- Charari Sharief
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Charar i Shareef
चरार ए शरीफ़
— city — Coordinates 33°52′N 74°46′E / 33.87°N 74.77°ECoordinates: 33°52′N 74°46′E / 33.87°N 74.77°E Country India State Jammu and Kashmir District(s) Badgam Population 7,378 (2001[update]) Time zone IST (UTC+05:30) Area
• 1,933 metres (6,342 ft)
Charari Sharief (Hindi: चरार ए शरीफ़) (variously spelled Chrar-e-Sharif, Charar i Shareef etc.) is a town and a notified area committee in Badgam district in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, India.
Contents
Geography
Charari Sharief is located at 33°52′N 74°46′E / 33.87°N 74.77°E.[1] It has an average elevation of 1,933 metres (6,345 feet).[2]
Demographics
As of 2001[update] India census,[3] Charari Sharief had a population of 7378. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Charari Sharief has an average literacy rate of 48%, lower than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 56% and female literacy of 39%. 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.
The town is divided into 10 Wards. Each ward has a municipal councillor. The famous mohallas of Charar-i-Sharief are: Talab-e-Kalan or Bada Talab, Trajibal,coat road, Gulshanabad, Nowhar, Jabl-e-Noor, Wazabagh, alamdar colony, zaloosa etc.
History
This historical town is famous for the tomb of Hazrat Sheikh Noor-u-din Noorani, who preached Islam through his poetry. Every year Urs is celebrated at Charar-i-Sharief. Thousands of people from all faiths visit the shrine. This is the only town in valley which was to be developed as a Model Town. The initiative was taken by the then governor of Jammu & Kashmir Jagmohan. But due to onset of terrorism sponsored by Pakistan, this project remained unfulfilled. The whole town of Charar-i-sharief was burnt in 1995 during the fierce encounter between Indian troops and terrorists (Including Major Mast Gul). An estimated 1500 residential (mainly Muslim) houses were gutted in this fire. The town has since been rehabilitated. Haji Jalal-ud-Din & Ahmadullah Wani were the famous personalities in the town, they were prominent landlords who owned huge areas of farmland in the town of Charari Sharief.
Hazrat Sheikh Noor-u-din Wali
The tomb of Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani (RA), popularly known as Alamdar-e-Kashmir (flag-bearer of Kashmir), is situated 28 km in the southwest of Srinagar at Charar-i-Sharief. The land where the shrine is situated belonged to Sangram Dar, a disciple of Alamdar-e-Kashmir, who had constructed a mosque there. It was here where Sheikh Noor-ud-din Noorani (RA) would say his Friday prayers. According to a legend, following the death of Alamdar-e-Kashmir, his coffin, after flying some distance, descended at the site where the shrine lies and where the great Sufi saint has been laid to rest.
Charar-i-Sharief is considered one of the most sacrosanct Muslim shrines in India. It is situated approximately 28 km from Srinagar, en route to Yusmarg. The Shrine of Charar-i-Sharief is approximately 600 years old. Popularly known as the Hazrat Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Wali, (also known as Nund Rishi) the shrine was built to commemorate Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani, a Sufi saint. The life of the Sheikh is full of legends and tales. He was born as Nund Reshi or Sahazanand to Salar Sanz in 1377. It is said that he refused to drink milk till the third day after his birth, when a Yogini (female saint), Lal Ded fed him with her own milk. Later, she left the house after saying that the child would be her spiritual heir.
Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani or Nund Rishi was the first one to start Rishism in the valley. Later, this Rishism got renowned as Rishi Mat, a Vishnav Mat. The saint preached communal harmony, non-violence, vegetarianism and tolerance to the people. He gathered many followers who called him by different names. Some of the names conferred on the saint are Sheikh-ul-Alam, Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani, Alamdar-e-Kashmir, Sarkhel-e-Rishiya, etc. Apart from preaching, the Sheikh made numerous contributions in the field of philosophy also, in the form of verses and poetry.
The saint led a very simple life throughout. It is said that nine lakh people gathered at the Shrine of Charari Sharief within two days of his death, in 1438. The King Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin also took part in his funeral procession. Charar-i-Sharief served as his final resting place, where his mortal remains were buried. The Charar-i-Sharief of Kashmir, India, has been destroyed twice. The first time, the shrine and its surroundings suffered ruination was when a battle took place between the Indian Army and the Pakistani Army. However, the shrine was reconstructed on the lines of central Asian architecture. In 1995 the shrine was once more destroyed in a fire. Despite this, the shrine continues to be revered and respected by both Hindus and Muslims.
References
- ^ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Charar i Sharief
- ^ Wikimapia:Satellite Pictures
- ^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
External links
Categories:- Cities and towns in Badgam district
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