We give so much significance to dates, but dates can sometimes mean many things. Take for example 15th August, wht does it remind u of ? I guess 1947, gud. But r u aware tht another 15th august, 15/8/1765 to be precisie, was the last day of independent India ? On the next day i.e 16th the Treaty of Allahabad was signed between the East India Trading Company nd the Mughal emperor Shah Alam 2, his grand vazir Shuja-ud-Daula (nawab of Oudh) nd Mir Qasim (the nawab of Bengal). Under the terms of the treaty the English got the Diwani rights(tax collection rights) of Bengal, Bihar nd Orrisa nd the districts of Fatehpur nd Allahabad. Uptill now the british were able to defeat the nawabs of Bengal nd the mughal emperor nd his minions like the nawb of oudh, by either conspiracy or luck, or desperate fighting. But with the resources of men nd money tht they obtained from this treaty the british now had th confidence to take on the real masters of India- The Maratha Confedracy nd Tipu Sultan. Over the next 75 years the British wud slowly but surely batter these two powers into submission(in the 3 maratha wars, nd the 4 mysore wars) nd become the masters of India. There were some high points along the way, In his memoirs Arthur Welsley, The duke of Wellington who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo, wud write, tht defeating the Scindhias at the battle of Assaye was tougher than beating Napoleon. At the Treaty of Manglore Tipu Sultan wud dictate terms to the british, the last time an indian could do tht on equal terms. But in general, after the treaty of Allahabad, the scales were tipped in favours of the East India Company. So next time you celebrate independence day, do remember how decieving dates can be for once it was the last day of our independence.
Posted on: Thu, 14 Aug 2014 06:38:53 +0000
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