Romy Gill on poet Amrita Pritam
Chef Romy Gill celebrates a poet whose work was heavily influenced by Partition.
Great Lives · BBC Radio 4
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Show Notes
Chef Romy Gill remembers her Mother reading Amrita Pritam's poems to her when she was growing up. Romy was drawn to Amrita's fierce independent spirit and began to learn about her importance as a Panjabi writer whose work was heavily influenced by Partition, and in particular the experiences of women during this period.
Romy's joined by the poet Rupinder Kaur who performs extracts of Amrita's work and says her work and influence still resonates today.
Amrita Pritam's own voice is heard, speaking about the train journey she took after Partition when she and her family fled to safety in Delhi, inspiring her most famous work 'Ajj Akhan Waris Shah Nu'.
Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Toby Field