Kanthapura, Depicting Freedom Movement and also Aiming at Social Reforms:
Kanthapura is not only a fine work of art but it also aims at rousing the conscience of the country and even of the world at large, at the ills and injustices which plagued Indian life in the 1930's . Though the novel depicts the freedom movement led by Mahatma Gandhi as the main theme, it also aims at social reforms. In fact, Mahatma Gandhi believed that Swaraj itself could be awakening. These social reforms included freedom from economic exploitation by the West by boycotting foreign goods and by spinning yarn and wearing Khadi made from it, also eradication of untouchability and the rigidities of ignorance and superstition.
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| Raja Rao’s Treatment of the Freedom Movement in Kanthapura |
The Glimpses of Freedom Movement:
In Kanthapura, we have more than a glimpse of the freedom movement in India under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. No other book of this scope and size on this theme pictures so vividly, truthfully and touchingly the story of the resurgence of India under Gandhi's leadership. We see how the name of Gandhi acts like a charm in every part of India, and how the people in remote and far - away Kanthapura wait with baited breath and observe a fast in order to show their solidarity with Mahatma March. In cities as well as villages there are volunteer groups which organise the people , distribute charkhas and yarn , and even form an ambulance corps to take care of those who are wounded in the firing and lathi charges on Satyagrahis.
Patriotic Zeal in the Villagers of Kanthapura:
Moorthy is a typical example of the thousands of young man who were fired with patriotic zeal by Gandhi's inspiration and who, under his programme, left schools, colleges and universities, or resigned from their jobs and made bonfire of their costly imported clothes. Rangamma and Ratna represent the women's side of the movement , while Range Gowda and Rachanna show how even the people of lower castes picked up courage , or curbed their natural instinct for retaliation and accepted the voluntary restraint of non – violence.
Completely Throwing in the Fire of Movement:
The villagers completely threw themselves in fierceful flame of freedom movement. The peasants refuse to pay revenue and other taxes to the Government, with the result that many of them were evicted from their lands and lost all means of earning a livelihood. There were dharnas, picketings and Satyagrahs. People, even children and old men, were injured and wounded in large numbers. Women, like Ratna, were beaten, molested and even raped, but their spirits could not be suppressed. Their spirits had become much stronger than before. In spite of getting serious injuries, they were determined to preserve their endurance power in order to capture freedom. Shouts of Gandiji Ki Jai, and Inquilab Zindabad resounded in the air and these loud shouts encouraged the morale of the people. Large number of people were arrested and sent to jail. When Moorthy was arrested, his seat was taken by a bold lady Ratna. In this way the movement did not stop.
Depiction of the Ideals of Patriotism and National Integration:
The ideals of patriotism and national integration are depicted through one of the minor characters, Advocate Sankar. He is a Khadi - clad advocate who has been named the ‘walking advocate’ because of his simple ways. His professional attitude reflects that of Mahatma Gandhi of the days when he worked as a lawyer in South Africa. Sankar never took up a false case, and would either give up a case, or make the client confess his crime, if he later found out that his case was false. He did not charge a fee from the poor and even paid their court fees and stamp charges himself. In spite of this , he got many cases and soon became very rich .
Love for Hindi, a Spirit of National Integration:
In spite of being rich, Sankar still kept up his austere ways. In his spare time he went to school where Hindi was taught and helped the teacher with the work. In spite of being a South Indian, Sankar had a firm belief that Hindi would one day become the national language of India. It was not just a theoretical belief with him but something that he actually practised , for he used the North Indian way of greeting when he met anyone , spoke in Hindi to his old mother who could not understand a word of it , and spoke nothing but Hindi when he talked to his daughter . He did not like people to use English words in conversation.
Depiction of British Rule and its Laws and Ways:
The white man who owned the Skeffington Coffee Estate is a symbol of the imperialist rulers of India who exploited Indians in various ways. They employed paid agents like Bhatta and the Swami to oppose the freedom movement. They sent policeman like Bade Khan to harass the patriots and cooked up false cases against them. Their treatment of peaceful Satyagrahis was extremely inhuman. They did not spare even women and children. Inside the jails people were treated with great cruelty and forced to salute the Union Jack.
Caste System, one of the Evils in Hindustan:
Bhatta and Swami were conservative, orthodox Brahmin, were the agents of British Government. They worked together to frustrate and defeat the Gandhi - movement. Since the Swami's power rested on the superiority of the Brahmins over other castes, he took the view that the caste system was the very foundation of Hinduism. He maintained that no Brahmin should contact with the Pariahs and threatened to excommunicate Moorthy because he did do. Later this threat was inflicted. The people of lower castes were not allowed to enter the temples. Their children could not be admitted in schools and colleges. According to Swami, it was polluting for a Brahmin to mingle with a Pariah.
Swami's Opposing the Abolition of Untouchability: The Swami wanted Rangamma's help in opposing the movement for the abolition of untouchability, telling him in confidence that the Government was at his back. The advocate Rangamma pointed out that the Hindu Dharam - sastra referred to the foreigners as mlechas, so how could there be any co - operation with them.
To Present the Mean of Divine Will in Political Way:
When Rangamma was not agree with the Swami's view, he (Swami) persuaded him in political way and said that Governments are formed by the Divine Will and Rangamma should not put any questions against them. By doing so meant he (Rangamma) disobeyed the Divine Will. The Swami again said that the government had promised to help them morally and materially. This angered Rangamma so much that he left immediately. It was as a reaction against this that he decided to throw open his temple to the Pariahs that very day.
Social Awakening:
The boycott of foreign goods was meant to cripple the efforts of foreign manufacturers to exploit and impoverish India, and the spinning taught people the dignity of labour as well as self-reliance. In a poor country like India simple living must be practised. Moreover, spinning could provide a regular income to the common masses, especially to women who have no other means of earning available to them. Gandhiji's emphasis on education and avoiding alcoholic drinks had both a moral and an economic aim. If the exploited coolies learnt to read and write, they would become better acquainted with their rights. Literacy would help them to judge right or wrong. They would not be swayed and cheated easily at the name of enticements. Drink is the greatest enemy of the poor because it never allows a person to spend his income on essential items or making a saving for a rainy day. The picketing of the toddy grove and the toddy booth had the immediate effect of making the coolies realise how evil toddy drinking was. Hence some of them took a pledge that they would never touch the poisonous drink again. Thus the political movement of Swaraj was closely linked with religious reforms and social uplift in Kanthapura.