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

BEHAR
of Major-General Lloyd ; besides, there was the 12th
native cavalry regiment under Major Holmes stationed
near by, at Sigwali.
The historical town of Patna was the centre of the power-
ful Wahabi sect of the Moslem religion. The English
commissioner, Tayler, was certain that Patna would take
part in the Revolution of 1857, and he therefore kept a
close watch on the leaders of that sect. The town of
Patna which thoroughly hated the English yoke had
started a secret society with the object of overthrowing
the English power as far back as 1852. This secret society
had amongst its members influential and rich merchants,
bankers and Zemindars, a fact which gave the society im-
mense funds for its work. As prominent Moulvies accept-
ed leading positions in the society, the work soon assumed
a grave turn. They had correspondence and communica-
tion with the secret society at Lucknow as well as with
the Sepoys at Danapur. The whole town of Patna, from
the police officers down to humble booksellers, was anxious
and eager for the moment when the first blow was to be
struck against the English power.
Patna was the headquarters of the secret society and the
organisation counted amongst its members representatives
of all classes in the vast population of the town. To the
mass of the people, the word "Feringhi" itself was as
gall and wormwood. They had no lack of funds and even
sent some money to the distant frontier districts in the
west to organise a Revolution against the English. Since
the police had also joined, the nightly secret meetings
went on without a hitch. The various members of the
society employed hundreds of Revolutionaries in their
service under various pretexts and paid them out of the
funds of the society. While Patna was, thus, burning
with the hatred of Feringhi rule, its flames were spreading
in all directions in the vast province, giving secret inspira-
tion to the people. Soon, communication was established
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