Munshi Premchand
By Rekha Sigi
()
About this ebook
Related to Munshi Premchand
Related ebooks
My Life and Times: Munshi Premchand Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSahir Ludhianvi - The People's Poet Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A Life in the World: U.R. Ananthamurthy in Conversation with Chandan Gowda Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsStrictly Personal: Manmohan and Gursharan Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Famous Stories Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Scene: 75 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsApna Khuda Ek Aurat Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHindi Ki Paanch Shreshth Kahaniyan: Man Ko Chu Leni Wali Cuninda Kahaniya Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Laughing Corpse Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMahila Kathakaar - 1965 Se Aadhyatan Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEmilie and Subhas: A True Love Story Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana: Translated From the Sanscrit in Seven Parts With Preface, Introduction and Concluding Remarks Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPower, Press and Politics: Half a Century of Journalism and Politics Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPremchand Ki Mansarovar Se Chuni Paanch Khaniyan: Tatkalin Samajik Vyavastha Ka Jeevant Charitra Chitran Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCIU: Criminals in Uniform Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMansarovar - Part II Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFootnotes of History: A Tale of the Mahabharata Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsR. K. Narayan Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A Study Guide for R. K. Narayan's "Forty-Five a Month" Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Knot for Keeps: Writing the Modern Marriage Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Study Guide for Rabindranath Tagore's "The Post Office" Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCadet No. 1 And Other Amazing Women In The Armed Forces SHORTLISTED FOR THE ATTA GALATTA CHILDREN'S NON-FICTION BOOK PRIZE 2022 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPrism Me a Lie Tell Me A Truth: Tehelka as Metaphor Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHindu Iconoclasts: Rammohun Roy, Dayananda Sarasvati, and Nineteenth-Century Polemics against Idolatry Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Bhupen Hazarika: As I Knew Him Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThree Times Looser Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMore News Is Good News: 25 Years of NDTV Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDilli-O-Dilli Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsYe Jeevan Khel Mein Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Biography & Memoir For You
Meditations: Complete and Unabridged Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Stolen Life: A Memoir Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Just Mercy: a story of justice and redemption Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Becoming Bulletproof: Protect Yourself, Read People, Influence Situations, and Live Fearlessly Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: the heartfelt, funny memoir by a New York Times bestselling therapist Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, HER Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Good Girls Don't Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Billion Years: My Escape From a Life in the Highest Ranks of Scientology Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man's Fight for Justice Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5People, Places, Things: My Human Landmarks Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mother of God: An Extraordinary Journey into the Uncharted Tributaries of the Western Amazon Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of the Donner Party Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Killing the Mob: The Fight Against Organized Crime in America Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Breaking Free: How I Escaped Polygamy, the FLDS Cult, and My Father, Warren Jeffs Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Taste: My Life Through Food Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5On Writing and Failure: Or, On the Peculiar Perseverance Required to Endure the Life of a Writer Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Jack Reacher Reading Order: The Complete Lee Child’s Reading List Of Jack Reacher Series Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mommie Dearest Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Disloyal: A Memoir: The True Story of the Former Personal Attorney to President Donald J. Trump Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5All That Remains: A Renowned Forensic Scientist on Death, Mortality, and Solving Crimes Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Munshi Premchand
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Munshi Premchand - Rekha Sigi
Premchand: An Enigma
In his lifetime Munshi Premchand wrote more than two hundred stories and more than two dozens of novels. In addition, he wrote hundreds of books pertaining to other genres.
Munshi Premchand was born in a poor family and throughout his life faced financial difficulties but never compromised with his principles.
Munshi Premchand received recognition as a writer only after his death. Till then most of the people considered him a mere school teacher. Later on his writings received international recognition. Many of his literary works have been translated into many prominent languages. He has earned name not only among the contemporary authors but also among the most modern writers.
Premchand received such worldwide recognition because of his simplicity of expression. His literature was free from any ornamentation or modernity and his characters could be found in every society or in every household. The problems that he raised in his stories or novels are the ones that we encounter in our day-to-day life. The problems that he raised hundred years ago have relevance even in the present society. And this very quality of Premchand grants him the status of a universal author.
Similar to Maharshi Vedavyasa’s Vedas, Puranas and Upanishads that give spiritual guidance, Munshi Premchand’s literary works guide the society to a new direction. These works are a constant source of inspiration and encouragement. Premchand has endeavoured through his works of literature to educate and inspire people by reflecting on the existing social conditions. His works have relevance even today.
Chapter 1
Beginning of the Journey
As one thinks of Munshi Premchand, a simple and serious personality comes before one’s mind’s eye. Everyone would have heard the name of Munshi Premchand. His name is written in the literary world with golden letters. Whatever he wrote—a story or a novel—had direct relevance to the people and society at large.
Premchand was a down-to-earth person. Whatever he wrote either he himself saw or experienced.
Premchand belonged to the rare category of writers who became a name in themselves. Let us take a look at the brief sketch of his life.
Chapter 2
Family Background
Premchand alias Dhanpat Rai alias Nawab Rai was born in village Lamhi in Banaras (Utter Pradesh) on 31st July 1880.
Munshi Gursahay Lal was a patwari in Lamhi. He had four sons - Koleswar Lal, Mahavir Lal, Ajayab Lal and Udit Narayan Lal. Munshi Gursahay Lal was not a highly educated person. But he was learned enough to perform his official duties. His second son, Mahavir Lal, was stoutly built and healthy. Hence he chose to be a farmer. Rest of the three sons received education to a certain extent. After completing education all the three of them earned the job of postal clerk.
Koleswar Lal died at the young age of 30 years and hence the responsibility of his family fell on Ajayab Lal’s shoulders. Later Moti Lal, Koleswar Lal’s son, also died at a very young age. Ajayab Lal took the responsibility of looking after his wife and three children on himself.
Birth of Nawab
Ajayab Lal was a simple and straightforward person. He was married to Anandi Devi who was resident of village Karauni in Kashi. Anandi Devi was also a simpleton like Ajayab Lal. Anandi Devi’s father who belonged to a middle class family had great inclination towards literature.
After marriage, two daughters were born to Ajayab Lal but unfortunately both died. After that one more daughter was born to them. Fortunately, she was healthy and robust and Ajayab Lal became very happy. He named the child Suggi. Seven years after the birth of Suggi, on 31st July 1880, Anandi Devi gave birth to a son. Ajayab Lal was thrilled and he named the son Dhanpat Rai. His elder brother used to call the boy ‘Nawab’.
Nawab enjoyed special affection from his mother because he was the smallest. As a result of his mother’s pamperings he had grown very naughty. His daily chores included playing with his friends and indulging in childish pranks. Dhanpat spent his childhood days playing Kabaddi and plucking mangoes.
Education
When Dhanpat was about seven years old, arrangements were made for his education. A Maulavi resided in a village called Lalpur, about two-and-a-half kilometres from Lamhi. Though he was a tailor by profession, he used to teach children. Dhanpat accompanied his cousin brother Bhabadra to this school run by Maulavi. Till now playing with friends was his sole preoccupation and hence studies did not interest him much. Some days he attended the class and on some days he bunked the classes. He was well-versed in putting forth excuses before Maulavi. Maulavi imparted teaching in Parsi and Urdu and somehow Dhanpat Rai was able to gain considerable grip in Parsi.
Death of His Mother
Once Dhanpat Rai’s mother contracted some illness. The illness got prolonged. The various treatments given to her proved to be in vain and she left this earthly abode. Dhanpat was only eight years old at that time. For Dhanpat everything seemed stagnant. Till now he had been enjoying the warmth of his mother’s affection and she was no more. His father was busy with his work and his elder sister was already married off. It seemed as if Dhanpat had lost his childhood.
Love with Books
Ajayab Lal, being a government servant, was subject to transfers from one place to another. Hence Dhanpat stayed with his paternal grandmother in Lamhi. Dhanpat got engaged in his studies and friends. Almost two years after Anandi Devi’s death, Ajayab Lal remarried and called Dhanpat also to stay with him. Dhanpat began to stay with his father and new mother in Gorakhpur. Now he began to feel isolated, because his father used to be busy as before and he received no affection from his mother. He began to be drawn towards books and books became his friends. Now he began spending his time reading voluminous books. In the meantime he came into contact with