The Second Wife

Apart from being acknowledged as a classic in Hindi literature, it is a milestone in the development of Premchand’s creative genius. While it has been translated into numerous Indian and European languages, David Rubin’s is the first English translation. Set in the 1920s, Premchand’s keen insights into complex social, familial, and gender dynamics remain relevant today. Nirmala is the story of a woman whose only sin is her failure to find a husband who would accept her without a dowry. Married to a widower with children as old as herself, Premchand’s heroic call for social equality shines through on every page of this fascinating novel.