Gazi Pir Paragraph
a Who is Gazi Pir?
b What did he do?
c What do people believe about him?
d Who feared him?
e What kind of extraordinary power did Gazi have?
Gazi Pir Paragraph
Gazi Pir is a legendary or mythic character. According to legend, he was a Muslim saint who helped the spread of Islam in the parts of Bengal close to the Sundarbans. He is said to have done many miracles. People believe he could calm dangerous animals and make them docile. He is usually depicted in paats or scroll paintings riding a terrifying Bengal Tiger, while holding a snake in his hand. Some stories tell us that he also fought crocodiles that threatened the people of a region full of canals and creeks. That place was, in fact, a watery jungle. People also believe that he enabled villagers to live close to forests and jungles and to cultivate their lands. Wild animals feared him. People of those areas prayed to him for protection. The story of Gazi Pir has been preserved in folk literature and indigenous culture. Some Gazir Paat collections are also kept in the British Museum.
