Revolt of 1857

1. Who among the following was popularly called Danka Shah in the years 1

Who among the following was popularly called Danka Shah in the years 1856 – 57 ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Shah Mal” option2=”Ahmadullah Shah” option3=”Zahir Dehlvi” option4=”Ghulam Hussain” correct=”option2″]

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Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah was popularly called ‘Danka Shah’ during the years 1856-57. He was a key figure in the Revolt of 1857, particularly in Awadh.
He earned the nickname ‘Danka Shah’ (meaning the king by beat of drum) because he moved around with a drum (danka) beating loudly, publicly preaching jihad against the British and mobilizing people for the revolt.
He was a trained soldier and preacher from Faizabad, respected by both Hindus and Muslims. He played a significant role in the fighting in Awadh and was one of the British’s most formidable opponents, with a bounty placed on his head. Shah Mal led the revolt in the Baghpat region. Zahir Dehlvi was a witness and chronicler of the revolt in Delhi. Ghulam Hussain was likely a historical figure but not prominently known by this nickname in the context of the 1857 revolt.

2. During the revolt of 1857, who mobilised the headmen of Eighty Four Vi

During the revolt of 1857, who mobilised the headmen of Eighty Four Villages (chaurasee des) ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah” option2=”Shah Mal” option3=”Nana Sahib” option4=”Rao Tula Ram” correct=”option2″]

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During the Revolt of 1857, Shah Mal, a local leader from the region of Baraut in Uttar Pradesh, mobilised the cultivators and headmen of eighty-four villages (chaurasee des) to rebel against the British.
Shah Mal organized a significant uprising in the Baghpat district (near Delhi), turning the pargana of Baraut into a strong base of resistance by mobilising local communities.
Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah was a prominent leader from Faizabad/Awadh. Nana Sahib led the revolt in Kanpur. Rao Tula Ram was a leader in Haryana. Shah Mal’s rebellion is notable for its reliance on local peasant support and traditional community structures.

3. The Assam Company, consisting of European tea planters, remained the v

The Assam Company, consisting of European tea planters, remained the virtual proprietor of the tea industry till 1850. In the 1850s, who among the following established two small proprietary tea gardens of his own, which were confiscated by the State after his execution for treason in 1858 ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Anandaram Dhekial Phukan” option2=”Gunabhiram Barua” option3=”Lakhinath Bezbarua” option4=”Maniram Dewan” correct=”option4″]

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The correct option is D, identifying Maniram Dewan as the person described.
– The description points to a prominent figure in Assam’s history who was involved in the tea industry and executed by the British in 1858 for treason, leading to the confiscation of his property, including tea gardens.
– Maniram Dewan (Maniram Datta Barua) was one of the pioneers of the Assamese tea industry who established private tea gardens alongside the dominant European-owned Assam Company.
– He participated in the Indian Mutiny of 1857, attempting to organize an uprising in Assam. His letters to plotters were intercepted, leading to his arrest and execution in 1858. His properties, including his tea gardens, were confiscated by the British East India Company.
Anandaram Dhekial Phukan was a prominent Assamese writer and intellectual of the same period, but not involved in rebellion leading to execution and confiscation of tea gardens. Gunabhiram Barua was a social reformer and writer. Lakhinath Bezbarua was a celebrated Assamese litterateur of a later period. Maniram Dewan uniquely fits the description.

4. Consider the following : In March 2014 mortal remains of a number of I

Consider the following :
In March 2014 mortal remains of a number of Indian soldiers of 1857 mutiny were exhumed from a well at ________. These mortal remains are of ________ who revolted against the British.
Complete the statements with appropriate information using the code given below :

[amp_mcq option1=”Jallianwala Bagh, 36 Regiment of Sikh Infantry” option2=”Lahore, 75 Regular Native Infantry Regiment” option3=”Ajnala, 26 Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry” option4=”Satti Chaura Ghat, 19 Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry” correct=”option3″]

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In March 2014, a historical discovery was made where mortal remains of a number of Indian soldiers from the 1857 mutiny were exhumed from a well in Ajnala, near Amritsar, Punjab. These remains were identified based on historical accounts and records as likely belonging to soldiers of the 26th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry. This regiment had mutinied in Lahore on July 30, 1857, and attempted to flee, with many being killed or captured near Amritsar. Historical sources indicated that a large number of these soldiers were executed and their bodies thrown into a well at Ajnala.
Mortal remains of 1857 mutiny soldiers were discovered in a well at Ajnala, Punjab in 2014. These soldiers are believed to be from the 26th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry who mutinied in Lahore.
The event is known as the Ajnala massacre. Following the mutiny at Lahore, around 500 soldiers of the 26th Native Infantry fled. Around 200 of them were apprehended near Ajnala. British officials ordered their execution, and their bodies were disposed of in a well, which came to be known as ‘Kalianwala Khuh’ (the well of the blacks) or ‘Shaheedan da Khuh’ (the well of martyrs). The exhumation and study in 2014 helped confirm the historical accounts.

5. Certain measures of Dalhousie created serious discontent in India, whi

Certain measures of Dalhousie created serious discontent in India, which were also responsible for the revolt of 1857. Which of the following measures was *not* one of them ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Doctrine of Lapse” option2=”Introduction of Railways and Telegraph” option3=”Abolition of titles and pensions of several rulers” option4=”Educational reforms” correct=”option2″]

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The correct option is B) Introduction of Railways and Telegraph.
While the introduction of Railways and Telegraph lines by Dalhousie was a significant modernization effort that served British strategic and economic interests and caused some social disruption, it was not a primary cause of the widespread discontent among Indian rulers, soldiers, and the populace that directly led to the Revolt of 1857 in the same way as the Doctrine of Lapse, abolition of titles and pensions, and perceived interference through educational reforms.
Lord Dalhousie’s administration (1848-1856) introduced several controversial policies. The Doctrine of Lapse led to the annexation of states like Satara, Nagpur, and Jhansi on the pretext of lack of a natural heir, causing immense resentment among Indian rulers. The abolition of titles and pensions of deposed rulers (like Nana Saheb) further fueled political discontent. Educational reforms and associated social changes were viewed with suspicion by traditional elements, who feared interference with their religion and customs. The introduction of Railways and Telegraph, while transformative, was primarily seen by Indians as serving the British rulers and not a direct cause of the specific type of political, social, or religious discontent that ignited the revolt. The immediate trigger was the greased cartridges issue, but the underlying causes included Dalhousie’s annexations and reforms.

6. Which one of the following statements about the ishtahars issued durin

Which one of the following statements about the ishtahars issued during the Revolt of 1857 is correct?

[amp_mcq option1=”They glorified the Muslim rule in India.” option2=”They glorified the co-existence of different communities under the Mughal Empire.” option3=”They glorified the message of Islam.” option4=”They glorified the role of Queen Victoria.” correct=”option2″]

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The ishtahars (proclamations) issued during the Revolt of 1857, such as the Azamgarh Proclamation, often invoked the past, particularly the Mughal era, to highlight a period where different communities (Hindus and Muslims) co-existed harmoniously and prospered under a common rule, contrasting it with the divisive policies of the British.
Rebel leaders sought to unite diverse groups against British rule by recalling a shared past of communal harmony.
These proclamations appealed to both Hindus and Muslims, reminding them of how they had lived together peacefully under the previous rulers (referring to the Mughals, though Mughal authority was waning) and how the British were disrupting their way of life and unity.

7. Which one of the following statements about the Revolt of 1857 is corr

Which one of the following statements about the Revolt of 1857 is correct ?

[amp_mcq option1=”It was a Revolt carefully organised and planned by the Rajas, Nawabs and Taluqdars” option2=”Rumours and prophecies did not play any role in its outbreak and spread” option3=”The rebel proclamations in 1857 repeatedly appealed to all sections of the population irrespective of their caste and creed.” option4=”The British succeeded in quickly and easily controlling the rebels” correct=”option3″]

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During the Revolt of 1857, many rebel proclamations, issued by leaders like Bahadur Shah Zafar, Nana Sahib, and those in Awadh, explicitly appealed to the populace to unite against the British, irrespective of their religious or caste background. They often invoked symbols and language that resonated with both Hindus and Muslims, emphasizing shared history and the common goal of overthrowing British rule.
The Revolt of 1857 saw significant attempts by rebel leaders to forge unity among different sections of Indian society against the British.
Option A is an oversimplification; while many traditional elites participated, the revolt also involved peasants, sepoys, and other sections, and its organization was complex and varied. Option B is incorrect; rumours, such as the greased cartridges and mysterious circulation of chapatis and lotuses, played a crucial role in inciting and spreading the revolt. Option D is incorrect; the British faced fierce resistance and it took them over a year, with significant reinforcements, to suppress the rebellion, demonstrating that it was neither quick nor easy.

8. Who among the following died in exile ?

Who among the following died in exile ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Rani Laxmibai” option2=”Bahadur Shah Zafar” option3=”Tantia Tope” option4=”Nana Saheb” correct=”option2″]

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Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor, died in exile.
Following the Indian Mutiny of 1857, he was captured by the British, tried, and exiled to Rangoon (present-day Yangon) in British Burma. He died there in 1862.
Rani Laxmibai died fighting the British in Gwalior in June 1858. Tantia Tope was captured by the British in April 1859 and executed. Nana Saheb, another leader of the 1857 revolt, is believed to have escaped to Nepal, and his ultimate fate remains uncertain, but he did not die in the hands of the British in India.

9. Who among the following was believed to be a leader of the Sanyasis an

Who among the following was believed to be a leader of the Sanyasis and Fakirs conspiring against the British in 1857 ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Mangal Pandey” option2=”Bahadur Shah II” option3=”Queen Zeenat Mahal” option4=”Nana Sahib” correct=”option4″]

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The question asks who among the listed leaders of the 1857 revolt was believed to be a leader of the Sanyasis and Fakirs conspiring against the British. While the Sanyasi and Fakir Rebellions were earlier events, religious ascetics played a role in mobilising support during the 1857 revolt.
Historical accounts suggest that leaders of the 1857 revolt, in their efforts to rally support, did connect with various segments of society, including religious figures and groups. While none of the major 1857 leaders were directly leading the historical Sanyasi/Fakir movements of the 18th century, there is some historical interpretation that links Nana Sahib with attempts to mobilize support from religious networks, potentially including those associated with ascetic orders. Some accounts suggest he was perceived by some as a leader with religious legitimacy, capable of uniting various disaffected groups. Compared to the other options (Mangal Pandey, a sepoy; Bahadur Shah II, the elderly Mughal figurehead; Queen Zeenat Mahal, primarily involved in court), Nana Sahib was actively leading military and political resistance in Kanpur and seeking wider support, making him the most plausible candidate among the choices to be linked, in popular belief or rumour, with leading religious resistance groups like Sanyasis and Fakirs in the context of 1857.
The Sanyasi and Fakir Rebellions were significant uprisings against early British rule in Bengal in the late 18th century, famously depicted in Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s novel ‘Anandamath’. While the specific *movements* predated 1857, the networks of religious ascetics and mendicants continued to exist and were sometimes involved in anti-British activities or were seen with suspicion by the British. The 1857 revolt saw the participation of various religious leaders and figures who helped in spreading the message and mobilising people. Given the options, Nana Sahib’s efforts to unify various groups and his position as adopted son of the Peshwa made him a focal point for resistance, potentially attracting the support of, or being seen as a leader by, diverse elements including religious zealots and ascetics.

10. The Azamgarh Proclamation of August 25, 1857 stressed on which one of

The Azamgarh Proclamation of August 25, 1857 stressed on which one of the following issues ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Hindu-Muslim divide” option2=”Support to the English Government” option3=”The return of the Badshahi” option4=”The imposition of heavy Dumas (revenue demand)” correct=”option3″]

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The correct answer is (C) The return of the Badshahi.
The Azamgarh Proclamation of August 25, 1857, issued during the Indian Mutiny, was a comprehensive document outlining the grievances against British rule and promising a return to a just and prosperous rule under the Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar (referred to as Badshahi). It appealed to various sections of society by promising specific benefits upon the restoration of the old order.
The proclamation strongly condemned the British government’s policies, including revenue systems, destruction of indigenous industries, and perceived interference in religious matters. It explicitly called for the restoration of the sovereignty of the Mughal Emperor and outlined the structure of the alternative government, promising justice and prosperity for Hindus and Muslims alike. This document is a significant primary source for understanding the rebels’ objectives and ideology during the 1857 revolt.
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