Rao Tula Ram

Early life

Rao Tularam Singh was born on 9 December 1825 at Rampura in Rewari. His father was Rao Puran Singh, his grandfather Rao Tej Singh and his mother's name was Rani Gyan Kanwar, who was daughter of Rao Zahari Singh, a local Jagirdar.

Rao Tularam was one of the great leaders of the Indian Uprising of 1857 against the colonial British forces. His story is one of rebellion and guerilla warfare against the stronger and better-equipped imperialist forces of the British Army. On 17 May 1857 he along with his Cousin Rao Gopal Dev and four to five hundred followers, deposed the local tehsildar and occupied Riwari. He raised a force of about Five thousand soldiers and set up a workshop for manufacturing the guns and other ammunition. Rao Tularam helped Emperor Bahadur Shah and others rebels forces who were waging war against British in Delhi. He sent Rs 45000/- through General Bakht Khan, ten days before the fall of Delhi and supplied large quantities of necessary commodities and supplied two thousand sacks of wheat . His forces fought against the British on 16 November 1857 in the field of Nasibpur - Narnaul, The first charge of Rao Tularam's forces was irresistible and The British forces scattered before them, and British commanding officers Colonel Col.John Grant Gerrard and Capt. Wallace were beheaded and Lieutenant Graiji, Kennedy and Pearse were severely wounded.

He was at the point of defeating the British force under Colonel Gerrard when the pro-British, Sikh army from Nabha, Kapurthala, Jind and Patiala came to their rescue.

After that British forces have heavy artillery and infantry they broke the backbone of Rao's forces and the commanders of Rao's, Rao Kishan singh, Rao Ram Lal, Sahjada Muhammad Ajam, Nephew and son's of Abdus samad khan and many others top ranking officers whose names perhaps we would never be able to find out were killed in action. The battle of Narnaul was undoubtedly one of the most decisive battles of the uprising of 1857. The English felt jubilant over their success in this confrontation, for it resulted in the marked close of the crucial period of the struggle in the Haryana Region and Northern Rajasthan.Importance of the battle can be gauged from the fact that even a Victoria Cross was awarded in this battle to Lt. Francis David Millet Brown (1st European Fusiliers) for his act of bravery of saving a wounded soldier under a very heavy fire. . If only there had been a similar system of rewarding the bravery of native people, no doubt the list would have been longer. In the field reports of Company officers, they had mentioned that on several occasions they had to fight with all their might to gain even a small advantage.

After the battle of Narnaul Rao Tularam movers in to Rajasthan and join the force of Tantya tope for one year but the forces of the Tantya tope were defeated by British forces in Sekar( Rajasthan) war, then Rao Tularam left India and reach abroad for foreign helps against Britisher's, He died in Kabul in the age of 38 on 23 September 1863, Rao Tularam's estates were confiscated by the British in 1859, though proprietary rights of his two wives were retained. In 1877, his title was restored to his son Rao Yudhister Singh, who was made head of the Ahirwal.

Raja Rao Tularam Singh's Mission to Russia in 1859

Russia's growing activity in Central Asia in the middle of the 19th century substantially influenced both the policy of the British colonialists and public sentiment in India. From time to time missions arrived in Russia from India. representing interests of different sections of the population. These people complained about the cruel methods used by the British authorities and sought help.

Documents about a hitherto unknown mission which set out for Russia in 1859 has been found in the archives. These documents are all the more interesting since they are connected with a most important event in India's 19th-century history, i.e., the great popular uprising against the colonialists in 1857-1859.

Anti-British fedual rulers of the Indian principalities are known to have predominated among the leaders of the popular uprising. At the moment when the uprising suffered a set-back, a group of Indian princes elected from among themselves an envoy and sent him with a letter to the Russian tsar. Raja Rao Tularam Singh, the "ruler of Rewari," agreed to make this dangerous and long trip. The envoy earned letters from Maharaja Takht Singh Bahadur, the ruler of Marwar, from Maharaja Sirdar Singh Bahadur.the ruler of Bikaner, and from Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh Bahadur, the ruler of Jaipur. There is every evidence that there had been agreement among them, for their messages were very similar in content and used similar expressions. During his long voyage, Rao Tularam Singh lost all he had and the people accompanying him were arrested, but he achieved his main goal—he established contact with the Russian authorities. It is not known whether he ever went to the capital of Russia, but in any case the documents which he had brought did reach St. Petersburg. The texts of the letters were rather general and did not contain any concrete proposals. The rajas paid their respects to the tsar and complained of being oppressed by the British authorities.

Evidentlly fearing that the letters might get into the hands of the British, the maharajas llimited themselves to brief appeals to the tsar, relying on Raja Rao for everything. Prince of Bikaner wrote : "Having commissioned Raja Rao with the task of explaining our case to you government, I draw Your Majesty's attention to everything your will learn from him, either verbally or in written form, on my behalf." The envoy of the maharajas wrote his letter at Rasht on December 5, 1860. It contained more detailed data of utmost interest to historians and disclosed hitherto unknown circumstances concerning the outbreak of the 1857 uprising. According to Raja Rao it was not only planned beforehand, but was connected with hopes for the movement of Russian troops in Central Asia. The document opened a hitherto unknown page in the history of mutual relations between the two nations.

Legacy

The government of India issued on 23 September 2001, a postal stamp featuring Maharaj Rao Tularam. Institutions named in his honour include Rao Tularam Memorial Hospital in Jaffarpur Kalan Rao Tularam college, Vasant Vihar, Rao Tularam Marg New delhi

Rao Tularam Memorial Hospital

Rao Tularam Memorial Hospital is located near police station in Jaffarpur Kalan, Delhi and is approachable from Rawta mor of Dhansa Road.

Rao Tularam Market

Rao Tularam Market is located RZA-50, Nihal Vihar, Nangloi, Delhi, 110041 and

Rao Tularam Market is located Balaji Rd, Press Enclave, Mohan Garden, Hastsal, Delhi, 110066

Rao Tularam Govt. Sarvodaya school

The Rao Tularam Govt. Sarvodaya Co.Ed is located at Sr Sec School Surera New Delhi. The school was established in year 1957. It is a Co-educational school and offers education in Hindi medium, running under the aegis of Delhi Administration.

Shri Tula Ram Public School

Shri Tula Ram Public School is located Street Number 2, Opp. Govt School, Sector 20, Aman Vihar, Sultanpuri, Delhi, 110086

Rao Tularam Stadium

Rao Tularam Stadium is located Rewari, Haryana

Rao Tularam College

Rao Tularam College is located Delhi University South Campus, South Moti Bagh, Delhi

Rao Tularam Marg

Rao Tularam Marg is located near IGI Airport Delhi

Rao Tularam Chowk

Rao Tularam Chowk is located NH 8, Khera Village, Sector 16, Gurugram, Haryana &

Rao Tularam Chowk is located Friends Colony, Mahendergarh, Haryana, and

Rao Tularam Chowk is also located in Dwarka sec-8, New Delhi prepared by MCD Delhi.

Rao Tularam Chowk(Naiwali Chowk) is also located in Rewari, Haryana

Rao Tularam Park

Rao Tularam Park is located Raam Bagh Mahalla, Rewari, Haryana &

Rao Tularam Park is a located Sector 10A, Gurugram, Haryana

Shahidi mela (fair)

A two-day Shahidi mela (fair) in September is held annually at Rampura (Rewari) to commemorate the death anniversary of Rao Tularam, an Ahir hero of 1857.