Meghar Singh Sakarwar or Meghar Singh (1820-1860) was a Zamindar from Gahmar Village in Ghazipur district of present day Uttar Pradesh. He belonged to the Sakarwar clan of Rajputs. Meghar Singh participated in the rebellion of 1857 against East India Company supporting the rebel soldiers under Babu Amar Singh.[1][2][3]

Role in the 1857 rebellion

On 6 June 1858, Amar Singh and his troops of 2000 sepoys and 500 sowars arrived in the village of Gahmar in Ghazipur which is situated near the border with Bihar.[1] The Sakarwar Rajput rebels from this particular region under the leadership of Meghar Singh, wanted assistance from Amar Singh and a letter for alliance was sent from the village requesting his help. Amar Singh accepted this letter of request.[1] In return, Meghar Singh personally rewarded Babu Amar Singh with a nazrana or gift worth Rs 20,000. They exchanged supplies including arms aid and Amar Singh left from Gahmar village on 10 June 1858.[1] One of the reasons for this alliance were the old marital ties shared between the Sakarwar Rajputs and the Ujjainiya Rajputs.[1] Throughout the rest of the summer of 1858, the rebels kept on adding to its size by including more deserters from army sepoys. They kept the British troops engaged in six parganas of Ghazipur and neighbouring regions along the Ganges and Karamnasa rivers.[4]

Death

By the end of December 1858, rebel forces had faced disintegration under continuous military action against them by British troops. Meghar Singh along with his followers escaped to Nepal but the local rulers didn't gave them refuge. In late 1860, he was arrested and after a trial in court at Benares district was executed.[5][6][7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Troy Downs (2002). "Rural Insurgency During the Indian Revolt of 1857-59: Meghar Singh and the Uprising of the Sakarwars". South Asia Research. 22 (2): 123–143. doi:10.1177/026272800202200202. S2CID 145242596.
  2. ↑ Guha, Ranajit (1999). Elementary Aspects of Peasant Insurgency in Colonial India. Duke University Press. pp. 118, 238, 323–326. ISBN 0822323486.
  3. ↑ Mukherjee, Rudrangshu (2002). Awadh in Revolt, 1857-1858: A Study of Popular Resistance. Orient Blackswan. pp. xiv. ISBN 9788178240275.
  4. ↑ Guha, Ranajit (2005). Elementary Aspects of Peasant Insurgency in Colonial India. Oxford University Press. pp. 323–326. ISBN 978-0-19-566050-0.
  5. ↑ Rizvi, Saiyid Athar Abbas (1957). Freedom Struggle in Uttar Pradesh: Eastern and adjoining districts. 1857-59. pp. 280–283.
  6. ↑ Bengal, Past & Present: Journal of Calcutta Society. 1970. p. 56.
  7. ↑ Guha, Ranajit (1999). Elementary Aspects of Peasant Insurgency in Colonial India. Duke University Press. pp. 118, 238, 323–326. ISBN 0822323486.
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