Sikhs supported British during uprising of 1857-58

[chharoonahmad]

Hi

If my information is correct Sikh were on the rise (actually many other groups were also dominant such Marathas) before British took over control. In other words, there were several competing groups. Was there some special reason(s) for Sikhs supporting the British? I have read that Punjabi Muslims also were also along the British. Please help me with this. Thanks.

Regards
Haroon

 

[Leader]

Sikhs were defeated, made treaty and joined British against the massacre of Muslims. simple as that.

Punjabi muslims were already fedup of Sikh ruler, they also resisted the Sikhs and British under Syed Barelvi,

give me some time I need to recollect the events in right order.

 

[EjazR]

Well not just Sikhs, all Punjabis(including muslims) as well as Pathans from NWFP provided the bulk of the loyal forces on the British side while mutinies were taken place in other parts. So no, it was not "Sikhs made a treaty to massacre muslims".

For their loyalty, the British gave a lot of landholdings and created the best irrigation network in Punjab. They also established their Army GHQ in RawalPindi instead of Bengal where it was previously to be more closer to loyal forces. Soon you had the "marital races theories" and one of the reason why there was a large number of Punjabis and Pathans hired rather than Bengalis or UP/Biharis.

Here is a good write up on this by a Pakistani columinist
The Story of the Storm — 1857

 

[Prometheus]

Sikhs were defeated, made treaty and joined British against the massacre of Muslims. simple as that.

Punjabi muslims were already fedup of Sikh ruler, they also resisted the Sikhs and British under Syed Barelvi,

give me some time I need to recollect the events in right order.

Punjab had a total of 5 sikh rulers...................from which ruler Punjabi muslims were fed up.................
Pakistani punjabis are also fed up of their own govt these days
who is this Syed Barelvi,?????

On the topic.............
Why sikhs supported British????
what support and against whom????
\
The same Bengalis who helped Britishers in defeating Sikhs????????????//...............Sikhs are emotional

Sikhs already lost their kingdom ...............they had lost their 12 year old king.......................mother queen was exiled by the british..................Kashmir was gifted to the dogras for helping British..........................lost almost all the man power in two wars they faught with britishers+bengalis+dogras +etc etc etc

 

[Leader]

Well not just Sikhs, all Punjabis(including muslims) as well as Pathans from NWFP provided the bulk of the loyal forces on the British side while mutinies were taken place in other parts. So no, it was not "Sikhs made a treaty to massacre muslims".

For their loyalty, the British gave a lot of landholdings and created the best irrigation network in Punjab. They also established their Army GHQ in RawalPindi instead of Bengal where it was previously to be more closer to loyal forces. Soon you had the "marital races theories" and one of the reason why there was a large number of Punjabis and Pathans hired rather than Bengalis or UP/Biharis.

Here is a good write up on this by a Pakistani columinist
The Story of the Storm — 1857

he was asking about pre-1987.

later ofcourse all contibuted to the defence of british empire, infact it was one of the point scoring factor in Simla deputation

British ARmy GHQ in Rawalpindi? never heard that...

 

[chharoonahmad]

Well not just Sikhs, all Punjabis(including muslims) as well as Pathans from NWFP provided the bulk of the loyal forces on the British side while mutinies were taken place in other parts. So no, it was not "Sikhs made a treaty to massacre muslims".

For their loyalty, the British gave a lot of landholdings and created the best irrigation network in Punjab. They also established their Army GHQ in RawalPindi instead of Bengal where it was previously to be more closer to loyal forces. Soon you had the "marital races theories" and one of the reason why there was a large number of Punjabis and Pathans hired rather than Bengalis or UP/Biharis.

Here is a good write up on this by a Pakistani columinist
The Story of the Storm — 1857

Thanks a lot, Ejaz and everyone else.

It could have been in Amritsar, or someplace in NWFP. By the way, Bengalis initially aligned themselves with the British because previously they were being ruled by a Muslim leader, the Nawab? Muslim, Hindu equation was very important then and even now. Please guide me on this. Thanks.

Best wishes
Haroon

PS: Dear Ejaz, I have noticed that you didn't mention any reason at all that why people from NWFP and Punjab supported the British.

 

[guest11]

Hi

If my information is correct Sikh were on the rise (actually many other groups were also dominant such Marathas) before British took over control. In other words, there were several competing groups. Was there some special reason(s) for Sikhs supporting the British? I have read that Punjabi Muslims also were also along the British. Please help me with this. Thanks.

Regards
Haroon

Wel, so did the Begum of Bhopal.

 

[sab]

Most of the prominent leaders were forced to ride the tiger by the rebels. As they rebel sepais did not find leaders among them they approached to promonent landlords, rajas , zamindars etc. Many of them had grudge against the British but they were ready to help the British to supress the rebels if their grievence were listened. When the Company failed to respond to them they did not have any alternative. It was not possible for them to refuse the Sepais. Among those who sided with the rebels were Hindus as well as Muslims. Similarly there were Hindus as well as Muslims who helped the british to contain the mutiny. In Bengal, the intellectual class were just tasting the fruit of Western civilization. So no way they were ready to allighn with the rebels who were trying to re-establish the old monarchial system. Except north-India there was hardly any support for the mutiny.

 

[EjazR]

he was asking about pre-1987.

later ofcourse all contibuted to the defence of british empire, infact it was one of the point scoring factor in Simla deputation

British ARmy GHQ in Rawalpindi? never heard that...

Pindi used to host the largest British Army cantonment in the subcontinent since 1951. Later it became the GHQ. The Pakistan Army moved into the same buildings after independance and that same GHQ became Pakistan army's GHQ

PakistanPaedia - Rawalpindi

 

[EjazR]

Thanks a lot, Ejaz and everyone else.

It could have been in Amritsar, or someplace in NWFP. By the way, Bengalis initially aligned themselves with the British because previously they were being ruled by a Muslim leader, the Nawab? Muslim, Hindu equation was very important then and even now. Please guide me on this. Thanks.

Best wishes
Haroon

PS: Dear Ejaz, I have noticed that you didn't mention any reason at all that why people from NWFP and Punjab supported the British.

The army divisions before 1857 were the mercenary forces of East India Company, not the British govt. or the crown. Anyone who joined the East India company did so because of high salaries, land grants and basically an elite life. Members of the Bombay, Bengal and UP armies revolted mainly including the princely states. From the Marathas, to begum hazrat mahat to rani laxmi bai all proclaimed their leader as Bahadur Shah Zafar as Emperor of India and fought in his name. There were even Sikh and Pathan commanders under Bahadur Shah Zafar so it was not as if ALL punjabis were fighting with the British.

I think you are giving too much weitage on who was Hindu or who was Muslim. It was after all Mir Jafar in Bengal who was instrumental for British victory in Bengal which was one of the most prosperous provinces of India. Sirajud Dawlah had made a Hindu Kayastha(Brahmin/Kshatriya hybrid) Mohanlal as Diwan (PM) of the state. You should look at history dispationately and not let biases color your reading of it.
Mir Jafar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[waz]

Mir Jafar did more than anyone else combined....

 

[Silk]

One cannot look back all the time. You have many temporarily coalitions but in the end it is survival. That is why I promote economic treaty between India-China and Pakistan. Surely there are major issues but only third parties earn a lot from that. We both suffer. I kind of pass the past and look to common interests. India needs Pakistan and Pakistan needs India. Together they are complement. With China as cover there is nothing between these nations and the rest of the world.

 

[Mujeeb47]

Almost all groups of Hindustan supported British Raj.

 

[Mujeeb47]

Almost all groups of Hindustan supported British Raj in some way or other.
But british also defeated Sikhs in Punjab.

 

[chharoonahmad]

Hi

I offer my thanks to everyone for your guidance.

I have another question which wanted to ask since a long time. The tipping point for the uprisng of 1857-58 was the introduction of gun cartridges covered in pig and cow fat (at least this is what they say in the books I have come across). Now as you are aware many of the history books are biased and full of lies. What did the British have in mind when they thought of introducing such cartridges? They were not silly or inept administrators. As a matter of fact their governance and administration were best of their kinds. So, what really went wrong? Is this "cartridge" story correct? Perhaps, as many of the members above have already pointed out that many among the elite had grudge against the British, so it was quite possible that they added fuel to some rumour which was just a rumour at its best. Was any of the cartridges tested in some kind of laboratory? Please let me know your opinion. Thanks.

And ya, Mir Sadiq was another betrayer!

Regards
Haroon