Kashmiri Pandits 4

The advent of Islam in Kashmir was due to the myopic outlook of  Kashmiri Brahmins and political instability in Kashmir at that time.  Renchan Shah, a pseudo Buddhist from Ladakh,  invaded Kashmir and killed the last Hindu King of Kashmir  and married his widow Kota Rani.  He  in order to form a political base in Kashmir desired  to convert himself to Hinduism which was the most popular religion  in Kashmir at that time.  Kashmiri Hindus did not allow him to join  Hinduism  because they considered him of low cast. This attitude of Kashmiri Hindus persuaded Renchan Shah to embrace Islam under the guidance of Bulbulshah who was on visit to Kashmir for the purpose of conversion only. The Islam in Kashmir got royal patronage and conversions started on large scale. The King on the behest of Bulbul Shah  began to convert Hindus into Islam by imposing taxes,  tyranny and other discriminatory policies against them.
Then Sikander butshikan invaded Kashmir,  who destroyed all the Hindu temples and idols and killed Hindus indiscriminately. Most of the Hindus got converted to Islam and some left the Kashmir for good.  Only options left with Hindus were either to get converted or to get killed or to leave Kashmir.  It is said that only eleven Hindu families were living in Kashmir at that time and that too in disguise.  Butshikan was a nick name given to him because he liked to destroy idols of Hindu faith.  After the death of Sikander butshikan his descendent Zainulafdin Badshah became king of Kashmir.  He was no less tyrant than his father and continued to harass Hindus who so ever were left in Kashmir.  It is believed, that once a  Hindu saint from India  paid a visit to kashmir and was looking for some Hindu family  to get  help for visiting a few pilgrimages in Kashmir.  He met a baker who invited him to enter his house, where the latter  disclosed that he was a Hindu by faith  but disguised as Muslim because of the cruelty of  King on his Hindu subjects.  As a matter of coincidence, during the same period,  the King fell seriously ill and an  announcement  was made that whosoever may cure the king will be highly rewarded.  The saint told the baker to send a message to King that I will cure him but the condition is that nobody except myself should be present in the room of King. The message was sent to the  King , who readily agreed to this condition.  When the saint entered the bedroom of King, the latter died and the soul of saint entered in to  the Kings body. The body of saint was taken away by baker to his place  for preservation as already agreed upon by  the two.  The King Zainulafddin got recovered  and his courtiers and subjects became happy. This time King was a changed man. He  became secular in nature and  made announcement that all the Hindus living in his kingdom can practice their religion freely and with out any fear.  Hindus lived a better life thereafter in his reign and popularly nicknamed him  as Budshah for his good governance and secular outlook.
After a long time King  appeared to die a natural death when the soul of  saint left his body and entered his own which was at bakers place. This kriya of entering of ones soul into the body of another is called Parkayaprevesh  in yogic language.
Thereafter condition of Kashmiri Hindus remained stable in Kashmir for some time.     ...….. to be concluded in next part...