Premchand is the most famous Hindi novelist and Godaan is Premchand’s most celebrated novel. Economic and social conflict in a north Indian village are brilliantly captured in the story of Hori, a poor farmer and his family’s struggle for survival and self-respect. Hori does everything he can to fulfill his life’s desire: to own a cow, the peasant’s measure of wealth and well-being. Like many Hindus of his time, he believes that making the gift of a cow to a Brahman before he dies will help him achieve salvation. An engaging introduction to India before Independence, Godaan is at once village ethnography, moving human document and insightful colonial history.
![गोदान [Godaan] by Munshi Premchand, मुंशी प्रेमचंद](https://48f-1.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/books/large/624c672c282b00d6431f9ea0.jpg)