First War
of Independence
1857

Laxmi Bai

Mantri

Diwan

Guard

Messenger

Soldier 1

Soldier 2

Soldier 3

Narrator

Mangal Pandey

Hughson

Commander

Hugh Rose

Dowker

Tatya Tope

Rao Saheb

Naarator: The Marathas, Rajputs and Sikhs finished off the remains of the Mughal
dynasty after Aurangzeb. But the crafty British had by then firmly infiltrated
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,
Tatya Tope and Mangal Pandey arose to lead the first major struggle to drive the
British out of Bharat.

Laxmi Bai was married to Raja Gangadhar
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 Lapse.

Scene 1 – Laxmi Bai’s Court

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

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

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

Diwan: We are losing
revenue. Our ancient handloom industry has been ruined by cheap British cloth.

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

Guard: (enters) The English messenger
is here to see you.

Laxmi Bai: Send him in.

Messenger: (bows)
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.

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.

Scene 2 – Meerut Garrison

Narrator: The
whole country was burning with discontent. The people were enraged. They were
prepared to sacrifice their lives and all for the cause of Swaraj
and Swadharma, rather than sit silent in slavery. The
armies and the guns of the British did not frighten them. The country was ripe
for a revolution. A vast movement had been organized in strict secrecy. A clear
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.

Soldier 2: And also with pig’s fat.

Soldier 3: The British are forcing all Hindus and Muslims to
become Christians.

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

Mangal Pandey: We will not do that.

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

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 Mahadev!

Troops: Jai Bhavani! Jai Bharat Mata! [ Attack the British, Kill them, Free the others locked up]

Mangal Pandey: Now we march to Delhi and free it from these invaders.

Scene 3 – Attack on Jhansi

Narrator: The sepoys had
captured Kanpur
and their joy knew no bounds. Nana Saheb was
ceremoniously proclaimed the Peshwa. The land had
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 Bai
and begged for help.

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

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.

Soldiers: Long live Rani Laxmi Bai.

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

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

Naarator: The kings of Datia and Orcha attacked Jhansi, but Rani’s
forces defeated them. In the meantime the war of independence had setbacks. Delhi was recaptured by
the British. Nana Saheb’s army was defeated and
Kanpur
reoccupied. Rani Lakshmi Bai, anticipating an attack
on Jhansi, started strengthening the defense of Jhansi and assembled a
volunteer army.

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.

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

Mantri: Rani Ji, why don’t you ask Tatya
Tope to help?

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.

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

Soldier 2: No foreigner will rule Jhansi.

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

Soldiers: Victory to Jhansi.
Har Har Mahadev.

[Fight with the British Army]

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

Rani: We will repulse them.

[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.

Mantri: You are a brave
woman. I am with you. We will leave tonight for Kalpi
to meet with Rao Saheb and Tatya Tope.

[Leave] [British Enter]

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

Dowker: Should we go after her?

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

Scene 4 – Tatya Tope

Narrator: Nana Saheb entrusted the huge responsibility of commanding the
nationalist forces to Tatia Tope. Like a lion from
the hillsides Tatia Tope descended on the fortress of
Kalpi. And in no time the fort was taken. He began 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 her].

Rao Saheb: Welcome, brave soldier. We need your
support to fight the firangis.

Rani: Nothing will give me greater pleasure than to die fighting for my country.

Tatya: The British are
planning a siege on Kalpi.

Rani: Let us meet them at Koonch.

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.

Rani: We will march to Gwalior.
Though the maharaja is an ally of the British, his people are with us.

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

Rao Saheb: The British have already begun their attack
on Gwalior.

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

[Fight.
Rani fought gallantly but was struck in her chest.]

Soldier 3: Rani has been fatally wounded.

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

[Dies]

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 crippling.
Before the tears shed for the loss of Kalpi could
dry, Kanpur was
gone. By winning back Kanpur,
Tatia had won back glory. He had fought one hundred
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.

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

Tatya: [Looked at
the English with contempt and thundered] I am not your servant. I have obeyed
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 hang
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 Tatya
Tope is enshrined in the hearts of his countrymen. His memory is as green as
ever.