Habba Khatoon: The Sufi Poetess of Kashmir
By Afroz Khan, New Age Islam
20 May 2025.
16th-century Kashmiri poetess Habba Khatoon blended personal tragedy and Sufi spirituality into influential verses. Overcoming an abusive marriage, she revitalized Kashmiri literature under royal patronage, leaving a legacy of colloquial lyrical poetry before dying at 55.
Main Points:
1. Born Zoon Rather (1554), educated against norms, mastered Persian/Kashmiri.
2. Suffered under Aziz Lone, expressed anguish through poetry.
3. Married Yusuf Shah Chak, promoted Kashmiri language/literature, patronized landmarks.
4. Yusuf’s exile left her heartbroken, inspiring poignant verses.
5. Pioneered lol poetry, blended Sufi themes with colloquial language.
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Image from madrascourier.com
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Spring has descended on the Door pastures
Have you not heard my call?
Flowers are blooming in the mountain lakes
The plateau plains are calling us loudly
Flowers have bloomed in the Door forests
Have you not heard my call?
— Habba Khatoon
Habba Khatoon was a beautiful, talented, sweet-voiced poetess of Kashmir. Her own life was no less than a script. The ups and downs of her worldly life drew her toward Sufism. Under the influence of Sufism and the turbulence of her experiences, she wrote many poems and songs. Her poems remain popular in Kashmir even today. Habba Khatoon was born in 1554 in Pampore, Kashmir. Her father, Abdullah Rather, was a farmer by profession, and her mother’s name was Janam Rather.
Habba Khatoon’s real name was Zoon Rather. Due to her unmatched beauty, people also called her Zooni, meaning “moon.” She was fond of reading and writing from childhood. To nurture this passion, her father entrusted her education to a Maulvi Sahib in the village. At a time when educating girls was uncommon, Habba’s father arranged for her studies to ensure her happiness. Alongside the Quran, she learned to read and write Persian and Kashmiri. Habba grew into a beautiful, talented, and educated young woman.
Her father later arranged her marriage to Aziz Lone. This union proved tragic, as a gem like Habba fell into the hands of an indifferent and heartless man who disregarded her talents. Aziz, an uncultured farmer, shared no compatibility with her. Their personalities clashed entirely. For Aziz, Habba was merely an ordinary woman; he never understood her unique gifts. Habba tried relentlessly to adapt to Aziz and his family. She worked tirelessly—fetching water from the river, gathering wood from the forest, cooking meals, and managing the household. Yet, despite her efforts, Aziz and his mother constantly found faults in her and subjected her to torture.
This marriage grew increasingly painful for Habba. The more she surrendered to their demands, the more she suffered. Desperate, she penned a famous, heart-wrenching song:
Rah Bakshtam Sayer Parvardigaro
Tche Kyoho Vatyo Myeni Marnai?
Sipar Treh Mar Permo Kian
Fyur No Kuni Gomai Zer Zabre
Tche Kyoho Vatyo Myeni Marnai?
Tab Cham Badnas Habba Khutunay
Ade No Avaham Zah Te Khabre
Teli Yikha Yil Travanam Majaro
Tche Kyoho Vatio Myaeni Marnay?
(O Allah, forgive all my sins and show me the straight path. What will you gain from my death? I read all thirty sipar [chapters] of the Holy Quran, examined each verse carefully without error, and recited it faithfully. What will you gain from my death? O Habba, my body aches, yet you never came to help me. Will you come only to attend my funeral? What will you gain from my death?)
When Aziz and his mother’s cruelty persisted despite her complete submission, Habba realized she could no longer endure this hellish existence. Seeking mental peace, she turned to the Sufi saint Khwaja Masood, who consoled her and prayed for her future.
A turning point arrived when Yusuf Shah Chak, the last independent ruler of Kashmir, encountered Habba during a hunting expedition. He heard her singing beneath a Chinar tree, mesmerized by her melodious voice. This moment altered the course of her life. She married Yusuf Shah Chak and entered the royal palace.
At the time, Kashmiri language and literature were neglected in royal circles, but Habba Khatoon revitalized Kashmiri literature, giving it a new identity. She stood firmly for her language and culture. Yusuf Shah Chak admired her literary prowess and actively promoted her work. Together, they are credited with discovering and patronizing several tourist sites in Kashmir, including Aharbal, Achhabal, and Sonamarg. A hill in Kashmir is also named after Habba Khatoon.
Habba Khatoon spent six comfortable years in the palace, but political turmoil in Kashmir soon plunged her into separation’s agony. To reclaim his lost kingdom, Yusuf Shah Chak sought Emperor Akbar’s help, leaving Habba behind. She waited endlessly, days, weeks, months, and years, for his return. Her anguish during this separation birthed poignant poems that vividly captured her pain.
During Yusuf Shah Chak’s second visit to Akbar, he never returned. Bound by a treaty with the Mughal emperor, he was exiled to Bihar, where he eventually died. Habba Khatoon was left alone once again.
Habba Khatoon’s poetry stood apart from her contemporaries. She harmonized diverse emotions in her work, blending vivid depictions of nature with deeply personal themes of separation and romance. Her poems, profoundly influential, employed colloquial language and relatable subjects, akin to William Wordsworth’s 19th-century style, bridging poetry with everyday people. She introduced the lol form in Kashmiri literature, a lyrical structure resembling English folk songs. Her contributions to Kashmiri literature remain unparalleled, with notable works like Harmukh Bartal and Chaar.
Her sorrowful poems are believed to mirror her tragic life, sometimes yearning for a beloved’s affection, sometimes mourning separation. Her verses channeled raw emotion through song and poetry. This luminous poetess, a guiding star of Kashmiri literature, passed away in 1609 at just 55.
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Afroz Khan is a teacher by profession. She primarily writes about women and Islam. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Education.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/habba-sufi-poetess-kashmir-sufism/d/135590
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