By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net,
Kolkata: An old Idgah cum ‘Jame Masjid’ in Kolkata may be reduced to a ‘Tent Masjid’ (Tarpaulin Mosque) as a new private medical college that has come up in the vicinity has forcibly stopped the construction work.
‘Khurshid Mosque’ in Kolkata’s Jadavpur area is under threat as the new KPC Private Medical college, started with public-private partnership, did not allow the expansion work to go on. The land of old Idgah and adjoining Mazar originally belonged to one Khurshid Alam, who benevolently gave the land before the partition.
After performing Namaz at Khurshid Jame Mosque under the tent, Musallis are coming back at Jadavpur, beside the KPC Medical College in Kolkata.
Background: According to locals, the area was a Muslim locality before partition, when Khurshid Alam gave land to build an Idgah. Near the mosque, there are also ‘mazars’ of some of saints and clerics. Devotees often offered namaz at an allocated site near the Mazar. During partition, however, many Muslims left the area for what was then East Pakistan (presently Bangladesh), particularly after the 1964 riot in Kolkata. The Idgah and adjoining Mazar purportedly dilapidated over the years.
Third Chief Minister of West Bengal Prafulla Sen (July 1962-March 1967) convinced the local Muslims and acquired several acres of land, where Hindu refugees from then East Bengal were settled. Gradually as the population of Muslims in the region dwindled, Hindu population increased.
Even before partition, beside the Idgah, Jadavpur Tuberculosis Hospital was established before independence. Later, the Government took over the hospital. Much of the land was also used for other utility purposes as Jadavpur University came up near by.
Much of the land within the Tuberculosis Hospital was, vacant for long, however. In 2002, then Chief Minister of West Bengal Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee signed an MoU with NRI Doctor Kali Pradip Roychowdhury to establish the first Medical College and Hospital in PPP model in West Bengal. Government of West Bengal handed over the land to KPC authority in 2006, with a long term lease by a measurable money.
Devoted Muslims performing Namaz at Khurshid Jame Mosque under the Tent. Khursid Jame Masque
Friday prayers began on the site when Muslim students and staffs from the Jadavpur University, local hawkers and few residents started offering prayers. With the help of the heir of Khurshid Alam, in 2011 bamboo fencing was done and overhead tarpaulin was put, and the adjoining Mazars were also repaired. Gradually a ‘Wazukhana’ was also built at the site.
Grandson of Kurshid Alam, Abdul Wahid Molla, as ‘Jimmader’ (custodian) of the site, discussed the expansion plan with local Muslims and Musalli to build concrete mosque. He said that during Ramzan as more and more people gathered at the site, it was felt that a concrete structure should be erected. During last Ramzan Taraweeh prayer was also offered, although there is no supply of electricity. A local resident and cleric Muhammad Abdur Rab, who leads the prayer as Imam, confirms that the prayer has been going on for long at the site.
KPC Private Medical College, who had so far not objected to prayers raised objections to building of concrete structure of the mosque at the site, but said that the temporary prayers can be conducted. The mosque site is well within the medical college campus. Molla alleges that although the mosque land is not part of the college’s deal with the government and belongs to his family, medical college administration wants to grab that land as well.
Embossed stone carving of Khurshid Jame Mosque at Jadavpur in Kolkata.
The medical college administration then moved to the Kolkata High Court against building of permanent structure. High Court had ordered the State Land Department for an enquiry and to verify the land records and submit a report. Although not a registered Wakf property, all land records and old map clearly shows the site belonging to Khurshid Alam and existence of Idgah and Mazar. Although the case is still pending in Court, Caretaker Abdul Wahid Molla and lawyer Alam Mina wonder why college administration has objections when land records clearly show that the land was used for religious purpose as Idgah and Mazar in past.
A musalli (one who offers prayer in the mosque) at that Mosque and Professor Hashim Abdul Halim told TCN, that due to proximity of the mosque with the bus stand and railway station, as also adjoining Jadavpur University, this is the only place to offer namaz for the local Muslim hawkers and students from the University.
As the case is still pending in court, the fate of the mosque hangs in balance. As the tarpaulin has been overhead for two years now, locals have started calling it ‘Tent Masjid’. Meanwhile, a on the disputed site a stone carving in Bengali declares it to be ‘Khurshid Jame Masjid’.