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'''Majnu Shah''' or '''Faqir Majnu Shah Burhan''' (died 1787<ref name=ray>Ray, Rajat Kumar (1986). ''Colonial Penetration and the Initial Resistance: The Mughal Ruling Class, the English East India and the Struggle for Bengal 1756-1800'', in ''The Indian Historical Review'', Vol.XII, No.1-2, New Delhi: Indian Council for Historical Research, pp.70-3</ref>) was a [[faqir]] (Sufi saint) from the present-day [[Uttar Pradesh]], who actively participated in the [[Sannyasi Rebellion|Fakir-Sannyasi Rebellion]], which, according to a number of scholars, was an early war for [[Indian independence movement|India's independence]] and joined in many battles against the [[British East India Company]] with his 'pious team'.<ref name=":0">{{cite book |last=Khan |first=Muazzam Hussain |year=2012 |chapter=Majnu Shah |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Majnu_Shah |editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref>

==Life==
In the Battle of Udhuanala (1761) and the [[Battle of Buxar]] (1764), Majnu gathered a great number of [[Muslim]] ''faqirs'' and [[Hindu]] ''[[sannyasi]]s'' against the East India Company who took over power in [[Bengali language|Bengali]] from the [[Nawab of Bengal]] in 1757.

His center was in [[Rangpur District|Rangpur]], [[Dinajpur District, Bangladesh|Dinajpur]] and in [[Bogra District]].<ref>{{Cite book|title = Warrior Ascetics and Indian Empires|last = Pinch|first = William R.|publisher = Cambridge University Press|year = 2006|pages = 94}}</ref>

Majnu Shah was a faqir of the [[Madariya]] [[Sufi order]] founded by Syed Badiuduin Qutb-ul Shah Madar. His headquarters was at the shrine of Shah Madar in [[Makanpur]] near [[Kanpur]]. His first encounter with the [[British East India Company]] army on 25 February 1771 with the [[sepoy]]s led by Lieutenant Feltham in Dinajpur was unsuccessful and he fled to the ''[[dargah]]'' at [[Mahasthangarh]] in [[Bogra District|Bogra district]]. He even managed to get a follower from [[Hindu]] [[zamindar]] family named Moti Giri or Moti Singh.<ref>[http://www.muslimsocieties.org/Vol6_2/Sannyasi_and_Fakir_Rebellion.pdf Sannyasi and Fakir Rebellion], Muslim Societies, Vol 6.2</ref> In the winter of 1773, Majnu Shah and his team of faqirs reappeared in [[Rajshahi District|Rajshahi district]] and joined up with a body of [[sannyasi]]s. On 23 December 1773 they had an encounter with the four companies of sepoys of the British East India Company army. The company army repulsed them again.<ref name=ray/>

== Death ==
Majnu Shah sustained reverses while raiding the areas adjacent to [[Mymensingh District|Mymensingh]] in 1786 in a battle against the [[East India Company]] army under Lieutenant Brenan in Kaleswar area. He lost large number of his followers, and some of his wounded followers were carried to [[Mewat district|Mewat]]. After 1786 Majnu Shah was not found to lead any expedition. From a report of Lieutenant Brenan it is revealed that Majnu Shah was defeated and wounded in a battle on 8 December 1786. It is likely that with his wound he retired to the ''dargah'' of Shah Madar at Maqanpur in Cawnpur ([[Kanpur]]) district, where he is reported to have died on 26 January 1788.<ref name=":0" />

After his death, his nephew Musa Shah led the faqirs and carried out attacks with muskets and rockets till he was killed in an encounter in 1792.<ref name=ray/>

==See also==
* [[Sannyasi rebellion]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
* Muhammad Abu Talib, ''Majnu Shah''

==External links==
* {{Banglapedia|Majnu_Shah}}
* [http://www.thedailystar.net/2005/08/04/d5080401148.htm The Daily Star Web Edition, Vol. 5 Num 423]

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[[Category:1787 deaths]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]

{{India-bio-stub}}

Majnu Shah - Revision history

imported>Isfaretehami at 20:27, 16 May 2021