Premchand wrote about 300 short stories and several novels as well as many essays and letters. He also wrote plays and did some translations. Many of Premchand's stories have been translated into English and Russian.
Godaan, his last novel, is considered one of the finest Hindi novels. The protagonist, Hori, a poor peasant, desperately longs for a cow, a symbol of wealth and prestige in rural India. The story depicts the human beings' deep-rooted beliefs, and their ability to survive and uphold these beliefs despite great misery.
In Kafan, a poor man collects money for the funeral rites of his dead wife, but spends it on food and drink.
The Work of Munshi Premchand
Panch Parameshvar
Idgah is a very touching story of a poor orphan boy named Hamid, who lives with his grandmother. He has very little money to spend on Idgah the holy day for muslims. He goes to a fair along with his friends, who spend more money in buying candy, toys etc. He has very little money, but remembers his grandmother whose hands get hurt when she makes rotis (bread) over a fire in a clay oven. She has no chimta (tongs) to flip the rotis over the fire in the oven. He bargains for a chimta in a shop for whatever little money he has. Upon return, his grandmother is very much touched with this gesture.
- Mantra
- Nashaa
- Shatranj ke khiladi
- Poos ki raat
- Atmaram
- Boodhi Kaki
- Bade Bhaisahab
- Bade ghar ki beti
- Kafan
- Dikri Ke Rupai
- Udhar Ki Ghadi
- Namak Ka Daroga
- Panch Fool
- Prem Purnima
- Ram Katha
- Jurmana
- The night ghost
Selected stories of Premchand have been translated from Hindi to English by Mr. Vijay Kekre & are waiting to be published.
Novels
Gaban
Bazaar-e-Husn or Seva Sadan. Bazaar-e-Husn was Premchand's first major novel; Written originally in Urdu under the title Bazaar-e-Husn, but first published in Hindi under the title Seva Sadan (i.e. The House of Service) in 1919.
- Godaan
- Karmabhoomi
- Kaayakalp
- Manorama
- Mangalsootra incomplete
- Nirmala
- Pratigya
- Premashram
- Rangbhoomi
- Vardaan
- Prema
Plays
Karbala