Descendants of Mysore Lancers soldiers recall their elders' role in liberating Israeli city Haifa

Bengaluru, Sep 23 (PTI) As September 23 is celebrated as Haifa Day, descendants of the soldiers of Mysore Lancers remembered the contributions of their elders in liberating the Israeli city of Haifa and also rescuing Abdul Baha, the spiritual leader of the Baha'i community, in 1918.

Many people in Bengaluru may not know that there is a 'Mysore Lancers Haifa Memorial' in the city, which is located near RT Nagar.

The memorial was a tribute to those brave soldiers from Mysore Lancers (a personal force of the then Maharaja of Mysuru, Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar) who showed exemplary bravery in freeing the city of Haifa from the Ottoman empire exactly 104 years ago.

Allied powers in World War-I, Mysore Lancers along with the Jodhpur Cavalry and British's 15th Imperial Cavalry Brigade soldiers charged on Turkish positions in and around the city of Haifa, which is now in Israel, a member of the Mysore royal family said.

"The Indian soldiers were armed only with lances and swords while the Turks were armed with artillery and machine guns," a member of the Urs family told PTI.

According to him, World War-I also paved the way for the British 15th Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade to defeat the Ottoman and German soldiers and to liberate a strategically important town of Damascus, Jerusalem, Tigris, Baghdad, Mesopotamia and Kut-al-amara.

"A day's delay, Ottoman and Germans would have executed Abdul Baha. This act has made the Baha'i community globally to be indebted to Mysore Lancers and Mysore Maharaja Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar," he said.

Anupama Singh, whose father-in-law's brother Parashuram Singh took part in the liberation of Haifa, said the Mysore Lancers which was created in 1892, had played a significant role in defeating the enemies and led Abdul Baha out of captivity.

"Parashuram Singh was badly injured in the battle of Haifa. He was mistaken as dead and thrown in the pile of bodies. A slight movement in his hand gave indication to the fellow members that he was alive. He was then dragged and brought out," Singh said.

According to her, Parashuram narrated to the family after returning home that he had the photograph of their family Goddess Chamundi Devi in his pocket throughout the battle.

The Mysore Lancers' Heritage Foundation organised an event on Friday at the Haifa Memorial to recall the contribution of Mysore Lancers. PTI GMS RS SS SS