Dear Members
The story is actually written by an Indian author ( I am forgetting the name ) and I studied it in 6th or 7th standard. And its relevance is still felt today.
Courtesy : Rita Maker.
Parda
Choudhari Peerbakhsh, is the head of a large lower middle-class family. His forefathers were relatively well-to-do though the Choudhari’s immediate family has to survive with his meager salary of Rs 18 as a low-paid clerk in an oil mill. The salary has progressively risen in the past fifteen years from Rs 12 but this rise has not been enough to take care of the ever-growing family of an old mother, the couple and their five offspring.
They stay in a rented house in a run-down working class locality with cobblers, washermen and laborers as neighbors. Choudhari is respected in his neighborhood thanks to his white-collared job and the fact that there is a parda (curtain) at the entrance door to his house.
The parda is what protects the dignity of the Choudhari household, both literally and figuratively. Over generations the quality of the parda has degenerated, but a parda is a parda, irrespective of the material it is made of. The Choudhari is forever in penury, his salary refuses to keep pace with the growth in his family and the rising cost of living. His employer is loathe to give him advances and loans and consequently he takes recourse to the Pathan money-lender (“kabuli wallah”). The Pathan is easy with the loan but is tough on recovery.
When Choudhari misses an installment, the Pathan makes a big ruckus and haunts the Choudhari day and night to recover it. The Choudhari tries to escape the visits of the Pathan till one morning he is accosted for the dues. The Choudhary pleads helplessness which the Pathan does not unbelieve.
Thanks to the parda which hangs on the main door, the Pathan believes that the Choudhari is well-to-do and has assets hidden inside the house. Finally, in desperation, the Pathan tugs at the parda which falls off exposing the near naked female members of the household who have only this parda to take care of their modesty.
The neighbors, who have been watching the going-on turn their heads away, the Pathan walks away in shame while the Choudhari faints in abject humiliation.
When he regains consciousness he has no motivation to reinstall the parda as he now stands totally defeated and realizes that the parda, which concealed the household’s penury has no purpose left to serve anymore.
From India, Coimbatore
733The story is actually written by an Indian author ( I am forgetting the name ) and I studied it in 6th or 7th standard. And its relevance is still felt today.
Courtesy : Rita Maker.
Parda
Choudhari Peerbakhsh, is the head of a large lower middle-class family. His forefathers were relatively well-to-do though the Choudhari’s immediate family has to survive with his meager salary of Rs 18 as a low-paid clerk in an oil mill. The salary has progressively risen in the past fifteen years from Rs 12 but this rise has not been enough to take care of the ever-growing family of an old mother, the couple and their five offspring.
They stay in a rented house in a run-down working class locality with cobblers, washermen and laborers as neighbors. Choudhari is respected in his neighborhood thanks to his white-collared job and the fact that there is a parda (curtain) at the entrance door to his house.
The parda is what protects the dignity of the Choudhari household, both literally and figuratively. Over generations the quality of the parda has degenerated, but a parda is a parda, irrespective of the material it is made of. The Choudhari is forever in penury, his salary refuses to keep pace with the growth in his family and the rising cost of living. His employer is loathe to give him advances and loans and consequently he takes recourse to the Pathan money-lender (“kabuli wallah”). The Pathan is easy with the loan but is tough on recovery.
When Choudhari misses an installment, the Pathan makes a big ruckus and haunts the Choudhari day and night to recover it. The Choudhari tries to escape the visits of the Pathan till one morning he is accosted for the dues. The Choudhary pleads helplessness which the Pathan does not unbelieve.
Thanks to the parda which hangs on the main door, the Pathan believes that the Choudhari is well-to-do and has assets hidden inside the house. Finally, in desperation, the Pathan tugs at the parda which falls off exposing the near naked female members of the household who have only this parda to take care of their modesty.
The neighbors, who have been watching the going-on turn their heads away, the Pathan walks away in shame while the Choudhari faints in abject humiliation.
When he regains consciousness he has no motivation to reinstall the parda as he now stands totally defeated and realizes that the parda, which concealed the household’s penury has no purpose left to serve anymore.
From India, Coimbatore
This story I learned in my school days and I cannot forget his other stories also, which come to my mind now and then. I was weak in hindi but his stories did not deter me from reading rather consuming lot of time. They are timeless and invaluable stories.
M Sivasubramaniam.
From India, Coimbatore
M Sivasubramaniam.
From India, Coimbatore
Dear Akhilesh,
Thanks for identifying the author. Those that are interested in reading other stories in Hindi, please go to ???????? ?? ?????? ?????, Premchand ki hindi kahani, ????? ????????, premchand hindi story, munshi premchand ki kahaniyan, hindi stories munshi premchand, premchand hindi novels, Bes
Reading the stories will improve my knowledge of Hindi, as does listening to Swami Anubhavananda's discourses in Hindi on You Tube.
Have a nice weekend.
Simhan
A retired academic in UK
From United Kingdom
Thanks for identifying the author. Those that are interested in reading other stories in Hindi, please go to ???????? ?? ?????? ?????, Premchand ki hindi kahani, ????? ????????, premchand hindi story, munshi premchand ki kahaniyan, hindi stories munshi premchand, premchand hindi novels, Bes
Reading the stories will improve my knowledge of Hindi, as does listening to Swami Anubhavananda's discourses in Hindi on You Tube.
Have a nice weekend.
Simhan
A retired academic in UK
From United Kingdom
Community Support and Knowledge-base on business, career and organisational prospects and issues - Register and Log In to CiteHR and post your query, download formats and be part of a fostered community of professionals.
1 How to wirte a short story - 16092008.jpg
Short story on being creative.pptx