Ron Tilla: The story of sacrifice lying under the blanket of ignorance

To read the story in Bengali, Cilck Here 

In 1757, Col. Robert Clive’s army in the ‘Battle Of Plassey’ defeated Siraj ud-Daulah and that marked the beginning of British rule in India and its subcontinent. Following the battle, for hundred years under the supervision of East India Company leadership, British traders ruled and governed us. After silently tolerating the torture, humiliation and unfair dictatorship a revolution started to unfold in the form of ‘Sepoy Mutiny’. British historians termed the revolt as ‘Sepoy Mutiny’ but actually that was India’s first revolt against the British or we can say Martyr Mangal Pandey, ignited a spark with which started India’s fight for freedom. Gradually the spark turned into a wildfire spreading across the length and breadth of the country.

Thousands of Indian soldiers refused to obey British rules any further and that led to a mass exodus. Troops after troops left their camps and joined hands to form a ‘rebel army’; in many places instances of confrontation between ‘rebel army’ and ‘British forces’ were reported. The rebel forces raided British warehouses and looted arms, groceries and currencies. But the revolt was not planned, there was no designated leader and the unorganised attempt did not last long. British forces managed to extinguish the fire lit by Martyr Mangal Pandey, but it did burn many on its way out.

The rebel of 1857 had awakened the British from its slumber, the revolution brought end to the British East India Company. ‘British Crown’ assumed direct control of India and its sub-continent under the ‘1858, government of India act’, which marker the beginning of ‘British Raj’.

Since then ‘Sepoy Mutiny’ has been recognised as an event of supreme historical importance. Whenever we discuss ‘Sepoy Mutiny’, we discuss Uttar Pradesh, Bengal, Bihar, Delhi but the fire was not restricted in those geographical boundaries. The flames reached Barak Valley too and that is what we will talk about in this article.

It was the month of November in 1857, Indian soldiers of British East India Company’s 34th Native Infantry Regiment in Chittagong, refused to obey British orders any further. Instead they decided to revolt against the British Force also known as ‘White Army’. The rebelling Indian soldiers picked up weapons and started fighting the British, they hijacked the jail and freed all Indians arrested for their protest against the British East India Company. The rebel forces looted the district-town treasury; it was an open war between the ‘Indian rebel soldiers’ and the ‘British Army’.  British army had more ammunition in their arsenal, their soldiers were more skilled, and hence Indian rebelling soldiers decided to fight from the dark (Guerrilla warfare).

The tactic demanded them to distort in smaller groups in order to stay underground. A large part of distorted group retreated to Malegarh situated in Latu, South-West Karimganj. They passed Kummilla, Tripura-Sylhet border and headed North to reach Malegarh where they decided to shelter.

‘British Army’ got to know about the hideout and under the leadership of Major, Bing attacked the sheltered rebel forces. Following rounds of firing from both the sides, 26 Indian soldiers, with freedom in their heart laid their lives. Few British soldiers also lost their life in the battle.

Tripura, Lusai Pahar and Manipur were yet to be a part of British Colonisation, and the Indian Soldiers decided to break in smaller groups and head towards those regions in order to find themselves some safety. Prince of Manipur stretched his arms in support of the Indian rebelling soldiers. The troop, which was heading towards Manipur decided to camp on a hill near Mohanpur, they reached the hill via, Shonbill, Gamharia, Sharaspur, Company Ganj and Barni river, (Kathakal). It was a temporary hideout plan, which did not unfold how they wanted.

The soldiers often visited nearby areas for food and other necessities; on their way they used to campaign against British rule and urge people to join the rebellions. The idea backfired; some localities went and informed the authority about the Indian Soldiers’ whereabouts. Cachar (un-partitioned), chief-administrator, Robert Stewart, was at a camp in Panchgram, he took the whistleblowers seriously, and immediately deputed Lieutenant (Lt.) Ross to fight the rebels hiding in Mahanpur.

In the meanwhile, a part of the ‘rebel army’ had left Mahanpur and scattered across Dhuarbond, Jhalenga, Chatla. About 160 years ago, on December 21, 1857 Lt. Ross reached Mahanpur with his army. He started threatening the localities and out of fear villagers escorted the forcer to the particular hill the troop was hiding. In the dark hours Ross’ army surrounded the entire hill. Next morning when the Indian soldiers sat to eat their breakfast, Ross ordered fire, and the white armed forces started bombarding the hill, rounds after rounds of bullet was fired. The unexpected movement came as a shock for the rebel force, but under the leadership of Subedar Rajabali the rebels decided to fight it out. There was a complete miss-match; on one side there was a sea of army armed with infinite ammunitions on the other side there were 12 soldiers, with only limited resources.  

12 Indian soldiers died on the spot, one was heavily wounded and the ‘White Army’ dragged him to Mahanpur and hanged him with a banyan tree (situated next to Mahanpur High School). The hill witnessed a war, (Ron) and since then it is known as ‘Ron Tilla’ (The hill where the war was fought).   

Two days later, on December 24, 1857 in Jhalenga area ‘British Army’ took on a troop of Indian soldiers heading towards Manipur. Jhalenga tea-estate head James Davidson, and few localities of Kuki and Lusai community came in support of the ‘White Army’. In the month of January (1858), in Binnakandi area the white army took on the last surviving troop of ‘Indian rebelling army’. Manipur Prince, Narinderjit Singha’s force also joined the Indian soldiers to fight against the British forces, but they all were brutally killed by ‘White Army’ fighting under LT. Ross and LT. Winster’s leadership.

The British army arrested Prince Narendrajit, he was brutally wounded. Indian ‘Rebel forces leader’ Rajob Ali Khan and his wife was also heavily wounded in the war, but they managed to hide themselves in the forests of ‘Bhuvan Pahar’. There are no records stating anything about them, it is presumed that due to lack of food and medical dispensaries they lost their lives somewhere in the jungle.

The martyrs who lost their lives fighting for India’s Independence, did we the common people, political leaders or government official remember their story of sacrifice?

Since last few years Hailakandi district ‘Rudrani Club’ have been organising an event on December 22 in the memory of the martyrs lost their lives in ‘Ron Tilla’ war.  I read a small piece about this memorial event on newspaper and decided to visit it. I left from my home in Silchar at around 11 o’clock in the morning and reached Mohanpur by 11:40 (AM). But, where is the Ron Tilla? I kept asking the localities while moving forward. There was no signboard or milestone anywhere, I saw couple of school bound students, I asked them, where is ‘Ron Tilla’, they directed me by pointing their fingers. I had to leave the concrete road, and walk about a mile on a haphazard mud-road, which was at times very slippery. 10 minutes of walk and I could see my destination in front of my eyes; I reached ‘Ron Tilla’.

Yes! The event was going on, I climbed up a few stairs; the memorial was in front of my eyes. Years of ignorance was covered by smell of fresh paints, the hill was leveled at places, and a concrete boundary wall surrounded it. I could see a triangular shape stage, there was a milestone which read Bhupen Hazarika Memorial. Yes, Bhupen Hazarika, well renowned singer, music composer is a pride of Assam, but what is the relationship between the martyrs blooded Ron Tilla and the music composer? I could not figure out.

The stage, the memorial are all craving for some maintenance, the stairs have started to dismantle, the stage has cracks here and there, localities voluntarily take care of cleanliness.

Maharaj Dhritarashtra recognised Kurukshetra as a place of pilgrimage. The land where martyrs laid lives fighting a battle for the country and justice of their fellow countryman is indeed a place of pilgrimage.  Malegarh, Jhallenga, Binnakandi, Ron Tilla are also undoubtedly places of religious importance.

We live in a free country, relishing the tasty delicacies of freedom is our daily routine, our political leaders govern a democracy today. Martyrs laid their lives fighting the freedom we are enjoying today, can we not look after their memorials with a little more respect and sincerity. Now we have a government of ‘Vikas’ (betterment) in both Centre and State, can we expect some betterment of Ron Tilla and other such places which today lies under the blanket of ignorance?

The author of this contributory article is Ashu Paul, retired engineer, town and country planning. He is the backbone of Voluntarily Blood Donation Forum in Barak Valley. We thank him for his contribution…

Please Note: The author wrote the article in Bengali and we translated it on the basis of our own interpretation. To read the original version Click Here.