Sher Shah Suri's tomb to get new lease of life

By IANS,

Patna : The 16th century tomb of emperor Sher Shah Suri, standing in a tank filled with acidic industrial discharge and surrounded by illegally constructed buildings, is set to get a new lease of life with the Patna High Court directing the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to preserve the monument in Bihar's Rohtas district.

Sher Shah Suri

The tomb in Sasaram town, about 150 km from here, has fallen into disrepair due to years of neglect and exposure to pollution. Some parts of the monument have also been encroached upon.

On Monday, the Patna High Court directed the ASI to initiate measures to protect the monument. The court order was in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a Sasaram resident, who alleged that the state government was not taking adequate steps to preserve the tomb.

Officials said the court has asked the ASI to work in tandem with the Rohtas district administration to solve the problem of encroachment and reduce pollution of the area surrounding the monument.

"The court directed the ASI to clean silt of the water tank in which the tomb stands, make it pollution free and remove the encroachments from the tomb premises," a court official said.

The court has ordered that the ASI and the district administration should ensure that polluted water from the town does not enter the tank in which the five-storey monument stands.

Industrial discharge has made the water in the tank acidic, which is threatening the structure of the tomb.

ASI officials said the body has last year warned the state government about the ecological threats to the tomb.

It had earlier moved the Patna High Court to protect the monument by removing illegal constructions. It had also approached the district administration for revival of inlet and outlet channels of the tank, and to prevent the immersion of idols, washing of clothes and its use for bathing.

The district administration allowed the immersion of idols in the tank from 1980 after a pond in the neighbourhood dried up.

Sher Shah Suri's Tomb

"If urgent steps are not taken immediately, it would be impossible to save the stone mausoleum for future generations," an ASI official said.

"The tank's water has turned acidic. It is posing a serious threat to the mausoleum's life - it will destroy the building material and weaken the structure. It also pointed out that the tank's depth has decreased alarmingly in the last two decades," the official added.

Since 1977, illegal buildings, including Hindu temples, have been built within the mausoleum premises. However, the state says it spends about Rs.700,000 on the tomb's maintenance each year.

The historical tomb was declared a national heritage under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act (1958). The ASI took it for preservation and protection in 1938.

Suri (1472-1545) was also known as Sher Khan or the Lion King. Although his empire was short-lived, from 1539 to 1545, he left a fairly deep imprint in history.

A masjid for women in Shillong

By Anju Azad for TwoCircles.net,

North Eastern states in India are comprised of more than 213 ethnically diverse groups and communities with distinct languages, culture, and social identities different from mainland India. Women in this region enjoy greater mobility. ‘Purdah’ and caste system is not so prevalent here. Women’s participation in economic activities is quite high and the Asia’s largest women’s markets ‘Ima market’ (‘Ima Keithel’ or Mother’s Market) is situated in Imphal, Manipur. All these factors have definitely left a positive impact in the life of Muslim women of this region. But patriarchal notions predominates all the liberal values and have restricted women’s mobility even in this part of India.

Like rest of India, women’s access to public religious places like masjids is restricted by the Muslim society of North East India. Women offering prayer five times a day in mosques is a taboo in almost all societies in India. It is often preached that women world is inside the four corner of the house of her husband and she should be happy with the ‘household’ work only.

Two women take a break from their work and offering noon-prayer in the Masjid


Inside the Masjid: Covered area is meant for women to offer namaz


Men looking at the entrance of the masjid exclusively built for women to offer prayers 5 times a day, in Shillong. September 21, 2008


Finally a shoe rack – Only for women
The establishment of a masjid exclusively for women in Shillong, Meghalaya is an answer to all these stereotyping tactics against women. The Masjid was inaugurated on August 29, 2008 and about 150 women took part in prayer on the very first day. ‘It’s a gift to our mother and sisters for the Ramadan’, said Sayedullah Nongrum, MLA and Secretary of the Shillong Muslim Union since 1982. Shillong Muslim union established in 1905 took the initiative in establishing a masjid that had facility for women as well.

Shillong Muslim Union was founded by Khan Bahadur Amjad Ali with the aim of catering the religious, socio-cultural needs of muslims in the entire East Bengal from Siliguri to Cox Bazar and from Chittagong to Dibrugarh in the present Assam. After partition of India, it narrowed down its jurisdiction to Assam. When Meghalaya was created in 1972 its jurisdiction was curtailed to only Meghalaya. Sir Sayedullah, Moinul Haque Choudhury had presided this organization.

Sayedullah Nongrum, MLA and secretary of Shillong Muslim Union who initiated and mobilized members of Shillong Muslim Union to establish the masjid for women

Shillong Muslim Union has established Unshyprio College which teaches Science, Art and Commerce and is considered as one of the best ranked colleges in the city. The most impressive part of the working of this organization is that they are secular in their activities and students across all culture and religion can come and study here. In fact right now non-Muslim students have outnumbered Muslim students in this college.

Shillong Muslim Union has a women wing too called ‘Shillong Mahila Majlish’ established in 1958 with the Zubeida Ataur Rehman as the founding president. It is a socio-religious organization meant for the upliftment of the muslim women. This forum became a meeting place for muslim women in Shillong. This year the organization celebrated its golden jubilee and brought out a souvenir.

Justifying women’s access to the masjid, Nongrum said, ‘I have seen Muslim women offering prayers with great difficulty in absence of space and privacy especially while at work or when she is out of the home. Many times I offered my office room to use for offering prayers. If our women ca go to market which is considered to be the worst place for a muslim women under the Sharia, we the menfolk are not objecting to it then why not women going to a masjid and offer prayer there? Why the fanatics are objecting to it? ‘

Mr. Nongrum strongly believes that the interpretation of Islamic laws is not free from the patriarchal notion. He said ‘I don’t believe in the interpretation of the fanatics. Purdah means the inner shyness of women. If the shyness is retained she can go anywhere. There’s nothing forbidden in going to a place and offer prayer.’ He said that about 40-50 women attends prayer everyday and the number is increasing day by day. Nongrum lamented that fanatics are forbidding women to come and pray in the masjid and he challenged the fanatics and said ‘they should come here and show me the scripts which prohibits women to go to a masjid. If men and women can pray together during hajj, why not in Shillong masjid?

Women, who participated in the prayer meeting on the 29th August, 2008 expressed great satisfaction and delight over the establishment of the masjid. Syeda Mushfiqua Haque and her daughter in law said ‘when we went for the prayer, we felt that we have achieved something and it gave us satisfaction of being empowered’.

Syeda Mushfiqua Haque with her daughter in law who attended prayers in the masjid
The opening of this masjid in Shillong is a step toward gender equality. If such initiatives are taken in every field and create space for women; Muslim women in this region too can contribute to their community and society.

Muslims in Shillong struggling to make their presence felt

By Mudassir Rizwan, TwoCircles.net,

Muslims settled down in Shillong in 17th century though, they are at best still struggling to make their presence felt. With migration of Muslims from Hindi heartland including Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, the position of local Muslims have got strengthened a little in Shillong that is dominated by Christians.

The capital of Meghalaya (The Abode of Clouds) an Indian state, Shillong is located at an altitude of 1496 metres above the sea level. It was a small village until 1864, when it became the new civil station of the Khasi and Jaintia hills.

Shillong that falls in the East Khasi Hills district was made capital of Assam in 1874 and remained so till January 1974. In 1972, Shillong became the capital of the newly formed state of Meghalaya. Shillong is also called “Scotland of the East.” The highest point of the entire state is the Shillong peak whose elevation is about 1965m above sea level.

Meghalaya is a region of great scenic beauty with lush, undulating hills, fertile valleys, 250 species of orchids, meandering rivers, waterfalls, sparkling mountain streams and lakes. The state is known for its natural beauty and the simple lifestyle of its tribal people. It is also known for Cherrapunjee, the wettest place on earth, which is only 56 kms away from Shillong.

Christianity is the main religion of Shillong and Meghalaya. However, a small number of Muslims also reside in Shillong. The people here are hard-working and simple. The Muslim population of the town comprises of the Khasi, Assamese, Bengali, Hindi and Nepali speaking people.

The Umshyrpi College which have 300 Muslim students and some minority schools like Madrasa Hemayatul Islam and Islamia Secondary High School are the examples of living presence of Muslims in the city of Shillong. For centuries, Muslims have been living in peace and harmony with the majority community.

The personalities like late Syed Muhammad Sadullah, the first premier of Assam, Sir Akbar Hydari, the first governor of Assam and late Fakhruddin Ali Ahmad who became the president of India once lived in Shillong and immensely contributed to its growth and development.

The total population of Meghalaya is 2,318,822, out of which Shillong has 660,923 according to the census 2001. Muslims are roughly around 60,000 in Shillong.

TwoCircles.net talked to Sayeedullah Nongrum, Health Minister of Meghalaya, to know about Muslims in Shillong and Meghalaya. He said the total population of Muslims in Meghalaya is 300,000 (approx). The total population of Tribal Muslims in Shillong is 13,000 and non-tribal Muslims including those from Bihar and UP is 50,000 (approx). They have been struggling hard for their socio-economic development and preservation of their religious and cultural identity, said Sayeedullah Nongrum. “I am also Tribal Muslim,” said Nongrum. Some Muslims are in government job, some have business like shoemaking and meat trade. Some have their own house and some in rent. Nongrum, MLA of Raja Bala in Garo Hills district, is also the general secretary of Shillong Muslim Union. Some other Muslim MLAs in Meghalaya are Abu Tahir Mandal of Phulbari and Abdus Saleh from Mahander Ganj in Garo Hills.

Non-natives of the state cannot buy land or house in their name.

There are six mosques in the city of Shillong. They are located at Police Bazar, Laban, Laitumkhra, Garikhana, Bara Pathar and Jhalupara. There are also two graveyards located at Laban and Mawprem, and three Idgah fields at Laitumkhra, Laban and Mawprem.

There are some Muslim organisations like SIO, Shillong Muslim Union, and NGO like Seng Bhalany Islam.

Fear of epidemics looming large in flood-hit Bihar

By Mudassir Rizwan, TwoCircles.net,

Patna: Full 25 days and the Bihar government assisted by the three wings of the Indian Army is yet to reach hundreds of marooned villages while lakhs of those who could reach relief camps are now facing epidemics.

Like other natural disasters, post-Kosi River flood, hundreds of people are suffering from diarrhea, cholera and other diseases in relief camps and the government is yet to provide sufficient medical assistance and medicines to the affected people, said health officials and doctors deputed at relief camps to TwoCircles.net.

Aman Foundation, Purnia

Talking to TCN Hasibur Rahman, Saraigarh block Health Manager in Supaul said, “I don't have any idea about how much aid has been given by the government, we didn't get much facility.”

He, however, admitted that the government has provided two ambulances and provide medical aid on call. “We are also getting anti-bacteria chemicals sprayed.

Dr Vinod Kumar Paswan, a Medical Officer from Supaul, told TCN that flood-affected people are now having flood diseases like dysentery, diarrhea, cough, fever, stomach pain, etc.

Against the requirements of medical assistance to flood victims, supply is very limited and insufficient. Though the government has provided some ambulances but the medical personnel are facing problem in reaching the villages still trapped in water.

"We are facing a lot of trouble in reaching those places, yet we are going there at our risk as the government has not provided much facilities and security to us.”

TCN asked Wasi Ahmed, a medical officer in Purnia, about health situation there. He said there is a fear of break out of epidemics. Skin disease besides diarrhea is the major problem.

He told TCN about Aman, an NGO which is playing a great role in providing medical assistance to the affected people.

Aman has sent a team of doctors there and has urged All India Medical Laboratory Technologist Association to extend help to the NGO. Aman has already allotted Rs 500,000 of which Rs 1,50,000 is for medical help.

The NGO is paying doctors attending its relief camps Rs 200 per day. There are 1305 affected people in Aman’s camp where majority is of Muslims. They include 503 women, 219 boys and 173 girls. The NGO is also providing them with clothes, food and milk to the children.

They are also arranging for Iftar and Sehri.

Army in, relief & rescue operation on in flood-hit Bihar

By Tarique Anwar and Mudassir Rizwan, TwoCircles.net,

Patna: Slight drop in the water level of Kosi River which swallowed nearly 100 people, as per official figure, and displaced lakhs of others, raised a ray of hope among the survivors of a sort of tsunami in North Bihar.

The water level of Kosi and its tributaries have descended in Madhepura, Purnia, Araria, Supaul and Saharsa districts of north Bihar in the last 24 hours as water level went down by 1-3 feet. These districts have been badly affected by the sudden and unprecedented flood. Now the Army is becoming successful in reaching remote villages of the districts to rescue the stranded people.

In Madhepura flood situation has reportedly improved up to a great extent in 22 blocks of the district. More than 10 lakh people in Kumar Khand, Shankarpur, Murliganj, Ada Shankarpur, Madhepura Sadar, Gowalpara, Bahadurganj, Chausa, Alam Nagar blocks of the district are affected with the flood.

Despite decrease in water level still 2-3 feet water is running inside Madhepura town. Rescue operation is being carried out at war level with collaboration of district administration and Army in the district. Army helicopters are dropping necessary items along with food packets in the areas. People are being brought to safety in large numbers with the help of motor boats. Although more than 40 thousands of people are believed to be trapped in Madhepura district alone.

In Supaul five blocks are facing destruction caused by this devastating flood brought by Kosi River. The district administration is conducting relief operation with the help of many organizations and 2.25 lakh people have been rescued so far. More than 9 lakh people are affected by the flood. About 43 relief camps have been set up in flood affected areas.

Chief Secretary, Emergency Management Department, Raj Kumar Singh said the state was equipped to rescue 50,000 people a day and was confident of accomplishing the goal of saving all the marooned people within next three days, barring any unexpected change in the situation.

Talking to TwoCircles.net Wasi Ahmad, a health official in government of Bihar and who is actively participating in relief works in Saharsa district, said the district has never witnessed flood like this before. Nearly 70-80 lakh people are badly affected in these districts. Relief works operated by the government are not sufficient. A large section of the trapped survivors are still not getting food, clothing, drinking water and medicines. Aerial dropping is not proving very much fruitful. “We have only received 1 lakh litre mineral water, small amount of food packets and some medicines so far after arrival of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh”.

He confirmed that many social and religious organizations like Imarat Shariah, Idara Shariah, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Aman, Himalaya Kalyan Sanstha are devotedly serving the people and providing food packets, cloths, drinking water, medicines to the people trapped in the flood.

According to the latest media reports the catastrophe has created massive loss of lives, displacement of millions of people, damage of millions of hectare of standing crops, acute scarcity of drinking water especially in submerged areas, total destruction of food stocks/houses, and much more.

The districts most affected are Supaul, Madhepura, Purnia, Khagaria, Araria, Saharsa, Bhagalpur, Katihar, etc. Over 40 lakhs (4 million) people are affected and uprooted leaving their homes, property, animals, families, and everything in the districts of Supaul. Madhepura is most affected district where 11 out of 13 blocks including Madhepura town have been under 6-ft deep water. Roads, highways, rail tracks are all submerged and damaged. Therefore, the boats remain to be the only means to rescue the people, but the government has not adequate number of boats.

Those who have somehow saved their lives or been rescued are staying at nearest dry places: railway stations, school building, other such public places.

Grassroots India Trust, Labour League Foundation, SEWA and SEDEM in collaboration of several other organizations of Delhi and Bihar have decided to contribute in relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction process in Bihar. They have formed two teams of committed social development workers and volunteers for delivering the relief material to the flood victims wherever they have been staying at the moment. Their national team based at Delhi coordinates the relief work and fundraising, while the state team executes the actual relief work.

In first stage, their relief work includes quick delivery of food, temporary shelter and medicines to the flood victims. In the second stage, they will support flood victims in rehabilitation and reconstruction works.

It has appealed all the concerned to contribute as much as possible in this difficult time for people of Bihar.

Some of the organizations actively involved in flood relief operation can be contributed as follows:

Idara Shariah

Idara Shariah Relief Fund A/C No. 1045

Central Bank, Muradpur Branch, Patna

Adress for sending cheque : Nazim Aala, Idara Shariah, Ashok Raj Path, Patna-6

Phone numbers: 0933 402 4022, 0930 451 4097

Aman Foundation, Purnea

Punjab National Bank, Patna Bihar (India)

Account No.-2968000101004418

Society Pan No. - AACTAO186F

Address- Mazaffaruzzman (Secretry)

Correspondence & Admistrative office

Mohammadia House, Sajjad Colony, Khazanchi Hat,

Purnea, Bihar (India) 854301

Contact No. 9934684786, 9431284786, 9431864835, 9771712372

E-Mail: foundation.aman@gmail.com

Imarat Shariah

Cheque or draft in favour of Baitul Mal Imarat Shariah, Patna.

Address: Imarat Shariah Phulwari Sharif Patna- 801505

Phone numbers: 0612- 2555668, 2555014, 2555351.

Fax: 0612- 2555280

Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind

Draft, cheque or monery order in favour of Jamiat Relief Committee, Bihar

Adress: General Secretary, Jamiatul Ulama-e-Hind, Bihar, Jharkhand

Madani Musafirkhana, Patna Junction, Patna -01

Phone Numbers: 0612-2219525, 0943 100 9514

Grassroots India Trust/Labour League Foundation/SEWA

In Cash/Kind:
Deposit at Our Collection Centres in Delhi, Chandigarh, Shimla

By Cheque (from India):

Drawn in favour of GRASSROOTS INDIA TRUST payable at New Delhi.

Send it by post to:

Administrator, Grassroots India Trust, 301 H-51/E, A. F. Enclave, Okhla, New Delhi – 110 025 India

By Cheque (from Foreign country):

Drawn in favour of SEWA payable at New Delhi (FCRA No. 231660884).

Send it by post to:

Secretary, SEWA, BVK 3/4, New Seelampur (Brahmpuri Mod), Delhi – 110 053 India.

By direct Bank Transfer (from India):
Name of Account Holder: Grassroots India Trust
Account Number: 279010100007207
Name of Bank: AXIS Bank

Address of Bank: 18 Netaji Subhash Marg, Daryaganj, New Delhi – 110 002

SWIFT Code: CHASUS33

By direct Bank Transfer (from Foreign country):
Name of Account Holder: SEWA
Account Number: SB/CA 3092000100198100
Name of Bank: Punjab National Bank
Address of Bank: 4, L-Block, Connaught Place, New Delhi – 110 001
SWIFT Code: PUNB inbbdod

In case of any query please contact the following:

Dr. M. Mukhtar Alam, Chairman Labour League Foundation, 62A, DDA Flats, Ashok Vihar-III, Delhi – 110 052, Tel: +91-9968345380 E-mail: mukhtaralam2000@yahoo.com

Mr. H. Arjjumend, Executive Director, Grassroots India Trust, 1st Floor, Royal Apartment, J-68 A. F. Enclave, Okhla, New Delhi – 110 025, Tel: +91-9868993710 E-mail: grassrootsindiatrust@gmail.com, trust@grassroots.org.in Website: www.grassroots.org.in, www.grassrootsglobal.net

When you send a Cheque or Transfer the amount, kindly intimate through e-mail or by post to all or any of the above contacts.

A young photojournalist captures a rare thing in North Kashmir

By Reyaz Ganai, NAK

Baramulla : He (Allah) is ubiquitous so are His signs and names. This was evident when a young photographer in Kashmir’s North district of Baramulla caught glimpses of the word ALLAH formed by clouds.

It is said that Photography is all about being at the right place at the right time and a similar thing happened to the young photo journalist.

Showkat Nanda, a young photographer, who happened to catch the glimpse of Word Allah after flashing a glimpse towards sky.

It was around 12 noon when the photographer observed an extraordinary pattern being formed in the sky, Showkat told NAK.

"When I took a glance at the sky, it was something unique to capture, as I saw an indiscernible pattern of clouds forming word ALLAH. I was really surprised and I observed it for a while and continued to click with my camera," Showkat Nanda, hailing from North Kashmir's Baramulla town told News Agency of Kashmir.

Pointing finger towards the word ALLAH, people recited the verses of the Holy Quran, uttering graciousness of Almighty ALLAH.

Hindu students of Quran

By Mudassir Rizwan, TwoCircles.net,

Patna: Madrasa Madinat-ul Islam is just like any other Madarsa in India. But a few students make this Madarsa different and very special. These students are Ashish Vidyarthi and Hemlata. They are the children of Mr. Dilip Kumar Chaudhury, an Indian Railway employee.

Ashish is 6-years-old and Hemlata is 9-years-old. They are studying the Holy Quran and the Urdu language at Madarsa Madinat-ul-Islam. It is situated in Khagaul, near Danapur Railway Station, Patna, Bihar. They are also studying in a local English medium School. Hemlata is studying in class IV and Ashish in class I. Their hectic schedule begins in the early hours of the morning. They return from school by 1 pm and after short break they head to the Madarsa immediately. They complete their studies in Madarsa by 4 pm. Their school teachers have pointed out to Mr. Chadhuri that the Madarsa education will put extra burden on Hemlata and Ashish. Mr. Chaudhri’s reply to the teachers was that any suffering in search of knowledge should be appreciated.


Ashish Vidyarthi and Hemlata

In an Interview with TwoCircles.net, Hemlata said "I was learning The Holy Quran to understand Islam and striving to be a Hafiza (female who memorize whole Quran) because I wanted to get enriched with all kinds of knowledge. She added that acquiring knowledge of any religion is a good practice."

She also mentioned that some of the neighbors had objected and remarked about studying in a Madarsa. They are continuing at the Madarsa due to their parents's strong motivation and support. Initially school friends used to ask Hemlata, why are you studying the Quran? In her elegant response she asked, why you are studying Hindi or English in school? Now school friends are very co-operative and understanding. Neighboring Muslims have empathy with them and are happy that they being Hindu are learning the Quran.

Presently she is reciting Aampara (30th Part of the Quran) and has completed Urdu Quaida, Yasarnal Quran. Younger brother, Ashish has started with Urdu Qaida.



Madarsa teacher Hafiz Mohammed Azmat Hussain appreciated the fact that Hemlata and Ashish are intelligent and able to memorize whatever they are taught in the Madarsa with ease, so they do not have to spend much time revising at home. He added she has a strong will to acquire knowledge. Other students of Madarsa are also supportive of Hemlata and Ashish.


Ashish Vidyarthi and Hemlata with parents

When father Dilip Kumar Chaudhry was asked about his motive behind enrolling his children in the Madarsa, he replied, "I was always attracted to the Quran from childhood as I had seen my father's close friend teaching the Quran". He added, I want my children to do well in life by gaining knowledge of different kinds of education especially from the Quran.


When reminded about media reports of terrorism and extremism being taught in Madarsa. He rejected this allegation and added this is not true, “Madarsas provide education like any other educational institution, they teach about Islam, justice, truth, service to humanity and love, not terrorism". He added, “Madarsas are being wrongly projected by the Media.”

This Madarsa is supervised by Maulana Mohammed Amanullah Qadri and it is run with the help of donations given by local people. There are 11 teachers and about 130 students presently studying here and the management has plans to provide modern education to its student in future.

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