Mangal Pandey was an Indian soldier in the British Army who played a key role in instigating the Rebellion of 1857 in India. He served in the 34th Bengal Native Infantry (BNI) Regiment of the British East India Company from 1849 to 1857. He was hanged by the British on 8 April 1857 as a result of his actions against colonial rule in India.
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Wiki/Biography
Mangal Pandey was born on Thursday, 19 July 1827 (age 30 years; at death) in Nagwa, Ballia district, Assigned and Conquered Provinces, Co. India. His zodiac sign was Cancer.
family and caste
He belonged to Brahmin community.
parents and siblings
His father Diwakar Pandey was a farmer. His mother’s name is Abhay Rani. Mangal Pandey had a sister who died in the famine of 1830.
Wife
Mangal Pandey was not married.
Religion
He was a follower of Hindu religion.
livelihood
British Army
The Bengal Army recruited Mangal Pandey as a private soldier in the 5th Company of the 34th Bengal Native Infantry in 1849.
Rebellion
In March 1857, various Indians in the British Army began to rebel against the British government and information about this came to Lieutenant Baugh, who was posted at Barrackpore as an adjutant of the 34th Bengal Native Infantry. On 29 March 1857, Mangal Pandey was seen pointing a loaded gun towards the regiment’s guard room, and was heard threatening that he would shoot all the Europeans. He was also requesting other army soldiers to accompany him. As soon as the information was received, Lieutenant Baugh picked up his horse, loaded his weapons and headed towards Mangal Pandey. Pandey, on the other hand, counter-attacked Baugh, and Baugh fell from his horse, but he quickly stood up, and fired at Mangal Pandey, who was using Indian swords. Another British sergeant, Hewson, arrived at the scene and ordered Jamadar Ishwari Prasad, an Indian officer of the quarter-guard, to arrest Mangal Pandey. Meanwhile, Pandey started firing at Hewson. When Pandey was fighting with Lieutenant Baugh, Hewson tried to capture Mangal Pandey, but in vain. Soon, other men of the army gathered near the field to watch the battle. A British soldier, Sheikh Paltu, who had just arrived at the scene, tried to help Lieutenants Baugh and Hewson; However, the soldiers, who were onlookers, started attacking Paltu with stones and shoes. Paltu calls Ishwari Prasad for help, but Ishwari Prasad threatens Paltu that he will shoot him if he does not release Mangal Pandey. Soon, General Hersey, the commanding officer of the regiment, was informed about the incident and he reached the spot with his two English police officers and ordered his men to capture Mangal Pandey. Hearsay threatened all the spectators present that he would shoot anyone who tried to disobey his orders. During the scuffle with the soldiers of these two armies, Mangal Pandey pressed the trigger of his musket on his leg and his leg started bleeding and his regimental jacket also caught fire. Mangal Pandey was caught and arrested.
A depiction of Mangal Pandey attacking a British lieutenant just before Sheikh Paltu’s mediation
court trial
Mangal Pandey was tried in the court soon after his arrest. He said during the court hearing that he was not under anyone’s influence and no one instigated him to revolt. He took responsibility for his own actions. In one of his statements, Mangal Pandey said that he was under the influence of some intoxicant.
purpose of rebellion
Reportedly, the main motive behind Mangal Pandey’s rebellion remained unclear. During the Barrackpore event he was heard shouting,
Come out – the Europeans are here”; “By cutting these cartridges we will become infidels” and “You sent me away from here, why don’t you follow me.”
Immediately after his arrest and during the court hearing, he stated that he was under the influence of narcotics (cannabis and opium). He further told the court that he was unaware of his actions on 29 March 1857.
Result
Before the rebellion started by Mangal Pandey, there were several reasons that created a rumor among the Indian men in the British Army. It was said that a new type of bullet cartridge had been introduced by the British Government for use in the Enfield P-53 rifle. It was rumored that these bullets were coated with cow and pig fat. The consumption of cows and pigs was prohibited by Hindus and Muslims respectively, and before using the cartridge, soldiers had to cut off one end of the bullet. Some Indian soldiers in the British regiment believed that the British deliberately applied animal fat to the cartridges so that they could harm the religious sentiments of the Indian communities.
Death
Mangal Pandey was hanged by the British Government on 8 April 1857 at Barrackpore, Calcutta, Bengal Province, Company India. Ishwari Prasad was hanged on 21 April 1857. Ishwari Prasad was the person who ordered the Sikh members of the quarter-guard not to arrest Mangal Pandey during the Barrackpore incident.
Facts/General Knowledge
- In 1984, the sacrifice of Mangal Pandey was honored by the Government of India when a postage stamp was issued in his name.
Mangal Pandey on the 1984 India stamp
- After the arrest and death of Mangal Pandey, investigation records mentioned that Mangal Pandey was under the influence of cannabis and opium when he snatched the weapon and aimed towards the quarter-guard building.
- At first, the date of execution of Mangal Pandey was set for 18 April 1857; However, he was hanged by the colonial government on 8 April 1857.
- Later, the place where Mangal Pandey had challenged the British Government was named ‘Shaheed Mangal Pandey Maha Udyan’ by the Government of India in his memory.
Mangal Pandey Park in Barrackpore
- According to some historians, Mangal Pandey’s rebellion against British rule was more religious than patriotic.
- Mangal Pandey started the rebellion against the colonial rule in Barrackpore in 1857 and after his execution, the fire of rebellion started spreading to Meerut, Delhi, Kanpur and Lucknow.
- Major-General Hearsey sent a proposal to Lord Canning, who later approved the use of another form of greasing in cartridges to Indian soldiers in the British Army shortly after Mangal Pandey’s Mutiny.
- After the rebellious act of Mangal Pandey, the British government in India started losing confidence in its governing power. Soon, the ruling power shifted to Queen Victoria.
- In the 2005 film Mangal Pandey – The Rising, the character of Mangal Pandey was played by Bollywood actor Aamir Khan. In the same year, a stage play based on the life of Mangal Pandey was also staged in Mumbai.
Mangal Pandey movie poster
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Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn