This book has the following stories translated into English
Rani Sarandha (Queen Saerandha) -- Bade Ghar Ki Beti (Daughter of a Cultured Family) -- Raja Jardaul (King Hardaul) -- Garib ki hai (Curse of the Poor) -- Pareeksha-1 (The Test-1) -- Namak ka daroga (The Salt Inspector) -- Khoon safed (White Blood) -- Saut-1 (Co-wife-1) -- Do bhai (Two Brothers) -- Ghamand ka putla (The Embodiment of Pride) -- Maryada ki vedi (Altar of Honour) -- Atmaram (Atmaram) -- Shankhnad (War Trumpet) -- Brahma ka swang (Mocking at Brahma) -- Shanti-1 (Peace-1) -- Pareeksha-2 (The Test-2) -- Guptdhan (Hidden Treasure) -- Nairashya leela ((The Play of Despair) -- Satyagraha (Civil Disobedience) -- Vair ka ant (End of Enmity) -- Shatranj ke khilari (Chess Players) -- Sava ser Gehun (11/4 ser Wheat) -- Kajaki (Kajaki) -- Ramleela (Ramlila) -- Sati-1 (Sati-1) -- Actress (Actress) -- Sujan Bhagat (Sujan Bhagat) -- Fatiha (Fatiha) -- Ghar janwai (The Resident Son-in-law) -- Poos ki raat (Night of Poush) -- Maikoo (Maiku) -- Saut-2 (The co-wife-2) -- Sadgati (Deliverance) -- Do bailon ki katha (Story of two Bullocks) -- Holi ka uphaar (Gift of Holi) -- Sati-2 (Sati-2) -- Beton wali vidhwa (Widow with Sons) -- Kayar (Coward) -- Rangeele babu (A Flirtatious Gentleman) -- Quaidi (The Prisoner) -- Shanti-2 (Peace-2) -- Bade bhai saheb (Elder Brother) -- Do Behnen (Two Sisters) -- Cricket match (Cricket Match)
Munshi 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.
An excellent collection of stories that had withstood the changes and is still soul stirring and rich in sentiments. Why is Premchand regarded as one of the stalwarts in Hindi literature, this book gives a glimpse of his greatness. The stories are more about values, way of life, conduct of people in various situations and the lessons we learn from these stories are truly to be cherished. These stories are still relevant that itself says a lot about the foresight of the great Premchand. There are stories of sorrow, joy, inspiration and mainly the backdrop is a village, but these can be placed in any city across the world the essence and effect will be the same. Overall, well translated and a great reading with a lot of learning. A book to be treasured for future surely.
Aise hi ek din DuoLingo par Japanese seekhne ki jeetod koshish karte huye laga ki Hindi se kitna door jata ja raha hu. School me Hindi ki kahaniyan padh kar kitna acha lagta tha? Ab metro ke andar bhi Hindi akhsharo me likhe station padhne ki jagah angrezi wale padhta hu. Tabhi soch liya ki Hindi padhni chahiye. Shuruat kari Premchand ji ki kahaniyon se. Bachan me sunte the, par kabhi padhe nahin. Ab badhe hone ke baad bachpan ki galiyon me daudh lagane ka mann karta hai. Premchand ji ki kahaniyan wapas usi daur me le jaati hain jis daur me unhe likha gaya tha. Hindi shabdo ka prayog itna asli (raw) hai ki "olden days" ki yaad dila dein. Padhna shuru karo toh rukne ka mann naa karein. Haan, kahaniyan chhoti hain, zyada kuch unme nahin hota hai, padhne ke baad lagein ki ye kahani thi toh thi kyun, par kahaniyan itni saral nahin hai jitna lag sakti hain. Kuch kahaniyan dimag me baith sakti hain, kuch shayd yaad naa rahein. Itna pakka hai ki Hindi bhasha me kuch acha padhna chahte hain toh shuruat yahan se kar sakte hain. "Hindi is cool" jaisa bhaav mann me zaroor ayega. Dukh ki baat hai, aaj ke samay mein aise lekhako ki bahot kami hai.
Munshi Premchand have been my favourite Author since childhood. His stories will show you how the rural and poverty stricken before I dependence india was. I am a big fan of his writing and way he depicts each emotions of the character in his stories. Planning to re read all his famous novels (godaan, gaban) again :)
Munshiji is probably the only writer who has brought me to tears with each of his stories, so humane and heartfelt is his writing.
It's very difficult to be objective in such a review, when Premchand ji is writing in a very specific time and setting, i.e the rural India of the late 19th and early 20th century. Reading the history of the time certainly helps give context to the era, however, Munshiji writes so clearly and powerfully that the feelings that he's trying to convey become universal.
So I won't try, I would just heartily recommend this wonderful collection that has some of my favorite short stories ever written.