Mangal Pandey stands as one of the earliest pioneers of India’s freedom movement, remembered for igniting the first major uprising against British rule—the Revolt of 1857, often called the First War of Indian Independence. Born on 19 July 1827, Pandey was a sepoy (soldier) in the 34th Bengal Native Infantry of the East India Company’s army. Though his exact birthplace remains debated, many sources claim he was born either in Nagwa village of Ballia district or in Surhupur in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh.
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| Mangal Pandey, one of the early freedom fighters facebook.com |
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| Early freedom fighter Mangal Pandey,thecollector.com |
Above image: Mangal Pandey is most notably remembered for sparking the Indian rebellion of 1857, which went on to inspire the struggle for Independence in India. In July, 2025, his 198th
anniversary was celebrated.........
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| Early freedom fighter Mangal Pandey, indiatoday.in |
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| Enfield Rifle, of the Bengal Army in early 185 indianetzone.com |
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| Enfield Rifle, of the Bengal Army in early 1857. en.wikipedia.org |
Above images: A new type of bullet cartridge used in the Enfield P-53 rifle (The P-53 was officially known as the Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle Musket) introduced in the Bengal Army that year. It has an effective range of 50 to 300 yards. The bullets lack annular grease rings like French or American minie ball bullets. The cartridge, it was believed, was greased with animal fat (primarily pig and cow fat) for effective loading. To the Muslims and Hindus, both are taboo to be consumed. Before using the cartridge, cover had to be removed by biting and the soldiers refused to use that kind of cartridge.......
Pandey was a simple, dutiful soldier and a devout Hindu. The turning point came in 1857, when the British introduced the Enfield P-53 rifle, whose cartridges were believed to be greased with the fat of cows and pigs. To load the rifle, soldiers had to bite the cartridge open. For Hindu soldiers, cow fat was sacrilegious, and pig fat was forbidden for Muslims. The act was not merely insulting—it was seen as a threat to religion and dignity. A rumor also circulated that the British intended to convert Indian soldiers to Christianity by destroying their religious practices.
On the afternoon of 29 March 1857 at Barrackpore (Barrackpore) near Calcutta, a young and enraged Mangal Pandey rebelled openly. Armed with a loaded musket, he called upon his fellow sepoys to rise against the British officers. When Lieutenant Baugh approached on horseback, Pandey shot the horse, bringing down the officer, and attacked him with a sword. He also wounded Sergeant-Major Hewson, while most sepoys refused to intervene, except Shaikh Paltu, who tried to restrain him.
When General Hearsey arrived and ordered Jemadar Ishwari Prasad to arrest Pandey, the Jemadar refused. Surrounded and injured, Pandey attempted to shoot himself but failed. He was arrested and court-martialed. Though his execution was originally set for 18 April 1857, fearing further unrest, the British hanged him ten days early, on 8 April 1857. Ishwari Prasad was executed on 22 April, and the entire 34th regiment was dismissed “with disgrace.”
Mangal Pandey’s act sparked widespread rebellion across northern India—at Meerut, Kanpur, Jhansi, Delhi, Lucknow, and other centers. Although the revolt was eventually suppressed, it shook British rule to its core. The East India Company was abolished, and administration of India passed directly to the British Crown.
Today, statues, stamps, museums, and roads across India honor Pandey. He remains a symbol of courage, patriotism and the spark that awakened a suppressed nation.
https://www.indiatoday.in/fyi/story/mangal-pandey-1857-indian-rebellion-birth-anniversary-1025139-2017-07-19
https://www.thecollector.com/mangal-pandey-sepoy-mutiny
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangal_Pandey
http://www.liveindia.com/freedomfighters/mangalpandey.html
https://www.thecollector.com/mangal-pandey-sepoy-mutiny
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangal_Pandey
http://www.liveindia.com/freedomfighters/mangalpandey.html
