Question

Critically comment on the title of Premchand’s story The Holy Panchayat bringing out the significance of the word ‘Holy’.

Answer 1

Answer:

Panch Parmeshwar is a work that goes beyond simplistic reading…it explores…the indigenous, village centric system of justice that caters to the needs of the illiterate and the poor in India

It is, perhaps, surprising that I select just one short story to elucidate concepts, which resonate emotionally and intellectually, and inspire debate, even acrimonious debate. It has a story behind it. Some years ago, I received an email from an Indian postgraduate student in France who, while talking about the link between literature and society denounced the didacticism that marks a certain kind of ‘committed’ literature and referred to one ‘s***ty story’ by Premchand, which he said, was a facile attempt to project Hindu-Muslim unity.