In 1857 “the life has gone out of the body” was said in reference to which state?

The correct option is Awadh.

In 1856, the Kingdom of Awadh was formally annexed by the British East India Company under the leadership of Governor-General Lord Dalhousie on the pretext of "misgovernment" and maladministration. Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, the beloved ruler of Awadh, was dethroned and exiled to Calcutta (now Kolkata).

The Nawab was highly popular among his subjects, and his forced departure caused widespread grief and resentment. When he left Lucknow, many people followed him all the way to Kanpur, singing songs of sorrow. A contemporary observer captured this emotional distress by writing that "the life has gone out of the body, and the body of this town had been left lifeless," symbolizing how central the Nawab and the state's independence were to the cultural and social identity of the people of Awadh. This deep sense of loss and anger became one of the major catalysts for the widespread participation of Awadh in the Indian Rebellion (Revolt) of 1857.