Tadkeshwar

Tadkeshwar also spelt "Tarkeshwar", is a muslim town located in the district of Surat, Gujarat, India, situated approximately 36km away from Surat City and on the Kim-Mandvi Road north of the River Tapti. It is very close to Bharuch District. It has a population of about 12000 people, the slight majority being sunni vohra muslims and the remainder Hindus of various caste and a number of Tribal Hindus. Most of the families are engaged in agriculture. A large part of the population is settled abroad including USA, Canada, United Kingdom, France, South Africa, Zambia, Barbados and Panama. A large part of the muslim population also migrated to Pakistan post 1947 and today are Pakistani citizens settled mainly in Karachi.

The town was previously a Rajput town called Bheem-Nagar derived from the name of the Raja Bheem who ruled it. During Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni invasions into Gujarat, the town was both attacked and conquered by his armies, in approximately the year 1024AD. Thirty Five thousand Turkic soldiers are said to have conquered the town. This is attested by the fact that old stones can be found around the town with the name of a conqueror Sultan Mahmood Ghaznavi engraved on them. Since Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni was himself of Turkic origin and his armies consisted mainly of Turks from Turkestan/Afghan Turkestan after the conquest the town became known as "Tark-e-sar", meaning 'won by the Turks'. Also all foreign muslims in India including Persians and Afghans were labelled "Turk" at the time. Over time, the words combined to form "Tarkeshwar". Tadkeshwar is sometimes spelt as "Tarkeshwar". Most of the towns original Hindu population were killed. Some Rajputs in the town are said to have converted to Islam. Some of his soldiers are said to have settled in the town and over time adopted the use of Rajput surnames or titles. A common surname today found in Tadkeshwar includes Turki, which litery means "of Turkic origin". The muslim "Dhorakia" Chauhans of Tadkeshwar also claim to be descended from these Turkic Ghaznavid soldiers that settled in the town, and light skin and Blue eyes is very common among them and has been for many generations. There are many other families in which light skin and green eyes is noticed including Nakhuda, Bana, Saeed (Kadamia) and Kazi.

The town has a subsequent history of foreign and local settlements including Parsi's, Nakhuda's and Pashtuns. Many Muslims and saints are associated with the town and are responsible for many people embracing Islam. Four mosaliums dedicated to saints surround the town at all four directions said to give the town divine blessing. Two of the more famous saints include Hazrat Maulana Nizamuddin Bajouri, who was a Afghan Pashtun from Bajour, and who lived and died in Tadkeshwar, and his disciple Hazrat Shaikh Moosaji Mehtar. There graves are located together in a hill just outside Tadkeshwar and is often visited by the locals.

Today, the majority of Tadkeshwar is populated by Muslims, and about 40% are Hindus and generally the towns politics and affairs are dominated by the muslims and hence it is known as a muslim town. Both communities share cordial and good relations. The communities are however separated with muslims streets and Hindu streets. The town has seven mosques and three Hindu Temples including a Jain Temple. The more prominent muslim families are Chauhan, Nakhuda, Bana, Ingar, Turki, Kazi, Desai, Mehtar, Arya and Patel. Among the Hindu families Brahmins, Rajputs, Parmars, Solanki, Ahirs as well as Patels, Shah and Kathiawar's are found. The town also has a Parsi street, and previously they were many Parsi's most of whom have now moved to Mumbai or Surat and today only one elderly member of this community remains. There is also one Afghan (Achakzai) family originally from Spin Boldak in Kandahar, settled in the village since 1947. They still speak Pashto among themselves and Urdu with others. The patriarch of this family Mualana Sher Ali Khan Kandahari is the most senior Maulana in the towns Madressa and was born in Afghanistan and until very recently still carried an Afghan Passport. There is also one Sikh family whose roots are connected to West Punjab Pakistan pre 1947. Tadkeshwar has a large and very old madrassa "Darul Uloom Falah-e-Darain", where hundreds of Muslim students from far afield as Sudan and Srinagar in India go to become Alims and Qaris. The old mosque also contains an inscription in Persian language. The town has its own water works system and electricity and telephone networks are provided to the whole town. The town also has its own bazaar, high school and three hospitals and two graveyards. Tadkeshwar also has two lignite mines and a canal.

The closest railhead is Kim.

See Also

* Muslim conquest in the Indian subcontinent
* Ghaznavid Empire

References

* http://inter-islam.org/Biographies/shkmusa.htm