Aishmuqam: Hundreds of devotees gathered at the holy shrine of Kashmir’s renowned saint Sakhi Zainuddin Wali (RA) in Aishmuqam, located in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, to perform the traditional ‘Zool’ ritual.
According to locals from Aishmuqam, this year's Zool was celebrated with great religious fervor, especially since last year's festival was shortened due to the holy month of Ramadan.
“Zool was observed outside the cave, and a large number of people visited the shrine and cave throughout the day,” they said, noting that hundreds of devotees continued to visit the shrine.
The ritual, which marks the beginning of agricultural activities after the end of the winter season, is performed by devotees as a sign of respect for the saint.
Sakhi Zainuddin, a 15th-century saint who was originally Hindu and reverted to Islam at a young age, became a mystic and spread Islam in various regions, including Kishtwar.
Legend has it that Sakhi Zainuddin settled in Aishmuqam, where he meditated inside a cave and confronted a demon that terrorized the villagers. While some view the demon as symbolic of his own inner struggles with greed and materialism, his arrival led people to adopt a path of righteousness and regular prayer.
To commemorate his victory, people gather annually to light wooden torches and oil lamps. Additionally, devotees illuminate over a hundred staircases leading to the shrine.
“People enter the cave mausoleum to seek blessings and alleviate their sufferings,” said a devotee named Tanveer Ahmad.
For the thousands of pilgrims who converge at Aishmuqam, the annual torch festival signifies the end of winter and the onset of the new sowing season.
People from diverse communities visit the shrine to promote communal harmony and brotherhood, Tanveer added.
(KNO)