In this guide
On 28 May 1857, less than three weeks after the outbreak at Meerut, Indian soldiers at the British cantonment of Nasirabad, near Ajmer, rose in revolt. It was the first uprising of 1857 in Rajputana. Over the following months, rebellion flared at military stations, in the thikanas of Marwar, and in the state of Kota. Yet most of Rajasthan's princes stood by the British, and the revolt in the region was eventually suppressed. Understanding both the resistance and the reasons for its limits is essential for RAS.
The setting
In 1857, Rajputana had no large concentration of British troops. The main military stations, manned mostly by Indian sepoys, were:
| Station | Location |
|---|---|
| Nasirabad | Near Ajmer |
| Neemuch | On the Rajasthan–Malwa border (now in Madhya Pradesh) |
| Deoli | Tonk region |
| Erinpura | Sirohi region |
| Kherwara | Udaipur region (the Mewar Bhil Corps) |
| Beawar | Near Ajmer |
The Agent to the Governor-General was George Lawrence, based at Ajmer and Mount Abu. Ajmer's arsenal and treasury were vital, and the British moved quickly to secure them with loyal troops.
The course of the revolt
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 28 May 1857 | Nasirabad — sepoys revolted, then marched towards Delhi |
| 3 June 1857 | Neemuch — sepoys revolted and moved into Mewar and beyond |
| August 1857 | Erinpura — troops of the Jodhpur Legion revolted and joined the thakur of Auwa |
| September 1857 | Auwa — rebels defeated a Jodhpur state force and a British force; Political Agent Monck Mason was killed |
| October 1857 | Kota — state troops and people revolted; Political Agent Major Burton was killed |
| 1858 | British recapture of Kota (March) and Auwa |
| 1857–59 | Tatya Tope's movements through Rajasthan |
Auwa: a thakur's rebellion
Thakur Kushal Singh Champawat of Auwa (in today's Pali district) led the most notable rebellion in Marwar. The thakurs of Marwar were already in conflict with their ruler, and many joined him, along with sepoys from Erinpura. At the battle of Bithoda and later near Auwa, the rebels defeated forces sent by Jodhpur and the British, and the Political Agent Monck Mason was killed; his head, according to accounts, was hung at the fort gate.
A larger British force under Colonel Holmes took Auwa in early 1858. The rebels' goddess idol, Sugali Mata (the "goddess of the revolt"), was removed by the British; it is now in the Bangur Museum in Pali.
Kota: a state in rebel hands
In October 1857, troops of the Kota state, joined by townspeople and led by Jaidayal and Mehrab Khan, rose in revolt. They killed the Political Agent Major Burton and held the state for about six months, keeping the Maharao under their control. The revolt was crushed when British forces recaptured Kota in March 1858. Jaidayal and Mehrab Khan were later executed.
Tatya Tope in Rajasthan
After the fall of Gwalior in 1858, Tatya Tope moved through Rajasthan, hoping to rally support. He passed through or near Bhilwara, Tonk, Jhalawar, Banswara, Pratapgarh and other areas, pursued by British columns. Support from the princes did not come. In April 1859, he was betrayed by Man Singh Naruka in the Paron forests (in present-day Madhya Pradesh) and captured; he was executed at Shivpuri on 18 April 1859.
Other figures
- Amarchand Bantia, a merchant from Bikaner serving as treasurer in Gwalior, gave the treasury to the rebels; he was hanged by the British and is remembered as an early martyr of 1857 from Rajasthan.
- In Tonk, the Nawab remained loyal to the British, but many of his soldiers joined the rebels.
- In Dhaulpur, rebels briefly took control.
Why the rulers backed the British
| Reason | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Treaty obligations | Rulers had signed treaties of 1817–18 accepting British paramountcy |
| Self-interest | The British guaranteed their thrones; rebel success was uncertain |
| Fear of their own nobles | Many rulers were in conflict with thakurs, some of whom joined the revolt |
| Memories of Maratha raids | British protection was preferable to renewed disorder |
Rulers of Bikaner (Sardar Singh), Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur and others provided troops or shelter to the British. Bikaner's ruler even sent troops beyond Rajasthan.
Why the revolt failed in Rajputana
- Lack of leadership — no ruler led the rebellion.
- Lack of coordination — local uprisings did not join up.
- Loyalty of the princes to the British.
- Limited popular base outside a few centres.
- British control of Ajmer and its arsenal.
Significance
Despite its limits, 1857 in Rajasthan revealed discontent among soldiers, thakurs and ordinary people, and created memories and heroes — Kushal Singh of Auwa, the rebels of Kota, Amarchand Bantia — that later nationalists drew upon.
Practice
Prelims-style:
- Where and when did the first uprising of 1857 in Rajputana take place?
- Who led the rebellion at Auwa?
- Which Political Agent was killed at Kota?
- Who was the AGG of Rajputana in 1857?
- Where was Tatya Tope captured?
Mains-style (50 words): What was the role of Thakur Kushal Singh in 1857?
Mains-style (100 words): Why did the revolt of 1857 fail in Rajputana?
A note on dates and numbers. Exam patterns, vacancies and schedules change from year to year. Always confirm the current details in the latest notification on the Rajasthan Public Service Commission website .
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