Colonial India

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Sepoy Mutiny

Sepoy Mutiny 1857 – Massacre at Cawnpore Sepoy Mutiny 1857 – Massacre at Cawnpore In the 19th century Kanpur was an important British garrison with barracks for 7,000 soldiers. In 1857, during the First War of Independence, 900 British were besieged in the fortifications for 22 days by rebels under Nana Sahib. They surrendered on the agreement that they would be given safe passage to the nearby Suttee Ghat whereupon they would board barges and be allowed to go by river to Allahabad. However as they boarded the boats they were fired upon by cannon. Many were killed and the remaining 200 were brought back to shore where they were locked-up in insufferable conditions in a building called the Bibigarh. After some time, when it was apparent that the British under General Havelock were likely to retake Kanpur, Nana Sahib ordered that they be executed. The prisoners, about two-thirds of whom were women, children & babies, were butchered by their captors three days before the British entered the city on July 18. The corpses were thrown into a deep well nearby. In the 19th century Kanpur was an important British garrison with barracks for 7,000 soldiers. In 1857, during the First War of Independence, 900 British were besieged in the fortifications for 22 days by rebels under Nana Sahib. They surrendered on the agreement that they would be given safe passage to the nearby Suttee Ghat whereupon they would board barges and be allowed to go by river to Allahabad. However as they boarded the boats they were fired upon by cannon. Many were killed and the remaining 200 were brought back to shore where they were locked-up in insufferable conditions in a building called the Bibigarh. After some time, when it was apparent that the British under General Havelock were likely to retake Kanpur, Nana Sahib ordered that they be executed. The prisoners, about two-thirds of whom were women, children & babies, were butchered by their captors three days before the British entered the city on July 18. The corpses were thrown into a deep well nearby.19th centuryBritishgarrisonFirst War of Independencewere besiegedNana Sahib AllahabadcannonGeneral HavelockJuly 1819th centuryBritishgarrisonFirst War of Independencewere besiegedNana Sahib AllahabadcannonGeneral HavelockJuly 18 The Bibighar was dismantled by the British during the reoccupation of Kanpur, and a memorial railing and a cross were raised at the site of the well. The well is now bricked over. Only the remains of a circular ridge survive, which can still be seen at the Nana Rao Park. The Kanpur Memorial Church – `All Souls' Cathedral’ - was raised in honor of the fallen at the north-east corner of Wheeler’s entrenchment in 1862 by the British. The marble gothic screen with the famous `mournful seraph’ was transferred to the churchyard of All Souls' Church after independence in 1947, and in its place a bust of Tantiya Tope installed as Nana Rao Park. The Bibighar was dismantled by the British during the reoccupation of Kanpur, and a memorial railing and a cross were raised at the site of the well. The well is now bricked over. Only the remains of a circular ridge survive, which can still be seen at the Nana Rao Park. The Kanpur Memorial Church – `All Souls' Cathedral’ - was raised in honor of the fallen at the north-east corner of Wheeler’s entrenchment in 1862 by the British. The marble gothic screen with the famous `mournful seraph’ was transferred to the churchyard of All Souls' Church after independence in 1947, and in its place a bust of Tantiya Tope installed as Nana Rao Park.

Jack Nicholson Bahadur Shah Zafar

Lord Palmerston articulated the feelings of most Britons when he described the atrocities committed by the mutineers as acts "such as to be imagined and perpetrated only by demons sallying forth from the lowest depths of hell".

"When every gibbet is red with blood, when the ground in front of every cannon is strewn with rags and flesh and shattered bone, then talk of mercy. Then you may find some to listen." The Devil Wind

Central Asia

Colonial India

Jinnah, Muslim League Nehru and Gandhi, Congress Party

In 1947, the border between India and its new neighbour Pakistan became a river of blood, as the exodus erupted into rioting. These pictures are by Margaret Bourke-White from Khushwant Singh's book Train to Pakistan, Roli Books.

Over 10 million people were uprooted from their homeland and travelled on foot, bullock carts and trains to their promised new home. Over 10 million people were uprooted from their homeland and travelled on foot, bullock carts and trains to their promised new home.

An aged and abandoned Muslim couple and their grand children sitting by the the roadside on this arduous journey. "The old man is dying of exhaustion. The caravan has gone on," wrote Bourke-White.

I n a couple of months in the summer of 1947, a million people were slaughtered on both sides in the religious rioting. Here, bodies of the victims of rioting are picked up from a city street. I n a couple of months in the summer of 1947, a million people were slaughtered on both sides in the religious rioting. Here, bodies of the victims of rioting are picked up from a city street.

The massive exchange of population that took place in the summer of 1947 was unprecedented. It left behind a trail of death and destruction. The massive exchange of population that took place in the summer of 1947 was unprecedented. It left behind a trail of death and destruction.

The street was short and narrow. Lying like the garbage across the street and in its open gutters were bodies of the dead," writes Bourke-White's biographer Vicki Goldberg of this scene. The street was short and narrow. Lying like the garbage across the street and in its open gutters were bodies of the dead," writes Bourke-White's biographer Vicki Goldberg of this scene.

With the tragic legacy of an uncertain future, a young refugee sits on the walls of Purana Qila, transformed into a vast refugee camp in Delhi.

Men, women and children who died in the rioting were cremated on a mass scale. Villagers even used oil and kerosene when wood was scarce.

Families were cut to half as men were killed leaving women to fend for themselves. Families were cut to half as men were killed leaving women to fend for themselves.