Azimullah Khan

AZIMULLAH KHAN

Date of Death: October, 1859

            Azimullah Khan, who was renowned as a strategist in the First War of Independence of 1857, was born in Uttar Pradesh.  At the time when native rulers, the heads of princely states were expressing desire to fight with British without any plan of action, Azimullah was of the opinion that planned action would yield more results than mere blind use of force.  Thus, he formulated strategies to combat the British.  He learnt English and French, studied at Kanpur College, where he became a teacher.  Nana Saheb Peshwa, the ruler of Kanpur, came to know about the talents of Azimullah and offered him to be his advocate.  Azimullah went to England on the invitation of Nana Saheb, to deal with the legal matters of Kanpur state, where he spent a couple of years.  He closely observed the politics of the British during his stay in England.  He visited several countries in his return journey to India.  When he reached Malta, he came to know that the Russian troops had defeated the Anglo-French troops at Malta.  Therefore, he went to Constantinople to observe the military capabilities of Russia.  Later, he visited France and Crimea and observed the politics and war strategies of the rulers of respective countries.  Their fight for freedom had influenced him and inspired him to work for freedom of India.  Azimullah tried to establish friendly ties with those countries, which were ready to help in the struggle against the British.  After returning to India, he shared his thoughts with Nana Saheb and wrote letters to the native rulers in order to garner support for the rebellion of 1857.  In his letters, he explained to them the need for revolting against the British.  He started a News Paper named ‘Payaam-e-Azadi’ in Hindi and Urdu to mould public opinion against the British.  He helped Begum Hazarat Mahal of Awadh, Moulvi Ahmadullah Shah, Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi, the Moghal Prince Firoz Shah and Tantia Tope along with Nana Saheb in formulating strategies against the British.  He retreated to the forests of Nepal along with Nana Saheb, Hazarat Mahal and others when the First War of Independence for India had faced the situation of near defeat.  Azimullah Khan passed away in October, 1858, while making efforts to secure financial and military support to fight back against the British.

Shaik Bikhari Saheb

SHAIK BIKHARI SAHEB

Date of Birth: 1819 and Date of Death: 1858

            Shaik Bikhari Saheb raged against General Dalhousee’s Doctrine of Lapse’ whose sole objective was to expand the British empire.  He stood in support of the freedom loving native rulers and fought against the foreign rulers.  He born in 1819 in a village called Hupte which was in the jurisdiction of Budmu police station in Ranchi district of Bihar.  His father’s name was Shaik Buland.  After completing school education in his native village, Bikhari joined army as a soldier.  Later he went to Oudaghar province on the invitation of its ruler Thakur Viswanadha Shadev and soon he became the Diwan of the province.  He sensed the imminent danger of ‘Doctrine of Lapse’ by the British and that it would be inevitable.  He sent special emissaries like Amanath Ali Ansari, Karamath Ali Ansari and Shaik Hore Ansari to various provinces to unite the rulers who were impatient with the expansionist activities of British.  In a strategic move and with the cooperation of Ram Vijay Singh and Nadir Ali Khan of the East India Company army, he initially attacked the army head quarters of British at Ramghad of Hazaribagh district in 1857 and won the battle.  Buoyed by this victory, he entered Santhal paragana with his forces and defeated the British forces at Bhanuka.  Some British officers were killed in the battle.  Thakur Viswanadh celebrated the victories.  Having been informed of a heavy deployment of company forces at Danapur, Shaik Bikhari and Tikontha Umrao Singh reached Ramghad along with their forces.  A terrible battle ensued.  Though the native soldiers ran short of arms and ammunition to face the heavily armed British forces, they used arrows and stones in the battle.  Eventually, the British officers cast their glance on Bikhari, the strategist who created sleepless nights for the British rulers.  They lured some of the greedy persons from the native forces and found the secret place of Bikhari.  Commander MC Donald went there in person with a huge contingent and captured Bikhari and Umrao Singh on 6^th/8^th January, 1858.  Later they hanged both of them, to a tree without any trial.  In that context, MC Donald said: ‘Among the rebels, Bikhari is the most hazardous and Bikhari Saheb terrified the British officers.

Moulana Peer Ali Khan

MOULANA PEER ALI KHAN

Date of Birth: 1820 and Date of Death: 7^th July, 1857

            Moulana Peer Ali Khan, who fought against the British military force declaring that sacrificing oneself in the cause of liberation of one’s motherland is a proof of one’s love for his country, was born in Mohammedpur village of Azamabad district, Bihar state in 1820.  His father was Mohar Ali Khan.  As a youngster Peer Ali left his village to quench his thirst for knowledge and acquired proficiency in Arabic, Persian and Urdu languages and finally settled in Patna as a bookseller.  His opposition to the excesses committed by the English rulers drove him to become a member of the local revolutionary council.  He persuaded Moulvi Mohamadi, a British Government officer, to help him procure weapons.  With the help of which he organised an adventurous attack on the English Army camp at Danapur.  Angered by this, the British army officers arrested him along with another 43 members of the revolutionary council on 4^th July, 1857.  The trial of the case conducted against Moulana and his party members was recorded in history as ‘Patana Conspiracy Case’.  In this case, Moulana and nine of his followers were sentenced to death by hanging by William Tayor.  During the trail and in custody Moulana was tortured to extract information from him regarding his council members.  He did not open his mouth even when his body turned bled with injuries.  Finally he declared courageously: “sometimes one has to act cleverly to save one’s life; but saving life is not important on all occasions.  Sometimes, one has to lay down one’s life for the sake of one’s motherland.  Then sacrificing one’s life will be a proof of one’s love for the motherland… you hanged my colleagues before my eyes… you will hang many more.  You can kill me too… but remember one thing.  Neither you nor any power can suppress the sons of this soil who are prepared to shed their blood to free their Motherland.  The drop of blood we shed in this war will ignite fire in the freedom fighters of our country.  Your government and you will surely be reduced to ashes in those flames of indignation”.  William Taylor, who pronounced death sentence to Moulana recorded the details of this courageous incident.  Incensed by this defiant answer, the English officer fixed tight cuffs to his hands and legs and tortured him further devilishly.  But Moulana Peer Ali Khan kept bereaved the same on the gallows till the last movement when he kissed the hanger’s rope welcoming death with dignity and thus attained martyrdom on 7^th July, 1857.

Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah Fyzabadi

MOULVI AHMADULLAH SHAH FYZABADI

Date of Birth: 1787 and Date of Death: 15^th June, 1858

            Moulvi Ahmadullah Shah Fyzabadi, who created panic among the British camps, was born in 1787 in Chennai of present Tamilnadu state.  His father was Moulvi Mohammad Ali Khan.  Moulvi’s original name was Syed Ahmed Ali Khan.  Due to his spiritual knowledge, he acquired the title Moulvi.  He was regarded and respected as Moulvi by the people.  He received training in Martial arts along with other academic studies.  Moulvi Ahmadullah Shah went on a tour to England, Iraq, Iran and Mecca and Madina on the invitation of the Nizam, Nawab of Hyderabad.  After returning to India, Moulvi Ahmadullah got attracted the Sufi ideology and became the disciple of Syed Furkhan Ali Shah, who belonged to the ‘Quadri’ Silsila.  Ahmadullah Shah was sent to Gwalior by his Pir (Guru) to propagate the Sufi ideology among the people.  While preaching Sufi philosophy to people, he was also inspiring them to revolt against the exploitative foreign rule.  This angered the British officials, who imprisoned him on charges of treason.  Meanwhile, the First War of Indian Independence of 1857 broke out.  Moulvi Ahmadullah plunged into it and fought against the forces of East India Company and registered several victories over them.  Moulvi Ahmadullah had personally participated in several wars against the British, which were fought by Sardar Hikhmatullah (formerly Deputy Collector in East India Company), Begum Hazarat Mahal (Queen of Awadh), Khan Bahadur Khan (ruler of Rohilkhand), Firoz Shah (Moghal Prince).  The East India Company announced a reward of Rs. 50,000 to catch Moulvi Ahmadullah alive or dead.  The greedy brother of Jagannath Sinha, the king of Powen, shot the Moulvi dead, when he went to Powen to invite Sinha into the First war of Independence.  Moulvi Ahmadullah Shah Fyzabadi was beside the Sinha at Powen, when was he shot dead.  Later, Sinha’s brother beheaded the Moulvi Ahmaddullah and took his head covered with a cloth to the nearest British police station at Shahjahanpur.  Thus, Moulvi Ahmadullah Shah Fyzabad attained martyrdom on 15^th June, 1858.  ‘The Beast of Powen’, who committed the worst treason, got the reward from the British.  The British generals were over joeys for the news of death of Moulvi Ahmadullah Shah Fyzabadi.  They felt that they could eliminate a ‘very powerful enemy of East India Company in the North India’.

Ghulam Rasool Khan Nawab of Kurnool

GHULAM RASOOL KHAN, NAWAB OF KURNOOL

Date of Death: 12^th July, 1840

            Ghulam Rasool Khan, the Nawab of Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh, who created terror among the officials of the East India Company, came to power in 1823.  Since his childhood, Ghulam Rasool Khan never bothered about foreign power.  After coming into power, he took every care to protect his state from the British.  He was sure of ensuing fight with the British, and was prepared for the same.  He befriended Gohar Ali Khan alias Mubariz-ud-Doula, a prince of Nizam state.  He turned his fort at Kurnool into an ordinance factory.  The jealous cousins of the Nawab Ghulam Rasool, who wished to capture power, colluded with the English and hatched conspiracies against him.  They informed to General Fraser, who was the British Resident about the preparedness of Ghulam Rasool for war on 23^rd August, 1839.  Alarmed at this, the East India Company appointed Edward Armstrong to probe into the matter and report it immediately.  Edward wrote a letter to General Fraser stating that ‘the armoury of the Nawab of Kurnool is enormous.  His preparedness for war is hard to describe.  He turned the gardens and the royal palaces into ordinance factories’.  This information sent shivers down the spine of General Fraser, who sent the East India Company forces immediately under the command of Colonel A.C. Dyce to capture the fort of Kurnool and arrest of Nawab Ghulam Rasool Khan.  East India Company troops attacked and rounded the Kurnool fort on 12^th October, 1839.  After six days of fierce fighting, the enemy was able to detain Ghulam Rasool Khan, on 18^th October, 1839 at Joharapuram a village near Kurnool.  Later on, they took him to Tiruchinapalli and imprisoned Rasool Khan in Tiruchinapalli Jail.  British wished to eliminate Nawab of Kurnool.  So they bribed his personal servant into serving poisoned food to Nawab.  Due to which Ghulam Rasool Khan died on 12^th July, 1840.  The Company as per its nature charged the servant of murder and sentenced him to death.  The British rulers tried their level best to hide this conspiracy, but history revealed the fact in the course of time.  Ghulam Rasool Khan is still remembered by the people of Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, where they still eulogize him singing the ballad titled ‘Kandanavolu Nawabu Katha’ (Story of Kurnool Nawab).

Haji Shariatullah

HAJI SHARIATULLAH

Date of Birth: 1780 and Date of Death: 1839

            Haji Shariatullah, who militantly led Farazi Movement that stood as a source of inspiration for several revolutionaries in the Indian Freedom Struggle, was born in 1780 in Bahadur/Banderlakola village, Faridpur district in Bengal.  His father Abdul Zaalib was a weaver.  When Haji Shariatullah was 18 years old, he went on pilgrimage to Mecca, where he studied spiritual scripts extensively and became a scholar.  In Macca Haji Shariatullah met Syed Ahmed Barelwi, the founder of the Wahabi movement and the warrior Syed Mir Nisar Ali (Titu Mir) who added militancy to the Wahabi movement in India.  The trio decided their path of movement before leaving for India.  As a result of their discussions, Haji Shariatullah reached Faridpur in 1802.  After returning to the motherland, he settled in Nawabdari Village near Dhaka (presently the capital of Bangladesh).  While imparting spiritual knowledge, he used to encourage the people towards the movement to emancipate the country from the yoke of British Raj.  His movement was known as the ‘Farazi Movement’ and his followers were known as ‘Farazis’ in the history.  When he travelled extensively in Bengal be saw the woes of peasants and artisans who were being exploited by the officials of the East India Company, Zamindars ad the Mahajans.  Haji Shariatullah decided to liberate the people from these problems and took to the path of revolution.  He garnered the support from the farmers, artisans and different classes of people.  Haji Shariatullah won several fights against the English rulers, Zamindars and English plantation owners on behalf of the people.  As Shariatullah was legally very cautious, the Courts and the laws could not reach him and cause trouble.  Haji Shariatullah’s preaching’s and Farazi movement helped the people in not only fighting against the anarchy, but also provoked the desire for freedom among them.  Farazi movement was active about half a century and later it continued to influence the freedom movement for another half-a-century.  Haji Shariatullah, the guiding light of the Farazi movement passed away in 1839.

Syed Mir Nasar Ali

SYED MIR NISAR ALI

Date of Birth: 1782 and Date of Death: 1832

            Wahabi movement enjoyed a special status in the history of revolt against the British rule in India, when Titu Mir, whose real name was Syed Mir Nisar Ali, added militancy to it.  It became the source of inspiration for several movements in the Struggle for Independence of India.  Titu Mir was born in a peasant family in 1782 at Hyderpur village, Narkelbaria paragana of West Bengal.  Syed Mir Hasan Ali, Abida Roqayya Khatun was his parents.  He was renowned wrestler during his younger age and engaged in several petty jobs.  Syed Mir Nisar Ali went on a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1822 and met the founder of the Wahabi movement, Syed Ahmed Barelwi and the founder of the Farazi movement, Haji Shariatullah.  The meeting of the three leaders had strengthened the ‘Wahabi-Farazi’ movements.  After his return from Mecca, he settled in Hyderpur.  He travelled extensively and saw the atrocities of the officials of the East India Company, Zamindars and Mahajans.  Syed Mir Nisar Ali witnessed the woes of the people who suffered in the clutches of these exploiters.  Titu decided to put an end to the exploitation and undertook a campaign to arouse people for a rebellion against the foreign rulers along with his spiritual campaign.  He started armed struggle against the British Police and East India Company armed forces, which were supporting Zamindars and Mahajans.  Zamindars and their men even collecting taxes for wearing beards harassed Muslims.  Opposing the oppressive taxes levied by the Company rulers and in human activities of local Zamindars, Titu Mir himself personally led several revolts.  Titu Mir was irked by atrocities and attacks on the common people by Zamindars, Mahazans and British force.  Syed Mir Nisar Ali was so courageous that he was even informing the East India Company officials and police about his attacks in advance.  His courageous approach attracted the poor towards him.  Thousands of people, irrespective of religious and class barriers, followed him in his rebellion and fought for him against police and British force.  Titu Mir built a bamboo fort in Narkelbaria where he trained his followers in armed struggle and frightened the Company rulers for about a decade.  The British commanders attacked the fort of Syed Mir Nisar Ali (Titu Mir) on 19^th November, 1831 at Narkelbaria, where he succumbed to injuries in 1832.