Ghazipur waale Obaid

Obaidur Rahman Siddiqui has spent his lifetime writing and researching about his beloved Ghazipur, a district in Eastern Uttar Pradesh. He has written over a dozen books on different aspects of his native place - ranging from Buddhist sites in Ghazipur, to Sir Syed's association with the district. His latest door stopper is Ghazipur - A journey through political - cultural history, from Ancient times to pre-independence.

He was educated in Ghazipur and was born in a family with a rich linkage to the district. His great grandfather Maulvi Abdul Samad was a lawyer and an associate of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. Maulvi Abdul Samad's name is inscribed in AMU marking his contribution as an early supporter of the college. Obaid Siddiqui informs me that his great grandfather was also a poet who was in touch with Mirza Ghalib. Obaid Siddiqui studied in Ghazipur at MAH Inter College, which began as MAV High School from the residence of his ancestors.

MAV stood for Muhammadan Anglo Vernacular and it started from Samad Manzil in 1899. Half a century before that, Siddiqui's ancestors played a key role in the formation of Chasme Rahmat. According to Siddiqui, three out of seven individuals who established Chasme Rahmat were from his family. Both the institutions continue to flourish. Such close association with important social and cultural organisations gave Siddiqui the early push to dedicate his life to the history of the region.

He began his career as a journalist and writer and also worked with All India Radio in Allahabad. He then made Ghazipur his base and continues to stay there with his family which includes his father Aktar Usman Vakil who studied at AMU. Siddiqui's encyclopaedic knowledge of Ghazipur makes his house a first stop for researchers and academic who come to the district. He has helped innumerable scholars by sharing with them primary archives and pointing out the less traversed path.

In the last few years there has been a renewed interest among local citizens to know more about their past and ancestors. This has resulted in Obaid Siddiqui being courted by people across and beyond the district of Ghazipur. What adds to his charm is his polished and calm voice. He knows interesting tit-bits about most of the regions and major villages that constitute Ghazipur district. He has some of the most riveting accounts of the numerous noblemen who ruled over various parts of Eastern UP. Most importantly, he is also in a position to point out which archives in the country could be having manuscript on different aspects of Ghazipur. 

Over the last few decades his visits to various villages in the district has enabled him to make the distinction between myths, family lores, and history. This is especially important to differentiate facts from fiction and to provide the base for regional and national histories to be written incorporating the important micro-histories. 

If you are researching Eastern Uttar Pradesh, then Ghazipur waale Obaid is the person you must meet.