BHARATHIPURA an exemplary novel

Bharathipura a masterpiece by the great novelist India has seen in the recent times. I was waiting and hoping that he will win the award, when  he was shortlisted as the finalists of the Booker award. This was an original Kannada novel published in 1973 and translated by Susheela Puneetha and published by Oxford press. Before this I had read Samskara , Bava and Ghatashradda written by U.R.Ananthamurthy.

It is a story set up in a small town Bharathipura with the mixed caste and communities as in most of the Indian towns. There is one central main temple of Manjunatha which everyone worships. The protagonist Jagannatha a rich Brahmin and the trustee of the temple returns back from London after his studies. The London stay and his interest in Russel and others had transformed him into a liberal Hindu wanting to bring some change in the small town of Bharathipura by taking the Holeyaru inside the temple.

A book trying to bring out the sensibilities of the caste system in practice beyond the polished façade of hypocrisy in Indian society. It is the story of the internal struggle the protagonist Jaganatha undergoes to bring about the revolutionary changes in the small town of Bharathipura. Mr Jaganatha tries to motivate the untouchables to enter the famous temple of the town Bharathipura without much support and opposition from his near and dear ones.

One of the masterly work on the theme of the systematic management of caste system in India. The way the author deals with the emotions of the holeyaru and the Brahmins is touching. It is as if we are undressing in print to bring out the things which the modern society would prefer not to hear or speak openly.

 The characterization of Jagannatha , Adiga and Sripathi Rao along with the holeyaru was spotless as much as possible. I myself till date did not know so many things of elite Hindu culture which is written in the book. At some places it may drag because of the pace reduces but the ending picks up to keep the reader going.

Book is interesting read if you are inclined towards the social issues. The plot and the characters are well made which can pull us through the 289 pages. An excellent work by an Indian writer which can be compared to any of the best books the English literature has seen.