Gurez's most formidable peak is Habba Khatoon around which quaint legends abound and at one time, even a film starring Dimple Kapadia was planned. This pyramid shaped peak has been named after famous Kashmiri poetess Habba Khatoon. She was a beautiful & intelligent damsel from Saffron village "Pampore". Zoon (which means Moon in English) was Habba Khatoons earlier name. She was the daughter of a peasant who got her married to an illiterate peasant boy (Habba). Zoon was ill-treated by her mother-in-law and husband as she spent most of her time in poetry and singing.
Dejected by her plight she approached "Peer" who changed her name as Habba Khatoon and presumed her as the queen of Kashmir. The emperor of Kashmir Yousuf Shah Chak (18th century) was enamoured by her beauty, intelligence and poetry. He got Habba Khatoon divorced and married her. Emperor Yousuf Shah Chak was a Dard Shin from Gilgit and entered into Kashmir through Gurez. It is believed that when the emperor was imprisoned by King Akbar, his beloved Habba Khafton used to wander near the peak to look for her lover.
"Meha karl schoi kith, poshe daswanoi, Chhou mean danai posh have done up myself with flowers for you, relish the beauty of the flowers oh my love"
Arrested by the army of emperor Akbar, Yousf Shah Chak breathed his last at Patna in Bihar and was buried there. This devastated Habba Khotoon, she wandered on the banks of river Jhelum, fields and valleys. Her songs uttered the words for lost love and said
"Ghoh choun wuchan gotti, aki latti yeham naa"
I look for you oh my love in storms. I wish you to come once.
Twenty years later the great poetess of Kashmir, Habba Khatoon, died in grief & sorrow and was buried in Athawajan. Her poetry still remains alive in the hearts of Kashmiri people.
