The Revolt of 1857 in Haryana

Although the events of 1857 have produced almost innumerable accounts and scholarly books, no author has attempted to focus on the role of the Haryana region in the Indian holocaust. The people of Haryana rose up in great numbers, and for a few months regained control over their lives and property. They severely undercut the British efforts to retake Delhi and in general, served as a thorn in the opponents' side. This study examines people and events involved in this bloodshed. Drawing on wide range of archival and published sources, the author attempts a major reinterpretation of 1857 revolt. Prior to the May 10th uprising at Meerut, evidence suggest a plot among mutineers in Haryana. Another pattern receiving attention is the large degree of communal cooperation by Hindus and Muslims in the face of the common enemy. The author, however, disagrees, and in a big way, with many eminent scholars of the Uprising, such as S.N. Sen, R.C. Majumdar, etc. Their methodology, and inadequate sources, he believes, have tended to perpetuate many inaccurate interpretations concerning the origins, nature, scope, and at times even actual happenings of the Uprising. The author's narrative and the controversial thesis will undoubtedly interest students of the 1857 Uprising in particular and Indian history, in general.