Women And Partition : Reading Amrita Pritam’s Pinjar

Abstract

The issue of violence directed at women during the communal riots that ensued after the Partition of India in 1947 is the primary subject of discussion in this article.  The reading of the partition genocide from a gendered perspective makes it easier to have a conversation about the myriad forms of violence that targeted women and the symbolic meanings that underpinned these acts.  In her work "Pinjar," published in 1950, Amrita Pritam narrates the gendered experience of the grief and suffering caused by the partition of India. It highlights the predicament of women, their battle, and the anguish of the perpetrators of violence, whether in the name of culture, religion, or the standards of the community. The novel paints a realistic image of violence against women both during and after the partition. The novel might also be interpreted as a story about the powerlessness of women and the struggle of the individual to stay alive. Therefore, Pinjar is an effort to give a voice to this 'other' and their worries of displacement, marginalization, dual identity, and impotence in a culture that is male-oriented and patriarchal.  In addition to this, the research investigates the concept of the nation serving as a "mother" and the ideological consequences this concept has for female citizens.  When read in its entirety, the paper provides the opportunity for a more nuanced understanding of the ways in which religious and national pride have been used to govern or abuse the sexuality and bodily autonomy of women throughout history and even today. As a consequence of this, women are reduced to the status of mute objects and are deprived of their individual autonomy as well as authority over their bodies and lives.

Keywords - Indian Partition, Violence, Patriarchal, Marginalization, Genocide.