For some she is a Yogini, for some she is a sufi, for some she is a devotee of Shiva, some consider her as an avatar; but all consider as a wisest Kashmiri woman. Every Kashmiri has some of her sayings (Lal Vakh) on the tip of their tongue.
She is considered to be the creator of the Kashmiri mystic poems or Vatsuns or Vakhs; which inspired many sufis in Kashmir.
She is known by many names – Lal Daed, Maej lalla, Lalla Aarifa, Lalla Didi, Lalla Yogeshwari and Lalleshwari are some of the commonly known ones.
She was born in 1320AD in Pandetheran to a Kashmiri pandit family. She is an example of the Kashmiri society which provided liberal education to the women in those days. She was married at the age of 12, but being unhappy she left the married life at the age of 24 to take Sanyasa. She became disciple of Sidh Beyu (Sidhh Srikanth) and contributed to the tradition of Shaivism in Kashmir known as Trika.
A leading Sufi saint Nund Rishi was highly influenced by Lal Daed. One of the folk lore says that Nund Rishi refused to be breast fed by his mother, and it was Lal Daed who breast fed him. It is said that Lal Vakhs were not written down during her time. It was the memory of her listeners who passed it to generations and hence were gradually recorded and sung to next generations. Lal vakhs are not just about praising Lord, but at the same time they are rebellion against the tradition which oppresses the poor soul.
Exact death date of Lalla is unknown but it is said she might have lived till 1390AD.
The importance of Lal daed’s role in Kashmirism is that her name and vakhs evoke deep resonances in the human mind providing spiritual solace. Her poetry gave a new meaning to Kashmiri Literature as Lal Vakh forms the foundation of the same because most of the saints and sages of Kashmir before Lal Daed had their work in Sanskrit.
