The shroud summary (for bsc sem 2)

The shroud is a short story by Premchand. It is a character study of two lazy and careless people who cross the limits of humanity for self gain. This story is set in post independence India. The reality of poverty and Zamindari system can be seen as a backdrop of the story.

Kindly play following video for summary in Gujarati:

This story is about Ghisu, a sixty year old man in a village and his son Madhav, his forty year old son. This pair of father-son is not ideal to follow. They are laziest persons in the village. They certainly have no will to work or even function as a part of the society. Story starts with Madhav's wife Budhiya writhing in pain as she is in child labour. Ghisu and Madhav sits outside the hut oblivious to fact that Budhiya needs medical help.

Author tells us why we shouldn't expect that from these two. They were so lazy that they don't look for food even if they fast for a day. Then they would do temporary and easy jobs to get money of food. In seasons they would just steal crop so they don't have to work. They are immoral and dishonest that way. Budhiya was unlike them. She had worked hard from the day she had married Madhav. She had brought some order into the hut and used to work in farms. That stopped these two from doing any work as she was feeding them. But that woman was lying in pain right now and these two no feeling for her. Madhav didn't even care for his child in Budhiya's womb. They are peeling stolen potatoes while she is dying.

They get their mouth burnt as they eat very hot potatoes. Ghisu escapes from this harsh present by remembering past. He remembers a feast given by landlord where he had eaten so much that he still considered it as best meal of his life. They both eat potatoes while dreaming about a grand feast and sleep there without bothering about what happened to Budhiya.

She dies by next morning. When Madhav founds her dead, he is still emotionally unmoved. Ghisu and Madhav start crying and lamenting over her death. They are pretending this as they want sympathy and help from other people. Other people come as they learn about death of Budhiya. As custom they give consolation to both. But they start showing their worries on lack of money for her final rites. From this point starts a clever scheme of coning.

They first go to landlord, who despise them. He had even beaten them as they had stolen from land. Madhav and Ghisu acts as if they have done everything for Budhiya but couldn't save her. They pleads landlord to help them. Landlord doesn't want to help them but he has no choice as it is matter of a death. He reluctantly gives them two rupees, sufficient amount for last rites. But gHisu and Madhav has something else in their minds. They goes to other people in the village and ask for money. They uses the name of landlord to get more money. They get sum of five rupees in total. Other people prepares for the last rites and these two goes to market with excuse of buying a shroud for Budhiya.

They spend evening there, buying nothing. Then they go in a wine house and order a whole bottle of alcohol and food items which they never had before in life. They spend all the money for it. In the state intoxication Madhav feels bad for Budhiya but Ghisu is careless and tells Madhav that she will get heaven as money for her last rites has been used for their satisfaction. Madhav too believes in this distorted logic. They gets more intoxicated as they drink, even give some food to a beggar.

When Madhav asks how will they get a shroud Ghisu laughs and tells him that innocent people will believe their lies and help again or will get a shroud instead. Then they both start singing and dancing and makes noise and other people join them. At last they collapse as they have consumed so much alcohol.