The Hero of Delhi

The Hero of Delhi PDF Author: Hesketh Pearson
Publisher: Pickle Partners Publishing
ISBN: 178912235X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 325

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Book Description
An Irishman, like so many other great British generals, John Nicholson received a cadetship in the Bengal Infantry at the age of sixteen. Apart from one short visit to England, the rest of his life was spent in India. The Afghan and Sikh wars of the eighteen-forties brought out the titanic powers of a character that “flowered in action,” and before he was thirty, “Nikal Seyn” was a legend throughout India, a god to the Sikhs and to certain fakirs who called themselves Nikal-seynites, and a thorn in the side of incompetent and idle officials of the British Government. In an unquiet country where quick movement was the secret of military success against an elusive enemy, Nicholson’s energy, even more than his absolute personal courage, was the factor that made him the most powerful instrument of British policy in India. Passionately sincere, arrogantly self-confident, insubordinate without remorse when he saw cause, and always in the right, Nicholson provoked no ordinary emotions. He was loved, admired, feared, envied, and hated in the most violent degree. The climax of his career was the Indian Mutiny. Very seldom in history have the man and the task matched each other so notably. “Mutiny is like small-pox,” he said. “It spreads quickly and must be crushed at once.” Not all his superiors thought the same, but when he had freed himself from the trammels of authority he saved the Punjab, and so India, by sheer exertion. It is a breathless story of march, surprise, and counter-march, thrusting quickly into the hills and as quickly back to Peshawar, the danger-spot. When that situation was under control he marched to Delhi, where his arrival transformed the rôle of the British troops from besieged to assaulters. The assault succeeded but cost Nicholson his life. He was thirty-four years old, a general, and “the idol of all soldiers.”

The Hero of Delhi

The Hero of Delhi PDF Author: Hesketh Pearson
Publisher: Pickle Partners Publishing
ISBN: 178912235X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 325

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Book Description
An Irishman, like so many other great British generals, John Nicholson received a cadetship in the Bengal Infantry at the age of sixteen. Apart from one short visit to England, the rest of his life was spent in India. The Afghan and Sikh wars of the eighteen-forties brought out the titanic powers of a character that “flowered in action,” and before he was thirty, “Nikal Seyn” was a legend throughout India, a god to the Sikhs and to certain fakirs who called themselves Nikal-seynites, and a thorn in the side of incompetent and idle officials of the British Government. In an unquiet country where quick movement was the secret of military success against an elusive enemy, Nicholson’s energy, even more than his absolute personal courage, was the factor that made him the most powerful instrument of British policy in India. Passionately sincere, arrogantly self-confident, insubordinate without remorse when he saw cause, and always in the right, Nicholson provoked no ordinary emotions. He was loved, admired, feared, envied, and hated in the most violent degree. The climax of his career was the Indian Mutiny. Very seldom in history have the man and the task matched each other so notably. “Mutiny is like small-pox,” he said. “It spreads quickly and must be crushed at once.” Not all his superiors thought the same, but when he had freed himself from the trammels of authority he saved the Punjab, and so India, by sheer exertion. It is a breathless story of march, surprise, and counter-march, thrusting quickly into the hills and as quickly back to Peshawar, the danger-spot. When that situation was under control he marched to Delhi, where his arrival transformed the rôle of the British troops from besieged to assaulters. The assault succeeded but cost Nicholson his life. He was thirty-four years old, a general, and “the idol of all soldiers.”

Cult of a Dark Hero

Cult of a Dark Hero PDF Author: Stuart Flinders
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 183860832X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 366

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Book Description
In September 1857, a member of a religious sect killed himself on hearing the news that the object of his devout observance, Nikal Seyn, had died. Nikal Seyn was, in fact, John Nicholson, the leader of the British assault that recovered Delhi at the turning-point of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. What was it about Nicholson that prompted such devotion, not just from his religious followers, but from the general public? And why is he no longer considered a hero? The man called 'The Lion of the Punjab' by his contemporaries and compared to General Wolfe of Quebec, and even to Napoleon, has in recent times been dubbed 'an imperial psychopath' and 'a homosexual bully'. Yet his was a remarkable tale of a life of adventure lived on the very edge of the British Empire; of a man who was as courageous as he was ruthless, as loyal to his friends as he was merciless to those who crossed him. But it is also the story of how modern attitudes to race and Empire have changed in the years since he died. Previously unpublished material, including the diaries of contemporaries and personal letters, helps build a new perspective on Nicholson's personality. The book considers his sexuality and ambivalent attitude towards religion. It traces his murderous thoughts towards the Chief Commissioner of the Punjab, John Lawrence, and reveals that, remarkably, the Nikal Seyni cult continued into the 21st century. This is the first book-length biography of Nicholson for over 70 years. A new account of the Irish soldier who became an Indian God, an examination of the cult of a dark hero, is long overdue.

Nicholson

Nicholson PDF Author: Donal P. McCracken
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 0750989742
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 490

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Book Description
Born in Dublin in 1822, Lieutenant-General John Nicholson was raised and educated in Ireland. He joined the East India Company's Bengal Army as 16-year old boy-soldier and he saw action in Afghanistan, the two Anglo-Sikh wars and the Great Rebellion or Mutiny. He died in the thick of battle as the British army he was leading stormed the ancient city of Delhi in September 1857. He was only 34 years old. His legacy and his legend as the 'Hero of Delhi', however, far outlived him. As well as the Indian cult drawn to him, at home he became a hero and was portrayed in epic stories for children, inspiring generations of young boys to join the army in his footsteps. In more recent times, some turned the hero into a villain; others continue to consider him the finest army front-line British field commander of the Victorian era.

The Hero of Delhi. The Life of John Nicholson, Saviour of India, and a History of His Wars. [With Plates, Including Portraits, and a Map.].

The Hero of Delhi. The Life of John Nicholson, Saviour of India, and a History of His Wars. [With Plates, Including Portraits, and a Map.]. PDF Author: Hesketh Pearson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Generals
Languages : en
Pages : 255

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Book Description


The Greased Cartridge: The Heroes and Villains of 1857-58

The Greased Cartridge: The Heroes and Villains of 1857-58 PDF Author: E. Jaiwant Paul
Publisher: Roli Books Private Limited
ISBN: 9351940101
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 175

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Book Description
In most accounts of the revolt, the greased cartridge has been referred to as the spark and tinder that lit the flames of rebellion. The greased cartridge - what was it all about? The army so far had been quipped with the smooth-barrelled musket, which had a protracted loading procedure and was not accurate over long ranges. The new Enfield rifles, which were now being issued, had grooved or rifled barrels. This made them more accurate and gave them a longer range. The powder and bullet for the new rifle were put together in a paper cartridge. To load the rifle, the end of the cartridge containing the powder had to be bitten off so that the charge would ignite. The cartridge was then rammed down the muzzle of the rifle.. The grease used was tallow, probably containing both cow and pig fat. To "the cow reverencing Hindu and the pig paranoid Muslims" having to bite this was repellent, defiling and deadly to their religious prospects. The Revolt of 1857-58 was the biggest and bloodiest conflict against any European colonial power during the nineteenth century. This book is essentially about the heroes - Tatya Tope, Nana Saheb, Rani Lakshmi Bai, Kunwar Singh of Jagdishpur - and not to forget, a few villains. Though the revolt failed in its objective, even in failure it served a grand purpose. It was a source of inspiration for the national liberation movement, which later achieved what the revolt could not.

Sultan of Delhi

Sultan of Delhi PDF Author: Arnab Ray
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 935195093X
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 257

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Book Description
When a path is forged in blood, it is hard to find peace. The son of a penniless refugee from Lahore, Arjun Bhatia has worked his way up from being an arms smuggler in the badlands of Uttar Pradesh to the most influential power-broker in Delhi. But when the shadows of the past – of a friend he has lost forever and of a woman he can never be with – finally catch up to him, Arjun finds himself fighting the biggest battle of his life. For at stake is not just his iron hold over the government, but something even greater – his family...and his soul. Spanning five decades and two generations, Sultan of Delhi: Ascension is an explosive saga of ambition, greed, love and passion.

Hero and Hero-Worship: Fandom in Modern India

Hero and Hero-Worship: Fandom in Modern India PDF Author: Rahul Chaturvedi
Publisher: Vernon Press
ISBN: 1648890822
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 194

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Book Description
In the aftermath of liberalization of Indian economy in 1991, the study of star-fan studies has experienced exponential expansion. Hero and Hero-Worship: Fandom in Modern India explores the areas of political, religious, film and cricket star fandoms; analyzing the rise of star formations and their consequent fandoms, star-fan bonds, as well as the physical and virtual space that both stars and fans inhabit. As perhaps one of the first book-length studies on Indian fandom, this volume not only draws on the works of Jenkins and other fandom scholars, but also explores the economic and cultural specificities of Indian fandom. This book will be of particular interest to scholars working in the field, as well as general readers interested in understanding star-fan interactions and intersections.

The Heroes of the Indian Rebellion

The Heroes of the Indian Rebellion PDF Author: David W. Bartlett
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : India
Languages : en
Pages : 476

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Book Description


Delhi

Delhi PDF Author: Upinder Singh
Publisher: Berghahn Books
ISBN: 9788187358299
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 264

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Book Description
Not many people know that the busy and bustling capital city of Delhi and its surroundings have a long past, going back thousands of years. Prehistoric stone tools have surfaced here and many ancient remains have been found, sometimes accidentally by farmers tilling their fields, and at other times by archaeologists carrying out systematic excavations. A mound one passes everyday or a narrow strip of stream tells a story of ancient times. Centuries of history coexist with metro stations and plush cars. The readings in this book give us glimpses of the lives of people who lived in the Delhi area over the centuries, and how these details have been pieced together by historians. It brings into focus the importance of the historian’s method and the sources of information found in ancient texts, archaeology and even legends and folklore, sometimes hanging on the thread of a slender historical fact. The editor of the volume, points to the urgency of further exploration and documentation to fill in the still all-too-meagre details of Delhi’s ancient history. However, she ends on a note of caution, bordering on alarm, when she points out that invaluable evidence of the city’s past is being extensively destroyed due to quarrying and the construction of new roads and buildings. Such activities are an integral part of the modernization of a living city but the balance between modernization and the preservation of ancient remains is indeed very fragile and needs to be maintained from an informed and realistic perspective. This collection of essays has been put together by a teacher for students of history, but will also be of enormous value to a large number of other interested readers. Upinder Singhis Professor of history at the University of Delhi.

Delhi

Delhi PDF Author: R,V. Smith
Publisher: Roli Books Private Limited
ISBN: 9351941256
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 223

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Book Description
Ronald Vivian Smith is an author of personal experiences – a rare breed to find in a time when even journalists hesitate to put pen to paper without scanning through the internet. A definitive voice when it comes to some known and unknown tales and an inspiration to a new generation of city-scribes, Smith is a master-chronicler of Delhi’s myriad realities. Among the capital’s most ardent lovers, Smith believes in the power of observation and interaction. His travels across Delhi, most often in a DTC bus, examine the big and small curiosities – seamlessly juxtaposing the past with the present. Be it the pride he encounters in the hutments of one of Chandni Chowk’s age-old beggar families, or his ambling walks around Delhi’s now-dilapidated cemeteries, Smith paints with his words a city full of magic and history. This anthology features short essays on the Indian sultanate, its fall after the British Raj, and its resurrection to become what it is today – the National Capital Territory of Delhi. ‘No amount of bookish knowledge can compete with the sort of insights and real, lived memories he [Smith] has.’ —Rakshanda Jalil, LiveMint ‘… When it comes to writing on monuments of Delhi – known, little known or unknown – no one does a better job than R.V. Smith.’ —Khushwant Singh, Hindustan Times