Portrayal of Peasant Life in Colonial India: Examining the Exploitation of Farmers like Hori in Godaan in contemporary Scenario

Dr. Uzma Khanam

Assistant Professor

Shri Ramswaroop Memorial University

Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract: Munshi Premchand’s novels are mostly depicted the Poignant conditions of Indian peasant and feudalism. Godaan (1936) is one such novel who depicts the real conditions of that time. This novel highlights the oppression and exploitation of peasants and socio-economic deprivation of villagers under colonial rule. The purpose of this paper was to examines the depiction of peasant life in colonial India through the lens of Premchand’s Godaan, focusing on the struggles of farmers like Hori, the broader socio-political implications of the novel, and the contrast between Gandhian ideals and the realities of rural life, and the parallels between historical and contemporary farmer struggles in India.

Keywords: Colonial India, Farmer exploitation, Farmer struggle Peasant life, Rural life

Literature has played a significant role in portraying the society’s conditions of different eras. It works as a mirror to show the flaws, greed and cunningness. Indian Literature plays a significant role in showing the Indian society. Indian literature is very rich and vast in itself. Munshi Premchand (1880-1936) is one such versatile writer. He is very influential in Hindi and Urdu writing style. He has the quality of capturing the struggles of rural India through his socially conscious stories. He has written about a dozen novels, around 300 stories along with many letters, plays and translations.

His novels are mostly depicted the Poignant conditions of Indian peasant and feudalism. Godaan (1936) is one such novel who depicts the real conditions of that time. This novel highlights the oppression and exploitation of peasants and socio-economic deprivation of villagers under colonial rule. The purpose of this paper was to examines the depiction of peasant life in colonial India through the lens of Premchand’s Godaan, focusing on the struggles of farmers like Hori, the broader socio-political implications of the novel, and the contrast between Gandhian ideals and the realities of rural life, and the parallels between historical and contemporary farmer struggles in India.

The real name of Premchand is Dhanpat Rai Srivastava. He was born in Lamahi near Varanasi. He has started his career initially writing in Urdu language, later he changed his mode of language into Hindi in response to the nationalist movement and the call for regional languages in India. His works primarily addressed themes of poverty, caste discrimination, gender inequality, and social injustice (Britannica, n.d.). He has blended his literary style of writing with realistic approach and social problems.

Premchand has written Godaan during his last stage. This is regarded as one of the best literary works of Premchand. This novel vividly portrays the harsh realities of peasant life under British rule. The character of Hori represents the plight of the common farmer. The novel talks about the themes like economic exploitation by the Britishers, by the feudal system. It also depicts how a poor person spends their entire life trying to save their ancestral land and also at the same time trying to fulfil his dream (of having a cow) against the moneylenders and taxes.

Hori’s dream of owning a cow, which he has promised to his wife during his wedding. But it was not a promise, it was a symbol of prosperity and self-sufficiency of that time. But this promise was remains unfulfilled, showing the countless farmers burdened by debts and societal hierarchies. (Premchand, 1936).

Godaan also critiques the middle-class materialism and gender inequalities of colonial period. This is further reflected in Premchand’s other notable works, such as Gaban (1931), which explores consumerism. Nirmala (1927), critiques the dowry system and child marriage (Encyclopedia.com, n.d.). His short stories, including Kafan, depict the grim realities of rural India, reinforcing his commitment to exposing social injustices through literature. Also. Premchand was highly influenced by Gandhi and that can be easily seen in his works. Godaan also represents the same, i.e. Gandhian Ideology.

During that period Mahatma Gandhi’s ideas of Sarvodaya, means welfare of all, Swadeshi means self-reliance, and Gram Swaraj which is village self-rule was very influential and effective among Indians. This idea of Gandhi envisioned a just and self-sufficient rural India (Gandhi, 1945). He believed that rural development and upliftment of peasants were essential for India's progress. However, Premchand has portrayed the opposite and different reality in his novel Godaan.

The novel Godaan, talks about how the poor peasant like Huri, despite their hard work, remain trapped in cycles of poverty and oppression. Unlike Gandhi’s vision of Gram Swaraj, where villages would be self-sustaining and free from exploitation, Premchand’s farmers depicted the condition of helplessness and were at the mercy of landlords, moneylenders, and feudalistic society. Hori, despite his unwavering perseverance (for his ancestral land and family), is unable to break free from economic servitude, unconditional debt cycle, reflecting the failure of Gandhi’s Ideology of Gram Sweraj on a grass root level. (Premchand, 1936).

Furthermore, Gandhi’s ideologies promote truth, non-violence, and moral integrity as a way to social justice and equality. However, Godaan shows the hypocrisy within the society, where corruption, caste hierarchies, and material greed and feudalism overpower the moral values of man. This novel suggests that although Gandhi’s principles were impressive, their perfect execution is not that easy during the colonial period, especially because of illiteracy and poverty.

Premchand himself admired Gandhi but by this novel he made this clear that he was remained critical of blind idealism. His works reflect a deep understanding of ground realities, showing that while Gandhian philosophy provided hope, structural changes were necessary to achieve real transformation (Mukherjee, 2011).

Premchand’s Godaan can be connected even in today’s world also. The struggle of Huri or the problems of farmer of colonial period can be connected to the struggle of farmers of contemporary India. Precisely, we can connect this struggle to the struggle of farmers protest occurred in 2020-2021 against the controversial agriculture law. In September 2020, the Indian government enacted three agricultural laws aimed at reforming the agricultural sector. These laws intended to relax regulations governing the sale, pricing, and storage of farm produce, effectively opening the market to corporate entities. However, many farmers perceived these reforms as threats to their livelihoods, fearing exploitation by large corporations and the erosion of traditional farming practices.

This law creates a protest in the country. Millions of farmers form different regions took part in this protest. Majority of these protesters were, primarily from Punjab and Haryana, marching towards New Delhi in a movement dubbed "Delhi Chalo" ("Let's go to Delhi"). They even set up camps at the borders of the capital, demanding the repeal of the contentious laws and the establishment of legal guarantees for minimum support prices (MSP) for their crops. This protest went on for a very long time. The protests highlighted deep-seated issues within the agricultural sector, including /inadequate compensation, rising input costs, and mounting debts—issues reminding the challenges faced by Hori and his contemporaries in Godaan decades back.

The contemporary protests also highlighted the enduring struggle of Indian farmers against systemic exploitation and the fight for economic justice. Despite the time gap of Hori and present farmers, the core issues of farmer like indebtedness, vulnerability to market fluctuations and the quest for fair compensation remains the same. The persistency and unity displayed by the protesting farmers of 2020-21 echo the collective struggles of peasants of Premchand's novel.

Premchand played a crucial role in the Progressive Writers' Movement, advocating for socially relevant literature that addressed the concerns of the masses. His commitment to realism and his portrayal of social issues laid the foundation for modern Hindi fiction, earning him the title "Upanyas Samrat" (Emperor of Novels). His literary contributions continue to influence contemporary writers and remain central to discussions on Indian literature and social reform (Munshi, n.d.).

Through Godaan, Premchand has masterfully illustrates the exploitation of Indian peasants under colonial rule, shedding light on economic hardships, caste oppression, and systemic injustice. We can also connect this with Marxist ideologies, because it also talks about class system, oppression, economic struggles, and social inequality. While Gandhi’s ideals envisioned a utopian rural India, Premchand’s novel presents a more grounded and stark depiction of the challenges faced by farmers. The parallels between the historical struggles depicted in Godaan and the contemporary farmer protests against recent agricultural laws underscore the persistent issues within Indian’s agrarian sector. His works continue to serve as a mirror to society, making him one of the most significant literary figures in Indian history. The struggles of farmers like Hori remain relevant, reflecting ongoing debates about land ownership, rural poverty, and social inequality in India today.