| He was the
here of the Revolt of 1857, he was among the first to raise his
voice for the freedom of his country. The British rulers feared this
courageous and mighty general. When he was deceived by his friend,
he faced his death like a hero.
Hero of the fight for freedom
in 1857. His very name made the mighty English generals tremble.
Deceived by his friend, he faced death like a hero, for the sake of
his country. The British troops had pitched their tents on the
parade grounds near the fort of Shivpuri, 75 miles from Gwalior. The
day was April 18, 1859. It was 4 o'clock in the afternoon. A
smiling, charming prisoner was brought out of the prison.
His hands
and feet were chained. Under guard he was taken to the hangman's
post. He had been condemned to death. The prisoner stepped towards
the post fearlessly. There was no hesitation as he stepped upon the
platform. It was the custom to cover the eyes of the condemned man
with a scarf. When soldiers stepped forward with the scarf, he
smiled and made signs to say, 'I don't need all this.' Nor did he
allow the hands and feet to be bound. He himself put the noose
around his neck. The rope was tightened. Then, at last, there was a
pull....
In a moment it was all over.
It was a
heart-rending scene, which moved the whole country to tears. The man
who was hanging lifeless on the gallows of the English was no
criminal. He was not a thief, he was no cutthroat. He was the
Supreme commander in the War of Indian Independence,which, in 1857,
had challenged the hold of the British over India. It was he who,
more than anybody else, shook the mighty British Empire to its
foundations. Holding aloft the flag of freedom, he sought to break
the chains of slavery and fought the military might of the English
heroically. His name was Tatia Tope, a household word for bravery.
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