100 YEARS AGO INDIAN ARMY IN WORLD WAR I

As the wrath of the weather Gods turned my umbrella inside out on a rainy and windy November afternoon at Brighton in England, I managed to escape into the Brighton Dome where an Exhibition was in progress.

- Seema Anand Chopra

Abandoning the umbrella in its designated corner we commenced looking at the unflattering labeled - Brighton and Hove Black History Exhibition; commemorating the 100th year of the World War I in 2015.The Exhibition was an eye-opener for the frequently forgotten important role the Indian Army played in the World War I.

The Brighton Dome In 1804, the Prince Regent asked multi-talented English architect William-Porden to build Brighton Dome as a Riding school while being a part of the Brighton Royal Pavilion Palace, the once Royal residence that we were to visit later in the day. The Indo-Saracenic structure of the Brighton Dome is adorned with a beautiful unique mosaic tiles interior consisting of a Concert and Exhibition Hall along with a restaurant.

100 Years Back Transported back to the black and white era of photography each photo was a revelation and a heroic chronicle of the soldiers of the British Indian Army of the World War 1, we embarked looking at the Exhibition. British India consisted of what became present Pakistan, Bangladesh and Burma so the recruits came from all parts and religions, besides Nepal. Most recruits were from North India particularly from the Punjab Province as the British believed and identified them as 'martial races' possessing fierce courage.

A large map displayed the upper part of the Indian subcontinent of 1914 from which the recruitment of the volunteers for Indian Army in World War I took place. Only Kashmir, Punjab, Nepal and Bengal were marked on it along with regiments from these provincesPathans from Afghanistan, Dogras from Jammu and Kashmir, Gurkhas from Nepal, Sikhs from Punjab, the Jats and the Punjabi Muslims from Punjab as well, thus technically nearly half of the British army was provided by Punjab!