Several recent reports have shown that demography is changing rapidly along India’s border with Nepal. The number of mosques and madarsas is constantly increasing along the border. From August 20 to 27, 2022, an OpIndia team visited several areas in Nepal bordering India to observe the ground situation. What follows here is the ninth episode of the series of reports documenting the facts noticed by the OpIndia team.
We came across a man in the Balapur neighbourhood, right in front of Jarawa police station, as we were returning from the Dang district of Nepal to Balrampur city in India. He appeared to be a Maulana and was waiting on the roadside to seek a lift. We gave him a ride in our car, and after a while, we started chatting with him about neighbourhood issues including those in our border areas. Speaking to us, the Maulana identified himself as Barkatullah Khan, a resident of Basantpur village, located in Tulsipur tehsil of Balrampur district in Uttar Pradesh. He was 60 years old.
There were not so many madarsas in my childhood days: Maulana Barkatullah Khan
When we questioned Barkatullah Khan about his early education, he admitted to attending a government school in Balrampur. We questioned him why he chose not to attend a nearby madrasa as the government school was located roughly 30 kilometres from his home.
In response to our question, Maulana Barkatullah Khan stated that there were fewer madarsas during his childhood than there are now. The Maulana, who identified himself as an adherent of the Ahle Sunnah, added that then, madrasas used to be located in a very limited number of areas.
Mosque with two minarets along the Indo-Nepal border built by local funding, those with one minaret funded by Saudi Arabia
According to Barkatullah, Saudi Arabia has provided funding for almost all of the mosques that have been built over the years along the Indo-Nepal border. The mosques with two minarets were built with funds from Indian Muslims, he explained, whereas the mosque with just one minaret was funded by Saudi Arabia.
The mosques constructed in the border region, according to Maulana Barkatullah Khan, are connected to Ahle Sunnah and other firs. Barkatullah stated that although the residents of Girdhardih village are impoverished, these mosques were built using funds sent by individuals who had left the village in search of employment.
Madarsas running on donation money
When asked which madarsa was the best in the neighbourhood, Barkatullah gave the name of one that was close to the Shaktipeeth Devipatan temple and was situated in the Etawa square of the Tulsipur market. He mentioned that the madarsa receives government funding.
Besides the aforementioned madarsa, the Maulana listed the names of various additional functional madrasas that are operating on donation money. Pointing to a neighbouring village that came up on our way, Barkatullah stated that practically every village has a madarsa, even if they are running with the support of voluntary donations by locals.
Land along the road costs Rs 15 lakh per bigha
When we asked Maulana about the cost of land near the mosques and madarsas, he said that it costs somewhere around Rs 15 lakhs a bigha (1 bigha is equal to 0.619 acres or 27,000 square feet). He further claimed that land costs roughly Rs 3 lakh bigha in areas that are not near a road.
When we asked Maulana Barkatullah whether only those earning in Gulf countries send money for the Mosques being built on the Nepal border, he answered in the negative. He confirmed that people who have relocated to Mumbai and other cities for jobs also send their contributions. Lauding the Sheikhs of the Gulf (in most of the Arab nations, members of the Gulf Royal Houses are referred to as sheikh and sheikha), Maulana said that during Ramzan he spends sacks full of money received from the Sheikhs. He continued, that many locals from the village also come to them asking for money.
Construction of shrines is a commission-based game: Maulana
The Maulana expressed his concern and explained how the legacy of cuts and commissions is pervasive in the region. He declared that no mosques, madarsas, or mazars could be built in this area without paying a commission to the local mafias. He added that there are established vendors of cement, bricks, bars, sand, and other items who offer a commission to clients. These vendors belong to various faiths and it’s almost mandatory that all construction materials are brought from these set vendors.
More Hindus than Muslims visit the shrines
As we were conversing, our vehicle arrived at the Tulsipur market, about 20 kilometres from the border. Pointing to a Mazar that could be seen from the market’s entrance, Maulana claimed that this specific tomb is visited more by Hindus than Muslims.
The mazars, in Maulana Barkatullah’s opinion, is a means of extorting money, and anyone in the area who wants to make quick money builds a Mazar on his piece of land. Over the passage of time, several highly educated people in the village have also become ‘believers’, said Barkatullah (becoming a believer entails adopting the Muslim faith).
Many villages are Muslim dominated
Maulana Barkatullah, who was conversing with us while seated in our car, concurred that many of the bordering villages along the Nepal border are largely Muslim now. Additionally, he listed some predominantly Muslim villages, including Semri, Chainpur, Sivli, Jeevali, and Basantpur. According to Barkatullah, these settlements have mosques and madarsas where people can live and eat for free. These Madarsas offer free classes in Arabic and Urdu as well. Barkatullah indicated a madrasa by the side of the road in the hamlet of Madarhwa. He described it as a private Madarsa.
Shia or Sunni on the paper, with many inner spins
According to Maulana Barkatullah, although they are referred to as Shia or Sunni in official documents, there are significant divisions among them. He claims that it contains Ahle Hadith, Wahhabi, and many more firs and that their mosques are likewise separated in the same manner.
Barkatullah exuded a great deal of rage for the Yogi administration. He claims that under the current administration, inflation soared and there are many animals roaming the streets. He claimed that since Yogi’s government came to power, they are not allowed to use loudspeakers in Mosques during Azan.
Maulana further lamented, “Be it Yogi Adityanath’s Gorakhpeeth or the Devipatan temple in Tulsipur, the morning there starts and ends with the playing of drums.” There are still loudspeakers in some mosques, but according to Barkatullah, it has to be played at a reduced volume.
Koilabas in Nepal predominantly has Manihar Muslim population
Maulana Barkatullah went on to speak to us about the history of Koilabas, a bazaar town situated in Gadhawa Rural Municipality in Dang Deokhuri District in Lumbini Province of southwestern Nepal. This is the first village in Nepal that is located near the Indian border. Sharing information on how the village is headed by a Muslim, the Maulana said that it predominantly has Manihar Muslim population.
He characterised the Muslims of Koilabas as prosperous businessmen. Barkatullah stated that these people are never spotted traversing the border areas but are always seen inside Nepal. He asserted that Koilabas would in the near future, once again become overcrowded.
Before we got to his house near the Tulsipur market area, Maulana Barkatullah spoke to us for almost 30 minutes. As soon as our car stopped near his house, Maulana exited, greeting us with Khuda Hafiz.
The first report in this series can be read here in Hindi: कभी था हिंदू बहुल गाँव, अब स्वस्तिक चिह्न वाले घर पर 786 का निशान: भारत के उस पार भी डेमोग्राफी चेंज, नेपाल में घुसते ही मस्जिद, मदरसा और इस्लाम – OpIndia Ground Report
The same report can be read here in English: Demographic change hits other side of the border too, Mosques and Madarasas mushroom in former Hindu dominated areas in Nepal: Ground report
The second report in this series can be read here in Hindi: घरों पर चाँद-तारे वाले हरे झंडे, मस्जिद-मदरसे, कारोबार में भी दखल: मुस्लिम आबादी बढ़ने के साथ ही नेपाल में कपिलवस्तु के ‘कृष्णा नगर’ पर गाढ़ा हुआ इस्लामी रंग – OpIndia Ground Report
The same report can be read here in English: Islamic flags flying atop houses and mosques, madarsas influencing businesses: The creeping Islamisation of Nepal’s Krishnanagar
The third report in this series can be read here in Hindi: नेपाल में लव जिहाद: बढ़ती मुस्लिम आबादी और नेपाली लड़कियों से निकाह के खेल में ‘दिल्ली कनेक्शन’, तस्कर-गिरोह भारतीय सीमा पर खतरा – OpIndia Ground Report
The same report can be read here in English: Rising cases of love jihad in Nepal and its Delhi connection, smuggling plaguing India’s border with Nepal: Ground report
The fourth report in this series can be read here in Hindi: बौद्ध आस्था के केंद्र हों या तालाब… हर जगह मजार: श्रावस्ती में घरों की छत पर लहरा रहे इस्लामी झंडे, OpIndia Ground Report
The same report can be read here in English: Steady rise in mazars and madarsas adjoining Buddhist places of worship in UP’s Shravasti near Indo-Nepal border: Ground report
The fifth report in this series can be read here in Hindi: महाराणा प्रताप के साथ लड़ी थारू जनजाति बहुल गाँव में 3 मस्जिद, 1 मदरसा: भारत-नेपाल सीमा पर बढ़ती मुस्लिम आबादी का ये है ‘पैटर्न’ – OpIndia Ground Report
The same report can be read here in English: Rising number of mosques, madarsa along Indo-Nepal border: Ground report on Islamisation of village of Tharu tribe that fought along Maharana Pratap
The sixth report in this series can be read here in Hindi: बौद्ध-जैन मंदिरों के बीच दरगाह बनाई, जिस मजार को पुलिस ने किया ध्वस्त… वो फिर चकमकाई: नेपाल सीमा पर बढ़ती मुस्लिम आबादी – OpIndia Ground Report
The same report can be read here in English: Dargah and mazar built around Buddhist and Jain temple premises, illegal mazar once demolished surfaces again: UP’s Shravasti near Nepal border
The seventh report in this series can be read here in Hindi: हनुमान गढ़ी की जमीन पर कब्जा, झारखंडी मंदिर सरोवर में ताजिया: नेपाल सीमा पर बढ़ती मुस्लिम आबादी, असर UP के बलरामपुर में – OpIndia Ground Report
The same report can be read here in English: Muslim encroachment of temple land, Karbala built in temple compound, and more: Ground report on Islamisation underway along the UP-Nepal border
The eight report in this series can he read here in Hindi: पुरातत्व विभाग से संरक्षित जो जगह, वहाँ वक्फ की दरगाह-मजार: नेपाल सीमा पर बढ़ती मुस्लिम आबादी, मुसीबत में बौद्ध धर्मस्थल – OpIndia Ground Report
The same can be read here in English: Mazars built at places protected by Archaeological Department along India-Nepal border, Buddhist shrines in trouble- OpIndia Ground Report
