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Selected Short Stories of Premchand
Munshi Premchand (1880-1936)
His real name was Dhanpat Rai but he is better known by his pen name Premchand or Munshi Premchand. He has been read and studied both in India and abroad as one of the greatest writers of the century.
Premchand's literary career started as a freelancer in Urdu. Kn his early short stories he depicted the patriotic upsurge that was sweeping the land in the fkrst decade of the 19th century. In 1914, Premchand started writing in Hindi. Premchand was the first Hindi author to introduce realism in his writings. He pioneered the new art form of fiction with a social purpose. He wrote of the life around him and made his readers aware of the problems of the urban middle-class and the country's villages. He supplemented Gandhiji's work in the political and social fields by adopting revolutionary ideas as themes for his literary writings. Besides being a great novelist, Premchand was also a social reformer and thinker.
His real name was Dhanpat Rai but he is better known by his pen name Premchand or Munshi Premchand. He has been read and studied both in India and abroad as one of the greatest writers of the century.
Premchand's literary career started as a freelancer in Urdu. Kn his early short stories he depicted the patriotic upsurge that was sweeping the land in the fkrst decade of the 19th century. In 1914, Premchand started writing in Hindi. Premchand was the first Hindi author to introduce realism in his writings. He pioneered the new art form of fiction with a social purpose. He wrote of the life around him and made his readers aware of the problems of the urban middle-class and the country's villages. He supplemented Gandhiji's work in the political and social fields by adopting revolutionary ideas as themes for his literary writings. Besides being a great novelist, Premchand was also a social reformer and thinker.
514 pages, Paperback
Published August 1, 2012
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About the author
Munshi Premchand
1,156 books1,161 followersMunshi Premchand (Hindi: मुंशी प्रेमचंद) was an Indian writer famous for his modern Hindustani literature. He is one of the most celebrated writers of the Indian subcontinent,and is regarded as one of the foremost Hindustani writers of the early twentieth century.
Born Dhanpat Rai, he began writing under the pen name "Nawab Rai", but subsequently switched to "Premchand", while he is also known as "Munshi Premchand", Munshi being an honorary prefix. A novel writer, story writer and dramatist, he has been referred to as the "Upanyas Samrat" ("Emperor among Novelists") by some Hindi writers. His works include more than a dozen novels, around 250 short stories, several essays and translations of a number of foreign literary works into Hindi.
Premchand is considered the first Hindi author whose writings prominently featured realism. His novels describe the problems of the poor and the urban middle-class. His works depict a rationalistic outlook, which views religious values as something that allows the powerful hypocrites to exploit the weak. He used literature for the purpose of arousing public awareness about national and social issues and often wrote about topics related to corruption, child widowhood, prostitution, feudal system, poverty, colonialism and on the India's freedom movement.
Several of his early works, such as A Little Trick and A Moral Victory, satirised the Indians who cooperated with the British colonial government.
In the 1920s, he was influenced by Mahatma Gandhi's non-cooperation movement and the accompanying struggle for social reform. During this period, his works dealt with the social issues such as poverty, zamindari exploitation (Premashram, 1922), dowry system (Nirmala, 1925), educational reform and political oppression (Karmabhumi, 1931).
In his last days, he focused on village life as a stage for complex drama, as seen in his most famous work Godan as well as the short-story collection Kafan (1936).Premchand believed that social realism was the way for Hindi literature, as opposed to the "feminine quality", tenderness and emotion of the contemporary Bengali literature.
Born Dhanpat Rai, he began writing under the pen name "Nawab Rai", but subsequently switched to "Premchand", while he is also known as "Munshi Premchand", Munshi being an honorary prefix. A novel writer, story writer and dramatist, he has been referred to as the "Upanyas Samrat" ("Emperor among Novelists") by some Hindi writers. His works include more than a dozen novels, around 250 short stories, several essays and translations of a number of foreign literary works into Hindi.
Premchand is considered the first Hindi author whose writings prominently featured realism. His novels describe the problems of the poor and the urban middle-class. His works depict a rationalistic outlook, which views religious values as something that allows the powerful hypocrites to exploit the weak. He used literature for the purpose of arousing public awareness about national and social issues and often wrote about topics related to corruption, child widowhood, prostitution, feudal system, poverty, colonialism and on the India's freedom movement.
Several of his early works, such as A Little Trick and A Moral Victory, satirised the Indians who cooperated with the British colonial government.
In the 1920s, he was influenced by Mahatma Gandhi's non-cooperation movement and the accompanying struggle for social reform. During this period, his works dealt with the social issues such as poverty, zamindari exploitation (Premashram, 1922), dowry system (Nirmala, 1925), educational reform and political oppression (Karmabhumi, 1931).
In his last days, he focused on village life as a stage for complex drama, as seen in his most famous work Godan as well as the short-story collection Kafan (1936).Premchand believed that social realism was the way for Hindi literature, as opposed to the "feminine quality", tenderness and emotion of the contemporary Bengali literature.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 5, 2016
Munshi Premchand gives the real picture of an era bygone in India. His depiction of human depravity, poverty and characters in very simple worlds, without adding any floral language, is the best I have ever read. Though the time when he wrote is gone, but the basic emotions, human characters, behaviours and extent of human depravity, as well as the beauty of humanity showing up at the most unexpected times is still applicable. Alas, that he and his work couldn't get appreciated during his lifetime but I hope now we can pay our tribute to him and his work. Some of my favourite short stories from his collection are Idgah and Kafan.
April 20, 2024
“Selected Short Stories” by Munshi Premchand is a captivating collection that unveils the rich tapestry of Indian life. As a luminary in Hindi and Urdu literature, Premchand’s stories resonate with authenticity and depth. In this translated compilation published by Crest Publishing House, New Delhi, readers encounter 20 exquisite short stories. Each tale, though concise (ranging from 4 to 5 pages), pulsates with contemporary themes and plausible plots drawn from real life.
Premchand’s storytelling prowess lies in his ability to dissect societal conventions and expose the dual standards of humanity. In “The Secret of Culture,” he satirizes the hypocrisy prevalent in society. A poor mali (gardener) named Damri faces harsh imprisonment for allowing his hungry bullocks to graze in a neighbor’s field. Meanwhile, the same Rai Ratan Kishore, who claims impartial judgment, bails out a wealthy murderer after accepting bribes. The story lays bare the stark contrast between virtue and corruption.
Another heartrending tale is that of Dukhi, the tanner. Exhausted from overworking at a miserly Panditji’s place, Dukhi breathes his last. Yet, both upper-class Brahmins and the tanner community abandon his decomposing body. The pious Brahmins won’t “pollute” themselves by passing near a tanner’s corpse, while the tanner community fears police harassment. Premchand’s narrative pierces through caste barriers, revealing the harsh realities faced by those on the margins.
In these succinct stories, Premchand masterfully captures the essence of human struggle, morality, and societal complexities. His exploration of psychological truths and unwavering commitment to realism make this collection a timeless gem for literature enthusiasts.
Premchand’s storytelling prowess lies in his ability to dissect societal conventions and expose the dual standards of humanity. In “The Secret of Culture,” he satirizes the hypocrisy prevalent in society. A poor mali (gardener) named Damri faces harsh imprisonment for allowing his hungry bullocks to graze in a neighbor’s field. Meanwhile, the same Rai Ratan Kishore, who claims impartial judgment, bails out a wealthy murderer after accepting bribes. The story lays bare the stark contrast between virtue and corruption.
Another heartrending tale is that of Dukhi, the tanner. Exhausted from overworking at a miserly Panditji’s place, Dukhi breathes his last. Yet, both upper-class Brahmins and the tanner community abandon his decomposing body. The pious Brahmins won’t “pollute” themselves by passing near a tanner’s corpse, while the tanner community fears police harassment. Premchand’s narrative pierces through caste barriers, revealing the harsh realities faced by those on the margins.
In these succinct stories, Premchand masterfully captures the essence of human struggle, morality, and societal complexities. His exploration of psychological truths and unwavering commitment to realism make this collection a timeless gem for literature enthusiasts.
November 14, 2019
was a difficult read due to bad translation.
February 5, 2020
He is good.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews