Eidgah – by Munshi Premchand
Class: 7th Standard | Type: Prose | Syllabus: SCERT New Syllabus (Term 1, Unit 1)
Translated and Adapted by Uma Raman
About the Author
Munshi Premchand (1880–1936) is one of the most celebrated writers of modern Hindi and Urdu literature. Often referred to as the "Upanyas Samrat" (Emperor of Novels), Premchand is known for his realistic portrayals of Indian society, particularly the lives of ordinary people, the poor, and the downtrodden. His works address themes of poverty, social injustice, and the struggles of rural India. "Eidgah" is one of his most beloved short stories, originally written in Urdu in 1933, and has been widely translated and adapted for readers of all ages.
Summary
The story is set on the beautiful morning of Eid in a small Indian village. The village is buzzing with excitement as everyone prepares to go to the Eidgah (the open-air mosque where Eid prayers are offered). Among the excited children are boys like Mahmood, Mohsin, Noorey, and Sammi, who eagerly count their coins and dream of buying toys, sweets, and treats at the fair. The happiest of the boys is four-year-old Hamid, who is thin, poorly dressed, and orphaned — his father died of cholera and his mother also passed away. He now lives with his elderly grandmother, Ameena, who has told him that his father has gone to earn money and his mother has gone to Allah to get lovely gifts for him. Hamid innocently believes this and remains cheerful despite having only three paisas while his friends have much more.
The boys walk to the Eidgah with the village elders, marvelling at the grand houses, gardens full of fruit trees, and beautifully decorated sweet shops along the way. After prayers, the children rush to the fair. Mahmood, Mohsin, and Noorey enjoy rides on the merry-go-round, buy clay toys — a policeman, a water-carrier, and a lawyer — and feast on sesame candy, gulab-jamuns, and halva. Hamid, with only three paisas, watches from a distance. He cannot afford rides, toys, or sweets. He resists every temptation, reasoning wisely that the rides are brief, the toys are fragile, and the sweets will be gone in a moment.
When the boys pass through a row of hardware stores, Hamid notices a pair of iron tongs. He remembers how his grandmother burns her fingers every time she makes chappatis because she has no tongs to hold the hot iron pan. Hamid bargains the price down from six paisas to three and buys the tongs. His friends mock him for buying such an unexciting thing, but Hamid defends his purchase brilliantly — the tongs will not break like clay toys, they can be used as a pretend gun or musical instrument, and they are "like a tiger among toys." One by one, the other boys become envious. When Hamid returns home and gives the tongs to Granny Ameena, she scolds him at first for not buying himself anything to eat or play with. But when Hamid explains that he bought the tongs so she would never burn her fingers again, Ameena is deeply moved by his selfless love and breaks into tears. For the wretched old woman, the pair of iron tongs becomes as precious as sacks of silver.
Characters
- Hamid – A four-year-old orphan boy, the protagonist of the story. Despite his poverty and young age, he is wise, selfless, and deeply loving toward his grandmother.
- Granny Ameena – Hamid's elderly grandmother who takes care of him after the death of both his parents. She is sad about their poverty but deeply loves Hamid.
- Mahmood – One of Hamid's friends who has twelve coins. He buys a clay policeman toy at the fair.
- Mohsin – Another friend who has fifteen coins. He buys a clay water-carrier toy.
- Noorey – A friend who buys a clay lawyer toy at the fair.
- Sammi – A friend who buys a small tambourine at the fair and even offers to exchange it for Hamid's tongs.
Glossary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Eidgah | An open-air enclosure or mosque where Eid prayers are offered |
| Dazzling | Extremely bright and impressive |
| Tattered | Torn and in poor condition |
| Suburbs | The outlying area of a town or city |
| Gaily | In a cheerful manner; in bright colours |
| Gaped | Stared with mouth open in amazement |
| Relish | Great enjoyment or pleasure, especially of food |
| Smacked their lips | Opened and closed lips noisily to show enjoyment of food |
| Tongs | A tool with two arms used to grip and lift hot objects |
| Precious | Of great value; very important |
| Wretched | Extremely unhappy or unfortunate |
| Tambourine | A small hand-held drum with metal discs around the edge |
Themes
- Selfless Love and Sacrifice – The central theme of the story. Hamid, though only four years old and with very little money, chooses to buy a useful gift for his grandmother instead of spending on himself. His selflessness highlights the purest form of love.
- Childhood Innocence and Wisdom – Despite being the youngest and poorest of the boys, Hamid displays remarkable maturity. He reasons that toys break, sweets disappear, and rides are momentary, while the tongs will last and serve a real purpose.
- Poverty and Resilience – The story portrays the harsh reality of poverty but also the resilience and dignity with which Hamid and Ameena face their circumstances. Even without shoes or proper clothes, Hamid remains joyful.
- Festival Spirit and Community – Eid brings the entire village together in celebration. The festival atmosphere — the crowded roads, the colourful fair, the prayers — captures the joy and togetherness of communal celebrations.
- Material vs. True Value – The story contrasts the fragile, expensive clay toys bought by other boys with Hamid's sturdy, practical iron tongs. It conveys that the true value of a gift lies in the love and thought behind it, not its price.