Ishtahar
Topic: The Revolt of 1857 · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 2 "Rebels and the Raj"
Meaning
An ishtahar is a notification, a public notice issued by rebel leaders during the revolt of 1857. Most rebels could not read or write, so they left very few records of their own. Ishtahars, proclamations and sepoy arzis (petitions) are among the few rebel sources that survive. That makes them the main window on what the rebels wanted. They spread rebel ideas, appealed to Hindus and Muslims alike, and recalled how the two had lived together under the Mughals.
Example
The Azamgarh Proclamation of 25 August 1857 spoke to each group in turn. It promised zamindars light revenue, merchants free trade, artisans royal employment and public servants better posts. It also called pundits and fakirs to a religious war.
Don't confuse with
- Arzi: an arzi was a petition, often written by sepoys. An ishtahar was a public notice issued by leaders to win support.
- Queen Victoria's proclamation (1858): this was an official British announcement after the revolt, not a rebel notice.
Related concepts
- Arzi
- Azamgarh Proclamation
- Badshahi government
- Hindu-Muslim unity in 1857
- Firangi raj
- Rebel administration in 1857