12 inspirational Kashmiri women: Queens, poets, scholars and mystics

Women have played a very important role in shaping the culture of Kashmir and Kashmir for decades, but rarely have their efforts earned the recognition they deserve.

A few years ago, a calendar released by the Indian government that one finds in most homes here featured inspiring icons, one for each month – 10 of them were men and only two women. This year, a group of female artists came together to change this as the Kashmiri Women’s Art Collective. What we wanted was a calendar for the coming year that we could relate to and find inspiration in – a tiny tribute to a few Kashmiri women who have had an impact on all our lives, in some way.

What resulted was a serendipitous discovery and analysis cycle. We had extensive discussions to come up with a variety of people, across time zones and contexts. For most people some names were familiar while others were unfamiliar. Digging deeper we find skewed tales of genius and facts.

Every of us has chosen women from all ages; women we have resonated with and used different art forms to portray their works and personalities.

We had heard that culture is unkind to women and we saw it manifest in front of us. We reinterpreted those stories and personalities through lines and strokes for all to see. The product of this exercise is below. Didda was Kashmir’s ruler from 979 to 1003 CE. She is said to have ruled with an iron fist, though physically disabled-a harsh metaphor for her clever political strategies.

Legends tell of the tyranny of Didda, but history confirms her as a compassionate queen, kind and benevolent towards her subjects.

During her reign, she is said to have built 64 temples, and is recorded as issuing coins in her name. We believe that no historians were women, because all we have read about Didda maligns her for her skills and her courage.

From the artist: Didda shows her bold colors and strength in the picture, her temples standing high behind her as a testament to her legacy. This pose is copied from an ancient coin depicting her sitting cross-legged and dominant.

Kashmir’s last Hindu queen, Kota Rani, reigned in the 14th century. There is little documented of her, but the commissioning of the Kute Kol canal on the Jehlum River is to her credit. It’s said the Srinagar city has been rescued from several floods.

From the artist: not only did Kota Rani manage to retain control but he also had the hearts of common citizens.

Hence her portrait is that of royalty with in the background a combination of masculine and feminine textures. The crown of thorns reflects the many obligations for which she lived.

She gives the audience an image of a powerful, attractive woman without a fixed face-a personality that many young girls will look up and relate to.

Lal Ded was a poet, mystic, and saint of the 14th century. One of the founders of mystical poetry in Kashmir, she’s credited with developing a poetry form known as Vakhs.

Her wise sayings rose above caste and religion and all faith groups in Kashmir respected her equally. Also, she is also regarded as a bridge between Shaivism and Sufism.

A known ascetic, stories of her running naked on the streets abound in popular folklore. From the artist: taking inspiration from Kashmir’s women, here is an inspired image of Lal Ded from her life. The painting shows her rising above all her difficulties, and her choice of becoming one with God.

Habba Khatoon was a mystical poet born in a village in Pampore, in the 16th century. She was known for her intellect but married an uneducated farmer who mistreated her and soon divorced.

She took solace in the music and writing. One day, when a gentleman on horseback approached, she sang sitting under a chinar tree-mesmerized by her melodious voice and beauty. The gentleman was the Kashmir’s last King, Yusuf Shah Chak.

They fell in love and this young peasant girl became queen, known for all time as the Kashmir Nightingale.

Saint and poet of the 17th century, Mata Rupa Bhawani spent her early life under the religious guidance of her pandit father. For her spiritual practice, Rupa would always retreat to Hari Parvat. She eventually became an ascetic, and left in the Himalayas for a life of meditation.

Her poetry and spiritual philosophies have profoundly influenced Kashmir and she is revered as Sahib Saptami by Kashmiri pandits who celebrate her anniversary of her death.

From the artist: ‘Contemplation’ is influenced by Rupa Bhavani’s life and teaching.Arnimal was a poet from the 18th century who married a famous Persian poet and historian. Legend has it that Arnimal’s unhappy family life, much like Lal Ded and Habba Khatoon, was the main source of inspiration for her poignant poetry.

She was married young and soon after she was married her husband left her. The agony of separation and the desire for his love made Arnimal the romantic poet she is today known as.

From the artist: from the heart rose the poetry of Arnimal, welled up in the breast, and the gems came out. She emphasizes her situation in the simplest terms and gives a glimpse of Kashmiri women of the 18th century in the process.

The artwork features the lady carving words among the beauty of natureMiss Muriel Mallinson, a London-based Christian missionary, is remembered here for her selfless contributions to women’s education in Kashmir.

In 1922 she came to Srinagar to work at the school for Ms. Violet Fitze (now known as Mallinson School). She was a visionary, who made significant changes in education and culture.

After then Mallinson School has produced some of the finest professionals working in Kashmir and around the world. While not a Kashmiri, she deserves utmost respect for her commitment to bring about change in Kashmir and her inspiring lives.

From the artist: This drawing is personal as a student at Miss Mallinson’s school, recreated in pen and inspired by an old drawing of four girls in a school magazine. Using the boat and its significance in the school context, drawing is a metaphor for the Kashmir women’s journey from darkness to enlightenment.

Miss Mallinson, who took on the arduous task of going door to door, made people aware of the need for girls ‘ education, pioneered this journey. The ripples created by the boat wading through the water symbolize her determination, commitment and tireless efforts to uplift women. Raj Begum was born in Srinagar at the beginning of the 20th century, a legendary singer of international fame. Her love of singing came from a young age but during a time in Kashmir when women were hardly allowed out of their homes.

Raj Begum overcame social taboos and became the first female artist to perform on DD Kashir, Doordarshan India ‘s regional subsidiary studio, paving the way for other female artists to enter the music industry. Her life and struggles were chronicled in a 2017 movie Her Theme of Freedom – The Melody Queen of Kashmir.

From the artist: growing up listening to the tunes of Raj Begum and discovering the opportunity to translate her in a fairly niche art form was an exercise in nostalgia and rediscovery. Regarded as a trailblazer in Anantnag, Hanifa Chapu was the first woman from southern Kashmir to receive a Munshi-Fazil degree in Persian, a bachelor’s degree in education, and become a gazetted official.

She worked as headmistress at a local government school and later became school inspector in the district of Islamabad under the Deputy Education Director Begum Zaffar Ali. Hanifa has become famous in education for its strong work ethic and for fighting corruption.

From the artist: As someone who is unfamiliar with Hanifa Chapu and her work, I wanted to illustrate this brave woman who in many lives has made a lot of difference only by doing what she did best.

A famous gynecologist, Dr. Girija Dhar was instrumental in setting up the women’s hospital, Lal Ded Hospital. Born in Srinagar, Dr. Dhar studied at King George Medical College in Lucknow and later trained in the UK. It was there that she met her future husband, and Dr Naseer Shah, another legend in Kashmiri healthcare.

The two worked hard to improve medical education and both served as head of the Srinagar Medical College of Government.

They were committed to philanthropy and founded numerous welfare organizations, including an orphanage. Dr. Dhar has served as Chair of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission, and was the first Chair of the Jammu and Kashmir Women Commission.

From the artist: it was understood that Dr Dhar brought about changes in the state’s medical education. As she has always been a fighter, the artwork replicates her image as a super woman.

A woman with the courage to not only follow a non-traditional passion, but to create it as an institution, is uncommon to come across. That was exactly what Ateeqa Bano of Sopore did. Retiring in 1999 as state director of libraries and research, she went on to create Meeras Mahal, a private museum of history and art in Sopore.

She devoted her life to preserving the artistic and cultural heritage of Kashmir and travelled far and wide-mostly alone-to curate more than 3,000 objects for her museum.

Meeras Mahal is home to rare manuscripts, pottery, and terracotta utensils, a whole history of Kashmiri pheranand evolution and more.

From the artist: The arched window was one of the museum artifacts which caught my attention. It’s like a barrier, symbolic. Even the burqa was an important part of the identification of Ateeqa Bano as illustrated here. In 1976, Giyani Mohan Kaur from Baramulla retired as headmaster of the Higher Secondary School for Government Girls.

She was known for her selflessness and devoted her life to uplifting and educating women , particularly during Partition. From the artists: mixing traditional Kashmiri prints to depict a Kashmiri Sikh woman is our way of adding membership to this very strong minority group that is often overlooked in the larger discourse. This illustration is devoted to the thousands of Kashmir’s grandmothers, mothers , wives and sisters who have suffered inexplicable loss, anguish and injustice over the decades of conflict.

From the artist: The image is meant to shock the viewer because there’s a lot more resilience in the face of all odds, along with all the stories of hope in Kashmir.