THE SHORUD

(KAFAN)

MUNSHI PREMCHAND

ENGLISH RENDERING:

(1)

At the door of hut, a father and a son, both were sitting silently near extinguished fire.

And inside the hut, son’s young wife was dying with birth travails. Her cries and moaning with

pain create such a hear wrenching sound that both clutched their hearts. It was winter night,

space filled with silence, and darkness prevailed on the whole village.

Ghaisu said, “I think she will not survive… She’s been withering in pain the whole day.

Just go and see her.” Madhu in a very heartless and painful tone said, “If death is the ultimate

thing to happen, why doesn’t she die soon… what’s the point of going to see.”

“Oh, you are very heartless! You spent a whole year peacefully with her, and such faithlessness

to her?”

“I can’t see her writhing and thrashing with pain.”

They belonged to Chamar’s family, and disreputable in the whole village. If Ghaisu

worked for one day, he rested for next three days. Madhu was such an idler that if he worked for

half an hour, then he smoked his chilam for an hour. That’s the reason; no one hired them for

work. If there is only a handful of grain at their home, they swore not to work. When they had

starvation for couple of days, then Ghaisu climbed up on the trees, cut off some branches, and

Madhu sold them in the market; and as long as that money lasted, they spent their time
wandering from here and there aimlessly. When it again comes to starvation, they again cut the

branches and look for some work. there was no shortage of work in the village, as it was a

village of farmers, for hard-working man their were many jobs as well, But they call them at that

time when there was no way out other than to seek contentment with getting out of two men

work of one.

If they had been abstinent, they wouldn’t have needed any exercise in self-control to get

contentment and patience. This was their natural quality. They had a strange life, except for a

few clay pots; they had no possession at all in their home. Covering their nakedness with torn

rags, free from all human cares, loaded with debts, they were abused, and they suffered blows,

but no grief at all. They were so meagre that without any hope of return, people lent them

something. They picked peas and potatoes from someone’s field when these were in season,

roast and eat them or broke off five to ten stalks of sugarcane and suck them. Ghaisu had lived

out sixty years of his life in this piety manner. Madhu like a good son was following the foot

steps of his father or rather even making his name brighter.

At that time also, both were sitting near fire, roasting potatoes that they picked from

someone else’s field. Ghaisu’s wife had passed away long ago. Madhu got married last year.

Since this woman had come, she had laid the foundations of ordinary life in the family. By

grinding flour, cutting grass, she would arrange few pounds of flour and kept filling the stomach

of these two impudent creatures. From the day she came, both of them become more sluggish.

Indeed they even began to strut, if someone would call them for work, they demanded double

wages with splendid indifference. And now the same woman was dying off birth travails and

these both were perhaps waiting for her to die so that they could sleep peacefully.
 As Ghaisu picked up a potato, began to peel it, said, “Go and see what’s her condition,

she must be obsessed by a witch…what else! Even an exorcist would demand a rupee from

whose house we would get?”

Madhu suspected that if he would go inside the hut, Ghaisu would finish off a big portion

of potatoes. He said. “I’m afraid to go there”

“Afraid of what? I’m here after all!”

“Then why don’t you go and see her”

“When my wife died, I didn’t move from her side for three days and won’t she feel embarrassed

in front of me? I’ve never seen her face, how can I look her naked body? She won’t be even

aware of her body and if she would look at me there, she won’t be able to thrash around freely.”

“I’m thinking, if she gives birth to baby, what will happen then. Dried ginger, oil, there is

nothing at all in the house.”

“Everything will come. If Bhagwan will give a child…those people who won’t give us a penny

will call us and will give us. I’ve had nine sons, there was nothing in the house but in this way

we managed every time.”

A society in which those who laboured day and night, and still weren’t in much better

condition than these two; and those who knew how to take advantage of the peasant’s weak

point, were much well-off. In this kind of society, it was not surprising to have this kind of

mindset. Ghaisu was more perceptive, instead of joining the naïve peasants; he had joined the

assembly of clever scheming tricksters.

other members of his group became chief and headmen of the villages, the whole village raised

accusing fingers at him. Still, he was contented that even if he was in bad condition, at least he

didn’t have to plod like peasants and no one could take improper advantage of his simplicity and

innocence.

Both began to eat the burning hot potatoes, they had not eaten anything since yesterday.

They didn’t have patience even to wait for potatoes to cool down. They burnt their tongues

several times. The outer part of potatoes didn’t seem so hot, when potatoes were peeled, but

when they swallowed the inner part, it burnt the tongue and throat, food pipe, the better thing

was to send it quickly down these burning coals into the stomach, where there were many things

to cool it down. So they swallowed quickly, although these attempts brought tears in their eyes.

Ghaisu at that time remembered the wedding party; he had attended of a landlord twenty

years ago. The feeling of satiation he had experienced on that occasion was unforgettable and

even on that day his memory was fresh. He said, “I can’t forget that feast, since then I have never

eaten to my fill like that.”

Bride’s family served puries to everyone. Everyone, elder or young, ate puries, fried in

pure ghee. Chutney, raita, three kinds of dry spinach, appetizing stew, yogurt, curry, sweets and

what else. I can’t even tell you what relish there was in that feast! There was no restriction, ask

for anything however how much you want! People ate so much that they could never even drink

water, And those who were serving kept on filling plates with sizzling hot and round sweet smell

pastries before you! Even if you are refusing that you do not want more but they go on and on to

serve you. And after everyone had finished and washed their mouth then everyone got a pan. But
I was in no state to take it, I could not stand even, I walked to home and lay down in my blanket.

That Thakur had a great heart as the ocean.”

Madhu enjoyed these delights in his imagination and said, “No one would give us such a feast

now!”

That was different time, now everyone has become prudent, don’t spend money on

wedding, don’t spend money on death, ask them when they would stack the wealth snatched

from poor people. There was no problem in saving, but when it comes to spending, they think

about their wealth and stop.”

“You must have eaten at least twenty puries”

“I ate more than twenty”

“I would have eaten fifty”

“I wouldn’t have eaten less than fifty; I was robust enough. You’re not half of what I was that

time”

After eating potatoes, they drank water and covered their bodies with their dhotis, they

lay down beside the fire folding their legs into their stomach as if two bit pythons lay coiled up

there and Bhudia was still moaning.

(2)

In the morning, when Madhu went into the hut, he found his wife dead. Flies were

buzzing on her mouth, her stony eyeballs were pointing upwards, and her whole body was

covered with dust. The baby in her womb had died.

breasts. When neighbours heard the wailing and crying, they rushed and following the typical

tradition, started to console the bereaved ones.

But there was no time for just wailing and grieving. They had to worry about the shroud

and the wood. The house was bereft of money as meat in a raptor’s nest. Father and son weeping

and wailing went to village’s landlord. He hated the very sight of both of them. Many times he

had beaten them with his hands for theft, for not honouring their commitments. He said, “What

has happened Ghaisu, why are you crying? You’re not seen these days. It seems that you no

longer want to live in this village.”

Ghaisu put his head on the ground, and said with tear-filled eyes, “Master, I’m in big

trouble, Madhu’s wife passed away last night. She spent the whole night writhing in pain, we

two sat by her side till midnight, did everything what we could do to save her, whatever

medicines we could give, we did. But she slipped away from our hands. Now we have no one

left to care for us, Master, we’re shattered. Our house is destroyed! I’m your servant, now who

else than you, will take care of her last rites? Whatever we had we spent on her medicines, your

kindness can help us take her to her final journey, whose door should I knock except yours?”

The landlord was a generous man but helping Ghaisu was like to dye black blanket. He at

once wanted to say, “Go away from here, keep the corpse at home and let it rot. Usually you

don’t come when you are called and now when you want something you are flattering, you

treacherous bastard!” But this was not the occasion to show anger or to take revenge.

Unwillingly, he took out two rupees threw them down, but he didn’t open his lips to say a single

word of solace he didn’t even look in Ghaisu’s eyes as if he is getting rid of a load off his head.
 When landlord had given two rupees then how could shopkeeper and moneylenders dared

to refuse? Ghaisu knew how to beat with the name of landlord. One gave two paisa, another gave

four and like this in one hour Ghaisu had collected ample sum of five rupees. Someone gave

grain, and other gave wood and in the afternoon Ghaisu and Maddhu went to market to get a

shroud. Here people began to cut bamboos. Some kind-hearted women of village came and

looked at the dead body, shed few tears on the helpless women and went away.

(3)

When they reached, Ghaisu said, “We have now enough wood to burn her, isn’t it Madhu?”

Madhu said “Yes we have enough wood, now we need a shroud.”

“Let’s buy a cheap one shroud”

“Yes why not. It will be night while the body is carried. Who would look at the shroud at night?”

“How bad this custom is! A person who didn’t even get a rag to cover her body when she was

alive, now needs a new shroud on her death.”

“Shroud will be burned with the body after all”

“What else? If we got these five rupees earlier, we would have used them for her medicine”.

Both of them inwardly delve to understand intentions of each other. They kept on roaming from

here and there in the market, until it was evening. Both may be devotedly reached in front of

wine-house and like pre-determined decision went inside it. They stood there for a while in a

state of uncertainty. Then Ghaisu went and brought a bottle of liquor in veranda, after drinking

many cups, both became raised up in joy.

would go with daughter-in-law.”

Madhu looked up towards the sky as if invoking the angels as witness of his innocence.

Madhu said, “It’s only the custom of the world…Why do people give hundreds of rupees to

Brahmins? Who knows whether it reaches as a reward in the other world or not?”

“The rich people have wealth…What do we have to waste?”

“But what will you answer people, won’t they ask where the shroud is?”

Ghaisu laughed, “We’ll say money slipped out if out waistband, we searched a lot but couldn’t

find.”

Madhu also laughed on this unpredicted stroke of good luck, he said, “She was so good, poor

thing has died after feeding us so well.”

They finished almost more than half of the bottle. Ghaisu ordered two sairs of puries,

meat, curry, fired fish and spiced liver. The shop was right in front of wine-house. Madhu went

quickly and brought the eatables placed on two leaf-plates. It all cost one and a half rupee. Now

they were left with only few paisas.

Both were enjoying eating puries with all the splendour of a tiger in the jungle feasting

on his prey. They were not afraid of anyone, neither answerable to anyone, nor any concern

about disgrace. They had conquered all these stages long ago. Ghaisu said in his philosophical

manner, “Our soul is being pleased, won’t she be rewarded?”

everything…Take her to Heaven! We’re both giving her our blessings. We’ve never had a feast

like that before in our life.”

After a moment Madhu became doubtful”

Why not father we also have to go there one day.”

Ghaisu didn’t answer his childish question. He looked reproachful towards Madhu.

“If she’ll question us why you didn’t give me shroud, what will you say?”

“We will say shut up.”

“She’ll surely ask.”

“How do you know she won’t get a shroud? Do you think I’m fool; I’ve wasted sixty years of

my life? She’ll get a shroud and a better one that we would have given her.”

Madhu said, “Who will give it? You have gobbled all the money.”

Ghaisu shouted with anger, “I say you, she will get a shroud. Why don’t you believe me?”

“Who will give it? Why don’t you tell me?”

“The same people who had given now they will not give money in our hands again and if it will

come by any means then again we will sit here and drink liquor and they will give shroud third

time.”

As darkness deepened, the stars became brighter, the wine-house uproar increased.

Someone sang, another gabbled, one embraced his companion, and another put drink to lips of
his friend. The atmosphere of that place was filled with ecstasy, the air inebriated. A many

people become drunk in handful. They came here only to taste the forgetfulness of themselves.

More than liquor, the air here elevated their spirits. The miseries of life had dragged them there,

for sometime they forgot whether they’re alive or dead or half-alive.

And these two, father and son were still sipping with pleasure. Everyone’s eyes were

fixed on them. How lucky they were! They had full bottle between them. After they have

finished eating, Madhu picked up the leftover puries and handed them over to a beggar standing

near them looking them with hungry eyes and for the first time in his life he experienced the

feeling of pride, delight and contentment of ‘giving’.

Ghaisu said, “Take it, eat to your full and bless her. The one to whom this earning belonged to,

died, but your blessing will surely reach her. Bless her with every hair on your body as it was

hard-earned money of her.”

Madhu then looked up, at the sky and said, “Father she’ll go to heaven and she’ll become queen

of heaven!”

Ghaisu stood up and as if swimming in the waves of ecstasy said, “Yes, son she’ll go to

heaven, she never oppresses anyone, she didn’t hurt anyone, even while dying, and she fulfilled

our greatest desire. If she would not go to heaven then will those fat rich people go to river

Ganges to cleanse away their sins, and offer water at the temples?”

The mood of reverence too changed; drunkenness have also the quality of variability.

Pain and disappointment takes it turn as Madhu said, “But father she suffered a lot many of

troubles in her life, even how much pain she endured at the time of death.” (He put his both

hands on his face and started crying)

existence. She is fortunate that she broke the bonds of illusive existence so early.”

And both standing there started singing, “Temptress, why do your eyes flash, Temptress?”

The whole wine-house was staring and these two were deep intoxicated were singing.

Then they began to dance, also jumped, leaped too, fell, flounced about with drunkenness, they

collapsed there.
Critical Analysis:

Munshi Premchand digs out the harsh reality and unveils the dreadful picture of the

society. Kafan allows you to visualize and consider the reality of life which you often try to

avoid. Premchand’s story, ‘The Shroud’ is a masterpiece in the world of literature. It brings out

the dark humour, irony and tragedy in the life of Ghaisu, Madhu and Budhia. The story opens

with Ghaisu and Madhu sitting in front of fire at the door of their hut; while Budhia, the wife of

Madhu is undergoing labour pains inside the hut. Ghaisu and Madhu are eating potatoes which

they have stolen from someone’s field. Ghaisu and Madhu are notorious in the whole village as

lazy and idle workers. There dismal poverty is due to their own laziness but partly, it is also

because of the ‘vicious cycle of exploitation by the landlords’ and moneylenders in the village.

Ghaisu and Madhu do nothing for Budhia except listen to her agonizing wails. Finally, Budhia

dies and Ghaisu and Madhu go about in the village begging money for her funeral. At this point

in the story, Premchand comments through the mouth of Ghaisu on the paradox and futility of

the custom of buying a new shroud for one who did not have even a rag to cover her living body.

Ultimately Ghaisu and Madhu spend all the money collected by them in eating, drinking and

merry-making. “The miseries of life had dragged them there” (The Shroud, 3). They know that

the same villagers who gave them money will help them once more.

The village “deepened in darkness” represents the time when British take control on

subcontinent, at that time the poor people of village were looked down with derision. Here,

darkness portrays the illiterate people who are oppressed by capitalists, and who forget to live in

an organized way or to speak up for their rights. Ghaisu and Madhu’s way of dealing with the

corpse of their woman is as the result if their intense poverty as poverty gives rise to inhumane

nature and takes away the appropriate way to deal with things in their lives. They become
heartless and devoid of emotions, as we can see when Madhu says, “If death is the ultimate thing

to happen, why doesn’t she die soon… what’s the point of going to see” (The Shroud, 1). This is

the result of poverty that they want to get rid of their lives, its better to die rather than living like

slaves in this self-centred world. Premchand wants to wake up those sluggish people who were

drowned in the forgetfulness of their conditions in that period of time.

Munish Premchand wrote this in a very taunting manner in order to show the mirror to

the people of lower class, to show them where they stand and they themselves are responsible for

their trodden and traumatized state. For this reason, Premchand uses the character of Ghaisu and

Madhu as a mirror image of people of lower class, who are indolent and idle. People of his time

were living in the shape they were forced to live by the superiors and they willingly accepted

their trampled form. “They didn’t have patience even to wait for potatoes to cool down. They

burnt their tongues several times” (The Shroud, 2). They don’t have even feelings of burnt

tongues and just for the sake of their hunger they swallowed “down these burning coals into the

stomach”. They were reverently following the oppressive behaviour of superiors and British by

swallowing the burning “hot potatoes” (The Shroud, 2).

One can find a very sarcastic truth of biased society lying beneath the surface of this

story. Aristocrat like property-owner takes extra work and advantage from poor class by making

poverty as the tool to exploit them. Premchand shows the animalistic behaviour of rich people as

“tiger in the jungle feasting on his prey” (The Shroud, 3). This class is solely responsible as a

source to give birth to thieves, robbers and murderers in the society. As Ghaisu spent his whole

life doing nothing at all, “Ghaisu had lived out sixty years of his life in this pious manner”. For

him there is no use of wasting time doing hard-work in such a stratified society where there is no

equal distribution of wealth and where poor are not given wages equivalent to their work.
Premchand at this point says it is “a society in which those who laboured day and night, and still

weren’t in much better condition than” those who did nothing rather ruling over poor.

Premchand criticizes the sluggish people by the character of Ghaisu that “he didn’t have to plod

like peasants and no one could take improper advantage of his simplicity and innocence” (The

Shroud, 1).

For Ghaisu buying a new cloth for shroud is like wasting money, he considers it a bad

custom as he says, “How bad this custom is! A person who didn’t even get a rag to cover her

body when she was alive, now needs a new shroud on her death.” The author is criticizing the

imbalanced distribution of wealth by saying that if the society has developed distinct divisions

between rich and poor, then why they all are supposed to follow the same custom. As Ghaisu

says, “The rich people have wealth…What do we have to waste?”

Munshi Premchand mocks at the society’s stereotypical manners and unjust conduct by

portraying that rich were not questioned by anyone but poor people were “accused and abused”

of their deeds, and they were supposed to be answerable for every action. In this story, when

both spent money in drinking wine, Madhu anxiously asked Ghaisu “But what will you answer

people, won’t they ask where the shroud is?”(The Shroud, 3).

Premchand is known for his realistic understanding of caste oppression in the countryside

and his soul-stirring portrayal of the lives of the lower castes and the ‘untouchables’. His artistic

intention is to bring into attention the feudal-colonial exploitation of the peasantry into sharp

relief because despite working much harder than Gheesu and Madhav, peasants did not fare any

better. Thus, Premchand’s story ‘The Shroud’ highlights the pathetic plight of ordinary village

labourers and portrays their utter poverty leading to loss of sensitivity and emotions.
 Work Cited

 Premchand, Munshi. Munshi Premchand ka Funn aur un ke Afsaany. “Kafan”.153-

159.Print.