MUNSHI PREMCHAND ABOUT THE AUTHOR Premchand 31 July

MUNSHI PREMCHAND

ABOUT THE AUTHOR � Premchand (31 July 1880 – 8 October 1936), better known as Munshi Premchand, Munshi being an honorary prefix, 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 Srivastav, he began writing under the pen name "Nawab Rai", but subsequently switched to "Premchand". 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.

THE HOLY PANCHAYAT � � The story ‘The Holy Panchayat’ was called Panch Parmeshwar in the original. It was first published in 1916. In the time of his age, Premchand followed Gandhian philosophy of social transformation. In This story, Premchand reiterates his beliefs of Gandhian philosophy. He compares the Indian model of justice to the Western model of justice. In the Indian model, Dharam (one’s conscience or inner voice which helps us to differentiate between right or wrong) is treated with the utmost priority. People here believe that conscience only speaks truth. All of us have it. Only some of us listen to it and the rest of us choose to neglect it.

THEME AND SIGNIFICANCE The story ‘The Holy Panchayat’ is based on an idealistic notion of a judge. It conveys the traditional belief among common people that a panch or judge is like God; unbiased, impartial and non-partisan. Jumman Sheikh had an old aunt, who owned a few bighas of land. As she had no successor, Jumman entered into understanding with her. He promised to look after her for the rest of her life in lieu of her land. But as he got her land registered in his own name, the attitude of Jummnan and his wife changed towards the aunt changed. They did not provide the widow proper food or clothes. He did not accept the aunt’s demand for monthly allowance. The case was put before the village panchayat. Algu was the head panch. But he acted like a true judge and decided the case in favour of Jumman’s aunt. Jumman considered Algu unfriendly and treacherous. He wanted to take revenge. But when he made the panch to decide the case between Algu and Samjhu Singh, he forgot his enmity with Algu. He treated the case on its merit and decided the case in favour of Algu. In this was, the story conveys the idea that a judge should only listen to his conscience and speak the voice of God. True justice is unbiased, impartial, non-partisan and above all friendship and enmity.