The Uprising of 1857

The 'sepoy revolt' was among the first fully photographed wars in the history of documentary photography in India. This volume offers multiple perspectives on the 'Ghadar' or Uprising of 1857, and deconstructs the grand narratives associated with colonial historiography. Using rare archival material from the Alkazi Collection, together with supplementary visuals, these essays re-evaluate the official reading of the Uprising. Linked accounts negotiate 'Mutiny' landscapes and architecture: the internal dynamic of the rebellion decoded through topography and monuments. Along with rebels, British troops and their determined generals, and various professional and amateur photographers, the dramatic vista of the Uprising in these essays is also inhabited by a range of significant characters central to the action, including the warrior queen Lakshmi Bai, the exiled last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar and the poet Mirza Ghalib. Published in association with the Alkazi Collection of Photography.