The "Bada Bazar", the market place the road goung through the Moradabadi Darwaza leads to, came up at about the same time due to Meeran Abdul Majid's initiative. Meeran Abdul Majid himself had moved to this area from Mohallah Satthi after he had a difference of opinion with his brother. The fort made out of "lakhori" bricks had two other gates, including one called "Changa Darwaza" in the Gashtian area behind the palace (mahal) built by Deewan Syed Mahmood. The gate to the mahal existed until very recently close to the Azakhana of Darbare Kalan. I believe a part of the fort wall still exists in the Kushak area.
Most of Deewan Syed Mahmood's descendents live in the Darbare Kalan - Mandi Chob area (including me). But one of them, Syed Dost Ali, moved to Katkoi and built an azakhana. He was prompted to do so by his wife who was a Shiite hailing from Afghanpur (but a descendent of Janab Shah Vilayat Sahab). This was in 1766/67 AD - eighteen years before the Bada Imambara of Lucknow was built! Thus, Azakhana Katkoi is the second or third oldest imambargah in Amroha. Six years prior to that Syed Dost Ali had participated in the Third Battle of Panipat along with the Nawab of Najibabad (against the Marathas) and almost died in action. He was saved by Almighty to do this noble job. Please offer a Surae fatiha for him. |
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