Standing up
He said no to what hurt his faith and his people.
The first spark of 1857
मंगल पांडे
↓The first spark of the 1857 war
How history remembers his stand at Barrackpore
Mangal Pandey was a young soldier in the British army. In 1857 he stood up against his British officers. Soon after, a huge war for freedom started across North India. People see him as the first spark.
Mangal Pandey was about 29. He did not see the war that his stand helped start. Our freedom came 90 years later.
Think about itBorn on 19 July in Nagwa village, Ballia, Uttar Pradesh.
Joined the army of the British East India Company as a sepoy.
News spread that new cartridges used cow and pig fat. Hindu and Muslim soldiers were very upset.
On 29 March, at Barrackpore near Kolkata, he called his fellow soldiers to rise and attacked his officers.
He was hanged on 8 April. In May, soldiers in Meerut rose up, and the big revolt began.
The year was 1857. Indian soldiers heard bad news about the new rifle cartridges.
To load the rifle, they had to bite the cartridge. People said it had cow and pig fat.
Mangal Pandey felt this was an insult to his faith. On a March day in Barrackpore, he picked up his gun and called his brothers to rise.
He was caught and hanged. But the fire he started spread all over North India.
He said no to what hurt his faith and his people.
He would not let anyone disrespect his dharma.
One brave person can start a big change.
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