Modern Indian History

In India, history has had glory and sacrifices, and there have been various events which are monumental and have significant positions in the tale of time. It is the country with the oldest religion, one of the oldest living languages and divine cities with texts which guide the modern world with ease. People may think that history is events of the past, but it is interesting to know that there are various types of history depending on the time and phases of division. There is ancient history, mediaeval history and modern history. This article will focus on the modern history of India, which has many parts in it, by discussing the prominent events which are like milestones in the road to the past.

1.The fall of the Mughal Empire

India was ruled by the Mughals before falling into the clutches of the British. The first phase of modern history marks the fall of the Mughal empire in India, which started with the death of Aurangzeb. There have been various reasons behind this fall, one of which was no distinctive law of succession which gave all the children equal rights over the throne, creating a lot of bloodshed for the crown. This happened multiple times and left a long-lasting impact on the empire. To add fuel to the fire came the orthodox and conservative Islamic ideologies of Aurangzeb, which further weakened the Mughal’s hold on the Indian people. Other factors involved were the rise of the Maratha Empire on the western frontiers of the country.

2.The fall of the French and rise of the British 

It took almost a century for the British to take hold of India, and it involved several wars. One of the most prominent among these events is the three Carnatic wars which continued over a span of 20 years and ultimately led to the fall and eradication of French power from India. One of the reasons behind the fall of the French in India is said to be the naval strength of the British in India, as they had the hold of three major port cities, namely Kolkata, Madras and Bombay.

3.Battle of Buxar and Battle of Plassey

Both the battles are of historical significance as they played a monumental role in the events leading to the rise of the East India Company in India.  These battles led to the shift of revenue power in India, commencing the looting of the country by the end of which all of India’s wealth was sucked by the United kingdom. By the end of the battle of Plassey, the British got complete control of free trade in Bihar, Orissa and Bengal and the consequence of the battle of Buxar was the treaty of Allahabad which led to dual governance and a dual revenue generation system. 

4.British Rule in India

The British rule in India was the worst phase of Indian history where the people were enslaved in their own country. India, which was a self-sufficient country, was made a colony by the British. This happened because of many reasons, but the lack of unity among Indian rulers is what created the graveyard of the Indian self-reliant economy.  Besides the wealth, the Indian domestic industry was destroyed because of competition from British machine-made goods. One of the major ways in which British rule expanded itself in India was the doctrine of lapse, which was applicable to all the states without an heir.

5.First War of Independence

After almost 100 years of the arrival of the British in India, there was a joint uprising in the country from all corners to eradicate the colonial influence and people of the country. There were major conflicts, some of which were the lack of content among Indian rulers and a major clash between sepoys and the officials of the British army, which acted as a last nail in the coffin. The cartridges of the bullets used had pig and cow fat which had to be bitten by teeth, and this was against Hindu and Muslim religions in the country. This war is also known as the sepoy mutiny and was the first major combined uprising in the country, which marked the will of the people to gain independence.

6.Indian Independence Movement

There are various major events which marked the Indian freedom movement. Post-1857, the British exercised full control of India through the British crown, and India was officially a colony. Various major Indian leaders brought in many reforms in the country. During this era, some of which are the movements for Hindu Muslim unity in the country and the introduction of Brahmosamaj by Raja Ram Mohan Roy. 

Major movements marked the independence movement of India, such as the satyagraha, civil disobedience movement, Swadeshi movement, formation of the Muslim league, and Quit India movement.

Conclusion

Modern Indian history is a vast subject, and in order to understand every aspect of it, one should focus on each and every event in detail as everything in history is interconnected, and all the events are either the source or the result of some other incidents.