Tariq Bhat
Peer Vear (Valley of Sufi saints) is what Kashmir is fondly called. Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani, a revered Islamic preacher, born in Iran in 1077 AD, is one such Sufi saint. His followers called him Dastageer (the great helper) and though it is not known whether he visited Kashmir, there are several sites associated with him.
The most important is the 200-year-old shrine at Khanyar in Srinagar, which was destroyed in a massive fire on June 25.
The incident shocked Kashmir and clashes broke all over the valley. A nervous government imposed curfew in most parts of Srinagar to prevent the situation from spinning out of control. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah cut short his London trip and returned home. But tension prevails as the smoldering wreck of the shrine seems like a gaping wound for Dastageer’s followers.
Beyond the pain it inflicted on the people of Kashmir, the incident has brought to fore how tenuous peace is in Kashmir, which will hamper the present bumper tourist season. Amid restrictions, protests and a probe order, conspiracy theories are galore.
“Seems like government agencies are trying to create a sectarian clash” is the dominant chatter in the living rooms and bazaars of Srinagar. But does a clash between the Sufi and the Salafi or a Wahabi suit the government at a time when the death of 400 people in three years from 2008, is still fresh like a raw wound in the collective memories of the people.
Such incidents invariably present a disturbing picture of Kashmir, where radical Islamists have spread their tentacles, to the outside world. It creates a role for the government to come to the rescue of the Sufi.
Though Kashmir has been a rich repository of various faiths from Buddhism to Shaivism to Islam, the valley has no history of intolerance. Even the few Kashmir pandits never felt insecure in a sea of Muslims. The differences, however, have been there since long. But that has been mostly restricted to debates and intellectual discourses away from public domain.
The recent show of strength by the followers of Barelvi school, considered highly moderate, has generated a subtle debate in Kashmir. The Barelvis have strongly denied government’s support and have insisted that they have been always at the forefront of the separatist agitation and harbour no agenda against anybody.
Yet the mistrust has seeped in. One of their leaders was shot at in Batamaloo a few months ago. The separatist condemned the attack but the suspicion fell on the radicals.
There is no denying that Kashmir is peppered with shrines of Sufis and thousands of people revere them and subscribe to their thought. The Muslim Awqaf Trust, a government-owned body that manages most of the shrines in Kashmir, is a huge beneficiary of the revenue generated by the shrines. The revenue generated was used for the maintenance of the shrines and mosques but it also guaranteed the Sufi vote bank.
The shrine of the Dastageer attracted devotees from all corners of Kashmir. Situated in the heart of downtown Srinagar, the shrine was a built by Ghulam Shah Azad in 1182 Hijri (Islamic calendar) and renovated in 1294 Hijri by Khawaja Sanaullah Shawl. Besides the holy relic of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani, it housed graves of his followers and the considerably large manuscripts of the Quran believed to be handwritten by Hazrat Ali, the fourth caliph of Islam.
The older part of the shrine was divided into large Aastan, a small Masjid, a Khankah on the first floor, and a Noor Khaane. About two dozen huge wooden pillars supported the 20-feet high ceiling, and the overall structure was decorated with Khatam band, Paper Machie murals, colourful window glasses, chandeliers, Jharokhas and Islamic wall hangings. The floor was festooned with carpets and painted on the walls of the Aastan was the Kibrat-e-Sharief written by Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani. The Aastan was used in summer for prayers, and special congregations, including Friday prayers, in all seasons.
A police statement said the fire started after the morning prayers at 6.30 a.m. A senior police officer has been asked to ascertain the cause and forensic help has also being sought. But the tensions continue to prevail.
People said the fire tenders reached late and timely intervention could have helped. Meanwhile, the relics have been safely rescued from the fire.
This is for the second time a highly revered Sufi shrine has caught fire in Kashmir after the 1995 incident in which the shrine of Sheikh-Noor-ud-din Wali, or Sheikul Alam was completely gutted after an exchange of fire between army and militants led by Mast-e-Gul, a Pashtun militant who escaped .
(The author is Srinagar-based correspondent The Week)
