The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi, 1857

Reflecting on the conclusion of enduring dynasties, a profound melancholy washes over me. It's a poignant reminder of the timeless Sanskrit adage, "Time devours all," resonating through 5000 years of human existence. The slow decline of civilizations like the Greek and Roman empires serves as a stark testament to the relentless passage of time.

The aftermath of World War I witnessed the demise of formidable powers like the Hapsburg and Ottoman empires, succumbing to military defeat. The tragic fate of the last Romanov Czar in Russia, facing execution, stands as a poignant chapter in this narrative. Similarly, the decline of the Mogul Empire, established by Babur in 1526, marks the end of a 350-year-old dynasty, adding another layer to this saga of history's inevitable march. 

  Bahadur Shah Zafar captures the emotion of deep despair, depression, and worthlessness of the last emperor of the great Mughal.

Na kisi ki aankh ka noor hoon, na kisi ke dil ka qaraar hoon
Jo kisi ke kaam na aa sake, mein vo ek musht-e-gubaar hoon

न किसी की आँख का नूर हूँ
न किसी की आँख का नूर हूँ
न किसी के दिल का क़रार हूँ
जो किसी के काम न आ सके
मैं वो एक मुश्त-ए-गुबार हूँ
न किसी की आँख का नूर हूँ

It has been translated to English by a Russian student of Urdu poetry, Philip Nikolayev, :)

not the light of any one's eyes,
nor the solace for any one's heart
of no use to anyone,
I am that one fistful of dust

(In a startling revelation, veteran lyricist and poet, Javed Akhtar said the ghazal was written by his grandfather Muztar Khairabadi and not Bahadur Shah Zafar as has been widely known; see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEzyZAp07Jk) 

By Central Asian standards, the 19th-century Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar II had some pretty impressive bloodlines. Put it this way: If the descendants of Tamerlane and Genghis Khan had held family reunions on the same summer Sunday, Zafar would have been expected to show up at each, lamb biryani in hand

1. The story of Mangal Pandey could be augmentation  from  nationalist historian 
2. By the end of the siege of Delhi, the British force consisted predominantly of Sikh and Muslim mercenaries from the North West Frontier and Punjab, with about four-fifths of the army being Indian.

References

1. The Empire podcast Mutiny Episode no 3  The Empire podcast Mutiny Episode no 3  
2.  Mangal Pandey: Drug-crazed Fanatatic or   Canny Revolutionary?
4. Gibbon’s The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire’The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire’ Scotsman Books of the Year