Seth Ramdas Ji Gudwale - Great Revolutionary of 1857.
Seth Ramdas ji Gudwala was a billionaire and banker of Delhi. And the last Mughal emperor was a close friend of Bahadur Shah Zafar. He was born in Delhi in an Agarwal family. His family had established the first cloth mill in Delhi. There was a saying of his richness "Ramdas ji Gudwala has so much gold and silver jewels that he can stop even the water of Ganga from his walls".
When the spark of revolution started from Meerut in 1857 reached Delhi, the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar was declared the hero of the military revolution of 1857. After the defeat of the British from Delhi, Indian armies of many princely states camped in Delhi. There was a problem of their food and salary. The king's treasury was empty. One day he placed the ornaments of his queens in front of the ministers. Ramjidas Gurvale was a close friend of the emperor. Ramdas ji did not see this state of the emperor. He handed over his property worth crores to the emperor and said "If the motherland is protected then wealth will be earned again".
Ramjidas not only gave money, but also arranged for sattu, flour, grain, fodder for oxen, camels and horses to the soldiers.
Seth ji, who had done only business so far, also started the work of organization of the army and intelligence department, seeing the power of his organization, the British generals were also surprised.
He spread a network of spies all over North India, made secret contact with many military cantonments. He built a powerful army and intelligence organization within. Send spies to every corner of the country and prayed to the smallest mansabdars and kings to get the country independent by helping Bahadur Shah Zafar in this crisis.
Due to such revolutionary activities of Ramdas ji, the British rule and officials started getting very upset, due to some reasons the British re-occupied Delhi. One day he got boxes of bottles of poison mixed liquor placed in front of the shops of Chandni Chowk, the British army would quench their thirst and lie down there. The British understood that the end of Ramdas ji is very important if they want to rule India.
Seth Ramdas Ji Gudwale was caught fraudulently and the way he was killed is an example of cruelty.
First they were tied with ropes to the poles, then they were rescued by hunting dogs who devoured their bodies while they were alive. After that he was hanged in the same condition in front of the Kotwali of Chandni Chowk, Delhi.
The famous historian Tarachand has written in his book 'History of Freedom Movement' -
"Seth Ramdas Gudwala was the richest Seth of North India. He had innumerable pearls, diamonds and jewels and immense wealth in the view of the British. He was richer than the Mughal emperors. His wealth was also discussed in the European markets" .
But the name that he has in the history of India is not because of his incomparable wealth but because of sacrificing everything in the freedom struggle, which very few people know today!
