Thread by @NafeesRehmanDr

Did you know?

164 years ago (May 22, 1857), on the last day of Ramadan, about 300 Pashtuns mutinied against the British in Mardan and took control of the Mardan fort imprisoning some of their officers.

That #EidUlFitr was their Eid-e-Azadi, and the last Eid of their lives.

A large force, consisting of British and Indian army, were sent against them three days later. Despite putting up a great fight, the little force couldn't stand long against the British. About 120 of them died fighting and about 150 were taken prisoners and taken to Peshawar.

The British decided to put up a large horrid mass execution in public, which they called Execution Parade, by blowing some 40 of them from the cannons, and hanging about 10 to death.

This wood engraving depicts that horrific scene just before the mass executions.

This sketch shows the scene when those brave men were blown to death.

I quote the British:

"Of the whole forty, only two showed any signs of fear and they were bitterly reproached by the others for so disgracing their race. They certainly died like men."

"[They] walked up to the guns quite calmly and unfaltering and allowed themselves to be blindfolded and tied up without moving a muscle, or showing the slightest sings of fear, or even concern. Whense had these men this strength?"

Image Source:
1. wellcomecollection.org/works/y5q3bye7
2. wellcomecollection.org/works/axpk8vjf

Reference.
-The Perth Gazette and Independent Journal of Politics and News (WA : 1848 - 1864)
-The Argus Aug 29, 1867.

Yes, that was part of the War of Indian Independence of 1857. The Akhund of Swat (the Yousafzai country) was among the instigators who sparked the war, and also took part in it.

https://twitter.com/RuchiKumar/status/1392582324924125191?s=20

The execution was carried out in 4 batches, 10 brave-hearts at a time. Each shot mutilated their bodies into tiny flesh parts. The Brits wanted to deprive those martyrs a proper burial, and graves from where others could drew inspiration.

https://twitter.com/Haniful96574994/status/1392566337143250945?s=20

Thank you for taking the time to write about the Kesari movie that grossly misrepresented the events of the battle of Saragarhi.

I have also written about it a couple of times. I will drop the link in the next tweet for those interested in it.

https://twitter.com/SamKhan999/status/1392668873166446593?s=20

This thread was written on the same day the trailer of the Kesari movie was released. No matter how big the lie is and how powerful the lairs are, a small truth is enough to bring them all down.

https://twitter.com/NafeesRehmanDr/status/1098580512225005568?s=20

Here I called out the British Army for not telling the truth to those who died for them, though fighting an unholy war of colonial occupation, even after 123 years of the battle of Saragarhi.

https://twitter.com/NafeesRehmanDr/status/1304733692200390657?s=20