By Laman Ismayilova

Xurshidbanu Natavan's works have been translated into Uzbek language, Azernews reports.

The book contains poems by the great poetess both in Azerbaijani and Uzbek languages and her drawings.

The publication was translated into Uzbek by the poetess Shahla Gasimova at the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Culture Center in Tashkent.

Director of the Heydar Aliyev Culture Center in Uzbekistan Samir Abbasov, director of the National Museum of Azerbaijani Literature, Academician Rafael Huseynov, Uzbek poetess, editor-in-chief of Kitob dunyosi newspaper, Khosiyat Rustam addressed the book presentation held within the 8th Baku International Book Fair.

It was brought to the attention that the book's foreword was written by academician Rafael Huseynov and published on the occasion of the Year of Shusha in Azerbaijan.

Xurshidbanu Natavan became popular through her relationship-themed ghazals and rubaiyat. Kindness, friendship, humanism, and love were the main themes of Natavan's ghazals.

Her romantic poems express the feelings and sufferings of a woman who was not happy in her family life and who lost her son. She adopted the pen name Natavan, a Persian term meaning 'powerless', after her son's tragic death in 1885.

Some of her known poems are 'To My Son, Abbas', 'Lilac', and 'Beloved One', which are still used in folk songs.

In addition to poetry, Natavan was also engaged in painting. She was exceptionally good at pencil sketching and attractive embroidery as well. Her landscape sketches were the first-of-a-kind in European style in Azerbaijani art, which perfectly combined the concepts of the Western and Oriental art forms. Her embroidery works were regarded as masterpieces.

After her father's death, she was closely engaged in philanthropy, promoting the social and cultural development of Karabakh.

Even though she took over the Karabakh khanate at the young age of 13, Natavan successfully established her literary career and managed the responsibilities of developing her native city, Shusha.

She did a lot for the welfare of people, including building a water pipeline, opening schools, and building hospitals.

Prominent for her charity and social activity, Natavan was the first to provide her home city Shusha with drinking water.

Among her deeds was a water pipeline that was first laid down in Shusha in 1883, thus solving the water problem of the townsfolk.

Moreover, she also did a lot for the development and popularization of the famous breed of Karabakh horses. Karabakh horses from Natavan's stud were known as the best in Azerbaijan. In an international show in Paris in 1867, a Karabakh horse Khan from Natavan's stud received a silver medal.

The daughter of the khan was also active in sponsoring one of the first literary societies. She established the first literary society in Shusha and went on to sponsor several more across the country. Majlis-I Uns (Society of Friends) became a renowned poetic circle in Karabakh.

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