I know most of us have read that Jalaluddin Khilji was assassinated by Alauddin Khilji in place known as "Kara". This whole story is about this place. Now do we know, where is this "kara"? Oh, how would one know, because no place has been found named "Kara"!
Nor the makers of movie 'Padmavat' neither the Historians have concerned themselves with this and why should they be concerned for such an 'insignificant' place?
Some days ago, I read in British Era Gazeteers by Henry Neville -records of - large Muslim population ( Pathans and Sheikhs) and their position as landholders of large area of the Fatehpur and Kaushambi (previously under Allahabad ) District.
This is how I became interested in the issue, since my village is in Fatehpur District. And I also heard from local people that they are settled here since time of Allauddin. Also local people say that Alauddin used to live in place which is now in dilapidated ruins.
Now I started to find out these places called 'Kara' and 'Kora' in my district, it was easy to find out 'Kora' which in present time is known as Jahanabad or Kora Jahanabad (also a Legislative Assembly) but throughout the district I could find no place known as 'Kara'!
Again I went for studying old texts mainly British Era ( thanks to them) Gazeteers and survey records. It said 'Kara' was seat of power of Jaichandra a Gaharwar Rajput who ruled from Kannauj, and Rajputs ( locally known as Chattris or Thakur's) held sway over the region as most of North India before they were displaced by Delhi Sultanate and their Governors. It said 'Kara' emerged as headquarter or 'Sirkar' for a subdivision of Delhi Sultanate constituting the present Purvanchal and Oudh regions of Uttar Pradesh.
Alauddin Khilji was granted Governorship of Kara by his uncle Sultan Jalaluddin Khilji. Naturally, the place were such a important person would reside would become stronghold of his co-Religious subjects through Migration from other places and through Conversion of local population. It was here, when Alauddin came back to Kara with huge booty after plundering South Indian Kingdoms that Jalaluddin came to meet him for taking 'booty of loot' from Kara to Delhi and thus was assassinated.
Kara lies at the Banks of River Ganga, once filled of Temples soon became dotted with Havelis, Shrines of Sufi Saints and Mosques. However, it significantly declined in Mughal times when Akbar shifted Governorship from Kara to Allahabad. As a result once a beautiful town was left out of care and declined due to lack of maintainance of roads and rules.
In the beginning of 18th century when Mughal power declined and Oudh became a Independent state under Nawabs, the Chandel Rajputs attacked the area and took hold of it ( leading to Migration of some wealthy Muslim Elites from Kara to Lucknow) but soon they Chandels were defeated by the Nawab of Awadh.
This Kara lies in present at border between Fatehpur and Kaushambi district, and is called "कड़ा", though it refers to a block in Kaushambi district but historically most of "Kara" or कड़ा lied in Fatehpur , it has several old havelis and shrines, though ruined. This also explains why there is such a large Pathan( Yusufzai, Afridi etc) and Sheikh (Siddiqui, Usmani, Farooqi, Ansari) population extending in belt from Hathgaon in Fatehpur to the borders of Kaushambi district.
It also explains why they were largest proprietors in Fatehpur district in 1840 possessing 34 % of district with 13% population, while Rajputs possessed 23% of district with 6.9% of population. This is very significant thing, compare this with Pratapgarh or Raebareli were Rajputs owned 90% and 70% of whole district. However in 1900s Rajputs in Fatehpur again became largest landholders. Signalling the decline of Pathan Elites from the time of Allauddin.
So this was the story of Kara a 'lapse of translation' and due to its present insignificance it was unknown but now is known to me and to those who will read it.
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