Sikandar Butshikan-cruelest ruler of India

Sikandar Shah Miri also known as Sikandar Butshikan and Sikandar Iconoclast, was the sixth sultan of Shah Miri dynasty. This kingdom mainly relates to Kashmir area. He ruled from 1389 to 1413 C.E. He was very much remembered for his cruel acts against Hindus and Bhuddhism. His cousins were ruling the area from Kabul to Sindh and their dynasty was Jahangiri dynasty.

From ages,the Hindu people in kashmir were very badly persecuted by the Islamic rulers. Not one but many rulers tried their level best to change Kashmir to Islamic Kashmir but failed. One among such rulers was Sikandar Butshikan and probably he ranks number one in cruelity against Hindus and other non-islamic religions. He had no mercy towards Hindus. He treated them as prisoners. The Hindus that lived during his rule experienced much pain in the form of punishments and deaths too.

Cruelity against Hindus:

 Major issue for Sikandar on Hindus was to make them convert into Islam. He did used various cruel ways possible against Hindus in order to convert them to Islam. Sikandar got the name Butshikan (Idol breaker) because of the destruction he made to Hindu temples and Idols of Hindu gods.

Because of his cruel actions and torture many Hindus converted to Islam, many fled away, or got killed by him. He prohibited dance, drama, music and iconography because he considered them as aesthetic activities of Hindus and Bhuddhists. He ordered Hindus not to apply Thilak on foreheads. Blowing a conch shell was illegal and one who blows gets severe punishment. Tolling a bell was also a crime. To cremate their dead bodies Hindus and Buddhists had to pay tax of 4 tolas of silver.

After the arrival of Sufi Mir Mohammad, the cruelity level grew even more. Sultan Sikandar followed the orders of Mir Mohammad to establish Islam in Kashmir and eliminate Hinduism. A city called Sikandarapora which was laid out by Sikandar was built on debris of destroyed temples of Hindus. He destroyed the temples of Maha-Shri built by Praversena and Tarapida. In his second Rajtharangini, the historian Jonraj said, "There was no city, no town, no village where the temples of Hindu gods were unbroken.

Hindus were forcibly converted to Islam and were massacred in case they refused to be converted. Thousands of Hindus escaped through borders of Kashmir, others were killed brutally. To destruct a temple called Marthand sun temple, it almost took a year for Sikandar to destroy completely that giant structure. He destroyed a massive temple at Beejbehara.

Many Brahmans rather than abandon their religion poisoned themselves and  some fled away to other places. Seven mounds of  sacred thread (Janeu) of murdered Kashmir Hindus were burnt by Sikandar Butshikan. He declared Islamic law in his kingdom. He ordered the destruction of  a temple dedicated to Maha Deo, located in Punjhuzara district. They were unable to destroy that temple because its foundation was below neighbouring waters. But Sikandar did not gave up untill the temple was completely destroyed along with the foundation. Such was his determination to supress Hinduism. He also destroyed the temple of Mahadeva at Bahrare. Raja Alamadat constructed a temple at Sinpur, it was also destroyed by Sikandar Butshikan.

More than a lakh of our Hindu ancestors were brutally murdered and burnt at one spot near Rainawari. This exact spot is now known as Batta Mazar (Kashmiri Hindu Cemetry). The Hindus cremated their dead bodies in their own courtyards and preserved their ashes hidden in our homes until they got an opportunity to immerse the ashes in the waters of river Jhelum.