1857 revolt:a war of independence

1857  Revolt was not simply a mutiny of soldiers but it was india's 1st war of independence which was a highly couragous effort to change the political  picture of the India.Even being unsuccessful, it served a grand purpose,that is  as a source of inspiration for the later national liberation movement.
The immediate reason for the 1857 revolt seems to the reaction againist assault on the religious sentiments of the sepoys by the various policies of the Britishers,but underly this most evident explanation lies many cummulative reasons which took the form of the rebel by the sepoys
missionaries diatribe against other religious beliefs,force to cross the sea during the Burma war and the disasterous afghan war,news of mixing of bone dust in atta,introduction of enfield riffle whose cartilage has to be bitten off was supposed to be made beef and pig fat has acted as a spark to buddling fire of discontentment against the british regime.
Various changes such as new land revenue system,disproportionate extortion for revenues,discrimination against the sepoys in comparison to their British counterparts,misery of Artisans and handicraftsmen which use to enjoy the patronage of the earlier rulers ,reforming zeal of the british officals which has caused suspicion,resentent and opposition among orthodox hindus and muslims has formed the bedrock for the upcoming revolt.
Delhi was the symbol of the past glory and with the Proclamation of Bahadur Shah as the Emperor of Hindustan has given legitimacy to sepoy's cause.It also gave a political meaning to the revolt.Apart from a commonly shared hatred for alien rule,the rebels had no political perspective or a definite vision of the future ,so they resort to the representative of the old order i.e emperor of Delhi.
So it is rightly said the 1857 revolt which started as a fight for religion ended as a war of independence to throw out  the alien regime with the establishing the old poltical order