The year 1857 occupies a pivotal place in the history of India. Historians remain divided over its interpretation, variously describing it as the Mutiny or the War of Independence, depending on their historical and ideological perspectives. In the aftermath of the conflict, the British government circulated a set of questions among prominent Indians and British officials in an effort to identify the causes of the widespread violence and upheaval. Several Indian respondents answered these inquiries with a combination of candour and diplomatic caution. Among these responses, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan’s Asbab-e-Baghavat-e-Hind became the most influential and widely known. However, its prominence overshadowed a number of other contemporary responses written in a similar spirit. One such response was authored by Subedar Sheikh Hidayat Ali of the Bengal Army, who was invited to present his views on the causes of the events of 1857. Hidayat Ali recorded his observations in Urdu, and his mentor, Captain Thomas Rattray, translated the document into English on 30 January 1858. Although the translation was published, little is known about its circulation or reception. This article introduces and contextualizes this neglected document, provides information about the life and background of its author, and offers a critical examination of Hidayat Ali’s analysis of 1857. It also compares his response with other contemporary accounts written for the same purpose. To facilitate further research, the article includes a complete Urdu translation of the document.

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Hedayut Ali. A Few Words Relative to the Late Mutiny of the Bengal Army, and the Rebellion in the Bengal Presidency. Trans. by T. Rattray. [publisher not identified], 1858.

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––––––. Asbāb-i-Baghāvat-i-Hind. Ed. Salim-ud-Din Qureshi. Lahore: Sang-e-Meel Publications, 1997.

––––––. Asbāb-i-Sarkashī-i-Hindūstān kā Javāb. Agra: Mufassal Press, 1859.

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Parret, Cliff. Hon. Lieutenant-Colonel Sheikh Hedayat Ali, Khan Bahadur, Sardar Bahadur, CIE, OBI, IOM. Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research, Vol. 77, No. 312, 1999, pp 269-274

Syed Ahmad Khan Bahadur, The Causes of Indian Revolt, Translated into English by His Two European Friends, Medical Hall Press, Benares, 1873

Picture of Hidayat ali www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155848861950969&set=p.10155848861950969&type=3

Group Photo, 1875. www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=2477413342275020&set=gm.1991050624303834