Kashmir-Central Asia Connect

By S.Sarwar Malik

Our active connections with Central Asia and other countries date back to medieval times. This much is expected to be widely known. Remnants of Inns (Sarais), dotting the Silk route; some see-able even in Srinagar, and some in Ladakh of yesteryears, testify that some kind of exchange was taking place on all such routes. Other significant proofs, too,  exist here in (our) Kashmir & all together they speak about travelers, traders and transactions of different types- including that of ideas, philosophies etc; with positive face or of negative nature.

Pondering a little more leads us to question: If silkworm seeds and silken cloth could come and go from China and Buddhist teachers could come & go from Kashmir- at least after Councils were held here, why shouldn’t it be safe to say that, surely, other transactions too must have happened. 

Doesn’t History tell us that in the sunset period of B.C Jalaka- the son of Indian Emperor Ashoka (273-236 BC), ruled Kashmir & other areas? Greek ruler Meander too ruled over Kashmir and Punjab-around 150 BC. Coins in our Museum corroborate it.

It is also said that Kashmir had the honour of being named ‘The Seat of Learning’ in, what historians call,’ Hindu’-Period. See the date when Raj-Tarang-ni and ‘Antiquities of Ladakh’ have been written. 

Researchers acknowledge that Kashmiri painters have contributed a lot to the listed ‘World Heritage Site’ –The Great Buddhist Monastery of ALCHI, Ladakh (958-1055 AD). Now think, dear reader: Were our artistic skills and craftsmanship restricted to painting only? Nay it can’t be so. Only thing is that not much research has been done in the other areas of strength that Kashmiris had in the Pre- medieval period. Information about the arrival of many Central Asian Islamic scholars or traders is comparatively more, partly due to proximity of a number of arenas. Do you agree that we lag behind in giving our own people the place they deserve? How insensitive of us that we don’t acknowledge properly the status of our achievers; not to speak of fearless dissemination. 

Travelers have played a role, right from the day one of evolution/ creation, and give & take is universal two way traffic. Transactions happen from both sides.  Eliot’s Wasteland flashes on my mind’s screen!

We Kashmiris have to express appropriate gratitude to all who came with positive things, if we have really evolved, but why should we play low key in case of indigenous. Both benefit by coming in contact for positive transactions, as ‘give & take’ is in fact a universal phenomenon.

In fact, no language was born in isolation. All imbibed from and exuded to other languages- changed shape, script, absorbed new words, discarded much unused. They adapted to the time and need of the hour. Same is true about literature- of all genres, the shape they took or better say continue taking, in different periods of human history. Likewise is the case with the belief system of inhabitants. Why not see Kashmir in this Universal frame? Actually transactions have commenced first at individual level and then moved on to the collective level, but learning from the past -out of which we have evolved & are benefiting from the-thus-accumulated-‘inheritance’ is how we grow up. 

Hence we individuals, in reality, own very little, on which we can boast of proprietary rights. How superbly the Persian couplet: “Mun gilay naacheez boodam….” drives home this fact. Now back to our old connections with Central Asia. It was around 1370 AD when Timur had eye on Iran; and even prior to 1374-1389 AD – the period Bamzai & Parimo call ‘Black Death Plague’. It is said many people from Central Asia traveled to & fro Kashmir- including traders and those called refugees. Proselytizers came too and those among them, who succeeded in obtaining patronage of the Sultans of Kashmir; possibly in Kishtwar as well, stayed here for longer periods. Widely known as Syed Ali Hamadani (1312-1384) -whom we lovingly call Shah e Hamadaan. But there are many other names too, if we care to study things, analytically and critically; and above all Sheikh Noor u Din Reshi/ Wali (1377-1439); who was destined to appear on Kashmir’s horizon, wasn’t  the first Muslim of Kashmir (- wasn’t  his grandfather named Sheikh Salahudin of kishtwar?… and hadn’t other Muslim seminaries   visited Kashmir before?).

No doubt Syed Ali Hamadani of Kubravi Silsila-who visited Srinagar thrice in 14th century AD, is credited with the successful establishment of the Sofi tareeqa & teachings of his first spiritual guide Sheikh Mazdaqani and his first teacher Syed Alludin Hamdani. He first impacted mainly the urban class of Kashmir with his efforts, teachings, books, and proselytizing techniques like zikr and the material available in Awaraad e Fatiha (‘and his other sixty seven books’; the earlier mentioned, Awaraad, is recited aloud in many shrines and mosques till date). Besides Shah e Hamadaan due credit has to be given to all those who had come earlier like Bulbul Shah, Syed Hassan Simnani & others [ As handy information let me add  Sultan Shahab ud din’s time was 1354-73 AD and that of Sultan Qutb ud din’s; 1373-89 &  Sultan Sikender’s;1389-1413 [- it was the latter mentioned  who attempted to introduce Sharia law here, results whereof are controversial ] ). How can we forget Balkhi, Qazi, Bahaqi, Syed Kamil etc who worked in  many urban as well as rural places; not to forget the period before our great local personality; Alamdaar-e-Kashmir, Sheikh Noor u Din, was even born.

We have it that Alamdaar’s parents were disciples of a central Asian saint. Sizable activity was going on in Kishtwar and other areas. Were these, Kashmir’s – the first ones[- who could understand Persian- that too poetic form, and Arabic, ] or their Previous generation had obtained mastery over these foreign languages that too with such a great understanding that  their taught, Noor u Din  was able to leave for us  the high quality  kalaam-e-Sheikh ul Aalam that reveals his deep knowledge and understanding of Islam, his mastery over the kind of genre he chose . Great is the impact he had made on kashmiris of that time; acknowledged even today. Shah e Hamadaan came later on the scene and by the time of his arrival, Noor Din Rishi‘s name and fame was well established among locals- of course, mostly rural.

A verse of Shah e Hamdaan: Mara Dareen e Rozgaar Kasay Na Shinakht *  and  S.M Kamal u din Hakim writing (-in 1984) that Shah e Hamdaan was himself master of sozan kari ( Needle work embroidery)   comes to my mind  whereby we may conclude that in early stage of his life he was dealing with Art & Craft business and here in Kashmir he gave the local cottage type artisanship a great fillip & shaped our Industry/ Karkhaanas .

 It was the time of budding Economy, Arts & Craft Trade (- that caught the attention of westerners luckily), & upliftment thereby because…political uncertainties had to a great extent settled. So the timely arrival of Shah e Hamdaan gave a shot in the arm. We owe debt to all visitors. 

More Next time, Dear Reader.

*= My calling couldn’t give me the identity-that proselytization and my books bequeathed me. 

  ** = In GK dated 16 Sept 2009 in the article about ALCHI GOMPHA of Ladakh I had  given the extract out of my book ‘ JEWEL IN THE LOTUS- Ladakh , that contained following words that support my contention of my Previous Write-up ‘ Kashmir Central Asia Connect- part I:

“Alchi Choskor captivated me most. 69 Kms from Leh , Alchi- the treasure house of wall paintings and images, is said to have five lac miniature paintings adorning  the walls of this  five- chambered monastery and after Ajanta these constitute biggest collection of Buddhist frescos in India. Most of the paintings have been done by a group of 32 Kashmiri artists- headed by one Bhidaka, the image maker, in 10th and 11th century AD; executed in accordance with the Indian (not Tibetan) traditions.”

• Views expressed in the article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial stance of Kashmir Observer 

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