The great essayist Francis Bacon said, “Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.” And the one you see in the picture above definitely belongs to the third category.
We see a number of people who say that they can’t contribute to society just because they don’t have power. But the thing that Munshi Premchand conveys us is that when you have the right intentions, you don’t need power and money. They will follow you wherever you go.
Evident from its name, ‘Karma Bhoomi’ is a story that tells the importance of your deeds for the society. No matter how small they are, your actions can impact the whole society.
The most interesting as well as a unique thing about this book is that it does not revolve around a single person. Though we have the main character, even the most minor characters play a very important role in the development of the plot and teaching us the meaning of life.
‘Karm Bhoomi’ is set in pre-independent India and shows the whole spectrum of patriotism, nationalism, and other independence movements.
Another thing which is worth noting is that it not only shows the picture of India in a generalized form but even gives a very clear picture of what was the situation inside the dwelling of common people.
One more very prominent facet that Premchand describes beautifully and that keeps us glued to the book, is its array of complex relationships. The relationship between parents-children, husband-wife, sister-brother, and so forth. Almost all the relationships in the book are complex and there is a lot to learn from each.
Read this book if you want to know about the tumultuous background of pre-independent India. For me, this is my favorite book by Munshi Premchand. Reading this has been a learning journey.
Thoughts of solitude 