Prithimpassa- its history and heritage Ali Hamid Khan Date: 23.03.16

 Prithimpassa- its history and heritage Ali Hamid Khan Date: 23.03.16 

Prithimpassa is replete with stories from antiquity. It is steeped in history and has many stories and anecdotes from the olden days which can instantly capture people’s attention and imagination. It has a glorious and vibrant past. Well, many of the new generation, the ones who are the post liberation generation have no clue about it and the younger generation is also oblivious of it. Most of the young people haven’t heard of this place, its people and stories from the pages of the life of this village. But there is always the wonder of internet, and Google is always at one’s finger tips to glean information. Google can always help and with one click the netizens can browse and find out enough information to help them know sufficiently about it. There are so many questions cropping up in the minds of the young who always have a desire to know; their quest for knowledge is insatiable. To start with Prithimpassa is a village in the remote north eastern part of the country in the Moulvibazar district, an hour drive from Srimangal. It is far away from the bustling cities and towns located in a quiet and peaceful environment. A sequestered and somnolent village though fast growing with all the paraphernalia of a modern world, trying to keep pace with the outside world.  Today it is in some forgotten part of the country but once upon a time till the sixties even seventies it was a bustling place with lots of activities. It was a happening place and flocks of visitors always crowded there. They were politicians, dignitaries, people from inside and outside the country, writers, poets, historians all came here and were guests of the zamindars of Prithimpassa. There were also guests who were interested in wild-life. They, on the invitation of the zamindar, lodged here and hunted in the demesne of the zamindar. Many came just for sightseeing going around looking at the place roaming around enjoying the forests, the tea gardens, wild-life and the relics and menagerie all belonging to the zamindar who was known far and wide. There was once a time when the Estate had a private armed contingent. In 1889 the zamindar was exempted of the Arms Act of 1870. Hence the family could possess arms without any license. There were lots of things to see and admire around the Estate. There was always a stream of visitors and all of them stayed for days as the Estate guests making the most by travelling around the land and enjoying the company of literati and dignitaries and savouring the cuisines prepared by the Estate chefs. Prithimpassa was in those days a very interesting place with lots of things happening. For someone who has a mind and eyes for history and heritage it still has in some ways an aura of mystique. The village history dates back to the times when Sultans and Mughals ruled in Delhi. During the sepoy mutiny it got involved with the mutineers and consequently after the quelling of the mutiny the zamindar faced backlash from the British. The name of the Zamindar was Gaus Ali Khan, he was prosecuted for supporting the mutineers of Chittagong. The mutineers took shelter in his Estate. After a long and hard legal battle Gaus Ali Khan was exonerated. Lot has been written about Prithimpassa for political involvement and being in the vanguard of political and social changes. It was a melting pot of cultures and languages where people from India and West Pakistan came and cultural and linguistic exchanges took place. It was a rich land in the context of culture, history and political contribution for the making of a nation whether it was the late 1930s or early seventies or even the late 1940s when there was a political storm brewing in the sub continent and India was to be carved into two separate independent parts- Pakistan and India. In the war of liberation in the early 1970s Prithimpassa zamindar family was at the forefront and spearheaded the struggle for freedom putting all their resources at stake and fought to liberate the land from the stifling rule of Pakistani forces. The zamindar was a proactive force in the Sir Sadullah ministry of Assam. They were change makers in many areas and avenues and always stood with the common people. They were catalysts politically and socially.  They were leaders who always contributed positively. They were of high integrity and adhered to high values and morals which bore good for the country and the people. They left their marks on history, led a nation to victory, sacrified for freedom and for all their contribution and selfless dedication are respected and honoured today. Prithimpassa stands proudly in the midst of paddy fields, and mountains on one side towering over the land. There is a bustling bazaar which witnesses economic, social and political activities and hosts myriad political and social events. This village was the seat of the zamindars and Nawab Ali Amjad Khan, one of the renowned and illustrious scions of this family, lived here. His contributions were many in different fields. He contributed to political changes, educational development and road and communication improvement and progress. Ali Amjad Khan established the tower clock of Sylhet which stands over the river Surma and this clock is known as Ali Amjad’s Ghari it was built circa late 1870s. The work was started by his father Ali Ahmed Khan. Ali Ahmed Khan built the Chandni ghat at Surma River. Nawab Ali Amjad Khan donated land for roads -1900, and established Prithimpassa dispensary in 1889. He set up Ali Amjad Girls High School at Moulvibazar and a co ed high school at Prithimpassa known as Ali Amjad High School. His son Nawab Ali Haider Khan was an eminent politician in the early thirties to mid sixties of the last century; he was a minister for Power and Agriculture in Sir Sadullah Ministry at Assam in the late 1930s. He played a prominent role in the referendum of Sylhet.  Prithimpassa is a fascinating place with rich history and heritage. The deeper we go into Prithimpassa’s past the more we are enchanted and awestruck by its history. Tea plantation was started in the region in the late 19th century by the zamindars. The main bazaar which is an epicenter of all economic activities was established by one of the ancestors of this zamindar family named Md. Ali Rabi Khan in 1756 hence it is named after him and is known as Rabi Bazaar. Since its inception Rabi Bazaar has spanned out in all directions and has become massive. It has a Jama Masjid established by one of the family members. There was development galore during those times. Ali Rabi Khan was known for his erudition and knowledge. He was given the title Danish Mand by the Nawab of Bengal along with other titles and sanads. From records it seems he was a spiritual leader and teacher; a savant with wide knowledge and intellectual mind, hence was given the Danish Mand title which literally means a learned and wise man who possesses trove of knowledge. He was given sanads (Imperial decrees) by the Moghal Emperors Aurangzeb, Ahmed Shah and Alamgir II. Through 

these sanads huge swathes of land, cultivable and forest areas were given to Moulavi Mohammad Rabi Khan. In his book The Rise of Islam and the Bengal Frontier, 1204-1760, Richard M. Eaton mentions the sanads given to him by Emperors Aurangzeb, Ahmed Shah and Alamgir II. There was a news item in The Daily Telegraph, Kolkata of 03 March 2006 that archaeologists stumbled upon ancient treasure trove in a school in Silchar, Assam, which included an engraved copper plate dating to the time of the Gupta kings some 1100 years ago and among those relics and documents the archaeologists also discovered a note, a hand-written English translation of the Prithimpassa stone inscriptions, many of which had either been vandalized or lost. The news further stated that the landlords of the Prithimpasa zamindari enclave engraved these inscriptions. It went on to write that the scions of the noble family of Prithimpasa arrived on Indian soil during the reign of the Lodi dynasty. They were granted rights to vast swathes of land on the banks of the Surma River. This family presided over a long lineage of zamindars, which reigned in this district in the 16th and 19th centuries. The homestead of the zamindar is picturesque, captivating and beautiful with two mansions and a massive pond of few acres in front. The Mosque is situated in front of the mansions and the Imambara is beside it where Moharram programmes are organized. The Estate had its own electricity, before electricity was introduced in 1974. The Estate wildlife was preserved and protected in the forests without anyone having the permission to hunt. Tigers, Leopards, wild fowls, pheasants and other wild birds and big game thrived; the jungle was teeming with wildlife. Even wild elephants roamed and some were occasionally caught and tamed for the Estate’s uses. Tigers were presented by the Estate to Kolkata and Karachi zoos. Head of State like the Shah (King) of Iran Reza Shah Pahelvi visited the Estate for four days being the personal guest of the zamindar in 1950 and with him came the Governor General of Pakistan Khwaja Nazimuddin. Ayub Khan, who later became the President of Pakistan, was in the entourage as GCO. Several hunting trips were arranged in the forests of the Estate and beatings for big game were organized. Ambassadors especially the American Ambassador, foreign dignitaries, high officials were regular guests and stayed in the Estate’s mansions. The Maharajah of Tripura visited the Estate during Nawab Ali Amjad Khan’s time at his invitation as he had very cordial relationship with him. Faiz Ahmed Faiz renowned Urdu poet who was nominated for the Nobel Prize for literature was once the guest of the family. Even Moulana Bhashani on the invitation of the the zamindar visited the Estate. The zamindars of Prithimpassa had strong blood and matrimonial relationship with Nawab Bahadur of Murshidabad Sir Syed wasif Ali Meerza, KCVO, KCSI, Nawab of Patna, Nawab of Rampur, Nawab of Awadh, Nizam of Hyderabad and Salar jung of Hyderabad. So, this is a brief write-up to tell the readers about a place called Prithimpassa.