King C Bharati
In the annals of Indian history, countless individuals have dedicated their lives to the preservation and flourishing of their culture.
Among these luminaries, Pandit Shriya Bhat, a 15th-century Kashmiri physician, scholar, and statesman, stands out as a pivotal figure who not only revived a shattered community but also reignited the flame of historical scholarship in the valley. His life and work, often overlooked, deserve profound recognition for their transformative impact.
Sanjeevni Sharda Kendra Jammu has been commemorating Tyaag Divas (Day of Sacrifice) in his honour for the past several years, a day before the Kashmiri Hindu Navreh (New Year). This year it fell on March 29, 2025.
In an article titled “Shriya Bhatt: the 15th-century Kashmiri physician and social scientist” (Daily Excelsior (DE), October 16, 2022), Shri Kashi Nath Pandit writes; following the renowned historian Kalhana Pandit, who concluded his Rajatarangini in 1149 CE, Kashmir experienced a nearly 270-year-long gap in its historical record-keeping.
Quoting from authentic sources, he writes that eminent Sanskrit scholar, the late Pandit Trilokinath Ganjoo, noted, this was likely due to either the absence of historical writing or the deliberate destruction of existing records under the rule of Sultan Sikandar, the Iconoclast. Sultan Sikandar, driven by religious zealotry, reportedly ordered the burial of vast quantities of Hindu scriptures and Sanskrit literature.
It was during the reign of Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin (1420-1470 CE), sixth in line after Sikandar, that the tradition of writing Kashmir’s history was revived. This revival was not accidental; it was the direct result of the influence and guidance of Pandit Shriya Bhat. The court historian Jonaraja, in his continuation of the Rajatarangini (titled Zaina Rajatarangini), explicitly acknowledges this debt:
“Mukhachchi Shriyabhattasya Prapyagyanavajgyaya”
“I, Jonaraja, received such a command from Shri Shriya Bhat to rewrite the history of Kashmir that it was difficult for me to avoid it in any way.”
This single line underscores Shriya Bhat’s authority and the respect he commanded, even influencing the official chronicler of the Sultan’s court. Jonaraja brought forward Kashmir history covering almost two hundred years. After Jonraja, his student Shrivara continued with the historical work.
Shriya Bhat’s rise to prominence began unexpectedly. Zain-ul-Abidin, initially as intolerant as his predecessors, developed a severe carbuncle on his chest. Court physicians failed to cure him, leading to a desperate search for a skilled Hindu physician, as they were reputed for their expertise in treating such ailments.
Jonaraja poignantly describes the plight of the Kashmiri Pandit community at the time, likening their scarcity to that of a flower in the midst of a heavy winter snowfall. The community, decimated and dispersed by the previous Sultan’s persecution, was difficult to locate. Eventually, royal agents found Shriya Bhat, a practitioner of gurood shastra (the science of treating carbuncles), residing in Gunjavihara (present-day Gojwor). Brought before the Sultan, Shriya Bhat initially hesitated. He was acutely aware of the precarious situation of his community and feared the potential repercussions of a failed treatment. However, the Sultan, recognizing his concerns, personally assured him of no negative consequences, regardless of the outcome. Convinced, Shriya Bhat performed the surgery, successfully draining the infection, much like “a female elephant uproots and throws away a poisonous herb,” as Jonaraja vividly describes. The Sultan’s recovery marked a turning point, not just for his health, but for the fate of the Kashmiri Hindu community.
When the Sultan offered Shriya Bhat a reward, the physician made a selfless request. Instead of personal gain, he asked for the end of atrocities against Hindus, the abolition of the jizya tax, and the return of exiled community members, especially scholars. The Sultan, deeply impressed by Shriya Bhat’s wisdom and compassion, granted all his requests.
* Scholarships for Hindu students, suspended under Sikandar, were reinstated.
* Temples and shrines destroyed by Sikandar were rebuilt and restored to their former glory.
* The oppressive jizya tax on Hindus was abolished.
* At Shriya Bhat’s urging, the Sultan banned cow slaughter, a significant concession.
* Hindus were granted the freedom to visit their temples and perform their traditional rituals.
* Lands and endowments belonging to Hindu shrines, seized under previous rulers, were returned to their rightful owners.
* Shriya Bhat, with the patronage of the Sultan, opened Pathshalas (seminaries) in each pargana for students to gain knowledge in traditional Hindu learning and philosophy.
Shriya Bhat’s vision extended beyond religious restoration. He recognized the need for social reform within the fractured Hindu community. He addressed three key issues:
* He devised ways to perform the essential rituals of tarpan (water offering) and pind-dhan for those who had perished in the genocide without leaving any descendants, a critical concern within the traditional Hindu framework.
* He advocated for a casteless Hindu society, proposing that all Kashmiri Hindus be considered Brahmins, a radical and progressive step towards democratization centuries before similar movements emerged in other parts of India.
* He focused on the reconstruction, restoration, and ongoing maintenance of Hindu shrines, temples, and viharas, ensuring their long-term preservation.
Furthermore, he wisely advised his community to learn Farsi, the new official language, to facilitate their integration and survival in the changed political landscape. Shriya Bhat’s advice was heeded, and Kashmiri Hindus began to learn Farsi. Bhatt Avtar is credited with some Farsi works, though these are no longer extant.
Shriya Bhat’s influence on Zain-ul-Abidin was profound. As long as the Sultan heeded his counsel, Kashmir enjoyed peace and prosperity. However, after Shriya Bhat’s death in 1459 CE, the Sultanate experienced a period of decline and internal strife, highlighting the crucial role Shriya Bhat had played in maintaining stability. He was instrumental in retrieving a large number of Sanskrit works from the throes of destruction. No single person in the Kashmiri Hindu community after Shriya Bhat played such a vital role in reviving Hindu religion and culture in its multifaceted forms, restoring it to its former glory. Historians have yet to fully explain how Shriya Bhat, through the highest order of statecraft, neutralized the vicious influence of the Sayyids.
Pandit Shriya Bhat was more than a physician; he was a visionary leader, a social reformer, a scholar, and a statesman who single-handedly revitalized a community on the brink of extinction. He was a true Yugapurusha (epoch-making figure). His contributions extend far beyond the often-repeated narrative of his medical skill. He represents a crucial chapter in Kashmiri history, one that deserves in-depth study and widespread recognition. The establishment of a “Shriya Bhatt Chair” at a Central University in the Union Territory, as suggested by Dr. Kashi Nath Pandit, would be a fitting tribute, enabling scholarly research into his life and legacy.
(The author is a senior journalist)
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