18 Maulavi ‘Abdul Wall— Jfimi 1 Masjid at SailkupH. [No. 1, 
lands, and was pleased to call the Mauza‘ “ Nasirpur,” after his own 
name. 1 * * * * * 
; •' The above is the substance of a dastavlz (attested by several 
persons) which the descendants of Shall ‘Abdu-l-Qadir-i-Baghdadi sub¬ 
mitted about a century ago, when the stipendiary lands in their 
possession were threatened to be resumed, and enquiries were instituted 
as to their title. 8 
The further particulars about the mosque are these:—when the 
King left Sailkupa, he directed that a Masjid should be built, and a 
tank excavated for the Maulaua, to supervise which the Wazir, or 
Minister, remained behind. Shah ‘All (for that was the name of the 
Wazir, or a high official, as I think he was) commenced building a 
Masjid, and digging a tdlab ; but unfortunately Hazrat Maulaua 
Muhammad ‘Arab died when the work was in progress. The Wazir 
built a Maqbira over the grave of the Maulana, and soon after he too 
died—a small tomb was build for him on the west of the Maqbira of the 
Maulana Sahib. 
• • 
They say that Maulana Muhammad ‘Arab was from Baghdad ; and 
was very much venerated for his sanctity. He lived, curiously enough, 
on a wall, where food used to be sent to him by means of cliinka (made 
l Old men still remember the Mauza* being called Nasirpiir specially by Faqirs. 
A Nasirpuri man was considered to be a very clever fellow. If a Sailkupaite ever 
said a witty thing, “0, he is a Nasirpuri” was the remark of the other persons, 
present. The Mauza‘ is no doubt a very ancient one. Its narrow galis, congested 
population of tradesmen and others point out that it was a flourishing city centuries 
ago—before the British rule. Only royal mosques, established in towns or cities, 
where there may be a Muhammadan Judge (Qazi) are termed Jami‘, or Cathedral 
mosques. It is very probable that Sailkupa was the seat of a Nawab or Faujdar. 
It is said that there were 50 Munshis and Maulavis in it, until a comparatively 
recent time. Sailkupa men call the other villages Bhar, and their inhabitants Bharo 
(rustics). The latter call Sailkupa nagar (town). 
8 In another paper the applicants wrote that there was a fight in 1149 B.S. 
between the Zamindars of Mahmudshahi and RIjshahl. The soldiers of the former 
being defeated came flying to Sailkupa and were pursued by the soldiers of the 
latter, who set fire to, and pillaged, the houses of Qasba Sailkfipa. The royal Fur¬ 
mans, &c., were then burnt down. This event is supported by Mr. J. Westland 
(Report, p. 44), who says that Raja Raghu Dev Ray of Naldanga (Zamindar of 
Mahmudshahl) was deprived of his Zamindari for disobeying the summons of the 
Nawab of Murshidabad, which was bestowed upon Raja Ram Kant Roy of Nat5r (in 
Rajshahi). This occurred in 1144 B.S. (1737 A.D.), but three years later the Nawab 
restored it to the family. There is some confusion of dates. The Raja’s property 
was restored, and he was well treated at the recommendation of Mir Ghulam 
Darvish Cousin of Mulla Khairu-l-Islam of Sailkupa, who was, it is said, at 
Murshidabad, on his way from Delhi to Sailkupa, 
