Prem Chand
Hindi is among one of the most beautiful languages written and spoken in our country. It is also a subject that everyone picks up, making it extremely easy for beginners and quite challenging for the experts. Every day, Hindi is given a new appearance and identity. And thus, to make it interesting, many authors made a huge impact.
There is a big picture of Munshi Premchand amongst everyone; he was a man of great brilliance who changed the direction of Hindi literature. Here in this article, we will discuss the biography of Premchand in detail, and we will try to end up with several conclusions.
Early Life
On July 31, 1880, Premchand was born at Lamhi, a remote town near Banaras. Prem chand came from a humble background and a small family. His grandpa Gur Sahai Rai was a patwari, and father Ajaib Rai was a postmaster. His life had been full of challenges since he was a youngster. Prem Chand’s mother died of a deadly disease when he was just eight years old. Prem chand didn’t get the affection of his family, especially of his mother. Since he had to bear the loss of his mother when he was very small. His father was relocated to Gaurakpur city due to government service, and after some time, his father married again, but Prem chand was never fully adopted by his stepmother.
He had a special relationship with Hindi when he was a youngster. For which he began making sacrifices alone, beginning with a tiny story. He used to read fantasy epics based on his interests. He began working as a worker at a book distributor because of his passion for reading. As a result, he spent time reading books throughout the day, fulfilling his interest. Prem chand was a straightforward, calm, and generous man. He never used to involve in a dispute with someone, and he was always willing to assist people. He had a strong belief in God. To get out from the limitations, he initially found a job as a lawyer, where he started working for a monthly wage of five rupees. Gradually, he became skilled in all subjects, and as a result, he was able to obtain an excellent job. Thus, was given the position of principal in a missionary school.
Education
Premchand began his formal schooling at the age of seven at a modest madrasa in Lemhi, Banaras. This is the same place where he was born. During his time in the madrasa, he learned Urdu, some English, and Hindi. Later, he managed to enroll in a college of his choice, but he had to stop his studies in the middle due to a lack of funds. He had struggled badly to complete his matriculation. Yet he did not give up at any point in his life and kept his study going, and finally, in 1919, he got a BA degree.
Marriage
Prem chand has fought with bad luck since he was a youngster. He married at a very young age i.e. at the age of fifteen. His marriage was due to pre-historic conventions and the pressure of his father. He never fully got the family’s affection and love. Prem Chand’s marriage took place without his approval to a girl who was highly unorganized and unattractive. It was the girl’s wealthy family, due to which his father married him to her.
Just after a few days, Prem Chand’s father died, and then the entire load landed on him. Even after the occupation, there came a stage in life when he had to sell his assets and manage the house independently. At an early age, he was single-handedly responsible for the entire family. There was never an understanding between Prem chand and his wife, and as a result, Prem Chand divorced her. After some time, he married a divorced woman at roughly twenty-five years with his own choice.
Career
Prem chand Ji began working when he was a youngster. Despite several obstacles, he persisted till the very last moment. Moreover, he kept working till the end, leaving behind excellent literature in Hindi and Urdu. He resided in Kanpur for at least three years after leaving Lamhi village, where he met the publisher of a magazine and wrote several essays and tales. Meanwhile, numerous poems were also written in favor of the civil rights fight.
People began to appreciate his stories, poetry, essays, and other works. As a result, he was upgraded and assigned to Gorakhpur. Publications continued to arrive one after the other, and he maintained his active engagement in Mahatma Gandhi’s efforts by supporting him. Some of his works were published in Hindi, while others were released in Urdu.
In 1921, after discussing with his wife, he arrived in Banaras and decided to abandon his government post. He strived till the last moment in this manner and kept putting in effort and hard labor. Also, he focused on writing about what he was interested in. After a while, he went on to try his luck in the film industry, and he traveled to Mumbai, where he also penned the scripts for a few films, but luck was not on his side, and the films were never completed. Premchand Ji had to face the loss, and he eventually chose to leave Mumbai and return to Banaras.
He could not publish his novel named “Hans” due to his bad health and had sent it to the Indian Literary Counsel. He was elected as the first President of the Progressive Writers’ Association in Lucknow in 1936. He died on October 8, 1936, due to his sickness. Godaan was his last novel and one of the best in Hindi. He never traveled outside the nation to write or study, so he was never well-known among foreign literary figures. In 1936, Kafan, one of his finest works, was released. Cricket Match was his final tale published after his death in Zamana in 1937.
Few Creations Name
All of Munshi Premchand’s works were remarkable. It won’t be easy to point the best out of all. He published various works that we have enjoyed in Hindi since we were children, including many of his novels, plays, poetry, tales, and essays. Eg. Gaban, Godan, Kafan, and others. He was a writer who applied very direct and aggressive terminology in his literature. In Hindi and other languages, he made such remarks, which served as a source of motivation for the people.
1. Nirmala: This is one of the first novels of Munshi Premchand. Nirmala is a Hindi fiction work written in both Hindi and Urdu. This tale is about an attractive young lady named Nirmala who was forced to marry a widower of her father’s age. After reading the book, readers’ minds and thoughts are left with a strong societal message.
2. Seva Sadan: The story of Sevasadan is about a dissatisfied wife who abandons her moral path to become a prostitute. She then becomes the manager of an orphanage. The book deals with the difficult issue of “prostitution,” which was formerly one of India’s nightmares.
3. Rangbhoomi: The book’s plot is based on several cultural customs practiced throughout India. Munshi Premchand has a great grasp of the story’s characters. Munshi Premchand’s work once again established him as a legend of Hindi literature.
4. Gaban: Munshi Premchand’s novel Gaban is written in Hindi. He attempts to convey the declining moral ideals among Indian youngsters under the British Raj in India with this work.
5. Premashram: Munshi Premchand was influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s non-cooperation movement and battle for social reform. He wrote works on societal themes, including poverty and zamindari exploitation. One of his writings, Premashram, deals with the same topics. If you want to read an engaging book on social issues in Indian society, you should add Munshi Premchand’s book to your reading list.