SETH RAMDAS JI GURWALA
A FORGOTTEN HERO OF 1857 WAR
SARASIJ MAJUMDER
Before hanging the great revolutionary and philanthropist
Seth RAMDAS JI, in 1857, the British released hunting dogs on him who tore his
body alive. Seth Ramdas Ji GURWALA was a billionaire businessman and banker of
Delhi during middle of eighteenth
century. And he was a close friend of the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah
Zafar. He was born in an Agarwal family in Delhi. His family established the
first textile mill there.
There was a saying about his wealth, “RAMDAS JI GURWALE has
so much gold, silver and jewels that he can even stop the water of Ganga ji
from his walls.”
When the spark of revolution starting from Barrackpore, via Meerut reached Delhi in 1857, Mughal Emperor
Bahadur Shah Zafar was declared the hero, and king of the military revolution
of 1857. After the defeat of the British from Delhi, Indian armies of many
princely states camped in Delhi. Providing food and salary to the soldiers became a
problem. The Badshah's treasury was empty. One day Badshah placed the jewels of
his queens in front of the ministers, to arrange food, and provisions of the
camped army men. Ramdas ji had never seen this condition of his friend. He
handed over his property worth crores to the Badshah and said,--
“If the motherland is protected, wealth will be earned
again.”
Ramji Das not only gave money, he also provided sattu,
flour, grains to the soldiers and fodder for the oxen, camels, elephants and
horses.
Seth ji, who till now had only done business, also started
the work of organizing the army and intelligence department. Even the British
commanders were surprised to see the power of his organizational ability.
He spread a network of spies all over North India, made
secret contacts with many military cantonments and built a powerful army and
intelligence organization. He sent spies to every corner of the country and
requested even the smallest Mansabdars and kings to help Bahadur Shah Zafar in
this time of crisis and help liberate the country.
Information on such revolutionary activities of Ramdas Ji reached
the British government and they started
getting very worried.
After sometime, fighting with Sepoys, the British started
recapturing Delhi, Part by Part. One day, Ram das Ji placed boxes of poisoned
liquor bottles at various places in front of the shops of Chandni Chowk. The
British army would quench their thirst with them and lie down there, and die.
The British understood that if they want to rule India then the end of Ramdas Ji
is very necessary.
Seth RAMDAS JI GURWALA was caught fraudulently and the
manner in which he was killed is an example of British cruelty.
First he was tied to a pole with ropes, then hunting dogs
were released on him, after which he was hanged in the same half-dead state in
front of the police station of Chandni Chowk, Delhi.
Famous historian Tarachand has written in his book 'History
of Freedom Movement' :--
“Seth Ramdas Gurwala was the richest Seth of North India.
According to the British, he had innumerable pearls, diamonds and gems and
immense wealth.
He was richer than the Mughal emperors. There was talk of
his wealth even in the markets of Europe…."
But his name is written in the history of India not because of his incomparable wealth but
because of sacrificing everything for the freedom struggle of 1857.
Notes:-- I have stitched together the article from
various Hindi Publications, and sites which has information about Ram Das
Ji. I also read about him from the book
of Author—Tarachand, referred below. There are more coverages published in Hindi language, I read--but not listed below.
References:-
1.0 History-Freedom-Movement-India-Set of-4-Volumes- By
Tarachand
2.0 https://hindi.matrubharti.com/book/19933774/seth-ramdas-ji-gudwale
4.0 https://uniinfos.com/biography-of-jagat-seth-ramjidas-gurwala/
Image;- Google
Very unfortunate that the name of Ramdas ji is not taken by anybody even in Delhi. How can we be so ungrateful to forget such great heroes of our country. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks, for your observations.
Delete