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

THE ERUPTION
face! A few of the women in the prison used to grind
corn and each of them was given flour for one chapatee
free. This showed them what it meant to work for one's
living! What was the end of this imprisonment and what
was the reason for that end will appear at its proper time.
We will leave the women and children in prison and now
turn to more important matters.
When all the emblems of English rule had been wiped
out of Cawnpore, Nana Sahib held a great Durbar, about
five o'clock on the afternoon of the 28th. In honour of the
Durbar, there was also a military parade of the whole army
present. Six regiments of infantry, and two of cavalry,
besides bands of Revolutionaries, with their banners, who
had come from various places to join in the war, were
present at the ceremony. The artillery by whose power
Cawnpore was conquered was deservedly given the place
of honour. Bala Sahib was, from the first, very popular
in the army and got a splendid ovation when he arrived.
At first, there was a salute of 101 guns in honour of the
Emperor of Delhi which shows how, in 1857, Hindus and
Mahomedans had forgotten all their animosities. Next
when Nana Sahib arrived in the camp, he was acclaimed
with shouts and received a salute of twenty-one guns.
Some said the twenty-one guns represented the twenty-
one days of the siege. Nana Sahib thanked the army for
the great honour and said, “This victory belongs to all of
us. All have an equal glory therein.” It was then an-
nounced that Nana Sahib had ordered one lakh of Rupees
to be distributed to the army as a reward for its victory
and, when he presented himself on the parade, another
salute of twenty-one guns was fired. Then, Nana's nephew
—Rao Sahib, and brothers—Baba Sahib and Bala Sahib,
each got a salute of seventeen guns in their honour. Briga-
dier Jwala Prasad and Commander Tatia Topé were given
the honour of eleven guns each. In this manner, the even-
ing sun heard the martial song of freedom through the din
of cannon, and then the whole army returned to the camp.
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