By Sheikh Imran Bashir, Agence India Press,
Srinagar: The state Jammu and Kashmir government has taken up the task of restoring the shrine of renowned Sufi saint, Hazrat Bulbul Shah.
The shrine of the first Muslim saint of Kashmir is one of the oldest monuments and is located in the Srinagar city.
Khawaja Farooq Renzu Shah, chairman of Hazrat Bulbul Shah Trust said that the shrine held an important place, both from historical and religious perspective.
“This is emerging as a world-class shrine in Jammu and Kashmir. The huge shrine’s architecture is highly intricate. So, it is justified for the workers to take their time while restoring such an elaborate monument. Step-by-step measures are being taken to restore the age-old architectural design in the shrine. When it will be completed, it will remain for thousands of years, for the many more generations to see it,” he said.
He added that the original architecture and designs of the shrine have been kept intact.
The authorities are optimistic that once the restoration work is completed, it shall attract more visitors to the shrine. Moreover, this shall help them to understand his role in spreading the message of peace in the Kashmir.
A local resident Abdul Qayoom told Agence India Press that, the work is going on from the last five years but it is very slow. The people here want swift completion of the work. Devotees come here from far off villages and cities and it pains them to see the biggest heritage of Kashmir in such a state. We want them to finish the work quickly.
Locals appreciated government’s initiative to restore the heritage monument.
“The government is doing a good job; they have taken the right step and helped us. The work being done is beyond our expectations,” said Muhammad.
The spiritual place of Kashmir the shrine of Hazrat Bulbul Shah is the first Muslim shrine of the Kashmir valley.
Hazrat Sharaf-ud-Din Abdul Rehman Bulbul Shah laid foundation of Sufi and secular culture of Kashmir in the year 1320 A.D. historians, scholars and intellectuals are of the opinion that likes other great civilizations of the world. The origin of Sufi civilization of Kashmir worldwide known as Kashmiriyat lies in the philosophy of brotherhood and mutual love respectability as propagated by Bulbul Shah commonly known as Amir-i-Kashmir and Baadashah-i-Kashmir.
Whether he was actually born in Kashmir and later on received religious education in Turkistan and Bhagdad or he was actually born in Turkistan and later on visited Kashmir where he permanently stayed till his death is subject to various scholarly opinions. However, it is clear that like other great Sufi saints of Kashmir his grave and shrine is present in the Kashmir.
As per research conducted by scholars and historians Bulbul Shah was accompanied with other pious saints particularly Bulbul Kamal-ud-Din, whose grave is between Chakoti and Uri road, Bulbul Jalal-ud-Din whose grave is between Harwan Buddhist Monastery and Nishat Garden and Hazrat Kamal Sahib who was buried just out side the palace of King Renzu Shah. The Palace of King is presently constructed as college and new Women’s College building has
been converted at the ancestral site, while as graves of both Bulbul Shah and Renzu Shah (Rinchana) are located at Bulbul Lankar Nawa Kadal, on the other side of the Palace. The Bulbul Shah’s shrine is first Muslim Sufi shrine of Kashmir which has its intellectual influence upto Kashgar.