Battle of Saragarhi.
As
wide-eyed impressionable school children we grew up marvelling at the
raw courage and never-say-die spirit shown by the Greeks at the Battle
of Thermopyle , the charge of the Light Brigade, the Battle of Marathon,
Custers Last Stand and other epic tales from remote parts of the World.
We all carried a bit of Leonidas, Alexander,Nelson (and some a bit of
Chegez Khan) in our hearts, not only in the schoolrooms but even beyond.
Quite a number of our friends in the Armed Forces
today would proudly admit that the inspiration for choosing their
calling came from the incredulous tales of valour shown by these men in
the face of heavy odds.
Looking back, I honestly confess that neither I nor my friends had ever heard of a battle which could rival the ones mentioned above, in which Indians took part. Apart from what was routinely featured in the History books, even the teachers did not know about this particular battle. There was no mention at all of a battle called 'The Battle of Saragarhi.' This made it all the more difficult to stomach when I finally heard about it.
Anyway in 1897, 21 soldiers belonging to the 34th Sikhs of British Indian Army manning a signalling post at Saragarhi were surrounded and attacked by 10,000 afghans/pashtuns ( 10,000 may be exaggerated but even the odds of 21 against 100 is pretty daunting). The post was not a fort- more mud-based than built on stone. They were given a chance to surrender. Stoutly refusing the offer, the Sikhs chose to fight to the last man and only after inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy did the guns fall silent. More than 600 are claimed to have been killed by the 21 and one can only imagine the fierce hand-to hand fighting. One can also imagine the inricate manoevering employed to hold at bay the enemy which had completely surrounded them.When news of this heroic encounter reached Britain, the House of Commons rose and gave a standing ovation apart from commemorating them with medals of gallantry and awarding lands to their dependants. Two Gurudwaras were also built in Amritsar and Ferozepur in the memories of the gallant men who hailed from these two towns.There was a School also built in the memory of the brave men but that has been demolished to make way for a parking lot!
The battle is too detailed to be described here. However UNESCO has listed it as one of the eight most significant acts of collective bravery in history and I am told the heroic deeds and the clever strategy employed during the battle is being taught in schools in France and England. Recently schools in Punjab have started teaching it and till date the battle does not feature in the curriculam taught in the rest of India.The Indian Army has been taking up the cause and fighting for it to be included in the curriculam, but who is there to hear their plea?
But for those who havent heard of it, please devote a minute to check it out on Wikipedia.
Why it hasnt been introduced in schools earlier defies logic. The probable reason maybe ebacause it wasnt part of the Nationalism movement.Akbar and Maharana Pratap are Great and the powers that be are now considering who should be placed higher in the pecking order. But whether "The Battle of Saragarhi" is introduced in schools or not, it is worth a read - to savour and to pass on to the next generation.
Looking back, I honestly confess that neither I nor my friends had ever heard of a battle which could rival the ones mentioned above, in which Indians took part. Apart from what was routinely featured in the History books, even the teachers did not know about this particular battle. There was no mention at all of a battle called 'The Battle of Saragarhi.' This made it all the more difficult to stomach when I finally heard about it.
Anyway in 1897, 21 soldiers belonging to the 34th Sikhs of British Indian Army manning a signalling post at Saragarhi were surrounded and attacked by 10,000 afghans/pashtuns ( 10,000 may be exaggerated but even the odds of 21 against 100 is pretty daunting). The post was not a fort- more mud-based than built on stone. They were given a chance to surrender. Stoutly refusing the offer, the Sikhs chose to fight to the last man and only after inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy did the guns fall silent. More than 600 are claimed to have been killed by the 21 and one can only imagine the fierce hand-to hand fighting. One can also imagine the inricate manoevering employed to hold at bay the enemy which had completely surrounded them.When news of this heroic encounter reached Britain, the House of Commons rose and gave a standing ovation apart from commemorating them with medals of gallantry and awarding lands to their dependants. Two Gurudwaras were also built in Amritsar and Ferozepur in the memories of the gallant men who hailed from these two towns.There was a School also built in the memory of the brave men but that has been demolished to make way for a parking lot!
The battle is too detailed to be described here. However UNESCO has listed it as one of the eight most significant acts of collective bravery in history and I am told the heroic deeds and the clever strategy employed during the battle is being taught in schools in France and England. Recently schools in Punjab have started teaching it and till date the battle does not feature in the curriculam taught in the rest of India.The Indian Army has been taking up the cause and fighting for it to be included in the curriculam, but who is there to hear their plea?
But for those who havent heard of it, please devote a minute to check it out on Wikipedia.
Why it hasnt been introduced in schools earlier defies logic. The probable reason maybe ebacause it wasnt part of the Nationalism movement.Akbar and Maharana Pratap are Great and the powers that be are now considering who should be placed higher in the pecking order. But whether "The Battle of Saragarhi" is introduced in schools or not, it is worth a read - to savour and to pass on to the next generation.
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