The novel Kanthapura by Raja Rao is a tale of uprising and overcoming oppression in Indian Society. In the town of Kanthapura, the people are very oppressed, and the British invade, making things significantly worse. While there is much rebellion and activism, the ending of the novel is especially poignant in this regard.
The women of Kanthapura come together as a united force in spite of their differing castes after the British invasion and the killing of many of the men in the village. They resist mightily, even burning down their own village as they march further on in defiance of the British and an effort to start a new life. After over a year of violence and destruction against them, the women maintain their activism, and, upon the return of Patel Gowda (one of the men from village who had been imprisoned), they feel themselves blessed by their god...
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because they have remained steadfast against their oppressors.
Kanthapura is a novel written in the style of the oral traditions of India. Narrated in flashbacks by a woman named Achakka, the story discusses Gandhi’s passive resistance against the British government, the rural setting in which the narrator lives, and the traditions common to India that are partly rooted in their religion. Kenchamma plays a particularly strong role in the story. She is cited as the protector of the village and is invoked in every chapter. The book follows political changes in India as Gandhi’s teachings spread. The government cracks down on those following Gandhi’s principles, claiming that those principles are actually provoking violence in the region. The government is essentially trying to crack down on those protesting the injustices they face under the foreign government that is in power. The book climaxes in with a crackdown as soldiers march on the village. Despite the violence, a year after the crackdown, India continues to protest for its independence. The return of one of the male heroes of the village, Patel Range Gowda, is considered by the villagers to be a blessing from Kenchamma.