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The district gazetteer of Muzaffarpur, written by LSS 'O' Mally,
informs (rather reveals) to us that the premier college at Muzaffarpur,
now named after Langat Singh (LS), was founded by the Bihar Scientific
Society, Muzaffarpur.The Bhumihar Brahman Sabha (founded by the
Raja of Banaras, at Patna, in 1889)had its annual conference at
Muzaffarpur in 1899, where it was decided to open a college for
higher education.Therefore, the Sabha deposited an amount of Rs.50
thousand to the Trust of the Bihar Scientific Society, Muzaffarpur.(p.134).
This amount was provided by the Jaintpur Zamindar, Mahanth Raghunath
Das, which was deposited at the Syndicate/Senate of the Calcutta
University, to obtain permission/recognition/affiliation for the
college. In July 1899, this college was founded and got the status
of a "Second Grade College" (Pre-Graduate). In the subsequent
year ie in 1900 A.D; it got the status of "First Grade"
college i.e, Degree college. Almost in its premises, the campus
of the Bihar University (now known as BR Ambedkar Bihar Univ,
Muzaffarpur) exists, since 1952, when a movement led (among many
others) by Maghfur Aijazi (1900-1967) fructified into the Univ.
being established (shifted from Patna to Muzaffarpur).
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE BIHAR SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY, MUZAFFARPUR?
On 24th May 1868, the Society was set up in Muzaffarpur by the
then Sadar Amin (subordinate Judge) of Muzaffarpur, Syed Imdad
Ali (d. August 1886), who was the founding Secretary as well.
The President of the Society was Nawab Syed Mohd. Taqi, the Raja
of Jogiara (Darbhanga), who was the 'founder' of Zilla School,
Muzaffarpur in 1845. The Life Honorary Secretary of the Society
was the founder of the college at Aligarh, Syed Ahmad Khan (1817-98).
Most of the details of the activities and achievements of the
Society are provided by a French Professor, named Garcin de Tussey
(1794-1878), who had visited India during the period and has published
all these details in his annual lectures delivered in a French
University. He was a great admirer of the Indian literature and
culture.
The Society had its fortnightly newspaper in Urdu called, Akhbar
ul Akhyar, edited by Ajodhya Prasad 'Bahaar', who was not only
a scholar of Persian but also an author of a book,"Gulzar-e-Bahaar,
also known as Reyaaz-e-Tirhut".Garcin de Tussey was the subscriber
of the newspaper.
Another famous Urdu writer and a freedom fighter, Qazi Abdul Wadood
(d. 1982), had read some 31 issues of the newspaper, in 1960,
at Patna.
THE OBJECTIVES OF THE SOCIETY:
To set up schools and colleges and make available Urdu translations
of the books of the modern European sciences, history and philosophy.
Syed Imdad Ali expressed that, to have an access to the modern
sciences of Europe, it is necessary to make available those books
in vernaculars, ie, in Hindustani (Urdu/Hindi).This is what he
explained in a letter to S.W. Fallon, the Inspector of Schools,
Danapur, Patna. He further explained that European nations had
made progress only because after, 1453 AD, they could get knowledge
stored in Latin and Greek languages from Rome, translated into
their own mother tongues. This movement came to be known in History
as Renaissance.With the efforts of syed Imdad Ali and many others,
on 31 July 1870, the Govt. of India and the Calcutta University
on 12th May 1871 agreed to conduct Middle class (Wastania) examinations
in the Indian vernaculars. By that time, the Society had established
about 5 schools in and around the 'city' of Muzaffarpur. The Narhan
Zamindar, Parmeshwari Pd. Narain Singh donated Rs. 5 thousand
and the Jaintpur Zamindar, Mahanth Raja Ram Das donated Rs 2 thousand
to the Society to set up schools in their respective villages.
Hardi and other zamindars (Estates) also established schools in
their villages.
In a letter written to the Vice Chancellor of the Calcutta University,
Syed Imdad Ali demanded to establish a college for the pass-outs
of the Zilla Schools. According to Garcin de Tussey, On 7th November
1871, the Society laid the foundation stone of "the Muzaffarpur
Central College (now known as B.B. Collegiate School), in the
centre of the city, amidst mango orchards. On the day right since
the early morning, thousands of people gathered there. The Lt.
Governor, G. Campbell, laid the foundation of the building. Syed
Imdad Ali delivered a stirring speech in Hindustani whereas Mr
Campbell and Mr Fallon addressed in English. Campbell, however
did emphasise that in order to pursue higher education, the Indians
will have to learn English....".
The Society of Syed Imdad Ali also established a department of
translation (a Team of translators was paid Rs. 300 a month in
total). Trigonometry, Materia Medica, Optics, Physiology, Algaebra,
Mechanics, Philosophy, History, Agricultural Sciences, Masonry
etc were the subjects being translated. Syed Imdad Ali sent Rs
1000 to Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, during his stay in London (1869-70),
requesting him to hire a team of the scholars of the Oxford, Cambridge
to prepare syllabi and the recommended books to be sent to the
Library of the Muzaffarpur's Scientific Society. Qazi Abdul Wadood
informs us that the books were sent to Muzaffarpur (for details,
see his essay, "Akhbar ul Akhyar, Muzaffarpur aur Sir Syed"
published in the 'Fikr o Nazar', Aligarh, July 1960). Garcin de
Tussey also authenticates about the library having brought over
200 books from abroad.The Society published several translations
in collaboration with the Scientific Society of Aligarh. In 1869,
the Society also established,"Anjuman-e-Tehzeeb", to
conduct seminars, conferences, researches, debates and social
welfare efforts like setting up an orphanage.
In 1872, Syed Imdad Ali was transferred to Gaya where he established
a branch of the Society and also a school.
In August 1886, Syed Imdad Ali died of a paralytic stroke.(For
details, see BK Sinha's essay on Syed Imdad Ali, published in
the Journal of Historical Research, Ranchi, vol. 13, 1970)
THE BIGGEST IRONY:
The extremely sad irony is that while we do remember the Bhumihar
Brahman Sabha and its members like Langat Singh, Ganesh Dutt Singh
etc who did a lot for the educational uplift of their caste fellows,
we forget the more significantly progressive, socially all inclusive
contributions of the Bihar Scientific Society and its moving spirits
like Syed Imdad Ali, Syed Mohd. Taqi etc.
The LS College got several names at different times. In 1899,
it was called Bhumihar Brahman College, in 1915, Greer BB College
and in 1951, L.S. college. In 1920, it constructed two hostels,
one named after Duke and another after Langat Singh; recently
the Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, installed a statue of
Shyam Nandan Sahay, the first VC of the Bihar University, Mmuzaffarpur,
after whom a road on the premises of the college and the univ.
is named, but the Bihar Scientific Society and its founding Secretary,
Syed Imdad Ali and the founding President, Mohd Taqi remains inexplicably
un-acknowledged in the entire politics of the nomenclatures of
the college.
Does it not amount to historical injustice ? Will this injustice
be undone ? If yes, how and when?
(Note: This is an abridged version of my paper presented in the
international seminar on Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, November 2006, Aligarh)
by Dr Mohammad Sajjad Email: mdsajjad1@rediffmail.com
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