Laleshwari

(1335 - 1390)

A Shiva devotee, Laleshwari was born in 1335 at Pandraethan village in Kashmir. She was married at the age of twelve to a Pandit boy.

The Hindus called her Laleshwari while Muslims called her Lala Asifa. Her family life was not an exception to the common lot of womanhood. She was always ill-treated and ill-fed and there was no one who could identify the divine sparks in her. She possessed all the virtues like self-denial, patience and self-discipline. Even against all odds, she slowly and steadily resorted to secret spiritual practices - deep sadhana and yoga in seclusion. Her untiring practice transformed her into a yogini of the highest order.

Laleshwari said Shiva is omnipresent, who does not distinguish between a Hindu and a Muslim. Her poems recount her spiritual experiences which are full of idioms and proverbs. Her cryptic, terse sayings still continue to enliven scholarly discussion and reason problems. She died in 1390.