Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh): A procession of brightly clothed men, smeared with colors and brandishing swords, was taken out in the Jamunipur Kotwa area of Prayagraj on Friday. It is a unique Holi procession taken out in the manner of a victory march that has its roots in the Mughal era. The atrocities of a Mughal ruler's general were put to an end through an armed rebellion of locals led by Thakur Nazar Singh on the day of Holi. Since then it has become a tradition for the locals to take out such procession every year during Holi.
They wear new clothes and carry traditional weapons during the procession. People from many villages participate in the victory procession which starts from Kotwa and ends at the Durvasa Ashram area where the tomb of the Mughal general Mohammad Zafar Sayeed, who used to torment the locals, is located. The procession ended with the locals expressing their anger at Sayeed at his grave.
Mahendra Pratap Singh, a retired teacher living in Kotwa, said that Prayagraj used to come under the Awadh province during the Mughal rule about 300 years ago. At that time, the reins of Awadh province were under the rule of Mughal ruler Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. The Nawab had posted general Mohammad Zafar Sayeed in the Gangapar area of Prayagraj to collect taxes in the Gangapar.
He also said Zafar Saeed started inflicting all kinds of atrocities on the public to collect taxes. It is said that after marriage, Zafar used to call the new bride to spend one night in his mansion. Not only this, if someone raised his voice against him, he used to tie him to a cannon and blow it up with a shell. Angered by the increasing oppression of Zafar in the name of 'Lagaan' (tax), the people sought the help of Thakur Nazar Singh.
According to Dr. Shashikendra Pratap Singh, a descendant of Thakur Nazar Singh, he decided to help the locals and planned the attack on Mohammad Zafar Sayeed's mansion. The attack took place on the day of holi.
During the attack, Sayeed and his soldiers tried to fire cannons at the locals, but before they could open fire, a group of locals destroyed the weapons. Saeed along with several soldiers was killed in the attack, while other soldiers fled from the spot as soon as Saeed was killed. Many villagers were also injured during the attack and one local youth was killed.
