The 1857 Rebellion

The 1857 Rebellion arguably represents the largest popular uprising against colonialism anywhere in the world during the period. Directed against the world’s greatest colonial power of the time, it has become a milestone in the history of imperialism. The rebellion also stoked the fires of the Indian National Movement and thus remains deeply ingrained in popular memory and folklore. The debate on the nature of the rebellion began almost with the revolt itself. Ever since, it has been widely contested in the academia as well as in public domain and the ensuing debate has strongly informed history writing in India. In the one hundred fiftieth year of the uprising, this volume brings together a selection of seminal writings–including some rare and out-of-print-tracts–to present a comprehensive picture of the event. The reader showcases the imperialist position–ranging from its location as a ‘Sepoy Mutiny’ to an effort to look for deeper causes. Alongside it highlights the way 1857 has been traditionally examined–as a ‘war of independence’, ‘nationalist uprising’, ‘civil rebellion’ or a ‘popular protest’ involving different sections of rural society. Expanding the horizons of the debate, Biswamoy Pati has added to this, discussions on Adivasis and Dalits, gender issues, the emergence of an alternative order, and other fascinating aspects related to the mentalities of the rebellion. This unique collection includes writings from imperialist historians like Charles Ball and J.W. Kaye; traditional Indian proponents–R.C. Majumdar, S.B. Chaudhuri, S.N. Sen; classic essays by K.M. Ashraf and Eric Stokes as well as modern interrogators like Rudrangshu Mukherjee, C.A. Bayly, Tapti Roy, I.A. Khan and Rajat Kanta Ray. In an incisive introduction, Pati examines the debate on the nature of the rebellion and traces the developments in historiography over the last hundred and fifty years. Focusing on recent writings on the subject, he also investigates the neglected regional and social component and outlines possibilities for future research. Scholars, teachers and students in modern Indian history, those concerned with Colonial India and National Movement as well as the interested general reader will find this volume indispensable.