In the heart of the Old City of Srinagar lies Zaina Kadal. The place has got its name from the adjacent bridge (Zaina Kadal) that was built by Sultan Zain ul Abidin – Bud Shah. The bridge is one of the seven bridges that connect the Old City with the New City of Srinagar. The area is home to many prominent structures like Khanqah of Mir Syed Ali Hamdani R.A (Shah e Hamdan R.A) known as Khanqah e Moula, Bud Shah’s tomb, Pathar Masjid and many other historically significant structures, lanes and markets.
One such place is ‘Dulal Mohalla,’ incorrectly known as ‘Dalal Mohalla.’ Located in the interior lanes of Zaina Kadal, the mohalla got its name from the two sufi saints/scholars, Allama Syed Mohammad bin Ahmad R.A and Baba Syed Hashim R.A whose Astaans (Shrines) lie here. Dulal ( دو لعل ) literally means two rubies in Persian (Du – Two and Lal – Ruby) but ironically they have been left unattended and neglected to an extent that today only few know about the existence of these saints/scholars and significance of this place.
On entering the mohalla which does not look clean at all, one can spot the newly renovated Masjid Hanifa more commonly known as Dasil Masjid. The Masjid compound houses the shrine of Allama Syed Mohammad bin Ahmad R.A that does not look like a shrine at all. The shrine is apparently not registered with any governing body of shrines like the Waqf Board. Sajad Mustafa, member of the intizamya committee of the same Masjid takes care of the shrine along with the committee members. According to him, the scholar came to Kashmir with Shah e Hamdan R.A. “We have heard from our elders that he came from Iran with Shah e Hamdan R.A to spread the message of Islam in the valley and eventually settled here,” Mustafa said.
Shah e Hamdan R.A first came to Kashmir in 774 H (1372 AD) with a group of 700 Sayyids. These Sayyids were also skilled men who taught Kashmiri’s both religion and different crafts to earn a living. These crafts such as paper machie, carpet weaving, wood carving etc. exist till date and have earned Kashmir international repute, fame and money. “When Shah e Hamdan R.A came to Kashmir he chose this place (Zaina Kadal) to preach religion. Religious discussions and meetings were held in this masjid where we are standing today. Allama R.A left his home for Islam and never returned back, he settled here only,” said Mustafa. Unfortunately, the shrine does not stand in a good position.
On entering the Masjid premises, it looks like a small structure in a corner of its compound. It does not have a name plate making it even difficult to identify. The structure that houses the actual grave would not be more than seven feet tall. It stands on a concrete base and is made up of wooden fence (Jaali) typical to shrines and old structures to let people peek inside and has a tin roof to protect the grave.
The structure is painted with a light shade of blue and the roof is green but the condition of the paint testifies how old it is. The paint has almost completely chipped off the bottom with some remaining in upper part of the shrine. On opening the door, the grave made of stone with no name inscribed can be seen. The wall surrounding the compound has also developed cracks. “We have got no funds to take care of the shrine. We approached asaar e qadeema (department of archeology) and submitted an application to them so that it can be taken care of, renovated and preserved for future generations and they even assured us that it will be renovated but nothing has been done till date.
We don’t want any rituals here but appeal to the government that it must be renovated because these saints had left their homes for us so that we embrace Islam. They even left their dead bodies here,” Mustafa added. Although not in a good condition the shrine has been kept very clean but one cannot ignore the neatly painted fence and the bright colored tiled walkway of the masjid in front of the shrine.
It looks like the shrine and the wall surrounding the compound are the only structures around left out due to unavailability of funds. Just a few steps away from the shrine of Allama Mohammad bin Ahmad R.A is the shrine of Baba Syed Hashim R.A. The shrine is located on the right side of the lane that leads to Maharaj Gunj police station. According to Sajad Mustafa, Hashim R.A also came to Kashmir with Shah e Hamdan R.A.
The shrine is very big in comparison to that of Allama R.A and has a clearly written name plate. It is made with concrete and painted bottle green. The front portion has two small windows having same Jaali structure through which we can peek in and see the decently built grave. The shrine’s entrance is through a by lane that has few houses. The by lane is secured by a small metal fence door.
The shrine shares a wall with an adjacent house and according to a resident of Dulal Mohalla (who wished anonymity) , the family living in the house has locked the shrine and nobody is able to enter it now or may be nobody wants to. With no one accountable for its maintenance the shrine as visible from the windows, is extremely dirty and needs cleaning. Dust has accumulated on the windows too and as visible from them the shrine is much spacious then the previous one. The grave inside is also built better but has been left in such a situation where it will deteriorate gradually if left unattended for long. Kashmir is known as “Peer Waer” and rightly so. The valley is a resting place for numerous known and unknown Sufi Saints, Rishis and Religious Guides but unfortunately lesser known shrines are not taken care of like the popular ones. They have been completely forgotten to an extent that no reference of them in any book or the internet is found.
Nothing is known about them without their names. “I had to find the name of the shrine of Allama R.A and got it with much difficulty,” said Mustafa. These Dulals of Dulal Mohalla have been forgotten and neglected which has in return led to loss of identity of the whole area, very few people call it by this name. The name by which it is known, that is ‘Dalal Mohalla,’ is completely different from the actual name. Even revenue records contain the same name which is understandable because the actual name would only be known and remembered when the origin of that name would have been honored and remembered. Mustafa wants the original name should be returned to the place. “I want the government and concerned departments to know that that this place’s name is Dulal Mohalla and not Dalal Mohalla,” he added. The shrines are in a bad state today but this has not always been the case.
According to Nighat Shah 51, who lived in Dulal Mohalla in front of the shrine of Allama R.A till her marriage, the shrines were not in this abandoned form always. “In my childhood I heard this shrine of Allama Mohammad bin Ahmad R.A is of great importance. It was maintained properly, painted regularly, cleaned thoroughly, the garden was so beautiful with different flowers like sunflowers, its condition was not bad at all. People would come here to light candles, clay lamps, incense sticks and pray in hopes of their prayers getting answered,” Shah said. She further added that legend has it that a lion would visit the shrine before dawn daily and then go to the shrine of revered Sufi saint Hamza Makhdoom R.A also known as Sultan ul Aarifeen R.A located approximately two kilometers away from Dulal Mohalla on the southern slope of Hari Parbat Hill. “That is what my grandfather who was also inclined to Sufism told and claimed to be an eyewitness of ,” said Shah.
The shrine of Baba Syed Hashim R.A according to Nighat Shah was not much developed when she was young but then her father Mohammad Lateef Shah, along with few other men of the locality stood up and laid the foundation stone of the shrine. “Until then we did not even know the name of the saint buried there but after the construction was completed the family that lived in the house adjacent took care of it and made sure it was clean, they don’t live there anymore and the house has been bought by another family now,” Shah added. Like other people of the locality, Shah is not happy about the condition of the shrines and the attitude of people towards it. She believes that just like the old times the residents should come forward and preserve the shrines. “Just look at the condition of these shrines now.
Our elders including my uncle used to take care of these shrines on their own throughout their lives unlike today’s generation who are waiting for registration and funds from government. Why can’t they take care of them like our elders did? Are they going to leave them in this condition till then? ,” Shah questioned. She further said that it is the duty of people to preserve these shrines as people of Kashmir are indebted to these saints who migrated to the valley centuries ago and worked tirelessly for their betterment. “They left their country, their homes forever and came here. They gifted us Islam and various crafts that helped in our development.
So, it is our duty to payback and take care of them instead of leaving them unattended,” she said. These shrines need immediate attention like many other shrines that can be found in the lanes and by-lanes of the city. Allama Syed Mohammad bin Ahmad’s R.A’s shrine needs to be made in an honorable way and the already existing shrine of Baba Syed Hashim R.A needs to be protected and renovated if needed.
The future generations must know the people who gave taught Kashmir's Islam and the world-famous precious crafts they are known for.