On a dismal gloomy day of 1661 AD, in the Capital of Mughal Empire, Dilli (Delhi), history witnessed a macabre and ghostly dance of death. The town folk saw a naked, emaciated but content heretic being mercilessly dragged by the royal police towards the execution ground. There he was forced to sit in the posture of genuflection; his hands tied back crosswise to his feet; his head was lowered; and a shining sward fell upon his slender neck with all the brute force of executioner. Spurting blood all around his head flew in the air and then began the gruesome dance of death in its earnest. The headless body whirled violently and frantically in all gyrations. It refused to cool down. On looker were terrified at this ghastly TANDAV – a reminder of Natraj. Other than the minions of Aurangzeb there were many who were the followers and disciples of the prisoner. They cried, prayed and bowed to the ground to beseech the body to come to rest. History fails to record the time gap between beheading and cooling down. He was Sufi Sarmad Kashani, the naked, mystic poet and saint who commands the universal reverence and love even today.<\/p>\n
Charges against him: Violation of Sahriah Law and public display of heresy. He had refused to don any cloak to cover his body and he, like his disciple Prince Dara Shikoh, the heir of Mughal Throne, refused to accept the concept of physical Meraj of Prophet (PBUH). They both believed that the Journey of the Prophet (PBUH) was a spiritual and not physical. However, these were the apparent reasons. Since time immemorial \u2018political correctness\u2019 has been the most desirable attribute to climb the greater heights. Historians of all ages have generally suppressed the fact to suit the rulers fancy. They were also conscious of their interests and prejudices. Exact causes of the execution of Sarmad were never known. The people believe that it was the vicinity of Sarmad with Dara Shikoh which finally landed him on the chopping board. Sarmad was the spiritual mentor of Dara and he had denounced Aurengzeb for the killing of Dara and other royals from the ramparts of Jama Masjid, Delhi.<\/p>\n
In his narration \u2018Stories of Sarmad\u2019 famous chronicler Bilal Tanweer describes the last horrifying incidence of Saramd\u2019s life before his execution in the following words:<\/p>\n
\u201cAs\u00a0 Aurengzeb\u2019s procession was passing through the streets of Delhi, he saw Sarmad sitting on the roadside. The king ordered the march to halt and demanded the mystic to cover himself. The king looked at him with wrathful eyes and said,\u2019If you think I need to cover my nudity so badly why don\u2019t you cover me yourself?\u2019 When the Emperor lifted the blanket on Sarmad\u2019s side, the king saw the blooded heads of all the family members he had secretly murdered. Aurengzeb looked at Sarmad who said,\u2019Now tell me what should I cover \u2013 your sins or my thighs?\u201d<\/p>\n
According to historians Sarmad was born to an Armenian Jewish merchant\u2019s family of Iran. Having come to know about the enormous admiration of Fine Arts in India he decided to do business with Indians. He embarked upon a journey that changed the direction and destination of his life. He brought with him many valuable objects which could have fetched him rich returns. It wasn\u2019t destined to be. He reached Thatta (presently in Pakistani Punjab) and forgot about his errand. Instead he fell in love of a local girl and in the aftermath lost every possession including the local girl. The impact of unrequited love persuaded him to give up his clothes for ever. He would walk the streets of Thatta in the dress of nature. However, even in this state of absolute renunciation Sarmad achieved the sublime heights of spiritualism. People took him in great reverence and the fame of his piety spread every corner of the globe. One boy Abhi Chand decided to become his disciple and this new relationship did something to soften the bruised contours of Sarmad\u2019s persona. Scholars favored by the royal court of Aurangzeb and even now the professors of school of bigotry use this relationship to tarnish the impeccable image of Sarmad. They forget the platonic relationship of Mehmood Ghaznawi and his slave Ayaaz (eulogized by famous poet Iqbal \u2013 \u2018Ek hi saf men khare ho gaye Mehmood-o-Ayaaz, na koi banda raha na koi banda nawaz\u2019 and in much bolder statement by the same poet \u2013 \u2018na woh Ghaznawi men tarap rahi na woh khum hai zulf-e-Ayaaz me\u2019; they push under the carpet the relationship between Amir Khusro and his master Hazrat Nizam Uddin Awalia. The famous couplets of Amir Khusro \u2013 \u201cKhusro Nizam ke bal bal jaihyoun\u2026\u201d Khusru died within few weeks after the death of his master and lies in eternal sleep only forty feet away from his master. The finest depiction of this relationship is made by Kabir Das \u2013 \u201cGuru Govind douo khare, kake lagoon pai, Balihari Guru aapne Govind diyo batay.\u201d<\/p>\n
There is no relationship more enduring than between God and human being; there is no relationship more pious than between the son and mother; there is no relationship more sacred than between Teacher and Taught.<\/p>\n
Aurengzeb has deputed Mulla Qawi, the Chief Justice to persecute Sarmad whose fate was known to everyone before the trial.<\/p>\n
Moulana Abul Kalam Azad referred the Pro-Aurengzeb historian Sher Khan Lodhi who described Sarmad in his book \u201cMiras-ul-Khyal\u201d in the following words:\u201d Sulatan Dara had an affinity to mad people so he became friend with Sarmad.\u201d<\/p>\n
Moulana Azad commented:\u201d He (Lodhi) doesn\u2019t know that there is set of scales in which this madness would outweigh all wisdom in the world. Dara was probably fed up with the pernicious wisdom of the likes of Aurengzeb that he preferred the company of Sarmad.\u201d Sarmd suffered the same fate as Dara. Moulana adds \u2013 \u201cDara Shikoh had a unique mind and temperament and all should mourn the unfortunate day when his enemies triumphed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Today, there is large Neem tree opposite to the eastern gate of Delhi Jama Masjid which provides the peaceful abode for the holy saint who spoke the common language between all religions. In the cacophony of busy Delhi \u2013 6 the moment you enter of the red-walled dargah you leave behind all your heavy burdens; you feel a complete peace of mind and in unison with God \u2013 no matter the faith you follow.<\/p>\n
Sarmad had challenged the religious fanaticism in his life and defeated the bigotry in his death.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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