Paper Details

This research paper focuses on the Uprising of 1857 by studying its political, social, and regional aspects. It explains that the revolt was not just a sudden military mutiny but the result of deeper problems created by British rule in India. Policies such as annexation of Indian states, heavy land revenue systems, and the removal of traditional rulers and landlords created anger among princes, taluqdars, sepoys, peasants, and other groups. These political and administrative changes disturbed existing power structures and increased dissatisfaction across different sections of society. (Chandra, 2003; Metcalf & Metcalf, 2006; Bayly, 2004) The paper also discusses the social roots of the uprising. Economic hardship, peasant exploitation, loss of land rights, and fears of interference in religious and cultural practices encouraged many ordinary people to join the revolt. Because of these wider grievances, the movement spread beyond the army and gained mass participation. (Stokes, 1980; Tandon, 1984). It further studies the revolt in different regions such as Awadh, Delhi, Bihar, Punjab, Bulandshahr, and Jhansi. In each area, local leaders and specific problems shaped the nature of resistance. In some places, rebels even tried to set up their own administration, showing that the revolt had political aims and organization. (Mukherjee, 1987; Husain, 1998) Overall, the paper presents the Uprising of 1857 as a broad, multi-regional and multi-class resistance against colonial rule, which played an important role in the development of later anti-colonial movements in India. (Pati, 2007; Sen, 1988)

1857 revolt, uprising of 1857, 1857 uprising through political and social lenses