‘Kanthapura‘ is a popular novel written by Raja Rao, a popular Indian novelist, first published in 1938. It is primarily an account of freedom struggle in India. The setting of the novel is Kanthapura, an imaginary village in South India.
Moorthy is the protagonist of the novel ‘Kanthapura’, who strictly follows the Gandhian principles. He propagates at every doorstep, the significance of Gandhi’s struggle for independence. He convinces people to join the defiance freedom movement.
Achakka is the narrator of the novel. Achakka is an elderly Brahmin women who knows about everyone in the village. The story is told in a non-linear style called ‘sthala-purana’. Raja Rao wrote this novel while he was in France.
Kanthapura by Raja Rao Summary
Kanthapura Village
Kanthapura is a fictional village located near the Western Ghat mountain ranges. Goddess Kenchamma is the village patron deity who protects the village from ever since she had fought a demon in the Kenchamma hill above the village. Achakka introduces the primary characters and dominant community in the village.
Moorthy discovers a linga and it is kept in the village. The Brahmins gather to worship the God and do prayers. Moorthy collects money from the villagers for a conference on Gandhi’s promise on India’s independence from the British to be performed by Jayaramachar, a Harikatha man. This brings up a turmoil in the village accusing Moorthy trying to misdirect people for Gandhi’s cause. Bade Khan, a Muslim policeman, is appointed to monitor the village. Bade Khan stays in the nearby Skeffington Coffee Estate as he is denied permission for staying in the village by Patel Range Gowda.
Moorthy’s Gandhism
Moorthy persuades many villagers to start spinning their own wool and khadi clothes following Gandhi’s beliefs not to depend upon foreign goods which will ruin the country’s economy. But Bhatta, the financier, doesn’t like Gandhi’s ideals. He is giving money to farmers for high interests. He instigates an establishment of Brahmin party to fight against Moorthy spreading Gandhism. Many join him including Venkamma, the priest Rangappa, Bhatta’s wife Chinnamma, Moorthy’s mother Narsamma and so on.
Moorthy and Rangamma
Moorthy has dedicated a great part of his life to Gandhism and wins Rangamma, a wealthy widow. Moorthy’s family is excommunicated for violating traditional system as he is seen carrying a corpse. Narsamma dies and Moorthy moves into Rangamma’s house.
Skeffington Estate
Meanwhile, at the Skeffington Estate, the impoverished people in large numbers working for low wages. The working condition in the estate is very horrible. They are tortured and forced to work there for life-time. Further they are encouraged to spend the hard-earned money on drinking in the nearby toddy shop.
Moorthy begins to teach the coolies to read and write and also encourages them to join the protest movement. He takes up three days of fasting for running counter to Gandhian ideal of non-violence. It’s not he who has made the mistake; but he takes up the responsibility when a coolie woman has grabbed Bade Khan’s beard in the recent commotion.
Patel Range Gowda has enlisted himself in Moorthy’s protest movement. Together they establish a village Congress which follows the Gandhi’s National Congress.
Moorthy’s arrest and protest
Caught in the conspiracy, Moorthy is arrested during Kartik festival. He is released from prison only after three months of imprisonment. Moorthy is welcomed by his supporters at Rangamma’s house with Gandhian slogans. He again takes up the Gandhian movement. It emphasises the spinning of wool and rejection of caste system and so on.
The news about Gandhi’s arrest on his march against salt tax spreads. Two days later, 139 villagers march to the toddy grove and destroy it. Three among the protesters are arrested: Ranchanna, Lingayya and Siddhayya. They continue their protest next week and the coolies from the estate join them to destroy the toddy grove. Police violence increases more. Most of them, including Moorthy, are seriously injured in the lathi charge.
In the village, the people who dislike the British government, join Moorthy in more numbers. Many toddy shops are closed. The protest movement is accelerated more. Police arrest the people at midnight and assault the village women. Ratna, a widowed pariah woman who have experienced a tape attempt by a police officer, is elected as the leader of the movement after Moorthy is arrested.
Kanthapura’s fate
Inspite of their proclaimed non-violence, many are massacred when they are marching against the police violence. Many are fired down and the villagers who hide in the sugarcane field witness this. Many begin to flee Kanthapura. Rachi sets fire on the village and at once it is reduced to ashes. The village people are scattered everywhere. The nearby villagers provide shelter to some of them.
Moorthy is released, but he is ready to give up Gandhian ideals and compromise with the British. Rangamma is still in jail. People from Bombay have come to occupy Kanthapura. Range Gowda is the only person to return to the village.
Characters in Kanthapura
The novel ‘Kanthapura’ has several important characters apart from the protagonist Moorthy. Here is the list of characters present in the novel:
Moorthy
Moorthy is the protagonist of ‘Kanthapura’ who strictly follows Gandhian ideals. He leads various protest movements and persuades people of the village Kanthapura to follow Gandhian ideals.
Bade Khan
Bade Khan is a Muslim policeman appointed to monitor the people of the village. The village people, particularly Patel Range Gowda, do not allow to stay in the village, so he stays in the Skeffington Coffee Estate.
Jayaramachar
Jayaramachar is a Harikatha man who is arranged to perform at a conference on Gandhian ideals and his promises on India’s independence.
Patel Range Gowda
Patel Range Gowda is a village leader in Kanthapura. He is the man who denied Bade Khan permission to stay in the village. He is one among the protesters led by Moorthy. Range Gowda is the only person to return to the village after its destruction
Bhatta
Bhatta is the village financier who is against the Gandhian ideals. He lends money to the villagers for high interests. He later turns the Brahmin party to go against Moorthy.
Rangamma
Rangamma is a wealthy widow in the village Kanthapura who supports Moorthy after he along with his family is excommunicated. Moorthy moves into her house after excommunication.
Venkamma & Rangappa
Both of these characters are against Moorthy and his Gandhian ideals. Venkamma joins Bhatta in his anti-Gandhi party. Rangappa is a priest who also go against Moorthy.
Chinnamma
Bhatta’s wife who joins Venkamma, Rangappa and Narsamma, Moorthy’s mother and protest against Moorthy.
Narsamma
Narsamma is Moorthy’s mother who initially go against Moorthy. But soon she dies.
Ranchanna, Lingayya & Siddhayya
These three are the protesters who are arrested during the destruction of the toddy grove.
Achakka
The narrator of ‘Kanthapura’ who introduces the primary characters in the novel and dominant community in the village.