Paper IIII: Indian Writing English
Topic:
Write a note on: ‘Kanthapura as a Gandhian idea
Name: Sagarkumar G.
Ladhva
Roll No: 28
Enrollment No: 14101022
Semester: I
Year: 2014-16
Department: M.A. English department
Submitted To: Heenaben Zala
‘Kanthapura as a Gandhian idea'
Raja Rao Life:
Indian Literature
many Novelist and Story writer has become effected Making of English literature.
Raja Rao belongs to a very old south
Indian family of Brahmin. He was born in 1909 in the village of Hussana, in
Mysore. His father was a professor of commerce in Hyderabad. He has completed
his matriculated from Hyderabad, and then he went over to Aligarh for higher
Education. He took his B.A. Degree from Nizam College Hyderabad. He got
scholarship from Hyderabad University and then he went to France to continue
his study of French Literature there.
Artistic
works of Raja Rao:
(1) Kanthapura (1938)
(2) The
Serpent and the rope (1960)
(3) The
cat and Shakespeare (1965)
(4) Comrade
Kirillow (1976)
(5) The
policeman and the Rose (1978)
(6) The Chess
master and his moves (1988)
(7) On
the Ganga Ghat (1989)
- Epic :An Epic is a long narrative poem of heroic acts, the birth and death of a hero or of nation’s etc. Kanthapura is also an epic. Kanthpura is a tell of the impact that Gandhi had on the nation. He converted the whole nation into an army of freedom fighters. Gandhi was no less than than the hero of an epic. The freedom of struggle of india was an epic struggle. Thousand of peoples scarified their lives. It was remains in the background through novel; no doubt the hero of movement on a small village called Kanthapura. Here I some view of great person of that Epic.
“An epic is a long narrative poem and a great and
serious subject related in an elevated style, and centered on a heroic or quasi
divine figure on whose action depend the fate of tribe a nation or the human
race.”
- M.H. Abram
An
epic is the greatest and most sublime form of poetry. The epic is a poem,
divided into several books, celebration the life, heroic deeds and achievement
of a national hero, whether historical or legendry.
‘KANTHAPURA’ - novel -
Gandhian Idea :
India’s freedom struggle which exerted
considerable influence on the demeanor of Indian population is the central
thrust of the novel. In this novel Raja Rao describes the many movement of the
gandhian idea of truth and Non- Violence and not tired for life struggle. This
way of danger and hard of working but that a result is to be good inside of
human life. Gandiji is individually explain to human life struggling and not
anytime disappointed but fight with them and not to follow falsehood man and
thing but only way of softly and smoothly of honesty. Now Gandhi about of our
first prime minister stamen present:
---Jawaharlal Nehru
Kanthapura
is Rao’s first major Indian novel in English. It is published in 1938. The novel
deals with civil defiance movement. The title of the novel is adopted by
village Kanthapura. The title is apt and suitable for the novel is about a
south Indian village named ‘KANTHAPURA’.
The story is narrated in flashback by ‘Achakka’.
Here
some interesting when the writer is not show to Character of Mahatma Gandhi. Iyengar identifies, in Kanthapura, the“veritable grammar of the Gandhian
myth.”
‘KANTHAPURA’ - Village:
Raja
Rao was an excellent writer and the simple story of a village life is express in
an extra-ordinary way in this creation of his. The title of the story is kept
by the name of the village only. So the title truly signifies the story.
Born on
November 8 in the year of 1908 Raja Rao was a famous writer. The place was
Hassan, in the state Kanthapura does not exist but it is an imagination of Raja
Rao’s mind. Kanthapura village is situated on the Western Ghats in the Valley
of Himmavathi River. There it lies ‘curled up like a child on its mother’s lap’.
This single image makes the village spirit into life. The reader is able to
visualize it as it as lies, sheltered and secluded like a child in its mother’s
lap.
Kanthapura depicts the novelist’s deeper understanding of swaraj
struggle and its implications that affected the Indian citizens. Gandhi
elaborates on the importance of the spinning yarn stressing that the money that
is given to the colonizer will be preserved to nourish and clothe the naked.
Gandhi’s Hind Swaraj start drive toa conscious progression on a counter
culture as a response to machination culture.
Village’s
Cotemporary Situation :
(I)
Social Background
(II) Religion
Background
(III) Political Background
(I) Social
Background:-
“I will not let anyone walk through
my mind with their Dirty feet”.
-
Gandhiji….
The
novel has a dormant pattern to the treatment of castes and communities Kanthapura,
a tiny village representative of any other village in south Indian. There were
four divisions in caste….
(1)
Brahmin
(2) Parihar
(3) Potter
(4) Weaver
There were conflict between castisim and other
issues, but finally all get together and helped each other for the struggle for
independence.
(II) Religion Background:-
“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians,
and your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
-
Gandhiji…
The
village has a people who have strong rigid and orthodox background of
religious. The Brahmin is upper cast of society.
In the Kanthapura people are
ignorant, poor and superstitious, but they are also deeply religious. They were
faith in Goodness ‘Kenchamma’. She is in the center of the village. Marriage,
sickness, death, ploughing, harvesting, arrest, release all are watched by
Kenchamma. There may be small pox or influence around but you make vow to the
Goodness, the next morning, you walked and you find the fever has left you. There
is a also temple of Kanthapurishwari.
Kenchamma, Kenchamma,
Goddess benign, and bounteous,
Mother of earth, blood off life,
Harvest – queen – rain, crowned,
Kenchamma, Kenchamma,
Goddess benign and bounteous…..
Raja rao has extremely use of thinking of mind’s eye
is explore to narration a ancient time of Indian culture. How Raja Rao
camper past and present in India. Its like-
Gandhi = Ram
Mother India = Sita
Nehru
= Bharat
Britisher = Ravan
In this novel raja rao’s
traditionally such a much compare
to ancient v/s Classical religious view
to human nature. Here a good example of gandhian idea to many other thinkers of
our Culture. It is kind-
- Gandhi was Fighting to free mother India from Britishers.
- Ram was fighting to free Sita From Ravan.
Good
explaien to mother india to fight to
gandi Related to Lord of Ram. Raja rao’s this style to differ to any
other writer of Indian English writer.
(III) Political Background:-
Lift the flag high,
O. Lift the flag high,
Brothers,
Sisters, Friends and Mother,
This
is the flag of the revolution……
- Gandhiji
In
‘Kanthapura’ – novel political ideas also be found, Earlier, British ruled over
India and then slowly and steadily education got reformation and Gandhian ideas
started to apply by Moorthy.
First they ignore you,
Then they ridicule you,
Then they fight you, and
Then
you win……
-
Gandhiji…
Kanthapura is one the earliest
example of Gandhian Novel. Raja Rao’s novel is the most powerful of Indo –
Anglian novel, portraying the impact of the Gandhian Movement on the Indian
people. Kanthapura is long narrative novel telling of heroic acts, the birth
and death of a hero. So it is an Epic. Kanthapura is telling of impact that
Gandhi had on the nation. He concerted the whole nation into an army of Freedom
fighters. Gandhiji was no less than the hero of an epic, the freedom struggle
of India was an epic struggle. Thousands of people sacrifice their lives. It
was remaining in the background through the novel; Gandhi is no doubt the hero
of movement on a small village Kanthapura. Here, in the Kanthapura Moorthy is
the Gandhi and Hero of the village.
The main character of the novel is
Moorthy. He is Brahmin boy who discovered a half buried ‘Ligna’ from the
village and installed it. It is Moorthy who organize Gandhi work in the
village, he is indeed life and spirit behind the movement in Kanthapura just as
a Gandhi was the life and spirit of freedom struggle in India, but very soon
the people of Kanthapura as a whole are actively involved and the novel becomes
an account of their suffering and their heroic sacrifice. The people of
Kanthapura has been enthused with spirit of Gandhiji and they march ahead
heroically despite all the suffering and the hardship they have undergo.
- “Moorthy is not man of modern novel. He is a ‘very Prince’, ‘our Rama’ and ‘small mountain’…..
Like a thousand of young men all over the country
Moorthy gave up his studies and joined freedom movement. He dedicated his life
to the country after he followed the principal of Gandhiji. He brunet his
foreign clothes and started using Khadi. He did not marry and devoted his life
totally to the struggle for independence. He sacrifices his personal life and
happiness for the sake of freedom fighters in the village Kanthapura.
Moorthy
as a Gandhiji
Moorthy,
the protagonist of Kanthapura, is a replica of Raja Rao’s Gandhian self.
Through Moorthy, Raja Rao assumes an apologists facade to Gandhian ideals.
Moorthy, a preeminent personality. He is
“a pebble among the pebbles of the
river, and when the floods came, rock by rock may lie buried under” Rangamma
remarks him as “Moorthy the good, Moorthy the religious and Moorthy the noble”
Gandhian, is presented as a preeminent personality.Moorthy also left his
study and hope of a glorious future for the sake of country; he devoted his
life to the struggle of Independence after he had a vision of Gandhiji and
worked of other social evils. Moorthy worked for upliftment of Parihas as
Gandhji also helped Harijan.
The
Gandhian movement was brought to Kanthapura by Moorthy and to the boy of
village. He went to from door to door to tell the people about Gandhi and his
views and principle. He distributed Charkhas among the people of Kanthapura at
free of cost. He had contact with the city congress and Charkhas were given to
him by free of cost for the distributing among the villagers in the beginning
he found it difficult to convince the villagers to take Charkha and started
spinning, do the on a regular basis, ultimately he was able to convince most of
them that it was essential not only for them but also for the achieving
political freedom, with time more and more people joined congress and now
people of Kanthapura regarded Moorthy as The Gandhi of Kanthapura.
[‘G’
Stands for the Gandhian Ideas]
Raja Rao demonstrates Gandhian ideals of
non-violence,eradication of Untouchability and
love for one’s enemies in a graphic manner. Embedded within these premises is Raja Rao’s
Gandhian quest for truth. Gandhi, Kanthapura suggests, never visited in
Kanthapura. “He is a saint, the Mahatma, a wise manand a soft man”.(kantahpura -23).
Untouchability was a blemish on the visage of the Indian society.
Kanthapura represent a radical enjoyment in countering the wicked practices
established in the society. Recommending acknowledging every human soul
autonomous of their caste-connection, Gandhi opened up the possibilities of
breaking artificially created human barriers.
This novel
some scene is Raja Rao reference to Historical Event describing of During time of Indian Independent. E.g.
Gandhi’s Dandi march:
Now came the
news of mathma Gandhi Dandi march.moorthy told the villagers that the mahatma
had left For the dandi beach, along witch eight two of his followers. He would preparer
salt here and would break the salt law. The people of kanthapura were one with
the mahatma in his venture. the very moment Gandhi was supposed to make salt,
the villagers took batch, led by moorthy, and shouted: ’mahatma Gandhi
ji ki jai’. Then came the news that Gandhi had been
arrested for breaking the salt law. People were filled with refreshment against
the foreign government and got prepared to make any sacrifice for their
mahatma.
In This Novel is Gandhi
way of value that Raja rao’s Main Them
of How to struggle for that time was Kanthapura village many
crime and violence of woman and villagers.Religious
moment is good contrast of that
these our social rules and regulation.
In this novel
Morthy
fight with the villagers become bad poverty and people is very poor to
economically or religious thinking is low
that so no develop our society and country. Here this Problem is very
define to raja rao. In this time Gandhiji become arise of world honesty man and
leader of our indie’s Independence movement. Social reformation and awareness
had been shown that their writer is primarily awaking for Subalterns cast and
untouchabilitiy of Indian society.
- Gandhiji
This all are Gandhian ideas
which Gandhiji has used in his life and used into freedom fighting. Though
Gandhiji is not present in the whole novel but only Gandhian ideas remain and
can be found which were adopted by Moorthy. These ideas helped the people of
Kanthapura to get freedom from Britishers. Moorthy sticks to above Gandhian Ideas and reforms
the position of village including Social, Religious, Political background.
Moorthy did not stop working for the
upliftment of pariahs though swami has said to him that he would be
excommunicated. But Moorthy did not take it seriously like Gandhi he also kept
a fast of three days because he felt that he had not been able to live up ideas of the
Mahatma. He held himself responsible for the skeffington coffee estate. After
the fast he started the ‘Don’t touch the Government Campaign’ unless his
leadership the people of Kanthapura picked non – violence like a true followers
of Gandhiji. He was arrested by police many times and during his trial, he
behaved like a true Gandhian.
There is also other character like Advocate Shankar, Rangamma and Ratna who were also followers of Gandhian ideology.
1. Advocate Shankar:-
Shankar is a great follower of Gandhian ideas. He is
honest and upright man. He did not take any false cases a d if he knew his
client had tried lie to him and was guilty, he gave up case immediately. He
lived simple life and refused to go to the marriage or any party where people
were not dressed in Khadi. The character of Shankar is reflection of Gandhiji.
2. Rangamma:-
She actively participated in the work of congress.
Her house becomes the office of congress in the Kanthapura. The freedom fighter
used to assemble at her house to discuss their plan of action.
3. Ratna:-
Ratna was also followers of Gandhian ideas. She was
widow and only 15 years old. She becomes the leader of the freedom fighters in
the Kanthapura in absence of Moorthy.
So, above characters and Moorthy also represent
Gandhian ideas and follows them, though Gandhi is not present throughout whole
novel, but his ideas are presented in characters. There were also many other
people in Kanthapura like, Rachna, Range, Govda etc…..who also followers of
Gandhiji.
-
Freedom is not worth having if it
does not include the freedom to make mistakes.
-
Gandhiji…
By this time the Satyanarayan Puja was organized and
most of people of Kanthapura had joined the Gandhian movement. So, throughout
novel we can see the influence of Gandhiji on the character s of Kanthapura
village. Throughout the novel Moorthy acted as a local Gandhiji and followed
Gandhian Philosophy were we can compare Moorthy and Gandhiji.
The
novel has a Gandhian ideology and freedom struggle. The story of Satyagrahi’s
moved forward steadily till it reached to its climax. It was a story of people
of a small village who realized that they never new to rise and fight for
freedom of their motherland. They made
effort in their direction and they fail. They left Kanthapura and settled in
Kashipura as a result of the final clash between freedom fighters and the
solider. Many people died and many people injured. Then whole village was set
on fire and destroyed. Many people arrested. The remaining people left the
village and never came back.
-
“The weak can never forgive,
Forgiveness is the attribute of the
strong.”
-
Gandhiji…
‘Gandhiji’ never appears on the scene
and plot of novel but his presence was felt all the time by Gandhian Ideas,
Philosophy through the novel.
Comparison
To Chipko Movement:
Simply I have compare to Gandhi movement of our
country many incident of Indian history. Example that ‘ Khada Movement’
,’Borsad Movement’, Savinay Kanunu Bhang’, ‘ Hind Chodo -1942’ etc. But in all
movement that important of ‘Chipko Movement’
Because this movement some part and character is similar than
Kanthapuara novel. Here I explain to compression of ‘Chipko Movement’. Here I
will put image is that village of Chipko movement start.
The 'Chipko
movement 'or 'Chipko Andolan 'is a movement that practiced the gandhiaji methods of satyagrah
and non- violent resistance, through the act of
hugging trees to protect them from being felled. This was first initiated by
Amrita Devi while protesting against a King's men to cut the tree. The modern
Chipko movement started in the early 1970s in the Garhwali Himalayas of Uttarakhand.
Then in Utter Prdesh with
growing awareness of rapid deforest.
The
landmark event in this struggle took place on March 26, 1974, when a group of
peasant women in Reni
village, Hemwalghati,. In
this movement when governor servant are coming the cutting of trees than the
villagers woman stand to around of in circle way from tree.
This time some industrializes person that cutting to tree and grow to industries of near to the village. Indian government permit to the cutting the tress or forest but here near live in this forest that people main income to tree and making to tree’s martial of thinks so very big fight to Indian governor and some industrialize. A one woman is great control of their time of movement. This Name was ‘GURA DEVI’. She fight’s again to as woman revolution. This movement totally under of Gandihan movement.
However In
this movement good effect to on British governor of India. In this movement
much of the woman in participated. Some other person is including them. One
Important man was name ‘SUNDARLAL BAHUGUNA’ I think we
all very known that Cipko Movement. He was Chipko movement leader and a follower of Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of Non- violence and satyagrah. This idea of chipko movement was of his wife and the
action was taken by him. For years he has been fighting for the preservation of
forests in the Himalyas. I think he was protagonist of this movement. When see
Kandhapura novel read and show that character of Moorthy is similar than
Sundarlal idea. Mooorthy is great ideal of inspiration of the religious
faction of though in village of Kanthapura.
Conclusion
Really the Raja rao in this novel about your creativity of the
literature tram of renaissance in India. It is remarkable to not that result of
Kanthapura has an element of doubt while shifting from Gandhis to Nehruism and
it is here that sane critics raise question and it is on the integrity of Rao
as a Gandhian thought doth Gandhi and Nehru have the same destination, there is
difference in his ‘barrowing and difference’, Gandhi is abet
nostalgic and principle unscientific and so unwelcomed. Right from the
beginning a reader feels orthodox village, the great village, the great is
completely transformed Moorthy, the motivation is complete and experience a
sort of nationalism. Transformation continues ; Moothy continues to develop,
though he does not get support from all quarters and imperialism seems to be
crumbling. Achakka’s thinking and behavior reflects her understanding of the
dynamic between the village and the Indian nation as the blending of tradition
and modeninty. Kanthapura undergoes the process and the process is an internal
one. Achakka is a perpetuator of Hindu revivalist propaganda and Rao stands as
a Hindu reformers to encourage self exploration.
