Sholakia

Sholakia ( _bn. শোলাকিয়া) is a locality near Kishoreganj town in Bangladesh. It is famous for its Eidgah where the largest congregation of Eid prayer in Bangladesh is held on the occasion of "Eid ul-Fitr", the day of celebration after the Ramadan, the month of fasting. [http://banglapedia.search.com.bd/HT/E_0028.htm Eid-ul Fitr] ; Banglapedia; "Retrieved on 2007-08-26".] 300,000 people join the prayer on every Eid.cite news | last = Moklesur Rahman | first = Liton | title = Sholakia Eidgah | work = Star Insight | pages = Cover page | language = English | publisher = Daily Star | date = 2006-10-28 | url = http://thedailystar.ws/starinsight/2006/10/02/cover.htm | accessdate = 2007-08-22] The Eidgah, on the bank of river Narosunda is reported to be convert|7|acre|m2 in size, accommodating 250 rows or about 150,000 of participants for every congregation. An equal number of participants take part in the prayer using the fields, roads and courtyards around the Eidgah.

A small number of elites make use of the two-storied mimbar (payer hall with towers for "adhan") nearby, which can accommodate about 500 people. The prayer on the occasion of "Eid ul-Adha", the festival of "qurbani" or sacrifice, is also comparably large. [ [http://www.newagebd.com/2007/jan/04/nat.html The New Age] , 2007-01-04, "Retrieved: 2007-08-22"] The regular population of Sholakia is 1,026, consisting 180 households. [cite web | title = Austragram Census Results at a glance | work = Census | publisher = Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics | date = | url = http://www.bbs.gov.bd/com_series/daka_div/kis_sum.pdf | format = PDF | accessdate = 2007-08-22]

Organization

Mufti Abul Khair Md. Saifullah has been conducting the eid prayers since 2004. Before him Principal Mufti Abul Khair Muahmmad Nurullah, his father, conducted these prayers for 28 years, from 1975 to 2003. Mufti Nurullah is still remembered at the prayers by his son. [ [http://www.drishtipat.org/blog/2006/10/26/bangladesh-ruling-party-hit-by-massive-defection/ From Drishtipat] ; "Retrieved on 2007-08-26".] The Eidgah has an executive committee of 51 members with the District Commissioner (DC) as the president. For every congregation, district police administration deploys a large number of police officers equipped with metal detectors, mine detectors and close circuit cameras. Medical teams and fire brigades are also kept alert during the prayers. "Eid ul-Fitr" is the biggest religious festival in the muslim-dominated Bangladesh, followed by "Eid ul-Adha".

History

Sayeed Ahmed, the first man of Shaheb Bari (which is near the Eidgah maidan), organized the first Eid congregation in 1828 on the fields of his own taluk. He came from Yaman to spread the light of Islam in Bangladesh. The local myth says that 125,000 people turned out at that congregation, hence the name "Sholakia" ("shoa" meaning one and a quarter and "lakh" meaning a hundred thousand). Afterwards, the local dewan of Haibatnagar zamindar family, Mannan Dad Kha, who was a descendant of Isa Khan, donated convert|4.35|acre|m2 of land to the Eidgah in 1950.

Other feautres

Sholakia, standing by Kishoreganj-Karimganj road [ [http://duryognivaran.org/duryog/detail_bulk.php?id=1630&newsindex=1&arctoday= South Asia Disaster News Service] ; "Retrieved on 2007-08-26".] , the commercial artery of the area, is almost free from arsenic contamination of groundwater, a menace in the Ganges Basin and elsewhere Binangladesh. [ [http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/welltracker/welltracker.php?villcode=148496992902 Welltacker] Columbia University; "Retrieved on 2007-08-26".] Divided into Kharompatty and Kolapara mahallas, Sholakia has a sporting club, "Sholakia Sporting Club", that takes part in local level soccer tournaments. [ [http://www.newagebd.com/2005/jul/09/spt.html From the daily New Age] ; "Retrieved on 2007-08-26".] Manufacturing bricks and tiles is a major commercial activity here. [ [http://www.craftcentral.com/interior-decor/wall-furnishings/brick-tile.html From craft central] ; "Retrieved on 2007-08-26".]

Notable Eidgahs in Bangladesh

* Shahi Eidgah
* Baitul Mukarram

References