Set against a historical backdrop, 'Roothi Rani' is an account of the times of struggle for independence of the Indian sub-continent. The country was fighting various battles at the same time across different geographic regions. Indian rulers were constantly at loggerheads because of internal strifes and inter-kingdom disputes. This weakness was taken advantage of by the enemies and the British who managed to follow a comfortable policy of 'Divide and Rule' in India. In the midst of political strife, the social problems that magnified the dismal state of affairs of the times have been accounted for in this novel. At the root of the problems, lay the widespread practice of polygamy and ill-treatment of women. In their might and pomp, the rulers failed to treat the women and queens with their due respect and rights. 'Roothi Rani' is an account of the life of one such queen who refuses to compromise on her values and puts up a fight for her rights. The sad state of women under the Rajput rule and the latent ill-effects of the polygamous lives of the rulers are starkly brought out in this novel. Amidst various oppressive conditions of the kingdom and palace, the queen stands up for what her dues are and fights for her respect and honour till her last breath. Present in the same edition is Premchand's first short novel titled, 'Devasthan ka Rahasya'. The title hints at the plot of the story which talks about the prevalent maligned practices in temples and places of worship in the country. The venerated 'sadhus' or priests, who claim to be the representatives of God on Earth are shown to be filled with corruption. The advantage taken by these socially and spiritually 'uplifted' and respected priests at places of worship for Hindus is brought out with subtlety. Be it their habit of instilling superstitions or the sad sexual exploitation of women in the pretext of godliness, the story is an eye-opening account of what scars the holiness of such people and places. Munshi Premchand's novels are a true account of societal plagues in India.
