Last Saturday, a mosque in Kot Razada village in Ajnala tehsil, Amritsar district, Punjab, which had been abandoned after the Partition of India in 1947, was officially handed over to the Muslim community.
First Azan in the Village Since Partition
The azan, or call to prayers, the first to be heard in the village since 1947, was read out by H K Pathan, a former assistant commissioner of police with the Railway Protection Force, Mumbai. Pathan, who was visiting Punjab along with two fellow members of the Maharashtra College Alumni Association, Nagpada, had been distributing financial aid to families affected by recent floods.
“The Shahi Imam of Punjab asked me to proclaim the azan for Maghrib (evening) prayers,” said Pathan.
Mosque’s History and Condition
Pathan explained that the mosque was built in the early twentieth century. After the Muslims left the village, the premises were converted into a school by Christian missionaries. The school has now closed, and villagers requested that the mosque be restored to the Muslim community.
“The mosque is in a ruined condition due to the absence of a caretaker. There are currently no Muslims living in the village, which is located near the banks of the Ravi river,” Pathan added.
Alumni Association’s Role in the Event
Aqeel Ansari, another member of the Maharashtra College Alumni Association, said that the village had a mixed population of Sikhs, Hindus, Christians, and Muslims in the past. The Sikhs and Hindus requested the Shahi Imam to take charge of the mosque, and the alumni members accompanied him to distribute aid in the village.
The Maharashtra College Alumni Association, founded in 2017 during the college’s golden jubilee, regularly organizes charity events, finances the education of underprivileged students, and provides aid to victims of natural disasters. In the last month, the association collected and distributed Rs 27 Lakh in aid in Solapur and Punjab.
“We are helping the college expand its social activities. This is part of our effort to support an institution founded by leaders like Rafiq Zakaria and philanthropists like Mohammad Ali Mitha,” said Arif Syed, vice-president of the association.
College Principal Applauds Event
The Principal of Maharashtra College, Sirajuddin Chougle, expressed his support for the alumni group’s efforts but could not attend due to official work.
“We are happy to be part of this historic event,” he said.
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