In the historic tehsil of Balapur, within the industrious district of Akola (often called the "Cotton City" of Maharashtra), lies a small village-like settlement named Paras. It is located about 20 kilometers from Akola city and 8-9 kilometers off the Nagpur-Mumbai Highway. This village holds a level of international fame because it houses a Thermal Power Station that supplies electricity to the entire state.
In this very village, either in the late 19th or early 20th century, a tragedy occurred: a dispute over property led to one brother killing another. An elder of the family was so devastated by this event that he bid farewell to Paras and settled his kin in Akola city. Among the descendants of that elder was my great-great-grandfather, Meher Khan. His grandson, Mohammad Mirbaz Khan (my grandfather), was married to Zubaida Bi, the daughter of Mohammad Yaqoob.
Mohammad Yaqoob had an elder brother, Mohammad Hanif. The brothers shared immense mutual affection and respect. They originally hailed from Barsi Takli, a village 20 kilometers from Akola that has now developed into a small town and is eager to merge with Akola city. (This town is also known in literary circles as the residence of the poet Mahboob Rahi).
While the younger brother, Mohammad Yaqoob, took a job at the Octroi Naka (toll post) for the Akola Municipality during the British Raj, the elder brother, Mohammad Hanif, was a scholar, a practitioner of spiritual healing, and a traditional physician (Hakim). He served as the Imam of the Diwan Shah Data Mosque in Nawabpura for his entire life. His only daughter, Sardar Bi, was married to Haji Bashiruddin in Paras. (Today, many of Sardar Bi’s grandsons are highly educated and serve in prestigious educational and scientific institutions across the country).

The Turn Toward Revolution and freedom- movement

Both brothers were noble and God-fearing. Neither had a son. Mohammad Yaqoob’s daughter, Zubaida Khatun, married Mirbaz Khan (1918–1996), a handsome and virtuous young man with a passion for world travel, a wanderlust he later redirected toward the paths of Sufism and spiritual gnosis.
Mohammad Yaqoob soon grew weary of his municipal job. He loathed the idea of serving the British Empire and resigned to become an active participant in the freedom movement. At that time, the Khaksar Movement, founded by Inayatullah Mashriqi, was gaining significant momentum in Akola.
The Khaksar Movement was a pre-partition paramilitary organization also known as the "Belcha (Spade) Party" because its followers marched with spades on their shoulders. They wore a strict khaki uniform and were required to adhere strictly to religious duties like prayer and fasting; no excuses were accepted, and misconduct was met with physical punishment. Interestingly, the movement even influenced modern Urdu literature; the famous poet Noon Meem Rashid joined the Khaksars in 1937 and remained a member for about eighteen months.
Ideologically, the Khaksars were aligned with Maulana Abul Kalam Azad; they were staunchly opposed to the partition of India and favored a united country. As noted in historical records:
"The Khaksar movement was a social movement established by Inayatullah Khan Mashriqi in 1931 with the aim of freeing India from British rule... membership was open to everyone regardless of religion, race, or social status, emphasizing the brotherhood of mankind."

The District Commander

Mohammad Yaqoob was appointed the District Salar (Commander) of Akola, a position of immense responsibility. His commitment was so deep that his restaurant in the Juna Bhaji Bazar was named "Khaksar Hotel." This hotel served as the movement’s local headquarters. Parades would begin there, marching through Agarbes, Chhota Pul, and the Cotton Market to the shrine of Syed Sahib Bawa. The parade master was Khwaja Muniruddin (the father of my primary school teacher Khwaja Khatibuddin).
To become a member, one had to sign a pledge; often in their own blood. Mohammad Yaqoob’s own spade was so meticulously polished that it shone like a mirror, earning him awards within the organization. He was chosen as a leader not just for his discipline, but for his fiery oratory skills.
My great-grandfather, Manwar Khan, was also a member and was even imprisoned by the British. In the 1940s, Mohammad Yaqoob traveled to Lahore for the movement’s National Executive Meeting. He brought back a multi-compartment wooden chest, which I used for my schoolbooks as a child. Sadly, this historical artifact was eventually lost to the household junk pile.

Disillusionment and Death

When independence finally came, the Khaksars’ primary goal was achieved, but their second goal, a united India, was lost to political malice. Inayatulllah Mashriqi, heartbroken, left for Pakistan. Mohammad Yaqoob felt a similar spiritual exhaustion. While he was glad the British were gone, the riots and the partition left him emotionally shattered.
As the years passed, many who had played no role in the struggle began flaunting "Freedom Fighter Certificates" to gain government pensions, land, and power. But real freedom fighters like Mohammad Yaqub sought no reward. He never applied for a certificate or a pension; he simply disappeared into a quiet, private life.
In 1959, a massive flood hit Akola. Mohammad Yaqoob was already weak from illness. As water flooded his home, he had to be carried out on a cot. He never recovered and passed away that same year.
I, Khan Hasnain Aaqib, used to play with his Khaksar spade as a child, unaware that the tool hanging on our bathroom wall was a living witness to our family’s sacrifice for the nation’s freedom.
May God shower His mercy upon these pure-hearted souls.

Email:---------------------------hasnainaaqib1@gmail.com