Karbala Nawabganj-Abode of Messengers of Imam Husain’s Daughter in Kanpur(India)
By Prof.Mazhar Naqvi
Nawabganj Badi Karbala
in Kanpur is perhaps the only shrine dedicated to Hazrat Imam Husain on the
banks of holy Ganges with the unique distinction of being the abode of his
daughter’s messengers in India. Although it is not that much popular as is the
case with shrines such as ‘Husain Tekri’ (Ratlam), Najaf-E-hind Jogirampura
(Bijnor), Dargah Hazrat Abbas (Lucknow and Baghra) but it surely enjoys
considerable reverence among ‘Kanpurites’(denizens of Kanpur) who throng at
Karbala in large number on every Thursday and Sunday to offer prayers at a
newly commissioned ‘Zarih Mubarak’ that
is exact replica of Imam Husain’s shrine at Karbala in Iraq.
Another feature that
makes Badi Karbala Nawabganj unique in the whole world is its association with
‘Nishan-E-Paig’ procession. Taken out by thousands of Paigees’ as a part of
Muharram ceremonies every year, Nishan-E-Paig
is basically an ‘Alam’ (Standard)
and it symbolizes the messengers of Imam’s daughter Janab-E-Sughra
(Qasid-E-Husain).She was left behind by Imam in Medina due to illness and not
present at the battle of Karbala where Husain was martyred with three days
hunger and thirst in along with his small band of companions on 10th
muharram in 680 AD.
Administration has to make elaborate security arrangements for the peaceful
passing out the Nishan-E-Paig procession as over 1.5 lakhs Paikees with bells
ringing around their waists and holdings swords in hands take part in it on
Shab-E-Ashura(9th night of Muharram and known in common language as
‘Qatl –Ki- Raat’. Nowhere else such a massive procession is taken out and
people watch ‘Paikees’ with a sense of amazement and disbelief when they
emerged out of Badi Karbala with their flower decked ‘Nishan’ under the
leadership of their caliph Janab Shakeel to visit Imambaras and Imamchowks
located in different parts of the city to recite Fatiha. They run around
barefoot for days ahead of the Yaum-e-Ashura(10th day of Muharram), to
commemorate the martyrdom of the Prophet’s grandson Husain. Dressed in green
and black, these youths don’t take rest or lie down after their ‘Kamarbandi’
(tying of ropes around their waist with bells) and some of them desert their
homes during till Ashura.
Paigees had also driven out British forces
under the leadership of their ‘Khalifa’ Idris Pahalwan in 1857. After Shahar
Qazi and Khalifa Idris decided to extend support to Nana Saheb ,Begum Hazrat
Mahal and Azimullah Khan in their cause to drive British out of India on 1st
Muharram 1857 ,Paigees launched a whole hearted attack on British forces and
echo of their ringing bells and slogan shouting ’Ya Ali’ sent shiver down the spines of their
opponents.
Several legends
surround the origin of ‘Paigi’ procession. Present Khalifa describes it as over
200 years old. The claim seems to be genuine as Kanpur was declared as a
district in 1803 but British had started settling down here as early as 1773 by
shifting their forces from Bilgram under the treaty with Nawab Shuja-Ud-Daula.
Though no documentary evidence is available, it is generally believed that the
tradition was started by ‘Biharis’ after they arrived in Kanpur in search of employment
and settled here.
The Paigi derives its
origin from the word ‘Paigham’ (Message) and claim that their ancestors had
reached Karbala on the appeal of Hazrat Sughra but Imam had attained martyrdom
before their arrival. Hence, they called themselves as Messengers of Hazrat
Sughra. They assemble at Badi Karbala as it existed before the beginning of
procession.
The origin of shrine
shrouds in mystery. It is believed that affluent nobles of Shamsabad (Farrukhabad
District) had contributed to its initial construction. One prominent family of Shamsabad a farman(Royal
Order) of Shah Jahan (1628–1658) granting their ancestors a number of villages.
Moreover, some Naqvi Syed families of
Mohalla Syedwada of town claim that the
graves in the Shahl(Royal) mosque in ‘Kot’ are of their ancestors, Syed Salem
and others who accompanied Shams Uddin
Iltitmish(1212).Thus, settlement of the lovers of ‘Ahle-Bait’ in Shamsabad in
early 13th century gives support to the legend that Nawabganj Karbala is one of
the oldest in North India .
A noteworthy family to settle finally at
Shamsabad in 1838 is the branch of the ‘Safavi’ Kings of Iran (1502–1736). They
migrated to India after the overthrow of dynasty by Nadir Shah in 1737.It is
members of this family who are believed to have granted financial aid in the
early construction of a simple shrine. It is a popular belief that the spot
where Karbala now stands was dense forest and once water
sprouted from a ‘khoh’( small den) that appeared suddenly and soon people who
witnessed the miracle associated with Imam Husain. ’Khoh’ still exists next to
shrine covered with glass now and people mostly pray for the fulfillment of
their wish around it. The managing committee has built a cemented square
platform around ‘Khoh’ of three feet height and it is no longer possible to see
or fetch water from ‘Khoh’-a practice that was very common three decades ago.
About ten years ago,
the simple shrine was demolished to pave way for the construction of a
magnificent mausoleum crowned with a huge dome. The new structure has almost
been completed with the donations given by people from all sections of society
and now an impressive entrance through a huge gateway is being built opposite
the steps leading to the shrine. Apart from the main shrine, Karbala also
contains an old Baradari built of fine bricks and a well with ‘Alam’ (standard)
of Hazrat Abbas fixed on it. Baradari is used to hold Majlises before the
burial of dead bodies on the land adjacent to main shrines and used as
graveyard since the inception of Karbala. Saeedul Hasan Naqvi alias Baba,
perhaps the only trilingual journalist, Poet and Nazim-E-Mushaira of
International fame, Syed Ahmad Mehndi ‘Jugnoo’ ,Ladley, founder of the most
popular alam procession of 9th Muharram and descendants of Awadh
Nawabs are eminent among those who lie
buried at Karbala.
Since the construction
of new and enhanced complex, Karbala has started playing host to some major
programs introduced few years back to
commemorate the martyrs of Karbala. Of late, ‘Atthara(18) Bani Hashim’ has
earned tremendous popularity. People from far flung places visit Karbala to
witness the ‘Tabuts’(Coffins) taken out in memory of 18 martyrs of Bani Hashim
clan. Devotees shed tears and cry hysterically upon seeing
‘Tabuts’.’Yaum-e-Rasul is another program that is being organized regularly for
couple of years under the aegis of Maulana Kalbe Jawwad fans’ Association.
Women also converge in large number to commemorate the death anniversary of
Bibi Fatima every year while on the first Thursday of Islamic month Rajab,
Anjumans (Religious outfits) take out alam processions in the memory of Karbala
martyrs.
Badi(Large) Karbala is
not used much by devotees for burial of Tazias and ‘Zaris’ as majority of
Muharram processions terminate at ‘Choti(Small) Karbala’ in Gwaltoli having
more space and land adjacent to tomb of Prime Minister of Awadh Nawab Mutmudaula Bahadur Agha Meer during the regime of King Ghazi-
Uddin-Haider. But it is known as Choti (small) Karbala in view of the existence
of Badi Karbala much before the arrival of Agha Meer and discovery of holy
water there.(The author is a heritage management expert and culture activist
with deep interest in the history of Kanpur.)
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| Ganga Barrage near to Nawabganj Karbala |
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