A very special thanks to Dr. Zarka Batool who, once again, like an angel came to my rescue! Thank you for proofreading this book and oftentimes rewriting the lyrics. Ever so grateful for your faultless linguistic review, innumerable grammar and typing corrections. I am forever in debt!
A heartfelt thank you to my wonderful husband, Shafat Qazi, for formatting this book and most importantly giving me countless hours of his time to make sure every small detail was taken care of. Without your unconditional love and support, I would not have been able to finish this project on time.
My heartfelt thanks to my sister, Safina Masoodi, for listening to hours of audio and sharing some of the additional song lyrics with me, which became part of this book. Apart from being sisters, we share our common love for Kashmiri music.
Let me not forget Dr. Ravinder Ogra who was kind enough to share his repository of Kashmiri songs with us.
Honorable Mentions:
Naheed Andrabi-Khan for sharing some of the most poignant, almost forgotten Kashmiri poetry compositions with me including her own most precious work, sample couplet below:
Az trovham khayalav ti sum
Yuth kunYaar kyazi poevtham
Su jananae ti draav akh brum
Yuth kunyor kyazi poevtham
Iffat Maqbool, for sharing some of her favorite song lyrics with me.
Qurat Mir for sharing the lyrics of “Murshid Pako” with me.
Naira Yaqoob for final Pre-release review
Lastly, Special thanks and love to these special people in my life:
My mom and dad who raised me to be a strong and independent woman. They taught me to believe in my capabilities and always reach out for great things. I hope I made them proud.
My son Omar and daughter Aleena. I am so proud to be your mom and incredibly proud of the adults you have grown up to be.
My sisters Safina, Wasima and Qasima. I have no words to describe in the ways you have supported me. All I can say is, you three have always stood behind me like rocks, all the years I have known you.
Irfan, Humi and Zain, for your unconditional love and unwavering support for everything I have done in the last 22 years.
My nieces Sehar, Anna, Mehak and Noor and my “surrogate” daughters Sarah Qazi and Hanaz Tariq who fill my world with immense happiness!
My dearest friends and “sisters of my heart”, who share their mutual love of Kashmiri culture with me: Nahida Nazir, Naheed Andrabi-Khan, Shaheen Parray, Humairah Rashid, Manejeh Yaqoob, Nazia Mushtaq, Naira Tariq, Naira Yaqoob, Sumaira Zaffar, Hina Kausar, Iram Zia, Rahat Sheikh and Samia Qazi for working with me off and on, in various capacities, over last 6 years and making sure Kashmir stays close to everyone’s heart. I thank you all for showering your love on me, stepping up whenever I ask for help and giving your full support to all my projects.
Kashmiri community in USA and Canada for selflessly working hard side by side with me, to promote Kashmiri culture and language in North America and for supporting all my earlier Kashmir related art, language and culture endeavors with such warmth and generosity!
I am thankful to all of you for your presence in my life. It is so much better and richer because of you!!