HABBA KHATOON OF KASHMIR

    Habba Khatoon was born in a ordinary Muslim family at Chandahar,a village about 10km from pampore known for its Saffron fields.But the most fragrant bloom produced by this place was certainly Habba Khatoon.
Habba Khatoon was known by the local name"Zoon".which in kashmir means moon.The name is quite common among Hindus andMuslims in the valley.She retained it till her marriage with king Yousuf Shah Chak who  ruled kashmir from 1579 to 1589 A.D.
Her father,Abdullah Rather sent her to Maktab{school}.There she learnt some portions of the Persian poet Sadi's Gulistan and Bostan.It sharpened her latent and poetic capacity gifted with a most melodies voice.This nightingale of kashmir soon began to sing the verses of the persian-master and also the poems of the native kashmir poets.This made her the centre of all eyes,particularly of the village youths.Her parents decide to marry her when she was in her early teens.
"Zoon" was married to an ordinary village youth but she was not happy in her husband's home.Her husband was insensitive to her poetic gift,Moreover her singing also brought unhappiness to her father-in-law.
Soon she was discovered by king Yousuf Shah Chak.One morning,when zoon was working alone in her saffron fields,Yousuf Shah Chak happened to that way.He found the whole valley over flowing with the melody of her song.Soon,he saw the singer at some distance,zoon was so engrossed in her work and her song that she hardly noticed him till he was almost before her.Yousuf shah was simply dazed when he stood calm impressed by the beauty of zoon,she immediately organized the king made her  obeisance.
Zoon now adorned the royal household.There she received the name of Habba khatoon.the name by which she is know till now.
Habba khatoon became the Queen of kashmir four centuries ago.But time has not dulled the freshness of her song and the melody of the.Habba khatoon is one of the most popular poetess of kashmir.Her poems are listened with by all delight even today.

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