"Mother
Sharika assumed human form for her devotees"
M.L. Bhat
(adapted from SANTMALA
by Dilbar Kashmiri)
RUPA
BHAWANI (Samvat 1681-1771), daughter of
Pandit Madho Joo Dhar of Khanqahi Sokhta (Safa
Kadal), Srinagar, shines as a bright star in the
galaxy of mystic saints and sufis who have adorned
the firmament of the Reshiwari (Kashmir). Rupa
Bhawani's descendants, from her paternal side,
called Sahibi Dhars, have carried her message and
memory forward. They have been observing her
nirvaan ceremony with great piety and devotion to
this day both at Safa Kadal, the place where she
was born and also attained nirvaan, and at Waskura
in Baramulla district which the graced for many
years after the initial tapasya at Khanqahi Sokhta,
Wusan near Ganderbal, Manigam in the same area,
and Chashma-i-Sahibi, adjacent to the renowed
Chashma-i-Shahi on Zabarwan hills in Srinagar
district.
The Legend
Legend, both oral and
recorded, has it that Pandit Madho Joo Dhar,
himself a devout Devi-Bhakta, performed Parikarma
of Hari Parbat regularly for years, come summer
come winter, praying to the Mother to fulfill his
aspirations. The Mata, pleased with his devotion,
appeared to him one day saying "speak out
your wish". Madho Joo, prostrated himself at
the Mata's feet, imploring," Great Mother,
Creator of the entire Universe; you are so kind to
me, I wish you are born as my daughter". The
wish as granted, and Rupa Bhawani graced Madho Joo
Dhar's home on Zaishta Pooranmashi in Samvat 1681.
Brought up with
affection, and respect, Rupa Bhawani was married
to a learned youngman, Pandit Hiranand Sapru, at
an early age with great pomp and show. Roopa
Bhawani was, however forced to forsake Grihast as
her in-laws, including Pandit Hiranand, could not
reconcile to her spiritual bent of mind and the
meditative spells she had got used to at her
father's abode.
The First Miracle
Her estrangement with the
in-laws accentuated after a miracle which her
mother-in-law failed to comprehend. It is recorded
that at a special yagnya performed at the Sapru's
place, the kulguru of Dhar's could somehow not
give a satisfactory account of his capabilities.
Not that he was not learned, but the other
Brahmins present made fun of him. He could not put
up with this. Feeling humiliated, he wanted to
leave unnoticed without partaking of the prashad.
And that is why and how the Mata's first miracle
took place. While the kulguru was trying to get
away, he was accosted by Rupa Bhawani. She
requested him not to go away like that. "It
is not appropriate to go away without taking
food" she told him adding "you, Sir,
seem to be very tired. Why don't you have a bath
in the river (Vitasta) and feel fresh and then
take food?" The kulguru could not refuse. He
had the bath as advised, and while coming back he
was accosted again by Rupa Bhawani. She gave him
a full glance, welcoming him to the dinner. This
glance transformed the Brahmin into a well-versed
and confident guru. Bowing to the Bhawani, he
partook of the food, and after that recited a full
poem in praise of the Mother spontaneously,
winning applause from one and all, including those
who had tried to humiliate him only a few hours
earlier.
This miracle of the
Bhawani invited strong reaction. Her mother-in-law
got infuriated, she provoked her son and made it impossible
for Rupa Bhawani to live in her house.
And this brought about the Sanyas of the Mata. She
returned to her father's place, bared her heart to
him. Consoled and encouraged by the father Rupa
Bhawani started her meditation in right earnest.
However, finding regular meditation somewhat
difficult in a grahast, she shifted to Wusan,
Manigam, Waskura, Chashma- i-Sahibi, etc. in that
order, creating ashrams at every spot holding
spititual discourses, attracting devotees, Hindus
and Muslims alike, and performing miracles. A real
sanyasin, she was the mother to all irrespective
of caste or creed.
The great old chinar tree
on the bank of Sindh river in Manigam, the
culmination of a half-burnt branch planted by the
Mata with her benign hands was, till some year
back, standing as a mute but living witness to her
spirituality. A devastating fire in Manigam was
extinguished by her through a mere glance. Fish
cooked for Shivaratri in the house of Pandit Lal
Chand in Manigam started crawling over to the wall
when it was learnt that the fish had been cooked
in spite of her presence in the house. A potter's
son got his eyesight back on completing the
digging of a well at Waskura at her bidding. A
shankh-shaped spring in Chashma-i-Sahibi appeared
in the Zabarwan hill area when Rupa Bhawani
shifted there, giving the hillock its name.
Mata Rupa Bhawani
attained mahanirvaan at her father's place, where
she spent her last days. It was the Saptami of
Magha Krishna Pakshya in Samvat 1777. The day is
since known as Sahib Saptami, observed by all the
Hindus in Kashmir.
Mahanirvaan
On hearing that the Mata
had breathed her last, Muslims of the locality
demanded her burial according to Muslim rites as
she was to them the Rupa Aarifa, a Muslim divine.
They sought and obtained orders of the then Moghul
Governor of Kashmir, and also any assistance to
force the issue on the Mata's kith and kin and the
large number of the Hindu devotees. Perturbed, her
brother Pandit Sansar Chand Dhar prostrated
himself at the feet of her mortal remains,
requesting her to intervene "to save me from embarrassment
which would for ever stick to the
clan as a black spot". Lo and Behold, the
Bhawani resurrected herself, and addressed all
those present, including Muslims. To her brother,
she said "stand firm by what you want to do
and God will help you. Offer some bread and shirni
(sugar balls used in Kashmir on important occasions) to the Muslim brethren and bid them
good-bye."
Sansar Chand and others
did as they were told. Completing all the rituals,
the body was taken to the cremation ground on the
usual wooden plank bedecked, of course, to suit the occasion. But when the time came to place the
body on the funeral pyre, it was only the shroud
and a few flowers. Rupa Bhawani had merged with
the Supreme, Mother Sharika.
Source:
Koshur
Samachar
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