Movie Review: The Battle Of Saragarhi

It is really fascinating to watch the movie 300, where King Leonidas and his army of 30 brave Spartans battled the Persian King Xerxes and his army of 300,000.
This would come as a surprise to all that a battle of such a magnitude had also occurred in our country however not known to most of us.

Known as the Battle of Saragarhi, it really is moment of pride for India but sadly this tale of heroic action and sacrifice is hardly recorded in the books of Indian History as it was fought on the behalf of British Government.

Saragarhi was a small village where a communication relay post, which connected British India forts of Lockhart and Gulistan on the border areas of Afghanistan, was established in the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) of
The account was received all over the world with awe and admiration. The fierce bravery, valor and courage of the 21 Sikhs sent ripples across the world.

"The British, as well as the Indians, are proud of the 36th Sikh Regiments. It is no exaggeration to record that the armies which possess the valiant Sikhs cannot face defeat in war" - Parliament of the United Kingdom.
"You are never disappointed when you are with the Sikhs. Those 21 soldiers all fought to the death. That bravery should be within all of us. Those soldiers were lauded in Britain and their pride went throughout the Indian Army. Inside every Sikh should be this pride and courage. The important thing is that you must not get too big-headed it is important to be humble in victory and to pay respect to the other side." - Field Marshal William Joseph Slim, 1st Viscount Slim.
“It is no exaggeration to record that the armies which possess the valiant Sikhs cannot face defeat in war.” --Queen Victoria, British Parliament
This Valiant 21 Sikh Soldiers act reminds us the Values of Honour, Courage and Sacrifice any Soldier stands for.
Time to present the truth.
As significant and important as this historical truth is, this is one of many such event in our history that lack awareness among the general masses.
The history of India has been glorious and inspiring but there are times when it fails to highlight certain significant facts which serve as our nation’s pride.
Due to this the mainstream is really unaware of many unacknowledged and unsung examples which glorifies our country’s culture, grit and legacy. It truly is our nation’s loss to forget such great events of our history and i am afraid due to this, our coming generations will be forced to read the half-truths or corrected lopsided tales.
It is high time that such events are being remembered and are celebrated as the sheer glory of our Indian men and women. Also the sacrifices of the Sikhs and other soldiers needs to be acknowledged. I hope this article does proper justice to bring awareness about our Heroes to the