Promotion of Learning in Kashmir Under Bad Shah

Sultan Zain-ul Abideen was popularly called Budshah of the ‘Great King’ all over the Kashmir.The glorious Period of Zain-ul-Abidin is from (1420-70AC). His Darul-Ulum or the university at Naushahr, not far from modern Srinagar, was a grand monument of his love of learning. The buildings were set up near the royal Palace and the University flourished under the proctorship of the eminent scholar and savant, Mulla Kabir Nahvi. The Mulla was the author of a commentary on Sharh Mulla and was Shaikh-ul-Islam, well Known for his erudition, learning and piety. This great scholar was assisted by a large number of professors and lecturers attracted from different parts of the world. Mulla Ahmad Kashmiri, Mulla Hafiz Baghdadi, Mulla Parsa Bukhari, Mulla Jamal-ud-Din Khwarizmi who subsequently became Chief Justice and Mir Ali Bukhari and Mulla Yusuf Rashidi were among the more noted teachers. The revenues of several villages were assigned to meet the expenses of the university. A translation bureau was also established under the auspices of the university. It was here that books were translated from Arabic and Sanskrit into Persian and Kashmiri. The Mahabharata was ordered to be translated. The Rajatarangini of Kalyana or Kalhana was brought up-to-date by Jonaraja and a history of Kashmir was compiled in Persian entitled Bahr-ul-Asmar or ‘The Sea Of Tales,’ By Mulla Ahmad. The Sultan’s Patronage of learning was not confined to Muslims alone. Hindu scholars were also generously rewarded for their eminence in letters and science. Uttasom held a high place in the bureau, was the head of what may be called the department of education and wrote a life of the Sultan entitled Jainacharita. Yodhabatta had mastered the whole of the Shah-nama which he recited to the delight of the Sultan. Even Pandit Hargopal Kaul Khasta, who was deported from Kashmir for tearing down the Qur’an in 1896 AC, in his enthusiasm for the Sultan, says that he was called “not only Bad Shah, meaning the Great Sovereign, but Bat Shah on account of his patronage of the Bats or Pandits.”

Zain-ul-Abidin spent huge sums on the collection of a library for his university. He sent out agents to different parts of the world to secure books and manuscripts for his library, which is said to have equalled the leading libraries of the time in Turkistan and Iran and which existed for about a century till the days of Sultan Fateh Shah.

Bad Shah gave six lakhs of rupees for the Madrasatul-Ulum T Saikot. The queen of Zain-ul-Abidin even gave to Sultan her most valuable necklace for the promotion of learning.

In Zainagir, the Sultan established a college between his palace and the royal garden. This also served as a centre for the diffusion of learning in the Valley. A Large madrasa was also established at Sir, in Dachhaanpor, near Islamabad. Mulla Ghazi Khan was the head of this madrasa.

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