City historian KSS Seshan unearths the forgotten saga of Bolaram Mutiny of 1855

Did you know? long before the Great Revolt of 1857, which has gone down in history as the First War of Independence in India, a distinct voice of dissent against British rule had already risen, that too right here in Secunderabad! Yes, a whole two years before the Sepoy Mutiny, in September 1855 to be precise, a heroic mutiny was staged by the Nizam’s elite Cavalry in Bolaram.This forgotten episode was brought to the fore once again by Hyderabad-based historian Professor KSS Seshan in his book, Early Anti-British revolts in Andhra, 1766-1857, which was unveiled recently by eminent Indian historian Irfan Habib.
KSS Seshan, former head of Department of History, University of Hyderabad has used rare archival material available only at the Scotland National Library, Edinburgh to illustrate the fact that, oblivious to even scholars of Indian history, Bolaram Mutiny was a major rebellion; one that nearly killed Brigadier Collin Mackenzie who was the then Commander of Nizam’s Cavalry in Hyderabad. In fact, it is after this revolt that the Rashtrapati Nilayam in Bolaram, originally known as the Residency House, was constructed under the orders of the Nizam Nasir-ud-Daula, to protect the Commander of the 10,000-strong cavalry.
In a tête-à-tête with Hyderbad Times, Seshan talks about the importance of the Bolaram mutiny and its repercussions in British India.
What was the significance of the Bolaram Mutiny?
Historically speaking, it was one of the biggest revolts against the British in British India. General Orders passed by the then Governor General of India, Lord Dalhousie after the Bolaram mutiny, (though meant only for the Hyderbad Regiment), was circulated among all the Commandants in the entire British India to serve as a lesson to everyone. This is an indication of the importance given to the mutiny by the Company rulers. It had tremendous repercussions in India prior to 1857.
What actually led to the mutiny? Who were the major players in it?
The Mutiny had its origins in religious matters. The new Commander, Scottish-born Mackenzie took charge of the strong 10,000-men contingent at Bolaram in 1850. He was a decorated officer of the Company known for his
valour in important battles like annexation of Coorg and the Second Anglo-Sikh War. The Cavalry had many Shia Muslims and they used to observe fast during the Muharram, the biggest religious festival of the community and used to take out a huge procession carrying alams on the 10th day of the festival. The soldiers had requested Mackenzie to give them permission to carry out the procession during the
festival. But he prohibited it on learning that that Muharram falls on September 23, which was a Sunday, and he didn’t want the noise to disturb him!
How did the mutiny spread?
Enraged by his order, about 150-200 cavalry men marched to the residence of the Commander in protest. A scuffle ensued between the officer and his subordinates, when Mackenzie ordered them to go back. he suffered serious wounds, but finally managed to save himself by fleeing to his home. His wife, Helen, closed the doors and sent word to the British Resident George Alexander Bushbay, who was away at that time with the Salar Jung. Meanwhile, the mutineers ransacked the furniture in the Commander’s residence.
And then...?
The Resident, Bushbay, spent three hours at the Commander’s residence to assess the damage. Fearing that the mutiny will spread to other parts of India, the British ordered an inquiry commission to pacify the Army. The Commission submitted the report to the Governor General three months later. The Commission found Mackenzie responsible for the mutiny as he incited communal passions and hurt religious sentiments of the Cavalry by prohibiting the procession. He was sent to England for recuperation and was never given any significant posts later in India.
What happened to the mutineers?
Almost all the mutineers were punished with imprisonment of varying periods. The sentry of the Commander who refused to fire at the mutineers were not punished, but were all dismissed from service by the Resident later. But, the British government rewarded those guards who were loyal with promotions.
What was the repercussion of the mutiny?
The British took serious note of the fact that the mutiny happened only 20 months before the Great Mutiny of 1857. All the records of the Bolaram Mutiny were destroyed by them and only the archives of the Scotland National Library have preserved the records of the incident, which I was able to access for my research for writing my book.
What was the impact of the mutiny on Hyderabad?
The mutiny by the loyal forces had a tremendous impact on Hyderabad. The then Nizam, Nasir-ud-Daula, decided to immediately build a safe haven for the Commander. That’s how the Residency House, known as the Rashtrapati Nilayam today, came up. However, it was completed only during the reign of his son, Afzal-ud-Daula in 1860 after he had succeeded him to the throne.
The beautiful white building sprawling across 2,500 sqm has three wings with 20 rooms, which are supported by 20X25 ft-high roofs, decorated with Madras ceilings. High quality teak from Madras Presidency were brought in to make the ceiling. One of the unique features of this building is that the kitchen used to be in a separate building and a 50 metre underground tunnel used to connect it with the dining room as a security measure. It has been serving as the venue for the Southern Sojourn of the successive Indian Presidents since 1952 and is one of the prominent historical buildings of Hyderabad. It has witnessed milestones like the signing of Instrument of Power on September 17, 1948 by the eldest son of the last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, Prince Azam-Jah, who was also the honorary commandant of Nizam’s troops.