PANCHPARMESHWAR BY PREMCHAND
Panch Parmeshwar is a work that goes beyond this simplistic
reading. Let us take this concept of justice it explores, and the
sanctity of the seat of justice, represented by the panchayat – the
indigenous, village centric system of justice that caters to the
needs of the illiterate and the poor in India; they do not have
access to state sanctioned legal machinery, as Khala Jaan, the old
maternal aunt of Jumman Sheikh states.
‘Panch Parmeshwar’ by Munshi Premchand is a defying tale of
Nepotism in Jurisdiction. This story is all about two friends Jumman
sheikh and Algu Chaudhary, they are good friends in their
Childhood days. Algu is famous for the wealth in the village and on
the other hand Jumman Sheikh is popular for Knowledge and
Wisdom. Both of them are helping the people of villages because
they help many folks in the village and they are looking up for
more help. In an interesting turn of events, the people of the
villages decided to make both of them Judges in the village
Panchayat. In this story, destiny plays an interesting twist and on
the request of Jumman’s Aunty Algu Chaudhary gives her verdict
against his childhood friend and this shows the anger in the
Jumman Sheikh’s heart. After some time Jumman Sheikh became
the judge against his childhood friend.
This system of justice depends on two concepts – first, justice is
not revenge, it is for the greater social good, based on the
principles of goodwill and fair play in Rawlsain sense; secondly it
presumes that the voice of the panchayat is the voice of God, and
the Panch are invested with a sparkle of dignity when they occupy
this exalted seat of power. Premchand’s story rises above the
ordinary because it shows that it is the seat of justice that instills
the spark of divinity in human beings who are not perfect – who
are other – wise capable of cruelty, insensitivity and injustice in
their everyday life.
The theme of "Holy Panchayat" is the importance of putting justice
above one's own interest. The story deals with two friends,
Jumman and Algu. Jumman first has to appear before the
panchayat when his elderly aunt, who had willed him her land in
return for being cared for, decides she is not being treated well.
Algu, Jumman's old friend, serves on the panchayat, or the local
court, and decides in favor of the aunt. Jumman is surprised, and
he feels that his old friend betrayed him, while Algu feels that he
did his duty to administer justice according to his conscience.
Later, Algu must turn to the panchayat when a merchant buys his
ox and kills it from overwork and then refuses to play Algu for it.
Jumman serves on the panchayat, and, while he wants to make a
judgment against his former friend, his conscience leads him to
decide in favor of Algu. At this point, the friends are reunited, as
they understand that they must put their conscience before their
friendship when serving on the panchayat.
So, Jumman Sheikh, who is the sarpanch in the Algu Chaudhuri’s
case, his friend/enemy, is capable of tremendous cruelty to Khala
Jaan, divesting her of her right to a decent living, being the
usurper of her property. Similarly, Algu Chaudhuri is not a paragon
of virtue either. It is with great reluctance that he agrees to be
come the Sarpanch in the Jumman Sheikh – Khala Jaan case; and
before the case comes up for hearing, he does not feel the need to
use his goodwill with his friend to inter – cede on behalf of the old
woman who has been deprived of her basic human necessities.
The point that Premchand is making is, that ordinary human
beings can rise above their pettiness when they are invested with
authority and responsibility.
Panch Parmeshwar is also about the exploitation of underdog, and
women and the elderly become the most obvious representatives
of it. It is about the property relations. A woman can be persuaded
to surrender her property and then is ill treated by the
beneficiaries, in a society, which theoretically prescribes
reverence to the elderly, and in actual practice, treats them as
unproductive and unnecessary burdens – this is the highlight of
the story.
The story ends with a sentimental reconciliation between the two
friends, with each of them having proved that they are capable of
rising above their pettiness and self – centered existence when
invested with power and authority. This forms the basic humanism
of Premchand’s vision: that human beings may cruel and
exploitative by nature, but their humanity resides in their ability to
rise above their beastly nature.
It is not that he would not be aware of the corrupting and
dehumanizing nature of power, again, as Orwell demonstrates in
his satiric novel, but his vision is wide enough to accommodate the
regenerative belief that power can make a flawed human being,
living in a hostile social system, responsible and just. The leap of
faith that is crux of enduring literature.
NAME: TAMANNA BANSAL
ENROLLMENT NO: 01917703523
COURSE: BBALLB
SUBJECT: ENGLISH II
CLASS AND SECTION: 2ND K
BATCH: 2023 – 2028
ACTIVITY: PSDA
SUBMITTING TO: PROF. DR. RUMI ROY
