Nund Rishi spelled Nund Reshi and also known as Sheikh Noor –ud –Din Noorani ,Sheikh-Ul –Alam (Spiritual guide of the world ) and by title called Alamdar –e-Kashmir (Flag Bearer of Kashmir) was a kashmiri sufi saint ,mystic ,poet and Islamic preacher .He was a great saint and was held in great esteem by Hindus and Muslims of Kashmir and is revered by all communities cutting religious affiliations .Nund Rishi was among the founders of the Rishi order ,a Sufi tradition of the region .He influenced many spiritual teachers and saints ,including Hamza Makhdoom ,Resh Mir Saab ,and Shamas Faqir .Noor-ud-Din was born in 1377 in Khee Jogipora Village in today’s Kulgam district of Kashmir to Salar Sanz and Sadra .also called sadar Moji or Sadar Deddi .His grandfather Sheikh Salahuddin hailed from Kashtwar. .The legend has it that he refused to be breastfed by his mother after birth and it was Lalleshwari who breastfed him .In teenage years Noor-ud-Din was apprenticed to a couple of traders .

He was married to Zai Ded who hailed from village Dadsar Tral and had two sons and a daughter with her .She renounced the world after the death of her children and became a hermit .Noor-ud-Din renounced the worldly life at the age of 30 and retired to live a life of meditation in a cave which is still shown in Qaimoh and is about ten feet deep .During his last days ,he survived by drinking a cup of milk every day and later he used to survive by drinking water .Noor-ud-Din spread his teachings or message through poems ,commonly known as Shruks .His poems have four to six lines each and evolve around religious themes highlight moral principles and often call for peace .He strived for Hindu-Muslim unity .
One of his prominent poems is ‘Ann Poshi teli yeli yeli wan poshi ,which translates as ‘’Food will thrive only as long as the woods survive .’’It shows the respect and reverence for the environment and before it the present day environmentalists fade in importance .Kashmiri poet Lal Ded was Noor-ud-Din’s contemporary and had a great impact on his spiritual growth .Some scholars argue that he was her disciple ,and associate his poetry with Bakti movement ,although others disagree .Noor-ud-Din witnessed several transmissions of Hinduism and Islam in the valley throughout his life ,although he was actively involved in philosophical work and in writing Kashmiri poems .In his verses ,he recalled some events ,including arrival of Mir Sayyid Hamadani to Kashmir .Noor-ud-Din is also credited with translating holy Quran into Kashmiri .He died on C 1438 at Charar-Sharif and it is his resting place and a magnificent shrine dedicated to his memory stands tall at Charar Sharif and his tomb is situated there as he was buried at this place and this place is frequently visited by the people of all faiths and Urs of this great saint is celebrated on his birth and death anniversary .A big fair and mela is held at Charar in the memory of this great saint of sufi cult .He stressed on the principle of non –violence and he was pure vegetarian .Noor-ud-Din’s sayings and verses are preserved in Kashmir region ,including in a museum built at Kashmir university .
The Shruks also describe the life of the saint .They were translated into Persian language by Baba Nasib –ud-Din Ghazi two centuries after his death .In 1998 ,university of Kashmir established an institute called Markaz –e-Noor centre for Sheikh-ul-Alam studies to conduct scientific research on his life and works .In 2015 the university established a research centre called sheikh –ul-Alam Chair in order to honor his teachings .The centre is aimed at exploring the social and cultural background of the Kashmiri Rishis .In 2017 the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art ,Culture and Languages covered his life in a book titled ‘’Hayat-e-Sheikh –ul –Alam ‘’(life of Nund Rishi) .
In 2005,the government of India renamed the Srinagar airport to Sheikh-ul-Alam international Airport and granted it international status .In 2015 ,the Kashmir university published an Urdu book titled ‘’Kalam –i- Sheikh-ul-Alam ‘’comprising about 300 shruks of Nund Rishi translated into Urdu by Ghulam Muhammed Shad. .Noor-ud-Din died in 1438 at the approximate age of 63.Sultan Zain –ul-Abdin commissioned a tomb for his body at Charari-Sharief .The Charar-e-Sharif shrine is visited by pilgrims to this day ,especially on the eve of Noor-ud-Dins urs .His urs in the year 2023 falls on Friday October 13 and it has been declared as a holiday for Kashmir provience .The Afgan governor Atta Muhammad Khan minted coins with Noor-ud-Din’s name .Noor-ud-Din’s father Salar –ud-Din and two brothers Kamal –ud-Din and Jamal –ud-Din are buried near Dadsara while his wife is buried in Qaimoh .Sheikh Noor-ud –Din –Noorani and his poems and shruks have a profound impression on both the Hindus and Muslims equally and he is held in great esteem and reverence .
His message ,teachings and his poems are more relevant in today’s strife torn and materialistic world and his shruks guide us in the present world .His shruks are a practical and useful guide to the humanity in the present day world .Most of Kashmiris have the poems ,verses and shruks of Nun Rishi on the tip of their tongue and majority of the Kashmiris are influenced by his life ,poetry and works and they remember this great saint even today .Nund Rishi was the doyen and advocate of Hindi-Muslim unity and the communal harmony got a big imputes due to the message of this great sofi saint and spiritual poet .
The best tribute to this great sofi saint is to follow his teachings and message in everyday life to lead the life of contentment and bliss .May the great sofi saint continue to shower his blessings to the humanity and on his Urs let us pledge to follow his footprints to lead a simple and purposeful life away from the maddening crowed of the modern life .Let Kashmiris of all religions put his teachings and shruks into use so that a meaningful and purposeful life is possible on the earth .The great saint ,poet ,mystic was a multifaceted personality and he will continue to shower his blessings from the heavens .His sufi shrine of Charri-e-Sharief is frequently visited by the people of various faiths and let he guide us in today’s materialistic world and let us follow his verses and shruks to lead a life of contentment .In brief Nund Rishi is the saint of masses in Kashmir and is on the lips of all Kashmiris cutting across religious affiliations.

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