Malagarh is a historical gram panchayat in Bulandshahr Tehsil of the Western UP. Situated only 6 km from the city of Bulandshahr near Tajpur and Dhakauli, both villages having dominant Muslim population near Kali Nadi, this place deserves a prominent place in the annals of Indian freedom movement to get rid of imperial powers. Nawab Walidad Khan brought name and fame to this village having population of 5202 in 779 families.
Nawab of Malagarh, Walidad Khan, a distant relative of Bahadur Shah Zafar, is known for his bravery fighting against the British in the freedom movement of 1857. Appointed as Subedar of Bulandshahr region, he returned from Delhi and allying with local Gujjar chiefs and others he captured Bulandshahr on 11 June, 1857 controlling much of the upper doab disturbing British communications and supplies between Meerut, Delhi and other surrounding areas for months turning the sepoy unrest and freedom instinct into a considerable movement.
As per some accounts, when British arrived with reinforcements, they were defeated again. However, as it was the case in many instances, the imperial power incited the local Jats, which led to his defeat in the battle fought on 28 September and Nawab of Malagarh, Walidad Khan got martyred at the iconic square of Bulandshahr, Kala Aam.
To pay my homage to Walidad Khan, I went to Malagarh to see the remains of the fort he had built in mud. On the way, the residents of the village narrated some anecdotes regarding the fort. As per one local saying, the well within the mud mound has a lot of gold and many snakes protect them so nobody goes closer to it.
After meeting some local people and conversing with them I arrived walking on foot at the place, which was a massive mud fort and now it is only a mound of mud because it had been destroyed and raised to the ground by the British and it was never revived.
Although, Bulandshahr Tehsil has about 35 Muslim population, majority of which are ignorant of the brevity and glorious deeds of Walidad Khan, the Nawab of Malagarh. (Hamid Siddiqui)
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Akhtar Nazmi
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