A Journal of Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya

He took up jobs in Benaras, Kanpur and
Lucknow for about 8-9 years. Ultimately,
in 1930, he set up his own publication
house, but his financial situation did not
improve. On receiving an invitation by
a film company, he went to Bombay in
1934, but deterred by the life in the
metropolis, he returned, being unable to
cope up with the life there. His health
failed and he passed away on 8th October
1936.
His literary career started in 1901,
writing in Urdu first, and then, in Hindi.
But all his life he remained a bilingual
writer. His collection of fine short stories
“Soze Vatan” enraged the British Government
greatly and hence, he was accused
of treason. He was labelled a rebel and
his books were burnt. The writer that we
revere today rose out of this sacred fire.
In his thirty-five year career of creative
writing he spilled out an enormous amount
of literary works—three hundred short
stories, twelve novels, three plays, more
than 200 essays and one dozen translations
were published. This is an exceptional story
of a great and noble struggle, and unremitting
labor.
As Premchand has cautioned, people
with a desire to explore hills and scale
mountains would not find anything interesting,
or breathtaking in this simple
story. But, this very simplicity, is
Premchand’s speciality (bête noire). His
simplicity, humbleness, and unassuming
nature did not make him stand out in
public. People often failed to recognize
him, resulting in a great deal of inconvenience
sometimes. One such incident
occurred when he de-boarded the train
at Patna Junction. Contrary to all expectations,
nobody came forward to receive
him. His hosts were there at the station,
no doubt, but having failed to recognize
him in the crowd they did not come to
him. All they had was a photograph of
his. They asked many people, if they were
Premchand, but did not ask the writer
himself. As a result he was greatly
inconvenienced, and was left with no other
option than to spend the entire night at
the railway station. In the morning when
all the passengers had left and the platform
was deserted, his young host asked
Premchand indifferently: Have you come
from Lucknow”. Premchand replied “Oh!
Yes, I’m coming from Lucknow.”
Host : Are you Premchand?
Premchand: Yes, I am.
His tone had become stony. The host
was nonplussed, and after greeting him
with respect, took the water container
which was clad in a dirty khadi handkerchief.
His tone betraying guilt and shame,
the host introduced himself. Premchand’s
face brightened with relief, joy and
contentment with a trace of annoyance.
But, he said nothing. When they got into
the vehicle which had been sent to receive
him, politely, the host asked, if he had
faced any inconvenience. “Inconvenience!”
Came the rhetoric “The whole night I was
in a dilemma, considering whether I should
wait, or return. I went to the platform
42 :: January-March 2012