Pinjar  (Hindi, Undefined, Pritam Amrita)

Pinjar, written by Amrita Pritam, is set against the backdrop of Partition of India. This Hindi book was originally a 1950 Punjabi novel. It has been translated into several languages, including Khushwant Singh’s translation into English.

Summary of the Book

Puro, a Hindu girl, is kidnapped by Rashid, a Muslim boy. She somehow manages to return to her parents from Rashid’s home, but her parents refuse to accept her. They claim that her return might make Rashid’s clan slaughter them all, as his family has an ancestral rivalry with theirs. Puro returns to Rashid and she gradually develops affection towards him. The novel not only depicts the troubled times during the Partition, but also poignantly describes the battles a woman has to fight with the outside world and within herself. It highlights the state of Indian woman in rural areas as well. Pinjar was adapted into a major motion picture in Hindi, directed by Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi.

About Amrita Pritam

Amrita Pritam was an Indian poet and writer who wrote in Punjabi and Hindi. Even today, she is considered the first prominent woman Punjabi poet, essayist, and novelist. She became the first woman to be honoured with the Sahitya Akademi Award. She also won the Bharatiya Jnanpith, Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan awards. Some of her other works include: Sagar aur Seepian, Rang ka Patta, Dilli ki Galiyan, Yaatri, and Kore Kagaz, Unchas Din. Rasidi Ticket is her autobiography.