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{{Short description|He was a ruler of Bihar, he was the first person from Bihar who led a war against the british}}
{{Short description|Leader of the Indian rebellion of 1857}}
{{Other people}}
{{Other people}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2014}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox royalty
{{Infobox royalty
| name        = Kunwar Singh also known as VEER KUNWAR SINGH
| name        = Kunwar Singh
| reign        = 1857–1858
| image        = Kunvar singh.jpg
| image        = Kunvar singh.jpg
| caption      = ''Kunvar singh '', an illustration of Kunwar Singh in ''The History of the Indian Empire'', {{circa|1858}}<ref>{{cite book|last1=Martin|first1=Robert Montgomery|last2=Roberts|first2=Emma|title=The Indian empire : its history, topography, government, finance, commerce, and staple products : with a full account of the mutiny of the native troops ...| volume = 1 | date=1858|publisher=London ; New York : London Print. and Pub. Co.| url=https://archive.org/stream/indianempireitsh08mart#page/n21/mode/2up}}</ref>
| caption      = An imaginary illustration of Kunwar Singh in ''The History of the Indian Empire'', {{circa|1858}}<ref>{{cite book|last1=Martin|first1=Robert Montgomery|last2=Roberts|first2=Emma|title=The Indian empire : its history, topography, government, finance, commerce, and staple products : with a full account of the mutiny of the native troops ...| volume = 1 | date=1858|publisher=London; New York : London Print. and Pub. Co.| url=https://archive.org/stream/indianempireitsh08mart#page/n21/mode/2up}}</ref>
| succession1  = [[Maharaja]] of [[Jagdishpur estate]]
| succession  = [[Raja]] of [[Jagdishpur estate|Jagdishpur]]
| successor1  = [[Babu Amar Singh]]
| successor    = [[Babu Amar Singh]]
| predecessor1 = Shahabzada Singh
| predecessor  = Sahabzada Singh
| house        =  
| house        =  
| dynasty      = [[Ujjainiya]] [[Parmar]] [[Rajput]]
| dynasty      = [[Ujjainiya]]
| birth_date  = {{Birth date|df=y|1777|11|13}}
| birth_date  = {{Birth date|df=y|1777|11|13}}
| death_date  = {{death date and age|df=y|1858|04|26|1777|11|13}}
| death_date  = {{death date and age|df=y|1858|04|26|1777|11|13}}
| birth_name  =  
| birth_name  =  
| birth_place  = [[Jagdispur]], [[Jagdishpur estate]]
| birth_place  = [[Jagdishpur]], [[Jagdishpur estate]]
| death_place  = Jagdispur, Jagdishpur estate(present day BIHAR)
| death_place  = [[Jagdishpur]], [[Shahabad district]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[Company rule in India|Company India]]
| father      = Raja Shahabzada Singh
| father      = Raja Sahabzada Singh
| mother      = Rani Panchratan Kunwari Devi Singh
| mother      = Panchratan Kunwar Devi
| nickname    =
}}
}}


'''Kunwar Singh''' (born: 13 November 1777 – died: 10 April 1858) also known as '''Babu Kunwar Singh''' was a leader during the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857]]. He belonged to a family of the [[Ujjainiya]] clan of the [[Parmar]] [[Rajput]]s of [[Jagdishpur estate|Jagdispur]], currently a part of [[Bhojpur district, Bihar|Bhojpur district]], [[Bihar]], India. At the age of 80, he led a selected band of armed soldiers against the troops under the command of the British [[East India Company]]. He was the chief organiser of the fight against the British in [[Bihar]]. He is popularly known as '''Veer Kunwar Singh''' or '''Veer Babu Kunwar Singh'''.<ref>{{cite journal | title=Kunwar Singh's Failure in 1857 | author=S. Purushottam Kumar | journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume = 44| year=1983 | pages= 360–369|jstor = 44139859}}</ref>
'''Veer Kunwar Singh''', also known as '''Babu Kunwar Singh''' was a chief organiser of the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857]] from the [[Bhojpuri region|Bhojpur]] region of Bihar. He was originally the ruler of [[Jagdishpur estate]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hartwell |first1=Nicole |title=Framing colonial war loot: The 'captured' spolia opima of Kunwar Singh |journal=Journal of the History of Collections |date=2021 |doi=10.1093/jhc/fhab042 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Dole |first=Manoj |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VVukEAAAQBAJ&dq=veer+kunwar+singh&pg=PA146 |title=Great Indian Freedom Fighter |publisher=Manoj Dole |language=en}}</ref> He led a selected band of armed soldiers against the troops under the command of the British [[East India Company]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kumar |first1=Purushottam |title=Kunwar Singh's failure in 1857 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |date=1983 |volume=44 |pages=360–369 |jstor=44139859 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44139859}}</ref>
 
Modern [[India]] commemorates Kunwar Singh as a symbol of early [[Indian nationalism]].


==Early life==
==Early life==
Kunwar Singh was born on 13 November 1777 to Maharaja Shahabzada Singh and Maharani Panchratan Devi, in Jagdispur of the Shahabad (now [[Bhojpur district, India|Bhojpur]]) District, in the state of Bihar. He belonged to the [[Ujjainiya]] [[Rajput]] clan.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SrdiVPsFRYIC&q=Kunwar+Singh | title=Naukar, Rajput, and Sepoy: The Ethnohistory of the Military Labour Market of Hindustan, 1450-1850| publisher=Cambridge University Press | author=Dirk H.A. Kolff |author-link=Dirk H. A. Kolff | year=2002 | pages=168| isbn=9780521523059}}</ref> A British judicial officer offered a description of Kunwar Singh and described him as "a tall man, about six feet in height".<ref name="Paul2011">{{cite book|author=E. Jaiwant Paul|title=The Greased Cartridge: The Heroes and Villains of 1857-58|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=65vrBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT90|date=1 August 2011|publisher=Roli Books Private Limited|isbn=978-93-5194-010-4|pages=90–91}}</ref> He went on to describe him as having a broad face with an [[aquiline nose]]. In terms of his hobbies, British officials describe him as being a keen huntsman who also enjoyed horse-riding.<ref name="Paul2011" />
Kunwar Singh was born on 13 November 1777 in [[Rajput]] family to Raja Sahabzada Singh and Panchratan Devi, in Jagdishpur in the Indian state of Bihar. He belonged to a cadet branch of the [[Ujjainiya]] dynasty which ruled the [[Jagdishpur]] principality.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SrdiVPsFRYIC&q=Kunwar+Singh | title=Naukar, Rajput, and Sepoy: The Ethnohistory of the Military Labour Market of Hindustan, 1450-1850| publisher=Cambridge University Press | author=Dirk H.A. Kolff |author-link=Dirk H. A. Kolff | year=2002 | pages=168| isbn=9780521523059}}</ref> A British judicial officer offered a description of Kunwar Singh and described him as "a tall man, about seven feet in height".<ref name="Paul2011">{{cite book|author=E. Jaiwant Paul|title=The Greased Cartridge: The Heroes and Villains of 1857-58|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=65vrBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT90|date=1 August 2011|publisher=Roli Books Private Limited|isbn=978-93-5194-010-4|pages=90–91}}</ref> He went on to describe him as having a broad face with an [[aquiline nose]]. In terms of his hobbies, British officials describe him as being a keen huntsman who also enjoyed horse-riding.<ref name="Paul2011" />


After his father's death in 1826, Kunwar Singh became the [[taluqdar]] of Jagdispur. His brothers inherited some villages however a dispute arose as to their exact allocation. This dispute was eventually settled and the brothers seemingly returned to having cordial relations.<ref name="Paul2011" />
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.<ref name="Paul2011" />


He married the daughter of Raja Fateh Naraiyan Singh, a wealthy [[zamindar]] of the Deo-Munga estate in [[Gaya district]] who belonged to the [[Sisodia]] clan of Rajputs.<ref>Kalikinkar Datta, Biography of Kunwar Singh and Amar Singh, K.P. Jayaswal Research Institute, 1984, p.20</ref>
He married the daughter of Raja Fateh Narayan Singh of the [[Deo Raj|Deo Raj estate]] who belonged to the [[Sisodia dynasty|Sisodia clan]] of [[Rajputs]].<ref>Kalikinkar Datta, Biography of Kunwar Singh and Amar Singh, K.P. Jayaswal Research Institute, 1984, p.20</ref>


== Role in the 1857 rebellion ==
==Role in the 1857 rebellion==
{{See also|Siege of Arrah}}
{{See also|Siege of Arrah}}
[[File:Koer Singh, watercolour on ivory, c. 1857.png|thumb|A miniature portrait of Kunwar Singh, watercolour on ivory, {{circa|1857}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nana Sahib, Rani of Jhansi, Koer Singh and Baji Bai of Gwalior, 1857, National Army Museum, London|url=https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1959-11-372-1|website=collection.nam.ac.uk|access-date=17 October 2017|language=en}}</ref>]]
[[File:Koer Singh, watercolour on ivory, c. 1857.png|thumb|A miniature portrait of Kunwar Singh, watercolour on ivory, {{circa|1857}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nana Sahib, Rani of Jhansi, Koer Singh and Baji Bai of Gwalior, 1857, National Army Museum, London|url=https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1959-11-372-1|website=collection.nam.ac.uk|access-date=17 October 2017|language=en}}</ref>]]
[[File:Koor Sing, 'The Rebel of Arrah,' and his attendants.jpg|thumb|Kunwar Singh and his attendants]]
[[File:Koor Sing, 'The Rebel of Arrah,' and his attendants.jpg|thumb|Kunwar Singh and his attendants]]


Singh led the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857]] in [[Bihar]]. 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.<ref>{{cite journal | author=P. Kumar | title=Hare Krishna Singh-The Prime-Mover of 1857 in Bihar | journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress | year=1982 | volume= 43 | pages= 610–617|jstor = 44141296}}</ref> He gave a good fight and harried British forces for nearly a year and remained invincible until the end. He was an expert in the art of guerilla warfare. His tactics left the British puzzled.<ref name=Book1 />
Singh led the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857]] in [[Bihar]]. 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.<ref>{{cite journal | author=P. Kumar | title=Hare Krishna Singh-The Prime-Mover of 1857 in Bihar | journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress | year=1982 | volume= 43 | pages= 610–617|jstor = 44141296}}</ref> 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.<ref name=Book1 />


Singh assumed command of the soldiers who had revolted at Danapur on 25 July. Two days later he occupied [[Siege of Arrah|Arrah]], the [[Districts of Bihar|district headquarters]]. Major [[Vincent Eyre]] relieved the town on 3 August, defeated Singh's force and destroyed Jagdishpur. During the rebellion, his army had to cross the [[Ganges]] river. Douglas' army 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.<ref name=Book1>{{cite book|last=Sarala|first=Śrīkr̥shṇa|title=Indian Revolutionaries: A Comprehensive Study, 1957-1961, Volume 1|year=1999|publisher=Prabhat Prakashan|location=Bihar|isbn=978-81-87100-16-4 |page=73|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1UggIjEuBaAC&q=kunwar+singh+douglas+shot+in+hand+ganga&pg=PT112}}</ref>{{reliable|date=October 2017}}<ref name="bhojpur.bih.nic.in">[http://bhojpur.bih.nic.in/d_history.htm History of Bhojpur] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614200657/http://bhojpur.bih.nic.in/d_history.htm |date=14 June 2012 }}. Bhojpur.bih.nic.in. Retrieved on 2011-10-12.</ref>
Singh assumed command of the soldiers who had revolted at Danapur on 25 July. Two days later he occupied [[Siege of Arrah|Arrah]], the [[List of districts of Bihar|district headquarters]]. Major [[Vincent Eyre]] relieved the town on 3 August, defeated Singh's force and destroyed Jagdishpur. During the rebellion, his army had to cross the [[Ganges]] river. The army of [[John Douglas (British Army officer)|Brigadier 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.<ref name=Book1>{{cite book|last=Sarala|first=Śrīkr̥shṇa|title=Indian Revolutionaries: A Comprehensive Study, 1957-1961, Volume 1|year=1999|publisher=Prabhat Prakashan|location=Bihar|isbn=978-81-87100-16-4 |page=73|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1UggIjEuBaAC&q=kunwar+singh+douglas+shot+in+hand+ganga&pg=PT112}}</ref><ref name="bhojpur.bih.nic.in">[http://bhojpur.bih.nic.in/d_history.htm History of Bhojpur] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614200657/http://bhojpur.bih.nic.in/d_history.htm |date=14 June 2012 }}. Bhojpur.bih.nic.in. Retrieved on 2011-10-12.</ref>


Singh left his ancestral village and reached Lucknow in December 1857 where he met with other rebel leaders. In March 1858 he occupied [[Azamgarh]] and managed to repel the initial British attempts to take the area.<ref name="Datta1957">{{cite book|author1=K. Datta|title=Unrest Against British Rule In Bihar(1831-1859)|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.206784|year=1957|publisher=Superintendent Secretariat Press|pages=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.206784/page/n56 51]–55}}</ref> However, he had to leave the place soon. Pursued by [[John Douglas (British Army officer)|Brigadier Douglas]], he retreated towards his home in [[Ara, Bihar]]. On 23 April, Singh had a victory near Jagdispur over the force led by Captain le Grand (le gard in Hindi). On 26 April 1858 he died in his village. The mantle of the old chief now fell on his brother Amar Singh II who, despite heavy odds, continued the struggle and for a considerable time, running a parallel government in the district of [[Shahabad district|Shahabad]]. In October 1859, Amar Singh II joined the rebel leaders in the [[Nepal]] Terai.<ref name="bhojpur.bih.nic.in"/>
Singh left his ancestral village and reached Lucknow in December 1857 where he met with other rebel leaders. In March 1858, he occupied [[Azamgarh]] in [[North-Western Provinces]] ([[Uttar Pradesh]]) and managed to repel the initial British attempts to take the area.<ref name="Datta1957">{{cite book|author1=K. Datta|title=Unrest Against British Rule In Bihar(1831-1859)|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.206784|year=1957|publisher=Superintendent Secretariat Press|pages=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.206784/page/n56 51]–55}}</ref> However, he had to leave the place soon. Pursued by Douglas, he retreated towards his home at [[Arrah]]. On 23 April, Singh had a victory near Jagdishpur over the force led by Captain Le Grande (pronounced as ''Le Garde'' in [[Hindi]]). 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 of [[Shahabad district|Shahabad]]. In October 1859, Amar Singh II joined the rebel leaders in the [[Terai|Terai plains]] of [[Kingdom of Nepal|Nepal]].<ref name="bhojpur.bih.nic.in"/>


==Death==
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.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Carter |first1=Mia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=13pyxO8o4moC&dq=jagdishpur+estate&pg=PA401 |title=Archives of Empire: Volume I. From The East India Company to the Suez Canal |last2=Harlow |first2=Barbara |date=2003-12-31 |publisher=Duke University Press |isbn=978-0-8223-3164-3 |language=en}}</ref>
In his last battle, fought on 23 April 1858, near Jagdispur, the troops under the control of the British East India Company were completely routed. On 22 and 23 April, being injured he fought bravely against the British Army and with the help of his army drove away the British Army, brought down the [[Union Jack]] from Jagdispur Fort and hoisted his flag. He returned to his palace on 23 April 1858 and soon died on 26 April 1858.<ref name=Book1 />{{reliable|date=October 2017}}


==Legacy==
==Contemporary British accounts==
To honour his contribution to India's freedom movement, the  [[Republic of India]] issued a commemorative stamp<ref>[http://indianpost.com/viewstamp.php/Color/Mineral%20Red/KUNWAR%20SINGH Stamp at Indiapost]. Indianpost.com (1966-04-23). Retrieved on 2011-10-12.</ref> on 23 April 1966. The [[Government of Bihar]] established the [[Veer Kunwar Singh University]], Arrah, in 1992.<ref>[http://www.vksu-ara.org/ Veer Kunwar Singh University] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629140846/http://vksu-ara.org/ |date=29 June 2011 }}. Vksu-ara.org (1992-10-22). Retrieved on 2011-10-12.</ref>
[[Sir George Trevelyan, 2nd Baronet|Sir George Trevelyan]], a British statesman and author noted about Kunwar Singh and the battle of Arrah in his book, ''The Competition Wallah'', that:<ref>{{cite book |last1=Trevelyan |first1=George Otto |title=The Competition Wallah |date=1864 |publisher=Macmillan |page=92 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WNYMAAAAIAAJ&q=uncommonly}}</ref>
 
{{blockquote|''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.''|author=|title=|source=}}
 
[[George Bruce Malleson]], a 19th-century English officer stationed in India during the rebellion of 1857 stated about Kunwar Singh:<ref>{{cite book |last1=Malleson |first1=George |title=History of the Indian Mutiny, 1857-1858: Commencing from the Close of the Second Volume of Sir John Kaye's History of the Sepoy War, Volume 2 |date=1896 |publisher=Longmans, Green, and Company |pages=453–454 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AcZPAQAAIAAJ&dq=one+of+the+three+natives+of+India+thrown+up+to+the+surface+by+the+Mutiny+%2C+who+showed+any+pretensions+to+the+character&pg=PA453}}</ref>


In 2017, the Veer Kunwar Singh Setu, also known as the [[Arrah–Chhapra Bridge]], was inaugurated to connect north and south Bihar.<ref>{{cite web |title=Veer Kunwar Singh Setu |url=https://www.mcelhanney.com/project/veer-kunwar-singh-setu/ |website=McElhanney |access-date=3 March 2019}}</ref>
{{blockquote|''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 being [[Tatya Tope|Tántia Topi]] and the [[Ahmadullah Shah|Oudh 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.''|author=|title=|source=}}
In 2018, to celebrate 160th anniversary of Kunwar Singh's death, the government of Bihar relocated a statue of him to [[Hardinge Park]]. The park was also officially renamed as 'Veer Kunwar Singh Azadi Park'.<ref>{{cite news |last1=PTI |title=Kunwar Singh statue relocated to Hardinge Park, CM to inaugurate tomorrow |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/pti-feed/story/kunwar-singh-statue-relocated-to-hardinge-park-cm-to-inaugurate-tomorrow-1217702-2018-04-22 |access-date=3 March 2019 |publisher=IndiaToday |date=22 April 2018}}</ref>


He is mentioned in many [[Bhojpuri language|Bhojpuri]] folk songs as a hero who fought against British oppression. One particular folk song states:<ref>{{cite journal | title=Popular Culture and 1857: A Memory against Forgetting | author=Badri Narayan | journal=Social Scientist | volume=26 |issue = 1/4| year=1998 | pages= 86–94|jstor = 3517583| doi=10.2307/3517583 }}</ref>
==Legacy==
[[File:Stamp of India - 1966 - Colnect 238990 - Commemoration Kunwar Singh - Patriot.jpeg|thumb|right|1966 commemorative stamp of Singh]]


{{quote|''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!''
To honour his contributions to Indian independence, the [[Government of India]] issued a commemorative stamp on 23 April 1966.<ref>[http://indianpost.com/viewstamp.php/Color/Mineral%20Red/KUNWAR%20SINGH Stamp at Indiapost] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190123223500/http://indianpost.com/viewstamp.php/Color/Mineral%20Red/KUNWAR%20SINGH |date=23 January 2019 }}. Indianpost.com (1966-04-23). Retrieved on 2011-10-12.</ref> The [[Government of Bihar]] established the [[Veer Kunwar Singh University]], Arrah, in 1992.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110629140846/http://vksu-ara.org/ Veer Kunwar Singh University]}}. Vksu-ara.org (1992-10-22). Retrieved on 2011-10-12.</ref>


Translation in English :-
In 2017, the Veer Kunwar Singh Setu, also known as the [[Arrah–Chhapra Bridge]], was inaugurated to connect north and south Bihar.<ref>{{cite web |title=Veer Kunwar Singh Setu |url=https://www.mcelhanney.com/project/veer-kunwar-singh-setu/ |website=McElhanney |access-date=3 March 2019}}</ref> In 2018, to celebrate 160th anniversary of Kunwar Singh's death, the government of Bihar relocated a statue of him to [[Hardinge Park]]. The park was also officially renamed as 'Veer Kunwar Singh Azadi Park'.<ref>{{cite news |last1=PTI |title=Kunwar Singh statue relocated to Hardinge Park, CM to inaugurate tomorrow |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/pti-feed/story/kunwar-singh-statue-relocated-to-hardinge-park-cm-to-inaugurate-tomorrow-1217702-2018-04-22 |access-date=3 March 2019 |publisher=IndiaToday |date=22 April 2018}}</ref>


''O British ! Now quit our country ! For you have looted us, enjoyed the luxuries of our country and oppressed our countrymen. You have looted, destroyed and burnt our cities and villages. Kunwar's heart burns to know all this. O British ! Now quit our country !''|author=|title=|source=}}
Singh is mentioned in several [[Bhojpuri language|Bhojpuri]] folk songs, one of which states:<ref>{{cite journal | title=Popular Culture and 1857: A Memory against Forgetting | author=Badri Narayan | journal=Social Scientist | volume=26 |issue = 1/4| year=1998 | pages= 86–94|jstor = 3517583| doi=10.2307/3517583 }}</ref>
{{verse translation|lang1=hi|head1=Verses|lang2=en|head2=English translation
|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|Kuer Sena/Kunwar Sena]]' (Kunwar's Army) was formed by Rajput youth in Bihar to combat [[naxalite]] insurgents. It was named after Kunwar Singh.<ref name="Kumar2008">{{cite book|author=Ashwani Kumar|title=Community Warriors: State, Peasants and Caste Armies in Bihar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=num2I4NFGqIC&pg=PA118|year=2008|publisher=Anthem Press|isbn=978-1-84331-709-8|pages=118–}}</ref>
In the 1970s, a private landlord militia known as the '[[Kuer Sena|Kuer Sena/Kunwar Sena]]' (Kunwar's Army) was formed by Rajput youth in Bihar to combat [[naxalite]] insurgents. It was named after Kunwar Singh.<ref name="Kumar2008">{{cite book|author=Ashwani Kumar|title=Community Warriors: State, Peasants and Caste Armies in Bihar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=num2I4NFGqIC&pg=PA118|year=2008|publisher=Anthem Press|isbn=978-1-84331-709-8|pages=118–}}</ref>


A play by [[Jagdish Chandra Mathur]] titled ''Vijay 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 (poem)|Jhansi Ki Rani]]" by [[Subhadra Kumari Chauhan]].{{citation needed|date=October 2017}}
A play by [[Jagdish Chandra Mathur]] titled ''Vijay 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 (poem)|Jhansi Ki Rani]]" by [[Subhadra Kumari Chauhan]].{{citation needed|date=October 2017}}
In April 2022, Indian Home minister [[Amit Shah]] announced the installation of a statue commemorating Kunwar Singh at [[Arrah|Ara, Bhojpur]]. About 78,000 national flags were waved by the public as a matter of world record during this announcement.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/patna/on-bihar-visit-amit-shah-honours-1857-rebellion-hero-kunwar-singh-7884328/ | title=On Bihar visit, Amit Shah honours 1857 Rebellion hero Kunwar Singh | date=24 April 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.biography.com.in/2023/03/28/veer-kunwar-singh-biography-in-english/ | title=Veer Kunwar Singh Biography in English | work=Biography | date=22 March 2023 }}</ref>
The [[Indian 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/bihar/patna/historical-air-show-was-organized-for-first-time-in-bihar-on-birth-anniversary-of-veer-kunwar-singh |title=पटना के आसमान में गरजे Fighter Jet, वीर कुंवर सिंह की जयंती पर पहली बार हुआ ऐतिहासिक एयर शो |date=23 April 2025 |work=Prabhat Khabar }}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
*[[History of Bihar]]
* [[History of Bihar]]
* [[Veer Kunwar Singh Museum]]
* [[Veer Kunwar Singh Museum]]


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}15.LegendsThinkDifferent(2019) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJKz7qWV68Q]
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
 
* {{Commons category-inline}}
{{Commons category}}
 
{{Indian independence movement}}
{{Indian independence movement}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}
<br />


{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Kunwar}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Kunwar}}
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[[Category:History of Bihar]]
[[Category:Indian independence activists from Bihar]]
[[Category:Indian independence activists from Bihar]]
[[Category:Rajput rulers]]
[[Category:Indian Hindus]]
[[Category:1857 in India]]
[[Category:1858 in India]]
[[Category:Indian independence activists]]
[[Category:Resistance to the British Empire]]
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[[Category:Indian Rebellion of 1857| ]]

Latest revision as of 04:07, 18 March 2026


For other people named Kunwar Singh, see Kunwar Singh (disambiguation).

Kunwar Singh
An imaginary illustration of Kunwar Singh in The History of the Indian Empire, c. 1858[1]
Raja of Jagdishpur
Reign1857–1858
PredecessorSahabzada Singh
SuccessorBabu Amar Singh
Born(1777-11-13)13 November 1777
Jagdishpur, Jagdishpur estate
Died26 April 1858(1858-04-26) (aged 80)
Jagdishpur, Shahabad district, Bengal Presidency, Company India
DynastyUjjainiya
FatherRaja Sahabzada Singh
MotherPanchratan Kunwar Devi

Veer Kunwar Singh, also known as Babu Kunwar Singh was a chief organiser of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 from the Bhojpur region of Bihar. He was originally the ruler of Jagdishpur estate.[2][3] He led a selected band of armed soldiers against the troops under the command of the British East India Company.[4]

Modern India commemorates Kunwar Singh as a symbol of early Indian nationalism.

Early life[edit | edit source]

Kunwar Singh was born on 13 November 1777 in Rajput family to Raja Sahabzada Singh and Panchratan Devi, in Jagdishpur in the Indian state of Bihar. He belonged to a cadet branch of the Ujjainiya dynasty which ruled the Jagdishpur principality.[5] A British judicial officer offered a description of Kunwar Singh and described him as "a tall man, about seven feet in height".[6] He went on to describe him as having a broad face with an aquiline nose. In terms of his hobbies, British officials describe him as being a keen huntsman who also enjoyed horse-riding.[6]

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.[6]

He married the daughter of Raja Fateh Narayan Singh of the Deo Raj estate who belonged to the Sisodia clan of Rajputs.[7]

Role in the 1857 rebellion[edit | edit source]

See also: Siege of Arrah
A miniature portrait of Kunwar Singh, watercolour on ivory, c. 1857.[8]
Kunwar Singh and his attendants

Singh led the Indian Rebellion of 1857 in Bihar. 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.[9] 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.[10]

Singh assumed command of the soldiers who had revolted at Danapur on 25 July. Two days later he occupied Arrah, the district headquarters. Major Vincent Eyre relieved the town on 3 August, defeated Singh's force and destroyed Jagdishpur. During the rebellion, his army had to cross the Ganges river. The army of Brigadier 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.[10][11]

Singh left his ancestral village and reached Lucknow in December 1857 where he met with other rebel leaders. In March 1858, he occupied Azamgarh in North-Western Provinces (Uttar Pradesh) and managed to repel the initial British attempts to take the area.[12] However, he had to leave the place soon. Pursued by Douglas, he retreated towards his home at Arrah. On 23 April, Singh had a victory near Jagdishpur over the force led by Captain Le Grande (pronounced as Le Garde in Hindi). 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 of Shahabad. In October 1859, Amar Singh II joined the rebel leaders in the Terai plains of Nepal.[11]

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.[13]

Contemporary British accounts[edit | edit source]

Sir George Trevelyan, a British statesman and author noted about Kunwar Singh and the battle of Arrah in his book, The Competition Wallah, that:[14]

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:[15]

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 being Tántia Topi and the Oudh 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.

Legacy[edit | edit source]

File:Stamp of India - 1966 - Colnect 238990 - Commemoration Kunwar Singh - Patriot.jpeg
1966 commemorative stamp of Singh

To honour his contributions to Indian independence, the Government of India issued a commemorative stamp on 23 April 1966.[16] The Government of Bihar established the Veer Kunwar Singh University, Arrah, in 1992.[17]

In 2017, the Veer Kunwar Singh Setu, also known as the Arrah–Chhapra Bridge, was inaugurated to connect north and south Bihar.[18] In 2018, to celebrate 160th anniversary of Kunwar Singh's death, the government of Bihar relocated a statue of him to Hardinge Park. The park was also officially renamed as 'Veer Kunwar Singh Azadi Park'.[19]

Singh is mentioned in several Bhojpuri folk songs, one of which states:[20]

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 combat naxalite insurgents. It was named after Kunwar Singh.[21]

A play by Jagdish Chandra Mathur titled Vijay 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" by Subhadra Kumari Chauhan.[citation needed]

In April 2022, Indian Home minister Amit Shah announced the installation of a statue commemorating Kunwar Singh at Ara, Bhojpur. About 78,000 national flags were waved by the public as a matter of world record during this announcement.[22][23]

The Indian 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.[24]

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Martin, Robert Montgomery; Roberts, Emma (1858). The Indian empire : its history, topography, government, finance, commerce, and staple products : with a full account of the mutiny of the native troops ... Vol. 1. London; New York : London Print. and Pub. Co.
  2. ↑ Hartwell, Nicole (2021). "Framing colonial war loot: The 'captured' spolia opima of Kunwar Singh". Journal of the History of Collections. doi:10.1093/jhc/fhab042.
  3. ↑ Dole, Manoj. Great Indian Freedom Fighter. Manoj Dole.
  4. ↑ Kumar, Purushottam (1983). "Kunwar Singh's failure in 1857". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 44: 360–369. JSTOR 44139859.
  5. ↑ Dirk H.A. Kolff (2002). Naukar, Rajput, and Sepoy: The Ethnohistory of the Military Labour Market of Hindustan, 1450-1850. Cambridge University Press. p. 168. ISBN 9780521523059.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 E. Jaiwant Paul (1 August 2011). The Greased Cartridge: The Heroes and Villains of 1857-58. Roli Books Private Limited. pp. 90–91. ISBN 978-93-5194-010-4.
  7. ↑ Kalikinkar Datta, Biography of Kunwar Singh and Amar Singh, K.P. Jayaswal Research Institute, 1984, p.20
  8. ↑ "Nana Sahib, Rani of Jhansi, Koer Singh and Baji Bai of Gwalior, 1857, National Army Museum, London". collection.nam.ac.uk. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  9. ↑ P. Kumar (1982). "Hare Krishna Singh-The Prime-Mover of 1857 in Bihar". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 43: 610–617. JSTOR 44141296.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Sarala, Śrīkr̥shṇa (1999). Indian Revolutionaries: A Comprehensive Study, 1957-1961, Volume 1. Bihar: Prabhat Prakashan. p. 73. ISBN 978-81-87100-16-4.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 History of Bhojpur Archived 14 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Bhojpur.bih.nic.in. Retrieved on 2011-10-12.
  12. ↑ K. Datta (1957). Unrest Against British Rule In Bihar(1831-1859). Superintendent Secretariat Press. pp. 51–55.
  13. ↑ Carter, Mia; Harlow, Barbara (31 December 2003). Archives of Empire: Volume I. From The East India Company to the Suez Canal. Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0-8223-3164-3.
  14. ↑ Trevelyan, George Otto (1864). The Competition Wallah. Macmillan. p. 92.
  15. ↑ Malleson, George (1896). History of the Indian Mutiny, 1857-1858: Commencing from the Close of the Second Volume of Sir John Kaye's History of the Sepoy War, Volume 2. Longmans, Green, and Company. pp. 453–454.
  16. ↑ Stamp at Indiapost Archived 23 January 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Indianpost.com (1966-04-23). Retrieved on 2011-10-12.
  17. ↑ Veer Kunwar Singh University[usurped]. Vksu-ara.org (1992-10-22). Retrieved on 2011-10-12.
  18. ↑ "Veer Kunwar Singh Setu". McElhanney. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  19. ↑ PTI (22 April 2018). "Kunwar Singh statue relocated to Hardinge Park, CM to inaugurate tomorrow". IndiaToday. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  20. ↑ Badri Narayan (1998). "Popular Culture and 1857: A Memory against Forgetting". Social Scientist. 26 (1/4): 86–94. doi:10.2307/3517583. JSTOR 3517583.
  21. ↑ Ashwani Kumar (2008). Community Warriors: State, Peasants and Caste Armies in Bihar. Anthem Press. pp. 118–. ISBN 978-1-84331-709-8.
  22. ↑ "On Bihar visit, Amit Shah honours 1857 Rebellion hero Kunwar Singh". 24 April 2022.
  23. ↑ "Veer Kunwar Singh Biography in English". Biography. 22 March 2023.
  24. ↑ "पटना के आसमान में गरजे Fighter Jet, वीर कुंवर सिंह की जयंती पर पहली बार हुआ ऐतिहासिक एयर शो". Prabhat Khabar. 23 April 2025.

External links[edit | edit source]

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