Oct 28, 2006 02:31 PM
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(Updated Oct 28, 2006 02:42 PM)
Mangal Pandey, the book written by Rudrangshu Mukherjee, throws light on the life of Mangal Pandey. Alongwith, it also describes certain suprising facts about Mangal Pandey
The plot of the book: March 29, 1857. It was an oridinary Sunday afternoon in the cantonment of Barrackpore. Most of the (Indian) sepoys were lounging around and the English officers were resting in their bungalows. It was at this time when a soldier of 5 th company, 34 th Native Infantry, whose name was Mangal Pandey appeared before the quarter-guard. He was agitated and he had with him a loaded musket and a sword. He yelled at his comrades and told them to join him. He even attacked Seregeant-Major James Hewson, Lieutenant Baugh, the commanding officer of the 34 th Native Infantry, Steven Wheeler. When Major General John Hearsey and his two sons arrived at the scene, the major general ordered all the white officers present there to attack Mangal Pandey together. As there was no chance of escape for Mangal Pandey now, he turned the musket towards his own chest and fired. He was immediately taken to the hospital. He did not succumbed to his injuries. He was tried on April 6, 1857 and he was hanged on April 8, 1857. The author then tells us that even after so many years of this event and a considerable amount of research, there is no knowledge about Mangal Pandey. No one knows who were his parents, whether he was married and when he was recruited. The author then provides the description of the life of the sepoys during that period in north Indian and from this, he assumes how Mangal Pandey must have lived his life.
Throughout the book, Rudrangshu Mukherjee has included the accounts of the authors, editors, British officers etc of that period, for a better understanding to the readers. One such extract written, by an unknown British officer, describes how a soldier was given a death punishment by blowing his body from the mouth of the cannon. The way it is described, send a chill down the spine.
In the last chapter, the author Rudrangshu Mukherjee has given the entire account of the court proceedings of Mangal Pandey case on April 6, 1857. He has taken this extract from the book of the author named Forrest.
What is most unique and likeable thing in this book is that Rudrangshu Mukherjee puts the following question in front of history and all the historians working on 1857: -
Who was Mangal Pandey? A dashing, heroic figure as portrayed by Aamir Khan in the movie ‘Mangal Pandey: The Rising’? A fiery patriot who embarked on a suicidal mission to defend his country’s honour? Or just an ordinary sepoy who, in a state of intoxication, committed a foolhardy act for which he was hanged? So was he a brave martyr or accidental hero?
Rudrangshu Mukherjee gives the reasons on why Mangal Pandey was an accidental hero. He says that on March 29, 1857, Mangal Pandey was under the influence of ‘bhang’. There is nothing in the historical records, which can explain the reason behind the actions of Mangal Padney. In the court proceedings also, Mangal Pandey was scared and didn’t spoke much. Rudrangshu Mukherjee also observes that the 1857 revolt was not started by Mangal Pandey. It was started in Meerut, which was far away from Barrackpore. It was started by the Meerut sepoys and that too on May 10, nearly a month after Mangal Pandey was hanged. And the source of inspiration for the Meerut sepoys was not Mangal Pandey. Mangal Pandey began to be honoured only after historians began writing narratives of the uprising. There are several such other reasons, written by the author.
The author has given excellent description. He also succeeds in giving a meaningful characterization of Mangal Pandey. The book is less than 100 pages and he has written in such a way that it does not bore the reader and keeps him interested.
On the whole, Mangal Padney is a fantastic and unique piece of work. It presents a vivid picture of the life in the barracks of the East India cantonments during 1857 and gives a meaningful assumption of the life of Mangal Padney. Also, the author Rudrangshu Mukherjee examines the controversies and rumours of that period. It provides for the first time a credible portrait of Mangal Pandey as he really was. Really, a must read
Published by Penguin Books
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