no necessity of any foreigner’s consent to realise this hope, but it depended for its realisation on his own country and countrymen ! How to get the consent of his own men ? How to acquire the independence of his country by force when it could not be acquired by Sama, Dana, or Bheda (conciliation, money, or division) ? These thoughts breathed a new hope and a new life into Azimullah’s heart.
At this self-same moment, right in the heart of London, a Brahmin was sitting, brooding over the means for attainment of that which he was unable to obtain by petition or by prayer and his heart, filled with vengeance born of despair, was planning dozens of schemes for the attainment of his object. This was Rango Bapuji of Satara. Azimullah, the representative of the Peshwa, used often to visit him, and they both used to hold secret consultations. Leaving these two- one, the representative of the Chhatrapati of Satara himself, and the other, the representative of the Prime Minister of the Chhatrapati - to the quiet and secret revolution of the problem of saving the Hindu Empire, let us turn our attention to the activities of Nana Sahib.
Fortunate will be the day when a complete and systematic history of the life of Shrimant Nana Sahib Peshwa will be before the world. Meanwhile, until such a day arrives, it would not be out of place to recount in brief some of the details of his life about this period, as published by the
English historians, bitter enemies of Nana Sahib as they are. We have already related incidentally the story of his youth. He had married a cousin of the chief of Sangli. While in the north, in 1857, the Revolution was being resolved upon, this relation of Nana Sahib was making strenuous efforts to achieve the same end in Maharashtra by working in the Poatwardhan State. Nana had made Brahmavarta his home after the demise of his father. This city was in itself very beautiful, while the sacred Bhagirathi which flowed close to the city walls greatly added to its beauty. The palace of Nana commanded a most charming view; before him stretched the quite waters of the Bhagirathi; the banks were cheerfully alive with throngs of men and women; and beautiful temples of fames architecture raised their cupolas all along the banks. The Palace of the Peshwa was a grant structure. Its political, administrative, and other offices, and the large shops and well-kept roads inside the gates, amply testified to the activities within the palace. The many extensive halls within this palace were decorated with rich carpets and gorgeous tapestries. Most valuable china selected with faultless taste, magnificent candelabra studded with diamonds, beautifully carved mirrors, carved ivory of finest workmanship, gold art works richly set with diamonds, in short, all the luxury and taste and splendour of the Hindu palace were to be seen there.12 The steeds and camels of Shrimant Nana Saheb were caparisoned in silver. Nana’s fondness for horses was well known, and it is said that none could excel either him or Lakshmi Bai in horsemanship. His stables were a fine collection of splendid breeds. His special hobby was animals, and people even from far-off parts used to come to Brahmavarta, to see his deer and his gazelles brought from various parts of India, his camels, and his pointers. Yet, be it noted that, above all things, it was on his splendid collection of arms that Shrimant prided himself most. It included arms of all kinds and for all purposes,- swords of best-tempered steel, modern long- range rifles, and big guns of various sizes.
12 See Thomson’s Cawnpore. Peculiar importance attaches to this man and his book owing to the fact that he was one of the two men who survived the massacre at Cawnpore.
Immensely proud of his high birth and conscious of his noble ancestry, Nana had quietly made up his mind that he would either live as became that noble parentage, or pass away from memory altogether. It is a significant fact, that in the main hall and in a prominent place were hund the portraits of those great and capable men who had adorned Mahratta history.13What did those faces speak to him ? What did the portrait of Chhatrapati Shivaji say to him? What a tumult of feelings must have arisen in his mind when he saw Baji Rao I, the Bhao of Panipat, the youthful and regal Viswas, the wise Madhava, and statesman Nana Farnavis, in the portraits before him ! The very consciousness that he was born in a family which would boast of such great names, must have been constantly impelling him to, what thoughts ? Nana, there is no doubt, must have felt, and felt terribly, the woeful humiliation of petitioning to his enemies for a pension for that Empire, of which his ancestors were the Prime Ministers, nay, rulers. The stories of the noble deeds of the great Shivaji, whose memory he fondly cherished, must, without doubt, have set ablaze in his heart the flames of anger and vengeance. A Sanskrit proverb says, “The honourable prefer death to dishonour,” and Nana was above all honourable. Generous as a prince, pride was his greatest wealth - as it always is of the brave. Hence he could not bear the idea of accepting any invitation from the European officers about him. For was he not, as the Peshwa, entitled to the salute of gunds, which the Company was not willing to fire in his honour ? He was serious constitutionally and his habits were simple. He had not a trace of extravagant habits or vices.14 An Englishman who had observed him closely on many occasions says that, at the time he saw him, he was really about twenty-eight years of age, but he looked forty. “He was inclined to embonapoint; his face was round; his eyes, restless like those of a tiger, were
13 Charles Ball’s Indian Mutiny, Vol.I, page 304. 14 “A quiet and unostentatious young man not at all addicted to any extravagant habits.”- Sir John Kaye.
piercing and of great lustre; his complexion was like that of any Spaniard; his conversation was characterised by a touch of humour.“15 In the Durbar, he was dressed in kinkhabs. Englishmen used to admire the jewellery he displayed about his person and his crowns studded with diamonds. His generous and sympathetic heart, had effectually won the love of his subjects. His kindness to his subjects would be quite natural, but it is significant that Shrimant was habitually generous even towards those very English people, who, turning ungrateful, had deprived him of his all. If any youthful English couple wanted change of air, the rich equipage of Maharaja Nana Sahib was ready at their service. Many a “Sahib”, tired of living in Cawnpore, used to pay a visit with his “memsahib” to the town of Maharaja Nana Sahib, and presents to rich shawls and valuable pearls and diamonds were made to them on the occasion of their leavingBrahmavarta.16 It may be seen clearly from this that the poison of individual hatred never touched the noble soul of Nana. The elevated and heroic ideal, of generously treating those very enemies with social courtesy and obligation, whom, on the battlefield, you would remorselessly destroy, has again and again been celebrated in the epics and histories of Hindusthan. The Rajput heroes used to treat their bitterest enemies with splendid generosity. Be it noted, therefore, in this connection, that there was considerable cordiality between Nana and the English at this time.17 As long as they could feast at the palace of the Shrimant, the English officers and their wives were heaping friendly praise upon him, but as soon as he lifted the Sword of righteousness in the cause of
15 Trevelyan’s Cawnpore, pages 68-69.
16 Trevelyan’s Cawnpore, pages 68-69. 17 ‘Nothing could exceed the cordiality which he constantly displayed in his intercourse
with our countrymen. The persons in authority placed an implicit confidence in his
friendliness and good faith, and the ensigns emphatically pronounced him a capital
fellow.”- Trevelyan’s Cawnpore. Swaraj and Swadesh on the battlefield of Cawnpore, what ignominy and what low abuse they heaped on him !
Shrimant was well educated, and had the refinement of culture. He took great interest in politics and political affairs. He used to watch and closely study the ever-changing affairs of great nations, and for that purpose would closely follow the English press. He used to have the daily papers read to him every morning by Mr.Tod, an Englishman afterwards massacred at Cawnpore. He thus was able to observe, with his lynx-eye, all the political changes in England and in India. When heated discussions were taking place over the question of annexing Oudh, Nana was of opinion that that act would inevitably force on a war.18
As this description is compiled from the histories written by Nana’s enemies, it is to be noted that those virtues which his enemies ascribe to him must have been a distinct feature in his character. For it cannot be expected that English historians, with their terrible hatred for Nana, could acknowledge willingly his eminent virtues except where absolutely necessary. and good faith, and the ensigns emphatically pronounced him a capital fellow.”- Trevelyan’s Cawnpore. The tardy acknowledgment of such virtues is the more significant, as after this slight confession of truth, these very historians have wreaked to the full their devilish vengeance on Nana for having leaped forth into the battlefield. The poisonous pen of English historians has taken a fiendish delight in calling him a “badmash’, a “high way robber”, a “fiend”, and “Satan”, and has been heaping upon him low, vulgar, and dishonest abuse. But even if all this abuse was deserved, still the single fact, that Nana fought for Swarajya and bled for Swadesh, is sufficient to establish his loving memory in the heart of us Indians. It was essentially necessary that the whole world should realise the fact that a grant and terrible vengeance is visited sooner or later
18 Charles Ball’s India Mutiny, Vol.I, p.304.
on those who dare to commit the sin of depriving Hindusthan of Independence. Nana was the incarnation of vengeance of the land of Hind ! Nana was the Narasimha Mantra of this land ! Yes; this one fact will impress Nana’s memory on the tablet of our hearts ! Yet with this particular merit of Nana, when one further remembers the individual instances of his generosity, his pride of birth, and above all his noble and patriotifc heart, one’s head bows in loving adoration of that grant personality; and then rises before one’s mind’s eye the fair and noble form of Nana, with his huge strength, crown on his head, his bright and alert eyes red with injured pride, the sword (worth three lakhs of Rupees) by his side keen and ready to leap forth from the scabbard, and his body all aflame with anger and keen desire to avenge the Swarajya and the Swadesh !
Ye, conflicting emotions, stop ! What a terrible tumult is happening there ! The insolent message, the last, has come to Nana from the English, that he has not a vestige of claim to the pension of Baji Rao; nay, that he must even give up the proprietary rights to Brahmavarta; and this, the Company further claimed, was justice ! Justice ? Now the English need not take the trouble of giving a definite reply whether it was justice or injustice ! Extensive preparations are in progress and there, on the field of Cawnpore, will be determined the issue of the question. It is there that the question, whether it is justice or injustice to injure the heart of a Mahratta, will be fully discussed. Decapitated, headless trunks, mutilated bodies, flowing streams of blood - these will determine the issue. Aye, and the vultures sitting on the parapets of the well of Cawnpore will listen to this discussion and give a definite answer to the issue raised, Justice or Injustice ?
While splendid preparations were being made for this extraordinary ceremony at Nana’s palace, his Chhabeli sister was not sitting idle. Before her had come the same question - Justice or Injustice ? When she adopted her darling Damodar as her son, soon after the sudden death of her husband in 1853, the English annexed Jhansi, refusing to recognise the rights of adoption. But Jhansi was not a state which could be annexed by
mere word or letter. Not the Banka of Nagpur, but the dear sister Chhabeli of Nana - Ranee Lakshmi Bai was ruling there ! As if she cared a whit for this “annexation” ! From her proud heart, seeing this low and heartless cunning of the English, pealed forth the thunders born of injured pride and a sense of honour, and through these the lightning of Jhansi declared, “Give up my Jhansi ? - I will not ! Let him try to take who dares !!” “Meri Jhansi doongi nahin !!” 19.
19 Dalhousie’s Administration, Vol. II.