Hallaur
Encyclopedia
Hallaur or Haloor is a town or a big village in the north India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

n state of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...

, situated near the banks of Rapti river. Residents of Hallaur are referred as Hallauri.

The Place of Rizvi
Rizvi
Rizvi or Rizavi is the Urdu pronunciation for the Persian surname Razavi or the Arabic surname Radawi/Ridhawi. It is a surname commonly associated with Shia Muslims who believe they are the descendants of the 8th Shiite Imam and a descendant and successor of Prophet Mohammad through his daughter...

 Syed
Syed
Syed is a masculine given name derived from the title Sayyid, it is not to be confused with the similar looking name Sayid...

 (Sayyid
Sayyid
Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,...

). The name was derived from Chapter Hal-ata (Al-Insan
Al-Insan
Sūrat al-Insān or Sūrat al-Dahr is the 76th sura of the Qur'an with 31 ayat . The name means soul or human.76:01 Has there not been a period in Time, when the Man was not even that thing worthy of remembering/mention? [76:01]...

) of Holy Quran by Meer Syed Shah Abdur Rasool (Meera Baba). The place has a post office with PIN 272191 and homeopathic and Ayurvedic dispensaries and maternity home run by State government. Bhatangwan village was merged into Hallaur and De-facto became a part of Hallaur.

It is 44 kilometers northwest of Siddharthnagar district and 44 kilometers north of Basti
Basti, Uttar Pradesh
Basti is a town and a municipal board in Basti district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Geography:LOCATION & BOUNDARIES:- The district lies between the parallels of 26° 23' and 27° 30' North and Latitude and 82° 17' and 83° 20' East longitude. Its maximum length from north to south is about...

 district headquarters, neighboring Domariaganj
Domariaganj
Domariaganj is a town and tehsil of Siddharthnagar district in eastern Uttar Pradesh. It is largely Agrahari populated area.Dumariyaganj is politically very undeveloped area.-Geography:Domariaganj is located at...

 its headquarters. Its one of the biggest village of the district and hence sometimes because of its vast area is referred as a town by local people of Siddhartha Nagar. Hallaur bazaar, a weekly Shopping Market is the backbone of all trading activities of the area. The bazaar was established in the year 1882 by Meer Akber Husain a prominent figured Landlord and elderly person of old Gorakhpur
Gorakhpur
Gorakhpur is a city in the eastern part of the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, near the border with Nepal. It is the administrative headquarters of Gorakhpur District and Gorakhpur Division. Gorakhpur is one of the proposed capitals of the Purvanchal state which is yet to be formed...

 district. Hallaur is considerably a known place in literacy and other infrastructural developments in entire district. Hallaur came into light after the advent of Meer Syed Shah Abdul Rasool (Meera Baba) who is believed to have been migrated from the area of Tous
Tous, Iran
Tus also spelled as Tous, Toos or Tūs, is an ancient city in the Iranian province of Razavi Khorasan. To the ancient Greeks, it was known as Susia...

 Persian city Mashhad
Mashhad
Mashhad , is the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia Muslim world. It is also the only major Iranian city with an Arabic name. It is located east of Tehran, at the center of the Razavi Khorasan Province close to the borders of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Its...

 to propagate real Islam in this part of world. Many Shiites of central Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

 took refuge in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

 and Syed Nizam Mashhadi forefather of Meer Shah Abdul Rasool (Meera Baba) was prominent one. In later period (after two hundred years from arrival of Meera Baba) few people settled in village Pandri, a remote area of Gonda
Gonda District
Gonda is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh, India. Gonda is the district headquarters, and also the administrative centre for the Devipatan Division....

 district started coming Hallaur. However the claim that Pandri Clan is related to Meera Baba is yet to be established and testified. Other relatives of Pandri Clan were settled in Sisai, Piraila, Bhuigawan, Bangawan, Pokhra, Anduan ,bagahwa etc., later migrated from their native places and settled in Hallaur within last 75 years.

One of the All time great Legendary Urdu Poet of Hallaur Allamah
Allamah
An Allamah , also spelled Allameh and Allama, is an honorary title carried by only the very highest scholars of Islamic thought, jurisprudence, and philosophy....

 Samar Hallauri has described Hallaur in following lines written by him:
English Translation:

History

Some Six centuries ago, a Noble Family of Sayyid
Sayyid
Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,...

s, migrated from the Holy City of Mashhad
Mashhad
Mashhad , is the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia Muslim world. It is also the only major Iranian city with an Arabic name. It is located east of Tehran, at the center of the Razavi Khorasan Province close to the borders of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Its...

 (Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...

) to India during the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire ,‎ or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...

 period. In stages, one of the descendants of Syed Meer Shah Nizam Mashhadi came and settled down to an uninhabited and undeveloped area in the Himalayan Valley near the Northern border of India. Syed Meer Shah Abdur Rasool the descendant of Syed Nizam Mashhadi later came to be known as “Meera Baba”. Meera means Syed and Baba means an elderly person or a father. He was a devout Twelver Shiite. He had his lineage from the 9th Shiite Imam Muhammad al-Taqi
Muhammad al-Taqi
Muhammad al-Taqī or Muhammad al-Jawād was the ninth of the Twelve Imams of Twelver Shi'ism. His given name was Muhammad ibn ‘Alī ibn Mūsā, and among his titles, al-Taqī and al-Jawād are the most renowned...

 al Jawwad. It is a notable authenticated fact that all Sayyids known as Razavi, Rizvi
Rizvi
Rizvi or Rizavi is the Urdu pronunciation for the Persian surname Razavi or the Arabic surname Radawi/Ridhawi. It is a surname commonly associated with Shia Muslims who believe they are the descendants of the 8th Shiite Imam and a descendant and successor of Prophet Mohammad through his daughter...

 or Ridawi are actually Taqawi Sayyids, Rizvi Sayyids are the direct descendants of Imam Muhammad al-Taqi
Muhammad al-Taqi
Muhammad al-Taqī or Muhammad al-Jawād was the ninth of the Twelve Imams of Twelver Shi'ism. His given name was Muhammad ibn ‘Alī ibn Mūsā, and among his titles, al-Taqī and al-Jawād are the most renowned...

 al Jawwad, an eighth descendant of Prophet Mohammad and ninth Twelver Shiite Imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...

. Imam Ali al Reza also known as Al Imam Ali al-Rida
Ali al-Rida
‘Alī ibn Mūsā al-Rizā was the seventh descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the eighth of the Twelve Imams, according to Shia sect of Islam...

 had no son other than Imam Muhammad al-Taqi
Muhammad al-Taqi
Muhammad al-Taqī or Muhammad al-Jawād was the ninth of the Twelve Imams of Twelver Shi'ism. His given name was Muhammad ibn ‘Alī ibn Mūsā, and among his titles, al-Taqī and al-Jawād are the most renowned...

 al Jawwad. If at all he had other sons than Imam Muhammad al-Taqi
Muhammad al-Taqi
Muhammad al-Taqī or Muhammad al-Jawād was the ninth of the Twelve Imams of Twelver Shi'ism. His given name was Muhammad ibn ‘Alī ibn Mūsā, and among his titles, al-Taqī and al-Jawād are the most renowned...

, then their offspring should have been called Ridawi, Rizvi or Razavi Sayyids. But Since Imam Ali al Reza came to Iran and died in Tous
Tous, Iran
Tus also spelled as Tous, Toos or Tūs, is an ancient city in the Iranian province of Razavi Khorasan. To the ancient Greeks, it was known as Susia...

 many descendants of his son Imam Muhammad al-Taqi
Muhammad al-Taqi
Muhammad al-Taqī or Muhammad al-Jawād was the ninth of the Twelve Imams of Twelver Shi'ism. His given name was Muhammad ibn ‘Alī ibn Mūsā, and among his titles, al-Taqī and al-Jawād are the most renowned...

 were also called Rizvis. Rizvis are from the children of Imamzadah Musa al Mubarraqa
Musa al Mubarraqa
Musa al Mubaraqqa was the son of ninth Twelver Shia Imam Mohammad al-Taqi al Jawwad and the younger brother of tenth Shiite Imam Ali al-Hadi. He is known to be the ancestor of those Sayyids who use the title of his grandfather and eight Shiite Imam Ali al-Reza or al-Rida as their surnames. All...

, the son of Imam Muhammad al-Taqi
Muhammad al-Taqi
Muhammad al-Taqī or Muhammad al-Jawād was the ninth of the Twelve Imams of Twelver Shi'ism. His given name was Muhammad ibn ‘Alī ibn Mūsā, and among his titles, al-Taqī and al-Jawād are the most renowned...

 al Jawwad whose tomb is located in Chihil Akhtaran graveyard in Qom
Qom
Qom is a city in Iran. It lies by road southwest of Tehran and is the capital of Qom Province. At the 2006 census, its population was 957,496, in 241,827 families. It is situated on the banks of the Qom River....

 city of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...

. Shahzada Ahmad was the son of Musa al Mubarraqa
Musa al Mubarraqa
Musa al Mubaraqqa was the son of ninth Twelver Shia Imam Mohammad al-Taqi al Jawwad and the younger brother of tenth Shiite Imam Ali al-Hadi. He is known to be the ancestor of those Sayyids who use the title of his grandfather and eight Shiite Imam Ali al-Reza or al-Rida as their surnames. All...

, his tomb is also in Chihil Akhtaran besides his father's tomb. Direct Descendants of these personalities are Rizvi Sayyids, Sabzevar
Sabzevar
Sabzevar is a city in, and the capital of Sabzevar County, in Razavi Khorasan Province in northeastern Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 208,172, in 57,024 families.It is approximately 220 kilometres west of Mashhad, the provincial capital...

 was the inhabited land of Rizvis in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...

 before their migration to Indian subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...

.

Meera Baba's tomb is in the heartland of Hallaur and old natives of Hallaur who regard him as their ancestor revere him a lot. Every year birth anniversary of Meera Baba is celebrated and attended huge number of people. Besides a huge gathering pay their homage and recite verses of Holy Quran at his tomb daily especially on every Thursday. As per historical evidences Mughal Emperor Alamgir II
Alamgir II
Aziz-ud-din Alamgir II was the Mughal Emperor of India from 3 June 1754 to 29 November 1759. He was the son of Jahandar Shah....

 visited Hallaur and he was so much impressed by Meera Baba's history that he gifted seven villages to Meera Baba's descendants settled there. Shah Abdur Rasool Trust is still functional in Hallaur. The trust (trustee must be the eldest son of Meera Baba's family) is responsible for maintenance of Bada Imambargah, maintenance of tomb of Meera Baba, organizing anniversaries etc. Day of Ashura
Day of Ashura
The Day of Ashura is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram.It is commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10...

 procession on 10th Moharram, mourning procession of 7th Moharram and similar other processions are organized by the trust (Waqf) round the year from the grants released by Shia Central Waqf Board in favor of Waqf Shah Alamgir II
Alamgir II
Aziz-ud-din Alamgir II was the Mughal Emperor of India from 3 June 1754 to 29 November 1759. He was the son of Jahandar Shah....

.

It has been said by the local Hallauris that Meer Shah Abdur Rasool faced hard-hitting confrontation from the Magicians settled in Hallaur who were known as “Tharus”. The Tharus asked Meera Baba to prove himself being a true Syed and show some miracle against their magical performances. Meera Baba once brushing his teeth with a Reetha stick sowed the same in the land within the premises of Today’s Jama Masjid of Hallaur. Within a fraction of few days a plant was grown from that place. That miraculous tree is still alive at the entrance of Jama Masjid. Hallauris keep the leaves of that tree as trophy. All Hallauris believe that as long as Meera Baba is in Hallaur, this a secured place. Apart from this Meera baba confronted Tharus with another miracles like asking wall to walk as he was riding it, asking a virgin cow to give milk etc. Tharus later left Hallaur and it's believed that they migrated to Bengal part of India or to the neighboring country Nepal crossing the Rapti River where the Tharus are still in existence. This area was named Hallaur. It is a prominent place near Domariaganj
Domariaganj
Domariaganj is a town and tehsil of Siddharthnagar district in eastern Uttar Pradesh. It is largely Agrahari populated area.Dumariyaganj is politically very undeveloped area.-Geography:Domariaganj is located at...

 in District of Siddharthnagar of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...

 in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. Generally the natives of this area are small Landlords and Agriculturist by profession but since generations have also become highly educated and can be found in all walks of life, they have entered in other professions as well. Many educated Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers Businessmen, Teachers and Corporate Professionals can be found in Hallaur or outside Hallaur who are of Hallauri Origin. But most of the professionals are found either in big cities or in other countries. Generally they visit Hallaur on few occasions if they are married to a Hallauri Syedani [Syed Lady]. Hallaur was actively involved in first war of Indian Independence. Begum Hazrat Mahal
Begum Hazrat Mahal
Begum Hazrat Mahal , also known as Begum of Awadh, was the first wife of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah.-Queen of Awadh:Her maiden name was Muhammadi Khanum and she was born at Faizabad, Awadh, India. She was a courtesan by profession and had been taken into the royal harem as a Khawasin, after being sold by...

 of Awadh
Awadh
Awadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...

 who was also Shiite, took refuge on her way towards Nepal when she was being chased by British Army. Her small contingent with the help of local people ambushed British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 contingent and assassinated two British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 officers. The memorial/tomb of those officers are near Ekgharwa village (at that time there was only one house in that village). Hallauris faced regime's hostility and were subjected to punishment for their support in war of Independence by British Army.

Demographics

As per Official figure of the Census held in India in year 2001, Hallaur has a population of approximately 6000 people with very close proportion of 50-50 percent men & women of entire population. However, after amalgamation of neighboring Bhatangwa village with that of Hallaur, now Bhatangwa is part of Hallaur and with that Hallaur has an estimated total population of approximately 18000 to 20,000 people including those of the adjoining areas and newly merged village into Hallaur. Residents of Hallaur are referred as Hallauris. Most of the Hallauris practice the Shia Islam religion with considerable population of other faiths such as Sunni muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and a dozen of Christians. Christians also have their missionary School and Hospital named as St. Thomas on Highway No. 26 of Hallaur.

Most of the Hallauri Muslims are Twelver Shiites . Around 85% of entire population is Muslim out of which more than 90% Shiites are from the Syed families , they are predominantly devout Shias. Other 15% of population has Buddhists and Dalits, Hindus and Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...

 population.

The Dalits settled in Hallaur have decades old history of being persecuted by the upper caste Hindus during the British rule even years after independence Caste system in India
Caste system in India
The Indian caste system is a system of social stratification and social restriction in India in which communities are defined by thousands of endogamous hereditary groups called Jātis....

 prevailed. They were granted permission by Syed Landlords to settle down with their families in Hallaur along with that they were also provided with free land for their shelter by the local Landlords of Hallaur. A separate locality of Dalits still exists in Hallaur on the land provided by Syeds.

Dalits being the persecuted and most downtrodden community not only in Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...

 but in entire India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

 still respect the Hallauri Syeds for coming to their rescue at a time when they were chased down by the local upper caste Hindus.

Education and literacy

The literacy rate amongst the people is considerably higher than other people living in surrounding area;. Due to unemployment people of this town are compelled to work in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...

, Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...

 and Middle Eastern countries for their living apart from local traders who are the backbone of the economy of this town. A substantial number of people are also working in government sector but they mostly live in their respective cities.

Further, in due course of time, this area has developed and become the center of social, general and religious educational activities. A few big and small Educational Institutes and Religious educational institutes like Madrasas, Primary Schools, and High-schools have been formed from time to time and are running successfully. Schools established in Hallaur are Modern School and St. Thomas School. The Modern school was established by Late Hashmat Ali, Ghalib Husain, Mohd Iliyas, Samar Hallauri, Mohammad Husain, Ishtiyaq Hussain, Itait Husain and Dr Moti (Moti doctor) etc. in 1952. District board also runs four schools (including 2 for girls) and two primary schools. There are some privately run schools in Hallaur, the prominent being Al Moosavi school. Makhtab and Madrasas are preferred sources of Religious education for all preferably for Women. Fine Arts, craft and composition of Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...

 poetry are major hobbies of native Hallauris. However no artist ever emerged above district level. Hallaur has hosted All India Shia Conference which was attended by important religious leaders and yearly programme of “Anjuman Wazeefa Sadaat wa Momineen.”
Halluaries are the most educated people in this entire region but now due to excessive competition from Public Montessori School of Domariaganj the education sector in halluar is in a stage of closing .

Culture and religion

Being a Shiite dominated town, Hallaur is becoming a Shiite center of eastern part of Uttar Pradesh because of having a good population of Shia Muslims after a few cities of north India as huge gathering can be seen during the month of Moharram. The great and renowned scholar and theologian from Saran district
Saran district
Saran District is one of the thirty-seven districts of Bihar state, India. The district, part of Saran Division, is also known as Chapra district after the headquarters of the district - Chapra...

 of (Bihar) state of India “Allamah Sayyid Sa'id Akhtar Rizvi
Sa'id Akhtar Rizvi
Sayyid Sa‘eed Akhtar Rizvi was an Indian born, Twelver Shī‘ah scholar, who actively promoted Islam in East Africa.He spoke Urdu, English, Arabic, Persian, Swahili and knew Hindi and Gujrati....

” who actively promoted Islam in East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...

 and wrote number of books on Shiite theology and jurisprudence had served as Imam of Jama Masjid of Hallaur in his early days. Late Haider Mahdi who was also a good orator and was conferred with the title of Zaigham e Hind [Lion of India]. Itrat Hallauri, Qais Hallauri and Allamah
Allamah
An Allamah , also spelled Allameh and Allama, is an honorary title carried by only the very highest scholars of Islamic thought, jurisprudence, and philosophy....

 Samar Hallauri are all time great poets Hallaur has ever produced. Khurshid Hallauri and Jamal Hallauri are known for their classic poetry writing. Mayal Hallauri and Baqar Hallauri teachers by profession were also local poets. Sada-e-Dil [Voice of the Heart] was the epic which was composed and recited by Allamah Samar Hallauri on the opening day of All India Shia Conference(AISC). He was conferred the title of 'Allamah
Allamah
An Allamah , also spelled Allameh and Allama, is an honorary title carried by only the very highest scholars of Islamic thought, jurisprudence, and philosophy....

'by AISC presided by ‘Maulana Kalbe Abbas’ the present Imam of the Jama Masjid. More than half of the population of this place is scattered throughout the world and other places like Gorakhpur
Gorakhpur
Gorakhpur is a city in the eastern part of the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, near the border with Nepal. It is the administrative headquarters of Gorakhpur District and Gorakhpur Division. Gorakhpur is one of the proposed capitals of the Purvanchal state which is yet to be formed...

, Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....

, Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...

, Aligarh, Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...

, Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...

 and Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...

. Most of the immigrants of this town are well connected to their roots as they frequently visit their motherland especially during the month Moharram. A monthly Hindi magazine 'Dost Ki Baat' edited by Nafees Haider Hallauri and a newspaper named Hallaur Sandesh edited by Roshan Rizvi had also given glimpses of Hallauri thoughts and culture. They are a unique community and most of them have the same resemblance because they marry within their community with some exceptions.

“Anjuman Farogh Matam” [Green Party] and oldest “Anjuman Guldasta Matam” [Black Party] are the registered organizations behind all religious activities of Hallauris living in or outside Hallaur. “Anjuman Urooj Matam” is the youth wing of Farogh Matam and “Anjuman Ghuncha Matam” is the youth wing of Guldasta Matam. Every Hallauri is either affiliated to Farogh Matam or Guldasta Matam. Unlimited religious activities are performed by both parties round the year. Locally Farogh Matam is named as Hari [Green] Party whereas Guldasta Matam is nicknamed as Kali/Safed [Black] Party. Almost every Religious scholar of the country has visited Hallaur once or more to participate in Majlises organized by Farogh Matam and Guldasta Matam since almost last 100 years. Maulana Hasan Abbas Fitrat, Ilmul Hasan, Maulana Chand, Alhaj Tafseer Hasan, Maulana Lakhte jigar, Jamal Haider, Qaiser Abbas and his son Khushter Abbas, Er. Mehdi Abbas and Er. Aftab Haider and many other religious Scholars of Hallauri origin are doing their best to propagate Islamin different parts of India and world. . “Anjuman Yadgare Husaini” is the mother Anjuman of all Anjumans. Late Ali Hasan Tehsildar was the person who had institutionalized and streamlined the activities of this Anjuman and was instrumental in making it financially strong. Karbala of Hallaur is a major place of mourning for Imam Husain ibn Ali. Earlier it was only for burial of Taziya and few other occasional events but in recent past Karbala has emerged as an important place of worship and social gatherings. A Mosque-cum-Imambargah was constructed by Er. Badrul Hasan in the premises of Karbala (later he constructed another Imambargah in old Karbala) A wave of construction activities started since then. Several shrines are constructed in recent past and several constructions are underway.

Shrines so far constructed in Karbala premises of Hallaur are as follows:
  • Shrine of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib
  • Shrine of Syedah Zainab bint Ali
    Zaynab bint Ali
    Zaynab bint Ali was the daughter of the Rashid Caliph and first Shi'i Imam, Ali and granddaughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatimah....

  • Shrine of Imam Zayn al-Abidin Al-Sajjad
  • Shrine of Imam Ali al Reza.


Shrines planned to be constructed in Karbala premises of Hallaur as of March 2010:
  • Shrine of Syedah Fatimah
    Fatimah
    Fatimah was a daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad from his first wife Khadijah bint Khuwaylid. She is regarded by Muslims as an exemplar for men and women. She remained at her father's side through the difficulties suffered by him at the hands of the Quraysh of Mecca...

     Zahra daughter of Prophet Mohammad.
  • Shrine of Abbas ibn Ali
    Abbas ibn Ali
    Al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Ali was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib and fourth Rashidun Caliph) and Fātimah bint Hizam al-Kilabiyyah .Al-‘Abbās is revered by Muslims for his loyalty to his half-brother Husayn ibn ‘Alī, his respect for the...

    , already a Dargah in name of Bab ul Hawaej Abbas ibn Ali
    Abbas ibn Ali
    Al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Ali was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib and fourth Rashidun Caliph) and Fātimah bint Hizam al-Kilabiyyah .Al-‘Abbās is revered by Muslims for his loyalty to his half-brother Husayn ibn ‘Alī, his respect for the...

     exists in Hallaur.
  • Shrine of Syedah Sakinah bint Husayn
    Sakinah bint Husayn
    Sakinah bint Husayn 669-736) was the daughter of the early Islamic martyr Husayn ibn Ali. It is believed that there were two daughters of Husayn who were with him at the battle of Karbala, Sakinah and Sukayna ....

    , already a small Imambargah exists in name of Sakinah Bint al Husain within Hallaur.

Azadari and other religious observances

Azadari in Hallaur is known all over India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

, its done with great fervor. The practice of not cooking food at home on the day of Ashura
Day of Ashura
The Day of Ashura is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram.It is commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10...

 is still prevalent in Hallaur. People abstain from cooking at home only if someone dies within their family, and that day they are provided with meal by their neighbors or near relatives. This is done ever year on the day of Ashura
Day of Ashura
The Day of Ashura is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram.It is commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10...

, people cook meals at their homes for their neighbors and then distribute within each other.
Taziya procession on the day of Ashura
Day of Ashura
The Day of Ashura is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram.It is commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10...

 is carried out with much devotion in Hallaur. Hallaur has an history of Azadari which is done in great zeal.

Taziya processions apart from day of Ashura are also carried out by Shiites on the following days:
  • Day of Arbaeen also known as Chehlum in Hallaur falls 40 days after the day of Ashura.
  • 25th of Moharram in commemoration of fourth Shiite Imam Ali ibnil Husain Zayn al-Abidin.
  • 9th of Zil Hijjah in commemoration of martyrdom of Muslim ibn Aqeel
    Muslim ibn Aqeel
    Muslim ibn Aqeel, or Muslim ibn Aqil, was the cousin of Hasan ibn Ali and Husayn ibn Ali, and the son of Aqeel ibn Abu Talib. Muslim ibn Aqeel was sent ahead as an envoy to Kufa to see if the people could be trusted to be loyal to the Imam Husayn. He sent word back saying that the people of Kufa...

     cousin of Imam Husain ibn Ali who was captured and martyred in Kufa
    Kufa
    Kufa is a city in Iraq, about south of Baghdad, and northeast of Najaf. It is located on the banks of the Euphrates River. The estimated population in 2003 was 110,000....

     on this day.
  • 28th of Safar
    Safar
    Safar is the second month in the Islamic calendar.The root of the name, صفر ṣafr, has three basic areas of meaning: 1) whistle, hiss, chirp; 2) be yellow, pale ; 3) to be empty, devoid, vacant...

     in commemoration of Prophet Mohammad's Death and Martyrdom of second Shiite Imam Hasan ibn Ali
    Hasan ibn Ali
    Al-Hasan ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib ‎ is an important figure in Islam, the son of Fatimah the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and of the fourth Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib. Hasan is a member of the Ahl al-Bayt and Ahl al-Kisa...

     on same day.
  • Chup Tazia
    Chup Tazia
    Chup Tazia is the name in India and Pakistan given to an annual religious procession held by Twelver Shia Muslims to commemorate the death of Imam Hasan al-Askari.The processions are held on the 8th of Rabi' al-awwal, according to the Islamic calendar...

     on 8th of Rabi'-ul-Awwal in commemoration of martyrdom of eleventh Shiite Imam Hasan al Askari
  • 28th of Rajab
    Rajab
    Rajab is the seventh month of the Islamic calendar. The lexical definition of Rajaba is "to respect", of which Rajab is a derivative.This month is regarded as one of the four sacred months in Islam in which battles are prohibited...

     in memory of Imam Husain ibn Ali's last day in Medina
    Medina
    Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...

     before he headed towards Karbala
    Karbala
    Karbala is a city in Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, and has an estimated population of 572,300 people ....

    .


Tatbeer
Tatbeer
Tatbir , in the South Asia also known as Talwar zani and Qama Zani, is an act of mourning by the Shiite Muslims in grief of younger grandson of Islamic Prophet Mohammad, Imam Al Husain ibn Ali who was martyred along with his children, companions and near relatives in the battle of Karbala by the...

 or Qama-Zani, Zanjeer Zani and Matam on Fire are also done in Hallaur. Most of the Hallauris are in Taqlid
Taqlid
Taqlid or taklid is an Arabic term in Islamic legal terminology connoting "imitation", that is; following the decisions of a religious authority without necessarily examining the scriptural basis or reasoning of that decision, such as accepting and following the verdict of scholars of...

 of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani who has sanctioned Zanjeer Zani and Tatbeer
Tatbeer
Tatbir , in the South Asia also known as Talwar zani and Qama Zani, is an act of mourning by the Shiite Muslims in grief of younger grandson of Islamic Prophet Mohammad, Imam Al Husain ibn Ali who was martyred along with his children, companions and near relatives in the battle of Karbala by the...

. Zainab bint Ali
Zaynab bint Ali
Zaynab bint Ali was the daughter of the Rashid Caliph and first Shi'i Imam, Ali and granddaughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatimah....

 Day organized by Abbas brothers, Abbas Day organized by Alam brothers and Mahfile Noor organized by Farogh Matam are held every year with much devotion. Around 4 decades earlier late Nafis Ahmad Rizvi Advocate started programme named Sham-e-Ghariban and this programme became highly acclaimed .Now this programme is carried out by Zakir-e-Ahlebayte Maulana Khushtar Abbas Rizvi.

Imambargahs in Hallaur are the places which contribute to the cause of mourning of Imam Husain ibn Ali and these are centers of religious gatherings in Moharram. A big new Imambargah is under construction in the vicinity of Hallaur bazaar. Besides Jama Masjid there are five Mosques of Shia community and one of Sunni community.

List of Imambargahs in Hallaur:
  • Imambargah Waqf Shah Alamgir II
    Alamgir II
    Aziz-ud-din Alamgir II was the Mughal Emperor of India from 3 June 1754 to 29 November 1759. He was the son of Jahandar Shah....

     also known as Bada Imambargah constructed on the land donated by Shah Alamgir II
    Alamgir II
    Aziz-ud-din Alamgir II was the Mughal Emperor of India from 3 June 1754 to 29 November 1759. He was the son of Jahandar Shah....

  • Babul Baba ka Imambargah
  • Seth Baba ka Imambargah
  • Dargah Bab ul Hawaej Abbas ibn Ali ( Pachchon [West] Imambargah)
  • Nirmalain Bua Imambargah
  • Shafayat Sahab Imambargah
  • Imambargah of Karbala
  • Faham Sahab Imambargah
  • Jannat al Baqi Imambargah in memory of demolished shrines in Jannat al Baqi, Saudi Arabia
    Saudi Arabia
    The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...

     .


Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...

 temple of Hallaur is an holy place of worship for Hindus. A fair on the occasion of Maha Shivratri is held every year with huge gathering of Hindus coming from far off to attend the fair. Hallaur also has a Hindu temple named as Kali Mandir. It is also interesting that land for Shivalaya, Seeta Garahiya and Kali Mandir was donated by Hallauri Landlord Syed Mohammad Haider son of late Shabbir Hasan with the consent of his grandfather Late Hashmat Ali Numberdar.

Jama Masjid and managing committee

A Central 'Jama Masjid' was constructed by the orders of Nawab
Nawab
A Nawab or Nawaab is an honorific title given to Muslim rulers of princely states in South Asia. It is the Muslim equivalent of the term "maharaja" that was granted to Hindu rulers....

 of Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....

 about two centuries back. The present "Jama MasjidD" was rebuilt in 1930's. This Mosque has, since then, been reconstructed, expanded and repaired from time to time with locally available resources, techniques and materials. Jama Masjid is a centrally managed Mosque, it is also the biggest Mosque of Hallaur and organizes the weekly Friday Congregational prayer along with the daily prayers.

The Jama Masjid’s managing committee known as “Anjuman-e-Yadgar-e-Hussaini” looks after all affairs pertaining to the management of the Masjid community Graveyards, Madrasas and Makhtab. “Anjuman-e-Yadgar-e-Hussaini” is one of the oldest registered religious organization of Hallaur. The present Imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...

 of the Jama Masjid is ‘Hujjatul Islam Maulana Kalb e Abbas’. Considered as the mother organization of all organizations in Hallaur "Anjuman-e-Yadgar-e-Hussaini" is actively involved in organizing various religious activities in Hallaur. The notable tomb of Shah Abdur Rasool and his miraculous Reetha tree are also within the premises of Jama Masjid.

Hallauris outside Hallaur and their religious activities

Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...

 is believed to be having the largest Hallauri population outside Hallaur. The majority of Hallauris live in clusters in Govandi and other areas of Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...

 like Andheri(Mograpada), Mira Road
Mira Road
Mira Road is one of the suburbs in the city of Mumbai, India. It is located to the north of Mumbai, on the western line of Mumbai Suburban Railway and is governed by the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation .-Geography:...

, Mumbra
Mumbra
Mumbra is a small town in India, situated around 40 km from Mumbai and is the suburb of city. It is close to Thane and Diwa and is well connected with Mumbai by roads and the local train network.-History:...

, Bandra, Kurla
Kurla
Kurla is a suburb of Mumbai. It is also the name of one the busiest railway stations on the Mumbai suburban railway on the central and harbour railway lines of Mumbai...

 and Navi Mumbai
Navi Mumbai
Navi Mumbai is a Planned Satellite City on the west coast of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It was developed in 1972 as a twin city of Mumbai, and is the largest planned city on the planet, with under the jurisdiction of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation and a total area of . Navi Mumbai...

. Anjuman Haideri Hallaur
Anjuman Haideri Hallaur
- Anjuman Haideri Hallaur. :Anjuman –e- Haideri Hallaur is a religious organization of Hallauris established and registered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Anjuman -e- Haideri Hallaur is actively involved in organizing religious ceremonies and processions during Moharram...

 is a registered body of Hallauris in Mumbai established in 1952. Earlier before migrating to Govandi, most of the Hallauris were settled in Dongri
Dongri
-See also:*Dongri Fort...

 an area in South Mumbai
South Mumbai
South Mumbai , sometimes incorrectly referred to by English Media as "SoBo" , the southern-most precinct of the city of Mumbai, India, comprises the city's main business localities and its adjoining areas...

. Anjuman Haideri Hallaur is doing considerable job in Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....

, Aligarh and Gorakhpur
Gorakhpur
Gorakhpur is a city in the eastern part of the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, near the border with Nepal. It is the administrative headquarters of Gorakhpur District and Gorakhpur Division. Gorakhpur is one of the proposed capitals of the Purvanchal state which is yet to be formed...

. Hallaur Association in Gorakhpur is a social-cum-religious platform of Hallauris residing in Gorakhpur. It organizes mourining procession of 5th Muharram and Ashura every year. Religious activities are being organized in Delhi and Lucknow also.

Anjuman Haideri Hallaur
Anjuman Haideri Hallaur
- Anjuman Haideri Hallaur. :Anjuman –e- Haideri Hallaur is a religious organization of Hallauris established and registered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Anjuman -e- Haideri Hallaur is actively involved in organizing religious ceremonies and processions during Moharram...

 is Currently headed by Syed Mukhtar Rizvi as General Secretary of the Anjuman. Hallauris are independent, and all these events are done by donations. ImamBargah –e- Haidery Hallaur, a Masjid cum Imam Bargah is built by Hallauris in Govandi. This Anjuman has a programme in the month of Safar, a Juloos where 72 Tabuts [Coffins] are carried by the mourners of the Martyrs of Karbala
Karbala
Karbala is a city in Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, and has an estimated population of 572,300 people ....

. Hallauri Sayyid
Sayyid
Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,...

s are a fair complexioned looking race because of their middle eastern ethnicity.

See also

  • Musa al Mubarraqa
    Musa al Mubarraqa
    Musa al Mubaraqqa was the son of ninth Twelver Shia Imam Mohammad al-Taqi al Jawwad and the younger brother of tenth Shiite Imam Ali al-Hadi. He is known to be the ancestor of those Sayyids who use the title of his grandfather and eight Shiite Imam Ali al-Reza or al-Rida as their surnames. All...

  • Rizvi
    Rizvi
    Rizvi or Rizavi is the Urdu pronunciation for the Persian surname Razavi or the Arabic surname Radawi/Ridhawi. It is a surname commonly associated with Shia Muslims who believe they are the descendants of the 8th Shiite Imam and a descendant and successor of Prophet Mohammad through his daughter...

  • Begum Hazrat Mahal
    Begum Hazrat Mahal
    Begum Hazrat Mahal , also known as Begum of Awadh, was the first wife of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah.-Queen of Awadh:Her maiden name was Muhammadi Khanum and she was born at Faizabad, Awadh, India. She was a courtesan by profession and had been taken into the royal harem as a Khawasin, after being sold by...

  • Razavi Khurasan
    Razavi Khorasan Province
    Razavi Khorasan Province is a province located in northeastern Iran. Mashhad is the centre and capital of the province.Other cities and townships are Ghouchan, Dargaz, Chenaran, Sarakhs, Fariman, Torbat-e Heydarieh, Torbat-e Jam, Taybad, Khaf, Roshtkhar, Kashmar, Bardaskan, Nishapur, Sabzevar,...

  • Sabzevar
    Sabzevar
    Sabzevar is a city in, and the capital of Sabzevar County, in Razavi Khorasan Province in northeastern Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 208,172, in 57,024 families.It is approximately 220 kilometres west of Mashhad, the provincial capital...

  • Shia Islam in India
    Shia Islam in India
    Shia Muslims are a large minority among India's Muslims. However, there has been no particular census conducted in India with regards to sects, but Indian sources like Times of India and DNA reported Indian Shiite population in mid 2005–2006 between 25% and 31% of entire Muslim population of India...


External links

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