[sunita thakur]

The Truth - Her Life was an Open Book

The greatest aspect of Amrita's life was the way she embraced truth. She gave a new meaning to the expression "my life is an open book." Whatever she experienced, she recorded in her poems and novels - her legendary love for Sahir Ludhianvi, the famous Urdu poet, included. So many of her anecdotes revolved around her love for this man. Like the time her son came to her and said, "People say that I am Sahir Uncle's son." Imagine the inner courage and conviction of a woman who could reply, " I wish you were Sahir Uncle's son."


The Confidante - Imroz

However, it was with artist Imroz that she chose to make a home in Delhi. It was a relationship of rare understanding, and the companionship lasted over four decades. So, with the black rose in hand Neeru found herself at the gate of K-25, Hauz Khas, an address that was for long the Mecca for Punjabi writers. For 33 years, Amrita and Imroz ran a remarkable and very popular literary journal Nagmani.
Once Neeru had gone to her with a bunch of orange poppies. Happy to see her, she asked to be pushed up to sit, and lit up a cigarette. With a mischievous smile, Amrita asked, "So Neeru! Any new love affair?" Imroz, who walked in with the tea, said, "Of course! She must be in love. The bright colour of the flowers is telling the story."

Once Dwivedi dropped by at Amrita's home and found her laughing with gay abandon. The reason for her mirth was a visit from a journalist who said she wanted to talk about the love in Amrita Pritam's life. Do you know what Pritam told her? She said, "I've had many loves in my life, which one do you want to talk about?" Imagine the scribe's audacity that she could dare declare she meant the "Muslim one." And all Amrita Pritam said in reply was, "Why don't you first find out the name of the 'Muslim one' and then I'd be too happy to talk about my love for him." She never shied away from telling the truth.

Amrita's relationship with Imroz was fascinating. A man, so much younger than her, with whom she lived in the heart of middle-class Delhi and her children lived in the same apartment complex but a floor below hers.

Yeh mein hoon - yeh tu hai, aur beech mein hai sapna
(This is me and that is you and in the chasm is the dream.)

Amrita has had many more detractors than her admirers. She came in for sharp criticism , specially for her relationship with Sahir. Imroz was a different matter, who followed her as a shadow, a confidante, a dedicated friend, a candid critic.