The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Echoes of an independence struggle

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 25, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Echoes of an independence struggle

K. Venkateshwarlu

IN REMEMBRANCE: Precincts of the memorial pylon at Koti in Hyderabad being spruced up for January 26. — Photo: Mohd. Yousuf

HYDERABAD: The First War of Independence in 1857 or the Sepoy Mutiny as the British preferred to describe it, was not confined to Meerut, Delhi, Lucknow, Kanpur, Barrackpore, Gwalior and Jhansi.

Hyderabad too was witness to its own little mutiny that went on to demolish the stereotype of Muslims staying away from the freedom struggle. As the sesquicentennial celebrations of the event are kick-started this month, Hyderabad cannot forget the role of Turrebaz Khan, who nearly did a Mangal Pandey, taking the battle to the British Resident's opulent mansion, Residency or Koti, now Osmania University College for Women.

Though the intensity of the revolt was less compared to Northern India, there were murmurs of protest against British presence here and the Nizam's dependence on it.

The then Nizam, fifth Asaf Jahi ruler, Afzal ud Dowla had just ascended the masnad. Trouble was brewing in several regions of Hyderabad State comprising Telangana, parts of Karnataka and Maharashtra.

After a meeting at Mecca Masjid, Turrebaz Khan led a band of soldiers, Rohillas of Afghan descent and Arab rebels and mounted an armed attack on the Residency on July 17, 1857. Sniper attacks continued for three days and there were casualties on British side. The Nizam threw his weight behind the British and repulsed the attack. Khan's forces were outnumbered and he was taken to prison.

He was to be deported to `Kala Pani' in the Andamans but he escaped from custody. He was caught within a day and shot. His corpse is stated to have been hung from a pole at the Koti crossroads.

A century's wait

For all his valour, Turrebaz Khan had to wait for a century (1950s) to be recognized. A Martyrs Memorial, comprising a pylon was installed in a park right in front of the Residency. Ever since, Koti has become a fulcrum for many a political battle. In 1936 freedom fighters staged their first Satyagraha.The present generation may have forgotten the intrepid fighters, but elderly freedom fighters led by Babu Rao Varma of Telangana Swatantra Senani Samithi, have lined up programmes to commemorate the momentous occasion. Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and the State Congress Committee president K. Keshava Rao will pay homage on January 26.

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