Baba Dariya Din RA-The Sufi Saint of Rishi Order by Haroon Rashid Bhat

The Muslim Rishi movement shares much with its pre-Islamic counterpart in terms of certain beliefs, practices, and techniques. Both upheld the belief that ‘knowledge of God’ (Ma’rifat-e-Haqiqi) could be had through true ‘knowledge of the self’ (Ma’rfiat-e-Nafs). Like the pre-Islamic Rishis, Muslim Rishis, too, adopted stern austerities and often retired to the mountains and caves to meditate. This shift from a concern with individual salvation that could easily transform itself into a form of escapism to a concern with the welfare of ordinary people is one of the distinctive features of the Rishi order.
Baba Daryidin RA was one of the prominent and high-ranked saints of this Reshi order who lived during the reign of Zain-Ul- Abideen Badshah. This iconic Reshi saint came under the influence of two pious and known personalities of Reshi lineage viz. Nund-Reshi (Shaikh-ul-Alam) RA and Hazrat Zainudin Reshi RA. It is believed that Shaikh-ul-Alam RA entrusted Baba Daryidin RA to his Caliph- Hazrat Zainudin Reshi RA for spiritual guidance. After attaining true perfection in the world of spirituality, he was ordered by his mentor to conduct an extended visit to the valley of Kashmir; disseminate the message of oneness (Tawheed) to the general public. He acted upon the advice of his mentor and started his spiritual journey. While traveling from one area to another, he finally reached to Elaqi-Phag. There, he met with another Sufi saint of his time namely Baba Faqru-Din Wali RA who was meditating in a cave at the mountain top which is situated between Nagbal and Khalimula, tehsil Ganderbal. And the name of the village is attributed to this glorious personality as “Dariya Din” which is 10 km. away from district headquarter Ganderbal. After spending quite some time in and around this particular area, he finally selected the same place as the permanent place for his mediation. It is said that his place of meditation was surrounded by wild animals like bears, lions, snakes, etc but they never did any harmful act against him.

Histories who had penned down the biographical sketches of various Sufi saints of Kashmir like Mohammad Azim Dedmari RA, Hassan Shah Khuhami RA, Sheikul Islam Hazrat Baba Dawood Mushkati RA did mention of his name with a brief life sketch in their writings. There is no as such any written record that endorsed his exact date of birth or birthplace but as per the verbal tradition, he was from Rainawari-Srinagar. He had no formal education. Like other Muslim Rishis, he strictly adhered to the Reshi principles, led an extremely simple, single life, remain forever engrossed in the remembrance of Almighty Allah (Zikr-Allah), subjecting himself to considerable hardship and at the same time he facilitated those who were in need. So far his day-to-day needs, he was surviving on just water and dry wild edibles like leaves of Dandelion flower (Haand), Dipsacaceous leaves (Wopul Haak). Like his predecessors, he never stored any foodstuff for himself for the next day.
Apart from that, he also enjoyed the company of contemporary Rishis like Baba-Shukur-Din Reshi RA, Baba Payam-Ul-Din RA, Baba Hanif-Ul-Din Reshi, and Sheikh Sham-Ul-Din Reshi RA.
There are many miracles attributed to his life. One of the popular miracles is: “Once he was busy in meditation just a few yards away from his cave, a few buglers looted his utensils, from the Cave. Just a day after those group of looters lost their eyesight and when they came to know that the things that they had looted were the assets of the saint, they returned the martial, begged before him. Hazrat raised his hands for special prayer and their eyesight returned”.
His disciples that include prominent figures like Baba Sangee Reshi RA, Baba Fatha Reshi RA Baba-Hasti Reshi RA used to fetch water for his day-to-day needs and ablution from nearby villages because there was no water facility available there. One day, they brought that matter to his Master who recited the name Allah and then struck his hand with stick (Asa) on the ground and water oozed from there. That sources of water became the lifeline for the later residents who made this place as their permanent settlement.
During the final stage of his worldly life, he went for forty days seclusion in the cave leaving the instruction to his followers that they wouldn’t disturb him because he got the divine order to go for that special prayer. After the due date, when they removed the front stone of the cave, his body was disappeared from there. That news spread like a world fire and the people across the valley rushed there. When that news touched the ears of then Emperor- Zain-Ul-Abideen Bud Shah, he visited there along with his ministerial staff. He issued an immediate order to construct a Mausoleum at the cave and mosque there. He also donated a few kanals of land in favor of the Ziarat Sharief. One can see an awesome view of Dal- Lake from there.

Every year, the day and night annual celebration is being celebrated on 10th Rabil-Awwal that extends up to 12th Rabil Awal- the same day marks the birth anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). People from district Ganderbal and the adjoin districts visit the shrine, special prayers are organized to give tribute to the great saint. A Community kitchen/langar is set for devotees. Locals prepared traditional dishes especially Dipsacaceous leaves (Wopul Haak) to commemorate the simple lifestyle of Reshee’s. Special thanks to Farooq Ahamad Reshee-Imam Jamia Masjid Babadriydin and Mohammad Akram Chopan-caretaker of the Shrine who facilitated me during my research work.
Inspired by Nisar Ahamad Bhat from Tulmula, Ganderbal.

Haroon Rashid Bhat is a teacher by profession, presently posted in district Ganderbal, can be reached at minamharoon123@gmail.com

Article is published @ http://www.kashmirpen.in/baba-dariya-din-ra-the-sufi-saint-of-rishi-order/amp/

© Google map

Hazrat Baba Nasruddin Rishi (rehmatullahe alayh)

Hazrat Baba Nasruddin Rishi,(rehmatullahe alayh) Hazrat Nuruddin Nurani’s(rehmatullahe alayh) fourth principal khalifa, is buried alongside his master at the shrine complex at Chrar-e-Sharif. He is said to have been from a rich Hindu Rather Rajput family of Sazipur in the Yechpargana, and to have been named, according to various accounts, as Vitar, Nusar, or Avtar prior to his conversion to Islam. One day, while in his youth, he fell seriously ill. His parents consulted all the leading doctors but none could suggest a cure. Then, one night in a dream he saw Hazrat Nuruddin Nurani along with several saints, who suggested to him that if he wished to be cured he should go to Chrar-e-Sharif. The next morning he related the dream to his parents, and then, along with them, he set off to meet Hazrat Nuruddin Nurani. When they got to Chrar-e-Sharif, Hazrat Nuruddin Nurani gave him some food to eat, and he recovered immediately after. So impressed was he by Hazrat Nuruddin Nurani that he accepted him as his spiritual master, and bade his parents to return to their village. Thereafter, he gave up a life of luxury and took to the Rishi path.
Baba Nasruddin Rishi was appointed by Hazrat Nuruddin Nurani to manage the free community kitchen (langar) at Chrar-e-Sharif, where the poor and the needy, in addition to itinerant Rishis and Sufis, were fed. One day, some people complained to Hazrat Nuruddin Nurani that while Baba Nasruddin Rishi gave them wild grasses and vegetables to eat, he himself drank milk. That evening, Hazrat Nuruddin Nurani took them along with him to thelangar. Picking up Baba Nasruddin’s cup, he passed it to them to drink from. They each took one sip and spat it out, discovering, to their surprise, that what they had thought to be milk was actually white mud mixed with water. Thereafter, Hazrat Nuruddin Nurani advised Hazrat Nasruddin Rishi not to be too harsh with himself and to break his fast with eighteen (three, according to one source) grains of rice instead.
Another story has it that Hazrat Baba Nasruddin Rishi fasted continuously throughout his life, breaking his fast with a handful of ashes mixed with water. When Hazrat Nuruddin Nurani learnt of the stern austerities of his disciple, he asked him not to torment himself thus and to eat rice instead of ashes. Accordingly, Baba Nasruddin then took to breaking his fast with a hundred grains of rice every evening. Gradually, he reduced even this meagre amount to just twenty grains a day. Once, Hazrat Nuruddin Nurani instructed him to spend a period of forty days in solitary meditation, surviving only on four walnuts. After ten days had passed, Hazrat Nuruddin Nurani passed by his cell, and heard the sound of a walnut being cracked. He asked Baba Nasruddin Rishi what the sound was, and when he was told that it was the sound of a walnut that he was breaking, Hazrat Nuruddin Nurani remarked, “I thought you were breaking yournafs(ego) and here you are cracking a walnut!”. When Baba Nasruddin Rishi finally finished his forty day retreat, he presented all the four walnuts, uneaten, to his master.
Baba Nasruddin Rishi remained constantly in the service of Hazrat Nuruddin Nurani, and breathed his last in 1451 C.E.. A few days before his demise, he saw Hazrat Nuruddin Nurani in a dream, who told him that he had done much good work and had also undergone great hardships in his life, and so it was time for him to join him in the next world. Hazrat Nuruddin Nurani then told him that he should entrust the charge of the Rishis of Chrar-e-Sharif to Malik Jogi Raina of Narapora, a Rajput noble in the court of Sultan Zain-ul ‘Abidin. Accordingly, Baba Nasruddin met Malik Jogi Raina and told him what he had been instructed. The Malik refused to accept the offer, for that would mean renouncing a life of luxury and pomp. However, that night a sudden change came about him and he rushed to Chrar to meet Baba Nasruddin, who was then on his death-bed. He accepted the Baba’s offer to become his successor and to carry on the work of the Rishis after his death. Baba Nasrudin Rishi then breathed his last and was buried in the shrine complex of Hazrat Nuruddin Nurani at Chrar-e-Sharif.
On becoming a Rishi, Malik Jogi Raina’s life underwent a dramatic transformation. One day he went to his own home and requested his wife for food to break his fast. His family is said to have made fun of him for having reduced himself to poverty. This had a great effect on him, and he ordered his disciples that they must henceforth never ask others for food, but, rather, must earn their bread through their own hard work. It was his practice to earn his livelihood through agriculture, and from this he would eat only as much as was needed to break his fast and would give all the rest to the poor.

Subscribe our YouTube channel for more details