LUCKNOW: Several social and cultural organisations came together on Tuesday to celebrate the glorious victory of Indians over colonial rulers in the Battle of Chinhat during the initial phase of 1857 First War of Independence. Activists and members of the organisations applied gulal on each other’s faces, distributed sweets and sang songs cherishing the ‘common heritage and sacrifice’ for which Lucknow is famous.
The celebrations were held at the same spot where on June 5, 165 years ago, a unified army of Awadh comprising local Hindus and Muslims, chanting ‘Bajrangbali-Ya Ali-Bajrangbali’ and carrying flags of Mahadev and Mohammad, had defeated British East India Army led by Henry Lawrence. “The freedom fighters who wanted independence fought collectively and won. Today, we need the same spirit of nationalism to check divisive forces.” said social activist Deepak Kabir, an organiser of the event.
