Bakhshish Ali led the revolt of 1857 in Jhansi

Story by Saquib Salim | Posted by Aasha Khosa | Date 08-08-2024

An artist's imagination of the 1857 revolt

Saquib Salim

“All disaffected and mutinous men that go to Jhansee are kept by the Ranee; Bukshishalli (Bakhshish Ali) the late Daroga of Jhansee who was at the bottom of the whole mutiny at the place, with about 50 sowars and as many footmen (all mutineers) has taken refuge with the lady. The brother and the whole family of this Daioga have been for some time protected by the Ranee.” This was reported to the British officials on 5 January 1858 informing them about the revolt at Jhansi.

Unsung Heroes of Freedom Struggle

Bakhshish Ali was the head of the jail as an employee of the English East India Company. On 4 June 1857 when the Indian sepoys of the English East India Company raised the flag of freedom in Jhansi, Bakhshish Ali was the leader of the group. Aman Khan, in a statement to the court in 1858 said, “Buxish Alii (Bakhshish Ali), the Jail Darogah, was the principal leader; he was concerned in the murder of the Officers and was the person who took the mutineers to Delhi.”

Indian revolutionaries killed many English officers in an attack on the fort and captured others. Bakhshish led the charge and killed Captain Skene.

Bakhshish took hold of the treasury, paid a part to Rani, and sent another to Delhi for the war. The British army declared an award of 2,000 Rupees on him.

Bakhshish ruled Jhansi after the overthrow of the English government. Historian Tapti Roy writes, “Bakshish Ali, the Jail Daroqah, Muh^mad Bux,, the Jamadar of prisons, Kashi Nath Bhaiya, the Tahsildar of Pundwaha, Lalu Baks-h, Jharu Kunwar, Mama sahib, Laxmi Bai1s father, Moro Baiwant were among those who formed a kind of council that in all semblances ran the government in Jhansi between July 1857 and March 1858.”

It is even more interesting that when Bakhshish felt that Rani of Jhansi was not giving a tough fight to the English he left her and joined Mardan Singh, Chief of Banpur, at Lalitpur. The English intelligence reported, “It is reported that Bukshish Alii, Daroga of the Jhansee Jail asking the Ranee whether she would fight or not with the English forces, was informed by the Ranee that she would not; but will return all the districts under her to the British Officers when they come to Jhansee. On getting this information, the Daroga did not take service with the Ranee. He and his brother Wazir Alii, who was a writer in the Lullutpoor Sharista, have been employed by the Banpoor Chief.”

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Bakhshish Ali was later captured and put to death in 1859. While we remember a few more famous names, people like him, who had led the revolutionaries from the front are rather forgotten.