Muharram Rebellion
Muharram Rebellion | |||||||
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Site of the battle | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
British East India Company | Bengali Muslims | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Supported by:
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Syed Pirzada † Syed Muhammad Hadi (Hada Miah) † Syed Muhammad Mahdi (Mada Miah) † | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
52 sepoys | 301 (mostly civilians) | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
1 sepoy killed 12 sepoys injured[1] |
4 killed (including leaders) Many injured |
Islam in Bangladesh |
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The Muharram Rebellion (Bengali: মহররমের বিদ্রোহ Môhôrromer Bidroho)[2] was a Bengali uprising which took place in early December 1782 against the East India Company in colonial Sylhet, eastern Bengal (now Bangladesh). The rebellion was under the leadership of the Pirzada and his two brothers, Syed Muhammad Hadi and Syed Muhammad Mahdi.[3] The main battle took place in the Mughal-built Sylhet Shahi Eidgah and its surrounding hills.
Background
In 1778, the
In 1781, the region was afflicted with a major flood. Many farmlands and crops were damaged spreading famine throughout
Lindsay mentions in his autobiography that he was approached by the
One narrative identifies the rebellion's leading
Rebellion day
আমরা কি ফিরিঙ্গিদের কুকুর যে তাদের হুকুম তামিল করবো?
Amra ki firiṅgider kukur je tader hukum tamil kôrbo?
Are we the dogs of thesefiringis(foreigners), that we take orders from them?
আজ মারবার অথবা মরবার দিন
Aj marbar ôthôba môrbar din
Today is the day to kill or to die,
ইংরেজ রাজত্ব আজ খতম
Ingrez rajôttô aj khôtôm
The reign of the English is at an end
In the evening, the Pirzada led a tazia procession of 300 alongside his brothers, Syed Muhammad Hadi and Syed Muhammad Mahdi (known locally as Hada Miah & Mada Miah).[1] Many local civilians of the Muslim faith were also present during this procession. The parade marched through the Shahi Eidgah in Sylhet.[15] The Mourning of Muharram consisted of a matam as well, which is why blades and swords were carried to the grounds.[14] In a letter to the government at Fort William, Lindsay mentions that the Muslim rebels first killed Dewan Manik Chand in his house before setting many parts of the town to fire.[1]
At 5 p.m., the Hindus returned to Lindsay's house where they showed their marks of attack on their body. However, it is unknown whether this true as other sources claim that the Hindus were not involved during the day as during that time the Muslims were scattering on top of the hills around the Eidgah instead of being situated in the lowlands where inhabitants lived.
Both Mada and Hada Miah also died with the latter being shot dead by Lindsay himself.[18] Lindsay mentions that one of his sepoys died and 6 were left injured.[12] The sepoy that died is said to have been the Jamadar himself. Lindsay mentions that 4 rebels died and many were injured.[1]
Aftermath
After the incident took place, Lindsay took his wounded soldiers to his hall where his rope-maker, Job Hinton, stitched up their wounds and provided treatment. Lindsay also imprisoned many important Muslims from the town as hostages in his home. Nevertheless, this was short-lasted as one of Lindsay's men known as Beck and other Europeans requested their release fearing another revolt as they reported seeing Muslim men lighting torches and fires around the town. Lindsay sent another military force to the town, not because there was another revolt, rather the Muslims were burying their dead men and required light due to it being late at night. Hada and Mada Miah were buried next to Sylhet Shahi Eidgah at a place now located east of Nayasarak Madrasa and west of Nayasarak missionary church. Lindsay then issued a statement stating that rebels to the government should not be allowed to be honoured. He also sent a letter, on 14 December, to the Governor of the Presidency of Fort William, Warren Hastings, of the event. Reinforcements of troops were considered in order to increase defence in the region in case of another rebellion, as two days remained of the Muharram festival which lasts for 10 days, ending at Ashura.[12] Lindsay mentioned that although two days remained, he was not expecting any more trouble from the local people as main "desperadoes" were killed and the survivors had suffered too much.[1]
This first uprising in the subcontinent inspired many others in the subcontinent. It also made the British rule even more unpopular in the
After Lindsay's return to Scotland many years succeeding the conflict, he came across a Bengali Muslim man from Sylhet named Saeed Ullah whilst visiting the house of his clergyman, Mr Small. After engaging in a conversation, Lindsay found out that Saeed came as an attendant of Mr Small's son, who was the ship purser. Saeed mentioned his intention to hunt down the Pirzada's killer and avenge his death. He was also the son of the old man whom Lindsay had saved. Upon finding out Lindsay's identity, Saeed drew his sword which Lindsay avoided. As the scene calmed down, the two men made peace and Lindsay obliged Saeed to make a curry for his family. Saeed agreed, although the Lindsay family were suspicious on whether the dish was poisonous as Saeed never tasted it once while preparing it. Lindsay denied this as he mentioned that he had never had a better curry in his life, and acknowledged the fact that Saeed only ate halal meat (dhabihah) which was the reason behind him not tasting it.[5][12]
The northern hill of Sylhet Shahi Eidgah is named after Hada and Mada Miah, who fought on top of that exact hill.[1]
See also
References
- ^ Calcutta: Mustafa Selim. pp. 386–389 – via Wikisource.
- ^ a b Syed Murtaza Ali (1965). হজরত শাহ জালাল ও সিলেটের ইতিহাস [Hazrat Shah Jalal and the History of Sylhet] (in Bengali).
- ^ শাহী-ঈদগাহ - সিলেট জেলা [Shahi Eidgah - Sylhet District]. Sylhet Government (in Bengali). Retrieved 2019-01-05.
- ^ Dewan Nurul Anwar Hussain Choudhury (2003). "Lindsay, Robert". Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
- ^ Daily Star. Vol. 7, no. 49. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
- ^ Delhi, Past and Present, p. 4, at Google Books
- ^ William Wilson Hunter (1868). Annals of Rural Bengal.
- ^ ISBN 978-0719089558.
- ^ a b Maulana Abdullah ibn Saeed Jalalabadi (May 2010). জীবন-গাঙের বাঁকে বাঁকে-(২) [Curling through the River of Life (2)] (in Bengali). Al Kawsar. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
- ^ a b Jobrul Alom Shumon (25 August 2015). ইতিহাস ঐতিহ্যে আমাদের সিলেট-পর্ব ০৫ [The tradition and history of our Sylhet - Part 05] (in Bengali). SBDNews24.com. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
- Dotdash. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
- ^ Lindsay, Robert (1858). "Anecdotes of an Indian life: Chapter VII". Lives of the Lindsays: or, a Memoir of the Houses of Crawford and Balcarres. Vol. 4 (2nd ed.). London: John Murray. pp. 89–100.
- ^ Qurashi, Ishfaq. "তিন'শ ষাট আউলিয়ার বিবরণ" [Description of the three hundred and sixty saints]. শাহজালাল(রঃ) এবং শাহদাউদ কুরায়শী(রঃ) [Shahjalal and Shah Dawud Qurayshi (R)] (in Bengali).
- ^ a b c d Emad Ullah Shahidul Islam (19 October 2016). আরেক শহীদ দিবস [Another Martyrs' Day]. Bangladesh Pratidin (in Bengali). Retrieved 1 May 2019.
- ^ Ahmed, M Shamim (12 June 2018). সিলেটের শাহী ঈদগাহ ইতিহাস ঐতিহ্য (in Bengali). Sylhet: Sheersha Khobor. Archived from the original on 18 Feb 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- ^ a b Rafiqur Rahman Loju (19 September 2018). মুহররমের দাঙ্গাঁ নয় ব্রিটিশ বিরোধী স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ [Not a Muharram riot but an anti-British independence war] (in Bengali). Sylheter Dak. Archived from the original on 20 August 2020. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
- ^ Edward Albert Gait. "Sylhet". A history of Assam. p. 273.
- Daily Star. Sylhet. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
Bibliography
- Calcutta: Mustafa Selim – via Wikisource.
- Lindsay, Robert (1858). "Anecdotes of an Indian life: Chapter VII". Lives of the Lindsays: or, a Memoir of the Houses of Crawford and Balcarres. Vol. 4 (2nd ed.). London: John Murray.
- Islam, Sirajul (2003). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
- Syed Murtaza Ali (1965). হজরত শাহ জালাল ও সিলেটের ইতিহাস [Hazrat Shah Jalal and the History of Sylhet].
- Ali Riaz (2013). Islam and Identity Politics Among British-Bangladeshis: A Leap of Faith. ISBN 978-0719089558.