- Title: INDIA: India marks 150th British revolt anniversary with pomp in New Dehli
- Date: 11th May 2007
- Summary: NEW DELHI, INDIA (MAY11, 2007) (ANI) EXTERIOR OF THE RED FORT, THE INDIAN FLAG HOISTED ON THE FORT VARIOUS OF CULTURAL DANCES OF VARIOUS STATES BEING PERFORMED A.P.J. ABDUL KALAM, INDIA'S PRESIDENT, MANMOHAN SINGH, INDIA'S PRIME MINISTER AND OTHER TOP INDIAN OFFICIALS SITTING BEHIND A BULLET PROOF SCREEN MEN PERFORMING A DANCE WITH DRUMS ATOP A MAKE-SHIFT STAGE MORE OF TH
- Embargoed: 26th May 2007 12:42
- Keywords:
- Location: India
- Country: India
- Topics: History,Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA6V0BQ9PJZBTU3CCMHJFSNJ6RF
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: India marked a 150-year-old revolt against British colonialists on Friday (May 11), commemorating the uprising with traditional dances, songs and folk theatre and a call by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for greater unity.
The festivities at Red Fort, a magnificent 17th century red sandstone structure in Delhi where mutinous Indian soldiers proclaimed the ageing Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar as ruler of India.
What started as an act of defiance by a handful of Indian soldiers who refused to use rifle bullets said to be greased with beef and pork fat became a popular rebellion against British occupation.
Muslims consider pork as unclean while Hindus view the cow as holy.
Thousands were killed on both sides, including women and children, before British troops crushed the revolt and recaptured the Red Fort.
Colourful floats, cut-outs and a huge demon-shaped balloon depicting British imperialism depicted scenes from the conflict that glorified the mutineers' courage in the face of oppression of the British East Indian company.
Patriotic songs were played in the background.
Men with swords performed traditional martial arts, an acrobatic girl spun on her stomach on a wooden pole and two people dressed as English colonialists walked on stilts in a colourful pageantry in front of Red Fort, which was decorated with marigold flowers.
Armed policemen watched over as thousands of people, including President A.P.J Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh cheered the performers.
The government has declared a public holiday in the capital to mark the occasion.
"Around 150 years ago on this day the door of the old Delhi city was opened to the rebellious soldiers of Meerut. From this door, they entered Delhi and challenged the English rule," said Singh in his speech.
Sonia Gandhi, chief of India's federal ruling Congress party said the revolt was a symbol of every Indian's fight for freedom.
"The entry to the Red Fort was in a way a mark of India's common people pledging to end colonial rule. Actually India's common people stood behind every soldier to further the movement," she said.
Hundreds of people dressed as Indian soldiers and British officers arrived at Red Fort after a five-day march from the neighbouring city of Meerut -- where the mutiny started -- retracing the route taken by the mutineers to storm Delhi on May 11, 1857.
After the revolt was quelled the reins of power were passed directly into the hands of the British monarchy from the East India Company until independence in 1947.
Bahadur Shah Zafar was exiled to Burma, now Myanmar. His three sons were killed by a British officer. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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