Bahar I Azam Jahi

Bahar I Azam Jahi is a Persian pilgrimage chronicle, it is a compilation of various pieces of information by Ghulam Abdul Qadir Nazir. Azam Jah of the Carnatic appointed the author to record the events during his pilgrimage journey to the Nagore Dargah from Madras and return via Trichinopoly and Arcot. The pilgrimage was undertaken in 1823, and the author's job was to document everything they came across during their journeys, such as the name of the villages, tombs of saints, mosques, buildings, shops, streams, rivers, tanks, springs, gardens, and even the distance covered every day.

Quotes

• It is an account of a journey undertaken in 1823 by ‘Ãzam Jãh Bahãdur “after he ascended the throne of the Carnatic as Nawwãb Wãlãjãh VI.” The author, Ghulãm ‘Abdul Qadir Nãzir, was his court scribe who accompanied the Nawwãb on this journey. Nãzir does not tell us that his patron was a Nawwãb only in name as he was living in Madras on British charity, his ancestral principality of Arcot having been ceded to the British in 1801. What he says instead is how the “Nawwãb” lost his temper when he learnt that the Muslims in his retinue were visiting the Hindu temples at Chidambaram and how he “gave strict orders” to British officers of the place “that no Muslim should be allowed to go over to the temple and enter it.” At a later stage, we are told that “the party marched forth… to the accompaniment of music provided by dancing girls of the Hindu cornmunity.” The account names numerous Sufis etc., who came to the districts of Chingleput, North Arcot, South Arcot, Tiruchirapalli and Thanjavur and established Muslim places of worship.
  • Bahãr-i-Ãzam; Goel. Bahãr-i-Ãzam, translated in English, Madras, 1960, p. 2., p. 18-19, p. 101. quoted from Goel S.R. Hindu Temples Vol II.

• It is said that in ancient days Trichila, an execrable monster with three heads, who was a brother of Rawan, with ten heads, had the sway over this country. No human being could oppose him. But as per the saying of the Prophet, ‘Islam will be elevated and cannot be subdued’, the Faith took root by the efforts of Hazarat Natthar Wali. The monster was slain and sent to the house of perdition. His image namely but-ling worshipped by the unbelievers was cut and the head was separated from the body. A portion of the body went into the ground. Over that spot is the tomb of the Wali, shedding rediance till this day.
  • About the legend surrounding the tomb of Nathar Shah at Tiruchirapalli (Tamil Nadu). Bahãr-i-Ãzam, translated in English, Madras, 1960. p. 51.

• Shah Bheka when he was at Trichinopoly during the days of Rani Minachi, the unbelievers who did not like his stay there harassed him. One day when he was very much vexed, he got upon the bull in front of the temple, which the Hindus worship calling it swami, and made it move on by the power and strength of the Supreme Life Giver. They abandoned the temple and gave the entire place on the aruskalwa as present to the Shah.
  • Bahãr-i-Ãzam, translated in English, Madras, 1960. p. 63. quoted from Shourie, A., & Goel, S. R. (1993). Hindu temples: What happened to them.

• Qayim Shah… came here from Hindustan. He was the cause for the destruction of twelve temples. He lived to an old age and passed away on the 17th Safar AH 1193.
  • Sufi Qãyim Shãh- Bahãr-i-Ãzam, translated in English, Madras, 1960, p. 64.

• Hazarat Nur Muhammad Qadiri was the most unique man regarded as an invaluable person of his age. Very often he was the cause of the ruin of temples. Some of these were laid waste. He selected his own burial ground in the vicinity of the temple. Although he lived five hundred years ago, people at large still remember his greatness.
  • Sufi Nûr Muhammad Qãdirî. Vellore (Tamil Nadu) “. Bahãr-i-Ãzam, translated in English, Madras, 1960, p. 128.