Gayaji: A devastating fire broke out in a famous orchard in Bihar’s Gayajji district on Sunday, leaving behind destruction and heartbreak for its owners. The orchard, known as Shamina Bagh, is spread across nearly seven acres in Devaria village under the Kothi police station area. The fire spread quickly through the garden due to rising temperatures and dry weather conditions. Local villagers rushed to help and tried their best to control the flames, but the fire was too strong and difficult to stop. By the time it was brought under control, hundreds of trees had already been destroyed.
The orchard belongs to Ali Khan, also known as Kaifi, and his wife, Shamina Khanam. The couple had spent more than 10 years turning barren land into a green and beautiful orchard. The land was once dry and uncultivable due to a lack of irrigation facilities. Through hard work and dedication, they planted more than 3,000 trees, including mango, guava, jamun, pomegranate, lemon and jackfruit trees. According to reports, around 400 trees were completely burnt in the fire, while more than 200 trees were badly damaged.
The exact cause of the fire is still not known, but locals believe it may have started because of sparks from an electrical wire passing over the orchard. Electricity poles and power lines run directly through the land, and officials suspect a short circuit may have caused the blaze. This is not the first time the orchard has caught fire. About four years ago, another fire destroyed nearly 500 guava saplings. Even after suffering that loss, the couple worked hard again to rebuild the orchard from scratch.
For Ali Khan and Shamina Khanam, the orchard was not just a business but a symbol of their love and partnership. Ali said he had put his “blood and sweat” into creating the orchard. Seeing his struggle, Shamina left her job as the principal of a private college to help him. Later, she also started making juices and food products from the fruits grown in the orchard. Together, the orchard earned around Rs 7 lakh to Rs 8 lakh every season, while guava sales alone brought in Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh.
Speaking after the incident, Ali said the couple had faced many struggles while building the orchard, including security challenges in the once Naxal-affected area. He said it was painful to see everything destroyed in just a few hours. Shamina also expressed her sorrow, saying she had given many years of her life to build the orchard with her husband and could not understand why such fires keep happening.
The couple has now filed a written complaint at the local police station and demanded a proper investigation into the matter. They want authorities to find out whether the fire was accidental or if there was some conspiracy behind it. For the people of the area, Shamina Bagh was known as a symbol of love, hard work and hope. Now, its burnt remains stand as a painful reminder of how quickly years of effort can be lost.
