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

BENARES AND ALLAHABAD
women, all arose with the cry, "Har, Har," to smite the
chains of political slavery. "For, not only in the districts
beyond the Ganges but in those lying between the two
rivers, the rural population had risen . . . . and, soon, there
was scarcely a man of either faith who was not arraigned
against us."¹⁴ And, for the success of these huge efforts
of the whole populace and for the freedom of the Mother-
land, the Prayaga Brahmins and Mullahs began to send
forth prayers unto Heaven!
It is difficult to find in Indian history another Revolution,
so exciting, so quick, so terrible, and so universal! It
was almost an unheard of thing in India that the powers
of the people should awaken with a start and begin to
shed pools of blood for the freedom of the country, even
as thundering clouds shed rain. Besides, the sight of
Hindus and Mahomedans fighting side by side for
Hindusthan realizing their true interests and natural com-
radeship, was truly magnificent and inspiring. After
having set up such a terrible whirlwind, shall we wonder
that Hindusthan could not firmly keep it under control?
The wonder is that Hindusthan could raise such a whirl-
wind at all. For, no nation has been able to control a
Revolution suddenly. If we compare the Rising with the
French Revolution, we will find that the inevitable inci-
dents of any Revolution—like anarchy, confusion, outrage,
selfishness, and looting, were not fewer there than in
India. This was a vast experiment made by India. So,
we need not be surprised if, in the province of Allahabad
where the experiment was so successful, there were, also,
some mistakes and confusion. The hereditary feuds of
Zemindars, the excessive poverty—the corollary of long
slavery, and the enmity of centuries between Hindus and
Mahomedans and the natural occasional misunderstand-
ings during the efforts to extinguish it, all these made it im-
possible that there should not be anarchy for some time,
14. Kaye's Indian Mutiny, Vol. II, page 195.
199