In a single day, the brave woman Uda Devi killed 36 British people.
She was an ordinary soldier, who was deployed in the security of Begum Hazrat Mahal of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh. Patriotism kept boiling in his blood. He did not like the British rule at all. She wanted the British to leave Awadh by any means, but this did not happen. The British army and the Nawab’s army clashed in the Chinhat area of Lucknow. There was a lot of bloodshed and her husband was also martyred in this war.
Then this ordinary soldier attacked the British with a vengeance and killed 36 British in a single day. The name of the brave woman who performed this feat for the British army in broad daylight was Uda Devi.
revenge for husband’s death
Uda Devi and her husband Mecca Fasi, both were posted in the army of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. Uda Devi’s duty was to protect Begum Hazrat Mahal. The war of 1857 had started. The flame of freedom had awakened in the country. Meanwhile, the British sent Nawab Wajid Ali Shah from Awadh to Calcutta to live his life in exile. Then Begum Hazrat Mahal did not let the flame of freedom extinguish. She herself started leading the army.
On his instructions, there was a fierce clash between the English army and the Nawabi army in Chinhat. Many soldiers from both sides were killed in this. Makka Pasi, husband of Uda Devi, who was deployed for the security of Begum Hazrat Mahal, was also martyred in this war. Then the military form of Uda Devi woke up. She decided to take revenge from the British for her husband’s death. She was already unhappy with sending Nawab Wajid Ali Shah to Calcutta. Now he found another reason.
mutiny of 16 november
She did not sit in mourning after her husband’s death. Rather a flame arose within him. Since he had also received training in using weapons. She picked up the gun and reached Sikandar Bagh. A large number of Indian soldiers were already present here. When the British got wind of this, they arrived with preparations to attack Sikandarbagh. Before the British could do anything, Uda Devi climbed the Peepal tree present in Sikandarbagh.
She was wearing men’s uniform. The day was 16 November 1857. From the Peepal tree itself, he shot 36 British soldiers one by one at fixed intervals with bullets. When the British officers came to know about this incident, they were stunned. No one was able to find out how and from where this attack took place. The angry British attacked the Indian warriors taking shelter in Sikandar Bagh and massacred a large number of them. It is remembered as the mutiny of 16 November.
How the soldiers died, even the English were shocked
Captain Violas and Dowson, who reached the spot, could not understand how their soldiers died. From where were the bullets fired at them? An Englishman’s attention was drawn to a Peepal tree where a soldier in red uniform was sitting and firing bullets. Now they understood how 36 British soldiers died? Without wasting any time the British targeted the same soldier.
As soon as the bullet hit, the young man fell down. She was none other than Uda Devi, later investigation revealed that she was not a man but a woman, who had donned a male disguise to take revenge from the British.
Since then, the brave woman Uda Devi is being remembered as a martyr and a soldier of the country’s freedom. Even today his name is taken with great respect in Lucknow. The statue of Uda Devi is installed at the same Sikandarbagh intersection. Events are also organized there every year on his birth anniversary and death anniversary. Ever since casteist politics started in Uttar Pradesh, Uda Devi is remembered with more fondness by the parties yearning to get the support of their caste.
As such, Lucknow has been remembering his contribution. Yes, he should have been recorded in history in a more glorious manner, which could not happen in the initial days. Later, books focused on the heroic woman Uda Devi also came out.
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