Hazrat Baba Sangi Rishi and the Rishi Order: A Life of Divine Immersion and Service
By Altamash Ali, New Age Islam
3 November 2025
Main Points:
1. Hazrat Baba Sangi Rishi (Abdul Samad) was a disciple of Hazrat Baba Dariya Din, connected to the Rishi tradition of Sheikh-ul-Alam, nearly a century later.
2. His Murshid created a water spring by striking his stick on the ground, which became a vital source for locals.
3. Hazrat Baba Sangi Rishi meditated in the forests of Khimber among wild animals who never harmed him, symbolizing peace with nature.
4. He survived on wild plants like Wopul Haak, rejected meat and ego, and inspired others to abandon violence.
5. His shrine at Takiya Sangi Rishi hosts an annual Urs in February with Zikr, Naats, and communal meals, celebrating his message of love and service.
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A Rishi is a person who immerses himself in the divine self. Keeping this Rishi philosophy in mind, Hazrat Baba Sangi Rishi joined this order with the spiritual support of Hazrat Baba Dariya Din, who was himself connected to the Rishi lineage of Hazrat Sheikh-ul-Alam. This happened about a hundred years after the death of his Guru. It is believed that Hazrat Baba Sangi Rishi was a resident of Pandach Nagbal. His real name was Abdul Samad. When he came to know about a Sufi saint deeply engaged in Zikr-e-Azkar (meditation) in a cave at the foothills of a mountain between Nagbal and Khalmula in Ganderbal, which is about 8 km from Pandach, he went there. Upon reaching, he was so deeply impressed by the saint’s simplicity, tolerance, righteousness, mercy, and divine love that he started visiting repeatedly, like a honeybee hovering over a flower in search of nectar. He tasted the nectar of spirituality from him and resolved to dedicate his entire life to the service of this Sufi saint.
As a true and obedient disciple, Hazrat Hazrat Baba Sangi Rishi, along with his companions, Hazrat Baba Fatha Rishi and Hazrat Baba Hasti Rishi, served his Murshid to the best of their abilities.
They used to fetch water for his daily needs and ablution from nearby villages because there was no water source there. It is said that one day they brought this matter to their Murshid. He recited the name of Allah and struck his stick (Asa) on the ground, and water gushed out from there. That water source later became the lifeline for the residents who settled there permanently. After the physical demise of his Murshid (Hazrat Baba Dariya Din), Hazrat Baba Sangi Rishi moved to another location in the same area, Elaqi-Phag in Khimber, which is nearly 10 km from Hazratbal, Srinagar.
He chose a specific spot for meditation at the foothills of the mountain in the Khimber Hazratbal area, popularly known as “Peerpal”. That place was densely covered with wild animals and grass. Wild animals roamed there even during the day, but they never harmed him in any way. According to one account, while he was immersed in penance there, a hungry lion once appeared before him. Hazrat Baba Sangi looked at it fearlessly, took Allah’s name, and the lion calmed down, lay at his feet, and then walked away. This miracle spread the fame of his spiritual power among the locals.
Many other miracles are also associated with his life. A local from Khimber village, while searching for his missing cattle, discovered his presence and made it public. As soon as the news spread in the area, people rushed to the spot and requested the saint to take shelter in the nearby village (Khimber), but he refused. After repeated requests, he moved a few yards down, where his shrine stands today—and chose that place as his eternal resting to site. Since then, the place has been named “Takiya Sangi Rishi”, meaning the abode of Sangi Rishi. Upon reaching there, he immersed himself in intense spiritual practice in complete isolation until his last breath, to subdue the self (Nafs) and attain spiritual heights.
His meditation was so deep that people often saw him motionless in the same posture for several days. It is said that once, during the rainy season, a cloudburst caused flooding, but the area around him remained completely safe.
He adopted all the virtues that give this Rishi order its unique identity, such as living in solitude, complete submission to the will of Almighty Allah, total surrender to Him, and considering worldly matters insignificant. As a result, he earned an honoured place in the list of Sufi saints of this Rishi order, which believes in complete harmony with all living and non-living beings. Following the complete lifestyle of his Murshid, he mainly relied on wild edibles, Dipsacaceous leaves (Wopul Haak), to satisfy his hunger. He never consumed meat and considered non-violence the foundation of life. Once, when a hunter killed a deer in front of him, he explained that violence disturbs the soul. The hunter threw away his weapons and became his disciple. He not only stayed away from worldly possessions but also stood firmly against ego, deceit, selfishness, vanity, lust, greed, and arrogance. In this way, he preserved the legacy of indigenous Rishiyat.
The renowned historian Hassan Shah Khuehami mentioned his name in his historical book Tawarikh-e-Hassan with a brief introduction. However, there is no record of his early life. If we compare his period with the ruling dynasties of Kashmir and his contemporaries, we can estimate that his time falls in the 15th century CE. During his era, Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin ruled, who promoted religious tolerance. Hazrat Baba Sangi Rishi never visited the royal court, but his fame reached the Sultan. Once, the Sultan summoned him, but he politely refused, saying, “My court is that of Allah.” His mausoleum is magnificently located in the lap of the mountain at Takiya Sangi Rishi in Khimber. The structure is well-maintained and managed by the local people. Near the shrine, there is an old chinar tree, which people believe dates back to his time. Sitting there in meditation brings peace to the mind.
His annual day (Urs) is always celebrated with full religious reverence and cultural enthusiasm in the month of February. Large numbers of people gather there. Special prayers are conducted on this occasion, and locals prepare a special dish, Dipsacaceous leaves (Wopul Haak), in memory of his simple lifestyle.
During Urs, Zikr and Naats continue throughout the night. Children and elders together sing his Shruk (verses). Many people come to make vows, and upon fulfilment, they offer Chadars. It is said that the famous Sufi poet Hazrat Ahmad Sahab Batwari completed his forty-day meditation (Chila) there. After that, he went to Hazrat Baba Dariya Din for further meditation to attain a higher level of consciousness. Some people believe that Hazrat Baba Sangi’s soul still lingers around the shrine and helps true devotees. Once, a sick child was brought to the shrine, and after overnight prayers, he recovered.
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Altamash Ali is a Sufi writer and a student at IFTM University.
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