Tag Archives: Nawab Siraj-Ud-Daula – The Last Nawab of Bengal

Contribution Of Muslims To India’s Freedom Struggle

Amazing Feats, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Community Involvement / Social Issues, First War of Independence 1857 / Naval Mutiny 1946 / Others PreIndependece (wef. July 27th, 2022), Freedom Fighters (under research project), Indian Muslims in World War I and II (wef. July 09th, 2022), Leaders, Martyrs of the Nation, Royal Families, PreIndependence -Descendants (wef. Jan 02nd,2022), Women/Girls(since May26-2021), World Opinion, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

INDIA:

The famous writer Kushwant Singh, once wrote: “Indian Freedom is written in Muslim blood, since their participation in the freedom struggle was much more, in proportion to their small percentage of the population.”

The story and history of India’s independence are written with the blood of Muslims. According to historical references, 65% of those who stood, fought and sacrificed against the British for India’s independence were Muslim freedom fighters, the hams live reported.

A large number of people from all religions and castes took part in the freedom struggle, undoubtedly. However, the struggles of many Muslim prominent personalities who also contributed to India’s freedom and even sacrificed everything including their lives are little known. Muslims have been at the forefront to oppose the British and stood shoulder to shoulder with people from other communities while fighting against them. Getting freedom was not easy, our ancestors had to go face a lot of struggles and difficulties to get us the freedom that we are enjoying now.

The First Call To Oppose British

In the 1750s, Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah was the first awakened Indian ruler, who stood his ground against the British. He lost the Battle of Plassey in 1757 due to the betrayal of Mir Jafar (Commander of Nawab’s army). With this, Siraj-ud-Daulah’s reign marks the end of the last independent rule in India and the beginning of the East India company’s rule that was unabated for the next two hundred years.

First Freedom Struggle By Muslim Rulers

The first freedom struggle against the British was started by the rulers of Mysore Hyder Ali and his son, Tipu Sultan, during the 1780s and 90s. Both used the first iron-cased rockets and cannons effectively against the British invaders.

Tipu Sultan is considered to be one of India’s first freedom fighters for his fierce fight and brave against the East India Company. He resisted the conquest of the British in southern India and was reluctant to welcome them on his soil. He was the only Indian ruler who understood the dangers that the British posed to India, and fought four wars to oust them from the country.

The Unsung Heroines Of India’s Freedom Struggle

Begum Hazrat Mahal, the unsung heroin, played a very important role in India’s war of Independence. Being a woman, she led a rebellion against the British East India Company in 1857. She shot the British ruler, Sir Henry Lawrence and defeated the British army in a conclusive Battle at Chinhat in 1857.

In the great revolt of 1857, as many as 225 Muslim women sacrificed their lives in the uprising. These unsung Muslim women freedom fighters who have sloganeered, shed blood and given their lives for the country’s independence have now been forgotten to due biases.

A majority of freedom fighters did a nameless service to the nation and one such lesser-known name was Abadi Bano Begum (Bi Amma). Bi Amma was the first woman to address a political rally wearing an abaya. She took part in National freedom struggles, Khilafat Movement and propagated Hindu-Muslim unity. Following Mahatma Gandhi’s advice, Bi Amma played an. An important role in encouraging women to take part in the freedom movement. Further, she played a pivotal role in the Swadeshi movements.

In the book, Gandhi and the Ali Brothers: Biography of a Friendship by Rakhahari Chatterji, Maulana Mohammad Jouhar says, “Suffice it to say that, although she was practically illiterate, I have, in all experience, of men of all sorts of types, come across none that I could call wiser and certainly that was more truly godly and spiritual than our mother.”

Bi Amma was also the mother of Muhammad Ali Jauhar and Shaukat Ali popularly known as the Ali Brothers whom she raised on her own after her husband died when she was young.

Amjadi Begum, the wife of Muhammad Ali Jauhar and daughter-in-law of Bi Amma, is yet another Muslim women freedom fighter. Mahatma Gandhi also dedicated an article on her titled ‘A Brave Woman‘ where he admired her as a courageous wife of a courageous man. 

At the age of 45, Asghari Begum, another forgotten Muslim woman, has also taken part in the 1857 revolt and challenged British rule in the present-day Uttar Pradesh. However, she was captured by the British in 1858 and burnt alive.

Habiba, a Muslim woman’s fought many battles against the British in Muzaffarnagar in 1857. However, she was captured and hanged along with 11 other female warriors at the age of 25.

The Great Revolt of 1857

During the Great Revolt of 1857, Hindus and Muslims under the leadership of the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar tried to oust the British from India. A majority of Hindu sepoys requested Zafar to lead them in the war of Independence. Although the Revolt failed due of several reasons, Muslims have always stood on the front line to oppose the British.

Former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi during his visit to Bahadur Shah’s grave, wrote in the visitor’s book: “Although you (Bahadur Shah) do not have land in India, you have it here; your name is alive… I pay homage to the memory of the symbol and rallying point of India’s First War of Independence….”

Muslims came to India and ruled here for over 800 years but they did not steal anything from here as the British, the Dutch and the French did. By bringing plenty of knowledge in literature, architecture, judiciary, political structure, government body and management structure, which is still used in Indian management strategy, they helped India to progress into a unified and civilized nation.

Lighthouse of Rebellion

How many of us know that the organizer and leader of “First Indian freedom struggle” in 1857 was Moulavi Ahamadullah Shah. Known as the ‘Lighthouse of Rebellion’ in Awadh, he Faizabad free from British rule for almost one year, until his death at the hands of British agents on June 5, 1858.

“With being a practicing Muslim, he was also the epitome of religious unity and Ganga-Jamuna culture of Faizabad. In the revolt of 1857, royalties like Nana Sahib of Kanpur, Kunwar Singh of Arrah fought alongside Maulavi Ahmadullah Shah. Maulavi’s 22nd Infantry Regiment was commanded by Subedar Ghamandi Singh and Subedar Umrao Singh in the famous Battle of Chinhat,” according to researcher and historian Ram Shankar Tripathi.

The important role of Muslims in the uprising is the reason that the British government singled out the community for the worst revenge. From the Nawab, the King of Mysore, the last Mughal King, Princes, the landlords, the Ulemas, intellectuals, Urdu journalists, including common people, all members of the Muslim community have made great sacrifices for the freedom of India.

In the uprising of the 1857 revolt, thousands of ulema were slaughtered and the whole of Delhi was emptied of Muslims, according to excerpts from Syed Ubaidur Rahman’s book Biographical Encyclopedia of Indian Muslim Freedom Fighters. They were not even allowed to return to their homes and reclaim their properties.

First Journalist To Sacrifice His Life During The Great Revolt

Moulvi Muhammad Baqir, a scholar and activist of Indian independence activist was the first journalist to be executed following the rebellion in 1857. The editor of Urdu newspapers, Delhi Urdu Akhbar, was washed dead on 16th September 1857 for writing Nationalist articles, without even a trial.

Although India got independence on 15 August 1947, the foundation of the freedom struggle was laid before 1857. Since the time of the Revolt of 1857, which is considered to be the beginning of India’s freedom struggle, Muslim leadership has spearheaded the cause.

First Muslim To Be Hanged For Conspiring Against East India Company

At the age of 27 years, Shaheed Ashfaqulla Khan was the first Muslim to be hanged for conspiring against the British Raj. Khan was hanged to death on December 19, 1927. With this, he became a martyr and a legend among the people because of his love for the country and his unshakeable spirit.

Reshmi Rumal Tehreek (The Silk Movement)

Muslims not only took the lead in the uprising, but also stood in the front line in all other efforts to topple the British colonial regime in India.

After the revolt of 1857, the Muslim leaders changed their strategy of resistance by setting up educational institutions across the country. Reshmi Rumal Tehreek or The Silk Letter Movement (1913-1920) was an initiative by Deobandi Leaders Maulana Mahmud Hasan and Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi to topple the British Empire.

However, when British intelligence learned about it, hundreds of sympathizers of the initiative were arrested and put in prison for years without any trial. The top leaders including Maulana Mahmud Hasan and half a dozen of his followers were banished to Malta after a faux trial where they faced the worst hardship.

Role of Muslims in Congress’ anti-colonial struggle

Justice Abbas Tyabji, an Indian freedom fighter from Gujarat and associate of Mahatma Gandhi, was the first Muslim president of the Indian National Congress party. Justice Tyabji is also known for leading Salt Satyagraha following Gandhi’s arrest in 1930.

Another Congress president during the colonialism was Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, who is one of the chief Muslim leaders of the anti-colonial nationalist movement. He became the youngest President of the Indian National Congress in 1923 at the age of 35. He faced multiple imprisonments by the colonial state.

From Justice Tayabji to Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, there have been eight Muslim leaders who were in the Indian National Congress’s freedom movement. The other prominent Muslim leaders include, Muhammad Ali Jauhar, Shaukat Ali, Maulana Azad, Dr Mukhtar Ansari, Hakim Ajmal Khan, Maulana Mahmud Hasan and many others. They made every possible sacrifice for the cause of the end the colonial rule.

Frontier Gandhi

Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was a Pashtun independence activist who campaigned to end the rule of the British Raj in India. He founded the Khudai Khidmatgar resistance movement against British colonial rule in India. He was also known as Frontier Gandhi for his principles of non-violence and friendship with Gandhi. Khan worked towards the formation of a united, independent, secular India. 

Muslim Man Coins “Jai Hind”

The patriotic slogan “Jai Hind” was initially coined by Zain-ul Abideen Hasan, but it was adopted by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. It is now used as a way of salutation throughout India. It means “Victory to India” in English.

The Creation Of the National Flag

For a majority of us, the current national flag was designed by Pingali Venkayya. However, it was a Muslim Lady Surayya Tyabji, who created the flag’s final look today.

Although we have recounted several names of the Muslims who have contributed to India’s freedom struggle, there are several thousands of them who fought on the streets against the British Raj.

source: http://www.thecongnate.com / The Cognate / Home> History / by Rabia Shireen / August 15th, 2022

Masters of the Musnud

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Leaders, Travel & Tourism, , , , , , , ,

BENGAL :

The story of what used to be Bengal’s highest seat of power and of some who braved the ascent

SOVEREIGN STONE : The throne of the Subedars of Bengal (in the foreground) at Victoria Memorial Hall in Calcutta / Paromita Sen

In the circular throne room of Hazarduari, or the palace of a thousand doors, in Murshidabad sits a solid silver chair on a marble platform whose fretwork shows signs of having once been gilded. That intricately carved chair, shaded by an intricately worked silver umbrella, used to be the seat of the nawabs of Bengal.

The maroon velvet cushioned throne, no bigger than a dining chair, might make one wonder how comfortable Siraj ud-Daulah would have been seated on it — after all, it is believed he was nearly seven-feet tall. It most definitely could not have been shared by two as was the black stone throne of Bengal.

In 1766, Robert Clive shared the black stone throne with Najm ud Dowla, second son of Mir Jafar. The East India Company had been granted the dewani of Subah Bangla by the then Mughal emperor. “Clive, as a representative of the company, sat on the throne because he had the right to collect revenue, while the Nawab had the right to dispense justice,” explains Santanu Biswas, amateur historian and Murshidabad resident.   

Should you wonder into the Durbar Hall of Calcutta’s Victoria Memorial, you will find a low black table. You might be tempted to put your feet up on it — it is that inconspicuous. But that is it — the erstwhile musnud or throne of Subah Bangla. The throne that was once Shah Shuja’s, son of Shah Jahan; Murshid Quli Khan’s, after whom Murshidabad is named; Alivardi Khan’s, who stopped the Bargi attacks; Siraj ud-Daulah’s, the last independent Nawab of Bengal; the infamous Mir Jafar’s and Clive’s.

The throne is not round but 16-sided; each facet has a simple design inscribed and one of them bears a Persian inscription that declares it was made by “humblest of slaves, Khwajah Nazar of Bokhara” in Munger, Bihar, on November 11, 1641.

How did someone from Bukhara in Uzbekistan end up in Munger? Says Jayanta Sengupta, secretary and curator of Victoria Memorial Hall, “The Mughals were originally from that region. A lot of people came with them. Some kept the place of their origin as part of their name even after having lived in India for generations. It had prestige value.” So, Nazar may never have seen Bukhara. 

Back to the musnud. The 18-inch-high platform, six-feet in diameter and sitting on four fat legs, is carved from a single block of black slate from the Kharkpur or Kharagpur Hills. A framed write-up at the memorial states that the throne must have belonged to Sultan Shuja and had originally been kept at Rajmahal (in what is now Jharkhand) before being moved to Dhaka and then Murshidabad (by Murshid Quli Khan) as the capital of Subah Bangla changed. 

In Murshidabad too, the throne often changed residence. Mir Jafar, for instance, was enthroned in his palace in Mansurganj, on the western bank of the Bhagirathi, while Clive was enthroned in Motijheel Palace on the eastern bank. It seemed to be the practice for the throne to be moved to wherever the Nawab resided.

The throne is an austere structure. “In India it was always a takht or platform,” says Urvi Mukhopadhyay, associate professor at West Bengal State University. The chair-like throne is a European concept and came later. According to Mukhopadhyay, who is a medieval history expert, the king would always kneel on the throne as it was rude to display his feet.

The throne itself was not made of valuable material, its value derived from the post of the man who sat on it. Says Mukhopadhyay, “It was usually made of stone. You can still see Shah Jahan’s marble throne at the Red Fort, though guides are likely to tell you that it is a platform on which the throne was placed.” There was also a beautifully-embroidered chandoya or canopy over the throne and a richly embroidered screen behind it. The musnud of Murshidabad had four holes in four corners through which the poles that held the canopy were set.

The only readily-available photograph of the black stone musnud shows it in its unadorned state on the terrace before the Moti Mahal of Murshidabad’s Mubarak Manzil. This area was once called Findallbagh after the Briton who developed it. 

Mubarak Ali Khan II, better known as Humayun Jah, was the great great grandson of Mir Jafar and the man who built Hazarduari. He bought Findallbagh in 1830 and built the Moti Mahal and the pleasure garden around it that he named Mubarak Manzil. He gave the throne of the Nawab Nazims of Bengal pride of place, but he held court in Hazarduari, on the silver throne that is called the chair of judgement of Humayun Jah.

In The Musnud of Murshidabad (1905), Purna Chandra Majumdar writes, “Drops of reddish liquid issue from certain parts of the stone which when dried up leaves stains, perhaps due to the presence of iron. These are, however, popularly regarded as tears which have flowed ever since the Subadars of Bengal handed the dewani over to the East India Company.”

At the height of their power the nawabs of Bengal sat on a simple platform of black stone, but when they turned puppets of the British their chair of power was solid silver. Perhaps there is a lesson in there somewhere. 

source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph Online / Home> Culture / by Paromita Sen / November 28th, 2021

India: Historians recall role of Muslims in freedom struggle

Amazing Feats, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Community Involvement / Social Issues, Freedom Fighters (under research project), Leaders, World Opinion, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Coinciding 74th Independence Day on Aug. 15, scholars recollect help of Turkey to India’s national freedom struggle

Abdul Hameed Nomani, General secretary of the All India Muslim Majlis Mushawarat

New Delhi:

Celebrating country’s 74th Independence Day on Aug. 15, under the shadow of recent communal riots in capital Delhi and anti-citizenship law stir, many Indian scholars have called for recalling the role of Muslims during India’s freedom struggle.

Author and scholar Waseem Ahmed Saeed said over time, the contribution of Muslim freedom fighters in India has been forgotten.

In his book titled Kala Pani: Gumnam Mujahideen-e-Azadi 1857, Saeed said from the 1757 Battle of Plassey in Bengal, Tipu Sultan’s Seringapatam battle in South India in 1799 to the massive revolt in 1857 against the British was led by Muslims.

Saeed, who has authored a book on the subject in the Urdu language, said while India’s official history celebrates Udham Singh for killing Michael O’Dwyer, the lieutenant governor of Punjab in India, in revenge for the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar, it does not recognize Sher Ali Afridi, who killed Lord Mayo, British viceroy and governor-general of India from 1869-1872.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, many Muslim scholars and historians said the role of their ancestors in the freedom struggle has been overlooked.

According to Syed Jamaluddin, director of historical research projects at the Institute of Objective Studies, a think tank, there is no adequate coverage of the role of the Indian Muslims in the national movement.

“The contribution of Muslim revolutionaries, poets and writers is not known today. Similarly, little is known about the contribution of people like Ali Musliyar and Bi-Amma, who made significant contributions,” he told Anadolu Agency. He is currently editing a book on the Muslim role in India’s freedom struggle.

Saeed recalled in his book that it was the ruler of Bengal Siraj-ud-Daulah, who first fought and lost to the British in 1757, which became a cornerstone for the imperial power to colonize India.

He said that even after losing this battle, there were many rebellions led by Muslims until 1850.

Muslim revolts against British

Jamaluddin mentions the Fakir-Sannyasi rebellion, a joint revolt against colonial power by Muslim and Hindu ascetics, for preventing them from collecting religious tax from locals. It started in 1764 and continued until the 1850. He said the rebellion even spread its wings to southern India’s Madras (now Chennai) presidency.

But most prominent and popular movements that hit the British hard in the early 20th century in the subcontinent was the Reshmi-Rumaal Tehreek (Silk Cloth Movement) led by Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi with the help of Turkey, Germany, and Afghanistan.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, a prominent Muslim scholar Abdul Hameed Nomani said that despite his best efforts, Sindhi’s contribution has not been included in the official Indian history.

Along with an Indian prince Raja Mahender Pratap Singh, Sindhi, and Maulvi Barkatullah had established the exiled government of India in Afghanistan in 1915.

“The movement picked up around the same time when Subhash Chandra Bose [renowned Indian freedom fighter] was allying with Germany and Japan to oust the British from India. While Bose is celebrated nationwide, not much is known about Sindhi and his supporters,” said Nomani, who is also the general secretary of the All India Muslim Majlis Mushawarat, an umbrella group of prominent Muslim organizations.

It was named Silk Cloth Movement because Sindhi and other leaders used to send letters and directions to their cadres written on silk cloth.

Later, Sindhi went to Turkey and joined the country’s national struggle.

“The movement led to the formation of Indo-German-Turkish mission to encourage local tribes on the borders of Afghanistan to attack Britishers and their interests. While the key figures were arrested by the British, the movement remains a key event in the freedom history,” he added.

He said even though in 2011 the government released a postal stamp to commemorate Sindhi’s movement, there has been no vigor to record the sacrifice of Sindhi and his allies Mahmud Hasan and Husayn Ahmad.

“Only passing reference has been made about the role of Muslims in India’s national struggle,” rued Nomani.

source: http://www.aa.com.tr / Anadolu Agency / by Cheena Kapoor / August 14th, 2020

West Bengal Government Seeks GI Tag For Kohitur Mango

Business & Economy, Green Products, World Opinion, , , , , ,

WEST BENGAL :

The precious mango, so delicate that each piece has to be carefully plucked by hand and swathed in cotton, was developed in the late 18th century by the last nawab of Bengal.

New Delhi :

The West Bengal government is pushing for a GI tag for the Kohitur mango, arguably the most prized variety among the king of fruits that was ‘created’ during the reign of nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah strictly for royals only and now sells for up to Rs. 1,500 a piece.

The precious mango, so delicate that each piece has to be carefully plucked by hand and swathed in cotton, was developed in the late 18th century by the last nawab of Bengal. The mango was out of bounds for commoners with only royal orchards permitted to grow it, and only royals allowed to relish it.

Still out of reach for most, except for modern-day royals who have the means to spend, the the West Bengal government is trying to save and popularise the Murshidabad nawab’s favourite fruit all over the world and get a geographical indication (GI) tag.

“Kohitur is an exclusive variety from West Bengal. It can be only found in Murshidabad. At one time, there were 148 varieties in this district but now only 42 varieties are left. We are trying to save this variety. We have now applied for GI tag for Kohitur. Hopefully we will get it,” Gautam Roy, Deputy Director of Horticulture, Murshidabad told PTI.

The GI tag ensures that only those registered as authorised users are allowed to use the product name.

The rare and costly mango is presently on display and sold as a precious item from the state at the ongoing ‘Mango Festival” by the West Bengal government in the capital’s Janpath area.

“Legend has that, Siraj ud-Daulah, a connoisseur of mangoes, had gathered saplings of the best mangoes from all over the country for his garden in Murshidabad. He had even appointed few of his favourite mango breeders who were treated like Akbar’s Navratnas to do research and cross breed between various mangoes to create new varieties. Kohitur was created at that time and it was his favourite,” Roy stated.

The Kohitur is believed to have been created by a royal mango breeder called Hakim Ada Mohammadi, by cross breeding between a mango called Kalopahar and another variety, Roy said.

Though the Kalopahar, which  got its name from its blackish green skin, is now extinct, the Kohitur continues to grow.

But the numbers are dwindling.

According to Kohitur growers, there are only 10 to 15 growers and only 25 to 30 Kohitur trees left in Murshidabad district despite the state government’s efforts to save the mango species.

“The district has more than 200 mango orchards but this variety is found only in a few. Some of these trees are over 150 years old. One tree does not bear more than 40 fruits in a season and the trees don’t bear fruit every year, making Kohitur one of the most sought after mangoes,” said Ashabul Mondol, a mango grower.

“It is an extremely delicate mango. It is not a very commercially viable mango,” he added.

But since each mango is priced at more than Rs. 500, growers tend to earn well.

“Last season we sold each mango at Rs. 1,500 per piece in Kolkata,” Mondol said.

The fruit is so delicate that fully ripe mangoes have to be plucked by hand. They start rotting if they fall from trees or get damaged in handling.

“It is so delicate that these mangoes need to be packed or kept separately wrapped in cotton. Legend has it that the nawabs kept the mangoes dipped in honey to preserve it and increase its shelf-life,” said Roy.

To relish the royal favourite, if you can afford it, eat them the way the royals did.

According to legend, Kohitur was not sliced by metal knives but bamboo knives to get the real flavour and taste. The nawabs would then use golden toothpicks to dig in delicately.

The Union Commerce Ministry has earlier given the GI tag for the Ratnagiri and Devgad Alphonso mangoes.

source: http://www.ndtv.com / NDTV / Home> Sections> All India / Press Trust of India / June 24th, 2018