NOW that the volcano has temporarily subsided, renders might, however, ask what became of Feroze Shah and Rao Sahib?
After leaving Tatia, Rao Sahib fought desperately for a month and at last retired to the forests in disguise. At the end of about three years, he was also caught and was handed at Cawnpore on the 20th of August, 1862. Feroze Shah was also roaming about in disguise, but, fortunately, in the end, he got out of India and stayed at Kerbela in Persia.
The Revolution of 1857, as such has been discussed, from time to time. Did the Revolution burst out too early, before the preparations were ripe? We think not. The preparations that were made in 1857 are not usually found even in successful revolutions. When regiment upon regiment of soldiers, Princes, higher officers of the existing government, the police, and large towns, all, one after another, gave promises to rise, who would not start at once? Besides, it is often the case that the real difficulty is at the start and the whole country rised only later on. This consideration also proves that the leaders of the Revolution did not at all precipitate matters. Those who dare not rise even with so many facilities are not the men who can ever rise at all!
Then, why was there the defeat? Several minor reasons have already been mentioned in their proper places. But the chief reason appears to be this. Though the plan of the destructive part of the Revolution was complete, its creative part was not attractive enough. Nobody was against destroying the English power; but what about the future? If it was only to re-establish the former internecine strife, if it was to bring again the same
state of affairs as before, the same Moguls, the same Mahrattas, and the same old quarrels – a condition, being tired of which, the nation, in a moment of mad folly, allowed foreigners to come in – if it were only for this, the more ignorant of the populace did not think it worth while to shed their blood for it. Therefore, the Revolution worked out successfully as far as the destructive part was concerned; but, as soon as the time for construction came, indifference, mutual fear, and want of confidence sprang up. If there had been set clearly before the people at large a new ideal attractive enough to captivate their hearts, the growth and completion of the Revolution would have been as successful and as grand as its beginning.
Even had these people thoroughly understood at least so much that creation comes only after the Deluge, the Revolution would have succeeded. But, let alone creation, the country could not accomplish even the deluge thoroughly! And, why? Because, the vice of treachery and baseness had not yet gone away from the land. The defeat was chiefly due to the treachery of those men who had not sense enough to understand that the English power was more harmful than even the former kind of Swaraj ever could bem and of those who had not the honesty and patriotism to refuse to give help to the foreigner against their own countrymen.16
16 “Yet it must be admitted that, with all their courage, they (the British) would have been quite exterminated if the natives had been all and altogether, hostile to them. The desperate defences made by the garrisons were no doubt heroic; but the natives shared their glory, and they by their aid and presence rendered the defence possible. Our siege of Delhi would have been quite impossible, if the Rajas of Patiala and Jhind had not been our friends and if the Sikhs had not recruited in our battalions and remained quiet in the Punjab. The Sikhs at Lucknow did good service, and in all cases our garrisons were helped, fed, and served by the natives, as our armies were attended and strengthened by them in the field. Look at us all, here in camp, at this moment! Our outposts are native troops, natives are cutting grass for our horses and grooming them, feeding the elephants, managing the transports, supplyingthe commissariat which feeds us, cooking our soldiers’ food, clearing their camp, pitching and carrying their tents, waiting on our officers, and even lending us their money. The soldier who acts as my amanuensis declares that his regiment would not have lived a week but for the regimental servants, Doli bearers, hospital men, and other dependants. Gurkha guides did good service at Delhi and the Bengal artillerymen were as much exposed as the Europeans.” – Russell’s My Diary in India.
And the whole sin of this defeat lies on the head of these traitors! Had there been a clear and attractive ideal, even the traitors would have become patriots. When patriotism is profitable and paying, there is no advantage in playing the risky and shameful part of the betrayer. There is no special merit in that. The real glory belongs to those heroes who thoroughly understood that foreign domination is worse than Swaraj – Swaraj, democratic or monarchical, or even anarchical – and thus came out to fight for independence. Freedom is coveted not that the country might become wealthy but because in it alone consists the peace of the soul; honour is greater than loss or gain; the forest of independence is better than the cage though made of gold. Those who understood this principle, those who fulfilled their duty to their religion and to their country, those who lifted their swords for Swadharma and Swaraj and courted death if not for victory at least for duty, let their names be remembered, pronounced with reverence! Those who did not join them in the wholy war, through indifference or hesitation, may their names never be remembered by their country. And, as for those who actually joined the enemy and fought against their own countrymen, may their names be for ever crushed! The Revolution of 1857 was a test to see how far India had come towards unity, independence, and popular power.17 The fault of failure lies with the idle, effeminate, selfish, and treacherous men who ruined it. But those who, wielding the sword dripping with their own hot blood, in that great rehearsal, walked boldly on the stage of fire and danced in joy even on the very breast of Death – let no tongue dare to blame those heroes! They were not mad; they were not hasty; they were not the sharers of defeat; they were not inconsiderate; and, therefore, they cannot be blamed. It was at their call
17 “Among the many lessons the Indian mutiny conveys to the historian, none is of greater importance than the warning that it is possible to have a Revolution in which Brahmins and Sudras, Hindus and Mahomedans, could be united against us, and that it is not safe to support that the peace and stability of our dominions, in any great measure, depends on the continent being inhabited by different religious systems; for they mutually understand and respect and take a part in each other’s modes and ways and doings. The mutiny reminds us that our dominions rest on a thin crust ever likely to be rent by titanic fires of social changes and religious revolutions.” – Forrest’s Introduction.
that Mother India woke up from her deep sleep and ran forth to smite slavery down. But while one of her sons gave a terrific blow on the head of Tyranny, alas! her other son thrust a dagger in her own heart! And the wounded Mother was thrown down on the ground again! Now, which of these two sons was wicked, cruel, treacherous, and accursed?
Emperor Bahadue Shah was a poet. During the heat of the Revolution he composed a Gazal. Some one asked him :
Dumdumaymen dam nahin khair mango janki Ai Zafar thandi hui shamsher Hindusthanki.
“Now that, every moment, you are becoming weaker, pray for your life (to the English) : for, Oh! Emperor, the sword of India is now broken for ever!”
There is a tradition that the Emperor replied :
Ghazionmen bu rahegi jabtalak imanki Tabto Londontak chalegi teg Hindusthanki.
“As long as there remains the least trace of love of faith in the hearts of our heroes, so long, the sword of Hindusthan shall be sharp, and one day shall flash even at the gates of London.”
VANDE MATARAM