Today's Google doodle explained: Why Munshi Premchand is considered as the 'Emperor among Novelists'?

Google homepage is known for its amazing and visually delightful doodles on certain occasions, and today is no exception. To mark the 136th birth anniversary of the legendary writer and novelist Munshi Premchand, Sunday's Google doodle is dedicated to one of his most famous novels, Godaan.

Munshi Premchand was born Dhanpat Rai Srivastav and later adapted the pen name Nawab Rai and subsequently Premchand. He is a well known name among Hindi and Urdu literature communities. Besides being a writer, he was also a dramatist.

Premchand has written several short stories that highlighted the issues of casteism and opposition by the British government of Indians. Most of the characters in his stories belonged to the working-class community, and hence the stories gained popularity across India.

Referred as "Upanyas Samrat" (Emperor among Novelists) by several other prominent Hindi writers, Premchand was known for his distinctive bold and eye-opening writing style that spread the importance of freedom among the citizens of the country.

Due to the straightforward stories that encouraged Indians to raise their voice against the British rule, Premchand's first collection of short stories titled "Soz-e-Watan" was banned by the then British government and all of its copies were confiscated.

Premchand faced struggles and difficulties for his entire life till his death. After failing to make enough money for a living writing novels and stories, he decided to try his luck with the film industry and went to Mumbai (then called Bombay). However, he didn't like the way things worked there and soon returned from the city.

Many of Premchand's stories are relevant in today's contemporary society too as the message conveyed through his stories reflects the true situation of the Indian society and compels the reader to think of the country's state. Undoubtedly, Google's doodle is a tribute to the efforts of the legendary writer who gave us some of the best works of Hindi literature.