AZAMGARH, Uttar Pradesh

Main Attraction: ALLAMA SHIBLI NOMANI

When we think of Allama Shibli Nomani, the couplet of Allama Iqbal is suddenly remembered–Hazaro Sal Nargis Apni Benoori Pe Roti Hai; Badi Mushkil Se Hota Hai Chaman Mein Deedawar Paida. Allama Shibli Nomani has shown his talents in every field of literature. He was a writer, poet, historian, critic, educationist, philospher and revolutionary. He was a great scholar of modern as well as ancient education. His keen derive was that Indian youth especially those muslims whose cause of backwardness was lack of modern education they should learn ancient as well as modern education, and join the main stream of modern India.

Allama Shibli was born on 2nd June 1857 in village Bindwal of Azamgarh. It was the same day on which revolutionaries of Azamgarh broke the gate of jail and started the fight freedom. Perhaps it was the effect of this that till 18 Nov. 1914 which was the last day of Allama Shibli’s life, he fought with the British imperialism in every field. His father was among top lawyer of Azamgarh, his one brother was lawyer at High Court, Allahabad;the other one brother was educated in England and the youngest brother became judge. Obviously his whole family was highly educated & prosperous.

Allama Shibli learned Arabic and Persian and shined like Sun on the horizon of Islamic studies and illuminated with his rays not only India but also other islamic countries. After being impressed by Allama’s knowledge Khalipha of turkey honoured him with “Tamghai Majidia”. This medal is awarded to one of the most learned personality of Islamic Studies. British Government also awarded him with the great world level title of education ‘Shamsul Ulema’. Despite of such big honours Allama Shibli did not forget his place, and established an institution named National School which is situated in Purwanchal and now known as Shibli National College.This institution is of national fame. He was instrumental in establishment of the institutes like Madarasa-ul-Islah and Nadawatul Ulema. He remained the Chairman of Education Board of Hyderabad.

The main books authored by Allama Shibli Nomani are as follows:-

Siratun Nabi – which is translated in many languages of world.

Al Farooq, Al Mamoon, Al Ghazali, Sirat-un-Naman, Al Kalam,

Sawaneh Maulana Room, Muwazana AMS Dabir and Sherul a Jam,

In capacity of Secretary of Nadwatul Ulema, he rose the institute to international level. He started the publication of monthly magazine ‘Al Nadwa’ whose sub editor was Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Allama Shibli was its patron himself. Under his supervision Maulana Azad got the fame as great author. This great son of India died on 18th Nov. 1914.

Brief History

Raja Azam Khan was the son of Bikramajit from his Muslim wife, and it was Azam Khan who founded the town of Azamgarh in 1665 A.D. which is the name of the headquarters town of the district. Azamgarh one of the easternmost districts of the state, once formed a part of the ancient Kosala kingdom, except the north eastern part of it which was included in the kingdom of Malla. Kosala figured prominently among the four powerful monarchies of Northern India during the time of the Buddha, when its prosperity reached its zenith.

Practically nothing is known about the early history of the district. Although many large deserted sites, forts and tanks can be seen in every tahsil but little legends are attached to their builders. The early history of the district can be traced only from the extant antiquities. According to the traditions former occupants of the district were Bhars or Rajbhars, Soeris and Cherus.

According to a local tradition, the country of the Bhars, which was included in the kingdom of Ayodhya in Rama's time, was occupied by Rajbhars and Asuras. A Rajbhar chief named Asildeo lived at Dihaduar in pargana Mahul, of tahsil Phulpur of the district; and the old tanks and mounds at that place are said to be signs of his power. According to another tradition, Parikshit, the eldest son of Kuru, once occupied the tract, now called Nizamabad and the old Kot at Anwank, near which a battle was fought between him and the Muhammadans. It is supposed that the headquarters of the Bhars may have been in Pargana Bhadaon, which is said to have been called Bharaon originally and were called after them; and the Bhar power may have extended over the parts of Sikandarpur both this pargana and Bhadaon having been formerly the parganas of Azamgarh. Traditions of the soeries are to be found only in pargana Deogaon. Chiriakot is associated with the Cherus, the name being locally derived from Cheru and Kot, a fort. A tradition also gives some support to the belief that the district was included in the ancient kingdom of Ayodhya.

The Suryavanshi dynasty founded by Manu is the earliest known dynasty of the district. The decline and fall of this dynasty was brought about by the victorious campaigns led by Pururvas, Nahusa and Yayati of the Chandravanshi dynasty and some of Manu's sons. Pururvas was succeeded by Ayu at Prathistana and Ayu was followed by a famous king Nahush. The district appears to have been under his authority, for a mound, locally known as 'Nahusa Ka Tila' in tahsil Ghosi shows its association with king Nahusa. His son and successor Yayati is mentioned in Puranas and Mahabharata as a Samrat. Ayodhya rose to prominence under many famous kings like Mandhata, Sagar, Dilip II, Raghu and Rama of Ikshvaku dynasty. After six or seven generation from Bhagirath, Dilip II reestablished the single monarchy, and during his days Ayodhya emerged into prominence and acquired the name Kosala. The above account is based on tradation, from sixth century onwards. We have evidence for the reconstruction of its more authentic history.

Of the sixteen Mahajanpadas of Buddha's time, Mahajanpada Malla touched entire left bank of Ghaghara and there are reasons to believe that it was extended also to the right bank of that river. In the district there is a small tract of land locally known as Malana i.e. the territory of Mallas. In the beginning of the fifth centuary B.C. Haryankas of Magadh came to power under Bimbsar and Ajatsatru. After the fierce battle between Prasenjit and Ajatsatru Kosala janpada, which was also included in the Azamgarh district, submerged in the rising tide of Magadhan imperialism. Ajatsatru who had seized the throne by murdering his father Bimbsar, became the founder of the supremacy of Magadh. Ajatsatru and Prasenjit were the contemporaries of the Buddha.

Mahapadmananda, the son of Mahanandin, the last Sisunaga king and the founder of the Sudra dynasty, defeated and destroyed the far famed Kshatriya families, such as the Pauravas, the Ikshvakus and Pradyotas who were ruling in Kausambi, Kosala and Avanti and established the empire which included the greater part of northern India including this district. Mallas also accepted his suzerainty. (Ghananand, One of his sons named was on the throne in 326 B.C. when Alexandar the great was obliged, by unwillingness of his army, to abondon his scheme of attacking the eastern nations, then united the hegemony of Magadh) Soon after Alexander's retirement from India this suzarainty passed from the Nandas to Mauryas.

Chandragupta Maurya ascended on throne of Magadh by uprooting the Nanda dynasty about 326 B.C. Chandragupta Maurya and Bindusara ruled for nearly half a century and in 273 B.C. the throne of Magadh passed on to Asoka, who later became one of the most zealous propagator's of the gospel of the Buddha. Azamgarh was under his rule upto 232 B.C.After the fall of Mauryas, Pushyamitra Sunga, the founder of the Sunga dynasty, came into power and this district came under his rule. The ten kings of the Sunga dynasty ruled for a period of 112 years (185-73 B.C) Pushyamitras power over this region, including this district, is attested by inscription found at Ayodhya, describing him as the lord of Ayodhya. The history of the distirct is confused upto the period of the Kushanas. Later on Guptas conquered this region and annexed it to their empire. This district came under the Gupta rule in 4th century A.D. during the reign of Chandragupta II. The district fell within the kingdom first of the Maurayas and then of Guptas dynasty whose remains have been found on all sides.

Some four hundreds year later Azamgarh appears to have been included in the great Hindu Kingdom of Kanauj, for a sanskrit incription engraved on a stone pillar, found at Dabhaon in pargana Deogaon bears the name of Govinda Chandra and is dated Samvat 1201 viz. 1164 A.D. this chieftain however probably did not reign after 1152 A.D. so it appears that the description must have been setup after his death. The district then passed together with the neighbouring country into the hands of Muslim Conquerors and it is with their advent on the seem that authentic history begins. Details however are very short. It may be presumed from the analogy of other districts what caused the Rajput tribes to leave their home and seek new ones elsewhere. The Rajputs were followed in turn by the Muslims, and although few of the Muslims families in the district carry back their descent beyond the time of the Jaunpur sultans, it is probable that some muslims had settled in even before. The occupation of Mitlupur, (from which pargana Qanat Mitlu derives its name) by Malik Mitlu of Bahrozpur and of other places by other rulers whose names and tombs are still preserved, was according to tradition and probably also infect intencedent to the time of Sharqi Kingdom.

Subsequently when a second expedition was made in 1359 against Sultan Sikander, the son of Shamsuddin, Feroz shah was compelled by reason of the rains to halt at Zafarabad. There he was impressed with the suitability of banks of Gomati, where the road crosses the river, for the location of one of the cities which he had a mind to build. Orders were accordingly given for its construction and thus between the years 1359 and 1364 A.D. The famous city of Jaunpur came into existence which for a long lime remained the seat of Muslim Power in this portion of the country. The fact that, this power was consolidated over Azamgarh. About the time is confirmed by the discovery of Persian incription on a stone slab which once belonged to a mosque. In 1526 when Ibrahim Lodi was over thrown by Baber at Panipat, the Afghans fled across the Ghaghara in the direction of Lucknow.

Azamgarh continued under the control of Baber and his successors. There is a sanskrit inscription on a stone, in the town of Azamgarh dated 1553 A.D. through which information is gathered that in the territorial administration of Akbar the whole district of Azamgarh with the single exception of pargana Bethabans, fell within the sarkar of Jaunpur and the suba of Allahabad. Azamgarh is the native place of Mahrshi Dewal, Durvasa and Dattatrey. The district has given us so many intellectuals like Iqbal, Shibli and Kaifi in Urdu literature and Acharya Chandrabali Pandey, Ram Charitra Upadhyaya, Shantipriya Dwivedi in Hindi.

Brave brigadier Usman, and Saudagar Singh are associated with this district. The military garrison at Azamgarh in May 1857 consisted of 17th native infantry, although they were under suspicions of disloyalty, even then, on June 3rd Company of 17th infantry was sent to Azamgarh with 5 lakh rupees in their charge. The company held a seditious meeting and declared the teasure should never leave the station and shot down the quarter master Lewis and at the same time Amar Senani Kunwar Singh defeated British army in Atraulia.

The people of the district had taken part actively in all freedom struggle movements moved by the Mahatma Gandhi and other freedom fighters for freedom from the British Empire. After the Second World War, the awaited time for freedom had come and on the 15th August 1947, India, along with the district got independence from British rule after a long time struggle.