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Agha Aly Asker (1808-1891) was a Persian horse trader and businessman who emigrated to Bangalore in 1824 from Shiraz, Iran. He is considered as the founding father of the Persian diaspora in the city whose legacy still lives on through the various colonial buildings he constructed at the behest of the British Commissioner of Mysore state, Mark Cubbon. Aly Asker was responsible for building the Governor's residence, the State Guest House- Balabrooie, Leela Nivas off Cunningham Crescent among many others. He is also credited for putting Bangalore on the horse racing map[1].
Early life and family[edit]
Ali Asker was born in 1808, in Shiraz, Iran[2]
Career[edit]
Agha Aly Asker was 16 when his brothers (Haji Mohammed Hashim & Mashadi Qasim) and he set sail to India from Iran along with 200 horses intending to trade them in Bangalore. They disembarked at Mangalore and made their way across the western ghats. While passing through Coorg, they were arrested on the suspicion of being British spies. Eventually released by the East India Company, they made their way to Bangalore through Mysore and traded their horses at the British Remount Depot in Mathigiri, Hosur.
Haji Mohammad Hashim and Mashadi Qasim returned to Iran in 1825 leaving behind Ali Asker to expand the business. Agha Aly Asker grew to be a highly influential businessman with distinguished patrons that included the British Commissioner, Sir Mark Cubbon, Hassan Ali Shah and the Maharaja of Mysore, Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar III[3]. He was also presented to the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) during a ceremonial visit to Mysore around 1889. Ali Asker was commissioned by Sir Mark Cubbon to build around 100 bungalows on Palace Road near High Point, Sankey Road, Cunningham Road and Richmond Road [4]. He also built the Governor's residence and the state guesthouse- Balabrooie.
Aly Asker established the Shia Persian cemetery on Hosur Road[5]. Before his demise in 1891, Aly Asker willed Rs.800 for a mosque to be built in Richmond Town to meet the needs of the growing Shia community. The Masjid-e-Askari was built in 1909, it still remains as the city's only long-standing Shia mosque.[6]
Death[edit]
Agha Aly Asker passed away in 1891. He was buried at Hosur Road Cemetery.
Legacy[edit]
- A short section of road between Infantry Road and Cunningham Road is named after Agha Aly Asker.
- "Agha Aly Asker", written by Syeda Mirza deals with the life and contributions of Agha Aly Asker.
References[edit]
- ^ Dec 12, Jayanthi MadhukarJayanthi Madhukar / Updated:; 2019; Ist, 06:00. "Agha Aly Asker came to Bengaluru as a 16-year-old and decided to stay here and leave behind a rich legacy". Bangalore Mirror. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
{{cite web}}:|last2=has numeric name (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Aga Ali Asker-Quite a long journey". Placing Bengaluru. 2014-08-11. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
- ^ "Aga Ali Asker-Quite a long journey". Placing Bengaluru. 2014-08-11. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
- ^ "The 'horseman' of Bengaluru". Deccan Herald. 2020-03-01. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
- ^ Shekhar, Divya. "110-yr-old Persian Cemetery to host Shia congregation on Muharram in Bengaluru". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
- ^ Kumar, Smitabalram; Shekhar, Divya. "Know the Islamic culture in Bengaluru through stories behind the heritage mosques". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2022-01-08.