Amrita Pritam (; 31 August 1919 – 31 October 2005) was an Indian novelist, essayist and poet, who wrote in Punjabi and

Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...

. A prominent figure in Punjabi literature, she is the recipient of the 1956 Sahitya Akademi Award. Her body of work comprised over 100 books of poetry, fiction, biographies, essays, a collection of Punjabi folk songs and an autobiography that were all translated into several Indian and foreign languages. Pritam is best remembered for her poignant poem, '' Ajj aakhaan Waris Shah nu'' (Today I invoke Waris Shah – "Ode to Waris Shah"), an elegy to the 18th-century Punjabi poet, and an expression of her anguish over massacres during the partition of British India. As a novelist, her most noted work was '' Pinjar'' ("The Skeleton", 1950), in which she created her memorable character, ''Puro'', an

epitome An epitome (; , from ἐπιτέμνειν ''epitemnein'' meaning "to cut short") is a summary or miniature form, or an instance that represents a larger reality, also used as a synonym for embodiment. Epitomacy represents "to the degree of." A ...

of violence against women, loss of humanity and ultimate surrender to existential fate; the novel was made into an award-winning film, '' Pinjar'' (2003). When

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...

was partitioned into the independent states of India and Pakistan in 1947, she migrated from

Lahore Lahore ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, and ...

to India, though she remained equally popular in Pakistan throughout her life, as compared to her contemporaries like Mohan Singh and Shiv Kumar Batalvi. Pritam's magnum opus, the long poem ''Sunehade'', won her the 1956 Sahitya Akademi Award, making her the first and the only woman to have been given the award for a work in Punjabi.Amrita Pritam
''Modern Indian Literature: an Anthology'', by K. M. George, Sahitya Akademi. 1992, .''945–947''. She received the Jnanpith Award, one of India's highest literary awards, in 1982 for ''Kagaz Te Canvas'' ("The Paper and the Canvas"). She was awarded the Padma Shri in 1969, and the Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian award, in 2004. In that same year she was honoured with India's highest literary award given by the Sahitya Akademi (India's Academy of Letters), the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, awarded to the ''"immortals of literature"'' for lifetime achievement.

Biography

Background

Amrita Pritam was born as Amrit Kaur in 1919 in modern-day district of Mandi Bahauddin, Punjab, in

into a Khatri

Sikh Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...

family.Amrita Pritam – Obituary
''

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'', 4 November 2005. She was the only child of Raj Bibi, a school teacher, and Kartar Singh Hitkari, a poet and a scholar of the Braj Bhasha language, and the editor of a literary journal. Besides this, he was a ''pracharak'' – a preacher of the Sikh faith. Amrita's mother died when she was eleven. Soon after, she and her father moved to

, where she lived till her migration to India in 1947. Confronting adult responsibilities and besieged by loneliness following her mother's death, she began to write at an early age. Her first anthology of poems, ''Amrit Lehran'' ("Immortal Waves") was published in 1936, at age sixteen, the year she married Pritam Singh, an editor to whom she was engaged in early childhood and changed her name from Amrit Kaur to Amrita Pritam. Half a dozen collections of poems followed between 1936 and 1943. Though she began her journey as a romantic poet, she soon shifted gears, and became part of the Progressive Writers' Movement. The effect was seen in her collection, ''Lok Peed'' ("People's Anguish", 1944), which openly criticised the war-torn economy after the Bengal famine of 1943. She was also involved in social work to a certain extent, and participated in such activities wholeheartedly after Independence, when social activist Guru Radha Kishan took the initiative to bring the first Janta Library in Delhi. This was inaugurated by Balraj Sahni and Aruna Asaf Ali, and she contributed to the occasion. This study centre cum library is still running at Clock Tower, Delhi. She also worked at a radio station in

for a while, before the partition of India. M. S. Sathyu, the director of the partition movie '' Garam Hava'' (1973), paid a theatrical tribute to her through his performance 'Ek Thee Amrita'.

Partition of India

One million people,

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

Sikhs Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Sikh'' ...

and

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died from communal violence that followed the partition of India in 1947, and left Amrita Pritam a Punjabi refugee at age 28, when she left

and moved to New Delhi. Subsequently, in 1947, while she was pregnant with her son, and traveling from Dehradun to

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...

, she expressed anguish on a piece of paper like the poem, " Ajj Aakhaan Waris Shah Nu" (I ask Waris Shah Today); this poem was to later immortalize her and become the most poignant reminder of the horrors of Partition. The poem was addressed to the Sufi poet Waris Shah, author of the tragic saga of Heer and Ranjah and with whom she shares her birthplace. Amrita Pritam worked until 1961 in the Punjabi service of

All India Radio All India Radio (AIR), also known as Akashvani (), is India's state-owned public broadcasting, public radio broadcaster. Founded in 1936, it operates under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India), Ministry of Information and Broa ...

, Delhi. After her divorce in 1960, her work became more feminist. Many of her stories and poems drew on the unhappy experience of her marriage. A number of her works have been translated into English, French, Danish, Japanese, Mandarin, and other languages from Punjabi and

Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...

, including her autobiographical works ''Black Rose'' and ''Rasidi Ticket'' (Revenue Stamp). The first of Amrita Pritam's books to be filmed was ''Dharti Sagar te Sippiyan'', as ''Kadambari'' (1975), followed by ''Unah Di Kahani'', as ''Daaku'' ( Dacoit, 1976), directed by Basu Bhattacharya. Her novel '' Pinjar'' (The Skeleton, 1950) narrates the story of partition riots along with the crisis of women who suffered during the times. It was made into an award-winning Hindi movie by Chandra Prakash Dwivedi, because of its

humanism Humanism is a philosophy, philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential, and Agency (philosophy), agency of human beings, whom it considers the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The me ...

: "''Amritaji has portrayed the suffering of people of both the countries''." ''Pinjar'' was shot in a border region of

Rajasthan Rajasthan (; Literal translation, lit. 'Land of Kings') is a States and union territories of India, state in northwestern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the List of states and union territories of ...

and Punjab. She edited '' Nagmani'', a monthly literary magazine in Punjabi for several years, which she ran together with Imroz, for 33 years; though after Partition she wrote prolifically in Hindi as well. Later in life, she turned to Osho and wrote introductions for several books of Osho, including ''Ek Onkar Satnam'', and also started writing on spiritual themes and dreams, producing works like ''Kaal Chetna'' ("Time Consciousness") and ''Agyat Ka Nimantran'' ("Call of the Unknown"). She had also published autobiographies, titled, ''Kala Gulab'' ("Black Rose", 1968), ''Rasidi Ticket'' ("The Revenue Stamp", 1976), and ''Aksharon kay Saayee'' ("Shadows of Words").Amrita Pritam
''Women Writing in India: 600 B.C. to the Present'', by Susie J. Tharu, Ke Lalita, published by Feminist Press, 1991. . ''Page 160-163''.

Awards and honors

Amrita was the first recipient of Punjab Rattan Award conferred upon her by Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh. She was the first female recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1956 for ''Sunehadey'' (poetic diminutive of the Punjabi word "ਸੁਨੇਹੇ" (Sunehe), ''Messages''), Amrita Pritam received the Bhartiya Jnanpith Award, India's highest literary award, in 1982 for ''Kagaj te Canvas (Paper and Canvas).'' She received the Padma Shri (1969) and Padma Vibhushan (2004), India's second highest civilian award, and Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, India's highest literary award, also in 2004. She received D.Litt. honorary degrees, from many universities including, Delhi University (1973), Jabalpur University (1973) and Vishwa Bharati (1987). She also received the international Vaptsarov Award from the Republic of

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(1979) and Degree of Officer dens, Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Officier) by the French Government (1987).Amrita Pritam, The Black Rose
by Vijay Kumar Sunwani, Language in India, Volume 5: 12 December 2005. She was nominated as a member of

Rajya Sabha Rajya Sabha (Council of States) is the upper house of the Parliament of India and functions as the institutional representation of India’s federal units — the states and union territories.https://rajyasabha.nic.in/ It is a key component o ...

1986–92. Towards the end of her life, she was awarded by Pakistan's Punjabi Academy, to which she had remarked, ''Bade dino baad mere maike ko meri yaad aayi..'' (My motherland has remembered me after a long time); and also Punjabi poets of Pakistan, sent her a chaddar, from the tombs of Waris Shah, and fellow Sufi mystic poets Bulle Shah and Sultan Bahu.

Personal life

In 1935, Amrita married Pritam Singh, son of a hosiery merchant of Lahore's

Anarkali bazaar Anarkali Bazaar (Punjabi language, Punjabi, ) is a major bazaar in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab, Pakistan. Anarkali also serves as a neighbourhood and union council of Data Gunj Buksh Town, Data Gunj Buksh Tehsil of Lahore. It is situated in ...

. They had two children together, a son and a daughter. She had an unrequited affection for poet Sahir Ludhianvi. The story of this love is depicted in her autobiography, ''Rasidi Ticket'' (Revenue Stamp). When another woman, singer Sudha Malhotra came into Sahir's life, Amrita found solace in the companionship of the artist and writer Inderjeet Imroz. She spent the last forty years of her life with Imroz, who also designed most of her book covers and made her the subject of several of his paintings. Their life together is also the subject of a book, ''Amrita Imroz: A Love Story''. She died in her sleep on 31 October 2005 at the age of 86 in New Delhi, after battling a long illness. She was survived by her partner Imroz, daughter Kandlla, son Navraj Kwatra, daughter-in-law Alka, and her grandchildren, Kartik, Noor, Aman and Shilpi. Navraj Kwatra was found murdered in his Borivali apartment in 2012. Three men were accused of the murder but were acquitted due to lack of evidence.

Legacy

In 2007, an audio album titled, 'Amrita recited by Gulzar' was released by noted lyricist Gulzar, with poems of Amrita Pritam recited by him. A film on her life is also in production. On 31 August 2019,

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honoured her by commemorating her 100th birth anniversary with a Doodle. The accompanying write-up read, "Today’s Doodle celebrates Amrita Pritam, one of history’s foremost female Punjabi writers, who 'dared to live the life she imagines.' Born in Gujranwala, British India, 100 years ago today, Pritam published her first collection of verse at the age of 16."

Bibliography

;Novels * '' Pinjar'' * ''Doctor Dev'' * ''Kore Kagaz, Unchas Din'' * ''Dharti, Sagar aur Seepian'' * ''Rang ka Patta'' * ''Dilli ki Galiyan'' * ''Terahwan Suraj'' * ''Yaatri'' * ''Jilavatan'' (1968) * ''Hardatt Ka Zindaginama '' ;Autobiographies * ''Black Rose'' (1968) * ''Rasidi Ticket'' (1976) * ''Shadows of Words'' (2004) Short stories * ''Kahaniyan jo Kahaniyan Nahi'' * ''Kahaniyon ke Angan mein'' * ''Stench of Kerosene'' ;Poetry anthologies * ''Amrit Lehran'' (Immortal Waves)(1936) * ''Jiunda Jiwan'' (The Exuberant Life) (1939) * ''Trel Dhote Phul'' (1942) * ''O Gitan Valia'' (1942) * ''Badlam De Laali'' (1943) * ''Sanjh de laali'' (1943) * ''Lok Peera'' (The People's Anguish) (1944) * ''Pathar Geetey'' (The Pebbles) (1946) * ''Punjab Di Aawaaz'' (1952) * ''Sunehade'' (Messages) (1955) – Sahitya Akademi Award * ''Ashoka Cheti'' (1957) * ''Kasturi'' (1957) * ''Nagmani'' (1964) * ''Ik Si Anita'' (1964) * ''Chak Nambar Chatti'' (1964) * ''Uninja Din'' (49 Days) (1979) * ''Kagaz Te Kanvas'' (1981)- Bhartiya Jnanpith * ''Chuni Huyee Kavitayen'' * ''Ek Baat'' ;Literary journals * ''Nagmani'', poetry monthly

References

External links

Amrita Pritam at Gadya Kosh
(her prose work in Devanagari script)
Amrita Pritam and her Works at ''South Asian Women's Network'' (Sawnet)Amrita Pritam 1919-2005-a tribute by Raza RumiAmrita Pritam talking about Partition and violence against women
2009-10-25)
Amrita Pritam , Kavishala Sootradhar
;Video links * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Pritam, Amrita 1919 births 2005 deaths Indian feminist writers Indian women novelists Indian women poets Indian autobiographers Indian women non-fiction writers Poets from Lahore Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Punjabi Recipients of the Jnanpith Award Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan in literature & education Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship Punjabi Sikhs Indian feminists Punjabi-language poets Punjabi-language writers Hindi-language writers Nominated members of the Rajya Sabha Writers from Delhi Indian magazine editors Officiers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Sikh feminists Sikh writers Women autobiographers People from Gujranwala 20th-century Indian poets 20th-century Indian novelists 20th-century Indian women writers 20th-century Indian essayists Indian women essayists Women writers from Delhi Rajneesh movement Indian women magazine editors Women members of the Rajya Sabha Writers from Lahore People from Punjab Province (British India)