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मेरी प्रिय कहानियाँ [Meri Priya Kahaniyaan]
This ebook is from Rajpal and Sons, a 103 year-old publishing house headquartered in Delhi. Rajpal and Sons publishes books in English and Hindi languages, in non-fiction, fiction, classic and contemporary literature, and children categories.
132 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 18, 2014
240 people are currently reading
370 people want to read
About the author
Amrita Pritam
370 books467 followersAmrita Pritam (Punjabi: ਅਮ੍ਰਿਤਾ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਮ, امرتا پریتم ) was considered the first prominent woman Punjabi poet, novelist, and essayist. She was the leading 20th-century poet of the Punjabi language, who is equally loved on both the sides of the India-Pakistan border. With a career spanning over six decades, she produced over 100 books, of poetry, fiction, biographies, essays, a collection of Punjabi folk songs and an autobiography that were translated into several Indian and foreign languages.
She is most remembered for her poignant poem, Aj Aakhaan Waris Shah Nu (Today I invoke Waris Shah - "Ode to Waris Shah"), an elegy to the 18th-century Punjabi poet in which she expressed her anguish over massacres during the partition of India in 1947. As a novelist, her most noted work was Pinjar (The Skeleton) (1950), in which she created her memorable character, Puro and depicted loss of humanity and ultimate surrender to existential fate. The novel was made into an award-winning eponymous film in 2003.
When British India was partitioned into the independent states of India and Pakistan in 1947, she migrated from Lahore to India, though she remained equally popular in Pakistan throughout her life, as compared to her contemporaries like Mohan Singh and Shiv Kumar Batalvi.
Known as the most important voice for the women in Punjabi literature, in 1956, she became the first woman to win the Sahitya Akademi Award for her magnum opus, a long poem, Sunehe (Messages). She received the Bhartiya Jnanpith, one of India's highest literary awards in 1982 for Kagaz Te Canvas (The Paper and the Canvas). The Padma Shri came her way in 1969 and finally, Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian award in 2004, and in the same year she was honoured with India's highest literary award, given by the Sahitya Akademi (India's Academy of Letters), the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship given to the "immortals of literature" for lifetime achievement.
She is most remembered for her poignant poem, Aj Aakhaan Waris Shah Nu (Today I invoke Waris Shah - "Ode to Waris Shah"), an elegy to the 18th-century Punjabi poet in which she expressed her anguish over massacres during the partition of India in 1947. As a novelist, her most noted work was Pinjar (The Skeleton) (1950), in which she created her memorable character, Puro and depicted loss of humanity and ultimate surrender to existential fate. The novel was made into an award-winning eponymous film in 2003.
When British India was partitioned into the independent states of India and Pakistan in 1947, she migrated from Lahore to India, though she remained equally popular in Pakistan throughout her life, as compared to her contemporaries like Mohan Singh and Shiv Kumar Batalvi.
Known as the most important voice for the women in Punjabi literature, in 1956, she became the first woman to win the Sahitya Akademi Award for her magnum opus, a long poem, Sunehe (Messages). She received the Bhartiya Jnanpith, one of India's highest literary awards in 1982 for Kagaz Te Canvas (The Paper and the Canvas). The Padma Shri came her way in 1969 and finally, Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian award in 2004, and in the same year she was honoured with India's highest literary award, given by the Sahitya Akademi (India's Academy of Letters), the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship given to the "immortals of literature" for lifetime achievement.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
March 23, 2021
I’m so happy that my first book in Hindi had to be these gems of stories written by THE Queen of all times. Rachita Joshi, I love you for introducing me to this.
Amrita Pritam probably is someone who knows and understands the essence of human nature like no one else. Her mind is a vast ocean that she takes you within, and you swim as far as you never thought you could. Her writing is wild, and it’s a ride you don’t want to get off. Her words came to life the minute she touched a pen to the paper.
I don’t know what’s better - these stories wrenching your heart out or sending you to the abyss of grief, love and longing. I relate most of these stories to “virah” or “birah”, a heartfelt and much appreciated “raag” in the history of Indian Classical Music, which defines what separation from, or, absence of a part of your soul feels like. It is the colourlessness of your life when the world played with bright sunshine, and at the same time it’s the tears you shed with a smile. These stories have it all.
Amrita Pritam’s stories are like pain held back for years and years brought to paper, and that too exceptionally well. You don’t have to relate to each and every scenario to get that magnetism and pull towards the characters who are a part of your life just for a couple of pages.
I took the longest time to read this book of some 100 pages, because by the end of every story you have something to take away. And I wanted to cherish that part and feel it in my veins before I dived into the next one.
This book taught me like never before. Sometimes it took me to a part of myself I hadn’t known existed - it was almost cathartic. We often forget the beauty of our mother language, but I’m lucky to have read this collection of stories that reignited the numbness of my heart.
Every story was a hangover you never wanted to come out of. Some made you laugh, some smile, some cry, and some left you blank as a paper. But no story left you feeling nothing. It was one chord or the other which rung with every word, every sentence.
It was probably the best decision to start my journey of Hindi literature with this stunning book, and I feel equipped enough to discover more treasure lost over the years of westernisation of my country.
Amrita Pritam probably is someone who knows and understands the essence of human nature like no one else. Her mind is a vast ocean that she takes you within, and you swim as far as you never thought you could. Her writing is wild, and it’s a ride you don’t want to get off. Her words came to life the minute she touched a pen to the paper.
I don’t know what’s better - these stories wrenching your heart out or sending you to the abyss of grief, love and longing. I relate most of these stories to “virah” or “birah”, a heartfelt and much appreciated “raag” in the history of Indian Classical Music, which defines what separation from, or, absence of a part of your soul feels like. It is the colourlessness of your life when the world played with bright sunshine, and at the same time it’s the tears you shed with a smile. These stories have it all.
Amrita Pritam’s stories are like pain held back for years and years brought to paper, and that too exceptionally well. You don’t have to relate to each and every scenario to get that magnetism and pull towards the characters who are a part of your life just for a couple of pages.
I took the longest time to read this book of some 100 pages, because by the end of every story you have something to take away. And I wanted to cherish that part and feel it in my veins before I dived into the next one.
This book taught me like never before. Sometimes it took me to a part of myself I hadn’t known existed - it was almost cathartic. We often forget the beauty of our mother language, but I’m lucky to have read this collection of stories that reignited the numbness of my heart.
Every story was a hangover you never wanted to come out of. Some made you laugh, some smile, some cry, and some left you blank as a paper. But no story left you feeling nothing. It was one chord or the other which rung with every word, every sentence.
It was probably the best decision to start my journey of Hindi literature with this stunning book, and I feel equipped enough to discover more treasure lost over the years of westernisation of my country.
October 27, 2020
एक से बढकर एक कहानी! each story has something to intake! Flowing.
April 12, 2018
One of the best book so far. Would read more from Amrita Pritam. Pinjar and Raseedi Ticket on my next read list.
July 8, 2020
खुबसूरत कहांनिया
December 27, 2020
Meri Priya Kahaniyaan by Amrita Pritam
I feel too small if I try to 'review' a book by such a legend. Her name is enough to stir emotions, without reading even a sentence. And here, she herself is selecting her best works (a best practice actually, and not some publisher pick up from here and there). Stories of dreams, plights, love, longing and social restrictions faced by women-are center stage and how poetically it is being put. In one story, 'Zindagi' (Life) herself go visit five sisters and gets a shock of reality. In another, a girl visiting countries by her own, with ambitions of tying stars with her keys. Poetic prose with melancholy is what drives each story. What else you would ask for? Especially in this language, beautiful Urdu+Hindi.
I feel too small if I try to 'review' a book by such a legend. Her name is enough to stir emotions, without reading even a sentence. And here, she herself is selecting her best works (a best practice actually, and not some publisher pick up from here and there). Stories of dreams, plights, love, longing and social restrictions faced by women-are center stage and how poetically it is being put. In one story, 'Zindagi' (Life) herself go visit five sisters and gets a shock of reality. In another, a girl visiting countries by her own, with ambitions of tying stars with her keys. Poetic prose with melancholy is what drives each story. What else you would ask for? Especially in this language, beautiful Urdu+Hindi.
January 31, 2023
These stories are quite different from anything that I have read. They are about heavy subjects but they don't feel like it while reading / listening to them. They leave a lingering after state which is not too strong.
Most of the stories are about rural women battling patriarchy purveyed through the gaze of an empathetic educated urban woman (author), a few exploring unconventional relationships.. rustic, silent anguish, self reproach, loyalty.. very vivid description of both the settings and the emotional state of the characters.. many of the characters are nihilistic (many references to Sartre ).
I will need to revisit these again soon.
Most of the stories are about rural women battling patriarchy purveyed through the gaze of an empathetic educated urban woman (author), a few exploring unconventional relationships.. rustic, silent anguish, self reproach, loyalty.. very vivid description of both the settings and the emotional state of the characters.. many of the characters are nihilistic (many references to Sartre ).
I will need to revisit these again soon.
January 19, 2023
Charming, is the word for these stories.
She was an enchantress who left a piece of her soul in every story she wrote. Read it and you'll know.
She was an enchantress who left a piece of her soul in every story she wrote. Read it and you'll know.
December 2, 2021
The book comprises of several short stories by the eminent writer Amrita Pritam. This book contains small beautiful stories with heart-wrenching lessons. Thank you audible for making it possible to listen to a book written in Hindi. Recommended!
August 22, 2025
It's been a long time since I picked up a Hindi book, and this one was a good book to start again. The simplistic stories pull you into a very different time. It gives you a glimpse of women’s lives from decades ago. Most of the stories felt heavy and sad. What stood out to me was how often the women in these stories were shown as simple, pure-hearted, or even naive. That seemed to be the main way their characters were defined, while other aspects of their personalities never really came forward. I felt any other qualities were not considered redeemable for the protagonists. May be that is how women were viewed back in those days(or may be even now).
There is a theme of things “happening” to women. Even when they tried to push back or find a way out, it never worked. Their lack of agency was not surprising as per the time these stories were written in.
Sometimes the characters felt distant, almost out of touch. I kept reminding myself: I’m reading them as a modern privileged Indian woman, not as someone living in that era. And still, there were moments where I caught myself drawing parallels between then and now. This is what makes Amrita Pritam's writing so powerful- it has transcended beautifully from past to present.
I was expecting more richness from these stories somehow(somewhere along the lines of Ismat Chughtai) and I am unable to bring myself to recommend this read to others.
There is a theme of things “happening” to women. Even when they tried to push back or find a way out, it never worked. Their lack of agency was not surprising as per the time these stories were written in.
Sometimes the characters felt distant, almost out of touch. I kept reminding myself: I’m reading them as a modern privileged Indian woman, not as someone living in that era. And still, there were moments where I caught myself drawing parallels between then and now. This is what makes Amrita Pritam's writing so powerful- it has transcended beautifully from past to present.
I was expecting more richness from these stories somehow(somewhere along the lines of Ismat Chughtai) and I am unable to bring myself to recommend this read to others.
October 31, 2021
एक कोरी कहानी में अपने मन के किरदारों को बुनना या फिर हर किरदार में उसकी अपनी कहानी टटोलना? इनमें से कुछ कहानियों ने मेरी फेमिनिज्म की परिभाषा का दायरा बढ़ाया है जो की ज्यादातर आजकल अंग्रेजी बाद विवाद और शहरी पात्रों में बंधकर रह जाता हैं - जिन्हे बोलना तो आ गया पर अपने बोले को जीना भूल गए।
मेरी प्रिय कहानियां:
जंगली बूटी
करमावली
लाल मिर्च
एक लड़की: एक जाम
पांच बहने
उधड़ी हुई कहानियां
मेरी प्रिय कहानियां:
जंगली बूटी
करमावली
लाल मिर्च
एक लड़की: एक जाम
पांच बहने
उधड़ी हुई कहानियां
December 9, 2020
साँसे अटक जाती है, ऐसी कहानियां।
March 2, 2025
Each story has something unique to offer, पर "एक लड़की : एक जाम" ये कहानी कुछ लंबे समय याद रहेगी. It indeed became my most favourite among all for those ३-४ pages of writing in between.
September 22, 2021
अमृता प्रीतम की रूहानी ख़ूबसूरती दिखाती प्रतिनिधि कहानियाँ
मैंने इन कहानियों को किंडल वर्ज़न में पढ़ा भी है और ऑडिबल पर सुना भी है। ये कहानियाँ बेहद खूबसूरत और मानव को उसकी ख़ूबसूरती को खोजने के लिए प्रेरणा देने वाली हैं। अव्वल तो मैं रिव्यू लिखना नहीं चाह रहा था क्यूँकि बहती हवा और बहते शुद्ध जल का क्या रिव्यू कर सकता है कोई!? किंतु यहाँ आमेजन के कुछ रिव्यूज़ पढ़कर लगा लिखना आवश्यक है। ये कहानी-संग्रह अल्पज्ञ और अनुभूति रहित लोगों के लिए नहीं है। जो लोग बहती नदियों से आनंद ले सकते हैं, शीत की धूप का आनंद ले सकते हैं, पावस की बूँदों का आनंद ले सकते हैं, इन्हें वही पढ़ सकते हैं और महसूस भी कर सकते हैं। आपकी आत्मा और हृदय की गहराइयाँ जितनी हैं आप उतना गहरे तक ही महसूस कर पाएँगे।
आप हिंदी साहित्य और जीवन के प्रेमी हैं तो बिलाशक इन कहानियों को पढ़िये और आनंद उठाइए। हृदयहीन लोग इसे ख़रीदकर पैसा और समय व्यर्थ करेंगे, वे न ख़रीदें, इसे मेरी चेतावनी समझें!
मैंने इन कहानियों को किंडल वर्ज़न में पढ़ा भी है और ऑडिबल पर सुना भी है। ये कहानियाँ बेहद खूबसूरत और मानव को उसकी ख़ूबसूरती को खोजने के लिए प्रेरणा देने वाली हैं। अव्वल तो मैं रिव्यू लिखना नहीं चाह रहा था क्यूँकि बहती हवा और बहते शुद्ध जल का क्या रिव्यू कर सकता है कोई!? किंतु यहाँ आमेजन के कुछ रिव्यूज़ पढ़कर लगा लिखना आवश्यक है। ये कहानी-संग्रह अल्पज्ञ और अनुभूति रहित लोगों के लिए नहीं है। जो लोग बहती नदियों से आनंद ले सकते हैं, शीत की धूप का आनंद ले सकते हैं, पावस की बूँदों का आनंद ले सकते हैं, इन्हें वही पढ़ सकते हैं और महसूस भी कर सकते हैं। आपकी आत्मा और हृदय की गहराइयाँ जितनी हैं आप उतना गहरे तक ही महसूस कर पाएँगे।
आप हिंदी साहित्य और जीवन के प्रेमी हैं तो बिलाशक इन कहानियों को पढ़िये और आनंद उठाइए। हृदयहीन लोग इसे ख़रीदकर पैसा और समय व्यर्थ करेंगे, वे न ख़रीदें, इसे मेरी चेतावनी समझें!
June 28, 2021
I picked up this book since I knew that she is a very good writer. I had restarted my journey to read Hindi books by reading October Junction By a contemporary author Divya Prakash Dubey. Simultaneously, I had picked up this classic.
Took my time reading her book….. every story is finely etched into my memory. Every story forced me to think… to feel…. To understand. She has the gift of leaving a lot of things unsaid by saying what she does…..
Definitely a book I would like to re-read again since age changes perception and the stories would be just as enriching in my future as it is now.
Took my time reading her book….. every story is finely etched into my memory. Every story forced me to think… to feel…. To understand. She has the gift of leaving a lot of things unsaid by saying what she does…..
Definitely a book I would like to re-read again since age changes perception and the stories would be just as enriching in my future as it is now.
May 25, 2020
This is a compilation of stories by the famous Amrita Pritam. They're gripping and maintain the 'tension' till the end and perhaps, even beyond. She'll make you live within her characters and make you witness their life upfront. Amrita Pritam, Parveen Shakir and Zehra Nigah were the first ones to enlighten us with the feminine perspective about life, society, customs, prejudices and as always, human nature.
November 1, 2015
I really admire the personality of Amrita Pritam as Gulzar sahab told us already. but this book excerpts the best short stories of Amrita Pritam. A true feminism is what the tales defines. The stories are folkish and delite to read. Some of the part of stories are quotable and should be shown to pseudo-feminist troops.
I would love to read more of her work.
I would love to read more of her work.
February 26, 2017
First Hindi book in ages. First book by Amrita Pritam. Almost first encounter with everything! :D
To be honest, the first story itself made me sad. I enjoy reading but not the things that sadden me. There were 3-4 stories that gave me a happy feeling (or at least made me smile). Give it a shot; stories are nice but then to each his own.
To be honest, the first story itself made me sad. I enjoy reading but not the things that sadden me. There were 3-4 stories that gave me a happy feeling (or at least made me smile). Give it a shot; stories are nice but then to each his own.
October 30, 2017
such simple and revealing stories. The narrators in these stories could have been more visible. But it reminded me so much of Alice Munroe!
June 15, 2018
A life is like an experiment, more you face more you become stronger.
May 29, 2019
खूबसूरत
दिल छू जाने वाली कहानिया । काफी सुंदर लेख जो सबको सोचने पर मजबूर कर देगा। a must read for all.
दिल छू जाने वाली कहानिया । काफी सुंदर लेख जो सबको सोचने पर मजबूर कर देगा। a must read for all.
January 4, 2020
Such a versatile book by a great novelist. Her literary genre was usually described as Romantic-Progressivism, which is very well reflected in most of the stories. The book is a collection of 16 short stories each with a unique sense of emotional conflict.
It is a must-read for anyone intending to understand the art of storytelling.
It is a must-read for anyone intending to understand the art of storytelling.
March 5, 2024
It's one of the best books I read. I can say that for Manto too which was the reason why I picked this one. It's sad that these books are not mainstream. Understandable too. We avoid seeing reality for what it is. It's bitter. So we need a lot of fantasizing and dramatizing to accept it.
There are a dozen or so short stories, each making it's impact. The stories revolve around love, marriages, relationships, physical desires, poverty but most importantly around women. I met so many women, each having her own presence and could compete a full novel character. The author doesn't mince her words, doesn't need or use shocking effects. The reality is shocking and delivered with softest but impactful blow that one can't help but stagger under their mark.
There are two of them, I want excerpts of which to be printed and put on the wall of my desk. One of five sisters and of Rising stories.
It was short read and I listened as I am yet unable to read properly. Audible has them free. Insightful, beautiful, impactful.
There are a dozen or so short stories, each making it's impact. The stories revolve around love, marriages, relationships, physical desires, poverty but most importantly around women. I met so many women, each having her own presence and could compete a full novel character. The author doesn't mince her words, doesn't need or use shocking effects. The reality is shocking and delivered with softest but impactful blow that one can't help but stagger under their mark.
There are two of them, I want excerpts of which to be printed and put on the wall of my desk. One of five sisters and of Rising stories.
It was short read and I listened as I am yet unable to read properly. Audible has them free. Insightful, beautiful, impactful.
March 17, 2021
...
कुछ यू मैंने लफ्ज़ों को आग बनाया,
जिंदगी को एक नए रूप में सजाया
दम तोड़ गई जहां हजारों ख्वाइश,
सी जगह मैंने कलम को अपनाया !
अमृता प्रीतम जी
Meri priya kahaniyaan is collection of 16 favourite stories of Amrita Pritam, selected by her. All the stories have something to intake and are so relatable and beautifully written. Stories are based on female sexuality, self-realisation and the pain of loss at a time when women mostly wrote on conservative themes.
When India was partitioned into the independent states of India and Pakistan in 1947, she migrated from Lahore, to India. During the days when women's were compressed and forced to live in the four walls of the house " she dared to live the life she imagines" and this reflection can be seen in her stories.
कुछ यू मैंने लफ्ज़ों को आग बनाया,
जिंदगी को एक नए रूप में सजाया
दम तोड़ गई जहां हजारों ख्वाइश,
सी जगह मैंने कलम को अपनाया !
अमृता प्रीतम जी
Meri priya kahaniyaan is collection of 16 favourite stories of Amrita Pritam, selected by her. All the stories have something to intake and are so relatable and beautifully written. Stories are based on female sexuality, self-realisation and the pain of loss at a time when women mostly wrote on conservative themes.
When India was partitioned into the independent states of India and Pakistan in 1947, she migrated from Lahore, to India. During the days when women's were compressed and forced to live in the four walls of the house " she dared to live the life she imagines" and this reflection can be seen in her stories.
March 22, 2022
Book recommended by mom. Was tough to read because out of practice with Hindi reading, also some difficult vocabulary and some very sad stories. All the stories were about some feminist aspect. Unrequited love, Child marriage, pregnant laborer, domestic abuse, society driven suicide, girl breadwinner getting raped, man looking for a 'red chilli' and releasing when his daughter is born that she is the one, how 5 kinds of women have no 'life'. Very perceptive writer. Intense stories. Many that I didn't really get. For example the one with the Yugoslavian girl.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 9, 2023
Ahead of its time …
Most stories in the collection dealt with women's situation in the society at the time.
Author has brought out their plight, aspirations, desires in a very nuanced manner. Some of the stories leave you shocked at the end.
And few have passages that border erotic (again it must be ahead of its time when originally written and published) dealing with complex relationships between man and woman.
Most stories in the collection dealt with women's situation in the society at the time.
Author has brought out their plight, aspirations, desires in a very nuanced manner. Some of the stories leave you shocked at the end.
And few have passages that border erotic (again it must be ahead of its time when originally written and published) dealing with complex relationships between man and woman.
August 9, 2021
Very interesting, very touching and very heart breaking stories. Amrita’s work never fails to touch your emotions deeply and leave you with a void every time. Every time after reading a book or a poem or story of hers, you have to consciously make an effort to distract yourself and fill that void with something else from your life.
December 31, 2025
Beautiful collection
अमृता प्रीतम is that one lady, जिसे मैं यथार्थ बातों के लिए admire करती हूँ... इनकी कहानियों में कुछ भी लिपा-पुता नहीं होता, आदर्शों की बातें नहीं होतीं... ये सत्य होता है, ऐसा सत्य जिसे आप पसंद न भी करें, तो भी चखना तो पड़ेगा... न���गलना न भी चाहें, तब भी उगल तो नहीं ही सकते... ये सत्य आपके गले में बैठा रहेगा और आपके हर निवाले को सत्य के रस से भरता रहेगा...🥀
अमृता प्रीतम is that one lady, जिसे मैं यथार्थ बातों के लिए admire करती हूँ... इनकी कहानियों में कुछ भी लिपा-पुता नहीं होता, आदर्शों की बातें नहीं होतीं... ये सत्य होता है, ऐसा सत्य जिसे आप पसंद न भी करें, तो भी चखना तो पड़ेगा... न���गलना न भी चाहें, तब भी उगल तो नहीं ही सकते... ये सत्य आपके गले में बैठा रहेगा और आपके हर निवाले को सत्य के रस से भरता रहेगा...🥀
January 30, 2024
This is my first book of Pritam and she is absolute love. In addition to her feminist perspective, Amrita Pritam skillfully captured the sensitivity and emotional intensity inherent in the male psyche through her evocative writing.
February 17, 2020
Just ok for me. Maybe i was expecting alot from amrita.
June 15, 2020
A collection of short stories centred on women and the issues faced by them in the society (almost all of them relevant even today) - this collection of stories was the author’s personal favourites.
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