The events of 1857 constitute a turning point in the colonial history of the Subcontinent, representing a major challenge to British imperial rule. This essay examines the competing interpretations of 1857—as a Sepoy Mutiny, a Peasant Revolt, or the First War of Independence—and traces the evolution of these narratives from colonial and nationalist frameworks to contemporary Subaltern perspectives. Attention is given to the responses of two major Urdu intellectuals, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and Mirza Ghalib. While Sir Syed attempted to mediate between the British and Indian Muslims through political analysis, Ghalib documented the siege and aftermath of Delhi in his Persian diary, Dastanbu. Written amid personal financial hardship and political turmoil, the diary reflects Ghalib’s politics of survival. The essay argues that Dastanbu is marked by profound ambivalence. On the surface, Ghalib condemns the “rebellious sepoys” and lavishly praises British justice and civilization. This stance can be understood through Homi K. Bhabha’s concept of Colonial Mimicry, whereby the colonized subject imitates the colonizer to gain recognition and security. Ghalib’s dependence on British patronage, including his pension and titles, encouraged such displays of loyalty. Yet a closer reading reveals important silences and subversions. Alongside his praise of British rule, Ghalib records the starvation, killings, and displacement suffered by Delhi’s residents after the British victory. By documenting the suffering of ordinary people, Dastanbu becomes more than an act of flattery; it emerges as a coded record of civilizational collapse and of an intellectual caught between a fading Mughal order and an unforgiving colonial future.

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