Charar-e-Sharief: Hazrat Sheikh-ul-Alam, popularly known as Alamdar-e-Kashmir and Nund Rishi, continues to hold a special place in the spiritual, social and cultural life of Kashmir. His teachings on humanity, equality and communal harmony remain relevant across generations.

As the founder and leading figure of the Rishi movement, Sheikh-ul-Alam challenged social inequalities and exploitative practices through his poetry, spiritual teachings and way of life. He opposed caste-based discrimination and economic injustice. His long poetic composition, Gongal Nama, reflects his concern for the hardships faced by ordinary people.

Historical accounts differ over his birth and death dates. Several historians place his birth in 757 Hijri (1356 AD), while others record 779 Hijri (1377 AD). Baba Dawood Khaki, however, places his birth in 755 Hijri (1354 AD) and his death in 820 Hijri (1417 AD). Other historical accounts mention 842 Hijri (1438 AD) as the year of his passing.

There is also disagreement over his age at death. While popular accounts suggest that he lived for 63 years, Baba Dawood Khaki records his age as 85. Historians have also differed over the exact date of his birth, with some accounts associating it with the 10th of Zil Hajj, coinciding with Eid.

Regarded as a spiritual guide and a symbol of communal harmony, Sheikh-ul-Alam earned deep respect among people from different religious communities. His teachings continue to inspire devotion and reinforce Kashmir’s traditions of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.

The annual Urs at Charar-e-Sharief attracts thousands of devotees and pilgrims from across Jammu and Kashmir. The observance is held towards the end of autumn, a period that allows many people to attend after completing major agricultural activities.

This year’s Urs witnessed a large gathering of devotees, with visitors appreciating the arrangements made at the shrine. Waqf Chairperson Syeda Darakhshan Andrabi received particular appreciation for efforts to renovate and improve the shrine complex.

The shrine remains one of Kashmir’s prominent spiritual destinations, preserving the legacy of Sheikh-ul-Alam and his message of humanity, equality and harmony.