Amroha is a very old township. Local theories of the origin of its name differ. One derives ‘Amroha’ from the Sanskrit word “Amrovanam, the region of mangoes” another is that the name is compound of “Aam” (mango) and “Rohu” (a Kind of fish), whereas yet another traces the word of Raja Amarjoda of Bansi empire, who was in 474 B.C. named the region Amroha.
Historical buildings:
- Moradabadi Darwaza: The historical buildings of Amroha begin with the fort wall, remnants of which still stand. The wall had several gates. The Moradabadi Darwaza, built by Syed Abdul Majid in 1642 A.D., is the only extant gate. Road passing through this gate connects Amroha with Moradabad. It is built of Lakhori bricks. It is about fifty feet high. Amroha is richly endowed with monuments. Several mosques, dargahs, imambaras, madarsas and mandirs.
- Ashraful Masajid: “Ashraful Masajid” in Mohalla Shafaat Pota, belongs to Shia Muslims. It was constructed by Shaikh Ashraf Ali Azimabadi in 1817 A.D. which is a beautiful and well planned mosque. It has seven cusped arches, the central one bigger than the others. It is having three decorated domes, two high minarets. It was ones repaired in 1867 A.D and has gone under massive renovation in recent past. Amroha also has one `Eid Gaah’ for holding Id-ul-Fitr and Id-al-Azha prayers. This was constructed by Ghulam Ahmed in 1764 A.D.
- Vasudev Teerth: There are some old monuments in the complex of “Vasudev Teerth”. There is a tank about 40 meters x 40 meters in area. In the middle of the tank there is one small “Hanuman Mandir” for which there is no direct approach as it is surrounded by water. On all the four sides of the tank there are temples. It is considered as the oldest temple of Amroha.
- Dargah Shah Vilayat: When Shah Sharfuddin came and settled at Amroha, Shah Naseeruddin Chishti, who had long been settled there and considered Amroha as his vilayat, came to know about that he had a “mug” full of water sent to Sharfuddin meaning by this that Amroha – his Vilayat – was full like “mug”. In reply Shah Shafuddin put a flower in that “mug” filled with water meaning that though Amroha was already full, he would live in that place like that of flower in the “mug”. Undeterred by the opposition of the Chishti Saint Shah Sharfuddin settled down at Amroha and adopted the title of Shah Vilayat. Even today he is called Shah Vilayat by the people of Amroha. Enraged by Sharfuddin’s intention for settlement at Amroha Naseeruddin cursed that after the death of Sharfuddin scorpions would be found around his grave. Sharfuddin restored that those scorpions would not sting and that asses would be roaming about near the grave of Naseeruddin. “But these asses” asserted Naseeruddin, “would not dung.”
The dargah of Shah Sharfuddin Shah Vilayat has an enormous complex of different tombs. Its entrance is a roofed gate. Outside the dargah there are old structures all around — graves, gardens and ruins. An old creeper from the grave of the daughter of Shah Vilayat is called as “Choti” which is climbing on the tree. It is said that her real choti remains outside her grave which was later on converted into a creeper giving the resemblance of a “Choti”.
[ad#468]
