Tantya Tope (1814

Fir= st War of Independence 1857

Laxmi Bai

Mantri

Diwan=

Guard

Messeng= er

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Soldier= 1

Soldier= 2

Soldier= 3

Narrato= r

Mangal Pandey

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Hughson=

Command= er

Hugh Ro= se

Dowker

Tatya Tope=

Rao Saheb

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Naarator: The Maratha= s, Rajputs and Sikhs finished off the remains of the Mug= hal dynasty after Aurangzeb. But the crafty British had by then firmly infiltra= ted into the princely states of Bharat using the twin policies of divide and conquer and the Doctrine of Lapse. It was during these times in the mid nineteenth century that great heroes like Lakshmi Bai<= /span>, Tatya Tope and Mangal Pandey arose to lead the first major struggle to driv= e the British out of Bharat.

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Laxmi Bai was married to Raja Gangadha= r Rao, the Maharaja of Jhansi, in 1842, and became the queen of Jhansi= . In 1853 Gangadhar Rao fell very ill and was persuaded to adopt a child. British rulers rejected Rani's claim that Damodar Rao was their legal heir. Lord Dalhousie decided to annex= the state of Jhansi under the Doctrine of La= pse.

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Scene 1 – Laxmi Bai’s Court

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Laxmi Bai: (In court, pacing) The fate of the people of Jhansi is now in my hands. I must not l= et them down.

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Mantri: Rani, there= was a drought last year and the people are suffering.

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Laxmi Bai: Yes, I know. They need some relief. We should lo= wer the tax on wheat.

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Diwan: We are losi= ng revenue. Our ancient handloom industry has been ruined by cheap British clo= th.

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Laxmi Bai: Then we must educate the people to honor our handloom cloth and reject= the cheap British cloth.

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Guard: (enters) The English messe= nger is here to see you.

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Laxmi Bai: Send him in.

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Messenger: (bo= ws) Rani, Your appeal to accept your adopted son as your heir has been rejected= . The British government has decided to take the state of = Jhansi under its wing.

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Laxmi Bai: They have no right to do that. Damodar Rao is my son. I will never give up my Jhansi. I was not born to weep.

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Scene 2 – Meerut Garrison

Narrator:= The whole country was burning with discontent. The people were enraged. They we= re prepared to sacrifice their lives and all for the cause of Swaraj and Swadharma, rather than sit silent in slaver= y. The armies and the guns of the British did not frighten them. The country was r= ipe for a revolution. A vast movement had been organized in strict secrecy. A c= lear program was drawn up. There was to be an uprising at the same time all over= the country on 31st May 1857.

Soldier 1: We have heard that the new cartridges are greased with cow’s fat.

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Soldier 2: And also with pig’s fat.

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Soldier 3: The British are forcing all Hindus and Musl= ims to become Christians.

Hughson: Attention. = All line up. One. Two. Three. Take your muskets, lick the cartridge and load = them.

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Mangal Pandey: We will not do that.

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Commander: You bloody swine!! How dare you question the orders of your superior British officer?

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Mangal Pandey: [turning to the troops]: Brothers, we have had enough of their tyranny. They have occupied our sacred land and defiled it. Now they are forcing us to act against our Dharma, our= customs and traditions. We will not allow that. 'Maro Feringhi Ko! Har Har <= span class=3DSpellE>Mahadev!

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Troops: Jai Bhavani! Jai Bharat Mata! [ Attack the British, Kill them, Free the others locked up]<= /span>

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Mangal Pandey: Now we march to Delhi and free it from these invaders.<= o:p>

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Scene 3 – Atta= ck on Jhansi=

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Narrator: The sepoys had captured Kanpur and their joy knew no bounds. Nana Saheb was ceremoniously proclaimed the Peshwa. The land h= ad once again one of its sons as the ruler. The whole of North India was aflame. The English, men and women, ran hither and thither seeking safety and shelter. A hundred years of cruelty and injustice pursued them. A sleeping giant had now awakened - and the English were terrified. Jhansi became a center of the rebellion = when the violence finally erupted. The British ran to Lakshmi B= ai and begged for help.

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English Commander: We want you to take over the kingdom until British authority is reestablished.

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Rani: You refused me my kingdom when I asked for it. Now that you can’t keep it, you are handing it to me! My troops will destroy me if I give you protection. So you better run and save your lives.

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Soldiers: Long live Rani Laxmi Bai.

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Soldier 1: Rani, we just got news that the nationalist soldiers have already seized control of Lucknow.

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Soldier 2: And Kanpur and Sitapur. Some are marching to Jhansi.

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Naarator: The kings o= f Datia and Orcha attacked = Jhansi, but Rani&#= 8217;s forces defeated them. In the meantime the war of independence had setbacks.= Delhi was recaptu= red by the British. Nana Saheb’s army was defeat= ed and Kanpur reoccupied. Rani Lakshmi Bai, anticipating an a= ttack on Jhansi, started strengthening the defen= se of Jhansi and assemb= led a volunteer army.

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Rani: We must have a fire-brigade and procure more arms. The women of Jhansi must also = help in the army as troopers and gunners.

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Soldier: The British have captured Sehore and Rahatgarh. They will be at our gates soon.=

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Mantri: Rani Ji, why don’t you ask Taty= a Tope to help?

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Rani: I have, but he is occupied with fighting the British. I think we should fight the British but I leave it up to you.

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Soldier 1: We will fight till death. We will uphold the honor of Jhansi.

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Soldier 2: No foreigner will rule Jhansi.

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Rani: Yours is a noble decision. We will fight. If victorious we will enjoy freedom. If defeated or slain we will enjoy eternal glory.

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Soldiers: Victory to Jhansi. Har Har Mahadev.

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[Fight with the British Army]

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Soldier 1: The fortress has been breached. The British= are inside the fort.

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Rani: We will repulse them.

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[Fighting. The British were beaten back.]

Rani: I have decided not to surrender. Those who are prepared to die can stay with me. Others are free to leave.

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Mantri: You are a b= rave woman. I am with you. We will leave tonight for Kalpi<= /span> to meet with Rao Saheb and Tatya Tope.

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[Leave] [British Enter]

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Hugh Rose: The Rani has escaped. Destroy this city. Bu= rn the library. Teach these rebels a lesson so they will never dare to challenge t= he British.

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Dowker: Should we go after her?

Hugh Rose: No use. But do not worry. We will meet up with her again.

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Scene 4 – Tatya Tope

Narrator:= Nana Saheb entrusted the huge responsibility of commanding= the nationalist forces to Tatia Tope. Like a lion f= rom the hillsides Tatia Tope descended on the fortr= ess of Kalpi. And in no time the fort was taken. He be= gan to manufacture arms. Kalpi became a workshop. In a= swift sweep Tatia captured a series of forts. A chain= of forts connected Kanpur with Gwalior.

[Rani Enters] = [Tatya does namaskar to he= r].

Rao Saheb: Welcome, brave soldier. We need y= our support to fight the firangis.

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Rani: Nothing will give me greater pleasure than to die fighting for my coun= try.

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Tatya: The British= are planning a siege on Kalpi.

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Rani: Let us meet them at Koonch.

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Narrator: But as fate would have it, the nationalist = forces lost. Hugh Rose took over the fort of Kalpi. Tatya and Rani Laxmi Bai re-grouped.

Tatya: We will use guerrilla warfare and continue the struggle.

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Rani: We will march to Gwalior<= /st1:City>. Though the maharaja is an ally of the British, his people are with us.=

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Narrator: The sight of Rani and = Tatya was enough to make the Gwalior= army drop their arms.

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Rao Saheb: The British have already begun th= eir attack on Gwalior.

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Rani: We will take our troops for one glorious attack. I am ready.

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[Fight. Rani fought gallantly but was struck in her chest.]
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Soldier 3: Rani has been fatally wounded.

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Rani: Carry on the struggle my brave soldiers. The days of freedom will soon dawn.

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[Dies]

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Narrator: Tatya continued= the struggle. He terrified the British. He was revenge incarnate! The English army was beaten and battered. Its loss in men and money was crippli= ng. Before the tears shed for the loss of Kalpi cou= ld dry, Kanpur was gone. By winning back Kanpur, Tatia had won back glory. He had fought one hun= dred and fifty battles, big and small. He had kept more than ten thousand British soldiers on their toes. His sword had put to death many a renowned general.= The English dreaded him most. 'The Devil' they used to call him. In the end he was betrayed by his friend Man Singh. The British tried him in a mockery of a court.

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Hugh Rose: You are a rebel. You are charged with waging war against the British.

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Tatya: [Looked at the English with contempt and thundered] I am not your servant. I have obey= ed the orders of only the Peshwa who is my master. Except in just battle I have not shed any innocent blood. I do not ask for = any mercy. I only ask you to blow me to pieces at the mouth of the cannon. Or h= ang me to death from the loop of the gallows.

Narrator: How brave even in the presence of death! But how can = our grateful country forget his sacrifice? The name of Tat= ya Tope is enshrined in the hearts of his countrymen. His memory is as green as ever.

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