The Battle of Plassey, by Hari Chahan Das

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It is said that the darwesh had been a servant of Siraj ud-Daulah, and, being ignominiously turned out by him for some fault, he had become a fakir,* and taken up his abode in this jungle. When he saw the servant of Siraj ud-Daulah, with a chillam* in his hand studded with gems, he instantly recognized him, and asked him how he happened to be there. The servant, who was a simpleton, discovered the whole matter to him; and the darwesh, quietly leaving him there, went with all speed to the governor of the neighbouring town, and informed him of Siraj ud-Daulah’s arrival. As orders for capturing the Nawab had been issued by Jafar Ali Khan and the English, and the governor had received them on the same day, he immediately embarked on a boat, and, having seized the Nawab, sent him under the custody of some trusty servants to Jafar Ali Khan, who put him to death in 1757.*

Having so far gratified his ambition, Jafar Ali Khan with a settled mind devoted his attention to the management of Bengal, and took possession of all the wealth and royal equipage of Siraj ud-Daulah,* who had involved himself in this danger by not observing the wise advice of his grandfather.

by Hari Chahan Das fl. 1745-1785

Taken, with some emendations, from ‘The history of India: as told by its own historians. Volume VIII’ (1877), edited from the papers of Sir Henry Miers Elliot (1808-1853): the translation was made by a ‘munshi’ (secretary) and polished up by Sir Henry. Additional information from ‘Hobson-Jobson: Being a Glossary of Anglo-India Colloquial Words and Phrases’ (1886) by Sir Henry Yule (1820-1889) and Arthur Coke Burnell (1840-1882).

The dervish had decided to live as a mendicant holy man, that is, one who survives wholly on alms.

A Hindi word for a smoker’s pipe.

Siraj was executed by Mohammad Ali Beg, at Jafar Ali Khan’s residence, on the orders of Mir Miran, Jafar’s son, on July 2nd, 1757. The dagger with which it was done is kept to this day in the Hazarduari Palace in Murshidabad, along with a Dutch-made cannon that exploded in the Battle of Plassey and killed Sajid’s right-hand-man, Mir Madan.

It was Robert Clive who ceremonially conducted Jafar to the musnud (a cushioned throne) of Bengal, a powerful symbolic gesture.

Précis

Unfortunately for the Nawab, it was a disgruntled former employee whom he asked to light his hookah, a man who had no compunction about turning Siraj in, and Jafar had no compunction about murdering him. Jafar was now the Nawab, and richly rewarded the British for making it possible. Which showed, said Das, that you should listen to your grandfather.

Questions for Critics

1. What is the author aiming to achieve in writing this?

2. Note any words, devices or turns of phrase that strike you. How do they help the author communicate his ideas more effectively?

3. What impression does this passage make on you? How might you put that impression into words?

Based on The English Critic (1939) by NL Clay, drawing on The New Criticism: A Lecture Delivered at Columbia University, March 9, 1910, by J. E. Spingarn, Professor of Comparative Literature in Columbia University, USA.

Précis

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