Nund Rishi
Also called: Sheikh Nooruddin Noorani · Topic: Bhakti and Sufi Traditions · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Nund Rishi (c. 1377–1440), also called Sheikh Nooruddin Noorani, was a sufi poet-saint of Kashmir. He shaped the Rishi order. This was a local sufi tradition that mixed Islamic mysticism with Kashmir's own customs of simple, self-denying (ascetic) living. He wrote short verses in Kashmiri, so ordinary people could understand his message. He is honoured by both Muslims and Hindus in Kashmir.
Example
His shrine is at Charar-e-Sharief in Kashmir. Pilgrims from different communities still visit it.
Don't confuse with
- Lal Ded: a 14th-century Kashmiri woman poet-saint from the Shaiva tradition. She lived around the same time and is said to have influenced Nund Rishi, but she was not a sufi.