Shri Bhatt - Students Corner-2

Sheetal Kak

"Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them".

With the accession of Zain-ul-abidin to the With the accessor, there opened up an era of glory and prosperity for the people of the kingdom. "Possessed of a broad and tolerant outlook and dominated with a desire to benefit mankind, he ruled with such equity and justice and did so much to improve the material prosperity of the people that one cannot but fail to admire him. He was a potentate encouraged to be tyrannical and selfish by tradition and especially by the example of his father, Sikandar. Zain-ul-abidin was deservedly titled Badshah or Great King. In spite of six centuries having rolled by since he lived, his name is still remembered with genuine reverence and gratitude Take the name of Badshah before a Kashmiri, and at once he will with a happy countenance rhyme it with 'Padshah'

The moon, when full, is sometimes afraid of Rahu The cloud which gives rain, sometimes. strikes us with terror and hurls thunderbolts on trees. So is the case with the Creator who creates good men for the delight of the world, sometimes causing them pain and suffering. At one time, a poisonous boil gave much pain to the King in his forearm and to his subjects in their hearts. As flowers are not obtainable in the month of Magha (January) on account of winter, so were physicians who knew about poisons, not to be found in the country owing to the aggression of the malechas. The servants of the King at last found Shri Bhatt, who knew the antidotes of poisons and who performed religious sacrifices just as travellers discover a well in a desert. He was well versed in the art of healing and he cured the King (Budshah) from the dangerous disease. When on his recovery the King wanted to present a valuable gift to the Pandit, the latter refused to take it. "The only gift I will receive", said he, "is the removal of all restrictions on the Pandits imposed by Sikandar, including the tax Jazia". The King, while eulogising Shri Bhatt on his concern for the welfare of the members of his community, readily granted him the request. Thereafter, the Pandits performed their religious functions without let or hindrance and most of them who had left the valley because of persecution of Sikandar, returned to their homelands.

Sikandar's policy had left many with a deep wound behind. As mentioned, a majority of Hindus had left Kashmir taking with them valuable books, both religious and secular. When, however, Shri Bhatt came in contact with Badshah, things took a change for the better. The King sent messengers inviting Kashmiri Pandits back to their birth place, and they responded with great alacrity and pleasure The King enacted certain laws which vouchsafed to them a just administration and trial of their cases according to their own laws and customs. The odious precautionary measures instituted by Sikandar were revoked. Many of the temples which had been demolished in the preceding reign were rebuilt and permission was granted to erect new temples. Jonaraja and Sriwara mention that the King built two temples (now Ishabar) and granted rent-free land to maintain them. The King remitted the tax and granted Jagir to deserving Hindus. He penalised the killing of cows and himself abstained from eating meat during the holy festivals of the Hindus. The King forbade the killing of birds and fish in several Nagas (Springs) sacred to the Hindus. To expatiate the wrongs done to the Hindus by his father, the King built numerous homes for the widows of the Brahmins killed in the preceding reign.

"Pathshala Were opened throughout the Valley and many of the Hindu scriptures were translated into Persian. It was all due to the influence of Shri Bhatt on King Zain-ul-abidin that he became the famous King and was called Badshah because of his tolerant policy.

"Zain-ul-abidin", writes Pt. Anand Koul, "turned Kashmir into a smiling garden." The King did not neglect social welfare activities. Under him flourished many celebrated Vaids and Hakims, who looked after the health of the people. The King constructed rest houses for travellers.

All this credit goes to Shri Bhatt who had, by his sagacity and wisdom, become the chief of all courts of justice of Badshah and did not ask for any favour for his person, but for his community.

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Courtesy: - Shri Bhatt and September 1996 Koshur Samachar