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गोदान
Munshi Premchand's Godan is one of the greatest novels of Indian literature. It was originally written in Hindi and in 1957 it was translated to English.
The story reflects the typical Indian community and the various problems of caste segregation. It tells us the story of a poor peasant, Hori Mahato, who dreams of possessing a cow. Hori, though poor, is a dutiful and honest character. His sense of duty towards his family members keeps his dream unfulfilled. Hori happens to buy a cow on a debt of Rs 80. There occurs a fight between Hori's wife and the wife of his younger brother and his brother's wife ultimately poisons the cow. In order to clear his brother's name Hori bribes the police from making further investigation. Again Hori has to pay a penalty to the village Panchayat for his son eloping with a widow. Money continually slips out of Hori's hands and so does his dream.
This story reflects the subtle way in which the lower castes are exploited by the higher castes. Women also have to face hardships and the incidents occurring with Hori's daughter-in-law and daughter show us the status of women. Despite all the depressing incidents happening around him, will Hori be able to fulfil his dream of having a cow and how far does he go to make his dream a reality is all that keeps readers guessing.
Premchand's Godan still remains a touching novel in the field of Hindi literature. It was published by Diamond Books in 2012. It is available in paperback.
Key Features:633 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1936
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About the author
Munshi Premchand
1,156 books1,152 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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April 7, 2012
No words of mine can describe the greatness of this novel.
All i can remember is...i was inconsolably crying when i finished reading this novel (without even realizing that i was actually crying)....
I am a modern girl hailing from a metro city.....never in my life have i been to a village, i have never seen farms....have never met any Peasent...realization of there existence in this world had never before occurred to me......i had often heard the news of farmers committing suicide...I had seen Rahul Gandhi speaking for the rights of farmers......i never bothered to get into depth of the issue....i was ignorant towards the matter and towards the farmers.....
So when my dad suggested me to read this novel, for a moment i thought, "how could a novel set on the backdrop of a village and based on the life of people who are in a way completely aliens to me and in whose life i have no interest appeal me?"....then i thought....i should give it a try...i had heard enough about Shree Munshi PremChand. This reason was enough for me to give it a shot......
And to my greatest amazement, i lost the touch with reality while reading the book....the village became my home, the people seemed to me my own neighbours, their problems were mine ....When they were hungery, i too could feel hunger...when they felt cold...i too could feel myself shivering in my warm quilt..i could dream like Hori (d innocent farmer)....i could feel like Dhaniya(Hori's wife strongest and kindest woman i have ever known)....it was like i was one of them...what more do i tell
All i can say is:
I have not read it .....i have lived it.....
All i can remember is...i was inconsolably crying when i finished reading this novel (without even realizing that i was actually crying)....
I am a modern girl hailing from a metro city.....never in my life have i been to a village, i have never seen farms....have never met any Peasent...realization of there existence in this world had never before occurred to me......i had often heard the news of farmers committing suicide...I had seen Rahul Gandhi speaking for the rights of farmers......i never bothered to get into depth of the issue....i was ignorant towards the matter and towards the farmers.....
So when my dad suggested me to read this novel, for a moment i thought, "how could a novel set on the backdrop of a village and based on the life of people who are in a way completely aliens to me and in whose life i have no interest appeal me?"....then i thought....i should give it a try...i had heard enough about Shree Munshi PremChand. This reason was enough for me to give it a shot......
And to my greatest amazement, i lost the touch with reality while reading the book....the village became my home, the people seemed to me my own neighbours, their problems were mine ....When they were hungery, i too could feel hunger...when they felt cold...i too could feel myself shivering in my warm quilt..i could dream like Hori (d innocent farmer)....i could feel like Dhaniya(Hori's wife strongest and kindest woman i have ever known)....it was like i was one of them...what more do i tell
All i can say is:
I have not read it .....i have lived it.....
April 16, 2017
गोदान मानव जीवन के संघर्षों, आत्ममंथन और आत्मज्ञान की कहानी है। मैंने कई बार इस कृति के सारांश में यह पढ़ा है कि गोदान होरी नाम के एक किसान की कहानी है, मैं इस से सहमत नही हूँ। मेरे मत में इस कहानी में किसी एक को मुख्य पात्र कहना गलत है। गोदान जितनी होरी, धनिया, गोबर और उसके बाकी के परिवार की कहानी है उतनी ही उसके गांव के अन्य किरदारों की भी। इसी तरह शहरी पात्रों में भी जितना महत्व डॉक्टर मेहता और मालती देवी का है, उतना ही मिस्टर खन्ना और गोविन्दी देवी का भी और उतना ही राय साहब, ओंकारनाथ, मिर्ज़ा खुर्शेद, मिस्टर तन्खा इत्यादि का भी। कुल मिलाकर कहा जाए तो प्रेमचन्द जी ने इन सारे किरदारों से तत्कालीन भारतवर्ष के सभी स्वभाव, जाती और वर्ण के लोगों की मानसिकता का अचूक वर्णन किया है।
एक प्रमुख बात यह है कि उनके सभी पात्र इतने सच्चे और सटीक हैं कि आप वर्तमान काल में भी अपने आस पास ऐसे लोगों को देखते हैं और उनकी तुलना इन पात्रों से किये बिना नही रह सकते। परन्तु मेरे अनुसार इस कृति का सर्वोपरी गुण यह है कि प्रेमचन्द जी ने किसी भी पात्र को नायक या खलनायक के रूप में प्रस्तुत नही किया है, जो की वर्तमान काल में अक्षरशः सत्य है। जो होरी अपने परिवार के लिए खुद को होम कर रहा है वही कभी ऐसे निर्णय भी लेता है जिस से उसका परिवार जरा भी खुश नही होता है। जो मालती देवी सदैव अपने हित की सोचती हैं वही आत्ममंथन करने के पश्चात त्याग की मूर्ति बन जाती हैं। इसी प्रकार धनिया, गोबर, मेहता जी, मिस्टर खन्ना, राय साहब और बाकी सभी के अंदर गुण और अवगुण दोनों विद्यमान हैं। यह कहानी इस बात की पुष्टि करती है कि हममें से कोई भी पूर्ण रूप से अच्छा या बुरा नहीं होता अपितु भावावेश में आकर अन्यथा परिस्थितियों के अधीन होकर वह ऐसे कर्म करता है जिसे शेष समाज अच्छाई और बुराई के तराजू पर तौलकर अपना फैसला सुनाता है।
उस पर प्रेमचंद जी की शैली, उन्होंने इतने सरल शब्दों में इतनी गहरी बातें कहीं हैं कि आप उन पर विचार करने को विवश हो जाते हैं। मेरे जैेसा पाठक जो दर्शन शास्त्र में जरा भी रूचि नहीं रखता, इस कृति में लिखी दर्शन शास्त्र की बातों में उतना ही रस लेता है जितना अपने पसन्दीदा विषय की चर्चा में। यह मात्र एक पुस्तक ही नही अपितु एक जीवन अनुभव है जिसे आप पढ़ते नही जीते हैं और जिसके बाद आप खुद को थोड़ा और अनुभवी और थोड़ा और ज़िम्मेदार महसूस करते हैं।
एक प्रमुख बात यह है कि उनके सभी पात्र इतने सच्चे और सटीक हैं कि आप वर्तमान काल में भी अपने आस पास ऐसे लोगों को देखते हैं और उनकी तुलना इन पात्रों से किये बिना नही रह सकते। परन्तु मेरे अनुसार इस कृति का सर्वोपरी गुण यह है कि प्रेमचन्द जी ने किसी भी पात्र को नायक या खलनायक के रूप में प्रस्तुत नही किया है, जो की वर्तमान काल में अक्षरशः सत्य है। जो होरी अपने परिवार के लिए खुद को होम कर रहा है वही कभी ऐसे निर्णय भी लेता है जिस से उसका परिवार जरा भी खुश नही होता है। जो मालती देवी सदैव अपने हित की सोचती हैं वही आत्ममंथन करने के पश्चात त्याग की मूर्ति बन जाती हैं। इसी प्रकार धनिया, गोबर, मेहता जी, मिस्टर खन्ना, राय साहब और बाकी सभी के अंदर गुण और अवगुण दोनों विद्यमान हैं। यह कहानी इस बात की पुष्टि करती है कि हममें से कोई भी पूर्ण रूप से अच्छा या बुरा नहीं होता अपितु भावावेश में आकर अन्यथा परिस्थितियों के अधीन होकर वह ऐसे कर्म करता है जिसे शेष समाज अच्छाई और बुराई के तराजू पर तौलकर अपना फैसला सुनाता है।
उस पर प्रेमचंद जी की शैली, उन्होंने इतने सरल शब्दों में इतनी गहरी बातें कहीं हैं कि आप उन पर विचार करने को विवश हो जाते हैं। मेरे जैेसा पाठक जो दर्शन शास्त्र में जरा भी रूचि नहीं रखता, इस कृति में लिखी दर्शन शास्त्र की बातों में उतना ही रस लेता है जितना अपने पसन्दीदा विषय की चर्चा में। यह मात्र एक पुस्तक ही नही अपितु एक जीवन अनुभव है जिसे आप पढ़ते नही जीते हैं और जिसके बाद आप खुद को थोड़ा और अनुभवी और थोड़ा और ज़िम्मेदार महसूस करते हैं।
August 16, 2024
4.75 ⭐
GENRE - FICTION
PAGES - 376
Godan is a fiction classic novel by Indian author Munshi Premchand. It revolves around various characters that represent different sections of Indian society.
The Lower class the middle class the upper middle class and higher class of Indian society.Each of the section have their own set of problems and mid life crises.
According to me after reading this work I have realised that Munshi Premchand was way ahead of his times, the narration is absolutely amazing and a lot of situations in the book bare relevance with the problems people face even today.
There are moments in the book where through the medium of his story Premchand is spreading a philosophical message which may not be accepted when it was written way back in 1936 but today people will easily relate and understand the message.
I would recommend especially the women of this generation to read this book although this is a classic and everyone who loves fiction and classic works will enjoy this book to the fullest.It is considered one of the best Indian modern literature.
Please do sit with a box of tissues because Premchand will definitely play with the loose strings of your heart and get your emotions ransacked 😂
Thank You 🙏👍🙂
GENRE - FICTION
PAGES - 376
Godan is a fiction classic novel by Indian author Munshi Premchand. It revolves around various characters that represent different sections of Indian society.
The Lower class the middle class the upper middle class and higher class of Indian society.Each of the section have their own set of problems and mid life crises.
According to me after reading this work I have realised that Munshi Premchand was way ahead of his times, the narration is absolutely amazing and a lot of situations in the book bare relevance with the problems people face even today.
There are moments in the book where through the medium of his story Premchand is spreading a philosophical message which may not be accepted when it was written way back in 1936 but today people will easily relate and understand the message.
I would recommend especially the women of this generation to read this book although this is a classic and everyone who loves fiction and classic works will enjoy this book to the fullest.It is considered one of the best Indian modern literature.
Please do sit with a box of tissues because Premchand will definitely play with the loose strings of your heart and get your emotions ransacked 😂
Thank You 🙏👍🙂
April 22, 2017
I wanted to read a Premchand for a long time. The last I read was an abridged version in school in the Hindi class of 8th or 9th grade (if I remember correctly, it was "Nirmala"). Since I am not used to reading Hindi novels, I picked up the translated version of the most widely read novel "Godan" with great expectations. However, I was a bit disappointed. Maybe something was lost in translation. I guess translated versions of great pieces of literature should be avoided as it loses essence. Try this. "The loo started by 10 in the morning and it was burning hot". The loo here refers to the summer heat and not the toilet. Another line "He was parched, so he took a lotaful of water and drank it". Lotaful is actually a glass full. These words might sound good in Hindi version but not pleasant in the anglicised version. All in all a heavy read. But still if someone wants to try a Premchand, please go ahead.
June 3, 2014
Godaan - literally, the donation of a cow - seems, when this landmark novel of Premchand's first begins, an event unlikely to happen, because the story starts with a poor farmer's desire to somehow buy a cow. Hori, the 40-year old protagonist of the book, owns three meagre bighas of land, is in debt to various moneylenders in his village, and (along with his wife Dhaniya, their 17-year old son Gobardhan 'Gobar' and their two young daughters Sona and Rupa) is living pretty much a hand-to-mouth existence. Affording a cow, in these circumstances, seems a pipe dream. But when, by some give and take, coupled with some rather impulsive promises, Hori does acquire a cow, it appears as if all will be well... until Gobar, having left his beloved pregnant, runs off to Lucknow, and Hori sinks deeper into debt.
But Godaan is by no means only the story of Hori and his family. This is a far wider canvas, and many interwoven stories. There are, of course, Hori's own relatives and fellow villagers: his two estranged brothers and their families; other impoverished villagers, the members of the panchayat, and so on. There are also those who people a world far removed from poor Hori's: that of the local zamindar, Rai Sahib, and his friends: wealthy, urban, successful: Mirza Khurshid; Mr Mehta; Mr Khanna and his long-suffering wife; the frivolous doctor Miss Malti, who encourages the attentions not just of Mr Khanna but of every other man around. And many others.
It becomes obvious, fairly early on, where Premchand's sympathies lie: with the villagers, at the mercy of just about everyone, from the oppressive zamindari system to the moneylenders, the corrupt bureaucracy, the equally corrupt guardians of religion, to their own inability to break free of the shackles of superstition, tradition, and - at times - a misplaced optimism.
Godaan shows well why Premchand is so highly esteemed in Hindi literature: his skill as a storyteller is superb. The characterisations are excellent, all the way from the submissive and downtrodden Hori to the hot-tempered and impulsive (but deep down soft-hearted) Dhaniya, to the selfish Gobar. Of particular note is the characterisation of the women, most of whom are exceptionally strong-willed in their own individual ways, whether for good or bad.
The hypocrisy of the age (and of people, across time and ages), the divide between the poor and the rich, the urban and the rural, the many shades of grey in different characters: Premchand deftly sketches all of these into a story of hope and disappointment, of joy and despair, of ambition and greed and every other human emotion possible. And his language shows a deep understanding of human nature as well as literary brilliance: for example, this section talking about someone who has ignored the excellence of a loved one's character while in the throes of passion, and has only now - after the fire has died down - realised what had been overlooked earlier: "जब तक नदी बाढ़ पर थी, उसके गंदले, तेज़, फेनिल प्रवाह में प्रकाश की किरणें बिखरकर रह जाती थीं। अब प्रवाह स्थिर और शांत हो गया था और रश्मियाँ उसकी तह तक पहुँच रहीं थीं।" ("While the river was in spate, its dirty, fast-flowing, frothing water dispersed the rays of light. Now that the current had died down and gone silent, light was spreading across its surface").
Recommended. The only thing I wish was that there were fewer secondary characters floating around the book. About halfway through, the mini-stories of peripheral characters began to dominate the book, leaving behind the people I was most interested in:Hori and his immediate family. Had the author stuck to a smaller cast of characters and focused only on their stories, I might have liked Godaan even more.
But Godaan is by no means only the story of Hori and his family. This is a far wider canvas, and many interwoven stories. There are, of course, Hori's own relatives and fellow villagers: his two estranged brothers and their families; other impoverished villagers, the members of the panchayat, and so on. There are also those who people a world far removed from poor Hori's: that of the local zamindar, Rai Sahib, and his friends: wealthy, urban, successful: Mirza Khurshid; Mr Mehta; Mr Khanna and his long-suffering wife; the frivolous doctor Miss Malti, who encourages the attentions not just of Mr Khanna but of every other man around. And many others.
It becomes obvious, fairly early on, where Premchand's sympathies lie: with the villagers, at the mercy of just about everyone, from the oppressive zamindari system to the moneylenders, the corrupt bureaucracy, the equally corrupt guardians of religion, to their own inability to break free of the shackles of superstition, tradition, and - at times - a misplaced optimism.
Godaan shows well why Premchand is so highly esteemed in Hindi literature: his skill as a storyteller is superb. The characterisations are excellent, all the way from the submissive and downtrodden Hori to the hot-tempered and impulsive (but deep down soft-hearted) Dhaniya, to the selfish Gobar. Of particular note is the characterisation of the women, most of whom are exceptionally strong-willed in their own individual ways, whether for good or bad.
The hypocrisy of the age (and of people, across time and ages), the divide between the poor and the rich, the urban and the rural, the many shades of grey in different characters: Premchand deftly sketches all of these into a story of hope and disappointment, of joy and despair, of ambition and greed and every other human emotion possible. And his language shows a deep understanding of human nature as well as literary brilliance: for example, this section talking about someone who has ignored the excellence of a loved one's character while in the throes of passion, and has only now - after the fire has died down - realised what had been overlooked earlier: "जब तक नदी बाढ़ पर थी, उसके गंदले, तेज़, फेनिल प्रवाह में प्रकाश की किरणें बिखरकर रह जाती थीं। अब प्रवाह स्थिर और शांत हो गया था और रश्मियाँ उसकी तह तक पहुँच रहीं थीं।" ("While the river was in spate, its dirty, fast-flowing, frothing water dispersed the rays of light. Now that the current had died down and gone silent, light was spreading across its surface").
Recommended. The only thing I wish was that there were fewer secondary characters floating around the book. About halfway through, the mini-stories of peripheral characters began to dominate the book, leaving behind the people I was most interested in:Hori and his immediate family. Had the author stuck to a smaller cast of characters and focused only on their stories, I might have liked Godaan even more.
November 14, 2016
4+
This has to be the most enjoyable reads of this year for we read it aloud as a couple, switching between listening and narrating :) [with a poor toddler giving us both confused looks of insanity!]
Before reading Godan, had heard this is Premchand's last and best work, and perfectly portrays the village life of that time. But I was taken by surprise at the philosophical content and the depth of characters.
Not only it showcases the farmer's poor condition (which ironically is "evergreen"), albeit the troubles and mentality of the rich and elite class too.
Honestly, we had to skim through some parts, as the conversations were too heavy and philosophical to comprehend and felt a bit of a torture. (Peabrains!)
But there were many many many instances which we could relate to and discuss at length which made the journey ever more enjoyable.
This is a very well contained snapshot of India.
This has to be the most enjoyable reads of this year for we read it aloud as a couple, switching between listening and narrating :) [with a poor toddler giving us both confused looks of insanity!]
Before reading Godan, had heard this is Premchand's last and best work, and perfectly portrays the village life of that time. But I was taken by surprise at the philosophical content and the depth of characters.
Not only it showcases the farmer's poor condition (which ironically is "evergreen"), albeit the troubles and mentality of the rich and elite class too.
Honestly, we had to skim through some parts, as the conversations were too heavy and philosophical to comprehend and felt a bit of a torture. (Peabrains!)
But there were many many many instances which we could relate to and discuss at length which made the journey ever more enjoyable.
This is a very well contained snapshot of India.
November 28, 2018
There is an ever-widening hollowness that life entails at birth. The clutches of society writhes the neck of its community. In the name of reputation, callousness grips the lives of people, particularly of the poor. Godaan (The Gift of a Cow) is as realistic a portrayal as it could possibly be. The surreptitiousness of a grim and mundane life is so realistically presented that the image that has been created concerning prosperity and happiness leaps over the fence of anonymity and passes out in seclusion.
Hori was an easy prey of the stalwarts of greed. His simple-mindedness and saintliness led to his exploitation by the moneylenders and landlords. Gobar, his antithesis in terms of adherence to the societal norms, could have been his savior had he really paid heed to him, but the weight of years of compliance seemed much lucrative [using words can be such an irony] to him than the freedom he could have had [irony, again, but hope outlives soul].
The novel alternates between the lives of both the poor and the rich. Both are on their own battlefields and both are being clutched very brutally. This novel gives a sharp Sisyphean pain - the pain seems unendurable, but what could be done in the face of life? Nothing. It is an everlasting, ever recurring pain; while there is an end to life, there is no end to this.
Hori was an easy prey of the stalwarts of greed. His simple-mindedness and saintliness led to his exploitation by the moneylenders and landlords. Gobar, his antithesis in terms of adherence to the societal norms, could have been his savior had he really paid heed to him, but the weight of years of compliance seemed much lucrative [using words can be such an irony] to him than the freedom he could have had [irony, again, but hope outlives soul].
The novel alternates between the lives of both the poor and the rich. Both are on their own battlefields and both are being clutched very brutally. This novel gives a sharp Sisyphean pain - the pain seems unendurable, but what could be done in the face of life? Nothing. It is an everlasting, ever recurring pain; while there is an end to life, there is no end to this.
December 11, 2015
---गोदान - मेरे भाव---
-------------------
"होरी को जब अपने घर में गाय आने की संभावना का पता लगा तो उसकी आँखें जैसे चमक उठीं। सोचा घर में गाय आने का सौभाग्य मिलेगा तो जीवन खिल उठेगा। इसी आशा में जिंदगी जीता रहा। मरते समय भी मानों यही लगता था कि बेटे गोबर के साथ गाय घर आ गयी है।"
प्रेमचंदजी ने मनुष्य की आशाओं और चाहतों का जो विवरण गोदान में रचा है वह बिरला भी है और असंस्कृत भी। गाय इस उपन्यास में मनुष्य की आशाओं का रूपक भी है और सूचक भी।
पुरे उपन्यास में एक बार भी ऐसा नहीं लगा कि प्रेमचंदजी किसी भी प्रथा, नियम, परिस्थिति, धारणा या सिद्धांत को किसी चश्मे से देख या बता रहे हैं। जो जैसा है उसका विवरण वैसा की वैसा ही किया है। अब वो चाहे गलत है या सही यह पाठक पर निर्भर करता है। जो कि कईं उपन्यासकार भूल जाते हैं और प्रत्यक्ष-अप्रत्यक्ष रूप से अपने पूर्वाग्रहों को पाठक पर थोपने की कोशिश करते हैं।
यह मार्मिक कथा जैसे कालनिर्पेक्ष हो। जो आज से करीब अस्सी वर्ष पहले भारत के बारे में लिखा गया था वह आज भी वैसा की वैसा है। गरीब आज भी कुचले जा रहे हैं, किसान मजदूर बन गए हैं, जातिवाद का काला जहर अब भी समाज में फैला हुआ है, चमार और ब्राम्हण आज भी एक नहीं हैं, अमीरों के लिए नियम अलग और गरीब के लिए अलग हैं, औरतों को आज भी समान दर्जा नहीं है, जमींदारों की ठकुराई अब भी कायम है, बच्चे आज भी कुछ राज्यों में पांच साल की उम्र से पहले ही मर जाते हैं, गरीब सारी जिंदगी उधारी में काट देता है, साहूकारों का ब्याज आज भी लोगों को बर्बाद कर देता है। और इन सब के बीच आज भी हमारे बुद्धिजीवी समाजवाद और साम्यवाद पर बड़े पांच सितारा होटलों में भाषण दिया करते हैं, किताबें लिखा करते हैं। जैसे कुछ न बदला हो।
हर हिंदी भाषी को यह एक बार जरूर पढ़ना चाहिए। यह किताब साहित्य का एक बहुमूल्य उपहार है। जो कभी पुराना नहीं होगा। एक उदाहरण है कि क्यों प्रेमचंदजी हिंदी साहित्य के उत्तम रचैता हैं। उन्हें सादर नमन।
-------------------
"होरी को जब अपने घर में गाय आने की संभावना का पता लगा तो उसकी आँखें जैसे चमक उठीं। सोचा घर में गाय आने का सौभाग्य मिलेगा तो जीवन खिल उठेगा। इसी आशा में जिंदगी जीता रहा। मरते समय भी मानों यही लगता था कि बेटे गोबर के साथ गाय घर आ गयी है।"
प्रेमचंदजी ने मनुष्य की आशाओं और चाहतों का जो विवरण गोदान में रचा है वह बिरला भी है और असंस्कृत भी। गाय इस उपन्यास में मनुष्य की आशाओं का रूपक भी है और सूचक भी।
पुरे उपन्यास में एक बार भी ऐसा नहीं लगा कि प्रेमचंदजी किसी भी प्रथा, नियम, परिस्थिति, धारणा या सिद्धांत को किसी चश्मे से देख या बता रहे हैं। जो जैसा है उसका विवरण वैसा की वैसा ही किया है। अब वो चाहे गलत है या सही यह पाठक पर निर्भर करता है। जो कि कईं उपन्यासकार भूल जाते हैं और प्रत्यक्ष-अप्रत्यक्ष रूप से अपने पूर्वाग्रहों को पाठक पर थोपने की कोशिश करते हैं।
यह मार्मिक कथा जैसे कालनिर्पेक्ष हो। जो आज से करीब अस्सी वर्ष पहले भारत के बारे में लिखा गया था वह आज भी वैसा की वैसा है। गरीब आज भी कुचले जा रहे हैं, किसान मजदूर बन गए हैं, जातिवाद का काला जहर अब भी समाज में फैला हुआ है, चमार और ब्राम्हण आज भी एक नहीं हैं, अमीरों के लिए नियम अलग और गरीब के लिए अलग हैं, औरतों को आज भी समान दर्जा नहीं है, जमींदारों की ठकुराई अब भी कायम है, बच्चे आज भी कुछ राज्यों में पांच साल की उम्र से पहले ही मर जाते हैं, गरीब सारी जिंदगी उधारी में काट देता है, साहूकारों का ब्याज आज भी लोगों को बर्बाद कर देता है। और इन सब के बीच आज भी हमारे बुद्धिजीवी समाजवाद और साम्यवाद पर बड़े पांच सितारा होटलों में भाषण दिया करते हैं, किताबें लिखा करते हैं। जैसे कुछ न बदला हो।
हर हिंदी भाषी को यह एक बार जरूर पढ़ना चाहिए। यह किताब साहित्य का एक बहुमूल्य उपहार है। जो कभी पुराना नहीं होगा। एक उदाहरण है कि क्यों प्रेमचंदजी हिंदी साहित्य के उत्तम रचैता हैं। उन्हें सादर नमन।
November 16, 2012
I simply couldn't do justice by writing anything about this book. The characters feel so lively that you forget that they are from a book. A true insight into the lives of Indians. You feel the pain of characters, you enjoy with them, in short you feel what they feel. A completely gripping novel with a great philosophical touch. You can only turn into a die-hard fan of Premchand Ji. A must must read for every Indian. And please don't read it in any language other than Hindi.
January 3, 2019
Premchand is the one name that comes to mind when you think of Hindi literature, and Godaan (literally, "donation of a cow") is the one book that practically everyone in India has heard about, irrespective of whether they have read it or not. As for myself, I have delayed reading this really good book for far too long. Nevertheless, with farmers marching on to Delhi currently, this is a very apt time to be reading about the life of peasants and their hardships.
The story is that of Hori and his family. It is also the stories of his neighbours, employers, priests, and other people surrounding him. Godaan paints a vivid portrait of the Hindi belt pre-independence. The book was published in 1936, but it is amazing how relevant it still is today, more than 80 years later, in relation to that part of the country. The same issues of caste discrimination, gender discrimination, economic exploitation, still exist very acutely and it is getting worse.
The story all centres around the desire for a cow, which is considered wealth. Hori is in severe debt to the moneylenders, who charge interest at a very high rate. All his earnings go in paying the interest, and he never gets around to paying back the principal, thus ensuring he never gets out of debt. The rich get richer and the poor just get poorer. Under these circumstances, getting a cow seems to be impossible. But circumstances conspire to give Hori a cow. But the cow brings more disasters than blessings.
What is interesting in this book is that Hori and his wife, Dhania, themselves are both perpetrators as well as victims. They are so constrained with vapid concepts of prestige and honour that they squander money on irrelevant things instead of paying back debts or using money in a way that would bring them out of the vicious cycle. Even when his son, Gobar, offers to pay back money at a rate similar to what the banks charge, Hori allows his fear of Brahmins to overcome his common sense and refuses the offer. Similarly, Dhania insists on paying a dowry for their daughter's wedding, even when it was not required. Social conditioning appears to be as strong as direct oppression when it comes to people trying to get out of a hole.
The characters from the village all come to life vividly. Their actions are believable. I loved that Premchand did not create a villain twirling his moustaches and raping women around him. His characters are both good and bad, but they are all conditioned by society and culture to keep in their place. The same villagers who hounded Hori wanted to come to his aid when outsiders come to bother him. This is very realistic and the author captured this grey area very nicely.
There are also many secondary characters, whose stories are covered, adding to the portrait of village life. Hori's brothers and their problems are depicted well. Gobardhan's story takes up a good chunk of the book, and depicts the difference between city and village life. The story of Bhola and his family are also interesting. Sona and Rupa live with the consequences of poverty and their stories depict what price women sometimes have to pay for just surviving. There is a fatalism to the story, which makes it really intriguing.
The one thing I did not enjoy were the stories of Malti, Mehta, Mirza, Khanna, and Rai Saheb. I am not sure what the point was, and these chapters appeared to drag on forever. Also, unlike the poor village characters, I felt that these characters were not as realistic. They sat about philosophising and boring everyone. The love story of Malti and Mehta was also annoying. I disliked the reiteration of sacrifice and devotion for women and I was unable to make out whether Premchand supported it or was satirising it. Whatever it was, this part was boring.
The English translation was well done, though I suspect the original Hindi would be much, much better. I must read it once in its original form. The book provides a strong feel of the time and the place, something which many modern Indian authors don't seem to be able to do. I wholly recommend reading Godaan.
The story is that of Hori and his family. It is also the stories of his neighbours, employers, priests, and other people surrounding him. Godaan paints a vivid portrait of the Hindi belt pre-independence. The book was published in 1936, but it is amazing how relevant it still is today, more than 80 years later, in relation to that part of the country. The same issues of caste discrimination, gender discrimination, economic exploitation, still exist very acutely and it is getting worse.
The story all centres around the desire for a cow, which is considered wealth. Hori is in severe debt to the moneylenders, who charge interest at a very high rate. All his earnings go in paying the interest, and he never gets around to paying back the principal, thus ensuring he never gets out of debt. The rich get richer and the poor just get poorer. Under these circumstances, getting a cow seems to be impossible. But circumstances conspire to give Hori a cow. But the cow brings more disasters than blessings.
What is interesting in this book is that Hori and his wife, Dhania, themselves are both perpetrators as well as victims. They are so constrained with vapid concepts of prestige and honour that they squander money on irrelevant things instead of paying back debts or using money in a way that would bring them out of the vicious cycle. Even when his son, Gobar, offers to pay back money at a rate similar to what the banks charge, Hori allows his fear of Brahmins to overcome his common sense and refuses the offer. Similarly, Dhania insists on paying a dowry for their daughter's wedding, even when it was not required. Social conditioning appears to be as strong as direct oppression when it comes to people trying to get out of a hole.
The characters from the village all come to life vividly. Their actions are believable. I loved that Premchand did not create a villain twirling his moustaches and raping women around him. His characters are both good and bad, but they are all conditioned by society and culture to keep in their place. The same villagers who hounded Hori wanted to come to his aid when outsiders come to bother him. This is very realistic and the author captured this grey area very nicely.
There are also many secondary characters, whose stories are covered, adding to the portrait of village life. Hori's brothers and their problems are depicted well. Gobardhan's story takes up a good chunk of the book, and depicts the difference between city and village life. The story of Bhola and his family are also interesting. Sona and Rupa live with the consequences of poverty and their stories depict what price women sometimes have to pay for just surviving. There is a fatalism to the story, which makes it really intriguing.
The one thing I did not enjoy were the stories of Malti, Mehta, Mirza, Khanna, and Rai Saheb. I am not sure what the point was, and these chapters appeared to drag on forever. Also, unlike the poor village characters, I felt that these characters were not as realistic. They sat about philosophising and boring everyone. The love story of Malti and Mehta was also annoying. I disliked the reiteration of sacrifice and devotion for women and I was unable to make out whether Premchand supported it or was satirising it. Whatever it was, this part was boring.
The English translation was well done, though I suspect the original Hindi would be much, much better. I must read it once in its original form. The book provides a strong feel of the time and the place, something which many modern Indian authors don't seem to be able to do. I wholly recommend reading Godaan.
January 26, 2022
I did not know about Premchand's literary prowess but having read this, I realized what a literary magician he was. I was compelled to write about it. The only thing missing were my words to describe my emotions. The mix of characterization and relation can never be jolted down so well as was done here. Premchand made me realize that how blessed I am sitting and reading this, the story of a real INDIAN.
Godaan is considered one of the greatest Hindustani novels of modern Indian literature. It was the last complete novel of Premchand. It is themed around the socio-economic deprivation as well as the exploitation of the poor in the colonial India. The story revolves around many characters representing the various sections of Indian community. It showcases the farmer's poor condition and the troubles and mentality of the rich class.
It's the story of a farmer, Hori, who does not give up his values and his friendly conduct in spite of adversity, whose respect remains in the society till the last time. Through Hori's struggles, I came to realize that a person is truly immortal by his deeds.
It's Munshi Premchand Ji's genius that I was able to feel so closely to the life of tortured and outraged poor people. There are so many meanings of life in one story. The beauty of these stories is eternal.
Godaan is considered one of the greatest Hindustani novels of modern Indian literature. It was the last complete novel of Premchand. It is themed around the socio-economic deprivation as well as the exploitation of the poor in the colonial India. The story revolves around many characters representing the various sections of Indian community. It showcases the farmer's poor condition and the troubles and mentality of the rich class.
It's the story of a farmer, Hori, who does not give up his values and his friendly conduct in spite of adversity, whose respect remains in the society till the last time. Through Hori's struggles, I came to realize that a person is truly immortal by his deeds.
It's Munshi Premchand Ji's genius that I was able to feel so closely to the life of tortured and outraged poor people. There are so many meanings of life in one story. The beauty of these stories is eternal.
March 28, 2012
Lots of typos n grammatical mistakes in the English translation..will try to get my hands onto the original hindi version..but nonetheless painful n true portrayal of rural life in India.
February 9, 2016
I am totally blown away by Premchand's dexterity in handling characters! So many characters, but not one is stereotyped or made to look like a caricature. All the major ones change over the course of the novel with the circumstances and reveal new sides to them. He does not try to garner insincere pity for the peasants, nor does he completely demonize the zamindars and other rich people. It is the unencumbered life energy, the medley of emotions and experiences, that runs from page to page. And Premchand is sure a wise philosopher. He does not create a clash of viewpoints and then leave the scene (as has been the fashion of late), he shows the direction, and reveals his convictions regarding the values that are worth living for, slogging for, and dying for.
This novel makes the arguments given by proponents of magic realism look lame. As Namvar Singh put it, the genre does not help with the aim of revealing the insides of the nations Other-ed by their colonizers. It only redoubles the mystification. No reality is ordinary or extraordinary to deserve either realism or magic realism to do justice to its uniqueness. Realism is not dull, if the writer has an eye for cutting right to the soul of things.
I must put in a word of praise for the translation by Gordon C. Roadarmel. Some Hindi novels do feel weak when read in English. The dichotomy between the world of the novel and the cultural import of the language creates an awkwardness when the reader creates mental impressions of the story in the reading experience. Maybe they are simply a matter of bad translation, or maybe it is more. But in this translation, I did not feel English caused much damage, definitely not so much to look irksome.
This novel makes the arguments given by proponents of magic realism look lame. As Namvar Singh put it, the genre does not help with the aim of revealing the insides of the nations Other-ed by their colonizers. It only redoubles the mystification. No reality is ordinary or extraordinary to deserve either realism or magic realism to do justice to its uniqueness. Realism is not dull, if the writer has an eye for cutting right to the soul of things.
I must put in a word of praise for the translation by Gordon C. Roadarmel. Some Hindi novels do feel weak when read in English. The dichotomy between the world of the novel and the cultural import of the language creates an awkwardness when the reader creates mental impressions of the story in the reading experience. Maybe they are simply a matter of bad translation, or maybe it is more. But in this translation, I did not feel English caused much damage, definitely not so much to look irksome.
August 19, 2010
This was my first exposure to the projected banal Hindi Literature but to my amazement it swept me off floor when i finished reading it. My friend gave it to me and hence i started reading.
Munshi premchand is really a maestro in writing. It is hard to find someone even in English who can be compared to his writing skills.
The story is about a peasant who fights with Zamindars for his survival.
Most impressive aspect of this story is the stronghold over characters. Premchand never loses that. Miss Malti and Mr. Khanna are the two most strong characters of this novel.
Though the book is full of great lines and remarks but if only i had to choose one such incident I would rate the Speech of Mr. Khanna on the occasion of election while addressing Women. He talks about role of women in shaping the society. It is an apt work of a adroit mind how he expresses his concern that why women are trying to fight with men when they are at higher position than men in all aspects. Women shape society, they control the flow. They should stick to their role of playing backstage supporter. I know some of us will disagree to this fact but it is true that it is only because of support of women be it mother, sister, wife that men find themselves strong.
It was a great work of literature and it is unfortunate that not many have read this.
Munshi premchand is really a maestro in writing. It is hard to find someone even in English who can be compared to his writing skills.
The story is about a peasant who fights with Zamindars for his survival.
Most impressive aspect of this story is the stronghold over characters. Premchand never loses that. Miss Malti and Mr. Khanna are the two most strong characters of this novel.
Though the book is full of great lines and remarks but if only i had to choose one such incident I would rate the Speech of Mr. Khanna on the occasion of election while addressing Women. He talks about role of women in shaping the society. It is an apt work of a adroit mind how he expresses his concern that why women are trying to fight with men when they are at higher position than men in all aspects. Women shape society, they control the flow. They should stick to their role of playing backstage supporter. I know some of us will disagree to this fact but it is true that it is only because of support of women be it mother, sister, wife that men find themselves strong.
It was a great work of literature and it is unfortunate that not many have read this.
May 14, 2019
Godaan is doubly special, being the swan song as well as the magnum opus of one of India’s greatest writers, Munshi Premchand. A simple tale, told with the unadorned style of the rustic setting where it takes place, Godaan manages to shine light on the inequity of wealth, caste, and opportunities that plagued the India of a century ago (and still does to a large extent). It also manages to put in perspective the privilege most people take for granted, the disparity in the ambitions of the rich and the poor, and implores you to question everything about life.
January 29, 2018
Truly a classic.
My first introduction to Munshi Premchand was his short story 'Hajj e Akbar' included in our First Year's syllabus. That was quite basic and preachy story. I didn't admire that writing at all. Then I watched Satyajit Ray's movie 'Shatraj ke Khiladi' which was a lovely adaptation of a short story by Premchand. His short story 'Kafan' gives you goosebumps.
This novel is a sensitive portrayal of rural life in 1930s India and exploitation of humans in different shapes. The novel has quite a big scope as it touches various social issues including heavy interest on loans affecting generations, untouchables, religious and communal blackmailing, yellow journalism, etc. There are many strong characters in the novel but one can count 'Hori' and 'Dhania' as one of the most memorable and impactful characters written in Urdu / Hindi literature. Definitely a re-readable novel.
My first introduction to Munshi Premchand was his short story 'Hajj e Akbar' included in our First Year's syllabus. That was quite basic and preachy story. I didn't admire that writing at all. Then I watched Satyajit Ray's movie 'Shatraj ke Khiladi' which was a lovely adaptation of a short story by Premchand. His short story 'Kafan' gives you goosebumps.
This novel is a sensitive portrayal of rural life in 1930s India and exploitation of humans in different shapes. The novel has quite a big scope as it touches various social issues including heavy interest on loans affecting generations, untouchables, religious and communal blackmailing, yellow journalism, etc. There are many strong characters in the novel but one can count 'Hori' and 'Dhania' as one of the most memorable and impactful characters written in Urdu / Hindi literature. Definitely a re-readable novel.
May 16, 2020
Godaan is a social commentary of life in villages in the early 20th century and I don't have words to express how amazing I found this book! I began reading the Kindle edition but then switched to the audiobook because I was loving the narration by Shaswata Sharma. She was simply brilliant! I was in tears in so many places and now that the book has ended, I cannot feel my heart.
This is a must read for everyone who at least understands Hindi. Listen to the audiobook at least. You'll understand why I'm so emotional!
This is a must read for everyone who at least understands Hindi. Listen to the audiobook at least. You'll understand why I'm so emotional!
June 5, 2020
Indian village is a conflicting entity. The opinions are broadly divided into the Gandhian and Ambedkerite view. While Gandhi saw village as a self sufficient little harmonious republic, it was a den of localism and cess pool of ignorance for Ambedkar. After reading Godan, I felt the reality of Indian village is somewhere in the middle.
Munshi Premchand's book takes around 15 pages before one gets used to the language being used. But post this, it's a smooth ride. You begin to identify with the characters and their emotions resonate with you. Do read!
Munshi Premchand's book takes around 15 pages before one gets used to the language being used. But post this, it's a smooth ride. You begin to identify with the characters and their emotions resonate with you. Do read!
August 20, 2013
Godaan is not a novel of peasant India. It is a novel of contrast. It depicts how, the peasant India dies day-by-day under the burden of debt which compounds exponentially within years, while those in the higher class are busy with their own little schemes. They play out their own games and suffer their own defeats. But the rigidity of the society does not leave any room for morality to prevail.
It is a picture of India as I had never seen before. Written before 1935, it hardly mentions the British, which at the time were ruling India. I wonder if it was due to apprehension on part of the author that the novel will face governmental apathy if it spoke against it, or, because the British plainly did NOT figure anywhere in the scheme of oppression that the poorest classes of the masses in India underwent.
I believe in the latter, that for the most part, it was the Indians themselves who were oppressing the Indians. We got freedom from ourselves. And I don't think India would be an exception with this realization. Wherever there is oppression, there are bound to be sentinels of the lower class positioning themselves as the gaolers and the upper class, as the go-between for all forms of slavery. Everywhere, the hand cracking the whip on your back has the same tone of skin as the bloody one on your torn back.
The characters are mostly independent in their thinking. They are what you might expect to see in a Hindi film belonging to the decades of 70s and 80s. An overtly free feminist; a professor who has rudimentary ideas about women while talking about progress of the country; a land-lord who is not heartless as to see his 'asaamis' (farmers) suffer, but cannot avoid to partake in the bribe that they have paid; a banker who hounds the feminist woman like a pup; his wife, who is the most ideal woman that can ever adorn a household, the very definition of sacrifice; an editor of newspaper which self-confessedly dedicates itself to the rights of the rurals and a lawyer who would sell his soul for commission - these characters make up the high society of the novel.
It becomes necessary then, that the novel should not be called a portrait of peasant India, but a depiction of India as a progressive and free society, wherein, as it happens everywhere, those who can, oppress those who can not but suffer it all. To top it all, there is the social pressure of belonging to class, caste and creed, which makes the lower classes descend deeper into the abyss of indebted servitude, for this feeling of belonging is much more important to them than the naked sword of indefatigable debt dangling right above their tenderly exposed necks.
The isolation of the upper class from the suffering of the lower ones does not mean that they have it easy either. They have their own crosses to bear, their own imagined "prestige". But it does look a little self-indulging to worry about the nose, when right under your nose, there are peasants of your land dying of starvation. The subplot of the pragmatic feminist and the incorruptible professor gradually falling in love alternately with each other and deciding finally that the mutual respect they have for each other will be the most they will ever have - this is contrived very well.
Prem Chand also criticizes the newspapers which intend to make the masses aware of the real condition of the world. He shows the dichotomy of intention and desperation which leads to someone speaking one thing and doing another.
In all, it shows how everyone in the country is bound, without room to flex even their limbs, in the rigid weaving called society and how they are bound to die in it without moving, without making the slightest change. It is a keen, rather acidic portrayal of the progressive India with characters who do not progress at all.
For some reason, even now when I think about it, I feel on the verge of tears. There is something heart-rending in his defeat which touches you in the most tender places and tears out you that little emotion which you never think a novelist can reach at. It is the defeat of your self-belief.
It is also the defeat of the tiny hope that things get better at the end. In real life, they don't. And this novel is nothing if not the bare, unashamed, truth in its most extreme honest rendition, of the India of that time.
No wonder then that Prem Chand is called the one true "Emperor Novelist" among Hindi novelists.
It is a picture of India as I had never seen before. Written before 1935, it hardly mentions the British, which at the time were ruling India. I wonder if it was due to apprehension on part of the author that the novel will face governmental apathy if it spoke against it, or, because the British plainly did NOT figure anywhere in the scheme of oppression that the poorest classes of the masses in India underwent.
I believe in the latter, that for the most part, it was the Indians themselves who were oppressing the Indians. We got freedom from ourselves. And I don't think India would be an exception with this realization. Wherever there is oppression, there are bound to be sentinels of the lower class positioning themselves as the gaolers and the upper class, as the go-between for all forms of slavery. Everywhere, the hand cracking the whip on your back has the same tone of skin as the bloody one on your torn back.
The characters are mostly independent in their thinking. They are what you might expect to see in a Hindi film belonging to the decades of 70s and 80s. An overtly free feminist; a professor who has rudimentary ideas about women while talking about progress of the country; a land-lord who is not heartless as to see his 'asaamis' (farmers) suffer, but cannot avoid to partake in the bribe that they have paid; a banker who hounds the feminist woman like a pup; his wife, who is the most ideal woman that can ever adorn a household, the very definition of sacrifice; an editor of newspaper which self-confessedly dedicates itself to the rights of the rurals and a lawyer who would sell his soul for commission - these characters make up the high society of the novel.
It becomes necessary then, that the novel should not be called a portrait of peasant India, but a depiction of India as a progressive and free society, wherein, as it happens everywhere, those who can, oppress those who can not but suffer it all. To top it all, there is the social pressure of belonging to class, caste and creed, which makes the lower classes descend deeper into the abyss of indebted servitude, for this feeling of belonging is much more important to them than the naked sword of indefatigable debt dangling right above their tenderly exposed necks.
The isolation of the upper class from the suffering of the lower ones does not mean that they have it easy either. They have their own crosses to bear, their own imagined "prestige". But it does look a little self-indulging to worry about the nose, when right under your nose, there are peasants of your land dying of starvation. The subplot of the pragmatic feminist and the incorruptible professor gradually falling in love alternately with each other and deciding finally that the mutual respect they have for each other will be the most they will ever have - this is contrived very well.
Prem Chand also criticizes the newspapers which intend to make the masses aware of the real condition of the world. He shows the dichotomy of intention and desperation which leads to someone speaking one thing and doing another.
In all, it shows how everyone in the country is bound, without room to flex even their limbs, in the rigid weaving called society and how they are bound to die in it without moving, without making the slightest change. It is a keen, rather acidic portrayal of the progressive India with characters who do not progress at all.
For some reason, even now when I think about it, I feel on the verge of tears. There is something heart-rending in his defeat which touches you in the most tender places and tears out you that little emotion which you never think a novelist can reach at. It is the defeat of your self-belief.
It is also the defeat of the tiny hope that things get better at the end. In real life, they don't. And this novel is nothing if not the bare, unashamed, truth in its most extreme honest rendition, of the India of that time.
No wonder then that Prem Chand is called the one true "Emperor Novelist" among Hindi novelists.
September 20, 2014
In this book I like most is the commendable exposition of human nature by the author. The way he expressed the life of a man: the criteria behind the growth & limitations of human beings, is extremely touching. He beautifully revealed that even after giving one's full.... there is something that limits the growth of man.
And when I was brooding over....these limitations: 'what controls us', 'what confines us'; it reminded me the Newton's first law that objects behave predictably; moving objects don't change their direction unless an external force causes them to move from their path; and even if the object is at rest, it will remain at rest unless an external force acts upon it.
Life of Hori the protagonist of this novel somewhere proves that even if we work with our absolute will and disposition i.e. with full potential of our body & mind, we could not win life. Blows of life reminds us that earthly life is ephemeral. Fleeting moments of life do not allow us to achieve that everlasting contentment. Because we mostly forget the most essential thing of life i.e. role of our soul; the real hero behind the scene. As the growth of our body & mind depends upon the food we feed; our soul also seek for divine love to evolve.
Like Newton's first law.... until one gets the help of a living divine source who could invariably feed his soul, who could transmit His divine essence (the food of the soul) to his soul; who could awake his sleeping soul by the touch of His divine love---the force less force...... one cannot achieve the highest.
For the highest growth we all have to create a complete balance between material world & spiritual world by equally treating our body, mind & soul. Thus for the growth of the subtle soul..... subtle food is the only way i.e. Transmission----The Love of God; an external force for its maximum growth.
And when I was brooding over....these limitations: 'what controls us', 'what confines us'; it reminded me the Newton's first law that objects behave predictably; moving objects don't change their direction unless an external force causes them to move from their path; and even if the object is at rest, it will remain at rest unless an external force acts upon it.
Life of Hori the protagonist of this novel somewhere proves that even if we work with our absolute will and disposition i.e. with full potential of our body & mind, we could not win life. Blows of life reminds us that earthly life is ephemeral. Fleeting moments of life do not allow us to achieve that everlasting contentment. Because we mostly forget the most essential thing of life i.e. role of our soul; the real hero behind the scene. As the growth of our body & mind depends upon the food we feed; our soul also seek for divine love to evolve.
Like Newton's first law.... until one gets the help of a living divine source who could invariably feed his soul, who could transmit His divine essence (the food of the soul) to his soul; who could awake his sleeping soul by the touch of His divine love---the force less force...... one cannot achieve the highest.
For the highest growth we all have to create a complete balance between material world & spiritual world by equally treating our body, mind & soul. Thus for the growth of the subtle soul..... subtle food is the only way i.e. Transmission----The Love of God; an external force for its maximum growth.
January 5, 2017
Go-dan. A wish that was not fulfilled. Not when one was alive, not on one's death. After all what are the desires of a man, those that were never fulfilled. What is a man attracted to? Of course not to those wishes which were attained in his lifetime but to those that never found their destiny.
A story of lessons, of connections, of society, struggles, faith, cheating, theft, of every problem, of every positivity that existed in society then, exists in society now! Patriarchy, feminism, atheism - all have found their way in this one story. How women exercise their power in a society where they are supposed to be completely dependent on their men? What are the thoughts of a rural woman when she sees her urban counterpart with all her independence? How does a man reacts to the movement of feminism gaining it's ground in India? What reactions go on through the mind of a recently converted atheist? How problems throw you on roads you never want to take? How situations change the relationships that exist around you? And many many more things.
The most beautifully highlighted was the rural life which circulated around Hori. His being good at heart despite all the trouble he was going through and the unwanted paths he was taking. The yet so demanded peace which Hori did not attain even at his death bed was another phase of the story which leaves the reader at yet another awe. The sudden reaction of Dhaniya on making the 'Go-dan' and the story ends with many questions unanswered creating a craving for more.
Moreover, at no point you can make out what actually were the viewpoints of Premchand. ;)
(Read the book in Hindi - First Edition)
A story of lessons, of connections, of society, struggles, faith, cheating, theft, of every problem, of every positivity that existed in society then, exists in society now! Patriarchy, feminism, atheism - all have found their way in this one story. How women exercise their power in a society where they are supposed to be completely dependent on their men? What are the thoughts of a rural woman when she sees her urban counterpart with all her independence? How does a man reacts to the movement of feminism gaining it's ground in India? What reactions go on through the mind of a recently converted atheist? How problems throw you on roads you never want to take? How situations change the relationships that exist around you? And many many more things.
The most beautifully highlighted was the rural life which circulated around Hori. His being good at heart despite all the trouble he was going through and the unwanted paths he was taking. The yet so demanded peace which Hori did not attain even at his death bed was another phase of the story which leaves the reader at yet another awe. The sudden reaction of Dhaniya on making the 'Go-dan' and the story ends with many questions unanswered creating a craving for more.
Moreover, at no point you can make out what actually were the viewpoints of Premchand. ;)
(Read the book in Hindi - First Edition)
January 1, 2022
Godan is arguably considered to be one of the finest works in Hindi literature and the last by Munshi Premchand ji. The quality of a great book, moreso fiction, is that it transports one to the very setting and situation of the narrative. A great story draws the reader off her or his comfort zone and puts right in the middle of the events and in a way pushes to endure what protagonists are going through. Godan is one such. The reader becomes part of the misery of Hori & Dhaniya and laments with them at occasions that demanded so. It makes one feel angry with the injustice prevailing in the contemporary society and jubilates when the trodden-soul gives it back to the mighty. The story also touches upon the plight of people who move from villages to the glitter of big cities and lose perspective and identity. All of these emotions are nurtured through a careful act of character sketching and every character stays till the end, and in my case even beyond the realms of the print.
Strongly recommended to be read only in Hindi and may Munshi ji live forever, through his writings.
Strongly recommended to be read only in Hindi and may Munshi ji live forever, through his writings.
September 7, 2023
Few years back, I tried reading the English translation, gave up after 5 pages, realizing that, probably, translation didn't do justice to the defining Hindi Novel of last century.
Last year, I tried reading it in original Hindi, but couldn't go beyond 30 pages. I blamed it on my inept reading.
Now, as I kept on listening to the Hindi audio book, narrated by Sameer Goswami (pretty decent I would say), I realize that there are snippets of brilliance, there are portions which should be read to gain deeper understanding of the life of peasants of pre-independence India, there are interactions that are thought provoking, but….but…. sadly…. again…it failed to capture my attention for long.
Since the book is hailed by so many, I would attribute this disinterest solely to my shortcomings.
Last year, I tried reading it in original Hindi, but couldn't go beyond 30 pages. I blamed it on my inept reading.
Now, as I kept on listening to the Hindi audio book, narrated by Sameer Goswami (pretty decent I would say), I realize that there are snippets of brilliance, there are portions which should be read to gain deeper understanding of the life of peasants of pre-independence India, there are interactions that are thought provoking, but….but…. sadly…. again…it failed to capture my attention for long.
Since the book is hailed by so many, I would attribute this disinterest solely to my shortcomings.
April 25, 2020
कवारंटाइन डायरी और किताब:
पिछले दिनों मुर्शिदाबाद जिले के बहरमपुर के डोमकल हाइवे के समीप इस लॉक डाउन में करीब 400 परिवारों ने हाइवे को जाम कर दिया. कारण भूखमरी की स्थिति. राशन का न पहुँचना. लोकल राशन डीलर के घालमेल से राशन रहते हुए भी परिवारों को उपलब्ध न होना. राशन डीलर सरकारी खाद्य वस्तुओं को उपलब्ध कराने के नाम पर हर परिवार को सिर्फ 1 किलो चावल मुहैया करवा रहा है. और वह भी गिने-चुने परिवारों को ही. बाद में लोकल लीडर और इलाके के चैयरमेन के आश्वासन पर प्रत्येक परिवार को दस किलो चावल और पाँच किलो आलू देने की संभावना पर जाम को खुलवाने पर काबू पा लिया.
अब कल्पना कीजिए की एक परिवार में अगर चार से पाँच जने है, और चावल मिला 1 केजी. इससे कितने दिन चलना है. और कितने जून का खाना. और राशन भी रोज उपलब्ध नहीं है. सप्ताह के बीच किसी गिने-चुने दिन में ही. और ऐसी खबर अभी लगभग बंगाल के हर कोने से आ रही है.
जबकि राज्य के खाद्य और आपूर्ति मंत्री ज्योतिप्रिय मल्लिक और मुख्यमंत्री ने पहले ही दावा किया है कि राज्य का हर व्यक्ति अपने घर की सीमा में रहे, और उनकी राशन की सारी जिम्मेदारी राज्य सरकार के कंधों पर है. और राज्य में खाद्य पदार्थों की कोई कमी नहीं होने वाली. सरकारी गोदाम भरे पड़े है. इतना स्टॉक है कि अगस्त तक राज्य के लोग बैठ कर खा सकते है. और इस फसल के कटाई के बाद सरकार हरसंभव सीधे किसानों से अनाज की खरीद कर रही हैं. जिससें आने वाले महीनो में राज्य स्तर पर कोई दिक्कत नहीं होगी.
अब आपको लिए चलते है दक्षिण बंगाल के पुरुलिया जिले में. आदिवासी बहुल इलाका. वहाँ भी बहरमपुर के तरह ही भूखमरी की स्थिति. यहां कारण वहाँ से थोड़ा भिन्न है. यहां सरकार की ओर से जो राशन मिलनी है वह इनकी उपलब्धता से कोशों दूर है. कारण इनके हाथ में राशन कार्ड का न होना. या इनके पास राशन कार्ड होते हुए भी, राशन कार्ड नहीं है मानिए.
कारण आदिवासी ग्रामीण परिवार निजी जरूरतों के कारण जिनमें घर के अनुष्ठान, शादी-व्याह, बीमारी, खेती की अन्य जरूरतों के मद्देनज़र ग्राम के साहुकारों से जरूरत मुताबिक पैसा उधार लेते है. बदलें में साहुकार इनसे पैसे सूध के साथ देते हुए, इनके अपने राशन कार्ड भी अपने यहाँ गिरवी रखवा लेता है. इस बीच साहुकार को पैसा न चुकाने से बहुतों को राशन कार्ड दुबारा नहीं मिला था. अब किसी ग्रामीण व्यक्ति के लिए अभी राशन कार्ड से बड़ी संपत्ति क्या होगी. यानी राशन कार्ड आपके पास नहीं तो आप इस संकट के घड़ी में जो थोड़ी-बहुत सरकारी सुविधाएँ उपलब्ध है उससे कोशों दूर.
अब साहूकार भी खेल कर रहे है. साल भर की प्रताड़ना और इनसे अपना हित तो साधते ही है. अब इस संकट में इन्हीं ग्रामिणों के राशन कार्ड पर राशन डिलर से अनाज सीधे उठवा कर बाजार में मंहगे दामों पर बेच दे रहे है. यानी आदिवासी ग्रामीण अपने ही हिस्से का अनाज इनडायरेक्टली दुगुने से तीगुने दाम पर खरीदने को मजबूर है. और अब भूखमरी की स्थिति में जब राशन मिल नहीं रहा. फिर से पैसा लेने के लिए इन साहुकार के पास ही जा रहे है. यही है खेला. और इंतफाक कहूँ या क्या. इस बीच मैंने ‘गोदान’ को फिर से पलटना शुरू किया था. अब सोचिए 1936 और 2020 में कोई खासा अंतर नहीं दिख रहा है. मैं अभी बात सिर्फ बंगाल के संदर्भ में कर रहा हूँ. पूरा देश छोड़ देता हूँ...
किताब के संदर्भ में ऊपर इतनी अधिक भूमिका लिखने की क्यों जरूरत पड़ गई. कारण आज 1936 के बाद या यूं कहें आजादी के इतने वर्षों के उपरांत किसानों और मजदूरों कि स्थिति में कोई परिवर्तन नहीं आया. चाहे उस वक्त का औपनिवेशिक भारत हो या आज का भारत. गोदान के 84 साल बाद भी पुरुलिया का उदाहरण ही देख लीजिए. कोरोना काल के संकट के घड़ी में आज सबसे ज्यादा इन्हीं मजदूर किसानों पर ही बीत रही है. साहूकारों का शोषण हो या इस बीच बाजार की जो स्थिति और मौसम की मार अलग से, हर तरफ से इन्हें मार पड़ रहा है.
आज भारत में किसानों के आत्महत्या की संख्या पहले से बड़ा है. होरी जैसे किसान की दशा और क्या होनी है इस समाज में. होरी जब-जब आर्थिक संकट में जा घिरता है तब महाजन उसे कर्ज देने पहुँच जाते है. कर्ज में डूब जाने के बाद भी होरी कभी आत्महत्या की अंततः नहीं सोचता है. क्योंकि कहीं न कहीं आत्महत्या भारतीय लोकजीवन और किसानों की प्रवृत्ति पहले नहीं रही थी. लेकिन इतने सालों बाद आज? उस समय सामंतवाद में व्यक्ति जातिगत भेदभाव, बेरोजगारी, लगान, बेदखली वगैरह के रूप में सामाजिक और आर्थिक शोषण में जरूर फंसा रहता था. लेकिन उनके जीवन में उल्लास तत्व भी समाहित था. जो जीवन के प्रति उसके सरोकार और विश्वास को खत्म नहीं होने देता था. लेकिन आज के तथाकथित विकसित समाज और ग्राम योजना में यह स्पेस भी धीरे-धीरे खत्म ही हुआ है इतने वर्षों में.
प्रेमचंद का यह मास्टरपीस इसलिए भी बहुमूल्य रचना क्यों की आज की समाज और समय में भी उतना ज्वलंत है. उनका लेखन भारतीय समाज की हर नब्ज़ तो टटोलता है. और उसे प्रतिपल नंगा भी करता है. रायसाहब, मिस्टर खन्ना, तंखा, मिर्जा खुर्शेद, मालती, मेहता जैसे पात्र आज भी समान रूप से एक्जीस्ट करते है. उच्च या मध्यम वर्ग की जिन्दगी और उनकी आज के समय दी जाने वाली प्रतिक्रिया से बखूबी समझा जा सकता है. आज जब किसान विभिन्न महानगरों से बिना किसी सुविधा के अपने गांव-देहात पहुँचना चा रहे है तो. भारतीय मध्यम वर्ग का इनके प्रति नजरिया और नफरत भी बखूबी देखी जा सकती है.
मेहता-मालती के संबंध में स्त्री-पुरुष के संबंधों का नजरिया आज भी हर मायने में प्रगतिशील रूख है. उनके बीच बातचीत के अंशों को पढ़ने के बाद स्त्री-पुरुष संबंध के अंतर्गत दर्शन भी दिख जाएगा. कोई भी रचनाकार की रचना जब हर आयाम को असर करती हुई हर वक्त में उतनी ही ज्वलंत होती जाती हैं, तो वह क्लासिक या मास्टरपीस के श्रेणी में आता है. इसलिए सुधीजन हमेशा कहते आए है कि अगर आपको भारत या भारत के संदर्भ में ग्रामीण जीवन और किसान को समझना है तो 'गोदान' पढ़िए. निराश नहीं होंगे. और यह रचना हर समय उतना ही जागृत है. जिसे जितनी बार पढ़ों हर बार एक नया नजरिया मिलता है, साथ ही वक्त के साथ कदम मिलाता और समस्या की ओर इशारा करते हुए उसके समाधान का नजरिया भी पेश करता है. अगर आप समझ पा रहे हो. भारतीय संदर्भ में. इसे पढ़े बिना बहुत कुछ अधूरा रह जाएगा. आपके पढ़े में. पढ़िएगा.
पिछले दिनों मुर्शिदाबाद जिले के बहरमपुर के डोमकल हाइवे के समीप इस लॉक डाउन में करीब 400 परिवारों ने हाइवे को जाम कर दिया. कारण भूखमरी की स्थिति. राशन का न पहुँचना. लोकल राशन डीलर के घालमेल से राशन रहते हुए भी परिवारों को उपलब्ध न होना. राशन डीलर सरकारी खाद्य वस्तुओं को उपलब्ध कराने के नाम पर हर परिवार को सिर्फ 1 किलो चावल मुहैया करवा रहा है. और वह भी गिने-चुने परिवारों को ही. बाद में लोकल लीडर और इलाके के चैयरमेन के आश्वासन पर प्रत्येक परिवार को दस किलो चावल और पाँच किलो आलू देने की संभावना पर जाम को खुलवाने पर काबू पा लिया.
अब कल्पना कीजिए की एक परिवार में अगर चार से पाँच जने है, और चावल मिला 1 केजी. इससे कितने दिन चलना है. और कितने जून का खाना. और राशन भी रोज उपलब्ध नहीं है. सप्ताह के बीच किसी गिने-चुने दिन में ही. और ऐसी खबर अभी लगभग बंगाल के हर कोने से आ रही है.
जबकि राज्य के खाद्य और आपूर्ति मंत्री ज्योतिप्रिय मल्लिक और मुख्यमंत्री ने पहले ही दावा किया है कि राज्य का हर व्यक्ति अपने घर की सीमा में रहे, और उनकी राशन की सारी जिम्मेदारी राज्य सरकार के कंधों पर है. और राज्य में खाद्य पदार्थों की कोई कमी नहीं होने वाली. सरकारी गोदाम भरे पड़े है. इतना स्टॉक है कि अगस्त तक राज्य के लोग बैठ कर खा सकते है. और इस फसल के कटाई के बाद सरकार हरसंभव सीधे किसानों से अनाज की खरीद कर रही हैं. जिससें आने वाले महीनो में राज्य स्तर पर कोई दिक्कत नहीं होगी.
अब आपको लिए चलते है दक्षिण बंगाल के पुरुलिया जिले में. आदिवासी बहुल इलाका. वहाँ भी बहरमपुर के तरह ही भूखमरी की स्थिति. यहां कारण वहाँ से थोड़ा भिन्न है. यहां सरकार की ओर से जो राशन मिलनी है वह इनकी उपलब्धता से कोशों दूर है. कारण इनके हाथ में राशन कार्ड का न होना. या इनके पास राशन कार्ड होते हुए भी, राशन कार्ड नहीं है मानिए.
कारण आदिवासी ग्रामीण परिवार निजी जरूरतों के कारण जिनमें घर के अनुष्ठान, शादी-व्याह, बीमारी, खेती की अन्य जरूरतों के मद्देनज़र ग्राम के साहुकारों से जरूरत मुताबिक पैसा उधार लेते है. बदलें में साहुकार इनसे पैसे सूध के साथ देते हुए, इनके अपने राशन कार्ड भी अपने यहाँ गिरवी रखवा लेता है. इस बीच साहुकार को पैसा न चुकाने से बहुतों को राशन कार्ड दुबारा नहीं मिला था. अब किसी ग्रामीण व्यक्ति के लिए अभी राशन कार्ड से बड़ी संपत्ति क्या होगी. यानी राशन कार्ड आपके पास नहीं तो आप इस संकट के घड़ी में जो थोड़ी-बहुत सरकारी सुविधाएँ उपलब्ध है उससे कोशों दूर.
अब साहूकार भी खेल कर रहे है. साल भर की प्रताड़ना और इनसे अपना हित तो साधते ही है. अब इस संकट में इन्हीं ग्रामिणों के राशन कार्ड पर राशन डिलर से अनाज सीधे उठवा कर बाजार में मंहगे दामों पर बेच दे रहे है. यानी आदिवासी ग्रामीण अपने ही हिस्से का अनाज इनडायरेक्टली दुगुने से तीगुने दाम पर खरीदने को मजबूर है. और अब भूखमरी की स्थिति में जब राशन मिल नहीं रहा. फिर से पैसा लेने के लिए इन साहुकार के पास ही जा रहे है. यही है खेला. और इंतफाक कहूँ या क्या. इस बीच मैंने ‘गोदान’ को फिर से पलटना शुरू किया था. अब सोचिए 1936 और 2020 में कोई खासा अंतर नहीं दिख रहा है. मैं अभी बात सिर्फ बंगाल के संदर्भ में कर रहा हूँ. पूरा देश छोड़ देता हूँ...
किताब के संदर्भ में ऊपर इतनी अधिक भूमिका लिखने की क्यों जरूरत पड़ गई. कारण आज 1936 के बाद या यूं कहें आजादी के इतने वर्षों के उपरांत किसानों और मजदूरों कि स्थिति में कोई परिवर्तन नहीं आया. चाहे उस वक्त का औपनिवेशिक भारत हो या आज का भारत. गोदान के 84 साल बाद भी पुरुलिया का उदाहरण ही देख लीजिए. कोरोना काल के संकट के घड़ी में आज सबसे ज्यादा इन्हीं मजदूर किसानों पर ही बीत रही है. साहूकारों का शोषण हो या इस बीच बाजार की जो स्थिति और मौसम की मार अलग से, हर तरफ से इन्हें मार पड़ रहा है.
आज भारत में किसानों के आत्महत्या की संख्या पहले से बड़ा है. होरी जैसे किसान की दशा और क्या होनी है इस समाज में. होरी जब-जब आर्थिक संकट में जा घिरता है तब महाजन उसे कर्ज देने पहुँच जाते है. कर्ज में डूब जाने के बाद भी होरी कभी आत्महत्या की अंततः नहीं सोचता है. क्योंकि कहीं न कहीं आत्महत्या भारतीय लोकजीवन और किसानों की प्रवृत्ति पहले नहीं रही थी. लेकिन इतने सालों बाद आज? उस समय सामंतवाद में व्यक्ति जातिगत भेदभाव, बेरोजगारी, लगान, बेदखली वगैरह के रूप में सामाजिक और आर्थिक शोषण में जरूर फंसा रहता था. लेकिन उनके जीवन में उल्लास तत्व भी समाहित था. जो जीवन के प्रति उसके सरोकार और विश्वास को खत्म नहीं होने देता था. लेकिन आज के तथाकथित विकसित समाज और ग्राम योजना में यह स्पेस भी धीरे-धीरे खत्म ही हुआ है इतने वर्षों में.
प्रेमचंद का यह मास्टरपीस इसलिए भी बहुमूल्य रचना क्यों की आज की समाज और समय में भी उतना ज्वलंत है. उनका लेखन भारतीय समाज की हर नब्ज़ तो टटोलता है. और उसे प्रतिपल नंगा भी करता है. रायसाहब, मिस्टर खन्ना, तंखा, मिर्जा खुर्शेद, मालती, मेहता जैसे पात्र आज भी समान रूप से एक्जीस्ट करते है. उच्च या मध्यम वर्ग की जिन्दगी और उनकी आज के समय दी जाने वाली प्रतिक्रिया से बखूबी समझा जा सकता है. आज जब किसान विभिन्न महानगरों से बिना किसी सुविधा के अपने गांव-देहात पहुँचना चा रहे है तो. भारतीय मध्यम वर्ग का इनके प्रति नजरिया और नफरत भी बखूबी देखी जा सकती है.
मेहता-मालती के संबंध में स्त्री-पुरुष के संबंधों का नजरिया आज भी हर मायने में प्रगतिशील रूख है. उनके बीच बातचीत के अंशों को पढ़ने के बाद स्त्री-पुरुष संबंध के अंतर्गत दर्शन भी दिख जाएगा. कोई भी रचनाकार की रचना जब हर आयाम को असर करती हुई हर वक्त में उतनी ही ज्वलंत होती जाती हैं, तो वह क्लासिक या मास्टरपीस के श्रेणी में आता है. इसलिए सुधीजन हमेशा कहते आए है कि अगर आपको भारत या भारत के संदर्भ में ग्रामीण जीवन और किसान को समझना है तो 'गोदान' पढ़िए. निराश नहीं होंगे. और यह रचना हर समय उतना ही जागृत है. जिसे जितनी बार पढ़ों हर बार एक नया नजरिया मिलता है, साथ ही वक्त के साथ कदम मिलाता और समस्या की ओर इशारा करते हुए उसके समाधान का नजरिया भी पेश करता है. अगर आप समझ पा रहे हो. भारतीय संदर्भ में. इसे पढ़े बिना बहुत कुछ अधूरा रह जाएगा. आपके पढ़े में. पढ़िएगा.
November 18, 2014
Describes the Life of a poor farmer Hori and his struggle to keep alive in the milieu of British Raj.
Hori is a poor farmer, who has 3 acres of farmland, which he and his 2 daughters, a son and wife till. However, he is perenially in debt and is therefore never really the master of his own destiny. He is, however, largely at peace with his life and the only thing he wants is to own a cow. One day, he sees a milkman coming toward him with exactly the kind of cow he wants, but he has to hold his horses as he cannot afford it. However, the urge to own it only intensifies. As it happens, he is able to get the same cow. However....
The book is a wonderfully written account of the trials and travails of farmers during the time of British raj and Zamindars. It also describes diverse characters that lived in the then Lucknow city. The story really starts off as at least two distinct life-threads, but through introduction of various characters, meshes into a single, interconnected story which still manages to portray the life of various characters quite well.
The biggest draw for me was the character development. Each character is introduced, and developed beautifully. Godan is a story of various people from different backgrounds and of different personalities. The beauty of the story is in the interaction of these characters, and their subsequent development and the unmasking of the various layers of their nature.
Premchand uses this vehicle to parody and satirize the then prevalent social evils, poke fun at various vagaries of human nature, and describe as well as comment / share his views on social, economic and political aspects of life in that era in a way that is extremely relate-able.
The story makes you laugh, cry, think, and certainly paints a picture of life that not many books can do. It does all that with a simplicity that is delightful. If like me, you want to read serious Hindi literature, you won't go wrong with this book.
Highly recommended.
Hori is a poor farmer, who has 3 acres of farmland, which he and his 2 daughters, a son and wife till. However, he is perenially in debt and is therefore never really the master of his own destiny. He is, however, largely at peace with his life and the only thing he wants is to own a cow. One day, he sees a milkman coming toward him with exactly the kind of cow he wants, but he has to hold his horses as he cannot afford it. However, the urge to own it only intensifies. As it happens, he is able to get the same cow. However....
The book is a wonderfully written account of the trials and travails of farmers during the time of British raj and Zamindars. It also describes diverse characters that lived in the then Lucknow city. The story really starts off as at least two distinct life-threads, but through introduction of various characters, meshes into a single, interconnected story which still manages to portray the life of various characters quite well.
The biggest draw for me was the character development. Each character is introduced, and developed beautifully. Godan is a story of various people from different backgrounds and of different personalities. The beauty of the story is in the interaction of these characters, and their subsequent development and the unmasking of the various layers of their nature.
Premchand uses this vehicle to parody and satirize the then prevalent social evils, poke fun at various vagaries of human nature, and describe as well as comment / share his views on social, economic and political aspects of life in that era in a way that is extremely relate-able.
The story makes you laugh, cry, think, and certainly paints a picture of life that not many books can do. It does all that with a simplicity that is delightful. If like me, you want to read serious Hindi literature, you won't go wrong with this book.
Highly recommended.
February 25, 2017
Wow! Godan is an engrossing and vivid tour de force of the socio- eco- politico-cultural status of pre-Independence India.
It depicts the vampiric fangs of feudalism, the obnoxious and hypocritical caste divide and its appalling fallout on individuals and the pitiable lot of the farmer – who was literally at the bottom of the ‘food chain’. There is the all-pervading and preposterous usurious exploitation by shylocks; their exploitative methods result in extracting the last paisa from the farmer, and, if that was not enough, grabbing his house, cattle and land. The exploitation carries on in the form of pan-generational bonded labour.
The book also offers a glimpse of the so called ‘upper strata’ of Indian society before it was caught up in the turbulence of Independence. There is a frisson of adultery and an unrequited love story. This was a period before universal suffrage and talk of women’s empowerment. There is a convergence of the various protagonists but that remains inconclusive.
A must read, albeit in Hindi to get the real feel of the dust, grime, stink and the pitiable condition of the Indian village.
It depicts the vampiric fangs of feudalism, the obnoxious and hypocritical caste divide and its appalling fallout on individuals and the pitiable lot of the farmer – who was literally at the bottom of the ‘food chain’. There is the all-pervading and preposterous usurious exploitation by shylocks; their exploitative methods result in extracting the last paisa from the farmer, and, if that was not enough, grabbing his house, cattle and land. The exploitation carries on in the form of pan-generational bonded labour.
The book also offers a glimpse of the so called ‘upper strata’ of Indian society before it was caught up in the turbulence of Independence. There is a frisson of adultery and an unrequited love story. This was a period before universal suffrage and talk of women’s empowerment. There is a convergence of the various protagonists but that remains inconclusive.
A must read, albeit in Hindi to get the real feel of the dust, grime, stink and the pitiable condition of the Indian village.
June 23, 2018
प्रेमचंद के कई उपन्यास पढ़ने के बाद उनकी कालजयी रचना गोदान पढ़ने की बड़ी इच्छा थी, आज पढ़के खत्म किया। इससे पहले कर्मभूमि, गबन, प्रतिज्ञा, वरदान, निर्मला पढ़ चुका था, पर गोदान पढ़ने का सौभाग्य नही मिला था। आज पढ़ने के बाद मैं निश्चित रूप से यह कह सकता हूँ कि यह हिंदी साहित्य की अप्रतिम रचना है। इसका अंत बड़ा ही हृदय विदारक है। अंत तक पहुँचते पहुँचते थोड़ा आभास तो हो गया था कि होरी को प्रेमचंद मार के ही छोड़ेंगे, लेकिन मन कह रहा था होरी नही मरना चाहिए। जिस मरजाद और सामाजिक धार्मिक पाखण्ड और आडम्बर के कुचक्र में पिसते हुए, संघर्ष करते हुए वह अंत तक पहुँचा था, मुझे आश्चर्य होता कि कहाँ से कोई इतना मानसिक बल प्राप्त करता है। वास्तव में होरी तत्कालीन भारतीय किसान का प्रतिनिधित्व करता है। आज भी गांव-देहात में आपको तमाम होरी मिल जाएंगे, यही नही मातादीन, पाटेश्वरी लाला, नोखेराम जैसे लोग भी। गोदान लगभग हर भारतीय किसान की आत्मकथा है। एक अन्य ध्यान देने योग्य बात यह है कि जहाँ अन्य रचनाओं में प्रेमचंद आदर्शवाद की बात करते है, उसके ठीक उलट यह रचना यथार्थता का नग्न चित्रण है। धन्य है प्रेमचंद और उनकी कृति। नमन!
July 15, 2011
its the best novel written by the so called greatest indian writer, Premchand.
this book is about a poor peasant, named hori who had his lifetime dream of keeping a cow, but couldn't manage even this because of various social and personal hinderences. it confronts the reader with the actual reality of indian village, and its people, of how a poor villager prefers his man mariyada, or social status much above his own life.
this book also shows the difference between life in cities and villages, and an unusual linkage between them.
this book is about a poor peasant, named hori who had his lifetime dream of keeping a cow, but couldn't manage even this because of various social and personal hinderences. it confronts the reader with the actual reality of indian village, and its people, of how a poor villager prefers his man mariyada, or social status much above his own life.
this book also shows the difference between life in cities and villages, and an unusual linkage between them.
November 16, 2016
A very poignant story. The ending especially left me extremely sad.
Depictions of rural India hardly seem to have changed. The story has increased relevance when we realize that even after 60 years of Independence, there are farmer suicides happening in India.
The debates about the role of woman and the ultimate aim of human life are very interesting. Premchand's nationalism and high morals are depicted in all his descriptions.
All the issues he raises like women's treatment, caste division, hypocrisy and exploitation of politicians and upper castes are still significant today.
Depictions of rural India hardly seem to have changed. The story has increased relevance when we realize that even after 60 years of Independence, there are farmer suicides happening in India.
The debates about the role of woman and the ultimate aim of human life are very interesting. Premchand's nationalism and high morals are depicted in all his descriptions.
All the issues he raises like women's treatment, caste division, hypocrisy and exploitation of politicians and upper castes are still significant today.
July 16, 2016
The read felt that tonga-ride along the jerky, untarred, potholed village road. The poverty and compulsion-writ faces peeping out of the shabby windows at every wheel-turn left creases along the heart. Every peep was reminiscent of that hinge that had been throbbing in pain; had lost all, and was yet clinging to the door in the hope that its pain would subside some day, one day...
What a read! Speechless...
What a read! Speechless...
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