200th Year of Vellore Mutiny -- Milestone of Indian Independance Fight

200th Year of Vellore Mutiny -- Milestone of Indian Independance Fight

(From the pages of Indian History)

The Indian Independance fight that was ranging for more than two hundred years against the British Raj has seen a number of freedom fighters laying down thier precious lives for the sake of thier mother land. Be it, Bhagat Singh (who was revered as Sher-e-Punjab aka 'Lion of Punjab') who was hung for his upheaval against foriegn invasion into India or 'Jhansi Rani' Lakshmi Bhai or Mangal Pandey ('Sepoy Mutiny').

It was about the same day in 1806 (July 10th) that there was a minor upheaval by Indian soldiers against the British regime of the East India Company in the Vellore fort. It served as a valuable  predecessor for Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 by about fifty years. About one hundred and thirty British soliders were killed in the mutiny.

The prime reason for the mutiny was nonchalant attitude of the then British Raj towards the sentiments of the soldiers and bringing in changes in costume and uniform specifically the headgear besides the shaving style. Caste marks were also prohibited and as also wearing of jewellery and ornaments.

Though the mutiny was rather very brief and contained by the British very soon after it burst out, it did lay the seeds of the major upheaval in 1857 Sepoy Mutiny, when Mangal Pandey, killed his superior for asking him to bite and correct the grease-coated cartridge, which was prohibited by his religion.

The pages of Indian History are really an excellent and rich heritage and we can really understand the greatness of our Indian freedom. Let us strive our might to uphold the pride and prestige of our nation and make our motherland supreme nation in the world.