Bhat Yasir
Within the picturesque valley of Kashmir, the place the air is imbued with the spirit of syncretism, the Khanqah-e-Moula of Srinagar stands as an architectural and religious gem.
Constructed in 1395 by Sultan Sikander in homage to the revered Sufi saint Mir Ali Hamdan, this sacred sanctuary weaves collectively threads of spirituality and historical past which have left an indelible mark on the cultural material of the Kashmir valley.
Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani, fondly often known as Shah-i-Hamadan, discovered solace in Kashmir, and his keep performed a pivotal function in shaping the early foundations of Islam within the valley.
The Khanqah, primarily a mosque, is a dwelling testomony to the syncretic ethos of Kashmir, with its wooden structure drawing inspiration not solely from Islamic types but additionally from the wealthy tapestry of Buddhist and Hindu influences.
Whereas the primary Khanqah, based by Sultan Sadruddin, honored Shaikh Sharafuddin Suharwardi, it was the Khanqah-e-Moulla devoted to Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani that garnered unparalleled devotion.
Prof. Shamsuddin Ahmed poignantly remarks on the divine act that spared Shah-i-Hamadan from being buried in Kashmir, stopping his deification. The Khanqah stands not simply as a bodily construction however as a sacred house embedded within the hearts and minds of devotees.
The Khanqah’s recognition is deeply rooted within the religious legacy of Shah-i-Hamadan, and the rituals practiced inside its partitions are centered across the sanctified house the place the revered Sufi saint as soon as resided. The devotion of the folks in direction of this website is palpable, transcending generations and sustaining its prominence in the course of the formative phases of Islam in Kashmir.
The Khanqah-e-Moulla underwent numerous transformations all through its historical past, every layer reflecting the resilience and religion of its followers. Initially established in addition to a former Hindu temple, it developed over the centuries. Mir Muhammad Hamadani, along with his royal lineage, performed a big function in its reconstruction, including a brand new architectural kind that continues to face as a testomony to time.
The construction confronted quite a few challenges, from fires that scorched its partitions to political upheavals that threatened its existence. But, the Khanqah endured, due to the contributions of rulers like Sultan Sikandar and the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, who acknowledged its religious significance. Even in periods of fixing governance, such because the Sikh and British eras, the Khanqah maintained its sanctity.
The Debate
The Khanqah is revered by folks of all faiths within the area. For a number of years, Sikhs and Hindus have equally been collaborating within the rituals on the Khanqah together with the Muslims. Muslims have been performing prayers peacefully on the Khanqah and Hindus at a bit distance away from the sacred constructing.
Towards the River Jhelum, an intriguing website unveils itself — a wall adorned with Sindoor, a vibrant vermilion pink or orange-red beauty powder historically worn by married ladies alongside the parting of their hair. A curious phenomenon happens as water oozes from a selected spot.
In accordance with the beliefs of Kashmiri Hindus, this distinctive incidence is devoted to the revered goddess Kali, including a mystical and sacred dimension to the location. This website, marked by Sindoor and the inexplicable movement of water, holds religious significance for the local people.
Debates persist in regards to the origins of the Khanqah, with some claiming it was initially a Hindu temple.
One of many first arguments on this case was made in “Eminent Personalities of Kashmir,” edited by Kashmiri Hindu Krishan Lal Kalla. The ebook means that the location was initially a Kali temple.
His narrative unfolds with the return of Hazrat Ameer Kabir from Makkah. It’s recounted that he entered the temple and devoutly supplied his prayers. Intriguingly, upon his departure, it was found that he had left distinctive footprints on the stone plate the place he had bowed in reverence to God. In a swift flip of occasions, this sacred temple underwent a metamorphosis, being promptly transformed into the revered Khanqah-e-Moula.
Nevertheless, historians query these claims, emphasizing the absence of concrete proof supporting the existence of a temple on the website. Skepticism surrounds these claims, with some viewing them as a revisionist try and reshape historic narratives.
Conventional Kashmiri Hindu historians, together with Kalhana, Jonaraja, and Shuk Bhatt, notably make no point out of the existence of any temple on the location of the Khanqah-e-Moulla. This absence of acknowledgment raises doubts in regards to the validity of the narrative.
A counterargument emerges, emphasizing the coexistence of a Hindu non secular website adjoining to the Khanqah. Historians write that these two websites have perpetually existed aspect by aspect, suggesting a testomony to the area’s long-standing communal tolerance. Kashmiri Hindus, have traditionally held the Khanqah in excessive reverence.
Noteworthy students, equivalent to archaeologist RC Kak in “Historic Monuments of Kashmir” and historian PNK Bamzai in “Tradition and Political Historical past of Kashmir,” make no specific point out of the potential of a pre-existing temple on the present website of the Khanqah-e-Moula.
Saleem Beg, a member of INTACH (Indian Nationwide Belief for Artwork and Cultural Heritage), sheds mild on the coexistence of the holy place of Hindus and the Khanqah. He clarifies that, certainly, there was a Kali Mandir in shut proximity to the Khanqah-e-Moula. “The temple remained lively and open for prayers till the migration of Pandits from the area.”
If the location was a grand Hindu temple, why was it {that a} small sufa/hujra was constructed and never a mosque of equal or comparable grandeur, he asks.
In regards to the nonetheless present Kali shrine in direction of the river on the shrine, he says, there are a lot of such cases the place sacred areas of the 2 religions have co existed in peace, at this Khanqah and plenty of others within the valley.
The historian additional argues, “Sure there have been cases and makes an attempt by respective keepers for enlargement and unfold which has by no means been allowed to supersede any of the 2 areas. These of us who’ve lived and been introduced up in that cultural milieu, know of areas the place mosques and temples have been survived in shut proximity of one another, they’ve been sharing the identical ghat on the river entrance, the identical lane resulting in each the sacred locations.”
The Khanqah confronted a vital juncture in the course of the 18th century. Allegations arose that the Khanqah was constructed on the ruins of a temple, main the rulers to ponder its destruction. To revive the property to Hindus, the rulers reportedly positioned heavy weapons across the Khanqah. Nevertheless, influential Pandit Birbal Dhar Kak, approached by Muslims armed with income papers indicating the land’s legit buy by the Muslim group throughout its development, intervened to stop any antagonistic motion.
Amidst these historic debates, the Khanqah-e-Moula continues to face tall as a beacon of spiritual concord. Devotees collect inside its partitions to supply prayers and search religious enlightenment, emphasizing its enduring significance within the intricate tapestry of Kashmir’s wealthy historical past.
Because the echoes of prayers reverberate by its halls, the Khanqah-e-Moula stays a dwelling testomony to the enduring spirit of religion and coexistence within the valley of Kashmir.
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