Pir Gorachand

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Pir Gorachand, born Shah Syed Abbas Ali Makki, was an Arab Islamic missionary in Bengal in the 14th Century.

Biography[]

Makki was born in 1294 in Mecca.[1] He moved towards Bengal with fellow missionary Shah Jalal to preach Islam.[1]

Makki settled in South-Western Bengal and preached Islam.[1] He was killed on the orders of the Chandraketu, Bagdi Raja of Hathiyagarh Pargana.[1][2] He was buried on the banks of the Bidyadhari River.[1]

According to local legend, Pir Gorachand was ordered by the sun god to built a mosque in one day which he failed to do which is used to explain the half constructed mosque of the Pir.[3]

Legacy[]

The sultan of Gauda donated 1500 bigha land for the maintenance of the tomb of Pir Gorachand in Haroa, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India.[1] The name of the village, haroa comes from the Bengali word for bones and it refers to the bones of Gorachand who was buried here.[4] Since then it has become a pilgrimage sites for both Muslims and Hindus.[1] Hindu milkmen bring to milk to the shrine in February every year.[1] He is one of the many deities in Bengal whose blessings are sought by both Muslims and Hindus.[5][6] There is an annual fair held in his name in the village.[7]

Pir Gorachand Dargah Haroa

The number of Puthi and books have been written about the Pir.[1] There is a road in Kolkata named after him.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Newaz, Ali (30 August 2021). "Gora Pir". en.banglapedia.org. Banglapedia. Retrieved 2021-11-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ "Chandraketugarh: The City That Never Was". The Indian Express. 2017-02-19. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  3. ^ Das, Joydeb (2015-05-02). Tourist Guide Book of Sundarbans. Joydeb Das. p. 27.
  4. ^ Chanda, S. N. (1998). Saints in Indian Folklore: Tales of Saints Known in Various Parts of India. Konark Publishers. p. 54. ISBN 978-81-220-0523-3.
  5. ^ Sengupta, Nitish K. (2011). Land of Two Rivers: A History of Bengal from the Mahabharata to Mujib. Penguin Books India. p. 113. ISBN 978-0-14-341678-4.
  6. ^ Bengal (India), West (1965). West Bengal District Gazetteers: Nadīa. State editor, West Bengal District Gazetteers. p. 185.
  7. ^ Sarkar, Sutapa Chatterjee (2010). The Sundarbans: Folk Deities, Monsters and Mortals. Berghahn Books. p. 87. ISBN 978-81-87358-35-0.
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