Kanthapura (Paperback)

Raja Rao

ISBN 10: 0811201686 / ISBN 13: 9780811201681

Published by New Directions Publishing Corporation, New York, 1967

About this Item

Paperback. Kanthapura is the story of how Gandhi's struggle for independence from the British came to a typical village, Kanthapura, in South India. Young Moorthy, back from the city with "new ideas," cuts across the ancient barriers of caste to unite the villagers in non-violent actionwhich is met with violence by landlords and police. The dramatic tale unfolds in a poetic, almost mythical style which conveys as never before the rich textures of Indian rural life. The narrator is an old woman, imbued with the legendary history of the region, who knows the past of all the characters and comments on their actions with sharp-eyed wisdom. Her narrative, and the way she tells it, evokes the spirit of India's traditional folk-epics. This edition includes extensive notes on Indian myths, religion, social customs, and the Independence movement (given at the end of the book) which fill out the background for the American reader's more complete understanding and enjoyment. Raja Rao's Kanthapura is one of the finest novels to come out of mid-twentieth century India. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9780811201681

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Kanthapura (Paperback)
• Publisher: New Directions Publishing Corporation, New York
• Publication Date: 1967
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0811201686
• ISBN 13: 9780811201681
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

Raja Rao’s Kanthapura is one of the finest novels to come out of mid-twentieth century India.

Kanthapura is the story of how Gandhi’s struggle for independence from the British came to a typical village, Kanthapura, in South India. Young Moorthy, back from the city with "new ideas," cuts across the ancient barriers of caste to unite the villagers in non-violent action––which is met with violence by landlords and police. The dramatic tale unfolds in a poetic, almost mythical style which conveys as never before the rich textures of Indian rural life. The narrator is an old woman, imbued with the legendary history of the region, who knows the past of all the characters and comments on their actions with sharp-eyed wisdom. Her narrative, and the way she tells it, evokes the spirit of India’s traditional folk-epics. This edition includes extensive notes on Indian myths, religion, social customs, and the Independence movement (given at the end of the book) which fill out the background for the American reader’s more complete understanding and enjoyment.

From the Back Cover

This is the story of how Ghandi's struggle for independence from the British came to a typical village, Kanthapura, in South India. This edition includes extensive notes on Indian myths, religion, social customs, and the Independence movement which fill out the background for the American reader's more complete understanding and enjoyment.