U. R. Anantha Murthy is a well known figure in Kannada Literature. Jnanpith awardee and a teacher by profession, he was also the chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India. His name is often associated with Navya Movement. His present work Samskara - A Rite for a Dead Man is a classic in Indian Literature. Originally written in Kannada, published in 1965, it was translated into umpteen languages and also make into a movie by the same name.
Thanks to the well known Indian Poet and Translator, A. K. Ramanujan I got the privilege of reading this master piece.
A book with a direct reference to religion is likely to be controversial.
‘Samskara – A Rite for a Dead Man’ though refers to the former, vividly escapes from what one may call dissension. Religion is deeply rooted in Indian thinking and when one may discuss religion, its Hinduism that belongs to the oldest school of thought.
We often make religion our identity and fail to remember that it was meant to make life more sane and stable. This is as simple as introducing the fear of evil in children to help them become good.
Samskara is not for everyone, it covers everything that religion may call dark, it talks about death, cremation but that isn’t all. In a way it is too close to life, too close to reality. It is for the readers who are ready to accept religion as an aspect to revamp life.
The Story covers a lot many aspects that may live with the readers even after finishing the book. I am presenting a few aspects along with the storyline; I hope that helps in getting an idea of the story.
Key Elements of Samskara :
1. Saints exists in Every Religion: No religion teaches a man to kill, steal or be brutal. Not all Saints are Fake and vice versa. Praneshacharya, the protagonist is a Brahmin who holds a respectable position in Agrahara (Land assigned to Brahmins for their maintenance, exclusively for their settlement). Apart from giving his daily sermon, his routine includes taking care of his bed ridden wife. His peaceful routine is disrupted when he is informed of a death in Agrahara.
2. Death – Change of Events : Death of Naranappa causes bewilderment among the Brahmins. He, though was a Brahmin, never performed any sacred duty and worse was his attitude to challenge people and their beliefs. He did everything that Brahmins’ termed blasphemous, lived with a low caste woman (Chandri), ate meat, polluted holy river and also was the major reason for spoiling the young minds of Agrahara.
3. Impact of Death : Performing Naranappa’s death rite was now the duty of Agrahara and with this we are exposed to the real character of the people who claim to be a part of the higher section of the social order. As a basic belief the adults in Agrahara didn’t eat a morsel because the death rites were yet to be performed.
4. Caste Never Determines Character : Chandri was there too, her kind act of giving the gold she was wearing added fuel to the fire. She wasn’t aware of the resultant her action.
5. Greed, an Instrument to Judge a Character : Chandri’s Gold becomes the metaphor for man’s materialistic and dark intentions. People who once didn’t like to associate themselves with Naranappa are now ready to take the charge of performing the rites.
6. Hunger for Food Precedes Everything: Dasacharya was unable to bear the hunger comes up with a solution. But will Praneshacharya accept it?
7. Love, Devotion and Respect Lives Forever : The only thing that bothered Chandri was the delay in performing the rites. Will she take a step ahead and defy the laws?
8. A Sin isn’t a Sin when there Exists no Witness: Everyman desires a clean identity. Shripati was Naranappa’s secret friend. This relationship though was cherished by Shripati as he spent some quality time drinking with Naranappa. He wasn’t aware of Naranappa’s untimely death.
9. A Pragmatic Action requires both Thinking and Time: Praneshacharya thoroughly read everything he had but couldn’t come up with an answer. He then asks the Brahmins to have a word with an Acharya in a nearby village. The Brahmins leave and then Praneshacharya’s visits a nearby temple, on his way back he meets Chandri and his life changes.
10. An Escape from Reality is What Man Needs to Come Back to Senses : Agrahara is no longer the same, one death after the other, it was plague that caused it all. Praneshacharya’s sick wife was no more. He carried the guilt and now decides to leave the Agrahara and go where his feet take him.
11.Fear of Being Discovered: Praneshacharya left Agrahara but was scared of getting identified. In course of his walk he is reminded of his friend Mahabala who once was a close friend gaining spiritual knowledge with him, changed his ways for a woman.
He has an urge to search for Chandri as he had never searched for any Dharma.
12. A New Identity isn’t Easy to Build: He meets a Villager named Putta who engages him in conversations he isn’t interested in. Praneshacharya tries his best to get away with him but fails. He becomes a Simile of the Sins in his Past.
Praneshacharya : Which way are you going?
Putta: This way (Pointing towards a Path)
Praneshacharya pointed the other and said “That is mine”
Putta: “Both go to Melige, one is a little roundabout that’s all. I am in no hurry.”
Praneshacharya portrays a round character that evolves with the story. He depicts the identity of a stable man, a man who knows how to lead a life, a man who is aware of his actions.
A sensible person isn't the one who is sane all the time, he is someone who is stable enough to control his actions after realizing he is wrong. An ability to understand self is what one may learn by reading this master piece. The description of the situation and the language adds on to the delight of the readers.On a negative side, it might be too much for readers who prefer light reading.
If Indian Writing in English is your cup of tea then Samskara wil be a good evening snack..
Happy Reading!~
~$/\M~
