Lall Ded( lalleshwari ) and Sheikh Noor ud din Wali are the Tallest saints of kashmir . Both are revered by hindus and Muslims alike . Hindus call Sheikh Noor ud din Wali as Sehja Nand or Nund reshi while muslims call him Sheikh ul Aalam or Alam daare Kashmir . Muslims call Lall ded as Lalla Arifa while Hindus call her Lalleshwari . Both have composed their sayings in the shape of VAAKHS . While Lall Ded’s thought is Shaivism simplified it is also identical with the Nirguna concept propounded by saint Kabir in India Shiekh Noor Ud din attempted to synthesize the essence of Bhagwat Geeta and Holy Quran and what ultimately emerged is the Shining Rishi order of Kashmir which produced numerous saints and Sufi poets subsequently. . Wahab Khar , Shamas Faquir, Sochh Kral , Nyam Sahib,Rehman Dar , Waza Mehmood Ahad Zargar ,and Samad mir can be called an extension of the thought and concept of Rishi order of Kashmir. through their Sufi poetry .
Kalahana , Jonaraja , Sridhar ,Shuka and Pragya Bhat do not make any mention of Lalleshwari in their works . Khwaja Mohd Azam Dhadmiri makes a reference of Lalleshwari in his work Vakaate Kashmir and adds that she lived during the rule of king Alla Ud din ( 1344AD -1355AD ). From all accounts it can be assumed that Lalleshwari was born in early 14th centuary and left this world some time between 1373 AD to 1389 AD implying that she was senior to Sheikh Noor Ud Din Wali ( 1373AD – 1438AD ). There is a story attributed to the meeting of Lalleshwari and Sheikh Noor Din wali as well.. So is the commonality of thought in the Vaakhs /Shrukhs of these two towering saints of Kashmir . Sheikh pays due tributes to Lalleshwari in a Shrukh( translated in english from original kashmiri ) as under :-
“That Lalla of Padmaapore,she drank Her fill of divine nectar;
She was indeed an awataar of His
O Supreme One , grant me the same boon!"Sheikh Noorudin (Nund Reshi)
YA PEER MYANO YAARI KAR(Oh my saint be merciful to us)
So Be it .
Ancestors of Sheikh Ul Alam were Surajvanshi Rajputs of Kishtwar . Sheikh’s Shrukhs convey that NAFAS ( implying Appetite or the desires ) is an elephant like in demands and has to be kept at Bay Else this enemy wihin is going to devour the individual..Sheikh’s Mother Soder Mouj and wife Zai Ded were poets and also wrote VAAKHS. Sheikh did preaching in almost all the areas of south kashmir but finally movd to CHRAR. Shiekh’s Vaakhs are Called SHRUKHS ( shlokaas ) in Kashmiri.. His Mortal remains are buried inside the Shrine in CHRAR E SHARIEF. I shall not quote his SHRUKS but please read them as they appear in the photographs taken by me right from NAGAAM to CHRAR E SHARIEF. CHRAR is about 35 kms from Srinagar and can be approached by road via Natipora , Chhanpora , Kralpora , Chadura , Nagaam and finally at Nagaam a distance 14 kms of beautiful plateaus is to be covered to reach CHRARE SHARIEF. I have photographed the Shrine as well as the BAZAR . I have also photographed ZAR- KASAI and TEHHAR distribution by devotees at the shrine. ZAR KASAI is MUNDAN and TEHHAR is the rice cooked with a pinch of turmeric and laced with oil familiar to both Hindus and Muslims of Kashmir . The shrine suffered extensive damage in Turmoil / Militancy . It is under total renovation. So is the CHRARE SHARIEF village which has already been declared as a Model village by government . I heard almost every one coming to the shrine saying loudly :
YA PEER MYANO YAARI KAR(Oh my saint be merciful to us)
So Be it .
