Paper no - 4 Themes of Kanthapura

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Name : Ponda Alpa Bharatkumar

Course: MA

Sem: 1

Batch: 2016-2018

Roll No : 4

Enrollment No:2069108420170025

Email ID: alpaponda.7@gmail.com

Submitted to: SMT.S.B GARDI DEPT. OF ENGLISH MKBU

Paper No: 4

Topic : Themes of Kanthapura

THEMES OF KANTHAPURA

Introduction

          Kanthapura by Raja Rao is a novel written during the time of AAZADI in 1938.while understanding the novel, one has to refer its background especially political and historical. It was the time of political movement against Britishers. Kanthapura(1938) is the story of a village in south India named Kanthapura. The novel is narrated in the form of a ‘Sthalapurana’ by an old woman of a village.

Themes of Kanthapura

GANDHIAN NOVEL

          Kanthapura is Gandhian novel. we can not find Gandhi himself in the novel but his characteristics are there in the protagonist of the novel, Moorthy.

Moorthy was taking part in struggle for freedom. He made efforts to unite people as Gandhi did. Following the footsteps of Gandhi, the government arrested him. Then the leadership of movement was with in the hands of women of the village. Dandi March picketing of Boranna’s toddy grove were led by Moorthy after he came back from prison. Many satyagrahis were arrested and it became the routine for people.

 GANDHI’S THOUGHTS AND ITS IMPACT

Gandhian philosophy is introduced into the novel through Moorthy. He follows him as he goes for preaching and spreading his practice of Ahimsa and speak the truth. He was also attracted by Gandhi’s idea of making cotton yarn on the spinning wheel and to wear cloth spun and woven by their hands. They did not permit the foreign clothes. The villagers were going for Prabhat pheries (morning outings), They were gathering at the temple. Practicing of singing Bhajans (hymns). The villagers made their own song for Gandhi which describes the influence of Gandhi on them.

Example

Our king, he was born on a wattle-mat,

He’s not the king of the velvet-bed,

He’s small and he’s round and

He ‘s bright and he is sacred,

O, mahatma, you’re our king

And we are your slave(203 from text)

FREEDOM STRUGGLE FOR INDIA

          The character of novel , Moorthy, Achanna, Rachanna etc striving for freedom. The picture of Kanthapura is very well depicted by its author as it represents the freedom movement in all ways. The people of village fought against the Britishers non violently.

WHATEVER HAPPENS AT KANTHAPURA WAS HAPPENING EVERYWHERE IN INDIA.

          We can not find any exaggeration in description of freedom movement as it is repeated what actually happening while freedom movement in India was going on. The protagonist, Moorthy was sent to a ail and villagers was waiting for him. K.R.Rao sums up the situation in these words:

Moorthy ’s release renews the dedication and

Enthusiasm of the community. The villagers launch

On the ‘Don’t -touch-the government campaign’

  

UNACCOUNTABILITY

        The village has the structure of castes. The small village symbolically, describes the situation of India, during the time of freedom. But it comes good when it’s time to fight against the Britishers. The novel defines if an upper class person goes to pariahas ’s house, he had to bathe after returning and if he /she goes there, they would be out casted from caste.

EPIC TOUCH OR MYTHOLOGICAL THEME

        The novel has the quality of epic. Where in the characters have huge power and go through the journey. Events of the plot one illusory: life is symbolic and women of Kanthapura is part of the continuing Ramayana. Gandhi is an Avatar of Rama sent from heaven to rescue Sita (India) from Britishers (Ravana). But in epics violence is there but in Kanthapura it is a non violent movement.

BARBARISM

        Kanthapura focuses on the barbarism of the British rulers in dealing with non-violence origination of the freedom fighters. The government’s response to the non- violent movement of villages is the use of brutal force targeting even women, old men and children. The police who becomes the immediate face of the, Britishers, plunder the village after all men have been arrested and attempts of rape are made.

FOCUSING UPON FEMALE CONDITION

        In Kanthapura, we find many women, the example is of Rachanna; a widow who refuses to cut her hair, break her bangles, wear only white and remains indoor. She questions the  rules of society that requires her to be a widow though she has been her supposed husband only once and that too at the age of ten. She entertains some romantic hopes in her association with Moorthy. Here the journey is of freedom, not the freedom from Britishers but also the innermost freedom, the freedom of expressing oneself as it is. As it wants to express its emotions.

CONCLUSION

        Kanthapura is itself the picture of India. It covers the situation of Indian freedom movement. It has its own characters who are representing the freedom fighters of India. The writer is very much influenced by Gandhian thoughts. Kanthapura is a place where the unity begins for freedom. The main theme of the novel is the freedom struggle.

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