,8,! ,%r\d,0 by ,mun%i ,prem*&3 ,%ort
,/ory ,analysis
  ,8,! ,%r\d,0 is 3sid]$ to 2 "o ( ! be/
writt5 %ort /ories 9 ,9dia4 ,mun%i
,prem*&1 "o ( ! grte/ ,9dian writ]s 9
,h9di & ,urdu1 p5n$ ? /ory4 ,x has be5
translat$ & repr9t$ _m "ts4 ,z y r1d !
/ory1 x is impossible to miss ! cau/ic
satire1 ! gritty r1l;y1 & ! h>%;s ( life
( ! l[] ca/e co2l]s 9 ,9dia & especially
_! wom54 ,8,! ,%r\d,0 is an ironic title
2c ! d1d woman ^: "n 0 ,budhiya did n
get a %r\d = h]f ev5 9 d1?4 ,ev5 !
dign;y ( d1? cd n pi]ce ! /ony he>t ( h]
ag$ "f-9-law ,<isu1 & h] husb&1 ,madhav4
,<isu & ,madhav 7 n only lazy b al
ungrate;l l\ts4 ,!y liv$ _! lives )\t
bo!r+ ab _! responsibilities4 ,x 0 z if
!y did n ev5 h a prop]ly func;n+ 3sci;e4
,pov]ty & _! l[ ca/e /atus made !m s
h>dhe>t$ t !y n"e c>$ = any"o b !mvs4
,?\< ,budhiya 0 9 ! ?roes ( *ildbir? &
ne$$ _! assi/.e1 ,<isu & ,madhav j sat
\tside _! hut peel+ potatoes4
  ,prem*&1 9 ? r1li/ic /ory1 has      #a
focus$ on two aspects vital to ! "w+s (
an ,9dian village 9 pre-9dep5d;e ,9dia3

_4 ,! abuse ( wom5 9 ,9dia & ! sexism
  rampant 9 ! c.try4
_4 ,! pov]ty ( ! l[] ca/e p4

  ,budhiya 0 dy+ dur+ *ildbir?4 ,?\< %e
_h d"o h] be/ by ,<isu & ,madhav1 !y
made no move to call a doctor to save h]
life4 ,!y 7 m 3c]n$ ab peel+ & eat+ !
potatoes !y _h j manag$ to procure4 ,!y
2liev$ 9 liv+ ! cli*$ ,8"o "d at a "t,0
b 9 a v w>p$ mann]4 ,by n call+ a doctor
or wet nurse to att5d to ,budhiya1 !y
2came h] murd]]s :5 %e di$ af a pa9;l
ni<t4 ,despite ! closely-knit village !y
liv$ in1 no "o came to see :y "! 0 s m*
%riek+ & scr1m+ go+ on 9 ,<isu's hut :
%[$ ! foll[+3

_4 ,!y 7 f$ up ) ! lazy ways ( ,<isu &
  ,madhav & want$ no?+ to d ) !m4
_4 ,!y 7 cruel z well z neglig5t ( !
  fact t no "o 0 att5d+ to ! wail+    #b
  ,budhiya4 ,"!by1 !y 7 murd]]s1 2c !y 7
  ,8d1f,0 to h] scr1m+ = help dur+ !
  bir? ( h] *4
_4 ,pov]ty _h h>d5$ !m s m* t !y 7 n
  bo!r$ t "! 0 a commo;n 9 ,<isu's home4
_4 ,!y did n want to get mix$ up 9 ,<isu
  & ,madhav's a6airs z !y 7 alw h>d up4

  ,_! c>e.s;s l$ to ,budhiya's d1?4
,h["e1 no "o felt t !y 7 at fault4 ,! "f
& son cri$ crocodile te>s & li$ h[3

_4 ,!y _h sat by ,budhiya's side all
  ni<t :ile1 9 r1l;y1 !y 7 fa/ asleep z
  %e di$4
_4 ,!y _h no m$ic9es to give h]1 & t 0
  :y %e di$4
_4 ,t %e 0 ! "o :o _h ab&on$ !m & s !y 7
  ! victims m ?an %e4

  ,! fickle-m9d$;s ( ,9dian village
society is se5 />kly 9 ,8,! ,%r\d,04
,al? ! villag]s did no?+ to help !
%riek+ ,budhiya 9 life1 !y 3gregat$ >.d
! hut once %e 0 d1d4 ,_! ma9 3c]n 0   #c
to make sure %e got a prop] crema;n4
,wom5 ( ! village :o did n /ir f _!
homes :ile ,budhiya wail$ h] lungs \1
cri$ ov] h] d1d body4
  ,"! is a m5;n 9 ! /ory ( ! scr1m+ (
,budhiya n a6ect+ ,<isu or ,madhav4 ,!y
7 bo? unwill+ to l1ve _! potatoes al"o
le/ "o ( !m ate ! o!r's %>e4 ,<isu gave
! excuse t 2c ,budhiya 0 nak$1 2+ h]
"f-9-law1 he cd n g & 2 by h] side4 ,on
! o!r h&1 ,madhav /ates t he cd n g & 2
by h] side z he cd n /& h] scr1m+ & hop$
x wd 5d ) h] d1?4 ,x is v satirical to
see t ! "f-9-law 0 m 3c]n$ ab propriety
?an 8 dy+ dau<t]-9-law's life4
  ,!y manage to borr[ a total ( five
rupees f3

_4 ,! l&"l
_4 ,! m]*ants
_4 ,! trad]s
_4 ,o!r villag]s

  ,probably1 all ^! p 7 f ! hi<] ca/es4
,!y borr[ ! five rupees f !m 9t5d+    #d
to buy a %r\d = ,budhiya to cov] h] d1d
body1 a sacr$ cu/om 9 ,h9du society 9
,9dia4 ,h["e1 9/1d ( qkly buy+ ! %r\d =
,budhiya1 !y %op = x z if !y 7 %opp+ = a
woman's w$d+ s>ee4 ,!y make excuses = n
lik+ ! pla9 :ite clo?s pres5t$ to !m1 &
at ! 5d ( x1 !y give 9 to _! /oma*s &
base 9/9cts & sp5d ! m"oy on food &
alcohol4
  ,!y sp5d ! 5tire "d & ni<t dr9k+ &
eat+ )\t ev5 c>+ t ! m"oy !y 7 sp5d+ 0 =
a dec1s$ woman's %r\d4 ,! desire = food
& dr9k 0 _! prim>y motive 9 gett+ ! m"oy
9 ! f/ place4 ,!y knew !y wd get a lot (
m"oy f ! fickle-m9d$ pret5ti\s villag]s
\ ( sympa?y = _! d1d ,budhiya4 ,!y only
want$ ! m"oy to satisfy _! desire = a
f1/4 ,!y eat a lavi% f1/ (3

_4 ,snacks
_4 ,fri$ fi%
_4 ,a v>iety ( *utneys
_4 ,a v>iety ( pickles
_4 ,liv]
_4 ,any numb] ( puris                 #e
  ,!y scr1m & toa/ ! d1d ,budhiya's s\l1
z1 9 h] "n1 !y _h manag$ to get s* a
royal f1/1 a satire on m5 ^: 3sci;es 7
d1d ) selfi%;s & dire pov]ty4 ,!y gift$
! rema9+ puris to a be7> & 9toxicat$
make _! way home4 ,!y tell ! be7> to b.s
,budhiya1 :o 0 d1d4 ,!y praise h]
v]bally & braz5ly _m "ts4 ,x is ,madhav
:o sudd5ly1 9 ! mid/ ( 8 revel+1 feels a
sli<t prick 9 3sci;e4 ,he wond]s :at
answ] wd he give 8 duti;l wife :5 he wd
5t] et]n;y4 ,%e 0 sure to ask hm :y1
despite 2+ h] husb&1 he did n ev5 give
h] a %r\d4
  ,<isu1 ! sixty-ye>-old exp]i;ed l\t1
dcls to ! _s damp5$ ,madhav t ! villag]s
>e s sup]/iti\s ": a d1d body is 3c]n$ t
!y w ag 3tribute a few rupees to buy a
%r\d4 ,?\< ? satisfies ,madhav's
gd-z-d1d 3sci;e1 he (t5 br+s x up1 :
irritates ,<isu4 ,^! two 9dividuals1
,<isu & 8 son ,madhav >e %[+ a mirror (
! p>adox ( ,9dian village society :o
ignore ! liv+ b h a lot ( respect = !
d1d4 ,prem*& dcls t[>ds ! 5d t m      #f
?an ,budhiya1 x seem$ t "ey"o 9 ! /ory 0
truly d1d 2c _! respect = human;y 0 d1d1
& _! priorities 7 n ": !y %d be4 ,<isu &
,madhav fall 9 a h1p due to _! drunk5
/ate4 ,s too falls ! op9ion ( p 3c]n+ !
village life ( pre-9dep5d;e ,9dia4 ,!
problem is1 no?+ m* has *ang$ s9ce
,prem*&'s "t3

_4 ,wom5 >e / abus$ 9 ,9dia & >e look$
  d[n ^u4
_4 ,p f ! l[] ca/es live a mis]able
  exi/;e & >e regul>ly b1t5 & abus$ =
  try+ to ass]t _! "rs4
_4 ,a p]son 2comes m important d1d ?an
  alive4
_4 ,! ri* h x all :ile ! poor / />ve4
_4 ,p >e / hi<ly sup]/iti\s &
  fickle-m9d$4

  ,i 0 #ab ye>s old /udy+ at ,bombay
,scotti% ,s*ool 9 ,mumbai :5 ,i r1d ,8,!
,%r\d,01 my f/ ,prem*& %ort /ory4 ,x 0
"o ( ! lessons 9 my ,h9di textbook4 ,x
9troduc$ me to ! writ+s ( ,mun%i      #g
,prem*&1 :o wd g on to 2come my f\r?
favorite fic;n writ] ( all "t4 ,x 0 a
pl1sure to analyze ? %ort /ory "h on my
blog4
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