Munshi Premchand – A Bridge between Hindi and Urdu Literature
By S. Arshad, New Age Islam
2 August 2021
Premchand's Greatness Lies In His
Universal and Timeless Appeal
Main Points:
1. He wrote
both in Hindi and Urdu.
2. He wrote
about the life of the poor and the downtrodden.
3. His
fiction is not only the means of entertainment but also song of protest
4. He
advocated widow remarriage in his fiction.
----
(A tribute on Premchand's birth
anniversary)
Munshi Premchand was one of the greatest literary
personalities of India in the 20th century. He wrote more than 300 short
stories and novels in both Urdu and Hindi and contributed to the social and
political awareness among Indians during the British rule.
Munshi Premchand started his literary career
in 1907 with his short story "Dunya Ka Sabse Anmol Ratan"(the
most precious gem of the world). The story had patriotic undertone as the
writer symbolically conveyed the message to the reader that a drop of blood
shed for the motherland was the most precious jewel.
His first collection of short stories
Soz-e-Watan was published in 1909. The collection was seized by the British
government because of its anti-imperilialist content. The government imposed
censorship on his writings. He was told to present his stories for scrutiny
before publication. Premchand felt gagged and left the government job to avoid
government pressure. After that he started writing with a greater zeal.
The short story in Premchand's age was
generally based on feudal topics and revolved round love and romance. Munshi
Premchand started writing short stories on social issues of the middle class
and poor sections of India. He depicted the lives and plight of the farmers
under the oppression of the feudal system and the oppressive policies of the
British government. He wrote stories and novels with the purpose of reform and
bringing change. Protest was the undercurrent of his creative stream.
Not only did he depict the life of the
farmers but also of the plight of women, particularly of the widows and young
widows. In his stories and novels he advocated the remarriage of widows. The
evil of dowry, bribery in the police and the bureaucracy, tyranny of Zamindars
are some of other themes of his stories. Gowdan, Chowgan-e-Hasti, Nirmala, Ghaban
are some of his path-breaking novels that paved the way for progressive
literature in India. He was the pioneer of progressive movement in literature
long before the progressive movement was institutionalised in the
sub-continent. The first conference of the Progressive writers Association was
held under his Presidentship and under the guidance of Sajjad Zaheer.
Premchand wrote both in Hindi and Urdu and
produced many short stories in Hindi and Urdu. He is regarded as the greatest
fiction writer by the critics of both the languages. Renowned critic of Urdu
Prof Aal Ahmad Suroor wrote:
"Various revolutions of the 20th
century and the influence of Premchand brought new trends in fiction writing.
The new fiction writing did not remain mere a means of entertainment, rather it
became a song of protest."
Salahuddin Ahmad, the editor of the
magazine Adabi Dunya wrote:
"Premchand was not influenced by outer
factors. The atmosphere of his novels and his characters are out and out
Indians. Premchand emerged with a universal attitude and he observed life from
many angles. Although he had turned a little reformist and this trend is
reflected more in his later day novels and though sometimes he wrought his
stories around some social evil with the purpose of reform and his style was in
harmony with the social and economic system and values of the age before the
War but it is also a fact that he also laid the foundation of psychological
fiction and he was the first to realise the importance of construction of the
characters in the story."
The realistic and progressive fiction
produced by Premchand led the fiction of that era out of Tagorean influence and
a whole lot of fiction writers of his era and of later generations like Ahmad
Nadeem Qasmi, Manto, Upendra Nath Ashk, Bedi, Ismat Chughtai, Krishan Chander,
Ali Abbas Hussaini etc were influenced by Premchand.
This is the greatness of Premchand that
even 85 years after his demise, he continues to influence and inspire
generations of Urdu and Hindi fiction writers.
-----
S. Arshad is a columnist with
NewAgeIslam.com.
URL:
https://www.newageislam.com/current-affairs/premchand-hindi-urdu/d/125163
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