Anthology assimilates Amrita Pritams body of works
New Delhi Oct 28 PTI A new anthology assimilates varied genres of Amrita Pritams writing with the works in this collection handpicked by the illustrious litterateur before her demiseThe Ninth Flower Best of Amrita Pritam transcreated from Hindi by author-biographer Jyoti Sabharwal is brought out by Stellar Publishers to mark her 16th death anniversaryThe collection is also inclusive of some of her hitherto unpublished works that she entrusted to Sabharwal one morning in mid-2004Though frail and ailing she seemed to be charged about something I noticed a pile of books by her side on the bed She pushed this pile towards me and said with that familiar smile Take my work forward Translate these selected works that Ive handpicked for you Try and accomplish it while I am still around Sabharwal recallsPritam had chosen for the collection what she thought was the best among the litany of all her genres – novelettes poems short stories introspective essays and orations – and also proposed the title The Ninth FlowerAgony and ecstasy are two frenetic states of a mystical spirit and Pritam infused that spirit in her poetic prose and verses A creative genius a legend in her lifetime she touched the heart and soul of bibliophiles with reflective allusions to mythology and history and also delved in the metaphysical sphere with parables and similesBe it the resonance of romantic poetry and longing the heart-rending tales of Partition or contemplative essays her ingenious artistry of words and imagery converged in the spiritual realmThis confluence was facilitated by her vision as a quintessential Sufi seeking cosmic amalgamation in the stream of consciousnessAs she wrote incessantly her virtuosity surpassed these epithets – the Grande Dame of Punjabi literature – the Prima Donna of contemporary rebelsHer works have been translated in over 30 regional and foreign languages But her literary luminosity transcended all the national and international laurels conferred on her – be it the Padma Shri Padma Vibhushan Bharatiya Jnanpith Award Vaptsarov Award and Order of Saints Cyril Methodius Bulgaria Ordre des Arts et des Lettres France nomination to Rajya Sabha the first woman poet to have been bestowed the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1956 as also Sahitya Akademi Fellowship for lifetime achievement – for her ultimate desire was to offer an incisive insight into her inner worldThe book has a foreword by former diplomat and Sahitya Akademi Award winner M MukundanThis is a cohesive and compelling work on Amrita Pritam – a godsend tome for those who love to engage with her mind he writesThe book is slated for release early next month PTI ZMN RDS RDS
New Delhi Oct 28 PTI A new anthology assimilates varied genres of Amrita Pritams writing with the works in this collection handpicked by the illustrious litterateur before her demiseThe Ninth Flower Best of Amrita Pritam transcreated from Hindi by author-biographer Jyoti Sabharwal is brought out by Stellar Publishers to mark her 16th death anniversaryThe collection is also inclusive of some of her hitherto unpublished works that she entrusted to Sabharwal one morning in mid-2004Though frail and ailing she seemed to be charged about something I noticed a pile of books by her side on the bed She pushed this pile towards me and said with that familiar smile Take my work forward Translate these selected works that Ive handpicked for you Try and accomplish it while I am still around Sabharwal recallsPritam had chosen for the collection what she thought was the best among the litany of all her genres – novelettes poems short stories introspective essays and orations – and also proposed the title The Ninth FlowerAgony and ecstasy are two frenetic states of a mystical spirit and Pritam infused that spirit in her poetic prose and verses A creative genius a legend in her lifetime she touched the heart and soul of bibliophiles with reflective allusions to mythology and history and also delved in the metaphysical sphere with parables and similesBe it the resonance of romantic poetry and longing the heart-rending tales of Partition or contemplative essays her ingenious artistry of words and imagery converged in the spiritual realmThis confluence was facilitated by her vision as a quintessential Sufi seeking cosmic amalgamation in the stream of consciousnessAs she wrote incessantly her virtuosity surpassed these epithets – the Grande Dame of Punjabi literature – the Prima Donna of contemporary rebelsHer works have been translated in over 30 regional and foreign languages But her literary luminosity transcended all the national and international laurels conferred on her – be it the Padma Shri Padma Vibhushan Bharatiya Jnanpith Award Vaptsarov Award and Order of Saints Cyril Methodius Bulgaria Ordre des Arts et des Lettres France nomination to Rajya Sabha the first woman poet to have been bestowed the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1956 as also Sahitya Akademi Fellowship for lifetime achievement – for her ultimate desire was to offer an incisive insight into her inner worldThe book has a foreword by former diplomat and Sahitya Akademi Award winner M MukundanThis is a cohesive and compelling work on Amrita Pritam – a godsend tome for those who love to engage with her mind he writesThe book is slated for release early next month PTI ZMN RDS RDS
