Habba Khatoon

In Kashmir’s land of beauty and grace,

Where tales of love find their rightful place,

Lived Yusuf Shah Chak, a King so fair,

With a burdened heart and longing stare.

One fateful day, in fields so serene,

Beneath the chinar’s shade, a captivating scene,

Habba Khatun, a songbird, so sweet,

Her voice, a melody that none could beat.

Her songs of lament filled the air,

Her voice echoed, a soulful affair,

Yusuf, enchanted, his heart pulled near,

Captivated by her, with love so clear

In a land where love once bloomed so bright,

Their hearts entwined under starry night.

A marriage blessed, a bond so true,

But fate had plans, their love to undo.

For years they thrived, their souls aligned,

Content in love’s embrace, so kind.

But Kashmir’s fate would soon be changed,

As Mughal Empire’s grip arranged.

In that time, when empires clashed,

Akbar sought power that would be unmatched.

He yearned to conquer, to possess,

But love’s embrace, he would suppress.

Two armies rose, in violent fray,

To claim the crown, a bitter display.

But Akbar saw, in battle’s haze,

That peace may help him to amaze.

To Delhi’s court, he called Yusuf Chak,

Seeking a resolution, no more to attack.

But treachery lurked within his plan,

To capture Kashmir in his command.

Imprisoned and silenced, Yusuf was confined,

Their love thwarted, their dreams reassigned.

Habba, once vibrant, now sang her songs,

Of lost love and longing, where hope belongs.

She wandered the valley, an ascetic divine,

Her melodies echoing through the pines.

Each note carried her sorrow and despair,

A love story shattered, beyond repair.

The valley wept as she danced and sang,

Her voice a bittersweet symphony rang.

Yet, in her songs, a love’s eternal plea,

To mend what was broken, set love free.

For love’s true power can never be held,

Within the chains of power, it swelled.

Though separated by cruel decree,

Their souls, forever bound, yearned to be free.

So, as the winds whispered through the land,

The tale of love endured, hand in hand.

And in the valley’s heart, the song remained,

Of a love that defied, love that sustained.