Revolt of 1857 was a result of a pre – determined plan which was led by different leaders in different regions. According to the plan, the revolt was to start in the entire country on 31st May, 1857 in a single instance. But due to the incident of fat plated cartridges, the revolt started before the fixed time on 10 May. In Merrut Cantt the soldiers revolted and freed all their companion soldiers and proceeded towards Delhi.

Expansion of Revolt in North India: Delhi – Mughal Emperor of Delhi, Bahadur Shah Zafar – II accepted to lead the revolutionaries and he was declared the emperor of India. Letters were written to Indian rulers to participate in the revolt.

Awadh – Revolt started in Lucknow on 4th June. Begum Hazrat Mahal declared her adolescent son as the Nawab and started the struggle against the British. The landlords, farmers and soldiers extended their support and set the British Residency on fire in which Henry Lawrence was killed.

Kanpur – With the assistance of his capable companions, Tanya Tope and Azimullah, Nana Sahib freed Kanpur from the clutches of the British on 5th June 1857.

Jhansi – In the beginning of June 1857, the soldiers revolted in Jhansi also. From here, Rani Laxmi Bai led the revolt. She bravely received martyrdom while confronting the Britishers.

Bihar – 80 years old Kunwar Singh, the landlord from Jagdishpur of Bihar led the revolt. He get the nearby regions of Arab’ freed from the clutches of the British.

Rajasthan – In Rajasthan, Thakur Kushal Singh of Auwa blew the trumpet of revolt in British military contonments of Nasirabad, Neemuch and Erinpura.

Rohilkhand – Ahmadulla led the revolt from Rohilkhand and Sadaruddin, a farmer became the leader of revolt in Mewat. Other centrs of revolt wereJalandhar, Ambala, Rohtak and Panipat.

Expansion of Revolt in South India:

1. The effect of revolt was spread in Goa, Pondicherry in South India along with the distant south. 

2. In Maharashtra, Ranga Bapu formed a public army against the British and led it at places including Belgaon, Satara, Kolhapur and various other places. 

3. The revolt began in Satara and Pandharpur and later revolutionary incidents were witnessed in Nasik, Ratnagiri and Bijapur. 

4. Chintabhupati revolted in Golkunda. 

5. In Banglore, gth horsed army and 20th foot army revolted. 

6. In Northern Arcot, Tanjore and Vellore the landlords revolted agaisnt the British. Besides these, Madurai, Malabar, Calicut, Kochin etc. were major centres of revolt.