DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH ABEDA INAMDAR SR.

COLLEGE PUNE UNIVERSITY

Name :- Shaikh Samina Sha i T!"i# :- Theme$ an% Te#hni&'e$ in Ra(a Ra!)$ *an+ha"',a Pa"e, :R!-- N! :Ha-- Ti#ke+ N! :M!.i-e N! :- /012314556

THEMES AND TECHNI7UES IN RA8A RAO)S *ANTHAPURA

INTRODUCTION:

Raja Rao is called a child of Gandhian age. Prof. William Walsh calls Raja Rao, Mulkraj Anand and R. K. Narayan he !ig he !ig hree. Rao s#ands a)ar# from #he res# of #he $ndian no"elis#s in &nglish in se"eral as)ec#s. 'e has a uni*ue li#erary charac#er in so far as he is sym(olis#ic, )oe#ic and me#a)hysical, of all $ndian %ri#ers of fic#ion in &nglish, i# is Raja Rao %hose %ork is, (o#h in con#en# and form, )erha)s #he mos# $ndian, #hough he has no# hesi#a#ed #o dra% freely u)on #he Wes#. 'e has (rough# #o $ndian fic#ion in &nglish many elemen#s in %hich i# has )re"iously (een deficien# + an e)ic (read#h of "ision, me#a)hysical rigour and de)#h of #hough#, a sym(olic richness, a lyrical fer"our and an essen#ial $ndianness of s#yle. As M. K. Naik o(ser"es + ,Raja Rao emerges as )erha)s #he fines# )ain#er of #he $ndian e#hos and of &as#-Wes# confron#a#ion, #he grea#es# sym(olis# and my#hmaker and #he only #ruly )hiloso)hical no"elis# in &nglish #ha# $ndia has so far )roduced.. 'e is "ir#ually #he firs# major $ndian %ri#er in &nglish #o reali/e #ha# #he $ndianness of #his %ri#ing should make for no# only a #y)ically $ndian con#en# (u# a charac#eris#ically $ndian form as %ell. As he himself hree no"elis#s of $ndian %ri#ing in &nglish. 'e is a remarka(le no"elis# among

says, , he $ndian no"el can only (e e)ic in form and me#a)hysical in na#ure. $# can only ha"e s#ory %i#hin s#ory #o sho% all s#ories are only )ara(les.. As a re)resen#a#i"e of modern $ndian e#hos %hich sho%s a curious (lend of ancien# $ndian #radi#ion and modern %es#ern a##i#udes, Raja Rao of#en makes a uni*ue (lend of #echni*ues of modern %es#ern fic#ion and age-old 'indu me#hods of li#erary e1)ression. Rao is no# a )rolific %ri#er. 'e has )u(lished only fi"e no"els, #%o of %hich are *ui#e shor#. 23 03 :3 63 ;3 hese no"els are +

Kanthapura 425673 The Serpent and the Rope 425893 The Cat and Shakespeare : A Tale of Modern India 4258;3 Comrade Kirrillow 425783 The Chessmaster and His Moves 425<<3

'e also )u(lished #%o collec#ions of shor# s#ories = The Cow of the Barricades and ther Stories 425673 and n the !an"a !hat 425<53. Rao %ro#e (iogra)hy on #he life of #he Maha#ma, The !reat Indian #a$ : A %ife of Mahatma !andhi& $n addi#ion #o #hese no"els, shor# s#ories and (iogra)hy, #he in#er"ie%s of Rao, #he ar#icles )u(lished, and #he >ore%ords %ri##en in #he no"els and shor# s#ories are "ery useful #o e1amine and e"alua#e his %ork. Wi#h #his )ers)ec#i"e a# #he (ack of mind, le# us see #he leading #hemes and #he #echni*ue of #he no"el.

Kanthapura %as Raos firs# &nglish no"el, %ri##en %hen he %as #%en#y-one. $# %as %ri##en in >rance #housands of miles a%ay from $ndia and ye# i# gi"es a mos# gra)hic, "i"id and realis#ic accoun# of #he Gandhian freedom s#ruggle in #he 25:9s and i#s im)ac# on #he masses of

$ndia.

he #ime of ac#ion is 25:9, and #he scene of ac#ion is Kanthapura,

a #y)ical ?ou#h $ndian @illage on #he slo)es of #he Wes#ern Gha#s. According #o #he assessmen# of Narasimhaiah, , here are a# leas# #hree s#rands of e1)erience in #he no"el + #he )oli#ical, #he religious and #he social, and all #he #hree are %o"en ine1#rica(ly in#o #he one com)le1 s#ory of Kanthapura.. here are #hree major #hemes of #he no"el = 2. Poli#ical #heme. 0. Religious #heme. :. ?ocial #heme.

SOCIAL THEME +-

According #o ?harma, ,Kanthapura deals in de#ail, %i#h #he Karma )hiloso)hy, %hich is #he common )lace of $ndian #hough#.. underlying #heme of #he no"el is s#a#ed (y Rao himself. he o *uo#e him,

, here is no "illage in $ndia, ho%e"er mean, #ha# has no# a rich s#hala)urana, or legendary his#ory, of i#s o%n. . Rao fur#her %ri#es in his ano#her no"el, , hese local s#hala)uranas are modeled on #he ancien# $ndian Puranas = #hose com)endia of s#ory, fa(le, my#h, religion, )hiloso)hy and )oli#ics among %hich are A)a)uranas or minor Puranas, %hich descri(e holy )laces and #he legends associa#ed %i#h #hem. . Ama Parames%arm says #ha# Rao )resen#s #he role of %omen in differen# forms of ?hak#i. ?he o(ser"es + ,@alua(le, %i#h an infini#e ca)aci#y for lo"e and for )assing malice, *uick #o s)ark in#o en#husiasm and in#o cynicism, #he %omen of Kanthapura are more human #han #hose crea#ed (y Raja

Rao else%here.

hey (ecome %omen a# cer#ain #imes (u# #here is no

incongrui#y (e#%een #heir ac#ions and #he au#hors claim. Bne reali/es #ha# #he immanen# ?hak#i rises in e"ery %oman a# cer#ain )i"o#al )oin#s of life.. Ce# us see in de#ail each #heme and ho% i# has (een incor)ora#ed in #he no"el.

POLITICAL THEME :-

his is #he major #heme. $# is )u# in differen# %ords + he Gandhi Mo"emen# and i#s im)ac# or #he )resen#a#ion of Gandhian freedom s#ruggle or Kanthapura is a )oli#ical no"el. he no"el is #he s#ory of a small ?ou#h $ndian "illage caugh# in #he maels#rom of #he freedom s#ruggle of #he 25:9s. $# is #he s#ory of #he im)ac# of maha#ma Gandhi and #he mo"emen# of sa#yagraha on #he small "illage of Kanthapura %hich is #he microcosm of rural $ndia. $# is #he s#ory of #he !rahmin disci)le of Maha#ma Gandhi and #he re"olu#ion #ha# (rings ,a ca#harsis of "iolence. #o%ards #he end of #he no"el. $n #his no"el %e ha"e #he fusion of )oe#ry and )oli#ics, religion and social reform. he s#ruggle (e#%een #he sa#yagrahis led (y Moor#hy and #he )olice is in fac# #he #ransla#ion of Maha#ma Gandhis )rogramme of sa#yagraha and ci"il diso(edience in#o ac#ion and sho%s sa#yagraha in all i#s as)ec#s. Men and %omen of all cas#es are a(sor(ed in#o #he mo"emen#. Religion and )oli#ics merge in#o each o#her. Dayaramachars hariktha (ecomes a "ehicle for freedom figh# +

, oday, he says, i# %ill (e #he s#ory of ?i"a and Par"a#i.. And Par"a#i in )enance (ecomes #he coun#ry and ?i"a (ecomes hea"en kno%s %ha# E ?i"a is #he #hree-eyed, he says, and ?%araj #oo is #hree-eyed + self-)urifica#ion, 'indu-Moslem uni#y, Khaddar. 4P. 263.

RELIGIOUS THEME :Religious )rocessions such as #he one on #he occasion of ?a#yanarayan Puja (ecome )oli#ical )rocessions and ins#ead of ,?a#yanarayan Maharaj ki jai., cries of @ande Ma#aram and ,Maha#ma Gandhi ki jai. rend #he air. he im)ac# of Gandhis >ree $ndia mo"emen# and his )oli#ical )hiloso)hy of non-"iolence and e*uali#y of all )eo)le has #he effec# of a dynamic religion on Kanthapura. $# is Forner 'ouse Moor#hy %ho (rings Gandhism #o #he "illage. 'e goes ,#hrough life like a no(le co%, *uie#, generous, serene, deferen# and (rahmanic, a "ery )rince G.. 'e is a Gandhiman and is as hones# as an ele)han# and no# only e1)lains Gandhism #o #he "illagers (u# )rac#ices i# himself. o #he )eo)le Gandhi is #he moun#ain and Moor#hy is #he small moun#ain. Moor#hys s#ruggle is no# only %i#h #he #yranny of alien rule as sym(oli/ed in !ade Khan, #he )oliceman in #he no"el, (u# also %i#h #he #yranny of cas#eism in #he "illage as %ell as %i#h #he e1)loi#a#ion of #he )oor (y men like !ha##a %ho s#ands for usury and )seudo-or#hodo1y. !u# Moor#hy carries on his figh# follo%ing in #he foo#s#e)s of #he Maha#ma. 'e mi1es %i#h #he )ariahs, %ins o"er #he "illage Pa#el, and ge#s #he sym)a#hy and su))or# of #he enligh#ened Rangamma and Ra#na and #hen launches #he non-"iolen#, non-coo)era#ion mo"emen# in Kanthapura as )ar# of Gandhis na#ional agi#a#ion.

Kanthapura is no# merely a )oli#ical no"el, (u# a no"el concerned as much %i#h #he social, religious and economic #ransforma#ion of #he )eo)le, as %i#h #he s#ruggle for )oli#ical freedom. 03 he social #heme is a# #he cen#re of #he no"el. According #o Paul

@erghese, #he no"el deals largely %i#h #he "illage life and i#s social surroundings. Narasimhaiah echoes similar o)inion %hen he says #ha# Kanthapura is ,)ro(a(ly #he only no"el of i#s kind in &nglish de)ic#ing %i#h such au#hen#ici#y life in a "illage, in a laud of "illages. 4258< + ;63. he no"elis#s #horough kno%ledge of a )ar#icular "illage is e"iden# from #he %ay #he no"el (egins +

,BAR @$CCAG& = $ don# #hink you ha"e e"er heard a(ou# i# = Kanthapura is i#s name, and i# is in #he )ro"ince of Kara. 'igh on #he Gha#s is i#, high u) #he s#ee) moun#ains #ha# face #he cool Ara(ian seas, u) #he Mala(ar coas# is i#, u) Mangalore and Pu##ur and many a cen#re of cardamom and coffee, rice and sugarcane. Roads, narro%, dus#y, ru#-co"ered roads, %ind #hrough #he fores#s of #eak and of jack, of G. 4P. $3.

Cike o#her "illages of ?ou#h $ndia, Kan#ha)ura is an or#hodo1 #y)e of ancien# "illage. Hifferen# cas#es of )eo)le li"e here. heir houses are si#ua#ed in differen# lanes kno%n (y #heir cas#es. $n #his "illage #here is a !rahmin s#ree#, a )o##ers *uar#er, a Wea"ers *uar#er, a ?udra *uar#er, and a )ariah *uar#er. here are numerous references in #he no"el #o #he undying fai#h of #he "illagers in #he all-kno%ing goddess, her in"isi(le )resence is fel# #hroughou# #he no"el.

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Ano#her in#er)re#a#ion of #he no"el is #ha# Kanthapura has rich "arie#y of charac#ers. o *uo#e Narasimhaiah + ,Bne hadn# #hough# un#il here are a num(er of one read #his no"el #ha# a "illage could offer such o))or#uni#ies for o(ser"ing human na#ure in i#s rich di"ersi#y.. major figures, %i#h a hos# of minor figures in #he (ackground #aking )ar# in #he ac#ion and #hro%ing #he major figures in#o shar)er relief. Moor#hy, Ra#na, Pa#el Range Go%da, !ha##a, )oliceman !ade Khan, hold #he fron# of #he s#age and (ehind #hem %e ha"e such lesser figures as Rangamma, Narsamma, @enkamma, Hore, Ramayya, Nanjundia, ?ommana, and many o#hers %i#h #heir )e##y ri"alries, jealousies and mundane concerns. hese charac#ers are dra%n from all sec#ions of "illage socie#y = #he !rahmins, #he ?udras, #he Po##ers, #he Wea"ers and #he Pariahs. %hi#e ?ahi( of ?keffing#on Foffee = &s#a#e. here are also Ad"oca#e ?ankar, #he 'arika#ha man, Dayaramachar, and #he he grea# Maha#ma does no# a))ear on #he scene, (u# his influence is all-)er"asi"e and dominan#. ?imilarly, #he ?%ami does ne"er "isi# #he "illage (u# his )ernicious influence is e"er fel#. 'e e1communica#es Moor#hy and #hus indirec#ly causes #he dea#h of Narasamma, his mo#her. K. K. ?harma and Ka"i#a Agra%al )oin# ou# #he #heme of Karma )hiloso)hy. ha# is, #he no"el has #he )hiloso)hy of selfless ac#ion. o *uo#e Ka"i#a Agra%al + ,$ndian s#ruggle for freedom is righ#ly chosen as a re)lica of #he grea#-%ar of #he Maha'harata and Kanthapura (ecomes a "eri#a(le Kurukchhe#ra %here #he %ar (e#%een #he forces of freedom and sla"ery, lo"e and ha#red, #ru#h and non#ru#h, and #hus i# is fough# (o#h in #he inner %orld of #he s)iri# and in #he ou#er %orld (e#%een #he !ri#ish Raj and na#ionalis#s. . Kanthapura is righ#ly descri(ed as Gandhi)urana. A Gandhian ou# and ou#, Moor#hy, #he hero of #he no"el, is com)le#ely gi"en #o #he life of ac#ion (ased on #he doc#rine of

non"iolence and #ru#h.

he no"elis# gi"es "en# #o his fai#h in #he $ndian

ideal #ha# i# is #hrough %ell-#hough# ou# and %ell-direc#ed ac#ion #ha# man can make #he (es# of his )o#en#iali#ies = ma#erial, moral and s)iri#ual. Moor#hy is really a man of ac#ion, and %ha#e"er con"ic#ions he has, he reali/es #hem #hrough ac#ion a# all cos#s. #his accoun#. folk + hus he does no# s#o) going #o )ariahs #o im)ro"e #heir lo#s, no ma##er he loses his mo#her Narsamma on he sim)le (elief in #he )o%er of com(ined ac#ion is underlined (y #he follo%ing %ords of Moor#hy addressed #o #he "illage

,No% G %e are ou# for ac#ion. A cock does no# make a morning, nor a single man a re"olu#ion, (u# %e %ill (uild a #housand )illared #em)le, a #em)le more firm #han any #ha# ha#h ye# (een (uilded, and each one of you (e ye )illars in i#, and %hen #he #em)le is (uil#, s#one (y s#one, and man (y man, and #he (ell hung #o #he roof and #he &agle #o%er sha)ed and )lan#ed, %e shall in"oke #he mo#her #o reside %i#h us in dream and in life. $ndia #hen %ill li"e in a #em)le of our makingG. 4P. 2853.

he $ndian )hiloso)hical idea #ha# mans Karma de#ermines his fa#e = good and (ad = and he has #o (ear i# ine"i#a(ly is also lucidly )resen#ed in #he no"el. #his me#a)hysical de#erminism %hich is a# #imes condemned as igno(le )assi"i#y is fully (rough# ou# (y Moor#hys follo%ing %ords + ,And Moor#hy said, , ha# is ho% you should (e. !ear all as #hough your Karma %illed i#, e"ery#hing %ill (e (orne. 4P. 27;3. Along %i#h Karma, #he $ndian religious #radi#ions and ideals, emana#ing

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from #he )o)ular )hiloso)hical ideas, ha"e also (een )or#rayed in #his no"el.

Na,,a+i9e +e#hni&'e in Kanthapura +

he narra#i"e #echni*ue in Kanthapura is as im)or#an# as his "ision of Gandhian non-"iolence mo"emen# and #he dee)-roo#ed (eliefs and sys#ems of #he social se# u) in $ndia. 'is #rea#men# of Kanthapura as modern $ndian Sthalapurana or as legendary his#ory of a )lace is *ui#e fresh and in#eres#ing as he #races in #he )uranic #radi#ion #he s#hala)urana, a )hiloso)hic s#rain, and #he narra#i"e s#yle e1hi(i#ing #he )uranic s#yle. Many cri#ics ha"e %ri##en a# leng#h a(ou# Raos s#yle in Kanthapura and his successful a##em)#s #o e1)ress ,in a language #ha# is no# ones o%n, #he s)iri# #ha# is ones o%n. . Narasimhaiah and Naik %ere among #he firs# #o analyse Raos language in Kanthapura and )oin# ou# many de"ices he uses, such as #ransla#ions from #he na#i"e idiom, re)e#i#ions, )ic#ures*ue e)i#he#s e#c. I. @. Kan#ak seems #o ra#e Kanthapura higher #han #he la#er no"els + ,Kanthapura %i#hin i#s hum(ler in#en#ion lays claim #o #he )rofound sim)lici#y of a classic, some#hing #ha# #he more self-conscious ar#is#ry of #he la#er %ork seems #o miss. . Raos grea#es# achie"emen# in Kanthapura is no# #he em)loymen# of Puranic s#ory#ellingJ i# is forging #he language #o e1)ress #he sensi(ili#y of a "illager. $# is a %ork of social realism, ye# i# is no# confined #o #ha# )lane alone. As @asan# A. ?hahane has o(ser"ed, ,Kanthapura is no# )urely realis#ic or

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na#uralis#ic. G $# is #he image of real life, o(ser"ed in a "isionary s#a#e of mind. As an $ndo-Anglian no"el, Kanthapura is a (old e1)erimen# in regard #o i#s su(jec#-ma##er, i#s #rea#men# and i#s language. !y "ir#ue of i#s )o%erful narra#i"e mode and i#s unfailing ca)aci#y #o e"oke #he $ndian scene and e"en#s, i# has come #o (e a classic in $ndian fic#ion in &nglish. $# is a classic of ancien# $ndia mo"ing in#o #he modern #imesJ a classic of #he Gandhian mo"emen# raised #o a le"el germane and doc#rinal #o #he na#ional my#h. As Naik o(ser"es, , Kanthapura is #hus a memora(le %ork. he u##er au#hen#ici#y, #he lyricism, and #he in#ensi#y of #his $# has immor#ali/ed ins)ired and ins)iring no"el are unmis#aka(le. his#oric momen# in $ndian life %i#h rare )o%er. .

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REFERENCES : 2. 0. Walsh, William. Indian %iterature in (n"lish. Ne% Helhi + Brien# Congman, 2559. Naik, M. K. Ra)a Rao. Fhennai + !lackie and ?on, 25<0.

:. 6. ;.

Naik, M. K. e# al. 4eds.3 Critical (ssa$s on Indian #ritin" in (n"lish& Hhar%ad + Karna#ak Ani"ersi#y, 258<. ?harma, K. K. *our !reat Indian (n"lish +ovelists : Some ,oints of -iew& Ne% Helhi + ?aru) and ?ons, 0990. Rao, Raja. Kanthapura. Condon + George Allen and An%in C#d., 25:<, Re)rin#ed in 2567, 258:, 2576, 2556. All references #o #he #e1# are indica#ed (y #he num(er of #he rele"an# )age. Agra%al, K. A , Indian #ritin" in (n"lish. A Critical Stud$& Ne% Helhi , A#lan#ic Pu(lishers, 099:. Agra%al, K. K. Indian #ritin" in (n"lish : A Critical Stud$& Ne% Helhi + A#lan#ic Pu(lishers, 099:. Kan#ak, I. @. , he Canguage in Kanthapura.. %iterar$ Review, 25<;. The Indian

8. 7. <.