Mystic Voices of Kashmir: The Poetry and Politics of Nund Rishi

Nund Rishi, the founder of an indigenous Rishi Order of Kashmiri Sufism, also revered as the ‘flag-bearer of Kashmir’ (Alamdār-e Kashmir), was a Kashmiri sufi saint and poet. The Rishi Order of Kashmiri Sufism emphasized the connections within Kashmir’s spiritual tradition from Buddhism and Shaivism to Sufism. Despite his popular status as a spiritual successor of the mystic poetess Lal Ded, Nund Rishi’s poetry had received next to no attention in modern scholarship.

Abir Bazaz, Assistant Professor of English at Ashoka University presents the first detailed study of Nund Rishi’s poetry. His book, Nund Rishi: Poetry and Politics in Medieval Kashmir situates Nund Rishi in relation to other Kashmiri bhakti poets such as Lal Ded and Sufis such as Sayyid Ali Hamadani, who played a significant role in spreading Islam in Kashmir. The book focuses on key themes in Nund Rishi’s mystical poetry, including Faith, Death, Nothingness, and the Apocalyptic.

One of the significant contributions of the book is to draw attention to how Nund Rishi’s social and political concerns are reflected in his poetry. For instance, Nund Rishi admitted women into his Sufi order and often expressed a deep unease about the difficult lives of Kashmiri peasantry. He was also critical of the religious establishment of the Kashmiri Sultanate, putting him in a tense relationship with the Kashmiri Sultans. However, one of Nund Rishi’s most enduring achievements was his cultural translation of Islamic ideas into the Kashmiri Hindu-Buddhist environment, which has left a lasting influence on Kashmiri language, literature and culture.

Nund Rishi and Lal Ded are not merely saint-poets who inaugurated Kashmiri literary culture but also symbols of hope and faith in Kashmir. It is not a mere coincidence that the names of Lal Ded and Nund Rishi have moved together in Kashmiri cultural memory. This encounter between Saiva and Sufi thinking in medieval Kashmir is one of the breakthrough moments of Kashmir’s pluralistic history. Dr. Bazaz’s book introduces the reader to the Kashmiri spiritual milieu of the 14th century and invites them to engage with the poetic thinking of Nund Rishi.

Edited by Kangna Verma and Yukti Arora, Academic Communications, RDO, Ashoka University
Reference:
Nund Rishi: Poetry and Politics in Medieval Kashmir
Cambridge University Press, 2023