TURREBAZ KHAN, THE FORGOTTEN HERO OF REVOLT AT HYDERABD IN 1857

TURREBAZ KHAN, THE FORGOTTEN HERO OF REVOLT AT
HYDERABD IN 1857

Dr K Prabhakar Rao


The First War of Independence in 1857 or the Sepoy Mutiny as the British preferred to describe it, was mostly confined to Meerut, Delhi, Lucknow, Kanpur, Barrackpore, Gwalior , Jhansi, Arrah and few more other areas. However some isolated incidents took place at other areas too in the country. These were quickly suppressed. Hyderabad too was witness to one of its own. We cannot forget the role of Turrebaz Khan, who attacked the castle of the British Residentt in Hyderabad. This magnifiecient building of Residency also called Kothi is now converted as Womens college under Osmania University. Although much portion of the fort walls have disappeared the imposing bastions in good condition built out of chiseled granite stones are sill there with their firing ports along with inner steel sliding gates. They are at Putli Bowli areas ( Southern walls) and Eastern side walls of the fort.
After the Nizam signed the Treaty of Subsidiary Alliance with the East India Company in 1800, there were bouts of anti-British rebellions till 1857 led notably by Raja Mahipat Ram, Mubarez-ud- Dowlah, Moulvi Allauddin, and Turre Baz Khan. Among the noteworthy places of such uprising were Aurangabad, Udgir, Nizamabad, Raichur and Karimnagar. Within the Nizam's army and the Subsidiary Troops of East India Company, men revolted against the European officers. Behind some of these rebellions were communities such as Bhils, Hutkers and Marathas. Afzal –ud-daula the fifth Nizam belonging to Afafjah dynasty ascended the throne of Hyderabad after the death of his father just before the mutiny started.Certain amount of trouble was expected in the Hyderabad province too although no major unrest was foreseen. Name of Turrebaz Khan shines gloriously in the history of Hyderabad who raised the banner of Revolt in Hyderabad in 1857.
After a meeting at Mecca Masjid, Turrebaz Khan led a band of soldiers, Rohillas of Afghan descent and Arab rebels and mounted an armed attack on the Residency on July 17, 1857 at 5.45 p.m. about 500 Rohillas marched to the British Resident Col Cuthbert Davidson's koti and took up positions in two houses belonging to money lenders Abban Saheb and Jaigopal Das and opened fire at the Residency. Then the brought down the walls Azim Ali Khan's house and tore off the hinges of the entrance near Putli Bowli as their comrades gave covering fire from the two double-storied houses.
Housed inside the prison in the Residency was another of their comrades Jamedar Cheeda Khan. Led by a fiery Moulvi Allaudin (who preached revolt in his Friday sermon) and Turrebaz Khan, the mob wanted to free Jamedar Cheeda Khan who had revolted against the British when Hyderabad Contingent's 3rd Cavalry was asked to march to Delhi at Buldhana and fled with 15 others to Hyderabad to bring the fire of mutiny to the Nizam's turf. The moment Cheeda Khan reached Hyderabad, he was arrested by Nizam's minister Salar Jung I who handed him over to the Resident as he was a British soldier. He was jailed as well as tried inside the Residency building.
Of course the Rohillas failed to free Cheeda Khan. The British troops who were led by Major S. C. Briggs opened up their artillery, kept ready by the Resident, who was alerted by Salar Jung. The lightly armed men led by Turrebaz Khan were no match for the trained soldiers of Madras Horse Artillery who fired from stationary positions from the fort. The firing went all night long and by morning, there were a few bodies and pockmarked buildings and scared residents of Putli Bowli and Sultan Baazar. Turrebaz Khan who escaped was discovered and shot dead near Toopran, his body was dragged back and hanged near the Residency building. Moulvi Allaudin was caught near Mangalampally and was sentenced to deportation where he died in 1884. The houses of Abban Saheb and Jaigopal Das were blown away after the mutiny . The Nizam Afzaluddaula and his minister Salar Jung received laurels from East India Company for their unflinched support during the troubled times and for letting down the rebels. . The British government will not forget that it has owed to his highness the Nizam and his most able minister," wrote Col Davidson.
The road infront of the Residency was named after Turrebaz Khan and a plaque was also displayed for long. The outer walls of Residency have lost all its history and now looks pale and drab devoid of any past glory. The city builders who were clueless of past history and the need to preserve have done immense damage to past heritage by demolishing ancient structures and heritage buildings. Today memory of Turrebaz Khan has been lost in the midst of milling traffic, thousands of autos, squatting buffaloes and cows, roadside Romeos, girl watchers, shady characters, two wheelers. hawkers, bus stops, waiting people spitting pan on roads, filth and garbage thrown around everywhere. There is a stone memorial also with elephant heads at the site for the heroes of 1857 rebellion and no one knows what it is and why it is there. Once in a while, some leader ( apology for it) arrives to garland it on some occasion and is happy when he is photographed. Turrebaz khans soul of course must be wondering at the ways of people.