Neja Fair
Neja Fair: The Uttar Pradesh administration recently banned the Neja fair held in Sambhal.
- About the Fair: Organized in memory of Syed Salar Masood Ghazi, nephew and commander of Mahmud Ghaznavi.
o The tomb of Abdul Salar Ghazi is located in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, built by Firoz Shah Tughlaq.
o As per historians, many soldiers of Ghaznavi’s army were killed during the conflict between Prithviraj Chauhan and Mahmud Ghaznavi.
o The tombs of these soldiers were built in Sambhal, later becoming a centre of faith for devotees.
o Neja fairs started being organized at these sites.
o Sambhal was the capital of Prithviraj Chauhan.
- Reason for Ban:
o Mahmud Ghaznavi invaded India 17 times between 1000 and 1027 AD, destroying several Hindu religious sites, including the Somnath temple.
o His commander, Syed Salar Masood Ghazi, is seen as a key architect of these invasions.
o Organizing a fair in memory of a figure associated with destruction and violence is considered inappropriate.
o The fair’s historical links with foreign invaders could potentially trigger communal tensions.
Detailed Solutions & Explanations
