Bhopal has a subtle way of tucking away its open secrets, like Farsi-speaking citizens, within its folds and hamlets, almost forgetting about them or just letting them be in their own quiet corners.In Karond, after you pass a labyrinth of bylanes, you might reach one of Bhopal’s three Irani Deras, if the city allows you to. Citizens here have had to carry their homes in bundles on multiple occasions.In the past decade or so, this locality has seen and endured everything — from muffled shouts of sectarian attacks and arson to whispers of criminal syndicates that were amplified much more when they hit news reels and headlines.But on any given day, if you land up here, you might see an old woman scolding her grandkids and their friends in Farsi, a language that is all but fading from this part of the world. Aman Colony is home to Shia families, who are minorities within the minority Muslims in India, and whose ancestors had roots in Iran but chose to live in their adopted homeland. As Iran hogs global headlines as much for the ongoing tenuous truce as the devastating war with the U.S and Israel that preceded it, these quiet deras carry a slice of the Persian civilisation that predates Western civilisation by 150 to 300 years, according to some estimates.‘Khanabadosh’ is an Urdu-Persian term that became a part of the Hindustani language, much like the Indian-Iranian community we speak of, and, perhaps, it was because of them that the word came to be firmly entrenched in our discourse. The word roughly translates to “those who carry their homes on their shoulders.”Nomads Who Settled At Railway StationsMembers of the community said Sometime around 1875, Bhopal’s Irani Dera, known as the Sulta Muraad community, pitched a permanent camp in Sehore, where graves of their ancestors still lie in eternal rest. Around 1960, the community moved to Bhopal and settled near the old railway station. “Nomadic communities, coupled with other Indian-Iranian people started living near railway stations, as it was easy to pitch makeshift tents there,” said Ghulam Haider, also known as Ghulam Irani after his community. A Bhopal resident who runs a travel agency and resides near the old railway station, Ghulam’s grandfather was the chief or Sardaar of the Sulta Muraad Irani Dera, named after the 7th generation ancestor who lived in Shiraz in Iran, from which many members of all Irani Deras in Bhopal —in Bhanpur, Karond and Number 6 — derive their lineages.People in some Irani Deras, like Gulaabwara, say that their ancestors came to India 400 to 500 years ago. “We have been living in India across six generations. My great-great-great grandfather, Azeez Khan, came to India by land to sell the finest breeds of horses around the 1870s. Back then, there was great demand among Maharajas and Nawabs for Iranian horses, shawls, carpets and other items,” Ghulam told TOI sitting in his office and reminiscing about his family history, which is an extension of his community’s history.Down the line, his ancestors sold goggles and glasses on the streets, which Ghulam said many Indian-Iranians still do in New Market, where they also deal in gemstones. His grandfather, Munawwar Ali, worked in carnivals with giant wheels and ‘jhulays’ (merry-go-rounds) at fairs. Munawwar’s son, Aslam Ali, started a travel agency around 1986-87, which Ghulam continues to run to this day.Assimilation Row, Food & MarriagesAround the world, assimilation, holding on to distinct identities and immigration are raging debates that beg uncomfortable questions of nations and their peoples. But in Bhopal, these complex issues only seem to live on in the hearts and minds of those who go through their nuances and motions. “I would say the (Persian) community has Indianised itself by 50%, while its other half is still tethered to its original roots,” Ghulam said, wading into the debate, adding, “For instance, our marriages now include the Haldi ceremony but as per our customs, dowry is not taken but given to the girl and her family.“While they have ingrained many Indian customs and practices, it hasn’t been at the cost of their rich culinary identity: they still burn their kitchen fires to rustle up ‘Paagushti’, a sumptuous dish made with a cocktail of ingredients including meat, red and green chillies and Kalpaaya. The women in the community used to wear ghagras in the 20th century but these days they are more inclined towards Punjabi dresses. The Bollywood ConnectionAli Raza, also a member of Bhopal’s Indian-Iranian community who now works at a mosque in Maharashtra and came back after completing his Alim Islamic studies in Iran a few years ago, had this to share: “Indians are treated extremely well in Iran because we have a civilisational connect and Iranians are huge fans of Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan. Their movies are dubbed in Farsi and screened in theatres after removing the songs and dances. We love Bollywood films and actors.” Raza said.Reconnecting With RootsGhulam has visited the land of his forefathers no less than four times, and, sometimes, Iran comes over, picking up the civilisational threads that bind the two nations. A few years ago, an Iranian delegation visited the Irani Deras on a trip to Bhopal. The delegates were astonished to see original dialects of Farsi, their traditions and ways, preserved in Bhopal. They found little things that tie them to their civilisational roots far more easily in this Indian city than back home.Lack Of Education, Awareness & OpportunitiesA resident of Karond’s Irani Dera, requesting anonymity, said just because a handful of members are alleged to have fallen foul of the law, some people find an excuse to stereotype and discriminate against the entire community, looking on them as ‘criminals’. “Our community in Bhopal has 2,000 members. Sadly, all of them are seen as criminals, which I feel is highly unfair.”“Lack of education is the biggest issue our community faces. There’s internal reluctance due to financial constraints. Lack of awareness and opportunities is also to blame. The problem is especially grave among our girls as very few of them get to complete their education or become graduates. We need to address this,” stressed Ghulam. He said two boys he knows personally are still studying in Iran, adding that his son, now an MBA, helps out with his business. Ghulam said his daughter is the only girl to have graduated in his neighborhood.For decades, the only connection between Irani Deras around India— also in Madras, Maharashtra and other parts of the country—was Muharram, a mourning month for Shia Muslims when all members wear black and take out processions remembering the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the grandson of the Prophet, in the historic battle of Karbala.However, emergence of new modes of communication and travel has not only boosted people-to-people connect within the community but also helped them retrace their roots through books and old scriptures while also passing on their knowledge to their children.
