Populated states Bihar and Awadh | ||
Lalu ram purbiya
Purbiya (Purbia) was a common term used in medieval India for Rajput soldiers of the eastern Ganga plains (the present day Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh).
Contents
Laxman lal purbiya
History
Purbiya was a common term given to the soldiers of Awadh and Bhojpur who served as mercenaries for the rulers of west and north India. The rulers of Malwa were keen recruiters due to the Purbiya expertise with firearms. This expertise may have been gained due to the easy availability of saltpetre in their native areas. Most Purbiyas were mercenaries and were paid for their services but some were actual kings of smaller principalities.
The Bengal Army consisted largely of Purbiya soldiers.
1857 mutiny
Prior to 1857, the British preferred to recruit Purbiya soldiers who were designated by the British as "The fighting tribes of the Hindoos and the Musselmen". They liked to recruit them because they had an average height of 5'8.
The Purbiya recruits in the Bengal Army played a major role in the Indian rebellion of 1857 against the British and forced them to recruit soldiers from different communities.