Godaan is a famous Hindi novel by Munshi Premchand. It was first published in 1936 and is considered one of the greatest Hindi novels of modern Indian literature. Themed around the socio-economic deprivation as well as the exploitation of the village poor, the novel was the last complete novel of Premchand. It follows the story of an old poor farmer, stuck in a debt trap, who wants to purchase a cow, but is unable to do so because of lack of finances. It has been translated into English in 1957 by Jai Ratan and Purushottama Lal as The Gift of a Cow. A 1968 translation by Gordon C. Roadarmel is now considered "a classic in itself". Godaan was made into a Hindi film in 1963, starring Raaj Kumar, Kamini Kaushal, Mehmood and Shashikala. In 2004, Godaan was part of the 27-episode TV series, Tehreer.... Munshi Premchand Ki, [The Writings of Munshi Premchand] based on the writing of Premchand, starring Pankaj Kapur and Surekha Sikri, directed by Gulzar and produced by Doordarshan.

Plot

The story revolves around various characters representing different sections of the Indian community. Hori Mahato's family represents the rural and peasant society. His family includes his wife Dhania, daughters Rupa and Sona, son Gobar, and daughter-in-law Jhunia. The story begins with Hori's desire to own a cow, like many other poor peasants. He purchases a cow from Bhola, a cowherd, on a debt of 80 rupees. Hori tries to cheat his brothers out of 10 rupees, leading to a fight between his wife and his younger brother Heera's wife. Jealous of Hori, Heera poisons the cow and flees out of fear of police action. When the police arrive to inquire about the cow's death, Hori takes a loan and bribes the police to clear his younger brother's name. Jhunia, Bhola's widowed daughter, elopes with Gobar after becoming pregnant by him. Fearing the reaction of the villagers, Gobar too runs away to the town. Hori and Dhania are reluctant to drive away Jhunia as she is carrying their son's child; they decide to accept her as their daughter-in-law and offer her shelter. The village panchayat fines Hori for sheltering Jhunia, after a personal attack by the Pandit. Hori again is compelled to take a loan and pay the penalty. Hori accumulates a huge debt from local money lenders and is eventually forced to marry off his daughter Rupa for a mere 200 rupees to save his ancestral land from auction due to unpaid land tax. However, his determination to repay those 200 rupees and own a cow to provide milk for his grandson leads to Hori's death due to overwork. As he nears death, Dhania hands him all the money she has (1.25 rupees) to pay the priest and fulfill the tradition of godaan (cow donation). This at last fulfills Hori's long-standing dream, but his desire to repay the 200 rupees to his son-in-law and have a cow to provide milk for his grandson remains unfulfilled. In Godaan, Hori epitomizes the downtrodden peasant - a victim of his circumstances, possessing both faults and virtues. Throughout the hardships he endures, Hori stays true to his values and duties. The novel concludes with Hori's death and the bittersweet legacy he leaves behind, defined by fulfilled and unfulfilled dreams, thus providing a moving finale.

Characters

The urban society is represented by Malati Devi (doctor), Mr. Mehta (lecturer and philosopher), Mr. Khanna (banker), Rai Sahib (zamindar), Mr Tankha (broker), Mr. Mirza (social worker) and Pandit Omkarnath (publisher).

Themes

The novel has several themes: The narrative represents the average Indian farmer's existence under colonial rule, with the protagonist facing cultural and feudal exploitation. It shows how the life of these characters takes shape.

Connection with Hinduism

The act of donating a cow in charity, or godaan or gau daan, is considered to be an important Hindu ritual, as it helps in absolving one of sin, and incurring divine blessings. It is also essential. The word dharma has been used 34 times in the novel in different context and by different characters. The word connotes as religion, moral principles and values, conscience and duty. It has a different meaning to each character.

Families in Godaan

Rural Families

Mehto Family

Datadeen's family

Bhola's family

Urban Families

Raisahab's family

Mr. Khanna's family

Kaul's family

Legacy

Godaan is regarded as an enduring Hindi-language cult-classic work by Premchand . Like his other novels, Godaan too depicts the social struggles of the lower class. Godaan was made into a Hindi film in 1963, starring Raaj Kumar, Kamini Kaushal, Mehmood and Shashikala. In 2004, Godaan was part of the 27-episode TV series, Tehreer.... Munshi Premchand Ki, based on the writing of Premchand, starring Pankaj Kapur and Surekha Sikri, directed by Gulzar and produced by Doordarshan. Godaan is an indispensable part of Indian literature. It is regarded as one of the finest work ever written in Indian language. This novel was translated into ** 'The gift of Cow**' by Jai Ratan and Purushottama Lal.