Daily Times

When I was in college, Amrita Pritam’s poetry work, ‘Naveen Rut (New Season) inspired me to write in my mother tongue, Punjabi. I had already read some Sufi poets of Punjabi language. However, the poetry of Amrita Ji impressed me a lot and besides Urdu and English, I started writing in Punjabi language too. My first book ‘Kanso Vele Dee’ hit the bookshelves in 1972 and I sent a copy to Amrita Ji.

When telecasts of Indian TV started to be watched in Pakistan and the channel started airing Indian films, there was much eagerness and people installed huge antennas to clearly watch the telecasts. I used to watch the Punjabi literary programme ‘Darpan’ that was presented by Amrita Ji with lot of interest. One day she commented on my book and said “This is very good poetry and the poems speak of a new sensibility and have given a new trend and shape to the Punjabi poetry and it has modernism and symbolism.” She also congratulated me through the television. I wrote her a letter of thanks stating, “It has encouraged me a lot that such a big poetess and writer liked my poetry so much and has made mention of it on the television.”

In reply, she wrote, “I got your book, I read and liked it and I express my views explicitly on everything I like.” Later, second book of my poetry ‘Vangaar’ got published and then my novel ‘Satt Gawache Log’ reached India.

Amrita Ji liked my novel so much that she often mentioned on television. Then I sent my next novels including ‘Ik mare bande de kahani’. My novel ‘Bandiwaan was banned, however, correspondence continued but that too was censored strictly. So whenever I went abroad, I used to write her letters and call her on telephone, which pleased her a lot. I came to know about Amrita Pritam after reading all her writings particularly her biography ‘Raseedi Ticket’ (Receipt Stamp) that was published in 1976 and its second part titled ‘Mein Jama Toon’.

Amrita Pritam had no double standards and used to mention everything in a straight way. She did not conceal anything, on the pretext of any diplomacy about her friends, life and her views with regard to literature. I think every true author should do the same

Raseedi Ticket stirred the literary circles and several people objected that she might have refrained from mentioning few points but I think there was nothing of this sort. In fact, she had no double standards and used to mention everything in a straight way. She did not conceal anything, on the pretext of any diplomacy about her friends, life and her views with regard to literature. I think every true author should do the same.

Amrita Ji’s poem ‘Aj aakhan Waris Shah noon kiton qabran vichon bol’ written on bloodshed at the partition of India in 1947 immortalised her in the Punjabi poetry. She was the first woman recipient of the Sahtiya AKademi Award on collection of her Punjabi poetry ‘Senehre’ and the title of Padma Shree in 1969. She received three Dlit degrees from Delhi, Jabalpur and Vishva Bharti universities in 1973 and 1983 respectively.

Amrita Pritam visited Moscow on the occasion of World Peace Congress in 1973. Earlier she visited Tashkent, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan on the invitation of Moscow Writers Union in 1961 and Bulgaria in 1966. She was sent to Yugoslavia, Hungary and Romania by the Indian government under the cultural exchange program in 1967. She mentioned details of these visits in ‘Raseedi Ticket’ but the award she received from Bulgaria in 1980 was very important.

When Bulgaria instituted an award in memory of its revolutionary poet Nikola Vaptsarov in 1979 and selected five writers from Russia, the United States, Italy, Poland and India for this award, Amrita Ji was selected from India. She received this award at a ceremony on October 16, 1980. In this speech on the occasion, the president of the award committee said, “We Bulgarian writers and people are happy that a prominent Indian writer and poetess is our friend. We published her writings in Bulgaria and love it because her poetry accepts struggle for social values and human welfare”.

Amrita Ji was given the symbol of liberty, an injured bird made of brass with wings spread skyward, and half of the award money in cash. She was honoured for attending the International Sofia Meeting of Writers attended by writers from 22 countries.

Amrita Ji was nominated for membership of Rajiya Sabha in 1986 and in 1987, I was in Holland when renowned Punjabi fiction writer, Ajeet Kor, invited me to attend a two-day Punjabi Kahani Conference in New Delhi. I reached her Hauz Khas home and stayed there for three days, which were the golden moments of my life. I discussed literature, politics and Sufism as well as Punjabi literature, literary figures with her and also exchanged views on Pakistan India relations.

She knew about ban on my Punjabi books during the rule of Gen Ziaul Haq. When I asked her to watch a drama based on my Punjabi novel ‘Bandiwan’ recorded in video, she astonishingly asked me how did you produced a drama on this novel despite ban on your books. I informed her that when Ziaul Haq allowed literary, cultural and political activities within walled enclosures, we screened this drama on the occasion of first World Punjabi Conference in 1986 at a house in Lahore. She said she had read the novel, so she knew how difficult production of a drama based on it would be as every character of the novel dropped from eyes as itching of a pain.

Next day, the Urdu writers hosted a reception for me from the platform of ‘Qalam Zad’ organisation. The reception was chaired by Urdu writer Qamar Raees. Amrita Ji was requested to be the chief guest. She agreed and while speaking about my poetry and novels, particularly ‘Bandiwan’ she said, “When Fakhar Zaman presents the character of ‘Z’ in his novel ‘Bandiwan’, ‘Z’ says he was murdered yesterday, being murdered today and will be murdered tomorrow, At the moment, I thought that Fakhar Zaman and I both are ‘Z’.

Amrita Ji’s poem Aj aakhan Waris Shah noon, kiton qabran vichon bol written on the bloodshed of the partition of India in 1947 immortalised her in the Punjabi poetry. She was the first woman recipient of the Sahtiya Akademi Award on collection of her Punjabi poetry ‘Senehre’ and the title of Padma Shree in 1969. She received three Dlit degrees from Delhi, Jabalpur and Vishva Bharti universities

I remember Firaq Gorakhpuri used to narrate that the issue of paradise and hell cropped up in literature when people, noted poets and writers filled their hearts with agonies of the masses and then groan for whole of their lives. The people who have nothing to do with masses give two names to the life: paradise that was for them and hell that was for the poets and writers.

Firaq Gorakhpuri stated, “Once, icy winds started blowing in the paradise and they started shivering and thought about getting a little fire from the hell. When they requested the dwellers of the hell to lend them some fire, they replied that there was no extra fire because everyone who came to the hell brought it with them.”

He also said that the same fire is burning in the hearts of poets and writers and no one else can share it and to get it, being a poet or writer is a must. He viewed that the fire of insight that is burning in the shape of Fakhar Zaman in today’s darkness and we all have come with the same fire in our hearts to welcome him.

Already prideful by sitting on the stage with a personality like Amrita Ji, it was a great honour for me.

I also went around Delhi along with Imroz and Amrita Ji and we used to sit in the evening exchanging views about some books and she would recite any new poem on my instance and would express her experiences and observations about Sufis, Rishis and dervishes. She showed two superb documentaries made on her. I spent three days there just like my own home, just like one stays with his parents. Amrita Ji used to prepare lunch and Imroz served it and would also prepare tea while some times I lent them a helping hand.

When I mentioned that she was not writing Punjabi poetry and started writing in Hindi, she said she had not written a lot of poetry and did so when felt to do so otherwise she did not make any conscious effort to pen down a poem. She said there is a large readership of Hindi, therefore, it is necessary to write in Hindi.

Amrita Pritam received honorary Dlit Degree from the Punjab University in 1987 and the French government also awarded her an honorary degree the same year while she received an honorary doctorate from SNDT University of Bombay, now Mumbai, in 1989 and Punjab Academy Delhi conferred Waris Shah Award on her in 1990. She gifted me her book about writers including myself. She wrote about the writers and their works. She also gave me a Hindi book in which a whole chapter was written on me. She also wrote a few articles in English language on me too. All this was an honor for me. Indeed, she was an extremely good person, great human being, large hearted promoter of peace, messenger of love and a very enlightened woman having progressive views.

Throughout Amrita Ji violated norms and revolted against traditions and this was the reason that she achieved great success in her life. She got a good friend and life partner as Imroz. She first met him in 1955 and befriended each other in 1960 before becoming Naah Mani and establishing a publication house.

This journal was launched in 1966 and was closed in 2004. Amrita Ji used to select material for the journal while Imroz was responsible for proof reading and sketch drawing. This magazine of high quality has been very popular and created a group that has been producing fine literature. Amrita Ji encouraged good writers and used to praise their writings. She never wrote foreword or preface of every book for her publicity.

When I invited her to visit Pakistan, she said her health was not good enough and would definitely visit Pakistan whenever she got an opportunity. It has always been my passionate desire to see her in Pakistan. Whenever I telephoned her, she attended it and talked to me affectionately. Whether I have been in Pakistan or abroad, I used to make a telephone call to her once a week to enquire about her well being. When Amrita Pritam slipped in bathroom in February 2000 and fractured her bone, she was 81. Fractured bone at this age is very troublesome. A two hour surgery took five hours and when she returned home hoping to walk yet once again, her foot started aching after a few days so she spent rest of her life on the bed since walking had become impossible for her.

Although she did not need any award, we announced to confer on her a Lifetime Achievement Award from the World Punjabi Congress in 2003 as a gesture. We prepared a shield for her and Mahmood Butt, a great painter, drew her picture. At the award ceremony the Punjabi writers, poets and intellectuals paid rich tributes to Amrita Ji.

A documentary on Amrita Ji produced by Basu Bhattacharya was also screened on the occasion. When I informed her on telephone about the award, Amrita Ji said it was a real pleasure for her because it was to be given to her in Pakistan but alas she could not visit the place where she was born, grew up, got married and gave birth to her two children, daughter Kundlan and son Noraj. They were born in Lahore where she spent 28 years of her life.

I will always be mournful that Amrita Ji could not visit Pakistan where I wanted to arrange a welcome for her in accordance with her status and prominence. She never promised to visit despite my repeated insistence and always used to say, “Well, I will see and will come if I felt to be in a good health”. But she did not visit Lahore and I will never be able to forget it.

The writer can be reached at worldpunjabicongress21@gmail.com

Published in Daily Times, November 1^st 2017.