Jalali

Jalali Uttar Pradesh • India
Jalali
Coordinates: 27°52′N 78°16′E / 27.87, 78.27
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area • Elevation	• 178 m (584 ft)
District(s)	Aligarh
Population	17,451 (2001)

Coordinates: 27°52′N 78°16′E / 27.87, 78.27 Jalali is a town and a nagar panchayat in Aligarh district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

Geography

Jalali is located at 27.87° N 78.27° E^[1]. It has an average elevation of 178 metres (583 feet).

Demographics

As of 2001 India census^[2], Jalali had a population of 17,451. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Jalali has an average literacy rate of 39%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 49%, and female literacy is 26%. In Jalali, 18% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Etymology

Jalali is a historical town located in the district of Aligarh and is known for its culture and traditions. Jalali has also been a perfect example of communal harmony for decades. Jalali was under the influence of both Moghals and Britishers. Its history can be traced back to the 16th century when SAYYEDs migrated from Iran and settled down here. Sayyeds in Jalali lived as landlords and had reasonably good education. Jalali also has a few good examples of old Moghal architecture. Jalali has been an active contributor in the development of Urdu language.It has the distincion of producing Ustad Qamar Jalalvi, a poet of international fame. Some other well-known Poets of Urdu who emerged from Jalali are Mohabbat Jalalvi, Peer Mohammad Gauhar Jalalvi, S.Shabber Husain Saher Jalalvi, S.Sajjad Hussain Hadaf Jalalvi, S. Ali Baqar Chacha Jalalvi (known for his humorous poems) and S. Afsar Ali Baqa Jalalvi. Baqa Jalalvi wrote some marsiyas, nauhas and salams. His most well known marsiya is "Uffaqe shaam se utthi jo ghata zulmat ki". His father Sayyed Zille Hussain Fiza wrote a well known marsiya "Andaleebe gule gulzaar risalat hun mein". He also edited a famous salam "Hai salaam us per jo baikas be padar be yaar tha". Jalali also has many imambaras and mosques. One of the finest imambaras in Jalali is the imambara of S.Farzand Ali which is over two hundred years old. It is an imposing structure with a mosque inside. It can accommodate more than five thousand persons at a time in addition to women and children who gather on the terrace of the imambara and the mosque in large numbers on 9th of Maharram and on the occasion of Chhelum. The most significant mosque in Jalali is the historic Jama Masjid [1]. built by Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban which is over seven hundred years old. The mosque is well maintained and being currently looked after by a trustee, appointed by Shia Waqf Board, Lucknow. The photograph of the mosque and its brief history along with the inscriptions of Sultan Balban, Mohammad Shah and Jalaluddin Akbar was published in the Archaeological Survey of India,1936. This mosque was renovated and rebuilt by Haji Syed Mehdi Ali of Jalali in 1901. The original mosque had one dome. Two more domes were built by Haji Mehdi Ali who also added a golden 'kalas' on top of each dome. An account of the contributions of Haji Mehdi Ali has been engraved in Persian on the marble stone [2] which forms part of the middle arch of the mosque. Jalali is also famous for its fertile agricultural lands and Moharram [3]which is observed every year with great piety and devotion. The name of Jalali was mentioned by Ibne Batuta in one of his famous travelogues. It is also known by the name of S. Mohammad Husain Qamar Jalalvi who paid a tribute to Jalali in one of his couplets, "Her sans ghaneemat hey mera ahl-e-watan ko / Duniya mein Jalali Ki hawa bandh raha hun"

References

1. ^ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Jalali
2. ^ Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns. (Provisional). Census Commission of India. Retrieved on 2007-09-03.