१८५७ का स्वातन्त्र्य समर (वीर विनायक दामोदर सावरकर - अंग्रेजों द्वारा छपने से पूर्व प्रतिबन्धित महाग्रन्थ)

THE ERUPTION
Though popular sympathy in the Panjab was with Delhi,
the Revolutionaries could not take advantage of it. The
reason is that the wave of Revolution was inevitably
checked for three weeks after the freedom of Delhi. If,
according to the pre-arranged plan, there had been uni-
versal and simultaneous risings, the English could not
have moved anywhere ; solitary and helpless regiments
could not have been disarmed in the Panjab ; the wave
of Revolution would have daily gained in volume, and
undecided and hesitating people like the Sikhs would
have been carried away with it ; and, seeing a glorious
and successful beginning, those who sympathised but
dared not throw in their lot with the Revolution would
have become emboldened and,—India would have
been free.
In short, on account of the treachery of the Sikhs and
the premature rising at Meerut, the roots of the Revolu-
tion in the Panjab were all weeded out. And the Panjab
being the backbone of Delhi, the news was very discourag-
ing to the Delhi patriots.
We have given, above, the movements of the Revolu-
tionaries and of the English in Delhi and the Panjab
during the three weeks. The English had been making
all possible preparations during these three weeks, and
large contingents of European troops were constantly be-
ing sent from Calcutta to Allahabad. In Bombay and
Madras, in Rajputana and Sind, a minute inquiry was
made as to the sympathisers of the Revolutionary move-
ment, and great efforts were being made to crush it in
time, as was done in the Panjab. And, thanking God
for this previous warning of the Revolution, they began
to be confident that they had extinguished the flames in
various places. While these preparations were going on
during these weeks on the side of the English, on the side
of the Revolutionaries all possible outward quiet was
maintained in general, except for some small risings that
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