Saquib Salim

“The discontented sepoys resolved, in many a secret council, to break out during the Diwali, to pillage Bombay, killing all who should oppose them, and then to march out of the island. Had this plan been carried out, it is nearly certain that the contagion would have spread all over the presidency, and have even reached Madras.” This is noted by Colonel G. B. Malleson in his book, History of The Indian Mutiny, 1857-59.

Diwali of 1857 was special. It was to be celebrated on 15 October that year. British rule was facing the first serious challenge to its military authority in large parts of India. How could the Bombay (now Mumbai) Presidency have remained behind other nationalists in India?

The strategic importance of Bombay was immense. The then Commissioner of Police of Bombay, C. Forjett later noted, “If the mutiny in Bombay had been successful, Lord Elphinstone was of opinion, and this is indisputable, that nothing could have saved Hyderabad and Poona and the rest of the presidency, and after that, he said, "Madras was sure to go too."

The Indian revolutionaries in Bombay first planned to revolt on 30 August 1857, the day of Muharram. When they realised that the foreign rulers had got an idea of the plan the rising was postponed.

Diwali is an auspicious day for the Indians. What could have been a better day to start a war against the colonial rulers?

The blueprint for the revolt was ready by the end of September. A British loyalist Jamadar Singh informed Captain Macgowan of a plot against the English Army. Though, the British got a hint yet, if it was not for Ganga Prasad, the plan would have been a success. The Indian revolutionaries trusted Ganga Prasad, who was a priest as well as an ayurvedic practitioner and used to meet at his house.

The Police Commissioner later wrote, “I was compelled, therefore, at all hazards, to determine upon forcing Gunga Pursad from his house during the night, to bring him to the police office, and there to coerce him into divulging all that could be learned from him connected with the meetings of the sepoys. This was at once done, and using intimidation and encouragement, and under the promise of a comparatively large pecuniary reward, he was induced to divulge the plot that the sepoys who met at his house had concocted. I learned from him that in the triple character of priest, devotee, and physician, he had acquired the confidence of a large and influential body of the native military, who believed themselves perfectly safe with him, and who made his house their place of rendezvous and consultation.”

Ganga Prasad gave English officers access to his home so that they could witness and listen to the meetings of the Indian revolutionaries.

For almost a week, the commissioner, Captain Barrow, and other European officers witnessed these meetings at Ganga Prasad’s house. Special holes were made in the walls of a hall for them to watch and listen to these meetings. They had all the evidence by 11 October.

Brigadier J. M. Shrott ordered the arrests on 11 October. Subedar Goolgar Dubey, Jamadar Sheikh Rahman, Drill Havaldar Syed Husain, and a Mughal sepoy were arrested and lodged in jail.

The British wanted to give Indians a message. The day to ‘punish’ Indian revolutionaries was chosen to be Diwali. The leaders of the revolutionaries were blown by the canon guns on the day of Diwali.

Drill Havaldar Syed Husain and the Mughal sepoy (whose name we don’t find in reports and he is mentioned as a Mughal Private) were found to be the leaders. The day when Indians use firecrackers to celebrate. These great patriots were blown from cannon guns.

Sir D. E. Wacha later recorded this Diwali as, “Behind the military line vast crowds had congregated. Inquiring into the cause of the exceptional multitude, our boyish curiosity was satisfied by being told that two mutineers chained to two guns were to be immediately blown. With bated breath, we ran to be near the spot where the two were pinned to the cannons.

"As far as my recollection goes, the guns faced the Esplanade Road, and were nearly in line with the white Roman Catholic Cross of ancient lineage, in the other maidan known as the Marine Battalion ParadeGround. We made our way through the crowd till we had a good view of the prisoners. So far as my recollection goes, the European troops, Infantry and Artillery, took up a position by way of a square.

"The Indian regiments were located within the squares. Some Indian Navy Marines were landed and also there was a serried phalanx of the Mercantile Marine. They made an imposing but awe-inspiring show. There was a thrill of excitement all around and our pulse throbbed faster and faster till at a given word of command the cannons were fired and the pinioned criminals were blown. The burnt flesh sent an unpleasant odour that we all could easily sniff. All was over.”

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Goolgar Dubey, Havaldar Suba Singh, and Naik Lakshman were sentenced to transportation for life (in other words sent to the Andamans).