‘His is a voice that comes from where the action is...’ Dhanpat Rai, famously known as Munshi Premchand, was an ordinary man living an ordinary life in extraordinary times. His intimate experience of the lives of common people gave him insights that created a vast and vibrant world in his vivid stories , making him one of the most important chroniclers of the 20th century. His vision homes in straight to the extraordinary heart of his everyday characters as they go about their daily struggles, proving an inspiration to generations of readers . From a game of gulli-danda to the classic tale of an imaginative young boy’s love for his grandmother that transforms a pair of household tongs into a battle hero, Premchand’s compelling stories continue to hold readers spellbound. His granddaughter Sara Rai brings a personal perspective to this book with family recollections and lovingly done translations. Premchand’s great-granddaughter Lara Chandni pays tribute to her illustrious ancestor with an eye-catching cover and poster design created especially for this collector’s edition .