Eshai, became the custodian of the relic and established the Hazratbal Shrine. Since then, her male descendants have been caretakers of the relic at the mosque. Begum's male descendants belong to what is known as the Banday family. , three main members care for the holy relic: Manzoor Ahmad Banday, Ishaq Banday and Mohiuddin Banday. The relic is displayed for public view only on special Islamic occasions, such as the birthdays of Muhammad and his four main companions. The caretakers of the shrine are known as nishandeh. The eldest male heirs of the previous nishandeh continue the legacy of displaying the relic when their predecessor dies. 1963 relic disappearance episode The Moi-e-Muqqadas, a relic widely believed by Muslims to be the hair of Muhammad, was reported to have gone missing from the shrine on 27 December 1963. Following its disappearance, mass demonstrations were held all over the state, with hundreds of thousands of protesters out in the streets. On 31 December, Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru made a broadcast to the nation on the disappearance of the sacred Muslim relic, and sent a team from the Central Bureau of Investigation into Jammu and Kashmir to probe the suspected theft. The relic was recovered by Indian authorities on 4 January 1964, at the instigation of Sayyid Meerak Shah Kashani and others. Shah Kashani said he had seen the relic many times and could easily identify it. Identification by its caretakers and other investigation made by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir (law and order), special identification team says its authenticity is indeed original. Sayyid Meerak recited a poem: The Garden is bright with the light of Muhammad The light of Muhammad is reflected in every flower and every plant. A public viewing of the relic was held on 6 February 1964 in remembrance of Ali bin Abu Talib. The incident led to communal tensions and riots in the Indian state of West Bengal and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), due to which India saw a refugee influx of around 200,000 people between December 1963 and February 1964. Demands were made that it be officially identified by the elders. It was charged that political bosses had stolen the hair so they could later come to power by taking credit for restoring it. See also Ziyarat Naqshband Sahab Hamza Makhdoom Khanqah-e-Moula Dastgeer Sahib References Sufi shrines in India Buildings and structures in Srinagar Mosques