AFZAL KHAN/S TOMB AT PRATAPGARH CAN NOT BE A DARGAH

                       AFZAL KHAN/S TOMB AT PRATAPGARH CAN NOT BE A DARGAH

                                            Dr K Prabhakar Rao

                     Afzal Khan the Bijapur General ( 17 century) was on a mission to capture or kill Shivaji Maharaj on the orders of Bijapur sultan Adilshah II. Afzal Khan failed to draw Shivaji Mahraj into an open battle  and both agreed to meet at a place near Pratapgarh un armed. No escorts were allowed at the meet. However Afzal Khan hid a dagger in his robe and embraced the Maratha leader iin  a friendly gesture. Shivaji had  made some preparations and wore inner armour  and   had a hidden Bagh Nakh ( Tigers claws) with a bichwa( Small knife). He wore a steel cap under his turban. Afzal Khan tried to stab Shivaji Maharaj and he was saved by his armour. Shivaji Maharaj wore bagh nakh and tore open bowels of Khan and stabbed him with the bichwa . Khan left Shivaji Maharaj and ran out in agony holding his entrails.  Shivaji Mahraj was attacked by body guards. But escorts of Shivaji Maharaj who rushed- in killed them. Shivaji Maharaj killed Kulkarni the secretary of Khan. Outside the tent, Afzal Khan was  being carried away in a palanquin  and one of the Maratha  soldier intercepted them and cut off the head of Afzal Khan. Bijapur army was butchered in the ensuing battle.

                  Afzal Khans  severed head was    presented to  Rajmata Jijabai  who wanted to take revenge for killing of her husband Shahji Raje and son Sambhooji earlier by the Cruel Khan. Afzal Khan's son survived the carnage at Pratapgarh and he requested Shivaji Maharaj that he be permitted to bury his dead father and  wisely Shivaji Maharaj permitted him to do so. Mortal remains of Afzal khan were buried at Pratap garh with all honors befitting a military commander. Subsequently , Survivors of Bijapur forces devoid of arms, weapons, horses etc with Afzal khan's son left Pratapgarh for Bijapur. The tomb of Afzal Kahn  exists even today and over the years, it was developed   and  a  Trust is formed to look after the Tomb and some new structures also  have come  up  around the tomb. Slowly the tomb was  being made into a Dargah of Hazrat Afzal Khan. This has been a sour point for admirers of Shivaji Maharaj and  an ultimatum was served on govt to get the tomb demolished as it belonged to that of the enemy of Shivaji Maharaj. Tensions built up  and govt made elaborate arrangements  around the localities like Mahabaleswar and other near by areas. Tourism  suffered greatly. However at present status quo is being maintained. There was also a proposal to convert the surrounding buildings at the tomb as Museums of Shivaji Maharaj.

              A similar situation also exists at Madhura ( Madurai) in Tamilnadu   where once a Muslim kingdom called Mabar existed. Mabar was established by a Muslim noble Jaluddin asan shah of Mohd BinTughlaq who was appointed as a governor of the province after it was won by  him in 1323. It declared independence in 1333   when  Tughlaq dynasty became weak at Delhi.   It existed for nearly 50 years till 1378. The kingdom was run over by Kumara Kampana  son of Bukka Raya ( Sangama dynasty) the Vijaynagar emperor. This victory has been described in a book titled Madhura Vijayam I (victory over Madhura) by his wife Ganga Devi. Once Mabar army was defeated in 1378,   Sikandar shah sultan of Mabar  challenged Kumara Kampna for a duel   and the prince obliged. In the ensuing duel , Kumara Kampana cut off the head of the sultan with a swish of his sword. Sikandar shah was buried in Madhura and his grave is turned into a Dargah by the Muslims who worship  him as A Wali who sacrificed his life for his religion. Probably Sikandar shah was not wicked as Afzal khan and died  in a chivalrous duel. Every year an Urs takes place at the grave.
                  Usually a Dargah is built for pious and holy Muslims free from all types of violence. Even Emperor Akbar who found Din Ilahi  has not been entitled for a Dargah.  Aurangzeb  who is called a  Zinda peer by his admirers is not considered as a saint. His tomb at Khuldabad is not a Dargah.
                 Afzal Khan was a treacherous and crooked villain, killer and a womanizer. He was wicked and killed his 63 innocent wives in cold blood. He destroyed many temples including of Tulza Bhvani in Maharashtra and  committed atrocities on Hindu population to draw Shivaji Maharaj into an open battle in retaliation.. How can such a person be called an holy man and called Hazrat Afzal Khan? A point to ponder over?  The grave of Afzal Khan has to be a mere grave devoid of any maintenance and not a Dargah of a Wali or a Fakir. It is not showing a disrespect to a dead man.  He does not deserve to be called with such a respected word Hazrat that is reserved for a noble and respected pious person in Muslim community.  In India we have famous Dargahs for  most renowned saints of Isalm  at Ajmir, Gulbaraga, Delhi, Hyderabad, Fatehpur sikri,  Nagpur and at many places. Killer Afzal Khan  can not be one among them.