Demands to ban Bahraich’s Jeth Fair gather steam
The Rashtra Dharak Dal staged a protest at the Bahraich collectorate and submitted a seven-point memorandum
Following the recent ban on the Neja Fair in Sambhal, a growing movement to stop the annual Jeth Fair is gaining momentum in the Bahraich district. The Jeth Fair is held in honour of Syed Salar Masood Ghazi.
On Friday, the Rashtra Dharak Dal (RDD), led by its president Karan Singh, staged a protest at the Bahraich collectorate and submitted a seven-point memorandum to a representative of the district magistrate, addressed to chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The memorandum demanded an immediate ban on the fair and a magisterial survey of Ghazi’s shrine.
Earlier, officials of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), led by district coordinator Ajit Pratap Singh, also submitted a memorandum to the city magistrate, calling for a ban on the fair. The VHP has warned that failure to impose strict restrictions will lead to a larger movement. This demand echoes the recent decision by the Sambhal administration, which banned the Neja Fair following pressure from Hindu organisations.
In their memorandum, VHP officials alleged that Syed Salar Masood Ghazi, a historical figure defeated by Maharaja Suheldev in battle, died on the banks of Chittaura Lake. They claimed that in 1250, Delhi ruler Nasiruddin Mahmud converted Masood’s grave into a mausoleum, later enhanced with domes by Firoz Shah Tughlaq.
Ajit Pratap Singh asserted that the dargah was constructed by demolishing the Surya Mandir and Surya Kund, accusing the fair of being an attempt to undermine Sanatani civilisation. “Some Hindus visit the site out of ignorance,” Singh said, adding, “This will not be tolerated at any cost.”
Shrine defenders push back
Baqaullah Habib, president of the Syed Salar Masood Ghazi Dargah Management Committee in Bahraich, defended the shrine, calling it a “centre of faith and a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity.” He emphasised that the Jeth Fair has been held for nearly 980 years, attracting devotees of all castes and creeds from across India and abroad without any formal publicity.
“No one calls them here, yet they come to pay homage to the martyred saint,” Habib told Hindustan Times. He noted that the district administration collaborates with the committee annually to ensure pilgrims’ security and facilities.
Juned Ahmad ‘Noor,’ a scholar of Urdu literary history, challenged the narrative surrounding Ghazi, asserting that he was not a foreigner but an Indian, born in Ajmer in 405 Hijri (circa 1015 CE) and martyred in Bahraich in 424 Hijri (1034 CE) at the age of 18 years and 4 months. “Locals call him ‘Baale Miyan, and he is revered as a Sufi saint,” Noor said. Devotees carry flags to offer at his dargah, a tradition rooted in centuries of reverence.
Habib dismissed the demands for a ban as politically motivated, stating, “Such voices have been raised in Bahraich for a long time for political gains.”
“Bahraich’s situation is different from Sambhal because the shrine is here, and the fair has a 980-year legacy,” he said.
The Bahraich administration is yet to respond officially to the demands. However, with tensions simmering, police and administrative officials are closely monitoring the situation to prevent any escalation.
About the Fair
Ghazi’s annual fair every year begins from the first Thursday of Hindu month Jyeshth which continues for more than a month. Every year, 7-10 lakh devotees from the country and abroad visit it.
The Urs commemorates the death of Ghazi, a general of Mahmud Ghazni in circa AD 1034 in Bahraich. Among the pilgrims more than 80% people are from Hindu community.
Shariq Rais Siddiqui