Sheikhupur, Badaun
The town of Sautbad, known as Sheikhupur (Urdu: شيخُوپُور), is about 4 km from the centre of Badaun city across the river Saut. It is 1 km from Budaun and will be the part of the city in one year. The latitude and longitude of Sheikhupur are 28.1 (N) and 79.7' respectively.
Sheikhupur is not only the name of a town: It stands for a culture where learning flourished. The foundation of this historic township was laid more than three centuries ago by Farid-uddin Farooqui Faridi aka Mohtashim Khan, Ihtisham Khan Ikhlas Khan the illustrious son of the Farooqui Faridi Sheikhs of Badaun. Ever since it was founded, Sheikhupur witnessed phases of its rise and fall like any other historic place. Sheikhpur still exists on the map and treasures the memories of its glorious past which helped to shape the history of Mughal India.
Climate and agriculture
The climate of Sheikhupur is the same as its surrounding areas. It is at a higher elevation and by a side of a river. Its soil is excellent for agriculture and crops being cultivated in the surrounding areas are grown here. Being close to Badaun yet at a distance from it, Sheikhupur possesses an identity of its own.
Transportation
Access to Sheikhupur is easy as a railway line passes through it apart from Kuchcha and pucca roads from Badaun. The train going from Bareilly to Kasganj hails at Sheikhupur railway station. The Pucca road via Nawshera to Qadar Chowk passes through Sheikhupur and is a busy road through the day. The easiest road to take for Badaun is the Pucca Road running between Mauza Meeran Sarai and Ghalib Patti, going up to river Saut.
Historic significance
Sheikhupur is an area near Badaun, a city in the north-central Uttar Pradesh state of northern India. It is inhabited by Faridi branch of the Farooki Sheikhs. In the reign of Akbar his family became connected with the empire. Its first member was Sheikh Salim Chishti whose tomb at Fatehpur Sikri near Agra was built at the expense of the State. His grandson Nawab Qutubuddin Koka was private secretary to the emperor Jahangir and afterwards governor of Bengal. Nawab Qutb-ud-din Khan Koka's son Nawab Mohtashim Khan was granted by Jahangir 4,000 bigas of land in Badaun District (United Provinces) where he built a small fort named Sheikhupur after Jahangir, who was caned Sheikhu-baba in his childhood. He was married to Mumtaz Mahal's sister and grand tomb still stands there housing their graves.
Nawab Mohtashim Khan was granted by the emperors Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Alamgir a jagir of 22 villages in that district. Hakim Razi-ud-din's grandfather Hakim Ghulam Najaf Khan was appointed physician to the last king of Delhi with the title of Azaz-ud-daula Bahadur.
Emperor Jahangir's foster mother
Qutubuddin Koka's mother, the daughter in law of Sheikh Salim Chishti, was the foster mother of Emperor Jahangir. The emperor was deeply attached to his foster mother, as reflected by the following paragraph in the Jahangirnama:
In the month of Zi-l-qada the mother of Qutubuddin Khan Koka who had given me her milk and was as a mother to me and even kinder than my own mother... was committed to the mercy of God. I placed the feet of her corpse on my shoulders and carried her a part of the way (to her grave). Through extreme grief and sorrow I had no inclination for some days to eat, and I did not change my clothes." —Jahangirnama (Memoirs of Mughal Emperor Jahangir)
Development
Soon, Sheikhpur will be added in the city of Budaun and its Railway Station would be Budaun Junction.[citation needed]
Notable people and families
- Nawab Abdul-Ghaffar Khan Bahadur — was a descendent of Nawab Qutubuddin Khan Koka, nearly 10 generations since the rule of Emperor Jahangir. He was also a direct descendent of great Sufis including Fariduddin Ganjshakar and Sheikh Salim Chishti. During the First War of Independence, they allied with British, rendering many useful services to the Government of India by giving refuge to senior British government officials during the troubled period. For his services, he was rewarded extensive land in the Badaun and Sheikhapur area, and was thanked with his family by a visit from HH Lord Sir James Meston, 1st Baron Meston, who later served as the Lieutenant-Governor of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh.