414 A Sketch of ike Mahamedan History of Cashmere. [No. 5. 



temples at Bijbiharee and elsewhere, and it was probably under 

 compulsion that the chief of the powerful tribe of Eeyna, (Ajil 

 Eeyna of the Chunds of the Nargaon Pergunah,) at this time 

 became a convert to the religion of Islam. Sultan Shahab-ood-deen 

 died after a reign of nineteen years and was succeeded by his 

 brother Kootub-ood-deen, A. D. 1376, who appointed Abdie 

 Eeyna commander-in-chief. During this reign, the famous Syud 

 Allie Hamadanie arrived in Cashmere, and his advent is recorded 

 in the following couplet which also contains the date, Hejira 790 

 (A. D. 1388.) 



vs ♦ ax* y cijjy^ f*£Ju )! i$'^ \j jl {*&* £^13 JL, 



This celebrated Syud was a fugitive from his native city of 

 Hamadan where he had incurred the wrath of Timoor. Seven 

 hundred Syuds are said to have accompanied his flight to Cashmere, 

 where he remained six years and which he named the " Garden of 

 Solomon," (Bagh-i-Soliman.) He died at Puklie whilst on his return 

 to Persia. His son Meer Mahomed Hamadanee, also a fugitive, 

 brought in his train 300 Syuds to Cashmere, where he remained 

 twelve years. 



These two immigrations of fugitive Syuds fixed the religion of the 

 country and were doubtless the chief cause of the religious persecu- 

 tions which ensued in the following reign. 



They established shrines all over the country, many of which 

 remain to this day. They originated the sect of " Eishees" or 

 hermits, which are described by Abul Fazl as a very respectable 

 and inoffensive order, in his time some 2,000 in number, living upon 

 fruits and berries and abstaining from sexual intercourse. Their 

 numbers, however, afterwards declined until they became quite 

 extinguished by the courtiers and creatures of the Emperors of 

 Delhi. 



Mahomed Azim the historian enumerates many worthies of this 

 sect, a few of the most celebrated of whom I have added in a note, 

 leaving the historian to be consulted in original by such readers as 

 feel interest in the pretended miracles and holy acts of Mahomedan 

 saints. Some of the stories, however, are sufficiently amusing. 



To resume — Cashmere having been, previous to this influx of 

 zealots, in a transition state as to religion, the advent of a Mahomedan 



