REMINISCENCES OF THE PAST
REMINISCENCES OF THE PAST
During
2001-2002, I met an elderly person
(native of Arcot) in his late 80s at Miskeen Sha Masjid in Arcot. He narrated
two events related to Melvisharam.
The first event he shared
was from his childhood when he participated in the inauguration of the
Melvisharam Government Hospital. The ceremony was graced by the presence of the
Madras Governor, his wife, the North Arcot District Collector, Nawab C. Abdul
Hakeem Sahib (the donor), and other dignitaries. He vividly recalled that the
Government hospital's newly constructed building was ceremoniously secured with
a golden lock, and Abdul Hakeem Sahib presented the governor with a golden key
to unlock it. Both the key and lock were gifts from Abdul Hakeem Sahib to the
Governor.
The second incident he
narrated involved the striking of lightning on the Usmanpet mosque. He
expressed shock at the news and mentioned that, as a child, his parents
prohibited him from witnessing the aftermath and paying respects to the
martyrs.
After sharing these two
anecdotes the elderly man left the mosque. At that time, both the information
was new for me. But elderly people in Visharam are aware of the lightning
incident.
Event- 1 Melvisharam Government Hospital (old building)
In the early 20th century, childbirth was
typically overseen by 'Daai Maas' (traditional midwives) in the comfort of
one's home. These experienced midwives specialized in managing childbirth and
maternity cases. However, in cases of emergencies, residents of our town had to
journey either to CMC Hospital in Vellore or to the Scudder Memorial Hospital
in Ranipet. During those times, the journey from Visharam was far from easy.
Establishment
Nawab C. Abdul Hakeem Sahib came forward to
fulfil this necessity. Hakeem Sahib’s sister, C. Fathima Bee Sahiba donated a piece of land next
to the Kilvisharam Eidgah for this noble cause and Abdul Hakeem Sahib
constructed a dispensary out of his own expenses at centre of the town so that
people of Kilvisharam and Melvisharam could be equally benefitted. He handed
over the hospital to the government. As per the information engraved in the
stone tablet fixed at the old hospital building, it was declared open on 16th
February, 1926 (3rd Sha’ban 1344) by the Viscount George Goschen the then governor general (1924-1929) of
Madras Presidency and named it after his
wife as ‘THE VISCOUNTESS GOSCHEN WOMEN
AND CHILDREN’S DISPENSARY’. The hospital has an old black and white portrait
of Abdul Hakeem Sahib.
The gifting of gold lock
and gold key is not recorded in any local history document but it is believed to
be true as it was a custom in those days. While the foundation laying ceremony
of famous Tiruvalam Bridge, a golden scoop (Kollar in Tamil – an instrument
used for pasting cement) was given (By Mckenzie Group of Engineers) to Abdul
Hakeem Sahib for cementing the foundation stone. He also financially aided the
construction of bridge.
In the 1970s, under the
chairmanship of S. M. Abdul Jameel Sahib, the grandson of Nawab Sahib, who led
the Melvisharam Municipality, significant strides were taken to enhance the
hospital. Dr. Tulasi, a renowned lady doctor from Madras, was brought in, and
all necessary facilities were provided for her stay in Visharam. The hospital,
which is set to complete its centenary in 2026, remains operational as one of
the busiest government healthcare centres, offering 24-hour services for
deliveries. Emergencies and major cases are directed to Adakumparai and Walaja
Government Hospital.
New Building
To meet the growing needs
of patients, the old building was demolished in 2022 and replaced with a newly
constructed facility. This development was made possible with the support of
both the Tamil Nadu and Central Governments. The new building was officially
inaugurated on 7th December 2024 by the Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil
Nadu, Mr. Udhayanidhi Stalin, in the presence of the Hon’ble Health Minister,
Mr. Ma. Subramanian, Malak Mohammed Hashim Sahib, Chairman of KH Foundation,
Pakthini Mohammed Irfan Sahib, Muthavalli of Melvisharam Town, and other
distinguished guests.
Donations to Other Hospitals by Abdul Hakeem Sahib
The Ramakrishna Mission Hospital in Mylapore
and a hospital in Odagathur, Vellore District, were among the beneficiaries of
Nawab C. Abdul Hakeem’s generosity. In
1931, during his tenure as the District Board President of North Arcot District
(formerly part of the old Vellore district), he took the initiative to
construct two female wards at Scudder Memorial Hospital in Ranipet. These
wards, known among Visharam residents as the 'Hakeem Ward,' became notable
contributions to the healthcare infrastructure.
Event-2 Usmanpet Mosque
In Memoirs of Melvisharam
VI, the establishment of Usmanpet locality by Alanji Mohammed Usman Sahib is
recorded. The exact date of construction of the Usman pet Mosque is not
recorded but elders say that either it was in 1918 or 1919. The mosque was
built by selling the jewels of Noorunnissa Sahiba (The first wife of Janab
Alanji Abdur Rasheed Sahib and also daughter of Noor Abdul Khadar Sahib) after
her demise. In her memory, the mosque was rightly named as NOORUNNISSA MASJID. In 1919, a madarsa named Madarsa-e-Talimul Islam was also established adjacent to the mosque
in a land donated by Pakthini Family. The 105 year old madarsa is still
functioning successfully.
Lightning Strike
Tragedy
In 1926 (1344 Hijri),
during the month of Ramadan, tragedy struck the mosque. While the taraveeh
prayers were in progress, lightning struck, resulting in the loss of eight
worshippers, including the Imam Sahib who hailed from Kanchipuram. Accounts
from elders vividly describe the profound shock and grief that enveloped the
entire town following this tragic incident. The night of the calamity was
further marked by heavy rainfall, adding to the sorrowful atmosphere in the
community.
Burial of Martyrs of Usmanpet (Shuhada-e-Usmanpet)
In a hadith narrated by
Hazrath Jabir ibn 'Atik (Razi), the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be
upon him, stated, "There are seven martyrs in addition to one who is
killed in the way of Allah: the victim of plague is a martyr, the one who
drowns is a martyr, the one who dies of chest pain is a martyr, the one who
dies of stomach infection is a martyr, the one who burns to death is a martyr,
the one who dies under rubble is a martyr, and the pregnant woman who dies in
labour is a martyr."
These noble souls
achieved martyrdom during the holy month of Ramadan while engaged in prayers.
In accordance with the aforementioned hadith, they are recognized as Shaheed (Martyrs). The names are as
follows:
1. Hafiz Mohammed
Haneef Sahib (Taraweeh Hafiz Sahib Kainagar from Kanchipuram)
2. Kottur Abdul
Rahman Sahib (Muazzin)
3. Chittalappai
Khader Patcha Sahib
4. Kirandai Abdul
Razzak Sahib
5. Tarkatti
Mohammed Hussain Sahib
6. Tolkar Abdul
Salam Sahib
7. Chippoy Abdul
Jabbar Sahib
8. Abdul Khader
Sahib
The martyrs of Usmanpet
were laid to rest in the Melvisharam Big Mosque Qabarasthan, to the left side
of the entrance (previously known as Alanji Qabarastan). The elderly members of
the community fondly remember their resting place as Shuhada-e-Usmanpet. May
Allah elevate their positions in Jannah. Aameen.
The mere thought of the
lightning strike, creates fear, one can imagine the gravity of the situation at
the time of incident. May Allah with His infinite Mercy and for the
sake of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), safeguard us and the whole ummah from such
calamities. AAMEEN
Brief History of the Mosque
After this incident, the
mosque was renovated and expanded. The outer portions were roofed with Mangalore
tiles. Years rolled and the mosque name transformed from Noorunnissa Masjid to
Usmanpet Mosque.
In 1984, through the generous
donations of T. M. Abdul Gafoor Sahib and a partial contribution from the
locals, a concrete building was erected, served as the rear portion where
lectures (bayans) and Tafseer sessions were conducted.
Soon, a new ablution pool
(Hauz) was also constructed by Janab
Arcot Anwar Basha Sahib (S/o Arcot Mohammed Ismail Sahib, familiar as ICO)
In 1998, further
expansion towards the south was made possible by the donation of T. M. Abdul
Rahman Sahib, leading to the area acquiring the name of the new hall over time.
This mosque was also known as Markaz, served as the center for Tablighi Jamath.
In 2017, the Markaz was relocated to the newly constructed Rahamania Mosque due
to space constraints.
New Building
In 2018, the century-old
mosque was dismantled, and a new building was erected by the Jamath. On April
9, 2021, with the Maghrib prayer, the inauguration of the new building took
place.
Conclusion
In
conclusion, Nawab C. Abdul Hakeem's legacy is characterized by his selfless
contributions to the welfare of society. As per a hadith, the most beloved
individuals to Allah are those who are most beneficial to people.
During the year 1926 itself, a series of
charities apart from the hospital is given below. On 2nd July 1926,
Melvisharam Muslim Educational Society was formed under his Presidentship
(1926-1928) and also contributed generously for the construction of the
Islamiah High School Building. He constructed the MD primary school in 1926. In
July 1926, established a High school in Arcot which is known as C. Abdul Hakeem
Government Boys Higher Secondary School. On 2nd July 1926 The
Government Boys High School was established at Kaveripakkam. This institution
had philanthropic donations of the Nawab Sahib.
Thanks to the unknown
elderly man who shared with me the hints to the above events. To-day, after 23
years, I ponder, I don’t know who he was?
Why he told these details to me? Which
kindled me to check its authenticity and write this article. When I traced the
events I was enriched with historic facts. I came to know through reliable
sources that a pamphlet was published to record the lightning event and names
of the martyrs were registered and a condolence poem was also composed by Abdul
Quddus Shadaan Sahib Visharami whose chronogram indicated the year of the
tragedy.
Alhamdulillah, thanks to
Almighty Allah for giving me opportunity to write this article. I wanted to be
brief when I began this write-up, but it elongated in to lengthy passages. I
hope Insha Allah, it will be informative for the people of Visharam. Kindly
remember me in your prayers and notify me in case of errors in the content.
I extend my gratitude to Hazrath Moulana
Gulzar Ahmed Sahib Baqvi (Damatbarkatuhum) and Karpur Mohammed Azeem Sahib
for sharing the names of martyrs. I also convey my thanks to Janab Abdullah
Masood Sahib, Janab Karpoor Jalal Sahib, Sakvai Mohammed Zakir Sahib (ZQ) and
Dr. K. Masood Ahmed Sahib (former Principal CAH College) for sharing the
details regarding the Melvisharam Government hospital. Books like ‘Mukhaiyyar-E-Aazam’
by Hafiz Abdur Razzaq Baqvi Sahib, ‘Shehre Visharam Tarikh Ke Aayine May’
by Janab Kottur Abdul Latheef Sahib and ‘History of Urdu Literature in Tamilnadu’
(Volume-I) by Aleem Saba Naveedi Sahib were very resourceful in compiling this
work. Thanks to the authors for their scholarly works. I actually wrote this article on 21.01.2024.
S.MD SADATHULLAH, Melvisharam
Written on 22nd January 2024
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