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International Journal of Academic Research ISSN: 2348-7666; Vol.4, Issue-12(1), December, 2017 Impact Factor: 6.023; Email: [email protected] Karan Singh, PhD Scholar, Panjab University Chandigarh unity and common interest shown across the geographical expanse of India during The latter half of the nineteenth the struggle against British colonial rule. century saw the emergence of national This means that the people of India consciousness in India, as well as in the during the anti-colonial struggle showed region of Haryana. Socio-cultural, a visible consciousness of unity and historical, psychological and emotional oneness in terms of their desire to be free unity amongst the people of a country is from colonial rule and to establish their called ‘nationalism’. Nationalism can be own political set up and constitution. described as a characteristic that makes a What were the conditions that could have group or community of people feel that been prerequisites for the emergence of a they are integrated and united by national awakening? Was the emergence common historical and traditional values of a national awakening and national and interests, and that they must culture essentially dependent on some politically organize in the form of the ‘common framework of political identity State. 1 In the words of Haridass and loyalty’? What are the conditions for Mukherjee and Uma Mukherjee, the emergence of this common “Nationalism is a devotion to one’s framework and the objective and nation. India with its mighty mountains, subjective prerequisites…..for the great rivers and vast plains was a emergence of a national culture?3 continent rather than a country; divided into various provinces, inhabited by The outbreak of Swadeshi different people using diverse languages Movement in Bengal in 1905 challenged and sharing different cultures, it could the British rule over India, in a modern boast of a single nation. Consequently ways. From the battle of Plassey (1757) that common conception of collective to the Swadeshi Movement in Bengal, the duties and responsibilities which European powers were challenged by the emanates from a common nationalism Indians in many ways but they did not was absent in India.”2 Historically, when get success to overpower the Europeans one looks at the people of India, it is and the revolt of 1857 may be called the difficult to find a parallel to the type of last challenge of Indians to overthrow the International Journal of Academic Research ISSN: 2348-7666; Vol.4, Issue-12(1), December, 2017 Impact Factor: 6.023; Email: [email protected] British till 1905 but in this challenge also revolutionary9 or puritan Islamic.10 In Indians could not get success and the fact, it was a Muslim revivalist British superseded the Indians. It may movement. In the beginning, the rightly say that the feeling of nationalism movement was started with its main among the Indians had been ripened object to abolish the tribalism in upto1905 and resulted in the ‘Swadeshi Arabia.11 In India, the term Movement’ in Bengal. was used for them and it was the real name of Indian . A I named Syed Ahmed (1786-1831) of Rae One of the movements which Bareli; United Provinces was its presented a serious threat to the British founder.12 Santimoy Ray described the authority was the Movement.4 It in the Indian context as “The was one of the earliest, most consistent Indian who were striving to and protracted and the “most remarkably reestablish the ‘path of Mohamed’ and anti-British” movements which ‘ , ‘command of under the dominated the Indian history of the leadership of Syed Ahmed and nineteenth country.5 The word ‘ Shariatulla were called as the founders of is a misnomer and it is generally the sects and regarded by a good number of Muslims as From this they drew political conclusion un-Islamic. This terminology was given that to convert this land as a by the British which suit in their ulterior the rule of the must come to motives as they did in later years in the end.”13 case of terrorists. Generally, this term Syed Ahmed made visits to a was used for the group of people who number of towns and cities to prepare for were strongly committed to liberate the a holy crusade, which they called , land from the British yoke and to convert against the domination of the foreigners. it into from . The During his visits, all his activities were term ‘Hindustani fanatics’, was also used highly admired. Along with Syed’s for them in the Government records. 6 movement another movement, Originally, it was started by Muhammad under the leadership of Pir Sharitulla of Ibn Abdul Wahab (1707-1787) in Arabia.7 Faridpur and the movement led by Mir He was inspired by Imam Ibn Taimiya of Nisarali of Chandpur (Barasat) were also the Hanbali, a school of Muslim exorting the Muslims. 14 Pir Sharitulla Theology.8 drew the oppressed masses under his The movement ‘primarily a banner against the immedi religious one’ was also proletarian and ate oppressor, new , , but very soon the logic of the movement and planters backed by the East India threw him in the vortex of socio-economic Company. 15 Mir Nisarali belonged to struggle on the side of rural poor, both Chandpur (Barasat), also led a socio- Hindus and Muslims. 17 These three religious movement. His movement, contemporaries- Syed Ahmed, Haji mainly, took place amongst the poorer Shriatulla and Mir Nisarali met in Mecca section of the peasantry in and around while they were in .18 24- and Nadia.16 The movement Syed Ahmed tried to bring was started as a socio-religious movement revival in Muslim community by means International Journal of Academic Research ISSN: 2348-7666; Vol.4, Issue-12(1), December, 2017 Impact Factor: 6.023; Email: [email protected] of threefold activity, “the exhalation of enthusiasm and took nearly decade to the word of God, the revival of the spirit repair the damage and bring back the of faith in word and deed, and the thread of freedom struggle again on the practice of holy wars.”19 Before starting Indian scene. the or Holy war, he made a journey In fact, Syed Ahmad had already to Mecca in 1822, returned in 1824 and created a well-knit organization from founded “a system by which they (his Dacca to Peshawar and established his followers) affected one of the greatest centres in all the important towns of the revivals known to Indian History, and country.25 Patna became headquarter of which has kept alive the spirit of revolt their activities. 26 The history of the against the British rule during fifty Wahabi Movement, at least from 1831 to years.”20 Syed Ahmad designed himself 1858, can be rightly said the history of the activities of Wilayet Ali and Enayet and . He selected the Ali of the Sadiquepur family of Patna. North-West Frontier for their operations. When they were in Lucknow for their There, he organised a strong group of education, they met Syed Ahmed and fighters. 21 For military operations, were greatly influenced by his volunteers were given military training. philosophy. Afterwards they become his Along with these activities, he and his disciples and they were put in charge by allies also helped the poor peasants. Syed Ahmed with their headquarters at Socially and economically aids were also Patna. 27 They were appointed as given to the poor people.22 - a local chief. They in their turn The in India launched had been authorized to appoint their own a movement for overthrow of the Sikh . 28 The main functions of kingdom in the Punjab and the British were to collect funds and to from India. Syed Ahmed, the chief recruit the volunteers. Due to the architect of the concept of freedom from untiring efforts of these , active British rule, launched a movement to centers were established in Thaneswar fight against the Sikh kingdom in the and Ambala.29 Dudu Miah, the son of Punjab. According to under the Mir Nisarali also led a very strong leadership of Syed Ahmed, the Sikh rule movement against the British. But, after was an oppressive rule on the Muslim years of jails, his health was deteriorated peasantry. It was more so since this Sikh and he lost his life.30 principality was safe under the umbrella II of British power. 23 He established himself in the Swat Valley where he As far as concerned for the region operated a against the Sikhs. But of Haryana, Maulvi Muhammad Qasim of in the pitched battle of Balakot in May Panipat, Husaini and Muhammed Jaffar 1831, he was killed in action and his of Thanesar and Muhammed Shafi of army routed.24 The sudden death of Syed Ambala, a contractor for the supply of did not subside the enthusiasm of the need to Europeans in all the cantonments anti-British leaders of the from Ambala to Naushera were some movement, although the movement had prominent and active leaders from this to suffer for some time. The lost of the region.31 Muhammed Quasim had very great leader did not subside the close relations with Syed Ahmed. He also International Journal of Academic Research ISSN: 2348-7666; Vol.4, Issue-12(1), December, 2017 Impact Factor: 6.023; Email: [email protected] worked with the tribal chief Syed Akbar the wake of the defeat of the great Shah in Sithana, the headquarters of the uprising.38 The were one of the North West Frontier. He made link with chief headaches of the British and the Maulvis Wilayet Ali, and Inayet Ali, the British also proposed the repressive leaders of Patna centre and inspiring policies and special operations were letters were also written for Patna centre executed against them through the mainly to Wilayet Ali.32 Special Police Department and by the armed expeditions on the Frontier.