Which of the following are stated in the arzi of the rebel sepoys of…

Which of the following are stated in the arzi of the rebel sepoys of 1857?

(A) The sowars of the 3rd Cavalry refused to bite the new cartridges they were given.
(B) The troopers were jailed so that the other sepoys would be frightened into biting the new cartridges.
(C) The new cartridges and muskets had arrived from Calcutta.
(D) The sepoys said their forefathers had refused to serve the British.
(E) The sepoys said the British had arrived in Hindostan a century earlier.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 3

The correct answer is Option (3) → A, B and E only

(A) The sowars of the 3rd Cavalry refused to bite the new cartridges they were given. — Correct. The troopers objected and said they would never bite the cartridges, as their faith would be destroyed.

(B) The troopers were jailed so that the other sepoys would be frightened into biting the new cartridges. — Correct. In the arzi, the jailing was meant to frighten the others into biting the new cartridges.

(C) The new cartridges and muskets had arrived from Calcutta. — Incorrect. The new cartridges and muskets had arrived from England.

(D) The sepoys said their forefathers had refused to serve the British. — Incorrect. The sepoys say their forefathers had always served the British, and they too joined that service.

(E) The sepoys said the British had arrived in Hindostan a century earlier. — Correct. The arzi opens by saying the British arrived a century ago and slowly became masters of every state.

NCERT (2026-27): “3.1 The vision of unity …
This is one of the arzis (petition or application) of rebel sepoys that have survived: A century ago the British arrived in Hindostan and gradually entertained troops in their service, and became masters of every state. Our forefathers have always served them, and we also entered their service … By the mercy of God and with our assistance the British also conquered every place they liked, in which thousands of us, Hindostani men were sacrificed, but we never made any excuses or pretences nor revolted … But in the year eighteen fifty seven the British issued an order that new cartridges and muskets which had arrived from England were to be issued; in the former of which the fats of cows and pigs were mixed; and also that with powdered bones was to be eaten; and even distributed them in every Regiment of infantry, cavalry and artillery … They gave these cartridges to the sowars (mounted soldiers) of the 3 Cavalry, and ordered them to bite them; the troopers objected to it, and said that they would never bite them, for if they did, their religion and faith would be destroyed … upon this the British officers paraded the men of the 3 Regiments and having prepared 1,400 English soldiers, and other Battalions of European troops and Horse Artillery, surrounded them, and placing six guns before each of the infantry regiments, loaded the guns with grape and made 84 new troopers prisoners, and put them in jail with irons on them … The reason that the the Cantonment were put into jail was that we should be frightened into biting the new cartridges. …”

“… Our forefathers have always served them, and we also entered their service … By the mercy of God and with our assistance the British also conquered every place they liked, in which thousands of us, Hindostani men were sacrificed, but we never made any excuses or pretences nor revolted … But in the year eighteen fifty seven the British issued an order that new cartridges and muskets which had arrived from England were to be issued; in the former of which the fats of cows and pigs were mixed; and also that with powdered bones was to be eaten; and even distributed them in every Regiment of infantry, cavalry and artillery … They gave these cartridges to the sowars (mounted soldiers) of the 3 Cavalry, and ordered them to bite them; the troopers objected to it, and said that they would never bite them, for if they did, their religion and faith would be destroyed … upon this the British officers paraded the men of the 3 Regiments and having prepared 1,400 English soldiers, and other Battalions of European troops and Horse Artillery, surrounded them, and placing six guns before each of the infantry regiments, loaded the guns with grape and made 84 new troopers prisoners, and put them in jail with irons on them … The reason that the the Cantonment were put into jail was that we should be frightened into biting the new cartridges. …”