MOHARRAM OF KAMPTEE

Kamptee was founded in 1821 when the British established a military cantonment on the banks of the Kanhan River just below the confluence with the Pench and Kolar rivers. The town quickly became an important centre for trade, however with the arrival of the railway in the late 19th century this importance dwindled as trade was diverted to the nearby city of Nagpur, the local native capital.
Today Kamptee is an outer suburb of Nagpur just 15 kms NE from the city centre; it has an area of 40,706 hectares and a population, according to the 1991 census of 73,701. Now in the year 2008 the population of Kamptee is more than two lacs people but exactly should be enquire. There is market naming Gujri Bazar it is over 100 years old.
Religion:
The main religions are well represented. Hindus, Muslims, Christian and Buddhist are in well populated. Several Sunni Mosques are there in this town. Badi Masjid being 130 years old and the Kosatel Mosque being 100 years old. The Buddhists have the Dragon Palace Temple, now world fame, is built in the year 1999.

There are two Shia Mosques. Haidry Jama Masjid, situated at Husain Abad, Kamptee. Hujjatul Islam Syed Ibne Haider is the Peshnamaz of this Masjid. Another mosque, Masjid e Jafariyah, situated at Hamalpura, Kamptee. Moulana Muslim Reza Jafary is the Peshnamaz of this mosque.

There are two Central Imam Bada. One is attached to Haidry Masjid and other is attached to Masjid e Jafariyah.

There is one more Azakhana since 1924 in Hamalpura, Kamptee was famous as Hamalpura Dhaba, established by two brothers late Qasim Ali and Ghulam Nabi son of Hasan Ali. Two year back this Azakhana is rebuilt by their grandson Janab Ashfaque Husain Mortazavi son of Ghulam Murtaza son of Qasim Ali. The name of this Azakahana is now “Husainiya e Mortazavi.” There are many other houses in which Majalis are held in Moharram.

Some few year back Moulan Ansar Husain Hindi has established a Houza e Ilmiya in New Kamptee.

Madras e Jafariyah is well know centre for the children training in Deeniyat of Imamia and also they are running computer classes and Academic Tuition classes.

In the first Ashrah of Moharram, Majalis starts in the morning 7 and end in the night around 11. Last Majlis held at Central Imambada attached to Haidry Jama Masjid.

Most of the days of first Ashra, there are Joloose Aza and Niyaz e Imam Husain (AS).

The Day of Aashoora is great memorial in this city. A procession starts from Haidry Jama Masjis and end at Karbala Ghat (Kanhan River) in the night around 12. It passes from main Road via Chawdi (Police Station), Niyaz Ali Chouk, Bhaji Mandi and Cantonment area. Kamptee police play a very good role every year in this procession. Contonment Board and Military also help for its smooth passing from Military area.