Nund Rishi
| Sheikh Noor ud Din | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
Nund 779 AH or 1377 CE Qaimoh, Kulgam district, Jammu and Kashmir |
| Died |
842 AH or 1440 CE Charari Sharief, Jammu and Kashmir |
| Other names |
Sheikh ul-Alam Nund Reshi<nr/>Sahajanand |
| Religion | Islam |
| Region | Jammu and Kashmir |
|
Influenced
| |
Nund Rishi (Urdu: نُندہ ریشی), Sheikh Noor ud-Din Wali, Sheikh Noor ud-Din Noorani (Urdu: شیخُ العالم شیخ نُورالدین نُورانی), also popularly known as Sheikh ul-Alam and among the Hindus as Sahajanand, was a Kashmiri mystic regarded as the patron saint of Kashmiris. He is considered to have started the Rishi order.[1]
Biography
Nund Rishi was born in a village called Qaimoh (old name Katimusha) in Kulgam district, which is 10 km from Anantnag and 60 km South east of Srinagar in the year 3649 Kashmiri Calendar/1377 CE, corresponding to 779 Hijri.[2] His father's name was Shaikh Salar-ud-din his mother Sadra, was called Sadra Moji or Sadra Deddi. In Kashmir, Moji means 'mother' and Deddi denotes 'elderly.'
Nur-ud-din was apprenticed to a couple of traders, one after the other. He felt disgusted with the ways of the world, and, deciding upon renunciation, retired to caves for meditation at the age of thirty. It is said that he lived for twelve years in the wilderness. Hence, perhaps, kaimuh is given the derivation of kai-wan (or ban, a forest) in rustic belief. The actual cave of contemplation is shown in kaimuh and is about 10 feet deep. In his last days, he is claimed to have sustained life on one cup of milk daily. Finally, he reduced himself to water alone, and died at the age of 63, in the reign of sultan Zain-ul-Abidin, in 842 A. H. = 1438 A.C. Shams-ul-Arifin or 'the sun of the pious' is the chronogram which gives the date of his death. The Sultan accompanied his bier to the grave. The burial prayers were led by a divine or 'Alim of the age, Makhdum Baba Usman Uchchap Ganai. The tomb of Shaikh Nur-ud-din at Charari Sharief, a small town perched on a dry bare hill, 20 miles south west of Srinagar, is visited by pilgrims to the present day.
During his lifetime, he witnessed much change in the valley, from Hinduism to Islam. Various historical events helped to shape his mind in such a manner that he produced some works of philosophy, in his own manner of verses and poetry.
Sheikh ul-Alam was deeply affected by such events and this is apparent in his verses. The biggest event that occurred in the Sheikh's childhood was the coming of another Muslim preacher, Amir Kabir Mir Syed Hamadani, to Kashmir. Shah Hamadan, as he was popularly called, came to Kashmir in September 1372 CE, 1379 CE and the third time in the year 1383 CE.
Shaikh Nur-ud-din- appears to have married Zai Ded from Dadasara, Tral, Pulwama( her father Akber-u-Din and two brothers "Kamal-u-din" and "Jamal-u-din" are buried at Dadasara Tral) and had two sons and one daughter. On the death of the children, Zai Ded also renounced the world, and became a hermit. She was buried at Kaimuh on her death.
Shaikh Nur-ud-din's life has impressed the Kashmiri people. The Afghan governor, Ata Muhammad Khan, gave, as it were, expression to public sentiment when coins were struck by him in the name of Shaikh Nur-ud-din in 1223-25 A.H. (1808-10 CE).
Works
He used his poetry as tool to spread the knowledge of Islam. His poetry is commonly known as Shrukhs.
Tawhid, Risala, Ma'ad, human lust are main subjects of his poetry. He vehemently criticized the so-called Mullas and other pseudo-scholars of Islam .
One of his most famous and oft quoted couplets is (Kashmiri:"Ann poshi teli yeli wann poshi") meaning 'Food will last as long as forests last'[3] Lal Ded the Shaivite poetess of Kashmir was his contemporary. She had a great impact on his spiritual growth. He has in one of his poems prayed to God to grant him the same level of spiritual achievement as God had bestowed on Lal Ded.[4]
His sayings are preserved in the Nur-nama, commonly available in Kashmir. The Nur-nama also gives the life of the saint. It was written by Baba Nasib-ud-din Ghazi in Persian about two centuries after the death of Shaikh Nur-ud-din.[2][4]
The University of Kashmir has honored his name by creating the Shaikh-ul-Alam Chair.
Shrine
The shrine of Sheikh-ul-Alam, in addition to the structure itself, comprises attached Khanqahs, inns for the pilgrims is a place of pilgrimage for Kashmiris of all communities. The shrine contained 600‑year‑old handmade Persian and Kashmir carpets, ancient objects and scrolls, some antique copies of the Quran, extremely precious cut-glass chandeliers etc., all which were reduced to smoke and ashes during a firefight between the Indian army and militants on April 11, 1995. The shrine has been rebuilt although the adjoining Khanqah is still under construction.
Death
He died at the age of 63 years in the year of 1440 CE or 842 Hijri.
See also
References
- ↑ Gems of Kashmiri Literature and Kashmiriyat by P.N. Razdan:The Trio of Saint Poets
- 1 2 Soqte:School Of Orthoepy Quran And Theology::Kashmir
- ↑ Gems of Kashmiri Literature and Kashmiriyat by P.N. Razdan (Mahanori)
- 1 2 Jaishree Odin, Lalla to Nuruddin: Rishi-Sufi Poetry of Kashmir. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass (2013)