Page 210 - DHIS204_DHIS205_INDIAN_FREEDOM_STRUGGLE_HINDI

Unit 13: Map I

6. The emotional after-effects of the Revolts were perhaps the most unfortunate. Racial bitterness Notes
was perhaps the worst legacy of the struggle. The Punch cartooned the Indian as a subhuman
creature, half gorilla, half-negro who could be kept in check by superior force only. The agents
of imperialism in India dubbed the entire Indian people as unworthy of trust and subjected
them to insults, humiliation and contemptuous treatment.
7. The Revolt of 1857 ended an era and sowed the seeds of new era. The era of territorial
aggrandisement gave place to the era of economic exploitation. For the British, the danger from
the feudal India ended for ever; the new challenge to British Imperialism came from progressive
India fed on the philosophy of John Stuart Mill and British liberals of the nineteenth century.

13.2 India before Independence

Pre independence struggle makes India proud: The term pre independence India is quite
complicated and may denote lots of developments along with declinations and if you wish for,
you may focus on the entire course of Indian history starting form the ancient era to the national
independence in 1947. Without a shred of doubt, this period can be delved into but may lead to
sleepless nights in profusion. Why don’t we focus on the pre independence era that witnessed the
birth of Indian freedom movement? After all, this happens to form one of the glorious chapters of
Indian history and thanks to the same, India or the perfect emblem of a multiethnic, multi-religious
ad multi-linguistic nation, for the first time, got hold of an exclusive identity - Indian.
Prior to the same, there is the need of a critical analysis of first era of British India or pre
independence India. It has to be accepted that British India brought about lots of decisive changes
in the Indian scenario and the credit, in this regard, goes to the fact that imperialism has lots of
merits as well. And the first of these is that there is the need of a strong and vigorous administration
along with discipline in the social sphere. Truly, British India became able to introduce a strong
discipline and through the set up of railways, judiciary and also’modern police and administration,
India attained the age of modernism.
But this honeymoon ended up soon when the mercantile interests of British supremacy got manifest.
What did start as land oriented disturbances in the upper India led to the strongest disenchantment
among the Indian aristocracy, especially the dethroned blue blood, and sepoys (Indian soldiers),
devoid of livelihood for years. What did happen in 1857 as a result of minute conflagration in
North India engulfed almost the whole of India before long. Even if British historians have tried
best to put down or disgrace the same movement, it is regarded as the “First War of Indian
Independence”- the first momentous event of pre independence India.
Even if the first flare of independence struggle met an untimely death owing to British ferocity,
the scenario changed soon. At this time it was Bengal, where the seeds of militant nationalism
were witnessed to raise belligerent heads. Owing to Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo and
Anushilan Samiti and Yugantar, militant philosophy, for the first time, was found to make a
strong impression among the young generation. Maharashtra and Punjab were found to join the
movement soon and the anti-partition struggle in Bengal that did dare to unsettle a “settled fact”
proved that the days of British hegemony were numbered.
The movement for national liberation gained a national character before long owing to the
emergence of Mahatma Gandhi in the national scenario. His mantra of non-violence that was a
direct consequence of Indian philosophy mesmerized the whole of India and history was created
in an unusual manner for the first time. The civil-disobedience movement based on non violence
rocked the entire British Empire and even 10, Downing Street, seat of British Government. The
coveted independence, as a result, became a reality on August 15, 1947.
Pre independence period of India and the glorious struggle for national liberation forms
one of the greatest chapters of Indian history.

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 205