India, June 18 -- The folk songs of 1857, composed by talented poets, form part of our national heritage and provide valuable insight into the aspirations of the Indian people during the 1857 struggle. This literary heritage must be documented, popularised and preserved

The Afghan War in the early 1840s dealt a decisive blow to British pride. Then came the Crimean War reverses. The defeat of the army of Indus in 1842 sent signals to the Indian sipahi that their British masters were no longer invincible. The folklore of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh speaks of Kunwar Singh and Beni Madho Singh, highly agitated, vowing to cross swords with the British before they died. In 1842, the 65-year-old Kunwar was particularly exercised. He had seen the Ma...