Aspects of eco-feminism in Amrita Pritam's novel 'Pinjar'

Abstract

Eco- feminism is a philosophical and political movement that combines the ecological concerns with feminists, highlighting the idea that a male-dominant society can be harmful to the entire ecological system including women and children. Eco-feminists suggest that women should be centrally concerned about ending the exploitation of the eco-system which is interconnected with the exploitation of women. Through this concern, objective of eco-feminists is to consolidate the right of the liberal existence of all living beings. To accomplish this objective, it is also important to refer the literature composed through a female perspective. Though Amrita Pritam is a prominent feminist writer of Hindi literature, her feminism is not western oriented, it is born out of a typically Indian context. Her fictions are women centered and the feminine consciousness of her protagonists has generally followed the course and concern of her own life experiences about young women in India. 'Pinjar' is the most celebrated novel of Pritam which is set on the period of the partition of India. It depicts a Hindu girl who was kidnapped by a Muslim boy and then rejected by her own people as a result of conventional, male-dominant attitudes. She becomes an activist who help other women victims to overcome their agonies. The objective of this study is to recognize the eco-feministic aspects of female protagonists of Amrita Pritam's novel 'Pinjar'. This study was done through literary reviews based on eco-feminism and this is important to evoke the society against the exploitation of women and the environment by awakening the sensitivity and humanity among them.