Hindus, Muslims defied British bullets for reconstruction mission
105 years ago, British troops opened fire on Hindus and Muslims who were trying to rebuild a part of the mosque
KANPUR:The Machali Bazar Masjid (mosque) on Kanpur’s Meston Road stands as a good example of reverence and brotherhood among people of different religions.
Little wonder, a six-foot wide road separates the mosque and Beech Wala Mandir, a Hindu temple.
The mosque has in interesting history. The British demolished a part of it in 1913, prompting Hindus and Muslims to join hands in the effort to rebuild it, brick by brick.
Angered by this show of solidarity, the British troops fired 600 rounds in 15 minutes, leading to many deaths on Meston Road where Hindus and Muslims, both clad in black, were engaged in the reconstruction mission on Eid.
As many as 105 years after the incident, the mosque and the temple nearby stand as symbols of communal harmony, not letting people deviate from the path of amity.
Historian Prof MA Naqvi said a government scheme was drawn to widen roads in Kanpur in 1913. The project led to demolition of the eastern part of the mosque, which was used for ablution and baths, he added.
In April 1913, Lt Governor of UP Sir James Meston, received a petition from a group of Muslims
LITTLE WONDER A SIXFOOT WIDE ROAD SEPARATES THE MOSQUE AND BEECH WALA MANDIR, A HINDU TEMPLE.
of Kanpur through Shahid Husain, a barrister, against the demolition move, he said.
Eminent Muslim scholars tried to prove that the targeted portion was part and parcel of the mosque.
But Meston sent a letter to those trying to save the mosque, discarding the contention and ordered the authorities to commence with the demolition. This led to outrage in the city and gave birth to one of the most phenomenal examples of communal harmony, when Hindus and Muslims of Kanpur began a protest together at the time of namaz on the auspicious occasion of Eid.
Angry processionists, carrying black flags, appeared before the mosque, and began to place the loose bricks over the dismantled structure.
The situation worsened when the Kanpur magistrate Taylor ordered firing on the protestors. Within 15 minutes of the order, 600 cartridges were emptied.
A citywide protest escalated into a national outcry. Religious associations all over the country came together to protest against this ‘horrendous disregard’ of religious sentiments by the government.
Worse still, Meston distributed merit certificates to those who had taken part in the firing. Lord Hardinge tried to make amends by visiting Kanpur along with Sayyid Ali Imam on October 13 and 14 that year. Lord Hardinge called this act a “stupid blunder” and blamed it on the short-sightedness of Taylor and Meston.
Not only did he allow the Muslims to build a new building on the public road, but also ordered the release of prisoners and withdrew the cases against them.
According to Naqvi, Masjid was built in consonance with the Awadh style of architecture. Except its domes, most of the mosque has been renovated and there is no sign of the old construction now.