Fatehpur Karbala-An Eco-Friendly Economic Model

A Scenic View Nursery at  Fatehpur Karbala 

Dr.Mazhar Naqvi

Historic Fatehpur city probably has the most eco-friendly Karbala of India. Nestled in the heart of the city on District courts road, Karbala runs a nursery for generation of revenue to conduct Muharram ceremonies. The popularity of the nursery is not confined to Fatehpur only as it supplies saplings to neighboring Kanpur nagar, Kanpur Dehat, Banda, Mahoba, Hamirpur, Jalaun, Kaushambi and Allahabad districts on regular basis. Certain specific plants that grow in the nursery fetch customers even from Kolkata, Varanasi and Delhi as well.

The idea for starting nursery inside Karbala complex originated after the construction of its boundary under a scheme of the state government a few years ago. The construction of the boundary wall protected Karbala complex from stray animals and also cleared encroachment on some of its portions. But the government effort failed to provide any regular income to Karbala for its upkeep. 

Entrance to the Area   Reserved for Burial of Tazias 

As majority of old tazia processions of the city has traditionally been culminating at Karbala on 10^th Muharram(Yaum-E-Ashura), its managing committee used to feel embarrassed for being not able to distribute ‘Tabarruk’ among the devotees. The committee then decided to run a nursery on the surplus land of Karbala. Fortunately, a devotee of Imam Hussain expressed his desire to run the nursery on rental basis and since then Karbala has not faced any financial constraints. The amount received from the rent is spent mainly on distribution of eatables to processionists on 10^th Muharram. Mr. Saeedul Hasan, a Shair-e-Ahle-bait and lawyer told the blogger that the committee is headed by Janab Kalbe Hasan and Hussainis of the city extend full support to him. The committee exercises extreme precaution in preserving the land earmarked for burial of tazias. No sapling is planted or grown there and the area is separated by a wall with Iron Gate.