CH # 12: THE MUGHAL ECLIPSE
Tug of war between Mughals and freedom fighters
....‘You tell me what should
I do first? These mutineers want me to fight in the battle. They want me to
look for their wages and needs. Now, these administrative issues…every sepoy
want to be an officer. If everyone will be officer then, who would be there to
follow and advance in battle,’ Prince Mirza Mughal responded annoyed.
‘Prince Abu Bakar, I
told you some task?’ Crown Prince called his son.
‘Aba huzoor I tried to
make a list of sepoys based on seniority as you told but every soldier was
claiming him the senior-most as no record is available with us. There is a bulk
of reference letters at my table for a single post,’ Prince Abu Bakar explained.
‘We’re doing our best to
manage this war but these rebellion sepoys are much undisciplined. We should
hire our loyal people on senior posts now,’ Crown Prince Moghal replied thoughtfully.
Just then, Niaz din and Aneel Kumar entered there
and bowed to Prince.
‘Long live Mughal
Empire,’ they bowed down.
'The sepoys are eagerly waiting for an announcement of ranks and positions in the Mughal Royal Army,' Niaz Din explained the purpose of the meeting.
‘You lost the winning battle at Badli ki Sarai and disappointed the Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar. Tell the sepoys to wait now. The new ranks will be granted according to the performance in the battlefield and no reference or seniority status will be entertained,’ Prince Mirza Mughal ordered in a harsh tone without looking at them and continued to play his game. Niaz Din and Aneel looked at each other.
‘There should be a proper mechanism to arrange and command the sepoys, Aali ja. The battle has scattered in many towns and sepoys are waiting for backups. There are strong retaliation and massacre in Oudh and Bihar. British are gathering power there. They are burning the villages and killing the innocent. People are afraid of cutting their wheat crops. We need to deploy fresh groups in Oudh and Bihar sectors otherwise the end would be the same as Badli ki sarai. We lost there because of insufficient backup’ Aneel responded in loud. He didn’t like the Prince’s sluggish attitude.
‘Then you leave for Bihar taking your men and I’ll better see at Agra,’ Prince Mirza Mughal ordered after thinking a while.
‘We should ask the Red Fort
for more weapons for us,’ Aneel suggested.
‘Red Fort is not any weapon factory! You knew this all. Anyhow, Prince Abu Bakar will see it. You better report him before leaving,’ Mirza Mughal answered without giving a damn look on them.
Niaz Din and Aneel waited
for a while and leave furious.
12th June 1857
The night was quiet but brighter than usual.
Sepoys deposited 20 rifles and 35 spears to cavalry in Red Fort which they
could capture from the British. The charpoys were set on the roof of a haveli in the suburbs of Delhi for the freedom fighters who could reach back from Badli ki
Sarai.
‘At the start, I was very
hopeful that we’ll win this battle and eradicate any foreigner from our land in
short but now it seems that we’ve to travel a long tough way to meet our goal.’
Ranbir pulled his charpoy near Umer and lay down exhausted.
‘Whatever will be the
end but any attempt to get freedom is better than breathing in an insolence
life.’ Umer replied still gazing at the full moon.
‘It’s just a start. I
know the sacrifices of freedom fighters will mark fear at the hearts
of whites and they’ll find no way other than to flee from Hindustan. We’ve
captured Lucknow, Cawnpur and soon Bihar and Oudh will be in our lap. We would
able to make a small independent empire under Mughal Empire soon,’ Ranbir said
thoughtfully.
‘How would be life
without looking at any white in Hindustan then?’ Umer replied somehow anxious.
‘It’ll be great no doubt but there must be something fishy at your side. A man only gazes at the moon
when it hopes to see the reflection of his beloved in there,’ Ranbir jumped up
and sat at Umer’s charpoy.
‘There is nothing. I
just want to sleep,’ Umer turned opposite and closed his eyes.
‘Mom, do you have any idea that how many sepoys are killed in a battle near Karnal?’ just then Angeline opened her eyes,
looked at the bright full moon, and asked her mother restless.
‘There are many who have sent to hell. British forces have captured Karnal and Sarai safely. Your
father Nicholson has sent a message from there that soon he’ll arrange to get us
out from here. It is easy for him now. He’s fighting in Bihar now,’ Katherine
told her daughter in hush-hush. The beds
of British families were set in an airy balcony of Syed Ahmed Khan’s
house.
‘What would if this mutiny never happened? I hope Umer would be safe,’ Angeline didn’t answer her mother while thinking about Umer.
‘Once I come out from here then I’ll ask your father to send us back to Yorkshire. I’m a heck of this heat and cavalry of mosquitoes and flies more of any rebellion sepoy in Hindustan,’ Katherine grumbled and waited for her daughter’s response. She wrapped herself in the sheet. Katherine was amazed that Angeline no more grumbled about sepoys and Hindustan.
16th June
1857
As soon as he entered the room, the smell of ink, piles of a bind and unbind books, and the bulk of papers overwhelmed his nerves. The room was
overburdened with wooden wrecks and closets. Mirza Ghalib was reading and
answering letters from all over India. His poetic work was
prominent on the papers on the walls.
'Ah, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, what a fresh breeze your arrival has given to me in the suffocating atmosphere all around,' Mirza Ghalib warmly welcomed him.
‘Adaab,’ Syed Ahmed
handled few papers to take his place to fix in that room.
‘So you’re also off of
your work from British office because of scuffles all around. Maybe you’re
also hoping to grab a higher position in Red Fort after the war. May be an
education ministry…. King has asked me to get ministry of arts and culture…what do
you say?’ Ghalib grinned at Ahmed Khan and asked meaningfully.
‘Every one of us wants
freedom but the shackles are upon our minds not on hands. I don’t know whether
I say it or not but I’m not much optimistic about the end of this battle. Though the British fabricated the reasons for this mutiny still they’re at the upper hand.
This was not the right time to come out, I think,’ Syed Ahmed put his cap at one
side, wiped his sweat, and replied. He was observing the situation mindfully from the start.
'Then why you put a lot of effort and time to translate three centuries-old constitutions Ain e Akbari amid working in modern British offices in
Muradabad. If you’re here to seek any favor about your translated book then…,’
‘No, not at all, I’m
here to seek advice…,’
‘Advice….,’ Ghalib
cackled that his teeth were out of his jaws.
‘I wonder you still
need more advice. My letter was full of it already. I think you didn’t go
through it,’ he continued laughing.
‘I read it more of
anything else in recent years, chacha but it took time to comprehend it,’ Syed
Ahmed Khan was still serious.
‘Ahmed writers and poets have been very sensitive
to the changes in any society. Our words direct hit the souls. We have to revolutionize the thoughts of our community with our influential writing
dexterity. I feel that one day or another, we would have to accept the
deep-seated changes in this world. I don’t think it’s that bad to promote and
follow up-to-the-minute institution. Just let rest the dead people and laws in
their graves and perform incredibly in favor of the brighter future. Accept the
changing realities of the universe before they let you rest in the graves of in
nominates,’ Ghalib stopped when his servant entered the room holding a tray
with mango slices.
‘You’re right chacha.
I’ve twisted my literary work in a new direction now. I’m writing upon the
“causes of the revolt of 1857” in detail nowadays and also want to publish a
journal to tell the Muslims about the necessity of seeking education to hold a
dominion place in this world,’
‘Not only
education…but modern, up to date schooling…awareness with new-fangled skills
that are the only weapon which can stand us compete against our enemy. Ahmed your journals and literary work marked
you at a significant place in my heart but it’s time to do some practice for
your nation. Let this pen-paper be with poets like us. I believe that teachers craft the ground-breaking environment
for the fruition of the next generations and you should be among teachers my dear.’
Mirza Ghalib pointed his servants to settle the dish and held his pen to write
replies to letters from different cities.
‘I’ll not let you
disappointed chacha Ghalib,’ Syed Ahmed Khan answered thoughtfully.
‘Insha’Allah, enjoy these mangoes from the Red Fort,’ Ghalib smiled.
‘Do you know the
sepoys are forcing the ulemas to give fatwas for jihad so that locals can also
join them,’ Mirza Ghalib discussed the prevailing situation.
‘As far as I know, Maulana Muhammad Qasim Naqvi and Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi have announced for
jihad. Only Ahl-i-Hadith scholar Sayyid Nazir Hussain Delhvi is resisting to
give any statement. He has his reasons to favor British rule,’ Syed Ahmed
Khan informed Ghalib.
‘I don’t think these
fatwas will impact the war as most of the rebellion sepoys are Hindus,’
‘But local people are
joining the sepoys as Ghazis,’ Syed Ahmed continued.
‘May Allah keep our
city safe? This city has witnessed many massacres in recent centuries,’ Ghalib
sighed.
‘Look, my fans are urging me to pen the cheering
poems for the freedom fighters. They’ve sent hundreds of their pieces for
review too….Ah… someone tells these daydreamers that Muslims ruled the world
when their warriors were skilled with the tools of learning. They were not
fixed to the past. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) oriented the Arabs towards luminosity
from ignorance. Here we’re just stuck on whether we should school the English language
or not as it will hit our religion...Ah…how knowledge can hit anything
negatively…how…?’ Ghalib threw one letter asides.
‘Muhammadan ….Anglo…Oriental…School,’ an idea
sparked in Syed Ahmed’s mind. He instantly wrote the name on paper.
‘What…have you said
something?’ Ghalib left writing.
‘I should start saving
every penny from my income to meet my dream…a school…but I’m an employee in
British office…No, I was…I’ll be a teacher…I’ll be a learner… It doesn’t matter
that freedom fighters win or lose but I’ll have a spanking new course towards
success,’ he signaled the horse cart for a ride.
‘I got it…I just got
its name…thanks for everything Chacha Ghalib,’ Syed Ahmed Khan showed gratitude.
‘Hey, you didn’t enjoy
these mangoes. King Bahadur Shah Zafar has sent these especially for me but
these mangoes are not tasty this year. I don’t know…why?’ Ghalib held one
slice thoughtfully
‘I’m taking,’ Syed
Ahmed held one slice.
He was about to leave when Ghalib looked at him deeply.
‘Dear Ahmed, Prince Farrukh was
very dear to me and I owe special respect for his mother and Princess Hamida
Bano. Princess Hamida is a very sensitive, mature, and cultured lady,’ Mirza Ghalib
spoke up.
‘Indeed, she is,’ Syed
Ahmed replied gazing at the sudden mention of the princess.
‘As soon as the
situation will settle down, I’ll talk to the king about you and Princess Hamida. I
know she’ll support you in your cause,’ Ghalib continued.
‘You’re at my father’s
place as you think better,’ Syed Ahmed felt blushed.
Delhi outside was under evident misconduct.
Freedom sepoys had captured many shops and houses in the city. People were
worried about taxes from Red Fort. The same news of mismanagement and blows were
coming from Lukhnow and Cawnpur.
People were scared and were discussing the battle consequences.
‘I just don’t believe
that these creepy Hindustani stood against Queen of Britain gaining the back of
crippled Mughal name. All villages between Delhi and Meerut fell to Mughal lap
because of a native leader Khadam Singh Gujar. These Gurjas and Rangerhars
(Muslim Rajput) have expelled East India Company from there not the mutineers. They’re a real pain
in the neck. Move a force to Meerut,’ General Canning was upset about the situation.
‘We’ve asked for
soldiers from near presidencies but…,’ Colonel Tom stopped.
‘But…,’
‘Although apparently the presidency of Bombay and Bengal are calm and are unconcerned about the uprising
in Delhi, still Generals are reluctant to trust the local sepoys. Many have
disarmed the soldiers. Many of the native soldiers have left for their homes. We’ll
have to wait for reliable aid from Nepal and Simla. Also, Sikh Rajah in
Punjab has assured us of his full support. He’s ready to send his well-armed
men. We’ve to wait and gather our force,’ Colonel continued.
‘These Sikhs have
grudges against Mughals and Hindus. We should take advantage of it. Send my men
to discuss the conditions with them. We’ve to crush this mutiny at its place at
every cost before it makes space in other states. Crush these rebellion sepoys
in Bihar as soon as possible and move to Meerut. Give me detail of every second
and provide the soldiers with every possible support,’ General Canning ordered.
Mirza Mughal was writing letters to other
Barracks to administrate the Army. He spread his scouts beyond Delhi to know
the activities at British garrisons but the spies didn’t trust him and any key
report leaked out before meeting him.
‘I’ve called for help
from big Muslim princely states of Hyderabad and Mysore. You know what they’ve
responded?’
‘They said that we’re having an eye on
the situation. Until the results are not evident we’ll not enter the brawls,’
Crown Prince Mirza Mughal punched on the table.
‘Just cowards…Mughal
rule is about to shine again with its boom and these states will beg for an
alliance then,’ he continued.
Freedom sepoys captured Bihar by end of June and were fighting at Oudh now. Freedom sepoys were overjoyed on their victories. The concerned General Nicholson arranged few men to take her daughter and wife out of the walled city of Delhi which was still under freedom sepoys and Mughal security but Prince Jawan Bakhat had a better plan for Angeline.Link to CH # 13
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Disclaimer: All characters of the story are imaginary. They bear no
resemblance to anyone living or dead.
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