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

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

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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

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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

CONCLUSION
Even had these people thoroughly understood at least
so much that creation comes only after the Deluge, the
Revolution would have succeeded. But, let alone crea-
tion, the country could not accomplish even the deluge
thoroughly ! And, why ? Because, the vice of treachery
and baseness had not yet gone away from the land. The
defeat was chiefly due to the treachery of those men who
had not sense enough to understand that the English
power was more harmful than even the former kind of
Swaraj ever could be, and of those who had not the
honesty and patriotism to refuse to give help to the
foreigner against their own countrymen.¹
And the whole sin of this defeat lies on the head of these
traitors ! Had there been a clear and attractive ideal,
even the traitors would have become patriots. When
patriotism is profitable and paying, there is no advantage
in playing the risky and shameful part of the betrayer.

1. "Yet it must be admitted that, with all their courage, they
   (the British) would have been quite exterminated if the natives
   had been all and altogether, hostile to them. The desperate de-
   fences made by the garrisons were no doubt heroic ; but the natives
   shared their glory, and they by their aid and presence rendered
   the defence possible. Our siege of Delhi would have been quite
   impossible, if the Rajas of Patiala and Jhind had not been our
   friends and if the Sikhs had not recruited in our battalions and
   remained quiet in the Punjab. The Sikhs at Lucknow did good
   service, and in all cases our garrisons were helped, fed, and served
   by the natives, as our armies were attended and strengthened by
   them in the field. Look at us all, here in camp, at this moment !
   Our outposts are native troops, natives are cutting grass for our
   horses and grooming them, feeding the elephants, managing the
   transports, supplying the commissariat which feeds us, cooking our
   soldiers' food, clearing their camp, pitching and carrying their tents,
   waiting on our officers, and even lending us their money. The
   soldier who acts as my amanuensis declares that his regiment could
   not have lived a week but for the regimental servants, Doli bearers,
   hospital men, and other dependants. Gurkha guides did good ser-
   vice at Delhi and the Bengal artillerymen were as much exposed
   as the Europeans."—Russell's My Diary in India.
   543

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There is no special merit in that. The real glory belongs
to those heroes who thoroughly understood that foreign
domination is worse than Swaraj—Swaraj, democratic or
monarchical, or even anarchical—and thus came out to
fight for independence. Freedom is coveted not that the
country might become wealthy but because in it alone
consists the peace of the soul ; honour is greater than loss
or gain ; the forest of independence is better than the cage
though made of gold. Those who understood this princi-
ple, those who fulfilled their duty to their religion and
to their country, those who lifted their swords for Swa-
dharma and Swaraj and courted death if not for victory
at least for duty, let their names be remembered, pro-
nounced with reverence ! Those who did not join them
in the wholy war, through indifference or hesitation, may
their names never be remembered by their country. And,
as for those who actually joined the enemy and fought
against their own countrymen, may their names be for
ever crushed ! The Revolution of 1857 was a test to see
how far India had come towards unity, independence,
and popular power.² The fault of failure lies with the
idle, effeminate, selfish, and treacherous men who ruined
it. But those who, wielding the sword dripping with
their own hot blood, in that great rehearsal, walked bold-
ly on the stage of fire and danced in joy even on the very
breast of Death—let no tongue dare to blame those
heroes ! They were not mad ; they were not hasty ; they
were not the sharers of defeat ; they were not inconside-
2. " Among the many lessons the Indian mutiny conveys to
the historian, none is of greater importance than the warning that
it is possible to have a Revolution in which Brahmins and Sudras,
Hindus and Mahomedans, could be united against us, and that it
is not safe to suppose that the peace and stability of our domi-
nions, in any great measure, depends on the continent being inhabit-
ed by different religious systems ; for they mutually understand
and respect and take a part in each other's modes and ways and
doings. The mutiny reminds us that our dominions rest on a
thin crust ever likely to be rent by titanic fires of social changes
and religious revolutions."—Forrest's Introduction.
544

CONCLUSION
rate ; and, therefore, they cannot be blamed. It was
at their call that Mother India woke up from her deep
sleep and ran forth to smite slavery down. But while
one of her sons gave a terrific blow on the head of Tyran-
ny, alas ! her other son thrust a dagger in her own heart !
And the wounded Mother was thrown down on the
ground again ! Now, which of these two sons was wicked,
cruel, treacherous, and accursed ?
Emperor Bahadur Shah was a poet. During the heat of
the Revolution he composed a Gazal. Some one asked
him :
Dumdumaymen dam nahin khair mângo jânki
Ai Zafar thandi hui shamsher Hindusthanki.
“ Now that, every moment, you are becoming weaker,
pray for your life (to the English) : for, Oh ! Emperor,
the sword of India is now broken for ever ! ”
There is a tradition that the Emperor replied :
Ghazionmen bû rahegi jabtalak îmanki
Tabto Londontak chalegi têg Hindusthanki.
“ As long as there remains the least trace of love of faith
in the hearts of our heroes, so long, the sword of Hindu-
sthan shall be sharp, and one day shall flash even at the
gates of London.”
VANDÊ MÂTARAM
35 545

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GLOSSARY
AMIR—a lord.
ANKUSH—a goading hook.
ARABISTHÂN—Arabia.
ASURA—an enemy of the gods.
ATTAR—perfumed extract.
AYAH—a waiting-woman.
AYÔDHYA—Oudh.
BABALÔG—children.
BÂBERCHI—cook.
BADMÂSH—a ruffian.
BÂHÂDUR—brave (man).
BÂI—a lady's title.
BANIA—merchant.
BARGEER—a Mahratta horseman.
BATTI—a light turban.
BAZAAR—shopping quarter in a
city.
BEGUM—princess or lady of high
rank.
BÊTICHOOT—incestuous.
BHAGAVAT GÎTA—a Hindu Scrip-
ture.
BHÂGÎRATHI—the Ganges.
BHALDÂR—herald.
BHALEGHATE—the chosen troops
of the Scindia.
BHÂRATA—a Hindu; also India.
BHÂRATA-BHÛMI—India.
BHÂRATA-MÂT—Mother India.
BHÂRATA-VARSHA—the imperial
dominions of the Hindus.
BHAUBIJ—a Hindu feast.
BHÊDA—division : the principle
of divide et impera.
BHEEMA—an ancient Hindu hero.
BHISHTI—a water-carrier.
BÔLÔ—say.
BRAHMADÊSH—Burma.
BRAHMIN—a member of the
Hindu sacerdotal caste.
BUGGY—a gig.
CHALO—come along.
CHANDÊRI—a kind of cloth (from
the name of the place where it
used to be manufactured).
CHANDI—Goddess Kali(q. v.).
CHAPÂTEE—bread prepared in a
particular fashion used by
Indians.
CHAUVIS PERGANNA—a district
in Bengal.
CHHABÊLI—darling.
547

GLOSSARY
CHÂTO—cut down.
CHHATRA—umbrella: the em-
blem of empire.
CHHATRAPATI—emperor.
CHINTZ—a kind of printed cloth.
CHÔBDAR—herald.
CHOUGHADA—drum.
CHOWDHURY—chief.
CHOWDI—a rest-house outside a
village; government officers
sometimes hold their court
there.
CHOWKIDÂR—keeper.
DÂK—post.
DÂNA—gift.
DÂR—a suffix denoting possessor
or owner.
DARÔGA—jail superintendant.
DÊSH—country.
DEWÂN-I-KHAS—special audience
hall.
DEWÂNJI—minister.
DHARMA—sacred duty or religion.
DHARMASHÂLA—place where
charity is dispensed.
DHOTI—a long cloth.
DIN—Faith : the war-cry of the
Mahomedans during the Revo-
lution of 1857.
DÎPÂVALI—the festival of lamps.
DÔAB—land between two rivers.
DÔLI—ambulance.
DORAKDÂR—an officer.
DUPÊTA—long piece of cloth, used
by soldiers round their waist
and sometimes tied into a tur-
ban.
DURBÂR—levee or court.
DUSHSHÂSANA—a wicked charac-
ter in the Mahâbhâratâ.
FAKIR—a Mahomedan Sanyasi
(q.v.), also common beggar.
FERINGHI—a contemptuous term
for an Englishman ; (it origi-
nally meant, a European).
GADI—throne.
GANGA—the Ganges.
GAURI—a Goddess.
GAZAL—an Urdu couplet.
GHANAGARJ—Sounding like thun-
der.
GHARRY—a cab or carriage.
GHAT—the bank of a river,
generally a bathing place ; also
a chain of mountains.
GHÂZI—a Mahomedan who fights
fiercely for his faith and ob-
tains victory.
GHEE—clarified butter.
GULLY—small lane.
GURU—spiritual teacher.
HAR DÊV—God Shiva, who des-
troys evil.
HAR HAR MAHÂDÊV—the war-cry
of the Hindus (lit. Great God
Shiva).
HAKÎM—physician.
HARIDVAR—the place where the
Ganges leaves the mountains
and enters the plains—meta-
phorically, origin or source.
HATHO—retire.
HAWALDÂR—an army officer.
HIND—India.
HINDI—the language of India ;
also, Indian.
HINDUSTHÂN—India.
HINDUSTHANEE—inhabitant of
India.
HINDUSTHANI—Indian ; also, a
language of India.
HIRANYAKASHIPU—a most power-
ful but wicked king of the
Asuras (q.v.).
548

GLOSSARY
HOMA—a sacrifice.
HOOKAH—smoking pipe.
HOWDAH—a covered seat on the
back of an elephant.
HUJRE—attendant.
ID—a Mahomedan feast.
INÂM—land given as gift, free of
taxes.
ISLÂM—the Mahomedan world ;
Mahomedanism.
JÂHGIR—land given as recomp-
ense for service, generally mili-
tary.
JÂHGIRDÂR—a man who owns a
jahgir.
JAI JUMNÂJI !—victory to Jum-
na !—an invocation to the pre-
siding Goddess of the river
Jumna.
JAMADAR—poniard.
JARIPATKA—the banner of the
Mahrattas.
JAT—Panjabee peasant.
JÂTRA—pilgrimage.
JAWÂN—a heroic young man.
JEHÂD—a religious war.
JUMA MUSJID—the principal
mosque of a city.
KACCHA—useless, weak.
KÂFFIR—an abusive term for a
non-Mahomedan.
KALGITURA—an ornament on the
turban.
KÂLI—a Goddess who delights in
destroying the foes of India.
KÂLI-NADI—the river Kali.
KÂLINDI—the Jumnâ.
KALPA—a mythological tree
which bestows everything that
is asked of it.
KÂMADHÊNU—a mythical cow
which bestows everything that
is asked of it.
KÂRBHÂRI—superintendent.
KÂSHI—Benares.
KAUSTUBHA—gem worn by God
Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi.
KHÂLASA—the body of the fight-
ing Sikhs.
KHALÎFA—the spiritual head of
Islam.
KHÂN—a military title.
KHAVIND—Lord.
KILLA—fort.
KILLADÂR—fort-keeper.
KINKHAB—a rich velvet cloth
worked in silver.
KOH-I-NOOR—the most ancient
and most famous diamond of
the world, robbed by the Eng-
lish from India.
KORÂN—the Scripture of the
Mahomedans.
KOTWÂL—city commissioner of
police.
KOTWALI—central police station.
KRIPÂN—sword.
KSHATRIYA—the warrior caste
among the Hindus.
KSHÊTRA—a sacred place.
KUKRI—a small hand-sword.
KULKHERNI—a village tax-
gatherer.
KUMMERBUND—a loin cloth worn
by warriors.
KUNDA—a sacrificial pit.
KYA TAMASHA HAI—what fun !
LÂKH—one hundred thousand.
LASHKAR—army.
LÂVANI—a popular reed or lay.
LÔTA—tumbler, peculiarly shap-
ed, used for drinking water
from.
MAHÂBHÂRATA—the great Indian
Epic.
549

GLOSSARY
MAHAL—palace.
MAHÂLAKSHMI—the goddess of
wealth and prosperity.
MAHALKUREE—district officer.
MAHAR—a low caste.
MAHÂRÂJA—king (lit. great
king).
MAHÂRÂNEE—queen (lit. great
queen).
MAHÂRÂSHTRA—the land of the
Mahrattâs.
MÂHUT—the driver of an ele-
phant.
MAIDÂN—plain, battle-field.
MÂLIK—master, governor.
MANGALYA-SÛTRA—a sacramental
string worn in the neck by the
bride : it is removed only
when she becomes a widow.
MANKAREE—a courtier.
MANTAP—hall generally of a
religious character.
MANTRA—Vedic hymn.
MÂRO FERINGHÎKO !—kill the
Feringhis !
MÂRWÂRI—a Marwar man, gene-
rally used in the sense of ban-
ker.
MÂT—mother.
MATHÂLIKE—an epithet of Kali
(q. v.).
MAT MÂRO—don't kill.
MAUNG—executioner.
MÂWALÂS—Mahratta peasants
led by Shivaji, and who fought
with a courage rarely equalled.
MEM-SÂHIB—a term by which
English women delight to be
called by low-caste Indians.
MERA JHANSI DÔNGI NAHIN—I
will not give up my Jhansi.
MISAL—a division of the Sikh
Khalasa.
MISTRI—executioner.
MOSLEM—Mahomedan.
MOULVIE—a Mahomedan scholar.
MOURCHA—an ornamental fan
made of deer-hair.
MULLAH—a Mahomedan priest.
MUNSIFF—a civil judge.
MUSJID—a Mahomedan place of
worship.
MUSNUD—throne.
MUSSULMAN—a Mahomedan.
NABOB—a Mahomedan lord
(many of these Nabobs esta-
blished independent thrones).
NÂDÂR—bankrupt ; used in the
text in its literal sense of ‘ a
man who is not a dâr ’ (q.v.).
NADI—a river.
NÂGA—a cobra snake.
NAGÂRA—a kind of drum.
NAGÂRKHÂNA—place where
drums are kept and sounded.
NAGPURWALLA—Nagpur-man.
NARASIMHA—an incarnation of
Vishnu in which he killed
Hiranyakashipu (q.v.).
NÂTAKA—a theatrical perform-
ance.
NATH—an ornament worn on the
nose.
NIMAKHARAM—traitorous.
NUJEIB—of noble birth; also a
title.
OMRA—a nobleman.
PÂDRE—a missionary (a term of
contempt).
PÂDSHÂH—emperor.
PÂDSHÂHI—empire, emperorship.
PÂGA—stable.
PÂLKEE—a palanquin.
PÂNDAY—a Revolutionary of
1857.
PARIAH—a low-caste Hindu.
PÂRTHIVA PÛJA—a worship.
550

GLOSSARY
PATEL—head of a village
PÊSHWA—literally, a minister ;
the Peshwa of the Mahratta
empire soon became the head
of the Mahratta confederacy.
PÊSHWÂI—the office and posses-
sions of the Peshwa.
POWADA—a popular song.
PRASÂD—anything blessed by be-
ing first dedicated to God
PRAYÂGA—Allahabad.
PRAYÂGWÂL—Hindu priest of
Prayaga (lit. any Prayaga
man).
PRÂYASCHITTA—a purificatory
ceremony.
PUDDER—the end of ladies' cloth.
PÛJA—worship.
PUNDIT—a Hindu scholar.
PURÂN—a part of Hindu Scrip-
tures.
PURÂNIK—a Brahmin who reads
and explains the Puran in pub-
lic.
PÛRBHAYYA—a caste among the
people of Oudh.
PYJÂMA—loose trousers.
RABBI—a harvest season.
RÂJ—kingdom.
RÂJ—king.
RÂMÂYANA—a great Hindu Epic.
RÂMCHANDRA—the greatest
Hindu hero and king—the hero
of the Ramayana.
RÂN—king ; title assumed by
Rajputs.
RANALAKSHMI—the presiding
Goddess of war.
RÂNEE—queen.
RAO—a title among the Mah-
rattas.
RASALDÂR—an army officer.
RISHI—prophet or seer.
ROTI—Bread.
RUPEE—an Indian coin, original-
ly worth two shillings, now
depreciated to one shilling and
four pence.
RUSTOM—a mighty Persian war-
rior—metaphorically, a great
warrior.
RYASAT—State property.
RYOT—cultivator.
SÂHIB—Sir.
SÂHUKÂR—banker.
SALAAM—respect or salute.
SÂMA—conciliation.
SAMÂDHI—the state of perfect
beatification.
SANAD—title-deed.
SANKALPA—preliminary of a reli-
gious ceremony.
SANYÂSI—one who has renounced
the world.
SÂREE—cloth worn over the
shoulder by ladies.
SARVAHÂRA—destroyer of every-
thing.
SEPOY—Indian soldier.
SHÂBÂSH—well done !
SHAHÎD—martyr who falls fight-
ing.
SHANKAR—God Shiva (the same
as Har Dev).
SHASTRA—science, generally the-
ological.
SHATRUSAMHÂRIKÉ—destroyer of
foes.
SHÂZADA—a prince of blood.
SHILÉDAR—a Mahratta horseman.
SHIRPANA—an ornament worn on
the turban.
SHIVA—one of the Hindu Tri-
nity.
SHRΗblessed (used as part of
the titles of persons or books).
SHRÎMANT—a title of respect and
honour (lit. prosperous).
551

GLOSSARY
SIRDÂR—an army officer of the
higher grade.
SIRKÂR—Government.
SOWAR—cavalryman.
SUBAHDÂR—an army officer.
SUDDER AMIN—Sheriff.
SUDDER DEWÂNI—High Court.
SÛDRA—One of the four castes
among the Hindus.
SULTAN—king.
SÛRYAKANTA—a gem, very cold
to the touch, but which, when
exposed to the sun, absorbs
enormous heat and gives out
sparks.
SUTTEE—the act of self-immola-
tion by a Hindu wife on the
pyre of her husband (lit. a
pure spouse).
SWADÊSH—one's own country.
SWADÊSHI—belonging to one's
own country.
SWADHARMA—one's own duty or
religion.
SWARÂJ—independent self-go-
vernment.
SWARÂJYA—another form of
Swaraj.
SWÂTANTRYA—independence.
TÂSHIL—revenue-jurisdiction.
TÂSHILDÂR—revenue-collector.
TÂLUK—a revenue-district.
TÂLUKDÂR—baron of the court
of Oudh having almost sove-
reign authority.
TÂLUKDÂRI—the principality of
a Talukdar.
TAMÂMEE—a kind of cloth.
TAMÂSH—fun, a show.
TAMÂSHGAR—a showman.
TASMÂT YUDDHÂYA YUJYASVA—
Therefore, get ready for bat-
tle ! (the trumpet-like words
of Shri Krishna in the Gita).
THÂKUR—lord.
THÂNA—police station.
TILAKA—a mark on the forehead
used by Hindus—a sign of
purity and prosperity.
TÎRTHA—Sacred water.
TOP-KHÂNA—stand for mount-
ing guns.
TULSI—a plant sacred to God
Vishnu.
VAISYA—the merchant caste
among the Hindus.
VAKIL—attorney.
VÂRANÂSI—Benares.
VATAN—land almost tax-free, be-
stowed for service rendered.
VATANDÂR—holder of a vatan.
VÊDA—the Scripture of the
Hindus.
VIZIER—minister.
WÂGHNAHH—a weapon made of
or like tiger's claws.
YAJNA—a Vedic sacrifice.
YAMADVITÎYA—a Hindu feast.
YÔGI—a saint who has realised
God.
ZEMINDÂR—land-owner.
ZENÂN—ladies' apartments.
552