‘While some cities may have a direct link to the name of a king or sultan, in many cases the names of cities are either being changed or demands are being made to change them simply because they are in Urdu’. Photo Credit: PTI
We are living in the dark ages of Islamophobia. full stop. Naked, ugly, disturbing. A sad testament to the moral decay of our times. Events around the world forced the United Nations to declare March 15 in 2022 International Day to Combat IslamophobiaTo take “concrete action against the growing hatred, discrimination and violence against Muslims”.
The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, affirmed that the move is a “call to action to end anti-Muslim hatred”. India, which has arguably the second largest Muslim population, opposed the move, saying “It is important that the United Nations remain above religious matters that may seek to divide us rather than bring us together on a platform of peace and harmony.” and deal with the world.” As a family”. In fact, India, more than many countries, is in the grip of Islamophobia.
It is not about the flood of lynchings from Dadri in 2015 to Delhi in 2023. Or the frequent attacks on mosques and even dargahs, which were till now considered common places of worship for people of all faiths. Or even the politics of the hijab, where pro and anti-hijab groups are vocally against each other. This is most clearly manifested in this urgent, almost desperate, bid to rename places made by the Sultanate and Mughal rulers.
While some towns may have a direct relation to the name of a king or sultan, in many cases the names of towns are either being changed or demanded to be changed, simply because they are in Urdu. It is ironical that Urdu was born in India. And until recently, it was not considered the language of the followers of any particular religion. An example of this is Faizabad which was built by Nawab Saadat Ali Khan in the 18th century. It was situated on a busy trade route connecting eastern and central Awadh. Here business flourished and people made great profits – hence the word faiz or successful or victorious. Or take the demand of changing the name of Aligarh to Harigarh. Aligarh was named after the Marathas, not the Mughals, who captured the fort here (sometimes called Sabitgarh and Muhammadgarh) and named it after their governor, Najaf Ali Khan. It was also called Cole. It was never identified as Harigarh, which was increasingly being demanded.
There was no issue of Allahabad or Aurangabad for hundreds of years. Or Aligarh and Osmanabad. Or even the Mughal Sarai. The common citizen still has no problem. visit Allahabad, which was renamed Prayagraj by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath a few years ago; People still refer to their city as Allahabad, except for the powers that be who see everything through colored glasses. It is immaterial that a city may have been built by a sultan who saved the country from repeated invasions by the Mongols, or a monument may have been built by a Mughal emperor who was born in undivided India, Sindh or Ruled from Gujarat. Agra or Delhi, and never set foot abroad (not even to go on pilgrimage to Mecca). The mere name is enough to wake up the right-wing brigade.
Mughalsarai and Aurangabad cases
Mughalsarai was in focus in 2018. It was not named after former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, who was born there, but after Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ideologue Deendayal Upadhyay, who died under mysterious circumstances in 1968. The railway station was also painted saffron, making it clear that the government was using the past to take revenge on the present, just like what happened in Allahabad. The government forgot that the city which was founded by Mughal Emperor Akbar was Ila Vas or Ila Bas or Abode of God, and was adjacent to Prayag. The word Ila later became Allah in the British period – the nuances were lost on fanatically motivated people.
This year too the story played out again – in a strong desire to rename Aurangabad. Now, Aurangzeb, who is buried in Aurangabad, has been a red rag for practitioners of Hinduism, and many criticize him with justification for demolishing temples. But Catherine B. There are historians such as Asher and Audrey Traschke who point out that the demolition was almost always a political act, and there were occasions when the emperor issued decrees for the safety and well-being of Brahmins, even granting them land.
A government that has been in a hurry to eradicate any Muslim connection with the city promptly named it after Shivaji’s eldest son Sambhaji, who was once a Mughal mansabdar and later succeeded fellow Maratha Rajaram to ascend the throne. were involved in the war. After the death of Shivaji in 1680. Sambhaji was captured by the Mughals and executed in 1689 on the orders of Aurangzeb. The renaming of Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) is a unique example where the name of the winner has been changed to that of the loser.
hatred and exclusion
All these attempts to tear the pages of history books come with the potential to tear the fabric of Indian society.
The Mauryas, the Guptas or the Cholas would have been treated by the Muslims in India with the same indifference or irreverence as the Mughals and Sultans. An oft-repeated expression in those days was ‘History is boring!’ Now, this seems divisive. Today, they are often forced into the uncomfortable position of taking a position. As a Muslim and a sensible citizen of this country, you may or may not support what the Sultanate or Mughal rulers did. But now they are forced to oppose a majoritarian triumphalism bent on eradicating every shred of Islamic influence. Clearly, right wing supporters are guilty of a brutal subordination to the politics of hate and exclusion. Islamophobia, anyone?
As a multi-religious society, it is important to remember that the past cannot be undone through renaming. It is wise to live in the moment, appreciate who we are and what we have achieved. Vengeance does not pave the way for salvation.
ziya.salam@thehindu.co.in