Punjab, the land of five rivers and the birth-place of one of the most ancient civilizations of the world namely the Indus Valley Civilization has always been on the forefront of India in matters of both material and spiritual cultures. Battles, books and grain have been hallmarks of the culture of Punjab throughout the ages. The oldest book of the world, the Rigveda, the most seminal treatises on grammar and mathematics were composed on this God-favoured land. The epical battle, The Mahabharata was fought on the heart of this land in which Lord Krishna delivered the famous Gita discourse to Arjuna.
Right from the day of Rigveda down to the present-day Punjab has upheld the tradition of robust kind of spirituality laced with the earthy smells, sounds and sights. Baba Farid, Guru Nanak and Sufi poets like Sultan Bahu, Bulle Shah and Waris Shah have nourished its high literary and spiritual tradition. The early twentieth century witnessed the two pioneers of modem poetry-Prof. Puran Singh and Bhai Vir Singh as heirs of this great tradition handed down from generations.
Amrita Pritam who started contributing to the great literary culture of Punjab in the late thirties has ever remained one of the most forceful voice of emancipation and freedom of the down-trodden, especially the women.
With over 100 books to her credit, not to speak of hundreds more in translations in Indian and foreign languages, Amrita Pritam has remained one of the prime shapers of the post-Partition sensibility not only of Punjab but of the whole of India. Her writings have won her a heady popularity and aplomb, here and abroad. Many awards have come her way. Many honours have been bestowed upon her. All this has not made her sit back. Her writing schedule has always been as hectic as it was thirty or fifty years ago. This has earned for her the reputation of becoming a legend in her own life-time.
Pathar Geete, her first literary work of not appeared in 1946.
We have decided against including any of her writing in this issue so that maximum space could be spared for those writings as throw useful and often interesting light on her person, life and work. Imroz was a helping hand throughout in our endeavour to reach at the write-ups and interviews that could tell the most and what was most important to us, to tell in style.
We thankfully acknowledge the contributing writers and the proprietors of periodicals in which these write-ups appeared originally.
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