In recent times, there have been some well-written and captivating pieces about Lad Ded. These writings intelligently attempt to delve into the complex theosophical subject involving the vairagya of yogini like Lallishori. However, as an ordinary Kashmiri Pandit, I have reservations. Great men and women are born great, unaffected by turbulent currents or worldly grief. Lallishori, or Lall Ded, was no ordinary person. Her Lallh was her shield. She danced with aesthetics and grace, not naked as some might claim. She followed the path of Shaivism, and her Guru imparted only one verse to her: "Guran dopnum aakuh watchun Nebreh dopnum aandher aachun, Teli b Lall drayas nehanghy naachney," meaning to remove the barrier between oneself and the outer world. It was through this awakening of consciousness that she found unending happiness and began dancing aesthetically.
Guran dopnum aakuh watchun Nebreh dopnum aandher aachun, Teli b Lall drayas nehanghy naachney
While Sufism may share some remote similarities with Shaivism, what she practiced was purely Shaivism. I believe her first Guru was her mother-in-law, who introduced her to the most challenging situations she would encounter on her chosen path. When she realized the end of her journey on Earth, she initially chose an oil merchant to provide her with space in his shop for her departure, but fate had other plans. Ultimately, Lall Ded changed her mind and bestowed her blessings on a baker, using his oven as the final resting place for her mortal remains.
Some individuals have been influenced by the philosophy of appeasement and like to portray her as a great Sufi saint. They point to Sayyid Mir Ali Hamadani, an Islamic missionary highly revered by Kashmiri Muslims, as the only person acknowledged by Lal Ded as a man. Lal Ded, however, transcended the boundaries of gender, size, and the concepts of hell and heaven. She was united with the Supreme, and we should refrain from such speculations when writing about her. We have historical records to support our perspectives on the aforementioned great Sufi figure.
