Munshi Premchand: Father of the Modern Hindi-Urdu Fiction

Dipen Gogoi 

(gogoidipen3686@gmail.com)

Another iconic name that inevitably arises when discussing Urdu and Hindi novelists is Munshi Premchand. His life resembled that of an ordinary individual, but what set him apart was the vast body of work he produced over the years. Even today, his writings continue to be embraced with deep admiration and enthusiasm. Despite facing financial hardships throughout his life, he left behind a wealth of literary treasures that stand as a testament to his genius.

Munshi Premchand was born on July 31, 1880, in the village of Lamahi near Varanasi and was originally named Dhanpat Rai (meaning “master of wealth”) by his parents, Munshi Ajaib Lal and Anandi. His uncle, Mahabir, affectionately called him “Nawab” (prince). Tragically, he lost his mother at the age of eight, and his father, an ordinary clerk in the postal department, soon remarried, leaving young Premchand under the care of his grandmother. However, his grandmother also passed away, and he was left to fend for himself at a young age, growing up without the love and support of his parents. His early education began at a local madrasa under the guidance of a Maulavi, where he learnt Urdu.

In 1899, Premchand left his village of Lamahi to work as a schoolmaster at a mission school in Chunar, earning a modest salary of eighteen rupees a month. With this income, he had the responsibility of supporting not only himself and his wife but also his stepmother, half-brother, and stepmother’s younger brother, making his early career one of significant financial strains and family obligations.

In Kanpur, Premchand became an integral part of the literary circle, earning a reputation as a journalist and writer with a deep social conscience. During this period, he wrote his second novel in Urdu, Kishna (1907), although the text of this novel has not survived. He also published a collection of short stories in Urdu, titled Soz-e-Vatan (Dirge of the Nation). In 1910, this anthology drew the ire of British authorities, and Premchand was summoned by the District Magistrate in Gorakhpur. Soz-e-Vatan was deemed seditious, leading to the confiscation and burning of all its copies.

Premchand was first married at the age of fifteen to a girl from a neighbouring village, but the marriage was unsuccessful. When he left the village in 1899, the girl returned to her own village. In 1906, he responded to an advertisement in a local newspaper from a man seeking to marry off his child widow daughter, and thus, Premchand married Shivrani Devi. In 1921, their son Amrit Rai was born, who later followed in his father’s footsteps to become a writer and authored a well-regarded biography of Premchand. Premchand’s life was one of constant struggles; at one point, he took a loan of just two and a half rupees to buy clothes and had to labour for three years to repay it.

Premchand emphasised portraying the harsh realities of life, with a particular focus on the struggles faced by Indian villagers. His writings often centred on the exploitation of common villagers by priests, landlords, and moneylenders. He also advocated for unity between Hindus and Muslims, promoting communal harmony through his works. As a pioneer of the novel with a social purpose, Premchand’s literature supplemented Gandhiji’s efforts in the political and social spheres, incorporating Gandhian ideals into his themes. He famously described literature as a medium that expresses the truths and experiences of life in a compelling manner. While presiding over the Progressive Writers’ Conference in Lucknow in 1936, he remarked that calling a writer “progressive” was redundant, as “a writer or an artist is inherently progressive—if this were not their nature, they wouldn’t be a writer at all.”

Before Premchand, Hindi literature largely revolved around tales of kings and queens, magical powers, and other forms of escapist fantasy. The genre was soaring in a world of imagination until Premchand grounded it in the harsh realities of life. In the realm of Urdu novels and short stories, Premchand holds a distinct place. His early writing was in the tradition of fantastical tales, but as he grew more aware of the social and political realities surrounding him, his focus shifted toward addressing social issues. His novels began to evoke a sense of social consciousness and responsibility, delving into the challenges faced by ordinary people in a turbulent society. Premchand’s work tackled the pressing issues of his time—communalism, corruption, feudalism, debt, poverty, and colonialism—marking a significant shift in the purpose and direction of Hindi and Urdu literature.

Some critics argue that Premchand’s writings are overwhelmed by death and misery, believing that his works do not stand on par with other contemporary Indian literary giants such as Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay and Rabindranath Tagore. However, it is important to recognise that much of Premchand’s storytelling was shaped by his personal experiences of poverty and hardship. His stories portrayed the lives of ordinary Indians as they truly were, without embellishment or idealization. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Premchand’s works did not feature traditional “heroes” or idealised characters; instead, he depicted people in their authentic, often flawed, human conditions. As a contemporary of literary figures like Acharya Ram Chandra Shukla and Jaishankar Prasad, Premchand’s realism set him apart, representing the stark realities of Indian society.

Premchand was a prolific writer, producing around 300 short stories, several novels, numerous essays, and letters, along with plays and translations. Many of his short stories have been translated into English and Russian, making his work accessible to a broader audience. Some of his notable novels include Godaan, Gaban, Karmabhoomi, and Pratigya. His famous short stories feature titles like Atmaram, Udhar ki Ghadi, and Bade Ghar ki Beti. Several of his works were adapted into films by the acclaimed filmmaker Satyajit Ray, including Sadgati and Shatranj ke Khiladi. Additionally, Sevasadan, first published in 1918, was adapted into a film featuring M.S. Subbulakshmi in the lead role. Premchand also collaborated with Himanshu Rai, a prominent film director at Bombay Talkies, which played a crucial role in the early development of Bollywood.

It would not be an exaggeration to call Premchand the Father of Urdu short stories. Like his novels, his afsanas reflect the society in which he lived, showcasing a deep understanding of social dynamics. His writing style, characterised by simplicity and fluidity, often employs satire and humour to convey profound messages. Beyond being an exceptional novelist, Premchand was also a social reformer and thinker, with his works embodying a sense of social purpose and criticism rather than mere entertainment. He viewed literature as a powerful tool for educating the masses and believed in social evolution, advocating for equal opportunities for all. This remarkable literary figure passed away on October 8, 1936, and has since been recognised both in India and internationally as one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. His legacy is honoured through celebrations like Munshi Premchand Jayanti (July 31), the Premchand Fellowship, and various awards and festivals dedicated to his memory and contributions.

Munshi Premchand often conceived his stories in English before translating them into Hindi or Urdu, showcasing his multilingual proficiency and deep literary insight, which helped bridge cultural and linguistic divides in Indian literature.

Premchand suffered from persistent health issues, particularly abdominal problems. Despite these continuous challenges, Premchand never gave up on his writing. He began working on his final novel, Mangalsootra, but unfortunately, he could not complete it. The legacy of Munshi Premchand continues to inspire writers, thinkers, and artists, making him an unforgettable figure in Indian cultural history, whose impact transcends literature to shape the broader cultural and intellectual landscape of the nation.