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{{Infobox civil conflict
| title = 1857 Bharuch riots
| partof = [[Religious violence in India]]
| image =
| caption =
| date = May 1857
| place = [[Bharuch]] (now in [[Gujarat]], India)
| coordinates =
| causes =
| goals =
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| status =
| result =
| side1 = [[Parsi]]s
| side2 = [[Muslim]]s
| side3 =
| leadfigures1 =
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| howmany1 =
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| casualties1 = 2
| casualties2 =
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| fatalities =
| injuries =
| arrests =61
| detentions =
| charged =39
| fined =
| casualties_label =
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}}
There was communal violence between [[Parsi]]s and [[Sunni Bohra|Bohra]] [[Muslim]]s in May 1857 in Broach (now [[Bharuch]], [[Gujarat]]) in India.<ref name="RajyagorTripathy1979">{{cite book|author1=S. B. Rajyagor|author2=Shankarsan Tripathy|title=Bharuch District: Supplement|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LoluAAAAMAAJ|year=1979|publisher=Director, Government Print., Stationery and Publications|page=17}}</ref>

==Background==
Bharuch was a major trading port on the west coast of India. As Bharuch was an old settlement of [[Parsis]], there were a considerable number of [[Parsis]] in the town. Bahram Mowbed, the younger brother of Zanhosht Mowbed, was one of the early priests to settle in Bharuch. A [[tower of silence]] in Bharuch was established in 1309. There was a riot in Bombay six months before the event.<ref name="WilliamsStewart2016">{{cite book|author1=Alan Williams|author2=Sarah Stewart|title=The Zoroastrian Flame: Exploring Religion, History and Tradition|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rp2LDAAAQBAJ&pg=PT384|date=16 February 2016|publisher=I.B.Tauris|isbn=978-0-85772-886-9|pages=384–385}}</ref>

==Riot==
On 10 May 1857, just five days after the beginning of the [[Indian rebellion of 1857]], some Muslims accused a Parsi named Bejonji Sheriaiji Bharuch of disrespecting a mosque the riots broke out. After five days, 200 Muslims gathered near the Bawa Rahan shrine in the north of the town. The police approached but were unable to stop the mob. The mob attacked Dastur Kamdin Dar-e Mihr, a fire temple, and killed its High Priest, Ervad Ardeshir Hormazdji Kamdin. They lynched Bejonji Sheriaiji Bharuch and dragged his body for several lanes. They also attacked Shapurji Narielwala Fire Temple (consecrated in 1783) and also injured its High Priest, Ervad Meherwanji Muncherji Kamdin. Mr. Davies, the Magistrate of Bharuch, and the Collector could not stop the riots. The troops were brought in from nearby towns of Vagra, [[Amod, India|Amod]], [[Ankleshwar]] and [[Hansot]]. Lt. Richardson led the British contingent sent to bring peace.<ref name="GBP">{{cite book|title=Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency: Gujarat: Surat and Broach|url=https://archive.org/details/gazetteerbombay04unkngoog|year=1877|publisher=Government Central Press|pages=[https://archive.org/details/gazetteerbombay04unkngoog/page/n503 476]–477}}</ref><ref name="WilliamsStewart2016"/><ref name="KamerkarDhunjisha2002">{{cite book|author1=Mani Kamerkar|author2=Soonu Dhunjisha|author3=K.R. Cama Oriental Institute|title=From the Iranian Plateau to the shores of Gujarat: the story of Parsi settlements and absorption in India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kQRuAAAAMAAJ|year=2002|publisher=Allied Publishers|isbn=978-81-7764-301-5|page=105}}</ref><ref name="bp">{{cite book|title=Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency: History of Gujarát|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RNA2AQAAMAAJ|volume=I-1|year=1896|publisher=Government Central Press|pages=437–438}}</ref>

==Aftermath==
The Parsis of Bharuch petitioned the Chief of Police of the [[Bombay Presidency]], Bettington, on 19 May 1857 to examine the role of Head Constable. They also petitioned the Governor's Council to establish a commission for investigation. They told Parsi Panchayat to use their influence.<ref name="WilliamsStewart2016"/>

[[Alexander Kinloch Forbes]], the Sessions Judge, sentenced imprisonments to 39 out of 61 persons arrested. Two were hanged for the killing of Bharucha and the High Priest.<ref name="GBP"/><ref name="WilliamsStewart2016"/><ref name="Sanghvi1996">{{cite book|author=Nagindas Sanghvi|title=Gujarat: A Political Analysis|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zDRwAAAAMAAJ|year=1996|publisher=Centre for Social Studies|page=108}}</ref>

The riots were examined in their connection with the rebellion in 1857 by historians. Taking advantage of the situation, there were attempts to incite the Muslim population to organise disturbance against the British government by the rebels.<ref name="GBP"/>

There was another riot between Parsis and Muslims on 26 November 1885 when the authorities did not grant land to build Dargah. As there were Parsi members in the Municipal Council, they were accused of not granting.<ref name="WilliamsStewart2016"/>

''Khasumate Gujarat'' (August 1858), compiled by a school teacher, Ervad Kaikhushru Pestonji Vakil, in Gujarati, gives a detailed account of the event.<ref name="WilliamsStewart2016"/>

==See also==

* [[Zoroastrianism in India]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Riots in India}}

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[[Category:History of Gujarat]]
[[Category:1857 in India]]
[[Category:1857 riots]]
[[Category:Riots and civil disorder in India]]
[[Category:Religious riots]]
[[Category:Religiously motivated violence in India]]
[[Category:Attacks on religious buildings and structures in India]]
[[Category:Persecution by Muslims]]
[[Category:Crime in Gujarat]]
[[Category:Indian Rebellion of 1857]]
[[Category:Zoroastrianism in India]]
[[Category:Anti-Zoroastrianism]]
[[Category:Bharuch]]

1857 Bharuch riot - Revision history

MetaBOT at 13:33, 8 July 2023