Gora Pir

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Gora Pir (14th century) a sufi whose real name is Shah Syed Abbas Ali Makki, said to be an associate of Hazrat shah jalal (R). Popularly he came to be known as Gora Pir. Shah Syed Abbas Ali Makki was born on 21 ramadan 693 AH (1294 AD) in Makkah. He left Makka with Shah Jalal and began preaching islam in South-West Bengal. Syed Abbas Ali';s proselytising aroused the anger of the king, who ordered his soldiers to attack the preacher. Gora Pir was seriously injured and died of his wounds on 21 Ramadan 773 AH (1374 AD). He was buried at Haroa on the bank of the Vidyadhari. The sultan of gauda built a mosque at his mausoleum and gave 1,500 bigh'a's of land for its maintenance.

Gora Pir was a non-communal person and welcomed people regardless of religion or caste. Many Hindus were his disciples. Even today many Hindu couples visit the mazar of Gora Pir before marriage to seek his blessings. Every Friday Hindus sing kirtan in the courtyard of the mazar. Hindu milkmen wash the mazar every year on the 12th of Falgun (late February) with milk. On this occasion a huge fair and an urs are arranged. Hospitality is arranged for visitors from distant places.
A large number of puthis and books have been written about Gora Pir in Persian, Urdu and Bangla. A road in Kolkata has been named 'Gorachand Road'; after him. Many shops and establishment at Haora also carry his name. [Ali Nawaz] [Nawaz, Ali  former Director, Bangla Cell, Bangladesh Agricultural University]