MY GRAND FATHER DR .FIRASAT ALI KHAN

A large number of incidents from the history of India show the Rajputs of Rajasthan have always been among the most prominent people in terms of war-strategy and their audacity in the battlefield. Even today, they serve their country irrespective of their religions.

Dr. Firasat Ali, grandson of freedom fighter Gulami Khan

Bhatti Rajputs, who do belong to the same family of the great Rajputs, are famous for their respect to the motherland and their love for integrity and impartiality.
These Bhatti Rajputs are nowadays based in a small town near the district Budaun. This small town, with a population of just 60 thousand, is known as Kakrala.
They came into the mainstream in 1610 AD, when they seized Noorjahaan into their custody from Vardhaman in Bengal. They took her to Agra after defeating Sher Afghan in a battle. 

Later Noorjahaan ruled over India on the name of Jehaangir. In that state of affairs, where the entire modus-operandi got changed and came into the hands of the same lady they carried off earlier, it became impossible for the Bhatti Rajputs to live in Agra.

In response to it, they left Agra and took shelter at some anonymous place. They remained there until the death of Jehaangir. Later on her wife Noorjahaan wanted her son-in-law to be throned. But in these circumstances Bhatti Rajputs played very important role in forming the next political administration under the leadership of Shahjehan. It was in their exile, they changed their religion and outfits. It was a major transformation in terms of the socio-politico scenario. Though these transformations were going on in a large scale, they didn’t marry their boys and girls in other communities.

A large number of Persian words, spoken in then royal courts of Rajasthan and Agra, can be found in their local language or dialect to date.
Contribution of this community in the politics remained as it was during the reigns of Shahjahaan and Muhammad Shah Rangeeley. But when they found the administration is not going with the will of an ordinary man, they again left the capital city and went back to Kakrala to earn their living.
In 1857, a number of changes were brought forward by the East India Company in India. A feeling of fidgetiness was all around. Nawab of Oudh, Rani Laxmibai and Tantya Tope wanted to set India free from the hands of the East India Company. The despotic approach and suppressive nature of the Company was the sole reason behind the feel. In this grave situation they unanimously chose Bahadur Shah Zafar as their leader and set the fire against the company and tried their best to uproot it.

They all came into a conclusion that the war should be fought in entire India at the same time. Rohella chieftain Hafiz Rahmat Khan played a major role in expanding this war in Rohelkhand and cumulating people in a large number.

Hafiz Rahat Khan wanted Bhatti Rajputs to help him in this important war against the East India Company, since they had a great experience in the battlefield.
He requested to Bahadur Shah Zafar and asked him for the help of Bhatti Rajputs. In response to it Bahadur Shah Zafar sent his son Feroz Shah to Kakrala to seek help of the Bhatti Rajputs in the war against the Company. Feroz Shah praised their courage in the field of honor and asked them to help at the time.
Bhatti Rajputs warmly welcomed the request and showed their hospitality which they were famous for. It was an important time for the crop in entire north India. Most of the people in Kakrala were in their fields of wheat grains. On the spur of the moment their sickles replaced with those shining swords that had already shown their valor in the battlefield many a times before.

Kakrala became the epicenter of politics at that time. The patriots from different parts of the country had already gathered there and it was the time for Hafiz Ahmed Shah and his army to come in to Kakrala through Bareily.
Inhabitants of Kakrala established their base camps at a place named Mahhra situated in the west side of Kakrala. As the army of Hafiz Ahmad Shah and his supporters from Kakrala were assembling at these base camps, British government chose Brigadier Kunk to destroy these base camps and to repress the proposed movement by this gathering.

The troops of Brigadier Kunk were killed in a large number in this clash.
It became a cause of dire suffering for the Britishers that a mighty kingdom was fearlessly defeated by some unknown people at some unfamiliar place in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

Seeing this defeat, the British government sent a war specialist General Penny to repress the revolt of 1857.

As soon as he came on to the front of Kakrala, a fierce fight begun between the troops of both the sides. A large number of people died in this struggle.
Patriots from Kakrala broke the formation of British troops and shoved General Penny to the bridge located at the west side of Kakrala. A master artilleryman was curiously waiting there for this moment. As soon as a gun shot came out of his canon, the parts of the General Penny’s body were on the ground. Now, there was no sign of pride for the British army.

Mangal Khan, Sardaar Khan, Ghulami Khan, Rahman Khan, Chhahram Khan, Dilawar Khan, Vaasal Khan and Faujdar Khan individually played very important roles on their own particular fronts. 

Now, the world knows the contribution of people of Kakrala in the revolt of 1857, but the natives of this place have not yet been rewarded properly. These people are not even issued the certificate of Freedom Fighter, whereas the authorities or government’s gazette have already verified all the evidences. 

It is very important to write here that when the revolt of 1857 was about to end in the entire country, the British government focused on Kakrala to take the revenge of General Penny’s assassination. Now, the repression of British government took another form, they started confiscating the land of natives. People were forced to grow indigo instead of wheat in their fields. A huge government building was constructed there to store Indigo. Even now the particular place is known as Kothi in Kakrala. A huge jail was also constructed to punish revolutionaries and freedom fighters. Everyday five prisoners were taken out of the prison and were brutally killed in front of the civilians to frighten them.

As soon as people in different parts of India came to know about the repression in Kakrala, they requested Queen Victoria to look into the matter personally. At last the acts of suppression and brutality came to an end. 

It can be proudly said that without even thinking of their personal name, fame and benefits, these Bhatti Rajputs, are always ready to serve their motherland.