Although best-known for his novels, acclaimed Indian writer Dhanpat Rai Shrivastava (better known by his pen name Munshi Premchand) wrote quite a few short stories, and among these is "The Shroud," published in 1935. Telling the story of a poor man who collects money to pay for his deceased wife's funeral but spends the money on food and drink instead, "The Shroud" has been praised not only as one of Premchand's finest but also as one of the finest short stories in the history of modern Indian literature.
Written when Premchad was living in the city of Benares (Varanasi), "The Shroud" was published just a few months before the author's death, and displays the author's usual themes of village life and social realism. It also illustrates Premchand's persistent critiques of poverty and inequality in the Hindu social and religious system.
