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A Ganges Ghat located in the cantonment area was named Maskar, because this is the place where the horrific massacre of the British took place. According to the book ‘Kanpur ka History’, at that time the Ganges had turned red with blood at the ghat.
The spark of revolution in Meerut had become a shola by the time they reached Kanpur, the blood of its brave sons started boiling, rebel soldiers set fire to British bungalows, went to Nawabganj and looted government treasury, got Indian prisoners released from jail. After the death of Peshwa Bajirao II of Bithoor, his adopted son Nanarao was not given the title of Peshwa by the British, he took it forcibly and started the struggle against the British. The effect of two-way pressure was visible, the British started breaking down and they decided to leave Kanpur. Nana Rao also gave him permission for this. Once upon a time it seemed that Kanpur would get rid of the slavery of the British, but it could not happen. In this special series of NewsNCR, today we tell you how the British were massacred in Kanpur and how the British took their revenge.
… When the Ganges became red with blood, the ghat was named ‘Maskar’
Maskar means massacre, from 1857 to post-independence, this Ganga Ghat located in the Cantonment area of Kanpur was named Maskar, because this is the place where the horrific massacre of the British took place. According to the book ‘History of Kanpur’, at that time the Ganges had turned red with blood at the ghat. It had happened that when the British began to feel that it was not possible to win over the rebel soldiers and revolutionaries, they made an agreement with Nanarao Peshwa in June 1857, according to which the British sought permission to go to Allahabad. The Peshwa agreed to this and arranged 40 boats for the British at Sattichaura Ghat. Soldiers were deployed for their protection. The British also started boarding the boat.
The cause of the massacre became a mistake of the British
Everything was going well, then suddenly there was a bugle-like sound on the Mahadev temple located on the ghat, the British could not understand and they started firing as the sound of declaration of war. As soon as this was done, the sailors jumped into the Ganges and the British got stuck in the middle. It is said that the rebel soldiers also fired in self-defense, due to which many British died. Who was guilty of this incident, it is not clear yet, but the British kept blaming Nanarao for this. In history, this incident was given the name of Sattichaura incident. It was only after this incident that the name of Sattichaura Ghat was changed to Maskar Ghat, presently its name is Nanarao Ghat.
Killing of British wives and children
Kanpur’s soil contributed a lot in the history of revolution, but one incident tarnished it. That incident took place in Bibighar, Kanpur. Here the wives and children of the British were put to death. In fact, during the massacre at Satti Chaura Ghat, Nanarao somehow rescued the wives and children of the British from the possession of the rebels and kept them in Bibighar, the responsibility of looking after them was given to Hussaini Khanum. Here after the Satticora incident, the British started committing more atrocities on Indians, enraged by this, Hussaini killed women and children and threw them in the well.
The echo was heard till England
The echo of the Satticora and Bibighar scandals was heard till England. More British army was sent from Allahabad Cantonment and the hold of the revolutionaries was started, common people were also being persecuted. Murders started being committed, all the rebels were hanged. This process continued for several days to suppress the rebellion and recapture Kanpur.
Indians were made to clean the blood of the house
General Neil and Major General Havelock, who recaptured Kanpur, were very ruthless officers. That’s why both were sent here. The special thing was that at that time only the British officers had the right to write the case and sentence. Both of them tortured the Indian people a lot. He used to catch the Indians and take them to the Bibighar and get them cleaned of the blood stains lying there.
Hanged 133 revolutionaries simultaneously
After the Sattichaura and Bibighar incident, the British were furious, the atrocities were increased on the Indians and the revolutionaries were arrested, during which the British caught many revolutionaries and they were hanged, some were shot, According to the website of the Amrit Mahotsav of the Central Government, there were 133 revolutionaries who were hanged together on a banyan tree. This tree was in Nanarao Park of Kanpur, which was known as Budha Banyan. A few years ago this sign of revolution collapsed. Now there is a rockboard describing the history of the old banyan, which tells people about the revolutionaries and the heroic soil of Kanpur.
Pain of old banyan….
In 1992, an inscription was placed on the old banyan, which is telling its pain…. ‘Listen, I am not only a banyan tree consisting of root, stem and leaves, but I am a witness to the history of slave India till date. I saw countless springs and autumns, the day of June 4, 1857, when the spark of freedom ignited in Meerut became a Shola in Kanpur. I saw the valor of Tatya Tope under the leadership of Nana Saheb, the sacrifice of Rani Laxmibai and the martyrdom of Azimullah. My roots were shaken by the brutal and oppressive havoc wreaked on the freedom fighters of the country. I still cannot forget that heart-wrenching day when 133 desh bhakts were hanged by the British on my branches. That day I cried, cried, the tears in my eyes dried up, I groan when I remember this thrilling painful story.
Nana Saheb had led
The revolution in Kanpur was led by Nanarao, the adopted son of Bajirao Peshwa II. He struggled with the British all his life. According to historians, he was born on 19 May 1824. His mother’s name was Ganga Bai and father’s name was Narayan Bhatt. In his childhood, he was declared his adopted son by Bajirao Peshwa II. Bajirao Peshwa II lived in the Bithoor Fort located near Kanpur, Nanarao was also educated here. It was here that he was proficient in the art of warfare and was trained in sword and gun handling. After the death of Peshwa Bajirao in 1951, when the British did not give the title of Peshwa to Nana Rao, he clashed with the British and in 1957, when the rebellion started from Meerut, Nana Rao also declared himself Peshwa and started openly opposing the British. Diya and became the leader of the revolution in Kanpur. Throughout his life he fought with the British. Many times the British also announced a reward on them, but never got success, when Nana Saheb died, it is still a mystery.
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