by Premchand
The Sawan rains came intermittently, spreading malaria. There were dark clouds in the sky and the earth flooded with muddy water. The humid air spread around, giving people cold, fever and asthma. The maid of the house fell sick. Phulmati, soaked to the skin in the rain, did all the work and cleaned all the pots and pans. Then she made a fire and put the pans on it. The boys must have their meals on time. Suddenly, she remembered that Kamatanath was not used to drinking tap water. She set out to fetch Gangajal though it was raining.
Kamatanath reclining on his bed saw her and said, ‘Forget it, Amma, I shall go and get the water. The maid and the Kahar are both absent today.’
Phulmati looked at the sky darkening with clouds and said, ‘Beta, you will get drenched and catch cold.’
‘But you too are wet. You may fall sick.’
Phulmati said nonchalantly, ‘I will not fall sick. God has made me immortal.’
Umanath was sitting close by. He was not earning much from his clinic, which constantly worried him. He looked towards his brother and the sister-in-law and remarked, ‘Let her go, bhaiya. She has lorded it over her bahus for a long time, let her do some atonement.’
The Ganga was swollen like an ocean. The horizon met the farthest shore. The riverside trees had only their tops trailing on the water and the ghats were completely submerged. Phulmati came down the steps carrying her pitcher. She filled water in it and as she was climbing the steps she slipped, couldn’t balance herself and fell into the water. For some time, she desperately thrashed her limbs and then she was sucked into the waves. A couple of pandas saw her and shouted, ‘Look, run, the old woman is drowning. Some ran to save her but Phulmati was drowned in the whirling, threatening waves that would make anyone’s heart quiver.
Someone asked, ‘Who was this old woman?’
‘Arré, she is Pandit Ayodhyanath’s widow.’
‘But Ayodhyanath was a big man.’
‘Yes, indeed he was, but she was doomed to be buffeted by misfortune.’
‘He has many sons who are quite well-off and have huge incomes.’
‘Yes, that is true, but after all, there is something known as destiny.’
Translated from the Hindi by Satish C. Aikant
1 ‘Munshi Premchand ki Kahani Unki Zubani’ in Zamana (Premchand Number), 1938. Reprinted by National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language, July 2002, p.54.
2 ‘Premchand ki Afsana Nigari’, Zamana: Premchand Issue, February 1938; rpt. National Council for Promotion of Urdu (New Delhi, 2002), p. 173.
1 Angel of Death.
Notes
Tulia
First published as ‘Devi’ in Chand (April 1935), and later included in Gupt Dhan 2 (1962). In Urdu, it was compiled in Kulliyaat-e Premchand 14 (2003) under the title ‘Wafa ki Devi’.
Sati
First published in Hindi as ‘Sati’ in Chandan (March 1927), and later included in Mansarovar 4 (1939). In Urdu it was published in Aakhiri Tohfa (1934). Now available in Kulliyaat-e Premchand 12 (2003).
The Goddess from Heaven
First published in Hindi as ‘Swarg ki Devi’ in Chand (November, 1925), and later included in Mansarovar 3 (1938). In Urdu it was included in the collection Prem Chaleesi (1930) as ‘Jannat ki Devi’. Now available in Kulliyaat-e Premchand 11 (2001).
The Accusation
First published in Hindi with the title ‘Laanchan’ in Madhuri (February 1931), and later collected in Mansarovar 5 (1946). In Urdu, it was published in Chandan (July 1932), and collected in Zaad-e Raah (1936). Now available in Kulliyaat-e Premchand 13 (2003).
Godavari’s Suicide
First published in Hindi bearing the title ‘Saut’ in Saraswati (December 1915) and collected in Mansarovar 8 (1950). It was published in Urdu with the same title in Prem Batteesi 1 (1920). Now available in Kulliyaat-e Premchand 10 (2001).
The Co-wife
First published in Hindi as ‘Saut’ in Vishal Bharat (December 1931), and later collected in Gupt Dhan 2 (1962). Not available in Urdu. Transliterated from Hindi to Urdu for Kulliyaat-e Premchand 13 (2003).
Two Sisters
First published in Urdu as ‘Do Bahnein’ in Asmat (October 1935), and later included in Doodh ki Qeemat (1937). Now available in Urdu in Kulliyaat-e Premchand 14 (2003). In Hindi, it was published in Madhuri (August 1936), and included in Kafan (1937).
A Positive Change
First published in Hindi with the title ‘Vidhwans’ in Aaj (July 1921), and later collected in Prem Pacheesi (1923) and Mansarovar 8 (1950). It was published in Urdu with the title ‘Tahreek-e Khair’ in Humayun (April 1922), and collected much later in Kulliyaat-e Premchand 10 (2001).
This story has two radically different endings in the two versions. This is the alternate ending in the Hindi version:
. . . He looked towards the oven of the old woman and his entire body rankled with an anger that spread like fire. She did not even have an inkling of doubt that she was doing something against the zamindar. She could not even imagine that anger can have such an eternal life. A gifted man can have so much malice against a poor, frail woman; she had no inkling of such a thing. Given her nature, she considered human character much higher than that. But lo! Unfortunate one! You’ve grown grey hair without gaining any wisdom!
At once Thakur shouted at her, ‘Who gave you the order?’
Bhungi was taken aback to see the venerable zamindar standing in front. Thakur demanded once again, ‘Who gave you the permission for this?’ Scared, Bhungi said, ‘Everybody desired that I should rebuild it.’
‘I will have it dug up again.’ Having said this, he kicked the oven. The wet clay crumbled. The second kick was aimed at the trough but the old woman came in between and it landed on her waist. Now she got angry. Patting her waist, she said,
‘I serve you, where else should I look for food?’ ‘Only if you stay in the village can you work for me.’
‘I can only perform my duties when I make the oven. Can’t I do my work to stay in the village?’
‘Go, leave the village.’
Bhungi stood dejected near the oven and looked at its fiery remains, reminded of the kingdom of Lanka after it was destroyed by fire.
Within moments her frail body became one with the fire. Just then the storm blew in with great ferocity. The ascending flames ran towards the east. There were many huts of the farmers near the oven; they were all devoured by the wild flames. In this way, encouraged, the flames shot up further. Nearby there was Thakur’s land, it also came under its grasp. Now there was commotion in the village. Preparations were being made to put out the fire. But the splashes of water acted as fuel to the fire. The flames flared up and Panditji’s great mansion also came under its claws. And, in no time, the mansion, tossing like a ship in tumultuous waves, was drowned in the huge sea of fire and the sound of lamentation that became apparent with the remnants of the ashes was more pitiful than Bhungi’s mournful wailing.
Extract translated from the Hindi by M. Asaduddin
The Condemned
First published as ‘Dhikkar’ in Chand (February 1925), and later included in Mansarovar 1 (1936) . Not available in the Urdu version. Transliterated from Hindi to Urdu for Kulliyaat-e Premchand 11 (2001).
The Widow with Sons
First published as ‘Betonwali Vidhva’ in Hindi in Chand (November 1932), and later included in Mansarovar 7 (1947). In Urdu, it was published in the collection Zaad-e Raah (1936) under the title ‘Badnaseeb Ma’. Now available in Kulliyaat-e Premchand 14 (2003).
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ISBN: 978-0-670-09143-0
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