Google celebrates birth centenary of poet Amrita Pritam with special doodle
New Delhi: Internet giant Google on Saturday marked the 100th birth anniversary of celebrated poet and author Amrita Pritam with a special doodle tribute that had a touch of Punjabi culture.
Pritam, one of the most prominent writers and poets of the 20th century, is best remembered for her Punjabi poem 'Ajj aakhaan Waris Shah nu' ('Ode to Warish Shah'), which poignantly captures her anguish over the massacres during the Partition in 1947.
Born on August 31, 1919 in Gujranwala (now in Pakistan) of Punjab province in undivided India, she migrated to India after the Partition.
In the doodle, the poet-author is seen wearing a traditional Punjabi salwar suit, sitting beside a bunch of roses, as she pens something in a diary.
In 'Ode to Warish Shah', an 18th century poet, she captures the pangs and pains of people and the country being cleaved, and one of the moving lines from the poem reads -- "Arise, o friend of the afflicted; arise and see the state of Punjab, Corpses strewn on fields, and the Chenaab flowing with much blood".
Among her plethora of novels, 'Pinjar' (The Skeleton), written against the backdrop of the Partition, is considered to be one of the best literatures written on the subject, with a memorable character 'Puro'.
The novel was later adapted into an award-winning film 'Pinjar' in 2003. In 1947 at the time of the Partition she moved to New Delhi, where she began to write in Hindi, according to the website of SAWNET (South Asian Women's Network).
A number of her works have been translated into English, including her autobiographical works "Black Rose" and "Rasidi Ticket" ('Revenue Stamp'), it said.
She became a published writer in 1936, when she was barely 17 years old. And, she joined the Progressive Writers' Movement to inspire people through her literary works.
Pritam received Sahitya Akademi award and Padma Vibhushan, among many other accolades for here literary contribution, according to Culture India website.
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UDF will have huge win in Kerala, NDA won't open its account: Cong leader Satheesan
Kochi (PTI): Senior Congress leader V D Satheesan on Friday expressed confidence in a huge win by the UDF, claiming it will make a clean sweep in five districts, and brushed aside speculations that the NDA will open its account in Kerala.
Satheesan, speaking to reporters here a day after the conclusion of the Assembly polls, praised the performance of the UDF leaders and workers during the election, saying it was the best ever he has seen in the last 30 years.
He said that his claims of the UDF getting over 100 seats is not a mere statement, but based on the work the front has done during the last five years to bring back all those who had left it in 2005 and as a result, there was a huge wave in its favour in the state.
The leader of opposition in the state assembly, who contested from the Paravoor constituency, further said that the Congress-led front also had a major social backing from minorities and marginalised groups in the society.
Besides that, there was an anti-incumbency feeling among the people who were disappointed with the LDF rule, he claimed and said that the UDF provided them with a hope and an alternative which no other opposition had done in the past.
"All these factors will contribute to a huge win for the UDF and it would not be surprising if we make a clean sweep in Malappuram, Wayanad, Ernakulam, Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts. That is a total of 43 seats," he said.
According to him, the polling percentage increased because the UDF got people added to the electoral list.
He also brushed aside the LDF remarks about a woman or youth CM, saying that "they can make such statements now as they know they cannot win".
"Otherwise, why did they campaign with Pinarayi Vijayan as the main factor. Why did they say a third Pinarayi rule will come?" he asked.
He also claimed that the LDF's decision to spend government money on its political campaign, by putting up hoardings and carrying out social media programmes to sway voters, has also backfired as people realised that their taxes were being wasted like that.
Asked whether the NDA will open its account, especially in areas where the UDF claimed the BJP-led front had made a deal with the LDF, Satheesan replied in the negative.
He said that as of now he does not see any chance of the NDA opening its account in the state.
