Munshi Premchand’s real name was Dhanpat Rai. He was born on 31 July 1880 in Lamhi village in Banaras. He was born into a middle class family which made him keenly observe the poverty and disadvantages of the middle class society. He dedicated his whole life to Hindi literature. He was honoured with the titles of a short-story writer, a novelist and a social reformer. He died on 8 October, 1936.
In this collection of short stories, Premchand has thrown light on the different aspects of society such as social systems, faith and religion. The story ‘Kafan’ reflects the poverty-stricken upbringing of Premchand and depicts the struggles of the poor for survival.