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21 श्रेष्ठ कहानियां प्रेमचंद
174 pages, Paperback
Published August 5, 2021
6 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
Munshi Premchand
1,117 books1,162 followersMunshi Premchand (Hindi: मुंशी प्रेमचंद) was an Indian writer famous for his modern Hindustani literature. He is one of the most celebrated writers of the Indian subcontinent,and is regarded as one of the foremost Hindustani writers of the early twentieth century.
Born Dhanpat Rai, he began writing under the pen name "Nawab Rai", but subsequently switched to "Premchand", while he is also known as "Munshi Premchand", Munshi being an honorary prefix. A novel writer, story writer and dramatist, he has been referred to as the "Upanyas Samrat" ("Emperor among Novelists") by some Hindi writers. His works include more than a dozen novels, around 250 short stories, several essays and translations of a number of foreign literary works into Hindi.
Premchand is considered the first Hindi author whose writings prominently featured realism. His novels describe the problems of the poor and the urban middle-class. His works depict a rationalistic outlook, which views religious values as something that allows the powerful hypocrites to exploit the weak. He used literature for the purpose of arousing public awareness about national and social issues and often wrote about topics related to corruption, child widowhood, prostitution, feudal system, poverty, colonialism and on the India's freedom movement.
Several of his early works, such as A Little Trick and A Moral Victory, satirised the Indians who cooperated with the British colonial government.
In the 1920s, he was influenced by Mahatma Gandhi's non-cooperation movement and the accompanying struggle for social reform. During this period, his works dealt with the social issues such as poverty, zamindari exploitation (Premashram, 1922), dowry system (Nirmala, 1925), educational reform and political oppression (Karmabhumi, 1931).
In his last days, he focused on village life as a stage for complex drama, as seen in his most famous work Godan as well as the short-story collection Kafan (1936).Premchand believed that social realism was the way for Hindi literature, as opposed to the "feminine quality", tenderness and emotion of the contemporary Bengali literature.
Born Dhanpat Rai, he began writing under the pen name "Nawab Rai", but subsequently switched to "Premchand", while he is also known as "Munshi Premchand", Munshi being an honorary prefix. A novel writer, story writer and dramatist, he has been referred to as the "Upanyas Samrat" ("Emperor among Novelists") by some Hindi writers. His works include more than a dozen novels, around 250 short stories, several essays and translations of a number of foreign literary works into Hindi.
Premchand is considered the first Hindi author whose writings prominently featured realism. His novels describe the problems of the poor and the urban middle-class. His works depict a rationalistic outlook, which views religious values as something that allows the powerful hypocrites to exploit the weak. He used literature for the purpose of arousing public awareness about national and social issues and often wrote about topics related to corruption, child widowhood, prostitution, feudal system, poverty, colonialism and on the India's freedom movement.
Several of his early works, such as A Little Trick and A Moral Victory, satirised the Indians who cooperated with the British colonial government.
In the 1920s, he was influenced by Mahatma Gandhi's non-cooperation movement and the accompanying struggle for social reform. During this period, his works dealt with the social issues such as poverty, zamindari exploitation (Premashram, 1922), dowry system (Nirmala, 1925), educational reform and political oppression (Karmabhumi, 1931).
In his last days, he focused on village life as a stage for complex drama, as seen in his most famous work Godan as well as the short-story collection Kafan (1936).Premchand believed that social realism was the way for Hindi literature, as opposed to the "feminine quality", tenderness and emotion of the contemporary Bengali literature.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 24, 2023
I learnt Hindi in school and I do not generally read Hindi Novels. But I remember our Hindi Teacher telling us about Munshi Premchand and thus, I thought of reading this one.
I have mixed feelings about this book. I did not get the end of some of the stories. For example - there was a story about a woman who falls in love with out-of-caste person. And the man reneges on his promise to marry her. Heartbroken, she commits suicide. Story over. This happens and many authors have penned so many stories like this. So what is the big deal about Munshi Premchand writing it? Such was my reaction to many of the stories from the book.
I have mixed feelings about this book. I did not get the end of some of the stories. For example - there was a story about a woman who falls in love with out-of-caste person. And the man reneges on his promise to marry her. Heartbroken, she commits suicide. Story over. This happens and many authors have penned so many stories like this. So what is the big deal about Munshi Premchand writing it? Such was my reaction to many of the stories from the book.
September 13, 2024
Shikar
• NEWFOUND
• MATERIALISTIC
• ENGROSSED
• CAPTIVATED
• CARE
• INSISTS
• ACCOMPANY
• COLLAPSES
• REGAINING
Kayar
• MODERN BELIEFS
• HOLDS TRADITIONAL VIEWS
• EVENTUALLY
• HARSHLY REJECTS
• COWARDLY
• ENDS UP
Dhikkar
• PROMPTS
• EXPEDITE
• UNYIELDING
Jhanki
• SOLACE
Pous Ki Raat
• HE IS NOT AS SAD AS HE THOUGHT HE WOULD BE
Bade Ghar ki Beti
• SUBSIDES
Gilli-Danda
• REMINISCES
Lottery
• DEVELOPED ANIMOSITY
Shikar
Vasudha is from a middle-class family and is married to a wealthy zamindar, Kunwar Gajraj Singh. Initially, Vasudha is busy enjoying her NEWFOUND wealth, seeking MATERIALISTIC pleasures. Kunwar Singh, on the other hand, is ENGROSSED in his hunting expeditions. As a result, their relationship starts to decline, lacking any real affection. However, Vasudha begins to seek Kunwar's love and decides to visit his hunting camp, even though she is unwell. Kunwar is surprised to see her there. Vasudha's health deteriorates further, and she faints into Kunwar's arms. For the first time, Kunwar is CAPTIVATED by his wife's beauty and sees love in her eyes. He takes CARE of her, and she recovers from her fever. Vasudha also falls in love with Kunwar due to his care. Once Vasudha is better, Kunwar decides to go hunting. Vasudha INSISTS on joining him, so Kunwar allows her to ACCOMPANY him. He teaches her how to use a gun, but during the hunt, the platform they are on COLLAPSES after Kunwar shoots a tiger. Kunwar falls in front of the injured tiger, which is ready to kill him. Despite feeling weak due to her illness, Vasudha's heart skips a beat when she sees her husband in danger. She shoots the tiger multiple times and jumps in front of it, emptying her gun. When Kunwar hugs her, he realizes Vasudha is unconscious. Later, she can't recall what she did to the tiger after REGAINING consciousness.
Kayar
Keshav and Prema love each other. Keshav has MODERN BELIEFS, while Prema HOLDS TRADITIONAL VIEWS. Despite being a Brahmin, Keshav wants to marry Prema, a Vaishya. When Prema is asked to marry someone else by her father, she objects and reveals her love for Keshav. Initially reluctant, Prema's father EVENTUALLY agrees to her wishes and approaches Keshav's father with a marriage proposal. However, Keshav's father HARSHLY REJECTS the proposal and reprimands Prema's father. He confronts Keshav and warns him that he would be DISOWNED if he pursued this marriage. COWARDLY, Keshav backs out of his commitment and shifts the responsibility. Prema, unable to comprehend the rejection, feels her entire well-being is tied to the marriage. Feeling that the situation is absurd, she ENDS UP taking her own life.
Dhikkar
Mani, a young widow, lives with her uncle (kaka). Except for her cousin brother, no one treats her well. Her aunt (kaki) makes her do all the household chores and denies her proper food. During her cousin sister's wedding, Mani goes to see the jewelry, but everyone scolds her for not doing her work. Hurt, she attempts suicide but is stopped by her brother's friend, Indranath. Indranath likes Mani and, seeing her condition, proposes marriage to her brother. The harsh treatment toward Mani PROMPTS Indranath to EXPEDITE their marriage. Mani always believed she was undeserving of happiness, but she agrees to marry him. After the wedding, as she is on her way to her husband's house, her UNYIELDING uncle reprimands her harshly at the station, blaming her for his son's departure. Unable to bear the insult, she commits suicide by jumping from a moving train.
Jhanki
Harlal is stressed by the daily quarrels between his mother and his wife. One day, his friend invites him to a local temple fair. Initially reluctant, he later agrees and finds SOLACE at the fair, experiencing the peace he was seeking.
Pous Ki Raat
A man, constantly worried about his plantation, guards his field on cold winter nights (during the month of Poush) to protect it from animals. One night, his field catches fire and everything is destroyed. Surprisingly, HE IS NOT AS SAD AS HE THOUGHT HE WOULD BE. He can now sleep peacefully on cold winter nights without any worries.
Ghar Jamai
When he had money from his father's property, he was well-treated by his in-laws. He left his father's house after his father's death since there was no one there except his stepmother. Now, ten years have passed, and he feels neglected by his in-laws. One day, he decides to leave. Upon returning to his hometown, where he was brought up, he visits his old house. His stepmother welcomes him warmly, embracing him with open arms.
Thakur ka Kuan
A newlywed bride from a lower caste tries to fetch water from the Thakur's (upper caste) well because her family's well is contaminated. The story portrays the obnoxious behavior and pride of the "higher caste" people.
Idgah
Hamid is an orphan boy who lives with his grandmother. He does not have enough money to buy a toy for Eid, and his friends make fun of him for it. Instead, he buys a pair of pliers for his grandmother, thinking it will make her happy. He mocks his friends, comparing their fragile toys to his sturdy pliers, and successfully makes them jealous. When he gifts the pliers to his grandmother, her eyes fill with tears of joy.
Lekhak
Praveen, a poor writer, is invited to a local king's party. Initially proud of the invitation, he later realizes how insignificant he is to them.
Jurmana
Allarakhi, a sweeper, often faces salary cuts due to a stern employer (Daroga). One day, the employer sees Allarakhi working while her toddler daughter is sick and crying beside her. Moved by her dedication, he never cuts her salary again.
Bade Bhai Sahab
Two brothers, the elder one very serious about his studies and the younger one carefree, have CONTRASTING academic outcomes. Despite working hard, the elder brother fails every year, while the younger one tops the class with minimal effort. The story's charm lies in the elder brother's monologues about the education system, the irrelevance of the curriculum and exams, and the importance of experience.
Bade Ghar ki Beti
Feminist Niskantha marries Anandi, the beautiful daughter of a small zamindar. After an altercation, Anandi tells him that his brother Lalbehari threw a "boti" (cutting tool) at her. Furious, Niskantha threatens to leave the house if Lalbehari doesn’t leave. Lalbehari, deeply hurt and respectful of his elder brother, apologizes to Anandi and offers to leave. Touched by his gesture, Anandi softens and asks him to stay. Witnessing this, Niskantha's anger also SUBSIDES, and he embraces his brother. The family is moved to tears by the reconciliation.
Gilli-Danda
Twenty years later, an engineer visits his childhood village and REMINISCES about his childhood friend, Gaya, with whom he used to play "Gilli-Danda." He finds Gaya and challenges him to a match to relive old memories. However, the engineer cheats and wins, but Gaya does not object. The next day, in another game, when Gaya wins, the engineer realizes that his social status has created a barrier between them and that Gaya was letting him win out of courtesy.
Shatranj ke Khiladi
Two aristocrats are so engrossed in playing chess that they neglect their marriages and estates. Even when the British abduct Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, they remain indifferent and continue their game, ultimately killing each other over a trivial dispute during the chess match.
Lottery
In a family where everyone buys lottery tickets, their behavior toward each other changes as they think about winning. Vikram, one of them, buys another lottery ticket with his friend's money. Since the ticket is in Vikram's name, his friend starts doubting his honesty, straining their relationship. In the end, no one wins the lottery, and they realize how foolish they were to have DEVELOPED ANIMOSITY over a potential win.
Mantra
A doctor neglects to check on a patient because he is rushing to play golf. The patient's father begs him to check his 7-year-old son, but the doctor ignores him and leaves. That night, the boy dies. Years later, Dr. Chadda hosts a birthday party for his son, Karthik, who is bitten by his pet snake while showing off. Everyone assumes Karthik is dead, but an old man arrives, happy to hear about the incident, because his son died due to the doctor's negligence. However, he saves Karthik’s life, and Dr. Chadda realizes his mistake.
• NEWFOUND
• MATERIALISTIC
• ENGROSSED
• CAPTIVATED
• CARE
• INSISTS
• ACCOMPANY
• COLLAPSES
• REGAINING
Kayar
• MODERN BELIEFS
• HOLDS TRADITIONAL VIEWS
• EVENTUALLY
• HARSHLY REJECTS
• COWARDLY
• ENDS UP
Dhikkar
• PROMPTS
• EXPEDITE
• UNYIELDING
Jhanki
• SOLACE
Pous Ki Raat
• HE IS NOT AS SAD AS HE THOUGHT HE WOULD BE
Bade Ghar ki Beti
• SUBSIDES
Gilli-Danda
• REMINISCES
Lottery
• DEVELOPED ANIMOSITY
Shikar
Vasudha is from a middle-class family and is married to a wealthy zamindar, Kunwar Gajraj Singh. Initially, Vasudha is busy enjoying her NEWFOUND wealth, seeking MATERIALISTIC pleasures. Kunwar Singh, on the other hand, is ENGROSSED in his hunting expeditions. As a result, their relationship starts to decline, lacking any real affection. However, Vasudha begins to seek Kunwar's love and decides to visit his hunting camp, even though she is unwell. Kunwar is surprised to see her there. Vasudha's health deteriorates further, and she faints into Kunwar's arms. For the first time, Kunwar is CAPTIVATED by his wife's beauty and sees love in her eyes. He takes CARE of her, and she recovers from her fever. Vasudha also falls in love with Kunwar due to his care. Once Vasudha is better, Kunwar decides to go hunting. Vasudha INSISTS on joining him, so Kunwar allows her to ACCOMPANY him. He teaches her how to use a gun, but during the hunt, the platform they are on COLLAPSES after Kunwar shoots a tiger. Kunwar falls in front of the injured tiger, which is ready to kill him. Despite feeling weak due to her illness, Vasudha's heart skips a beat when she sees her husband in danger. She shoots the tiger multiple times and jumps in front of it, emptying her gun. When Kunwar hugs her, he realizes Vasudha is unconscious. Later, she can't recall what she did to the tiger after REGAINING consciousness.
Kayar
Keshav and Prema love each other. Keshav has MODERN BELIEFS, while Prema HOLDS TRADITIONAL VIEWS. Despite being a Brahmin, Keshav wants to marry Prema, a Vaishya. When Prema is asked to marry someone else by her father, she objects and reveals her love for Keshav. Initially reluctant, Prema's father EVENTUALLY agrees to her wishes and approaches Keshav's father with a marriage proposal. However, Keshav's father HARSHLY REJECTS the proposal and reprimands Prema's father. He confronts Keshav and warns him that he would be DISOWNED if he pursued this marriage. COWARDLY, Keshav backs out of his commitment and shifts the responsibility. Prema, unable to comprehend the rejection, feels her entire well-being is tied to the marriage. Feeling that the situation is absurd, she ENDS UP taking her own life.
Dhikkar
Mani, a young widow, lives with her uncle (kaka). Except for her cousin brother, no one treats her well. Her aunt (kaki) makes her do all the household chores and denies her proper food. During her cousin sister's wedding, Mani goes to see the jewelry, but everyone scolds her for not doing her work. Hurt, she attempts suicide but is stopped by her brother's friend, Indranath. Indranath likes Mani and, seeing her condition, proposes marriage to her brother. The harsh treatment toward Mani PROMPTS Indranath to EXPEDITE their marriage. Mani always believed she was undeserving of happiness, but she agrees to marry him. After the wedding, as she is on her way to her husband's house, her UNYIELDING uncle reprimands her harshly at the station, blaming her for his son's departure. Unable to bear the insult, she commits suicide by jumping from a moving train.
Jhanki
Harlal is stressed by the daily quarrels between his mother and his wife. One day, his friend invites him to a local temple fair. Initially reluctant, he later agrees and finds SOLACE at the fair, experiencing the peace he was seeking.
Pous Ki Raat
A man, constantly worried about his plantation, guards his field on cold winter nights (during the month of Poush) to protect it from animals. One night, his field catches fire and everything is destroyed. Surprisingly, HE IS NOT AS SAD AS HE THOUGHT HE WOULD BE. He can now sleep peacefully on cold winter nights without any worries.
Ghar Jamai
When he had money from his father's property, he was well-treated by his in-laws. He left his father's house after his father's death since there was no one there except his stepmother. Now, ten years have passed, and he feels neglected by his in-laws. One day, he decides to leave. Upon returning to his hometown, where he was brought up, he visits his old house. His stepmother welcomes him warmly, embracing him with open arms.
Thakur ka Kuan
A newlywed bride from a lower caste tries to fetch water from the Thakur's (upper caste) well because her family's well is contaminated. The story portrays the obnoxious behavior and pride of the "higher caste" people.
Idgah
Hamid is an orphan boy who lives with his grandmother. He does not have enough money to buy a toy for Eid, and his friends make fun of him for it. Instead, he buys a pair of pliers for his grandmother, thinking it will make her happy. He mocks his friends, comparing their fragile toys to his sturdy pliers, and successfully makes them jealous. When he gifts the pliers to his grandmother, her eyes fill with tears of joy.
Lekhak
Praveen, a poor writer, is invited to a local king's party. Initially proud of the invitation, he later realizes how insignificant he is to them.
Jurmana
Allarakhi, a sweeper, often faces salary cuts due to a stern employer (Daroga). One day, the employer sees Allarakhi working while her toddler daughter is sick and crying beside her. Moved by her dedication, he never cuts her salary again.
Bade Bhai Sahab
Two brothers, the elder one very serious about his studies and the younger one carefree, have CONTRASTING academic outcomes. Despite working hard, the elder brother fails every year, while the younger one tops the class with minimal effort. The story's charm lies in the elder brother's monologues about the education system, the irrelevance of the curriculum and exams, and the importance of experience.
Bade Ghar ki Beti
Feminist Niskantha marries Anandi, the beautiful daughter of a small zamindar. After an altercation, Anandi tells him that his brother Lalbehari threw a "boti" (cutting tool) at her. Furious, Niskantha threatens to leave the house if Lalbehari doesn’t leave. Lalbehari, deeply hurt and respectful of his elder brother, apologizes to Anandi and offers to leave. Touched by his gesture, Anandi softens and asks him to stay. Witnessing this, Niskantha's anger also SUBSIDES, and he embraces his brother. The family is moved to tears by the reconciliation.
Gilli-Danda
Twenty years later, an engineer visits his childhood village and REMINISCES about his childhood friend, Gaya, with whom he used to play "Gilli-Danda." He finds Gaya and challenges him to a match to relive old memories. However, the engineer cheats and wins, but Gaya does not object. The next day, in another game, when Gaya wins, the engineer realizes that his social status has created a barrier between them and that Gaya was letting him win out of courtesy.
Shatranj ke Khiladi
Two aristocrats are so engrossed in playing chess that they neglect their marriages and estates. Even when the British abduct Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, they remain indifferent and continue their game, ultimately killing each other over a trivial dispute during the chess match.
Lottery
In a family where everyone buys lottery tickets, their behavior toward each other changes as they think about winning. Vikram, one of them, buys another lottery ticket with his friend's money. Since the ticket is in Vikram's name, his friend starts doubting his honesty, straining their relationship. In the end, no one wins the lottery, and they realize how foolish they were to have DEVELOPED ANIMOSITY over a potential win.
Mantra
A doctor neglects to check on a patient because he is rushing to play golf. The patient's father begs him to check his 7-year-old son, but the doctor ignores him and leaves. That night, the boy dies. Years later, Dr. Chadda hosts a birthday party for his son, Karthik, who is bitten by his pet snake while showing off. Everyone assumes Karthik is dead, but an old man arrives, happy to hear about the incident, because his son died due to the doctor's negligence. However, he saves Karthik’s life, and Dr. Chadda realizes his mistake.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2023
Beautiful stories.
Read
January 4, 2017Awsm stories... specially Satranj ke khiladi, gulli danda and prerna
December 27, 2023
Okay collection of stories. I liked two stories: शतरंज के खिलाड़ी and दो बैलों की कथा. Hard to believe these 21 were his best, considering the hype of Munshi Premchand.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews