Srinagar’s Zaina Kadal area has long been an address associated with Kashmiri traditions, culture, heritage and business. It is named after one of the seven bridges that link old and new Srinagar and was built by Kashmir’s eighth ruler Ghiyas-uddin Zain-ul Abidin ( 1395-1470), popularly referred to as Bodh Shah.
In terms of culture, Jammu and Kashmir has a very rich literary history, producing eminent poets and writers. Kashmiri literature is said to have originated 2500 years ago, when it started with Sanskrit and other languages. However, original Kashmiri language literature goes back to about 750 years.
Whenever a reference is made to Kashmiri poetry, three prominent names surface – Lalleshwari or Lal Ded (1320-1392), Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani or Sheikh-ul-Alam a.k.a. Nund Rishi (1377-1438) and Habba Khatoon (1554-1609).
There have been others too who have also contributed significantly to the region’s literature like Mehmood Gami, Rasul Mir, Shamas Faqir, Samad Mir and Ahad Zargar.
In present times, 75-year-old Khatija Begum has spent the past four decades compiling thousands of poems, some of which have been converted into books. It has not been an easy task for this resident of Zaina Kadal to achieve, considering that she is illiterate and has had to take someone’s help to pen down her musings.
She began her journey as a poet at 35 in most extraordinary circumstances. She recalls she was busy looking after her ill mother. One day when visiting a doctor with her mother, some verses came up to her mind. Unable to comprehend what was happening to her, she returned home and told her niece, who wrote down those verses for her.
She believes poetry came into her life because of the prayers she did during her mother’s illness.
“My poetic life has not been an easy one. Memorising each verse of my poetry has been difficult. I had to ask my son to tape record it for me,” Khatija reveals.
She also recalls waking up at night to pray and while doing so, verses would come to her mind, which she would record.
In poetry circles, Khatija is known by her pen name “Heemal”. She recalls how it took seven years to get her first book of poetry published through the Jammu and Kashmir State Cultural Academy. The title of the book was “Ser-e-Asraar”, which translated means, “The Secret of Mysticism”.
During her years of struggle, she couldn’t find anyone to transcribe her poetry and those who were willing, she couldn’t afford. An unfazed and determined Khatija took up embroidery to earn money and used it to preserve her poetry.
She dedicates her poetry to a Sufi saint whom she considers a father-like fugure.
“When I took my books to show him, he was overwhelmed. He told me to be patient; to face all hurdles in my path. He told me that what I have done is priceless,” an emotional Khatija told Brighter Kashmir.When she recites her poetry, everything around her gets blurred. She hopes to see more of her poetry being published someday.