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

OFFERING IN THE SACRIFICIAL FIRE
thirty-two guns! The Rao Sahib Peshwa ordered the
Raja to pay twenty-five lakhs of Rupees as fine. The
Raja pleaded for mercy and, at last, it was agreed that
he should pay fifteen lakhs. Tatia was in this place for
five days. He distributed pay to the army at the rate of
thirty Rupees a month to every cavalry-soldier and twelve
to every infantry-man. Afterwards Rao Sahib, Tatia,
and the Nabob of Bhanda began to deliberate upon their
future plan of action in the south. The chief aim of the
Peshwa army was to cross the Narbada and enter the
Deccan. To oppose this, the English had woven nets of
different armies and were guarding well nigh every outlet.
But Tatia had now acquired thirty-two guns, a new army,
new provisions and money, and was better prepared to
continue the struggle. So, he silently whispered to his
companions, "Now, the next move must be on Indore!"
This brilliant idea was quite in accordance with Tatia's
daring. With not so much as one regular regiment in
his hand, he had created new armies, new crowns, and
new kingdoms. To a man of such magical talent, the
plan of marching to Indore was not impossible to execute.
It is the duty of the chief, Holkar, to help his master,
the Peshwa. If he were not to do it willingly, service
should be exacted from him by the Peshwa. The Indore
army had secretly pledged itself to support Tatia. Even
the Indore Durbar was secretly sending invitations to
him! Therefore, Tatia decided to play his game. He
marched hastily from Pattan towards the south, rushed
into Malwa, and appeared suddenly at Raigarh!
Now, in pursuit of Tatia, there were marching, from dif-
ferent directions, the English commanders, Roberts,
Holmes, Parke, Mitchell, Hope and Lockhart. All of
them were thrown into consternation when they heard
that Tatia was marching upon Indore. One moved from
Mhow; one ran towards Nalkhera; one hesitated whether
he should go to Raigarh or not. General Mitchell had
527

TEMPORARY PACIFICATION
just, with infinite difficulty, ascended a hill with his army,
when he saw Tatia just descending on the other side.
But the English army was so tired that it could hardly
go forth a step further. So it rested for a while ; Tatia
took advantage of it and continued his march. He was
not tired ! The next day, Mitchell recommenced the pur-
suit and at last came upon Tatia. The Revolutionaries
were in their turn tired of the marches and prepared to
give battle. They numbered at the time about five thou-
sand and had about thirty guns. But the most wonderful
thing is that, as soon as about one thousand of the English
fell upon them, before even much blood was shed, they
began to retreat, leaving their guns behind ! It is on
such occasions that we notice the difference between the
guerilla tactics of Kumar Singh and of Tatia Topé. The
latter’s army did not take advantage of the opportunities
that came in their way to deviate from the rule of not
fighting an open battle with the English.
Leaving the maidan at Raigarh behind, Tatia’s army
entered into the forest on the banks of the river Betwa
and came out on the other side, at a place called Siranj.
At Siranj, Tatia got four guns again. The English army
could not move for some time on account of an excessive
fall of rain. And so Tatia got some time to rest his
troops. He therefore let his army rest for a week. At
the end of the week, he marched again to the north. The
town of Isagarh, in the Scindia’s dominions, would not
give him any provisions ; so, it was taken by assault and
Tatia again got eight guns. This was all right, but the
Narbada was thus being left further behind. It appeared
that the Mahratta lion could not get into his mountain
cave on account of the numerous English lances blocking
his way. While so many English armies are after one
man, why talk of the Narbada ? ¹

1. An English writer says : “Then commenced that marvel-
   lous series of retreats which, continued for ten months, seemed to
   528

The provided image appears to be entirely blank or overexposed, with no legible text or characters visible to transcribe.

SALAR JUNG,
Diwan of Hyderabad
Seeds of Revolution were
abundantly scattered all
over the State of Hyder-
abad and the condition was
almost ripe for a general
rising. But Salar Jung,
the Diwan of Hyderabad,
too loyal to the British,
played the same part there,
as Dinkar Rao, the Diwan
at Gwalior, in suppress-
ing the Revolution. The
British Residency at Hyd-
erabad was attacked by
the Revolutionaries on
July 17, 1857, but the Resi-
dent, Major Davidson, be-
ing already informed by
the Diwan, was fully pre-
pared and could repulse
them. The leaders of the
Revolution there were
captured and transported.
THE RESIDENCY,
HYDERABAD
The spot at Sureban, where Mr. Manson was killed.
THE VENKATESHWAR TEMPLE
the oath of revo

Nargund, a Mahratta State near Dharwar, was the most
prominent among the places in Southern India that flared up in 1857.
The chief, Baba Saheb, disaffected owing to the right of adoption
being refused to him, had entered into a secret alliance with Nana
Saheb and had vowed to rise at the right moment. That moment
having arrived at the appointment of Mr. Manson as the Political
Officer, he declared war against the British on May 27, 1858. Mr.
Manson was killed in a skirmish at Sureban, a nearby village, and
his head was taken in a triumphal procession to Nargund and kept
hanging on the main gate of the fort. But soon on June 2, the
town and fort of Nargund was attacked and captured by Capt.
Malcolm. Baba Saheb fled in disguise, but was captured the next
day. His wife and mother drowned themselves in the Malaprabha
river. Baba Saheb was tried and executed at Belgaum on June 12.
He was valiant, generous and a patron of learning. He is still
remembered with reverence and pride in the whole of Karnatak.
THE FORT,
NARGUND
ld fort where Baba Saheb took
he British.
THE CITY-GATE, NARGUND

This page is blank and contains no text to transcribe.

OFFERING IN THE SACRIFICIAL FIRE
Now, the Revolutionaries divided themselves into two
parts, one under Tatia and the other under Rao Sahib
Peshwa. The two armies marched separately. But they
did not give up their old tactics. They often eluded the
enemy cleverly, got guns and lost them, fought when it
was necessary as at Mangroli and Sindhwaha, retreated
in good order after skirmishes, were pursued for miles and
escaped successfully ; and again the two armies came to-
gether at Lalitpur. But, the Narbada was now no nearer.
Nay, Tatia and Rao were, now finally, almost in the grip
of the enemy. Mitchell from the south, Colonel Liddell
and Colonel Meade from the east and the north, Colonel
Parke from the west, Roberts from the Chambal—on all
mock at defeat, and made Tatia's name more familiar to Europe
than that of most of our Anglo-Indian generals. The problem be-
fore him was not an easy one. He had to keep together an army
of beaten Asiatics bound by no tie to his person and bound to
each other only by one common hate and one common fear—hate
of the Britisher's name and fear of the British gallows. He had
to keep this ill-assorted army in constant motion at a pace which
should baffle not only the enemies who pursued him but the enemies
who streamed down at right angles to his line of march. He had,
while thus urging his half-disciplined host to mad flight, to take
some dozen cities, obtain fresh stores, collect new cannon and, above
all, induce recruits to join voluntarily a service which promised
only incessant flight at sixty miles a day. That he accomplished
these ends with the means at his disposal indicates ability of no
mean kind. Slightly as we may hold the marauding leader, he
was of the class to which Haidar Ali belonged, and, had he carried
out the plan attributed to him and penetrated through Nagpur to
Madras, he might have been as formidable as his prototype. As
it was, the Narbada proved to him what the Channel was to
Napoleon. He could accomplish anything except cross the stream
......These columns, which moved at first as slowly as British
columns are accustomed to move, learnt to march, at last ; and
some of the later marches of Brigadier Parke and Colonel Napier
were equal to half of Tatia's average rate. Still, he escaped ; and
through the hot weather and the rains, and the cold weather and
the hot weather again, he was still flying, sometimes with two
thousand 'dispirited' followers and sometimes with fifteen thou-
sand men !”—From The Friend of India.
529
34

TEMPORARY PACIFICATION
sides of Tatia, the enemy was closing round and narrow-
ing the circle. Then, Rao and Tatia had a consultation
and came suddenly to Kajuri; but there, too, was an
English army. They entered the jungles again and
marched northwards up to Talbahat. So, the English
thought that at last Tatia had given up the idea of
marching to the south. But, from there, Tatia and Rao
Sahib suddenly dashed forth, crossed the Betwa, fought
a skirmish with the English at Kajuri, and again at Rai-
garh, and then marched straight to the south, now seen,
now unseen. The English were in utter confusion at the
audacity of the attempt; they ran in all directions to
stop him. But, brushing aside and eluding these armies
by extraordinary marches, this Mahratta with the speed
of lightning, crossed ghats, forded rivers, rushed right
through forests and pushed straight towards the south !
Parke rushed from the flank, Mitchell in the rear and
Becher from the front, but still Tatia persisted in his
wonderful southward march ! There, he has come to the
Narbada, he is on the river—and the astonished and
dumbfounded world clapped its hand in applause !—
Tatia, has, at last, crossed the Narbada ! Malleson says:
“ It is impossible to withhold admiration from the perti-
nacity with which this scheme was carried out.”²
2. “Our very remarkable friend, Tatia Tope, is too trouble-
some and clever an enemy to be admired. Since last June he has
kept Central India in a fervour. He has sacked stations, plundered
treasuries, emptied arsenals; collected armies, lost them; fought
battles, lost them; taken guns from native princes, lost them; taken
more, lost them; then, his motions were like forked lightning; and
for weeks, he has marched thirty and forty miles a day. He has
crossed the Narbada to and fro; he has marched between our
columns, behind them, and before them. Ariel was not more subtle,
aided by the best stage mechanism. Up mountains, over rivers,
through ravines and valleys, amid swamps, on he goes, backwards
and forwards, and sideways and zig-zag ways, now falling upon a
post-cart and carrying off the Bombay mails, now looting a village,
headed and burned, yet evasive as Proteus”—The Times, 17th Janu-
ary 1859.
530

OFFERING IN THE SACRIFICIAL FIRE
At last, a Mahratta prince had entered the Deccan with
an army ! When it became known that Tatia had crossed
the Narbada near Hoshangabad and had arrived near
Nagpur, not only in the three presidencies, not only all
over India, not only in England, but all over Europe even,
all men, including even his enemies, shouted out in
applause, “ Bravo, Tatia, Bravo ! ” The whole Revolu-
tion had changed its colour at once !³ In front of him
lay the Nizam’s dominions where he had a powerful party
in the Durbar supporting him, on the other side were
Poona, Bombay, and the whole of Maharashtra. The
Jaripatka in the land of the Mahrattas—who knew what
hidden powers might not rise from that Raigarh, from
that Pawankhindi, from that Wargaon ! The Nizam of
Hyderabad, Lord Harris at Madras, Lord Elphinstone at
Bombay, and Lord Canning at Calcutta—all were be-
wildered with astonishment ! Such an astonishing feat
did Tatia effect in this descent into Maharashtra ! But
it was only astonishing ; for the time had now gone by
when it would also have been useful ! A year before,
this crossing of the Narbada would have had a wonderful
effect. Now, in the October of 1858, this wonderful
strategy would excite admiration but would not lead to
success ! The Revolution had by now been crushed in
almost all places. And the terrible bloodshed caused in
the fierce struggle which was still fresh before its mind,
had made the nation weak and stupid. In spite of this
if the people of Nagpur had shown some perseverance,

3. “ It was accomplished. The nephew of the man recognised
   by the Mahrattas as the heir of the last reigning Peshwa was on
   the Mahratta soil with an army . . . . The Nizam was loyal. But
   the times were peculiar . . . . Instances had occurred before, as in the
   case of the Scindia, of a people revolting against their sovereign
   when that sovereign acted in the teeth of the national feeling. It was
   impossible not to fear lest the army of Tatia should rouse to arms the
   entire Mahratta population and that the spectacle of a people in arms
   against the foreigner might act with irresistible force on the people of
   the Deccan.”—Malleson’s Indian Mutiny, Vol. V, pages, 239, 240.
   531

TEMPORARY PACIFICATION

the aspect of the Revolution might have been changed.
In the north of India, in village after village, the peasants
would voluntarily and gladly give provisions to Tatia's
men and look upon him with the reverence due to a
patriotic hero—but such was the adverse fate, that, in
the country of the Mahrattas themselves, the people were
afraid to assist him in his noble mission ! What other
fruits would the loyalty of the infamous Queen Banka
bear ? Undaunted, however, by this adverse reception of
his marvellous efforts, Tatia stayed there for some time
and began to think out the future campaign.
Immediately, the English armies began to march thither
from all directions. The English were at Melghat, Asir-
garh was closed to him, and so were Gujarat, Khandesh,
and Nagpur. The whole south was closed from below,
while, from above, from the north, the pursuing armies
had now crossed the Narbada and come after him. Still
the invincible hero did not lose heart ; not only this, but
the unbeaten warrior effected more marvellous feats in
strategic marching. Keeping in check as far as possible
the armies that were now encircling him, looting mails,
breaking telegraphs, surprising outposts, Tatia marched
straight to the source of the Narbada. Why ? He had,
now, actually set his heart upon Baroda ! All the fords
of the Narbada were watched by English armies on both
sides of the river. Still, Tatia came to a village, called
Kargun, to cross the river there. There he came across
the English commandant Major Sunderland. The armies
approached and a battle began. In the heat of the battle,
Tatia ordered all his guns to be left behind, jumped into
the Narbada, and was soon on the other side with his
men. On this occasion, Tatia and his men, indeed, per-
formed one of the most wonderful feats ever recorded in
the history of warfare, in the rapid marches which they
effected. Malleson clearly says, “ Now that the guns
were lost, his men were able to display that capacity for
rapid marching in which the natives of India are un-

532

OFFERING IN THE SACRIFICIAL FIRE
surpassed, I might almost say unequalled, by any troops
in the world." Even in the midst of all this hurry and
danger, Tatia continued his march straight towards
Baroda. At Baroda, in the Durbar and in the army, the
party which completely sided with Nana Sahib's policy
was powerful, and the Gaekwar's troops were only wait-
ing for Tatia's arrival to join him openly. Tatia came
up to Rajpura, exacted a ransom of money and horses
from the chief there and, on the next day, camped in
the state of Chhota Udaipur. Baroda now lay only fifty
miles off !
But there were numerous English armies in hot pursuit
trying to capture him. The enemies' troops used to pro-
ceed exactly on the line of his march, and it is most
wonderful how he used to escape from their nets. At
Chhota Udaipur, Parke came in with Tatia, and so Tatia
had to give up the Baroda plan. Leaving the west aside,
Tatia with his army marched again to the north and
entered the jungles of Vasvara. But now, the Nabob of
Banda had taken advantage of the Proclamation of the
Queen of England and had laid down his arms. Tatia and
Rao Sahib, the two leaders, were caught in a net which
could not possibly be broken through. On the south there
was the Narbada, on the west was Roberts and his army,
on the north and east lay the steep and impassable Ghats !
If, in such a state, Tatia and Rao had surrendered, who
could have blamed them ? But glory be to them that
even in such a state they did not surrender ! An English
author, in surprise and admiration, writes : " But, these
two men were, in this hour of supreme danger, as cool,
as bold, as fertile in resource as at any period of their
careers."⁴ On the 11th of December, Tatia came out of
the jungle, obtained some provisions, from a Killadar
and began to march straight on the city of Udaipur !
But, immediately several English armies fell upon him.
4. Malleson's Indian Mutiny, Vol. V, p. 247.
533

TEMPORARY PACIFICATION
So, he had to give up the design and re-enter the jungle.
It seemed now evident that Tatia could not hold out for
more than a week at the most and must eventually sur-
render. So the Revolutionary leaders began to discuss
whether it was now necessary to give up the struggle.
The place was not a jungle but a veritable cage into which
the Mahratta tiger had been driven from all sides. Not
only were English armies ready on every side, but they
were narrowing the cordon every moment. Still Tatia
would not think of giving up the fight. He and Rao
Sahib one day marched out in the direction of Pratapgarh.
It was now about four in the afternoon. Tatia's army
had scarcely come out of the jungle when Major Rocke
came up and blocked his way. Not that Tatia did not
know that this part of the cage was also barred. But he
took his choice and thought that this bar was the least
strong of all, and so the tiger at once made an attempt
to rush out there. Tatia's men marched straight on
Major Rocke's troops and silenced them after a sudden
onslaught. And thus the cage was broken through once
again. The English commandants had to hang down
their heads in shame !
On the 25th of December, 1858, Tatia left the Vasvara
jungle. About the same time, Feroze Shah, the illustri-
ous hero whose work in Oudh has been described in a
previous chapter, was coming with his army to meet
Tatia.⁵ This Prince Mirza Feroze Shah was a worthy
5. "One of the great results that have flowed from the re-
bellion of 1857-1858 has been to make inhabitants of every part
of India acquainted with each other. We have seen the tide of
war rolling from Nepal to the borders of Gujarat, from the deserts
of Rajputana to the frontiers of the Nizam's territories, the same
men overrunning the whole land of India and giving to their resist-
ance, as it were, a national character. The paltry interests of
isolated states, the ignorance which men of one petty principality
have laboured under in considering the habits and customs of other
principalities—all this has disappeared to make way for a more
uniform appreciation of public events throughout India. We may
534

OFFERING IN THE SACRIFICIAL FIRE
son of the Delhi dynasty. His marvellous exploit of
crossing the Ganges and the Jumna, and the subsequent
march up to where Tatia was, cannot be described in
detail for want of space. Advancing to meet Feroze Shah
and a Revolutionary Sirdar of the court of the Scindia
called Man Singh, Rao Sahib and Tatia after many march-
es and skirmishes arrived at last at Indragarh on the 13th
of January, 1859. And there the four leaders stopped
for some time, discussing plans for future action. Tatia
had always minute and correct information about the
movements of the English. Seeing that they were clos-
ing round him again on all sides, Tatia arrived by forced
marches at Dewasa. Now at last Tatia had not the
smallest loophole through which to escape from the
hands of the English. He had not even any hope of fu-
ture success in his heart to encourage him to make
another adventurous dash. Napier hemmed him from
the north, Showers from the north-west, Somerset from
the east, Smith from the south-east, Michel and Benson
on the south, Bonner on the south-west and west ;—thus,
on all sides, he was surrounded by the enemy. Where
and how could he with his fatigued men find a means of
escape from these and other English forces ? The Eng-
lish commandants swore that escape was absolutely im-
possible. How was it possible for Tatia to break through
the net closing around him ? It did in very deed seem
impossible. The English cords were now tightly round
the necks of the four leaders, Feroze Shah, Man Singh,
Tatia, and Rao Sahib. It was now impossible to escape !
At Dewasa, on the morning of the 16th of January, 1859,

assume that, in the rebellion of 1857, no national spirit was aroused,
but we cannot deny that our efforts to put it down have sown
the seeds of a new plant and thus laid the foundation for more
energetic attempts on the part of the people if, in the course of
future years, England has not done something towards reconciling
the numerous inconsistencies and suppressing some of the dangerous
tendencies of its rule in India."—The Times, 20th of May, 1859.
535

TEMPORARY PACIFICATION
Tatia, Rao Sahib, and Feroze Shah were discussing plans
in a special council of war, when suddenly the last shout
of despair was heard ! Tatia felt an Englishman's hand
at his back and the English had flooded into the camp.
There was a joyous shout on the English side : " Tatia
is caught ! Tatia is caught ! " But soon the cry had to
be varied. " Oh ! he was here only just now ! Run,
soldiers, run ! " They carried an exhaustive search in
each and every corner—but Tatia had disappeared !
That magician Tatia was to be seen again, together with
Rao Sahib and Feroze at the town of Sikhar, near Alwar,
on the 21st of January, and English forces were again run-
ning madly in pursuit. One of them, Holmes, actually
fought a skirmish with the Revolutionaries, who were de-
feated and pushed back.
The defeat at Sikhar destroyed not the hope of success of
the Revolutionaries—that was gone even long before—but
it made any further resistance absolutely impossible. Since
the failure of the Baroda plan, after the crossing of the
Narbada, Tatia and Rao Sahib had been discussing as to
whether the guerilla tactics should be modified at last.
Now, Tatia took leave of Rao Sahib and the army. He
took with him two horses, a pony, two Brahmin cooks,
and a man-servant. With these followers, Tatia came up
to Sirdar Man Singh of Gwalior who was, at the time,
hiding in the Paron jungles. Man Singh said to him,
" You did not do well in leaving the army." Tatia replied,
" Let that be for better or for worse I am now going to
stay with you. I am tired of continual marching."⁶ Hear-
ing that Tatia was now hiding with Man Singh in the
jungle, the English now resorted to the plan of capturing
through the base, and for them handy, instrument of
treachery and deceit, the enemy whom they could not cap-
ture in open war. First, they approached Man Singh.
6. From Tatia's Diary.
536

OFFERING IN THE SACRIFICIAL FIRE
They told him that if he would surrender himself and help
them in capturing Tatia, they would use their influence
with the Scindia and not only have him pardoned but give
him the kingdom of Narwar. This Man Singh was of such
a base nature that he had before this tried to hand over
even his own uncle to the English. The wretched Man, at
once, consented and closed with the offer. He saw Tatia
and informed him that he was going to surrender to the
English. But, even after this, Tatia would not even
think of surrender. Feroze Shah had just written to him
to return to the camp. Tatia showed the letter to Man
Singh and asked him "Shall I then go or remain in this
jungle? I will do as you tell me." The treacherous Man
replied, "Wait for some time ; I will soon let you know."
Though Tatia knew that Man Singh had surrendered to
the English, he reposed full confidence in him. Man
added, "Until I return, you can remain in safety where
my guide will take you to." In the place showed by the
guide, believing it to be the safest place, Tatia remained
for three days. But on the third day, at midnight, the
Mahratta tiger, who had hitherto evaded the enemy after
fighting innumerable battles and skirmishes, marching
thousands of miles, and effecting hair-breadth escapes, was,
by the treachery of a countryman, made a prisoner.
For, giving Tatia in charge of the guide, the basest-born
of men returned to the English ; hands were shaken to
complete the agreement, and some Sepoys of the Bombay
native regiment were sent to accompany Man. Such was
the sympathy with Tatia in all Indian hearts that the
English could not trust any Indian with him, as a rule.
So, they did not even mention Tatia's name to the
Sepoys. The order was simply "to obey Man Singh's
orders and to arrest the suspected person whom he would
point out." With this detachment, Man went his way
to the Paron jungle. He had promised Tatia to return
in three days to tell him definitely whether he should go
to Feroze Shah or not. And, he came at the appointed
537

TEMPORARY PACIFICATION
time, too ! At midnight, on the third day, Tatia was
asleep in the place pointed out by the guide as the safest.
Man came near the place and muttered an order to the
Sepoys to rush forth. The Mahratta tiger was sound
asleep in that jungle—the ‘Bemân Man’ let loose on him
his hounds ; Tatia just opened his eyes a little, and at
once found himself a prisoner of the English !
On the 7th of April, 1859, at midnight, Tatia fell into this
prison of treachery, and on the next day in the early
morning, he was taken to the camp of General Meade at
Sipri. Immediately, a court-martial sat and Tatia was
charged with waging war against the British Power. On
Wednesday, Tatia wrote down his statement in reply.
“Whatever I did, I did according to the orders of my
master. Until Kalpi, I was under the orders of Nana
Sahib, after Kalpi I was under Rao Sahib. Except
in just battle, in warfare, neither I nor Nana have ever
killed in cold blood or hanged any European, man, wo-
man, or child. I do not want to take part in this trial
any more.” At the special request of the English, Tatia
dictated his reliable, short, and important diary from
the beginning to the end of the Revolution. The Munshi
wrote it down and it was read out to him. Afterwards,
he signed the diary as well as the statement given above
in good English letters, “Tatia Topé.” To all questions
asked to him, he replied in Hindusthani, in the sense of
the diary and the statement. His replies were straight,
short, and spirited. If anyone asked him question in
English, he would reply coolly in Hindusthani, “Malum
nahin,” (I don’t understand). When minor English
officers were walking about insolently near him, there
was a look of indifference and disdain on his face. The
inquiry lasted through Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Crowds of Indians used to come up to see him, but per-
mission was often refused them. Those who were admit-
ted bowed to him with reverence and affection. When
the English informed him that his trial was to take place
538

OFFERING IN THE SACRIFICIAL FIRE
and asked him to collect evidence for his defence, Tatia
replied to the officer, “I know full well that, having
fought against the British as I have done, I shall have
to prepare myself for death. I do not want any court
nor do I wish to take any part in the trial;” and raising
up his hands loaded with shackles, he continued, “the
only hope that I have is to get myself released from these
chains either from the mouth of the cannon or from the
loop of the gallows! Only one thing I have to ask, and
that is, that, my family at Gwalior having had no con-
nection with my actions, you should not take my old
father to any task for my deeds.
On the 18th of April, the farce, called his trial, ended.
Tatia was sentenced to death and taken to the gallows
at about four o'clock in the afternoon. He was taken
out of his tent under the guard of the 3rd Bengal Euro-
peans. When Tatia approached the place where the
gallows stood, the troops formed an extended square
round it. There was a great crowd of Indian infantry,
European cavalry, and the spectators. In the country
surrounding, Indian villagers were standing up on emin-
ences here and there. Tatia once again made a request
that his father should not be persecuted. The charge
and the sentence were read, and the Mistri broke the
chains round Tatia’s feet. Tatia walked boldly and with
a firm step to the gallows and coolly ascended up the
ladder. When, as is the custom, the executioners came
up to bind Tatia’s hands and feet on the platform, Tatia
smiled pleasantly, and said, “These formalities are not
necessary.” With these words he himself put forth his
head in the noose. The noose tightened, the block rose,
and with a jerk....
Tatia Topé, the loyal servant of the Peshwas, the hero
of 1857, the country’s martyr, the defender of religion,
the proud, the loving, the generous Tatia Topé, was
hanging lifeless on the gallows of the English! The
539

TEMPORARY PACIFICATION
gallows became wet with blood and the country became
wet with tears ! His fault was that he suffered innumer-
able hardships for the sake of his country’s independence;
the baseness of a traitor’s double-dealing was his reward;
and the end ?—he was hanged on the gallows of the Eng-
lish like a criminal ! Tatia ! Oh ! Tatia ! Why were you
ever born in our unfortunate country! Why did you fight
for these wretched, stupid, and treacherous people? Tatia,
can you see now the tears we shed for you ? For the
tears of weaklings, your blood !—What a bargain, indeed!
Seeing Tatia’s body hanging mutilated there, the Eng-
lish heroes of the day turned back in satisfaction at their
valour. His bleeding body was left hanging there till
sunset. When the surrounding guard was withdrawn,
the European spectators rushed forth in a crowd and
there was a regular stampede to get hold of a
lock of his hair as a souvenir.
In the sacrificial fire of the War of Independence of 1857,
this was the last and culminating sacrifice !
The terrible volcano, which had opened wide its jaws
and had vomited forth in rage a regular torrent of
flesh, of blood, of corpses, of lightnings, of thunders, of
burning red lava—that volcano then began to close its
mouth again ; its heated lava began to cool ; its sword-
tongues re-entered their scabbards ; its fiery lightnings,
its deafening thunders, its whirl-winds, its terrible mov-
ings, and its dread awakenings—all entered again the
magicians’ bag and melted away into the invisible air.
And the crater closed and green grass began again to grow
on the top ; cultivation recommenced ; furrows were
active ; peace, safety, and softness reigned. And the
surface of the volcano has now become so soft and
smiling that nobody does believe that there slumbers a
volcano under that surface !
Published by Asian Educational Services, New Delhi, 2014.
540

CHAPTER III
CONCLUSION
Now that the volcano has temporarily subsided,
readers 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 hanged 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.
541

TEMPORARY PACIFICATION
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 rises only later on. This consi-
deration also proves that the leaders of the Revolu-
tion 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 Mah-
rattas, 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 con-
cerned ; 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.
542