Every year, we celebrate World Hindi Diwas on January 10, which is dedicated to promoting the Hindi language globally. It is the third most widely spoken language in the world, after English and Mandarin. However, National Hindi Diwas is observed on September 14, which is the most significant day for Hindi in India.
On the occasion of Hindi Diwas, we have curated a list of the top ten most popular Hindi books that one should read once before dying. It is said that books are best friends. Reading books is like talking to yourself. Your life is incomplete without reading books. Books take you from darkness to light. Let us know about some such books of the world, reading which can change your life.
Here is a list of the 10 most popular Hindi books:
1. Godan by Munshi Premchand - This is one of the most famous Hindi novels ever written. It was first published in 1936 and is considered one of the greatest Hindi novels of modern Indian Literature. The book revolves around the socio-economic deprivation and exploitation of poor people in villages.
2. Gunaho ka Devata by Dharamvir Bharati - This is a love story that talks about caste discrimination in our society. It revolves around a student named Chander, who falls in love with Sudha, the daughter of his college professor.
3. Nirmala by Munshi Premchand - The author of this book needs no introduction. His stories are considered the best in Hindi literature. The book is based on the story of a young girl who marries a middle-aged man. It discusses the poignant story of a mismatched marriage and the dowry system. This novel has a special place in the history of women-centered literature.
4. Kitne Pakistan by Kamleshwar - This novel is a must-read if you want to know about the partitions around the world. It brings together various historical characters such as Babur, Aurangzeb, Adolf Hitler, Saddam Hussain, and many more in a fiction court and asks them to narrate their version of history.
5. Kashi Ka Assi by Kashinath Singh - This novel has five stories that are related to Assi Ghat and Varanasi. These stories refer to the political and social system of the 1990s. The language of the book adds flavor to the stories.
6. Maila Aanchal by Phanishwar Nath ‘Renu’ - This is one of the most significant novels in Hindi literature. The story in this novel revolves around a doctor who chooses a backward village as his field of work after completing his education. The book describes the challenges he faces in the village and ends with the hopeful sign that village consciousness has been awakened.
7. Aapka Bunti by Mannu Bhandari - It is the story of 9-year-old Bunty who is dealing with the divorce of his parents.
8. Rag Darbari by Shrilal Shukla - It is a satire on modern Indian life. The author was awarded the highest Indian Literary award, Sahitya Academy, in 1969 for this novel.
9. Volga Se Ganga by Rahul Sankrityayan- This novel is also known as the father of Indian Travelogues. It is a collection of 20 historical fiction short stories.
10. Pinjar by Amrita Pritam is a story about a young girl named Puro who is kidnapped by a man named Rashid. After managing to escape from Rashid's house and return to her parents, they refuse to take her back, considering her impure. This book is widely regarded as one of the greatest literary works written during the partition of India.
