268 Some Account of the Rishis or Hermits of Kashmir. [No. 4, 



advent of a Muhammadan saint such as Sayyid 'Ali seems to have 

 hailed with enthusiasm, and proselytism to have commenced in 

 real earnest." 



Previous to the advent of Sayyid 'Ali, however, the noted Faqir 

 Bulbul Shah had appeared in Kashmir, and been instrumental in 

 the conversion of Ranjpoi (or Ranju Shah) to Islam. He is famed 

 as the first Moslem who appeared in Kashmir. His original name 

 was Sayyid Sharafuddin, and he was so holy, that singing birds 

 (bulbuls) are said to have nestled in his hair and beard. At his 

 instigation, Eanju Shah is stated to have built the first mosque 

 ever constructed in Kashmir. Bulbul Shah died in A. H. 727, ac- 

 cording to the following distich — 



&i\ <<l=»- OU&S (j»i>S ij^ii %{£ O..N2.&. J^j ktfi <Jl*° 



which corresponds with A. D. 1327. I scarcely, however, include 

 the three above-named amongst the number of Rishis properly so 

 called, and which I now proceed to enumerate. 



1. Shaikh Nuruddin, whose zidrat is still extant in the Trahal 

 pergunnah, is stated to have ' repented' at 30 years of age, and to 

 have lived for twelve years in the wilderness, marvellously subsist- 

 ing on grass. After that, he sustained life on one cup of milk 

 daily, and finally reduced himself to water alone for 2^ years, when 

 he died. He was born in the reign of Qutbuddin, about the time 

 of Sayyid 'All's advent is Kashmir, as is expressly recorded in the 

 histories. 



2. Babd Pdm Rishi (Father Grey Beard) was minister of Zain- 

 ul-'abidm. One day observing ants carrying grain to their 

 stores, he fell into meditation, and became impressed with the ne- 

 cessity of laying up stores for the ' life to come,' and accordingly 

 renounced the world, and established his hermitage in the Bongil 

 pergunnah, where his monastery is seen to this day, close under 

 the lovely plain of Gul Murg. It is an instance of the remark 

 made in the preliminary paragraph of this paper as to the Moslem 

 and Hindu being often seen worshipping together at the same 

 shrine. It is a noted resort even now. 



3. Shamsuddin Rishi, of the Deosir pergunnah. 



4. Shaikh Pir Baz, of Utterhail. 



