This parable by Premchand about an incorruptible Indian tax inspector ends with an interesting moral dilemma. The idealistic young man refuses a huge bribe and arrests a wealthy zamindar (land baron) for smuggling salt. Because of his “connections”, the zamindar walks free and the inspector is suspended for being over-zealous. Shortly afterwards, the clever zamindar offers the young man a highly-paid job overseeing his properties. He seems happy to cheat the government, but needs someone honest to stop people cheating him. The young man’s dilemma: should he work for such a person? Themes: individual and systemic corruption, integrity, moral compromise. More…
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Festival of Eid / Idgah
In this well-known Indian children’s story from Premchand, a young orphan foregoes the pleasures enjoyed by friends at a festival to buy a pair of tongs to prevent his poverty-stricken grandmother from burning her hands when cooking. The most obvious themes are related to the boy: poverty, innocence, hope, love, selflessness, temptation and willpower. However, at around 5,000 words, the story also highlights several additional issues. The boy’s friends display materialism and greed, while other themes include religious devotion, superstition (Jinns), village vs. city life and, through the fate of the dolls, the fall of British colonialism. More…
The Voice of God / Holy Panchayat
The major theme of this story by Premchand is justice. Two men who have been close friends since childhood fall out when one rules against the other in a dispute over the treatment of an aged aunt at the village Panchayat (council of elders). The roles are later reversed when the aggrieved friend, who still holds a grudge against the other, has to judge a complaint against him about a bullock he sold. Their rift is resolved when he sees that in dispensing justice, one must put personal feelings and friendships aside. Other themes include tradition, friendship, responsibility, impartiality. More…
The Tale of the Two Oxen
This story by Premchand has three important themes: kindness to animals, friendship and faith. A series of adventures begin for two oxen (Hira and Moti) when Jhuri, their much-loved owner, lends them to his wife’s brother who lives far away. The brother-in-law mistreats the poor animals and, with the help of a kind girl, they run away. Their friendship gives them the strength to endure an attack by a raging bull, beatings and starvation before being sold to a butcher. As they almost lose hope and begin to question their faith in god, a ‘miracle’ helps them return home. More…
The Shroud / Kafan
In modern terms, this 1935 story from Premchand would be called a dark comedy. It follows father and son Chamars (one of the Dalit or “untouchable” sub-castes) as they go to buy a funeral shroud for the son’s deceased wife. The lazy but likeable pair will do anything to shirk work, and end up spending the donated shroud money on a boozy night in town. The story satirizes the caste system by pointing out that those who can never rise above their low birth position have no incentive in life other than survival. More…