Brief Summary of Kanthapura PDF

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Kanthapura by Raja Rao is a novel in indianized English. it is taught in dept. of English, Amu by Prof. Vibha Sharma and Prof. Reshmi Atri....

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Brief Summary of Kanthapura. Rather than being a traditional novel, Kanthapura follows the oral tradition of Indian sthalapurana, or legendary history, which has a looser structure and a more open narrative. According to Raja Rao's original foreword, "there is no village in India, no matter how small, that does not have a rich legendary history of its own." Keeping a native audience in touch with the past's lore, the storyteller allows the gods and heroes of the past to mingle with the ordinary mortals of today. Achakka, a wise woman in the village, tells the storey in flashback. In the wake of Mohandas K. Gandhi's nonviolent resistance to British rule, she and her female audience (who she refers to as sisters) have weathered the turbulence of social and political change. Achakka paints a vivid picture of rural life in the book's opening pages, setting the tone and tempo for what

follows. For a male Indo-English novelist, this is a remarkable achievement: her language and idiomatic expressions are clearly intended to convey a female perspective. Achakka depicts an Indian way of life that is governed by tradition and owes its existence to the gods, including Kenchamma, the great and bountiful goddess who serves as the village protector. The characters never forget that her power is derived from her past actions, so she is mentioned in every chapter. Occasionally, villagers' chants and prayers can be heard echoing around her. Legends from both old and new are used to set the story's parameters. Even though Kenchamma and Siva are revered for their amazing deeds and interventions in human affairs, comparisons to contemporary figures like Gandhi are sometimes made because they serve to transform facts and history into

folklore and to serve as a catalyst for political conflict. At first, when there are only rumours about Gandhi's activities, the villagers continue with their daily routines as they have done for generations. To spread the message of the Indian National Congress and Gandhi's satyagraha (truth-force) movement, Moorthy, a young Brahmin, returns to Kanthapura. A mysterious passing policeman, who is treated as a spy and ends up hiding out on the Skeffington Coffee Estate run by a ruthless gang-boss, reveals the presence of the colonial masters (nicknamed "Red-men" for their ruddy complexions).

Moorthy's popularity isn't immediate. By Bhatta, an anti-Gandhi reactionary, and other Brahmins who are fed up with Gandhi's acceptance of the Untouchables, he is challenged. Gandhi's example is shaking up the Indian caste system,

and the social pattern of Kanthapura, defined by separate quarters for Brahmin, Pariah, Potter, Weaver, and Sudra, is disturbed by the progress of the Untouchables. With the help of Patel Range Gowda, Moorthy sets up a Congress group and encourages the people of the village to wear only homespun khadi, speak only the truth, and use all forms of passive resistance. Even Moorthy's own mother is repulsed by his Gandhian precepts. Authorities respond violently to the Gandhian nonviolence, and the villagers are attacked by police. Brahmins are deployed to frighten the villagers, and Moorthy and his lawyer are arrested. The villagers turn to the gods for help after Patel Range Gowda is ousted from his hereditary position as village executive chief. As the women take to the streets, it becomes clear that India's political landscape has undergone a dramatic shift. When Rangamma

links Indian scripture to current events, she manages to inspire the womenfolk to do terrible things while the men are forced to hide in the jungles around the village.

Politicians and villagers alike suffer more after Moorthy's release from prison. Suddenly, the issue isn't just about politics anymore. Gandhi transcends the tumultuous world because he is like a huge mountain, unconquered by the confusion and violence of the world. At first glance, Moorthy seems more sympathetic to Gandhi

than

to

the

emerging

modernist

Jawaharlal Nehru. Although the villagers have renounced Gandhi, they are still loyal to him. Late on, when women are able to march against

British

soldiers

despite

their

own

terrible losses, there is a fundamental shift in society and politics. Instead of returning to the village, the women decided to burn it down.

After losing their Moorthy, their husbands, sisters, and children, they realise that life will never

be

the

same

again.

The

women,

however, are aware that they are part of history as they march forward.

Chapter 18 is the climax of the novel, with the men retreating, the women in the forefront of resistance, and the soldiers relentlessly assaulting, wreaking havoc. After fourteen months, the storey comes full circle in chapter 19, where India is eagerly awaiting its independence, or Swaraj. Patel Range Gowda is the only male hero to return to Kanthapura, but the villagers believe that the goddess Kenchamma has bestowed her blessings on them....