Bone-dust flour rumour
Topic: The Revolt of 1857 · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 2 "Rebels and the Raj"
Meaning
This was a rumour of 1857 that the British had mixed the bone dust of cows and pigs into the flour, or atta, sold in the bazaar. People believed this was a plan to destroy the caste and religion of both Hindus and Muslims. Such rumours spread because they matched deep fears about British rule.
Example
In towns and cantonments in 1857, sepoys and ordinary people refused to touch the bazaar atta. A cantonment is an army settlement. The rumour spread alongside the story of greased cartridges.
Don't confuse with
- Greased cartridge rumour: this said the cartridges of the new Enfield rifle were greased with cow and pig fat. It affected soldiers directly. The flour rumour reached ordinary townspeople too.
Related concepts
- Greased cartridges
- Enfield rifle
- Dum Dum khalasi rumour
- Plassey centenary prophecy
- Chapatti movement
- Rumours in 1857
- Francois Sisten