Chhatrapathi Shivaji

[Bodhi]

This place is near the compound of the Pratapgadh fort, not far from Mahabaleshwar, where Chhatrapati Shivaji tore open the intestines of the burly Afghan twice his own size, Adil general Afzal Khan on November 10, 1659. Later Shivaji allowed the relatives of the slain to erect a small kabr (not even a tomb) at this place.

The place should have served as the reminder of this immortal story for ages and a lesson to Hindus.

However the purpose got subverted a few years back under the respective muslim appeasing congress governments. The obscure tomb became a dargah when the local musalmans formed a committee with help from state govt to 'look after' the memory of Khan. Committee is called "Hazrat Mohmmed Afzal Khan Memorial Society". (Recall the previous post - what a contrast - Lokmanya Tilak's movement began with forming a soceity to look after the samadhi of Shivaji Maharaj)

This committee has over time glorified the tomb otherwise lost, and has created a shrine, several structures on the periphery of the monument, along with some sort of a dargah-like outlook, and a mini bazar. As usual all the dargah-like fanfare has begun a few years back as if Afzal Khan was some saint.

The similar thing had happened in my neighbourhood town of Bahraich, where there is a Dargah of Syed Salar Masood Ghazi. This is actually a tomb of the nephew (or son?) of Mahmud of Gazni who was slayed here along with his invading Afghan army in the 11th century by the combined Hindu armies of Chandel-Bundel-Tomar-Bisen kings. The tomb remains, and in later periods while the history got forgotten, today the invader's tomb has become a dargah. The place is frequented by the stupid and ignorant Hindus in large numbers to offer their respects. The annual fair (urs) that takes place is more than half populated by these ignorant Hindu masses.

Likewise you must notice a small mosque in the 7 tombs complex near Golkonda, which has been erected in respect to Awrangzeb, - who had offered his Namaz-es there during the seige of Deccan. Even today faithfuls would thong to this place to offer respects. Who knows in a few centuries this would become an important Mosque.

Anyways, some Hindu organizations went to Bombay High court in 2004 against the recent constructions at the tomb of Afzal Guru.... sorry Khan. A few months back, on Jan 30, the court has decided in their favour and ordered that the government demolish the dargah-izing constructions which have come up at the tomb. The court deadline for demolition comes to an end in June-08. So far the govt has done nothing, and I would guess just before the deadline is to end, they would probably move the supreme court.

Where are the NDTV and CNN-IBN, that were so much hyper about a Hindu temple (illegal structure in their lexicon) in a street of Chennai that the christian fanatic engineer (law enforcement official in their terms) wanted to destroy in the name of obeying the Madras High courts order? I would recommend TN Govt lending this "law enforcement official" to Maharashtra Govt.

Report from Jagran:

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->अफजल खां की कब्र बनी महाराष्ट्र सरकार की मुसीबत Mar 14, 02:31 am

मुंबई [ओमप्रकाश तिवारी]। छत्रपति शिवाजी के महाराष्ट्र में अफजल खां की कब्र का विस्तारीकरण कांग्रेसनीत सरकार के लिए सिरदर्द बन गया है। मुंबई हाईकोर्ट ने सरकार को कब्र के आसपास हुआ अवैध विस्तारीकरण हटाने का आदेश दिया है। सरकार इसे हटाकर एक वर्ग विशेष को नाराज नहीं करना चाहती।

महाराष्ट्र के महाबलेश्वर हिल स्टेशन पर स्थित प्रतापगढ़ किले के पास उस अफजल खां की कब्र स्थित है जिसका वध छत्रपति शिवाजी ने 10 नवंबर, 1659 को अपने बघनखे से किया था। जिस स्थान पर अफजल का वध हुआ था वहीं उसकी कब्र बनाई गई थी। वन विभाग की जमीन पर बनी इस कब्र की देखरेख के लिए वर्षो पहले एक समूह ने अफजल खां मेमोरियल ट्रस्ट बना लिया था। इस ट्रस्ट ने कब्र के इर्द गिर्द 23 कमरों का अवैध रूप से निर्माण कर लिया है। इस निर्माण एवं अफजल खां के महिमामंडन के खिलाफ चार वर्ष पहले एक याचिका मुंबई हाईकोर्ट में दायर की गई थी। इस पर फैसला सुनाते हुए हाईकोर्ट ने गत 30 जनवरी को आदेश दिया है कि सरकार छह माह के अंदर इन अवैध निर्माणों को हटाए।

विश्व हिंदू परिषद इस मुद्दे को लेकर पहले भी आंदोलन करती रही है । उसके अखिल भारतीय मंत्री प्रो. व्यंकटेश आबदेव ने चेतावनी दी है कि यदि राज्य सरकार ने हाईकोर्ट के आदेश का पालन करते हुए 30 जून तक अवैध निर्माण नही हटवाए तो विहिप स्वयं इन्हें तोड़ने पर बाध्य होगी। विहिप का तर्क है कि जहां छत्रपति शिवाजी को श्रद्धा व आस्था का केंद्र माना जाता हो, वहां अफजल खां का महिमामंडन नहीं किया जा सकता। विहिप ने कहा कि यदि राज्य सरकार ने निर्धारित अवधि में ये अवैध निर्माण नहीं हटाया तो वह इस मामले को सुप्रीमकोर्ट में भी ले जाएगी।

http://in.jagran.yahoo.com/news/national/g..._1_4265452.html
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