Munshi Premchand
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. Readers will be able to edit existing articles and post new articles directly |
Premchand
Taste for classics
Reviewed by Rizwana Naqvi
When it comes to literary genres most people find the short story to one of the most exciting and important literary forms as it tends to be more concise and to the point than longer works of fiction. Because of their brevity short stories tend to be less complex than novels, and usually have a single plot which usually focuses on a single incident, a limited number of characters and cover a short period of time.
When it comes to short stories in Indian literature, one of the first names that come to mind is Munshi Premchand. He is, without doubt, one of the greatest figures in the history of both Urdu and Hindi literature.
Born in 1880 as Dhanpat Rai Sriystava, Premchand has to his credit around 300 short stories, a dozen novels and two plays.
Initially he wrote under the name of Nawab Rai, however when his book Soz-i-Watan (Dirge of Nation) was banned by the then British government after being labeled seditious and inflammatory, he started writing under the pseudonym Premchand. Having established his reputation as a fiction writer in Urdu, in 1914 he switched over to writing in Hindi.
Often called the Father of the Urdu short story, Premchand is also said to be the first Hindi writer to introduce realism in his writings. Since he was not only a great writer but also a social reformer and thinker, he pioneered a new art form — fiction with a purpose. Best known for stories that expose the horrors of poverty and social injustice, he also wrote on a variety of other themes such as romance, satire, communism, debt, etc. In his stories he usually dealt with the lives of people around him and the problems of the urban middle class and rural peasant classes.
Premchand’s body of work has been widely translated, not only in all the languages spoken in India but in some other languages too. The book, The Co-wife and Other Stories, translated and edited by Ruth Vanita, brings together 20 of his classic tales which provide a glimpse of the author’s range and diversity.
The stories in this collection are representative of Premchand’s major themes and mostly deal with the problems of the poor and the downtrodden. In some stories he presents a realistic picture of the miseries faced by the poor peasants living in rural India. Some of the stories are about oppression based on caste, class, gender, age and species. For example ‘The price of milk’ (Doodh ka daam) presents a critique of a heartless upper-caste family who adjust their notions of purity according to their changing needs. When they needed her, they put up a low caste woman in their home to nurse their child but when she was no longer needed she was abruptly turned away. After her death her poor son was left alone only to be scolded and ridiculed by the same family.
Often called the Father of the Urdu short story, Premchand is also said to be the first Hindi writer to introduce realism in his writings. Since he was not only a great writer but also a social reformer and thinker, he pioneered a new art form — fiction with a purpose.
Stories like ‘A widow with sons’ (Betonwali vidhwa) depict the unjust way property law is implemented due to which a woman is made dependent on her sons after her husband’s death. One may say that through this story the writer is calling for reforms in Indian property laws.
‘Stigma’ (Laanchhan) is a social satire dealing with women’s autonomy. The protagonist, a highly educated single woman, enjoys her single life, risks her reputation and plays a trick in order to expose those who try to badmouth her.
‘The shroud’ (Kafan) is perhaps one of the most famous and touching of Premchand’s stories. A young woman lies dying while her husband, along with his father, has food on his mind more than his wife’s condition. When she dies they gather money from the villagers for her last rites but squander it away on food and drinks, without any remorse. ‘What would we have got by buying a shroud? It would just have been burnt up. It wouldn’t have gone along with Budhiya.’
Premchand had a profound empathy with animals which is evident in many of his stories. ‘The story of two bullocks’ (Do bailon ki katha) is a good example of the compassion he feels for animals. The narrative also has an allegorical dimension wherein the bullocks stand for all oppressed beings.The collection also includes an imaginative foray into historical fiction. ‘Rani Sarandha’, which is set in pre-colonial India, tends to deal with the exploits of Hindu kings and warriors against Muslim rulers.
In short, it is a compilation of some of his best stories; each one of them a sensitive portrayal of human values and sentiments, many of which are relevant even today.
The main characteristic of Premchand’s writings is his interesting storytelling and use of simple language. While translating his works Vanita has taken care to retain the power and beauty of Premchand’s language, aptly conveying the nuances of the original work.
The book provides a wonderful opportunity for readers not familiar with Hindi and Urdu to sample the works of Premchand, while offering a glimpse into his deep humanism and empathy with the poor, women and animals.
The Co-Wife and Other Stories By Premchand Edited and translated by Ruth Vanita Penguin books, India ISBN 0-14-310172-2 272pp. Indian Rs250
