| Charar-e-Sharief Shrine | |
|---|---|
Kashmiri:Tsrar-i-Sharif | |
 Charar-e-Sharief in 2023 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Sunni Islam |
| Rite | Sufism |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Sufi shrine andmosque |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Charari Sharief,Budgam,Kashmir Valley,Yusmarg,Jammu and Kashmir |
| Country | India |
  Location of the shrine and mosque inJammu and Kashmir | |
| Coordinates | 33°51′59″N74°46′00″E / 33.86639°N 74.76667°E /33.86639; 74.76667 |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Squaremosque architecture |
| Founder | Zain-ul-Abidin |
| Completed | 1460CE |
| Direction of façade | West |
TheCharar-e-Sharief Shrine (also spelledCharar-i-Sharief,Charari Sharief,Chrari-Sharif, etc.) is aSufi shrine andmosque situated in the town ofCharari Sharief in theBudgam district, in the union territory ofJammu and Kashmir,India.[1][2] It is one of the oldest and sacrosanct shrines of Indian Muslims, includingKashmir Valley dedicated to aKashmiriSufi saintNund Rishi.[3]
The shire and mosque were built in 1460 to pay homage to Nund Rishi. It has religious significance in thecultural heritage of Kashmir and is considered a holy site for Muslims.[4] but is also visited byHindus.[5] After the Sufi shrine was gutted by a fire in 1995, it was rebuilt.[6] The 1995 incident was related to the escape of Pakistan-based terroristMast Gul.[7] Local people accused thelocal government of not taking measures to prevent incidences of fire.[8]
After the death ofNund Rishi around 1438, he was buried inCharari Sharief. In 1446, the eighthsultan of the valley,Zain-ul-Abidin, laid the foundation stone of the Charar-e-Sharief shrine at the burial site. Over the time, the shrine was partially damaged. Later,Yakub Shah Chak repaired the damaged parts. During the 19th century, anAfghan governor namedAtta Mohammad Khan, reconstructed the shrine. The shrine compound was engineered whenBakshi Ghulam Mohammad was serving as theprime minister of the state. In 1979, theJammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages installed anepigraphic stone at themazar (mausoleum) of Nund Rishi.[9]
On 11 May 1995,Hizbul Mujahideen militants took shelter inside the shrine when they and Indian security forces were indirect combat. The battle evacuated more than 25,000 people from theencounter site and they took shelter in neighboring villages, "fearing that they would be caught in a battle". Initial reports cited 1,000 houses damaged and another 200 stores destroyed. Indian security forces didn't allow journalists to enter the affected area. The battle left thirty militants and fifteen security personnel dead during aheavy fire exchange. The gunfight also reportedly left a 65-year-old civilian dead.[10] TheBBC News falsely reported the shrine had been stormed by theIndian Army and retracted the claim only after being strongly criticised.[11][12]
In 2001, unknown attackers carried out a terrorist attack on the women devotees during aFriday prayer that left four fatalities with fifty others wounded.[13][14]
In 2015, unknown attackers hurled agrenade at the mosque; ten devotees were wounded.[15]
Media related toCharar-e-Sharief shrine at Wikimedia Commons
