1857: A Love Story

1857 was the year when the Britishers faced the uncontrollable rage of the Indians. The main objects in action were guns, flatbread, and lotus flowers - these objects initiated the bloody rebellion. But little did these crimson pages of history know that this bloody battle would give rise to a love story that would be the epitome of bravery and sacrifice.

Azizun Nisa with her lover, Shamsuddin; Image Source: The Statesman

As we read in the previous story, Azizun had a considerable role to play in the revolt of 1857. With her beauty and cunningness, she could inform the Indian sepoys of the upcoming dangers. Though her role in the freedom struggle is pretty straightforward, we don't know much about her lover, Shamsuddin. Shamsuddin was a sowar or soldier of the Scottish Highlanders Infantry Regiment 42nd Cavalry, later renamed the Black Watch. This was the same regiment that had crushed the Cawnpore Ghadar.

But what exactly inspired these men to turn into rebels? Well, all that it took for them to change their mind was roti (flatbread), kamal (lotus flower), and some inspiring words from Nana Saheb and Tatya Tope. Thus, the sowars of the 42nd Cavalry were ready to desert the Kampani army and fight for their motherland.

Aziz and Shamsuddin, too, were involved in the distribution and exchange of flatbread and lotuses among the Indian sepoys. Shamsuddin was quite an essential part of the 42nd Cavalry. He had more than forty native army men under his command and earned a handsome salary of five sicca rupees. He met Azizun for the very first time in 1855 in her lavish kotha. Donned with the best clothes and jewelry, Shamsuddin knew that he was in deep trouble when she showed her graceful kathak moves. When their eyes met, it was no doubt love at first sight for both of them.

Both Aziz and Shamsuddin were pretty rich and did not need to participate in the rebellion. But the love for their motherland brought them together, and thus, they fought till their last breath. A single cartridge changed their lives forever and turned them into baaghis (rebels). In 1857, the Britishers introduced new bullets for the 1853 Enfield Rifles. Soon a rumor spread around like wildfire that these bullets were greased with cow and pig fat - sacrilegious for both Hindus and Muslims.

Shamsuddin doubted the intentions of the Britishers and questioned them about the reason behind replacing the old Smoothbore Brown Bess Rifle with Pattern 1853 Rifle. In reply, the Britishers said that the Smoothbore Brown Bess Rifle was less efficient than the Pattern 1853 Rifle. Azizun was appalled at the thought of Shamsuddin losing his iman or faith if he had touched the infernal bullet.

Shamsuddin was ignited with the fire of rebellion after hearing that the Britishers were trying to play with their religious sentiments. Aziz, too, supported her lover with all her might. Thus, the two exceptional renegades were born from the streets of Kanpur.

However, the lovers were not simply driven by their instincts. They had strategies that could make the entire British lineage flee from the country. They knew how to attach people’s sentiments to bring to life the most significant rebellion of the era. When the British army men, originally Hindus, and Muslims, came to know that the cartridges were laced with pig and cow fat, they knew it was time for them to give the Britishers a taste of their own medicine.

The 42nd Cavalry in Cawnpore was boiling with rage after hearing this. They had never expected the gora sahibs (white officers) to play with their religious sentiments. They had decided to move out of the Kampani Army and support their people by getting themselves enrolled under the tutelage of Nana Sahib. Nana Sahib’s Baaghis had no control over their actions. They knew they had to kill the British. They saw red and produced red.

Nana Sahib held meetings at various places to discuss his other strategies with everyone involved in the rebellion. One such meeting was held on June 1, 1857, where the topmost leaders of Ghadar were present. Azizun and Shamsuddin too were present at this meeting. It would have been such an incredible sight—two powerful lovers planning the most deadly rebellion of the era.

Five days after this meeting, Nana Sahib declared independence from the East India Company. In Indian history, this was supposed to be the first call for independence. Azizun and Shamsuddin rejoiced when Nana Sahib raised the flag to celebrate their first-ever victory. They knew that they had just won the very first fight. The entire war was still on. They had many more battles on their way. But their love was above all these fights. They supported each other like friends and adored each other like lovers.

As time passed, Nana Sahib began urging everyone to participate in the Cawnpore Mutiny. Shamsuddin and Azizun didn’t need Nana Sahib’s instructions. Donning their soldier’s attire, they sat on their respective horses and went ahead to face the firangis.

Being a tawaif, Azizun knew that it was important for other kothewali tawaifs to participate in the rebellion. She created a separate women’s army monikered as the Women’s Brigade of Jihadis. She taught them how to fight with swords, spears, guns, and horse riding. Besides fighting on the battlefield, these women also cared for the wounded Indian soldiers.

Everything was fine until an incident shattered her heart. On June 23, 1857, her love story met an unfortunate end. Shamsuddin died in a bombardment that the East India Company caused to bring the rebellion to a halt. His lifeless body was wrapped in a white sheet and brought to Azizun’s kotha. She was shattered. Her kotha was where their love story had initially started, and it also became where their love story came to a tragic end.

Her lover was dead now. But she knew that she had to take her revenge. Donning her soldier’s attire, she again sat on the horse to take over the British.

The EIC ruthlessly crushed the rebellion. However, Azizun survived the attack of the firangis, but the British officers imprisoned her. They accused Azizun of being one of the main conspirators behind the planning for the rebellion. They pushed her in every way so that she would confess her wrongdoings. But she did not bow in front of their demands.

According to resources like the diary of Nanak Chand, accounts of Colonel William, and official records of Sir Hugh Wheeler, Azizun underwent a trial. Still, there was no mention of her execution. However, she was primarily believed to be hanged or put before a firing squad.

Some people claimed that they saw Azizun riding on a horse with a sword hanging by her side and a pistol in her hand. Records of British officers and Indian newspapers, too, confirmed this fact.

Yet some other sources say that when Azizun was brought before General Henry Havelock for trial, he was spellbound by her beauty. As a result, he set her free and allowed her to run her kotha only if she disclosed the whereabouts of Azimullah Khan, the right hand of Nana Sahib. However, she refused to disclose Azim’s whereabouts and chose to die.

Some say that the Britishers executed her for her refusal, to tell the truth at the age of twenty-six. Some say that her ghost moves around in the streets of Lucknow on a horse’s back. But let’s assume that she united with Shamsuddin after her death, and they both lived happily ever after!