Kashmir is known over centuries as the land of Rishis, Sufis and mystics. Here a Khanqah, Shrine or tomb is visible in every locality where the devotees use to throng of and on. One such blessed locality is Trechal Pulwama where the shrine of famous Sufi Hazrat Syed Mohammad Sikandar Andrabi is located besides the tomb of another Sufi Hazrat Syed Roum Shah.
The birth of Hazrat Syed Mohammad Sikandar Andrabi (may Allah have mercy on him) took place around 1896 in the Puchal village of district Pulwama. He is a progeny of Syed Mir Mirak Andrabi . It is said that a son of the latter, Mir Syed Ahmad Qasim Andrabi ,migrated from Jamalta Srinagar to Puchal where he lies buried. He had three children and one amongst them was named Mir Hashim Andrabi . It is from this branch that Mir Syed Saifullah was born. He is the father of Hazrat Syed Sikandar Andrabi. As such Syed Sikandar Andrabi inherited mysticism from his father Mir Saifullah. He was married to Imtiaz Begum, a woman from Pochal, but she is said to have died after a few years after the marriage.
Later, Syed Sikandar Andrabi remarried another woman who was known as Mst Sundar Sahiba. It may be of interest to note here that after the demise of Syed Sikandar Andrabi, his wife became his spiritual successor and his disciples and followers used to come to Sundar Sahiba for seeking her blessings. She is buried what is known as Takiya in Trechal village.
From his childhood, the spark of divine love was stirred in the heart of Hazrat Syed Sikandar Andrabi. To quench the thirst for the path of Truth, he commenced his jouney in search of a Murshid or spiritual guide. At that time, Hazrat Mir Syed Azizullah Haqqani, the great spiritual figure of Kashmir and the renowned writer and historian too was in search of someone who could approach him in search of the of True path. He wrties as under in Latif ul Haqqani:
“The materialistic world has left no desire (polluting the spiritual thirst , I had no desire to get anything out of it) except for what I had longed for all my life. That some one devoid of materialistic pursuits and worldly greed would approach me to seek guidance for the True Path and mysticism. Besides the pious Time, I have seen every one after worldly pursuits, suffering from false lust and vanity of the soul, except for one person who was hailing from Pochal. He sought the path of Allah with wisdom (with understanding and consciousness) and turned to this path he carved the lifestyle of wilderness. Trampling down the ritualistic honour which his dynasty claimed, he trolled the Tareeqa of True monotheism. Keeping the residents of Soibugh aside, the people from Maraj and Kamraj came to seek the path of Allah, but I found them of no use for the said path. Only strong men can tread through the streets of the beloved. I advise my dear ones that they should consider the world as impermanent and mortal, do not engage yourselves in it and perform righteous things for the Hereafter”.
Syed Sikandar Indrabi sought the guidance of Mir Syed Aziz ul Lah Haqani who bestowed him with the Chisti Silsilah (Order ). Later on on the directions of Mir Syed Aziz ul Lah Haqani , his illustrous son Syed Alauddin Haqani(alias Ali Sahib Haqani) after the demise of former guided Syed Sikandar in Kubrawi, Suharwardi and Qadriya Orders. Rescinding his family ties and splendour, Hazrat Syed Mohammad Sikandar Andrabi left his home and to seek solitude he made Tahab village his residing place. Yearning with reverence for Trachal , he later moved there and stayed there for the rest of his life.
People used to throng him and seek his blessing for their difficulties and worldly pursuits. Syed Sikandar considering service to poor and destitute as a form of prayers would help them the best he could. People irrespective of religious affiliations would seek his blessings .Many incidents are still remembered by the people today. Master Abdul Rahim of Trechal says that the well known politician and a minister in the cabinet of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, Bakhshi Ghulam Mohammad visited Hazrat Syed Sikandar Sahib and sought his blessings to cure some ailment he was suffering from. Hazrat Syed Sikandar Sahib is reported to have replied that to cure the disease is a trivial matter and predicted him that he was going to become the Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.Same happened within days.
Another person narrated another incident that the son of one Abdul Majeed Allai of the Trcahal vilage , fell seriously ill and his liver was suffering from some ailment. The doctors declared him incurable. He came to Hazrat Sikandar Sahib and told him about the disease of his son.Seeking blessings for his son, the Sufi gave him a cup of Qawah to drink. The sick son soon recovered.
Syed Sikandar Indrabi left for eternal world in the morning of Jumu’ah al-Mubarak, 29 Muharram al-Haram 1373 AH, corresponding to 8th October 1953 AD
Every year on 29th Muharram his Urs is celebrated with traditional devotion at Trechal Pulwama.
(The author can be mailed at :bashirahmaddar2012@gmail.com)
