Amrita Pritam – Feminist poet who inspires you

During the times of partition of our country, amid the patriarchal society, a spectacular writer rose who was way ahead of her time. Amrita Pritam, a revolutionary figure in the history of feminism and modern literature of India, dealt with the shackles of stereotypes in the twentieth century when society was not very modern. An embodiment of courage, freedom, love, and strength, Amrita turned pages for the women at that time. This fierce lady paved a path for other women and inspired them to express themselves. She was a trailblazer who portrayed women as individuals, more than the titles of simply being someone’s mother or wife, which they were confined to. Let’s delve into the interesting life story of this inspiring poet.  

Early Life 

Amrita Pritam (birth name: Amrita Kaur) was born in Lahore, Punjab, on 31^st August 1919 to a Khatri Sikh couple. Her father, Kartar Singh Hitkari, was a spiritual poet, and her mother, Raj Bibi, was a schoolteacher. Kartar Singh was also a Braj Bhasha scholar and a literary journal editor.   

Her father greatly influenced her interest in poetry and literature. At the age of 8, she helped her father compose poetry.   

As she grew up and dealt with grief and loneliness, along with the early responsibilities of the household, she became emotionally mature at a very early age and started writing. She released her first anthology of poems, Amrit Lehran (Immortal Waves), in 1936, just when she was 16. This anthology, a collection of her early works, was a significant milestone in her literary journey, showcasing her talent and potential as a poet.   

In the same year, Amrita married an editor, Pritam Singh, whom she had been engaged to in childhood. After marriage, she officially changed her name from Amrita Kaur to Amrita Pritam.  

Finding first love amid unhappy marriage life

Amrita’s marriage to Pritam Singh was an arranged marriage. Longing for real connection and love, she found that such true feelings of connection do not exist between her and her husband. She felt emotionally disconnected from him; their interests did not quite align. It was an unhappy marriage; Amrita expressed her emotional turmoil and loneliness through her poems during the times of her marriage life, infusing them with the intense emotions she experienced.  

In 1947, Amrita moved to India with her family. Facing the horrors of partition, she wrote the renowned poem “Ajj Aakhaan Waris Shah Nu” (I call upon Waris Shah). This powerful poem vividly captures the violence and struggle people faced during that time. It stands as a testament to the power of literature in preserving historical events.   

She joined the Progressive Writer’s Movement in the 1940s, where she met Sahir Ludhianvi, an Urdu poet and lyricist. Sahir’s love and passion for poems caught Amrita’s attention. She was very impressed by his poems and admired his work even before she met him. Amid the emotional chaos of her unhappy and dissatisfied married life, she found herself falling for Sahir. They shared the same love for poetry and writing, which fostered their emotional connection. Both wrote poems about love, freedom, and social issues. Their bond deepened, and soon, they shared romantic feelings for each other.  

But Sahir did not want to commit to Amrita and also had relationships with other women. On the other hand, Amrita needed a partner and a stable relationship. Due to their religious and cultural differences, Sahir’s mother disapproved of their marriage. For these reasons, they separated. Both wrote poems expressing their love for each other, even after their separation. In the poem “Cigarette,” she wrote about how smoking cigarettes reminded her of Sahir, which was considered a taboo in Sikhism.  

Breaking the stereotypes: live-in relationship in the twentieth century 

Amrita had to leave Sahir, but she never stopped loving him. She met Imroz, a renowned painter at All India Radio, Delhi, where she was recording her poetry, who was, in fact, a friend of Sahir’s as well. He had been secretly in love with Amrita for a long time. He confessed his feelings to Amrita, but Amrita deeply loved Sahir, who then had an affair with singer Sudha Malhotra. Imroz never had any hate towards Amrita’s love for Sahir. In fact, when she used to sit behind Imroz on the scooter, she would write Sahir on his back with her fingers. He never despised that; his feelings did not change because his love was true. Both started living together, bought a house, and moved in together after some time. They raised Amrita’s kids together, and Imroz would call her children ‘our children.’ The love between them was unconditional and pure. Amrita never married Imroz but lived with him for over 40 years. At that time, when the idea of a live-in relationship was considered a big deal and a defamatory concept, Amrita did not care about societal stereotypes; she did not bind herself to societal rules or stereotypes.

Revolutionizing the society

Amrita Pritam was a very open-minded woman, a true feminist who lived a very radical life. She lived for herself, unlike most women of that time. She wrote about sensitive topics challenging the system of our society. Her poems and writings were based on love, a woman’s freedom, gender equality, awareness, loss and grief, stereotypes, and societal issues. She wrote poems, novels, and essays in Punjabi and Hindi. She even composed poems on topics that are still considered taboo, such as marital rape; her famous poem called “Kunwari,” meaning virgin, depicts how losing virginity to a bride on the first night is painful and traumatic. The lyrics of this poem are compelling and soul-touching.  

Translated by Khushwant Singh from Punjabi to English, the poem describes the trauma and mental state of a newlywed bride after losing her virginity for the first time.  

Amrita Pritam revolutionized society with her powerful words. Her contemporary themes, poems, and novels on complex issues became famous all over the country. She won many awards and was soon recognized internationally. 

Awards

In 1956, Amrita Pritam became the first woman to win the Sahitya Akademi Award for her poem ‘Sunehade’ (Messages).  

She received the honorable Padma Shri award in 1969. 

Pritam was awarded Bharatiya Jnanpith Award in 1982 for “Kagaz te Canvas” (Paper and Canvas). 

She also received the Padma Vibhushan Award in 2004, which is the second-highest civilian award in India.  

She was awarded the Sahitya Akademi fellowship for her lifetime achievement in 2004. 

Amrita even received awards from France and Bulgaria for her work. In 1979, the Republic of Bulgaria awarded her the Vaptsarov Award, the French government awarded her the Degree of Officer Dens in 1987, and the La Route des Indes Literary Prize in 2005 for her novel The Skeleton. 

Conclusion

Amrita Pritam is a Punjabi writer and poet. Known for her radical lifestyle and immense contribution to modern literature, she is a prominent figure in post-independent modern India. Amrita is a fearless, opinionated, courageous woman who inspires us all. She touched on various topics back then that are considered taboos even today. Amrita married according to the virtues of societal norms but soon realized there was no emotional connection between her and her husband. She found love in Sahir but lost him, which did not sabotage her true feelings for him. She lived with Imroz, her friend or, we can say, soulmate, for over 40 years without marrying him. Amrita lived on her own terms and inspired millions of others to do the same. Sadly, she passed away in her sleep on 31^st October 2005 at the age of 86 after fighting a prolonged illness. She lives through her legendary poems and novels and is remembered for her contemporary literature and interesting life story and lifestyle.