The Revolt of 1875 in India

1. The Revolt in Meerut
Starting of the Rebellion

2. On 29th March 1857, a young soldier, Mangal
Pandey, was hanged to death for attacking his
senior officers. The reason for such an attack
was it was rumoured that new cartridges
contained pig and cow fat. The Indian sepoys
thought that this was done to crush their
religion. Mangal Pandey could not bear this
insult and thus hit his senior officer Lieutenant
Baugh. Baugh was not more physically hurt
but emotionally since it was for the first time
any Indian had attacked the British. Mangal
Pandey’s fellow Indian sepoys were
encouraged by this valient act.

4. Process of Loading the Revolt Causing
Gun

5. As we saw in the above picture, the soldier
had to bite off the grease and then load it into
the gun. The Hindus and Muslims revolted
due to the grease being made of cow or pig
fat. To Hindus the cow was sacred and the
Quran, holy book of the Muslims forbade
them from eating pork (pig meat). This was
the last straw to ignite a rebellion that lasted
for 2 long and bloody years.