Gaban (गबन)
by Munshi Premchand
Hindi • Public Domain • Free to stream
Munshi Premchand's Gaban (1931) is a sharp and deeply human story of middle-class aspiration gone wrong. Ramdayal, a government clerk, steals money to satisfy his wife Jalpa's love of jewellery — a chain of small dishonesties that spirals into catastrophe. A compassionate and unflinching examination of materialism, vanity, and the impossible pressures on young Indian couples. Stream free in Hindi.
About the book: Gaban
Gaban is a Hindi novel by Munshi Premchand, published by Saraswati Press in 1931. It is considered Premchand's best work, after Godaan, and is a cult classic satire.
The novel tells the story of Ramanath, who is handsome, pleasure-seeking, boastful, and morally weak. Through this work, the author tries to show the falling moral values among lower middle class Indian youth in the era of British India, and to what depths a person can descend to in order to become a pseudo-elite and maintain a false image as a rich person. Ramanath tries to make his wife Jalpa happy by gifting her jewellery which he cannot really afford to buy with his meagre salary, becomes indebted, and is ultimately forced to commit embezzlement.
Munshi Deendayal is a higher middle class man from a village in Prayagraj whose young daughter Jalpa purchases an artificial necklace on a rainy day. Later, the wedding of Jalpa and Ramanath takes place, during which Dayanath borrows jewellery from a goldsmith by giving an advance amount of 1000₹.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gaban free to listen to?
Yes, Gaban is completely free to stream. No account, no subscription, and no ads required. It is in the public domain.
Who wrote Gaban?
Gaban was written by Munshi Premchand.
Is Gaban in the public domain?
Yes, Gaban by Munshi Premchand is in the public domain and free to read, share, and listen to worldwide.
How long is Gaban to listen to?
Gaban takes approximately 8 hours to listen to in full.
When was Gaban written?
Gaban was first published in 1931. It is now in the public domain and free to stream.
Who narrates Gaban?
Gaban uses AI multi-voice narration. Each character has a distinct voice — narrators, heroes, villains and supporting characters all sound different, making it easy to follow the story.
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No download is needed. Gaban streams directly in your browser — no app, no account, no signup required. Just press play.
What genre is Gaban?
Gaban is classic literature. It is a classic work of literature now in the public domain.