Explain how did the mutinies begin in 1857.

(a) The mutinies began with a particular signal either the firing of the evening gun or the sounding of the bugle.

(b) The sepoys first seized the arms arsenal and then plundered the treasury.

(c) They then attacked government buildings–the jail, telegraph office etc. burning all the records.

(d) Proclamations were put in the cities in all languages - Hindi, Urdu and Persian calling upon the people to rise and kill the Britishers.

(e) After ordinary people joined the revolt, their targets of attack widened. In many towns, the houses of the moneylenders and the rich were looted and destroyed. There was a general defiance of all kinds of authority.