Which of the following famous Hindi literary works was NOT written by the Indian author Munshi Premchand?

Introduction / Context:

Munshi Premchand is one of the most celebrated writers in Hindi and Urdu literature. His novels and stories highlight social issues, rural life, and moral dilemmas. Competitive exams often include questions that ask which book belongs to which author. To answer correctly, learners must distinguish Premchand's works from those of other Indian writers. This question asks which of the listed titles was not written by Munshi Premchand and therefore must be matched with a different author.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The options include several well known titles: Gaban, Godan, Manasorovar, Guide, and Karmabhumi.
• Munshi Premchand wrote multiple novels and story collections, including some of these titles.
• One title on the list, "Guide", is a famous novel by another Indian author, R. K. Narayan.
• We assume basic awareness of Premchand's key works used in literary and GK questions.

Concept / Approach:

Munshi Premchand wrote novels such as "Godan", "Gaban", and "Karmabhumi", and story collections like "Manasorovar". These works focus on social inequality, rural distress, and human values. The title "Guide", however, belongs to a different tradition of Indian English literature. "The Guide" is a famous novel by R. K. Narayan that tells the story of Raju, a tourist guide who becomes a spiritual figure. Since the question asks which work was not written by Premchand, the correct answer must be "Guide".

Step-by-Step Solution:

Step 1: Identify the titles commonly listed as works of Munshi Premchand in literature syllabi. Step 2: Recall that "Godan" is one of Premchand's most famous novels about the struggles of a farmer in rural India. Step 3: Recognise "Gaban" and "Karmabhumi" as other well known novels by Premchand dealing with social and moral themes. Step 4: Note that "Manasorovar" is a collection of stories associated with Premchand. Step 5: Remember that "Guide" or "The Guide" is a novel by R. K. Narayan, not by Premchand, and therefore is the title that does not belong to him.

Verification / Alternative check:

Lists of Munshi Premchand's works in literary histories of Hindi literature consistently include "Godan", "Gaban", "Karmabhumi", and "Manasorovar". In contrast, bibliographies of R. K. Narayan list "The Guide" among his English language novels. The famous film adaptation of "Guide" credits R. K. Narayan as the author of the original story. No reputable source attributes "Guide" to Premchand, which confirms that this is the work on the list not written by him.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Option A, "Gaban", is a novel by Munshi Premchand that deals with issues such as greed and social pressure. Option B, "Godan", is widely regarded as his masterpiece, portraying the hardships of a peasant family. Option C, "Manasorovar", is the title of a collection of stories written by Premchand. Option E, "Karmabhumi", is another novel by Premchand that discusses social duty and political awakening. All these works are correctly associated with Munshi Premchand and therefore do not answer the question.

Common Pitfalls:

Students may recognise some titles as Premchand's but not all, leading them to guess incorrectly, especially if they are not familiar with R. K. Narayan. Others may focus only on Hindi sounding titles and assume that "Guide" must also be by a Hindi author. To avoid such mistakes, learners should memorise a few key pairings: Premchand with "Godan" and "Gaban", and R. K. Narayan with "The Guide" and "Malgudi" related stories. This simple mapping helps quickly identify which title does not belong to Premchand.

Final Answer:

The work on the list that was not written by Munshi Premchand is "Guide", which is by R. K. Narayan.