Timeless Ties
My grand-parents, from both the sides I recall, could read and write Persian, and my Dada who was initially a Patwari and then opened a shop in our ancestral village in Hawal, Pulwama could speak Persian fluently. Some of the well-known teachers of Persian in the last century have been Master Zinda Lal Kaul (Masterji), Mulla Kamal and Ghulam Rasool Nazki. All of them were literary figures of their times and were also decorated. Master ji and Mr Nazki received Sahitya Academy awards in 1956 and 1987 respectively.
Iran or Persia is home to one of the world's oldest civilisations, with cultural, historical and urban settlements dating back to 4000 BC. Although Iran and Kashmir do not share a border and are separated by more than 2000 kms they share deep historical ties, primarily through the influence of Persian language, culture, and Sufi traditions from 14th century onwards. This influence is evident in various aspects of Kashmiri life, including language, literature, art, architecture, and even culinary traditions.
The influence of Persia first started with the arrival of Sayyid Sharafuddin Abdul Rehman alias Bulbul Shah who actually was the first one to come in from Persia and preached Islam, although some feeble attempts were made earlier by a few Muslim travellers, traders and scholars. Sayyid arrived in Kashmir the second time in the tenure of Rinchana (1320 to 1323), a Buddhist from Ladakh who met Sayyid and was greatly influenced by him. Sayyid clarified all his queries regarding Islam, responded to all his questions, and explained to him its simplicity and perfection. Rinchana thereafter embraced Islam and renamed himself Sultan Saddruddin. This was a watershed moment in Kashmir’s history.
This was followed by another preacher from Persia Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani, a Sufi saint who played a very important role in the spread of Islam in the valley. He was born in Hamadan, Iran and preached Islam in Central Asia and South Asia. It was during his 3rd visit when Persia was invaded by Timur in 1383 that he left Hamadan with 700 Sayyids and set out towards Kashmir which was a safer place. He had already sent two of his followers, Syed Taj-ud-Din Semnani and Mir Syed Hasan Semnani, to take stock of the situation. They met Shihab-ud-Din, the fifth Sultan of Kashmir, who reigned from 1354 to 1373. He became a follower of Mir Syed Hasan Semnani. Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani was thus welcomed in Kashmir.
He became known as Shah-e-Hamdan and played a significant role in introducing Persian culture, particularly art and architecture, to Kashmir. His arrival in the region led to the introduction of crafts like papier-mâché, calligraphy, wood carving, and intricate embroidery like Kashidakari. The Shah-e-Hamdan Mosque in Srinagar, also known as Khanqah-e-Moula, is a prime example of the architectural blend of Persian, Central Asian, and Kashmiri styles. In essence, Shah-e-Hamdan's arrival in Kashmir facilitated a cultural exchange that significantly impacted the region's art and architecture, leading to the creation of unique and beautiful structures that blend Persian, Central Asian, and Kashmiri elements.
He wrote numerous books in Persian as a guide for rulers and common men. It was Hamdani, according to Allama Iqbal, who laid the foundations of the Iran-e-Sagheer or ‘Little Iran’ in Kashmir. Sultan Sikander, under the influence of Hamadani, built a college near Jamia Masjid. His patronage of literature attracted scholars and poets from Iraq, Khurasan and Transoxiana to his court.
With Persian becoming the court language, a new brand of functionaries was brought to the fore who chose Persian over Kashmiri and Sanskrit to stay in the echelons of power. Even though there were mass conversions in Kashmir, contrary to popular belief, it was Kashmiri Brahmans who became the epicentre of administration under various Muslim rulers because they learnt Persian. Even during Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s rule and his successors till 1843 till the British annexed it in 1849 the court and official language continued to be Persian. It was only in 1889 during Maharaja Pratap Singh’s rule that Dogra rulers adopted Urdu as the language of administration.
Kashmiri over the years has absorbed numerous Persian loanwords, especially in areas such as literature, administration, and daily life. Here are some common Persian loanwords found in Kashmiri: Kitāb – Book, Madrasah– School, She'r – Poem, Dolat – Government, Doost – Friend, Bāgh – Garden, Chashm – Eye, (Gul – Flower, Khudā – God.
Kashmiri and Persian cuisines share numerous similarities due to historical and cultural exchanges, particularly during the Mughal era. Both cuisines feature dishes rich in meat, rice, and aromatic spices like saffron, cardamom, and cinnamon. Influences are evident in dishes like Rogan Josh (Persian in origin but a staple in Kashmir) and the use of similar cooking techniques and ingredients. Harisa/Harees a hearty pounded mutton dish consumed in winter has its origin in Persia and came to Kashmir.
Recent geopolitical issues between Israel and Iran have now focussed on return of students from Iran brought back to Delhi through the Operation Sindhu enroute to their homes. One wonders what makes the Kashmiri students prefer Iran for higher studies over India which has a gamut of educational institutions, offering specialisations across disciplines. Even a cursory comparison between the educational institutions of India and Iran can tell that the standard of education in India, across the fields, far exceeds that of Iran. A total of 54 Indian educational institutions made it to the list of QS rankings making India the fourth most represented nation in the list after the US, the UK and China. And yet these Kashmiri students travel all the way to the Middle East, a perpetually conflict-ridden region, to pursue higher studies. Many of these students go to Iran to study medicine and engineering despite the fact that Iran has not achieved any major breakthrough in either medicine or engineering in the recent past. Also, the political environment in Iran has been far from ideal to provide a conducive environment for the development of disciplines like medicine and engineering.
According to official figures around 5,000 students from Kashmir are studying professional courses, particularly medicine, in different countries with 80% pursuing them in Bangladesh and Iran. Kashmiri students also head for medical courses in Central Asian countries including China. Over the past decade, the number of Kashmiri students pursuing professional courses in Iran has increased manifold due to affordability and a similar cultural milieu and also food preferences. Most students from Kashmir are enrolled in institutions in the Iranian cities of Tehran, Shiraz and Kish. An MBBS degree from a private medical college in India costs about ₹1 crore, while in Bangladesh the tuition fee alone is around ₹30 lakh and other expenses are extra, while in Iran the entire course including everything costs ₹30 lakh.
It is hoped the hostilities in the middle East end soon and the students are able to go back and Iran resumes a peaceful life. It is noteworthy that no single city in the subcontinent has produced so many Persian literary poets and writers as has the city of Srinagar. However, while arts and crafts of Kashmir with a Persian influence have acquired fame throughout the world, the genius that Kashmiris contributed to the world of literature, especially Persian literature, has remained confined to only visible traces.
Prof Upendra Kaul, Founder Director Gauri Kaul foundation
