Hori Mahto is a peasant farmer in the village of Belari in the United Provinces, struggling to keep his small plot and pay off debts to landlords, moneylenders and priests. His one dream is to own a cow, a symbol of status and religious merit, and the cow he finally acquires sets off a chain of jealousy and misfortune within his own family.
His wife Dhaniya is outspoken and fearless where Hori is cautious and anxious to keep up appearances, and their son Gobar defies village customs and leaves for Lucknow. A parallel plot follows the city's educated elite, including a philosopher, a doctor and a landowner, contrasting rural hardship with urban debates about reform.
Published in 1936, the year of Premchand's death, Godan is often considered the greatest Hindi novel, an unsentimental portrait of exploitation in colonial village India. Gordon C. Roadarmel's English translation appeared as The Gift of a Cow. It remains essential reading in Indian schools and universities and is a touchstone for rural fiction.
Book details
| Author | Munshi Premchand |
|---|---|
| First published | 1936 |
| Original language | Hindi |
| Translated by | Gordon C. Roadarmel |
| Genre | Classic |
| Type | Fiction |
| Setting | Belari village and Lucknow, United Provinces, 1930s |
Themes
- Rural poverty
- Debt and exploitation
- Caste
- Dignity
- City and village
Who should read it
Readers who want the essential classic of Hindi literature about peasant life under colonial rule.