Love: a gentle breeze that caresses the soul, a soft whisper that echoes, making hearts whole. A tender touch that ignites a burning fire, melting fears, and soothing every desire. A feeling that is so straightforward, yet complex, a sensation so clear to inspect, yet hard to perfect.
What is love? The question leaves me on the way to an unending quest.
History has produced multiple lovers whose stories continue to endure the test of time, but in this battle against the ticking hearts, a love story remains forgotten – the tale of Amrita Pritam and Imroz's timeless love.
This story is a legendary tale of passion, intense infatuation, and devotion that transcended societal norms and conventions. Amrita Pritam, a renowned Punjabi writer and poet, and Imroz, a talented artist and illustrator, shared a love that lasted for over four decades, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of people.
Amrita's Life
At the age of 16, Amrita was married to Pritam Singh, hence the name Amrita Pritam. However, soon into the marriage, the couple realised that they were not meant for each other but decided to keep their marriage intact for they could not bear to oppose the societal expectations of a marriage. Both Amrita and Pritam continued to pursue their professional interests despite living in an unhappy and loveless commitment. Although little is known about Pritam Singh's future endeavours, Amrita Pritam followed her artistic instincts and would often attend various “Mushairas” or poetic symposia.
It was during one of these conferences that she met Sahir Ludhianvi who went on to become one of the greatest lyricists and poets of 20th-century India. Amrita and Sahir would exchange hesitant glances at first, applauding and adoring each others' poetry. Soon the closeness between them turned into love and despite being married, Amrita displayed no remorse in confessing her desire for Sahir. They would only meet during poetry conferences and would express their romantic interests secretly through their poems and couplets.
In 1947, India broke free from colonial rule. Due to the partition, Amrita settled in Delhi (a part of the newly formed dominion of India) and Sahir landed in Bombay (present-day Mumbai). Sahir Ludianvi established himself in Bollywood, writing songs and scripts for Hindi movies.
Amrita and Sahir continued meeting but probably Amrita's stars had destined her to never receive love because Sahir refused to publicly claim their relationship. Due to the barrier of religion, Sahir's mother never accepted Amrita and did not allow the two of them to get married.
Amrita and Imroz: The Meeting
When Amrita authored the book “Akhri Khat” which translates to “The Last Letter”, she was desperately in quest of an artist who could design the cover of her book. It was then that she met Inderjeet or as the world famously knows him "Imroz". Imroz was an admirer of Amrita's work and often found himself drowning in the depths of the poetess's work.
The two used to meet quite frequently while working on Amrita's book and gradually Imroz was completely in love with her. Amrita's brutal refusal to reciprocate his love did not move Imroz's mad devotion for her, it only made him fall in love with her even more. Imroz would watch Amrita waiting to catch a bus when she worked for All India Radio, but it bothered him.
At that point in time Imroz was in possession of a downtrodden bicycle and he decided to sell it. For the next four months, Imroz toiled hard and finally bought a second-hand scooter. He would then drop Amrita off to work. Her colleagues at the All India Radio referred to him as Amrita's driver but that was the least of his worries. Imroz was happy to be associated with Amrita.
Arvind Jain from Wikimedia Commons
Sitting behind him, she would trace Sahir’s name on his back with her bare fingers. “How he bore the weight of these words on his back I do not know. I only knew he accepted me, my madness,” Amrita wrote in her autobiography
In the following years Amrita and Imroz started a live-in relationship. Amrita faced criticism and ostracism from some quarters for her unconventional relationship, while Imroz struggled with his own demons, including a tumultuous childhood and personal losses. Yet, through it all, their love for each other remained a constant source of strength and inspiration.
When Amrita met an accident and injured her hip girdle, Imroz cared for and provided for her. Till the moment Amrita passed away on 31st October 2005, Imroz supported her. During the last few years of her life, Amrita wrote a poem for Imroz: “Aapa Pher Milaage” which means we will meet again. This particular piece of poetry is one of the most loved and appreciated literary works of Punjabi literature. It is an acknowledgement of Imroz's selfless and undying love.
An Ode to Love
A writer once asked Imroz if he was ever jealous of Sahir. “Not at all,” he said. “A person who is loved by Amrita is dear to me, too. That is why you will see a picture of Sahir in my room.” Imroz took his last breath on 22nd December, 2023 at the age of 97.
In a world of “situationships” and “unserious” love interests, Imroz's endearment and idolisation are a true testament to the transformative power of love. His unrelenting ardour is inspirational and one cannot help but empathise with this fierce lover and his eternal love. The passing away of Imroz is the end of an “era and a poetic dream”.
It marked the end of a devoted lover and his passionate love. Like “Romeo and Juliet”, “Imroz and Amrita” deserve a position in the lingering legacy of love.
