The mysticism of Sufis in Kashmir: Its historicity, grandiosity and politicisation

The history of medieval Kashmir mainly deals with the politico-religious developments in the region, but the arrival of Islam and the introduction of Sufism in Kashmir is still shrouded in various mysteries, myths, and legends. There is no doubt that modern scholars who deal with Kashmir's political history occasionally refer to various Sufi saints, Rishi, and Pirs. However, their accounts are uncritical and fail to unravel tangled legends concerning the lives of the Sufis of Kashmir. The philosophical traits of Sufis and Rishis, along with Advaita, Shaivite, and Buddhist saints, built a new type of ethnic identity in the region of Jammu and Kashmir, which became the basis of ‘Kashmiriyat,’ a pluralistic socio-cultural order based on the idea of religious humanism, nationalism, equilibrium, and peace. Undoubtedly, it propagated the concept of religious tolerance, mutual harmony, and brotherhood in the region and boosted the socio-economic position of its inhabitants. Still, on the other side, it changed the state's demographic structure to a large extent. Despite their different religious and cultural beliefs, Hindu and Muslim inhabitants developed and manifested similar customs, practices, and traditions, culminating in their common ethnic and socio-cultural ties. But at the same time, the term ‘Kashmiriyat’ has been widely politicised by various leaders, political parties, radical groups, and separatist militant organisations for the cover-up of their hidden agenda at different times in the pre and post-independent eras. These groups and leaders purposefully spoiled the real notion of ‘Kashmiriyat’ and, by hiding their real intentions of self-interest, tore apart the socio-cultural fabric of the region.