Kanthapura

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Raja Rao’s “Kanthapura” is a post-colonial novel set in a south indian village during the independence struggle. The novel outlines the lives of the village folk and their slow rise to joining the fight for freedom. The story is narrated from the eyes of a Brahmin woman, and is known for the appropriation of the English language. 

The story utilizes a lot of native slang and thus transforms the colonial language to its own needs. One of the central characters is Murthy, a Gandhian follower, who leads the people to inculcate the sayings of the Mahatma. 

While these are major themes, two aspects of the novel stood out to me. One is, how they combine spirituality to the struggle for independence. Every protest is initiated near the temple, processions often combined with bhajans and many more. 

The second aspect is feminism, strong female characters including the narrator, traverse boundaries inspired by the “town” women. They practise non-violence and even defense training. Overall, if you are an Indian writing enthusiast, this book must be part of your reading list.