Addresses Sahitya Akademi Seminar on legendary poetess
PAMPORE: Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board Chairperson Dr Syed Darakhshan Andrabi on Thursday addressed a one-day seminar on the famous poetess of Kashmir, Habba Khatoon, at Government Degree College Pampore as the Chief Guest, describing her as not only a woman expressing her heart out but the loud announcement of the might of the womenfolk of Kashmir.
Dr Andrabi thanked Sahitya Akademi Kashmiri Advisory Board Convenor Prof Shad Ramzan for organising the seminar on the Queen-poetess of Kashmir, the daughter of the saffron land. She said Kashmir has the distinction of producing women of eminence throughout history, and women have played a great role in shaping the unique cultural landscape called Kashmir.
“Habba Khatoon is not only a woman expressing her heart out, but she is the loud announcement of the might of the womenfolk of Kashmir. People of Kashmir know Habba Khatoon as the musical voice of the feminine sensibilities of the valley of Kashmir,” Andrabi said.
She said after decades of torture and suppression of women in Jammu and Kashmir, we are now in a conducive atmosphere where women are feeling free to express themselves. “Women’s voices need to be heard for a peaceful world. We have to collectively ensure that women get due shares and appropriate platforms for their expression. Any society which doesn’t listen to women with honour is bound to perish,” said Dr Andrabi.
Andrabi supported the resolution that Pampore Degree College be named after the poetess Habba Khatoon. She appealed to the educated class of society to broaden the space for women in every social discourse so that we, as a modern society and country, are able to grow in sync with the modern world.
The event was also attended by famed writer Mohammad Yousuf Teng, Prof Mohammad Zaman Azurdah, President Adbi Markaz Kamraz Mohammad Amin Bhat, and College Principal Prof Ghazala Azhar.