Amrita Pritam: Shining words, golden verses
Mona
he was a poet and writer par excellence; on Amrita Pritam’s 101st birth anniversary, litterateurs from the region share their impressions of the author, who has remained hugely popular ever since she burst on to the literary scene with Amrit Lehran at the age of 16.
One-woman revolution
Amrita Pritam’s life had all the ingredients that every rebellious heart hangs on to, especially of those who grew up during the 60’s and 70’s. Her radical stance against the patriarchal system appealed to my subversive dreams. No flag-burning rhetoric accompanied her revolution. It was faith in her lifestyle choices, manifested in her poetry, which made her into a one-woman revolution!
In 1975, I accompanied a friend from Doordarshan, who was dramatising one of Amrita’s short stories for television. I entered her Hauz Khas home tentatively. My head was abuzz with stories of her passionate love for both the poet Sahir Ludhianvi and the painter Imroz. Those had certainly fuelled my romantic notions. The first sound that greeted me was the whirring of a giant cooler and a mid-afternoon darkness that makes one see everything in silhouettes, a play of shadow and light. The dim bulb illuminating the poems of Amrita, etched by Imroz on the lampshades, was an indication of his devotion. The silence in the house was soothing and measured.
Amrita was far ahead of her times, with her unflinching ideas on love and freedom. Her foray in literature started in Lahore, when the sixteen-year-old wrote her first anthology of poems Amrit Lehran (Immortal Waves) in 1936.
It was her poem on Partition, addressed to Waris Shah, which captured the imagination of people — Ajj aakhan Waris Shah nu, kiton qabran vichon bol. Her voice became the voice of millions of women, pleading with the poet Waris Shah to become a chronicler of the brutality inflicted on women during Partition.
— Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry, renowned theatreperson
Shining gem
Amrita Pritam was one woman who made a living solely through literary pursuits — be it her translation work or magazine or radio. She lived on her own terms. The magazine Nagmani, for which Imroz designed and drew, was one of its own kinds. She gave new poets a chance to get published. She would place her poems later, but showcase the work of new writers! While Ajj aakhan Waris Shah nu got her limelight, my favourite remain lines are from Sunehade — Mil gayi thi isme ik boond tere ishq ki/ is liye Maine Zindagi ki sari kadvahat piii li.
— Surjit Patar, noted author
Romance & rebellion
Amrita Pritam’s poems have been translated into many languages, including Tamil, English and Spanish. She was largely known for them, but her prose was as thought-provoking —Pinjar being one extraordinary creation. Kagaz Te Kanvas is my favourite anthology of poems by her. Her works fetched her every possible award —Bhartiya Jnanpith to Sahitya Akademi to Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan. Romance and rebellion go side-by-side in her works.
— Madhav Kaushik, author
She lived with passion
As young college-going girls, Amrita Pritam was our role model. We were awestruck by her. We subscribed to Nagmani and awaited every new issue with bated breath. That was our window not only to Amrita’s world, but also new writers. Pinjar and Doctor Dev are my favourites from among her works. On the day that Amrita Pritam died, I came across Dastavez — a collection of letters shared between Amrita and Imroz — and decided to translate them into English. One can feel the love and longing; there is this fire, a passion in how she lived and wrote.
— Arvinder Kaur, author
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