Proclaimation. Acrylic and ink on 300gm paper, 50cm x70 cm
While ‘Dhol’(Indian drum) music is generally associated with traditional music and dance that mark festive occasions and weddings, historically, beating of ‘Dhol’ signified the movement of royal family, military exercises and provided a prelude to the public announcements. This painting is inspired by one such historical proclamation made to the beats of the Dhol more than 150 year ago.
In 1857, people of India took their first steps towards freedom from the British Raj; when people from all walks of life, irrespective of cast, creed, religion and ethnic background rose against the foreign occupiers. This defying movement is remembered in the sub-continent as the first War of Independence and derided by some Western historians as the ‘Sepoy Mutiny’. The uprising that started over the incident of greased ammunition cartridges in a cantonment of Meerut in Bengal, about 40 miles from Delhi, soon engulfed the whole country. The Sepoy set out to revive the Mughal Empire and reclaimed the cities that they took over.
The drum beater’s proclaimed this event in the streets and towns as; “ Khalq Khuda Ki, Mulk Badshah Ka, Hukm Subahdar Siphai Bhaddur Ka (the world belongs to God, the country to the Emperor and executive powers to the Sepoy Commandant in the city).
The revolt signified the nationalist sentiments of the country and was aimed to drive out ‘foreigners’ from the entirety of India. Unfortunately, the Mughal king Bahadur Shah Zafar, failed to capitalize the sentiments of the country, and in September 1857, the British reoccupied Delhi.
British retribution to the rebellion that started with court marshal and public hanging of two sepoys ‘Mangal Pandey’ and 'Jemadar Ishwari Prasad’, and culminated in the massacre and hanging of hundreds and thousands of innocent people. The old king was captured and later deported to Rangoon and his family shot dead.
Native press and publication were among the many casualties of the event, as gagging orders were imposed on vernacular press and freedom of expression was curtailed. Publishers who dared to write against the government atrocities had to pay a very heavy price in the form of forcible closures, trials and punitive action such as life sentences.
The image of the drum beater* surrounded by Urdu alphabets and slogans signifies this historical event and the fading alphabets in the background and the two twine strings across the alphabets signify the aftermath.
*based on drummer photograph on the web
Painting Detail