Who wrote the earliest histories of the uprising (1857), noting that, ‘the panchayats were a nightly occurrence in the Kanpur Sepoy lines’?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Charles Ball
Charles Ball, who wrote one of the earliest histories of the uprising, noted that panchayats were a nightly occurrence in the Kanpur sepoy lines, which suggests that some decisions of the rebels were taken collectively.
Note: A same/similar question was asked in CUET (UG) in the papers below.
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
| 20-05 S1* 21-05 S2* | 03-06 S2 | – | 23-06 S3* | – |
* A similar question.
NCERT (2026-27): “1.2 Lines of communication … But one incident provides clues as to how the mutinies came to be so organised. Captain Hearsey of the Awadh Military Police had been given protection by his Indian subordinates during the mutiny. The 41st Native Infantry, which was stationed in the same place, insisted that since they had killed all their white officers, the Military Police should also kill Hearsey or deliver him as prisoner to the 41st. The Military Police refused to do either, and it was decided that the matter would be settled by a panchayat composed of native officers drawn from each regiment. Charles Ball, who wrote one of the earliest histories of the uprising, noted that panchayats were a nightly occurrence in the Kanpur sepoy lines. What this suggests is that some of the decisions were taken collectively.…” |