Re-writing the myth of Ramayana In Kanthapura

NAME: GOHIL HETALBA I.

ROLL NO.  : 12

PAPER : Indian Writing in English

M.A. 1  SEM – I

TOPIC : Re-writing the myth of Ramayana

In Kanthapura

SUBMITTED TO,

 Department of English

Maharaja Krishanakumarsinhji 

Bhavnagar University

YEAR: 2012 – 2013

     The Re-writing of Myth of Ramayan in Kanthapura

              

Introduction :

          Raj Rao was born in 1909 in the village of Hassana in Mysore. He lived in France from 1908 to 1939, returned to India on the outbreak of world war – I in 1940. It was in France, thousands of miles away form India, that his first novel, Kanthapura was written. He won the sanity Academi Award for his the serpent & the Rope which has been called the best Indo-Anglian novel ever written. He was awarded the Padma Bhysam by the Government of India in 1969.

          He gives a glowing descriptor of the village, 'Kanthapura'. There are five passage of outstanding description which reach poetic climax. Moorthy gets so much engrossed in the congress movement that he ignores even his mother's affection. His education and study of various cultures & languages led him to condemn idol worship and he believed that mankind should adopt simple living and high thinking. In 1828 he founded the Brahmo samay in culcutta as he thought universal brotherhood needed to be emphasized and he did not believe in caste, creed and nationality. He believed in equality for the women and encouraged Hindus to leave aside the meaningless beliefs, superstitions and custom and instead look into the true essence of Hindusim. He was indeed the father of modern India.

          He didein 1833 during a visit to Bristol England and in 1997, a statue was built in memory of this great forword thinking reformer in the same city.

          Raja Rao's Kanthapura has a reconstruction of his own village Harihalli or Hariharapura Kanthapura has a reconstruction of his own village Harihalli or Kanthapura is the miniature of India. This book gives us social, political, religious, and mythical scenario of 1930s. Kanthapura deals with the condition of Indian. Village during the struggle for Indepence. The villager when the meet, they don't say 'How are you?' How do you do ? or 'Good Morning', but they say 'Ram Ram', 'Sita Ram', etc They are fond of tale – telling and tate – listning, probably because they used to recite and transmit epic and purans from generation to generation as also from their love for mythicizing.

          In 'Kanthapura' tales within tales are found like cabbage peels. Tales form mythology became part of their life that trequently leave their conversation with them. Noorthy and seenu becomes Rama and brother laxman, needing a sita to make the picture complete. Sometimes Morrthy becomes prahalad and Hanusman. Mohandas Gandhi comes to destroy the Red-men as Krishna had the serpent Kali, Gandhi and Moorthy are compared respectively to Ram and Hanuman were as Jawaharlal to Bharath. The people believe that Gandhiji might not have to go to sea to manufacture salt because the gods might spare this ordeal even before his vow is fulfilled as they had for Harish – Chandra.

          According to a critic – "There are no exact points of correspondence in those analogies but they leave an immediate impact on the illiterate Indian villagers and explain to them the political situation of India in the twenties very successfully." According to Raja Rao Moorthy is to Gandhi as Hanuman is to Rama.

          The women folk in the village fraw inspiration from the great goddess showing tremendous courage when they come in contact with the British soldiers, Ramgamma a childless widow, the daughter of of learned father Ramkrishnayya of the Brahmin community, in the course of the novel becomes the source of inspiration not only for the women of the village but also for young men who look up to her as aunt Rangamma. She emerges as the symbol of courage and boldness or otherwise can be seen as Kenchamma the incarnate.

          Rangamma grew up listerning to her father read chapters from puranas and discussed ved with him. She used to listen to Harikatha. Were men are glorified as destroyer of evil and protector of the weak. Later, Moorthy, followed of Gandhiji, draws parallels from epics like Ramayana, Rama stands for Gandhiji, abducated sita for the country under British rule and Ravan, the demon for British rulers. Here women are depicted as weak, helpless and dependant on men. This as psychological bearing on the innocent believe that their freedom lies in the hands of men like moorthy. While males draw paralles from purans to promote nationalism reducing the participation of women to the minimum. Moorthy quote examples from purans and epic which are fictional discourse. Rangamma wide reading helps her to persuade the innocent and ignorant villagers. She educates the women of the lite led by the contemporary women of the city (west).

          If we talk about the novelist, he is a writer who uses metaphysical themes by involving characters with imaginary ideas, out looks and backgrounds. We are forced to examine the personal political, spiritual, and cutureal values in his work kanthapura. Rao contrasts Indian Philosophy and spiritualism with western society's emphasis, on dualism and rationalism. Rao's here gain his insights into the nature of identity existence illusion and reality his work contains insights emblems mantras, metaphors, and other carries of meanings and instructions that enable the individual to achieve through his own meditations a better understanding of the self through knowledge and truth.

          The central myth of Kanthapura is givien mythical background.
The myth is of Ramayan where the story goes like this Rama is the hero and sita is his wife. Laxman  is Rama's brother. The villain is Ravana In myth Ravan. In myth Ravan wants to mary sita. He goes to forest where Rama, Laxman and Sita lived.

          Taking the advantages of Sita's loneliness in the cottage Ravan kidnaps her and brings her to Lanka. To rescue Sita from Ravan. Rama, Laxman, Hanuman and other attack Lanka-Ravan's country. They rescue Sita after a long fight.

          Here in Kanthapura the central myth is of Rama-Sita, Ravan, which is used to illustrate the fight between Mahatma Gandhi and the British is Rama and Ravan. Siva is the three eyed God so is sworaj. Parvati wooed and won Siva through Penances, so does Gandhi Endeavour to attain independence, through ordeals. Independence is like Sita swllied at the hands of Ravan and Gandhi, like Rama strives to regain her. Gandhi's visit to England for the Round Table conference if like the visit to England for the Round Table conference is like the visit of Rama to Lanka after Ravan's defeat Gandhiji as per as Indian history is concerned attended the Round Table conference in order to Negotitate for Indian Freedom. British asked support in world war and gave fake promises to free us after the world war. Anyways, its history now let's come to Kanthapura's mythical mingle.

          In Gandhiji is Rama, Jawaharlal Nehru is Bharat. Further the Mahathma is called Mohandan, Mohan is lord Krishna's name. At early age of his life he defeated venomous serpent. Same way Gandhi tries to slay the serpent of the foreign rule. Here it should be noted that Rama and Krishna both are the incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Moorthy is the hero of Kanthapura who sees Lord Krishna safe on the pipal leat and Prahlad safe through the fire. Moorthy Ram and Seenu – Laxman are to be seen. The agent of the Swami also uses the notion of Ram Rajaya and of the rule of ten headed Ravan.

          The technique of story telling is Indian and like the technique of the Mahabharat and the Ramayan. it tells an interesting tale, without Punctuating and Prepositions but developing the tempo of Indian life. The technique corresponds with the theme. The grandma narrates the story, through in English is an idiom, different from that at the British and the corresponds to a generation caught in the of exploitation, injustice and slavery the yearn for independence. Kanthapura is a tediously long tale.

          The Indian sensibility is best shown in the images of Proverbs., Pharoses, indiums, Pictures and literal translation of Indian expression. The image are drawn from Indian mythology, legends, history and natural Phenomena found in India. It is in the image that the three strands of the story are clothed. The all embracing character of the Indian religion is conveyed through the installation and consecration of the Linya, the Rama festival, the Krishna festival and many other marked mass celebration, congregational Prayer, Drawing all segments of the society of Kanthapura to a comman frown.

          The temile has always been a seat of ancient culture & it is still a source of solace & comfort for the troubled humanity. The Kanthapuraians installed a 'Lingam' in first sighted by Moorthy, & they come everyday for Bhajans & Harikathas & religious – cum – Political meetings Moorthy fasts on the verandah of the temple which lated becomes a centre of strong political activity.

          Ranga Gowda is the symbol of commonsense & stolidity, a sort of Sardar Patel to Moorthy, the village Mahatma. The river Himavathy is her self a Presence & the Goddess kenchmma of the Hill, the Protectoress of the People & guardian of Kanthapura is also a Presence.

          Kanthapura's puranic texture is reflected in its abundant application of the Hindu myths & legends.           

               Conclusion :

          Raja Rao skillfully expolits the traditional mythological device in driving home a point an well as the south Indian folk idom in making the action of the novel authentic artistically conkncing. It is a beautiful combination of fact & fiction, myth & history.

          Kanthapura is Raja Rao's Ramayan.