Question

This is one of the arzis (petition or application) of rebel sepoys that have survived: A century ago the British arrived in Hindostan and gradually entertained troops in their service, and became masters of every state. Our forefathers have always served them, and we also entered their service … By the mercy of God and with our assistance the British also conquered every place they liked, in which thousands of us, Hindostani men, were sacrificed, but we never made any excuses or pretences nor revolted … But in the year eighteen fifty seven the British issued an order that new cartridges and muskets which had arrived from England were to be issued; in the former of which the fats of cows and pigs were mixed; and also that attah of wheat mixed with powdered bones was to be eaten; and even distributed them in every Regiment of infantry, cavalry and artillery … They gave these cartridges to the sowars (mounted soldiers) of the 3rd Light Cavalry, and ordered them to bite them; the troopers objected to it, and said that they would never bite them, for if they did, their religion and faith would be destroyed … upon this the British officers paraded the men of the 3 Regiments and having prepared 1,400 English soldiers, and other Battalions of European troops and Horse Artillery, surrounded them, and placing six guns before each of the infantry regiments, loaded the guns with grape and made 84 new troopers prisoners, and put them in jail with irons on them … The reason that the sowars of the Cantonment were put into jail was that we should be frightened into biting the new cartridges. On this account we and all our country-men having united together, have fought the British for the preservation of our faith … we have been compelled to make war for two years and the Rajahs and Chiefs who are with us in faith and religion, are still so, and have undergone all sorts of trouble; we have fought for two years in order that our faith and religion may not be polluted. If the religion of a Hindoo or Mussalman is lost, what remains in the world?

Compare the reasons for the mutiny as stated in the arzi with those mentioned by the taluqdars in “What taluqdars thought.”

Answer 1

Sepoys in the arzi	Taluqdars
The sepoys were mainly worried about their religion and faith.	The taluqdars were mainly angry because the British had taken away their lands and power.
They believed that the new cartridges were greased with the fat of cows and pigs, which would hurt Hindu and Muslim religious beliefs.	They complained that the British had removed the Nawab of Awadh and destroyed the old political order.
They felt that the British were trying to destroy their religion.	Many taluqdars had lost estates that had been in their families for generations.
They were also angry at the way the British treated and punished soldiers who refused to use the cartridges.	They felt that the British had disrespected their traditional rights and status.
Their main concern was protecting religion and honour.	Their main concern was the protection of land, authority and traditional privileges.

Conclusion:

Both the sepoys and the taluqdars opposed British rule, but for different reasons. The sepoys were mainly concerned about religion and military treatment, while the taluqdars were mainly concerned about the loss of land, power and traditional authority.