| Kunwar Singh | |
|---|---|
 An imaginary illustration of Kunwar Singh inThe History of the Indian Empire,c. 1858[1] | |
| Raja ofJagdishpur | |
| Predecessor | Sahabzada Singh |
| Successor | Babu Amar Singh |
| Born | (1777-11-13)13 November 1777 Jagdishpur,Jagdishpur estate |
| Died | 26 April 1858(1858-04-26) (aged 80) Jagdishpur,Shahabad district,Bengal Presidency,Company India |
| Dynasty | Ujjainiya |
| Father | Raja Sahabzada Singh |
| Mother | Panchratan Kunwar Devi |
Veer Kunwar Singh, also known asBabu Kunwar Singh was a chief organiser of theIndian Rebellion of 1857 from theBhojpur region of Bihar. He was originally the ruler ofJagdishpur estate.[2] He led a selected band of armed soldiers against the troops under the command of the BritishEast India Company.[3]
ModernIndia commemorates Kunwar Singh as a symbol of earlyIndian nationalism.
Kunwar Singh was born on 13 November 1777 inRajput family to Raja Sahabzada Singh and Panchratan Devi, in Jagdishpur in the Indian state of Bihar. He belonged to a cadet branch of theUjjainiya dynasty which ruled theJagdishpur principality.[4] A British judicial officer offered a description of Kunwar Singh and described him as "a tall man, about seven feet in height".[5] He went on to describe him as having a broad face with anaquiline nose. In terms of his hobbies, British officials describe him as being a keen huntsman who also enjoyed horse-riding.[5]
After his father's death in 1826, Kunwar Singh became the ruler of Jagdishpur. His brothers also got some share and inherited some territory however a dispute arose as to their exact allocation. This dispute was eventually settled and the brothers seemingly returned to having cordial relations.[5]
He married the daughter of Raja Fateh Narayan Singh of theDeo Raj estate who belonged to theSisodia clan ofRajputs.[6]
Singh led theIndian Rebellion of 1857 inBihar. He was nearly eighty and in failing health when he was called upon to take up arms. He was assisted by both his brother,Babu Amar Singh and his commander-in-chief,Hare Krishna Singh. Some argue that the latter was the real reason behind Kunwar Singh's initial military success.[8] He was a tough opponent and harried British forces for nearly a year. He was an expert in the art of guerilla warfare. His tactics sometimes left the British puzzled.[9]
Singh assumed command of the soldiers who had revolted at Danapur on 25 July. Two days later he occupiedArrah, thedistrict headquarters. MajorVincent Eyre relieved the town on 3 August, defeated Singh's force and destroyed Jagdishpur. During the rebellion, his army had to cross theGanges river. The army ofBrigadier Douglas began to shoot at their boat. One of the bullets shattered Singh's left wrist. Singh felt that his hand had become useless and that there was the additional risk of infection due to the bullet-shot. He drew his sword and cut off his left hand near the elbow and offered it to the Ganges.[9][10]
Singh left his ancestral village and reached Lucknow in December 1857 where he met with other rebel leaders. In March 1858, he occupiedAzamgarh inNorth-Western Provinces (Uttar Pradesh) and managed to repel the initial British attempts to take the area.[11] However, he had to leave the place soon. Pursued by Douglas, he retreated towards his home atArrah. On 23 April, Singh had a victory near Jagdishpur over the force led by Captain Le Grande (pronounced asLe Garde inHindi). On 26 April 1858 he died in his village. The mantle of the old chief now fell on his brother Amar Singh II, who continued the struggle for a considerable time, running a parallel government in the district ofShahabad. In October 1859, Amar Singh II joined the rebel leaders in theTerai plains ofNepal.[10]
Due to financial difficulties arising from family litigation and his active participation in the 1857 revolt against the British, the management of Kunwar Singh's estate was taken over by the British authorities.[12]
Sir George Trevelyan, a British statesman and author noted about Kunwar Singh and the battle of Arrah in his book,The Competition Wallah, that:[13]
Two facts may be deduced from the story of these operations - first that the besiegers of the house at Arrah were neither cowards nor bunglers; and the next that it was uncommonly lucky for us that Coer Singh was not forty years younger.
George Bruce Malleson, a 19th-century English officer stationed in India during the rebellion of 1857 stated about Kunwar Singh:[14]
One of the three natives of India thrown up to the surface by the mutiny, who showed any pretensions to the character of a strategist — the others beingTántia Topi and theOudh Moulvi— Kúnwar Singh had carefully for borne to risk the fortunes of his diminished party which, however favorable might be its commencement, must certainly end in its complete defeat.
To honour his contributions to Indian independence, theGovernment of India issued a commemorative stamp on 23 April 1966.[15] TheGovernment of Bihar established theVeer Kunwar Singh University, Arrah, in 1992.[16]
In 2017, the Veer Kunwar Singh Setu, also known as theArrah–Chhapra Bridge, was inaugurated to connect north and south Bihar.[17] In 2018, to celebrate 160th anniversary of Kunwar Singh's death, the government of Bihar relocated a statue of him toHardinge Park. The park was also officially renamed as 'Veer Kunwar Singh Azadi Park'.[18]
Singh is mentioned in severalBhojpuri folk songs, one of which states:[19]
Ab chhod re firangiya!
Hamar Deswa!
Lutpat kaile tuhun, majwa udaile kailas, des par julum jor.
Sahar gaon luti, phunki, dihiat firangiya,
suni suni Kunwar ke hridaya me lagal agiya!
Ab Chhod re firangiya!
Hamar Deswa!
O foreigners!
Leave our country!
For you have plundered us, enjoyed the luxuries of our country and oppressed our countrymen.
You have plundered, destroyed and burnt our cities and villages.
Kunwar's heart burns to know all this.
O foreigners!
Leave our country!
In the 1970s, a private landlord militia known as the 'Kuer Sena/Kunwar Sena' (Kunwar's Army) was formed by Rajput youth in Bihar to combatnaxalite insurgents. It was named after Kunwar Singh.[20]
A play byJagdish Chandra Mathur titledVijay Ki Vela (Moment of Victory) is based on the later part of Kunwar Singh's life. He is also mentioned in the poem "Jhansi Ki Rani" bySubhadra Kumari Chauhan.[citation needed]
In April 2022, Indian Home ministerAmit Shah announced the installation of a statue commemorating Kunwar Singh atAra, Bhojpur. About 78,000 national flags were waved by the public as a matter of world record during this announcement.[21][22]
TheIndian Air Force conducted an air show using fighter jets on the occasion of Vijay Divas of Kunwar Singh on 23 April 2025. It was attended by several dignitaries including the Governor of Bihar and Chief Minister of Bihar.[23]
Media related toKunwar Singh at Wikimedia Commons| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
