One night in early 1857, a stranger wakes the watchman of a settlement in North India. He hands the watchman something and gives him instructions about passing it on, then leaves in the dark. Many years later, a historian looking through material on this period comes across a portrait painted by Francis Grant in 1849. Its label records that the man shown, as Governor General, tried to modernise the equipment of the army.
Which of the following describes what the watchman was given and what he was asked to do?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → A chapatti, with the request to make five more and give them to the next village
Option (1) A bag of atta, with the warning that it held the bone dust of cows and pigs — Incorrect. The bone dust rumour was about flour sold in the market, and it made people in towns and cantonments refuse the atta.
Option (2) A chapatti, with the request to take it to the sepoy lines of the nearest cantonment — Incorrect. The chapattis moved from village to village through the watchman of each village.
Option (3) A written prophecy that British rule would end on the Plassey centenary, to be read out — Incorrect. The prophecy that British rule would end on 23 June 1857, the centenary of Plassey, strengthened the call to action. What reached the watchmen at night was a chapatti.
Option (4) A chapatti, with the request to make five more and give them to the next village — Correct. A person came at night, gave a chapatti to the watchman and asked him to make five more and distribute them to the next village, and so on. Its meaning is unclear even today.
NCERT (2026-27): “1.4 Rumours and prophecies … |