Alipura(Gowribidanur Taluk), Chikkaballapur district: Alipura, also known as Alipur town in Gowribidanur Taluk of Chikkaballapur district, adjoining Andhra Pradesh, will be in the news whenever something serious happens in the far-off Iran. On the face of it, Alipura is just like any other big village in the surroundings, unlike one you are keen enough to observe minutely.
Overcrowded with Muslim nameboards: Here, all along the main road leading to the neighbouring Madhugiri Taluk, more than 90 per cent of the small shops and business ventures of all kinds bear typical Muslim names, rather than beginning with Karnataka, Bharat, Hindustan, and India, elsewhere across the state.
Founded in the late 17th century: According to local legend, it was founded in the late 17th century by Moulana Syed Mustafa Hussain, following the fall of the Adil Shahi Kingdom of the then Bijapur. He is said to have given a call to all Shia Muslims of the state to migrate to Alipur, to ensure a safe and secure living.
99 per cent are Shias: Apart from 90 per cent of the population belonging to the Muslim community, 99 per cent of them are Shias! Perhaps Alipura also boasts of such a unique distinction in the whole country, excluding parts of the Jammu and Kashmir region.
Onion-domed mosques: Alipur features onion-domed mosques, as well as any number of roads named after Iranian personalities, and community institutions managed by bodies like the Anjuman-e-Jafria Trust. According to Alipur.Info: "The Masjid, which was founded approximately in 1780, underwent two major reconstructions in 1980 and 2018. Today, it has a capacity of 1500 people and sits on 31000 Sq ft of land. With a built-up area of 13500 Sq ft and two floors, the Masjid offers ample space to its visitors. The outside courtyard covers an area of approximately 6000 Sq ft".
No police station: Anjuman-e-Jafria, the local welfare body, takes care of the administrative measures, devoid of any police station to oversee the law and order situation. According to Alipur.Info: "Thanks to the efforts of the Anjuman-e-Jafria and the strong community network, the crime rate in Alipur remains low. The police report only a few incidents per year, a testament to the effectiveness of the village’s unique governance system".
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei visits Alipur: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei visited Alipur during the early eighties when he was the President of the Islamic Republic. He did so to inaugurate the Imam Khomeini Hospital, a community medical facility built with Iranian financial aid.
Tragic death enables a hospital: There is also a story behind the construction of the hospital facility. It is said that Khamenei was moved by the tragic incident of a local pregnant woman passing away en route to Bengaluru, because there was no hospital facility in Alipur.
Khamenei's death mourned: Recently, Alipur was in the news again when Khamenei was slain in the US-Israel strikes on Tehran, as the town observed a voluntary three-day shutdown and mourning period. Some of the local residents are said to have travelled to Tehran for his funeral. Due to the escalation of the West Asia conflict, over 100 local residents were left stranded in Iran, prompting coordination with the Indian embassy and Karnataka state authorities for their return.
Global gem-trading hub! Surprisingly, it may appear, Alipur has a decades-long history as a global gemstone-trading hub. According to Alipur.Info: "Historically an agricultural community, Alipur underwent a dramatic transformation in the 1970s when a group of entrepreneurs discovered Corundum Ruby in a nearby village. This discovery led to the establishment of a thriving gemstone trade, which has seen Alipuris migrate across the world to establish successful businesses and communities in countries like Thailand, Dubai, Indonesia, UK, USA, Singapore, South Africa, Hong Kong, Manila, Iran, Canada and many more".
To Iran for higher studies: Many local youth and clerics travel to Iran to pursue Islamic theological studies at Shia seminaries like Qom, and medical degree programs in Iranian Universities, including Tehran University. According to Alipur.Info: "Today, the Alipuris are a global community of traders, engineers, labourers, and clerical workers who have made significant contributions to the economies and cultures of their adopted countries...
...The largest community in Asia: In Bangkok, the Alipuris are the largest community in Asia proportionally, with an estimated 250 gem traders residing there. In Dubai, there are around 35-40 Alipuris working in the gemstone industry and other sectors. The community has also established a global association, AITA (Alipur International Traders Association), which regulates international trade and helps fund the needs of the Alipuris by following Islamic rules and regulations".
-Manohar Yadavatti.
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