Our creative writers had written a blog on
Bihar Regiment for a long time. Infact, they had so much to share that the
debate was on the title of the blog. Finally, days after India conducted the surgical
strikes in Pakistan and Bihar regiment played a vital role, we decided to title
the blog “Bihar Regiment- When the Lions
Roar”.
Elephants and Lions have historically been
the symbol of strength and aggression in Bihar. In the days of yore, it was
the fleet of Elephant Warriors only that the army of Great Alexander was not ready to face, hence,
returned back without crossing Indus and invading erstwhile Magadha which is current
day India. Elephants find a special place in Bihar’s Mithila Art depicting strength
and power. Magadh and Maurya dynasties
had Lion as its symbol , hence Bihar Regiment proudly owns the badge of Ashoka
Lion.
In the modern history, Bihar regiment was
formed by Mir Kasim to battle the East India Company. Later, Lord Clive
inducted them to British Army as Sepoy Battalions. Most soldiers came from
Bhojpur region (Modern day Bihar and East UP). For over 100 years from 1740 to
1857, Bihar regiment formed the backbone of Bengal Infantry and British Empire
in India. Till 1857, Danapur, a mini city near Patna, was the centre of
country’s second oldest and one of the largest Cantonments of India.
Sepoy
Mutiny and India’s First War of Independence:
Bihar regiment (34th and 19th
Bengal Infantry) mainly constituted soldiers from Rajput, Brahmin and Bhumihar
communities. So when the British wanted them to fire using greased cartridges,
Bihar Regiment revolted. This was led by the famos Mangal Pandey at Barrokpore at Kolkata. Mangal
Pandey along with Ishwari Prasad proudly met gallows after three Sikh soldiers testified
against them. Soon the then King of Bhojpur, Vir Kunwar Singh declared Bhojpur
a free state and Bihar troops marched along with him. In the first war of
Bhojpur, Bihar Regiment crushed British and few other regiments who fought with
the British against India’s independence. After defeat, Britishers re-organised
themselves and attacked Bhojpur with greater force. It is said that Bihar
Regiment was out-numbered 1: 15 and eventually lost the battle. Importantly, it
is this brave regiment that almost single handily won India its independence. The
seeds of our independence were sown in this struggle.
Bihari
or Purbiya and Disbanding of Bihar Regiment:
After India lost its First war of
Independence, British disbanded this regiment. People from the region were
chided as Purbiya or Bihari and jokes were cracked on them to keep the morale
of the people of this region down. A low morale of this population meant no
revolution. The people of Bhojpur, Mithila and Magadh (modern day Bihar and
East UP) were not inducted into British
Army for the next 84 years. Hence, once the backbone of British Indian
Army, Bihar regiment did not exist until the British were to face the Japanese
and Germans.
World
War Two and Rebirth of Bihar Regiment:
World War Two is the war wherein fortunes
changed as it progressed. Initially when Nazis kept winning, one win
was evident to Great Britain in South East Asia. The Japanese were advancing in
Burma and Britishers needed fighters who could fight the Chinese and Japanese.
British Empire looked towards India’s most fearless region - Bihar. Thus, in
1941 was reborn the Bihar regiment. Finally, Rangoon fell and Japanese wanted
to capitalise on their victory and advance. However, Bihar regiment halted
their advance and later participated in Operation Tiderace winning back
Singapore for British Empire from Japan.
The Regiment
in Independent India:
The Bihar regiment continues to recruit
mainly from Bhojpur region of East UP and Bihar and also from states of
Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Odisha and Gujarat. Two recent famous heroes are Capt.
Gurjinder Singh Suri who gave the supreme sacrifice in Operation Vijay at Kargil
and Major Sandeep Unikrishnan who made the supreme sacrifice fighting
terrorists during Mumbai attacks.
The
Uri Attack:
Indian Army and Bihar regiment were
attacked by terrorists at Uri in which 19 of our soldiers (18 from Bihar
regiment) attained Martyrdom. The Indian army avenged by surgical strikes
inside the enemy territory. Bihar and Gorkha regiments along with the Special
Forces carried out these surgical strikes.
What
Lies Ahead:
The 10-year-old son of Martyr Naik Raj
Kishore Singh, 6 Bihar Regiment, says my grandfather was in Indian Army, my
Father has made the supreme sacrifice for Indian Army and I will also join the
Indian Army. This 10-year-old, like his father, is also the son of Bhojpur. Bhojpur
and Rest of India will continue to produce these brave sons.
Bihar Regiment
and our Indian Army has many Shers in the waiting.
We rest our pen with the war cry of this
brave regiment in the honor of our martyrdom brethren - “Jai Bajrang Bali”
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