Set in the decades leading up to attaining independence, Rao’s novel presents the goal as the primary focus of many, but not all, the town’s people. The philosophy behind Gandhi’s movement is the motivation for Moorthy and those who choose to follow him. Rao presents the risks that people take in joining the movement, which include losing their limited possessions and property and even their personal freedom or their lives. He shows how the recommended practices, such as making their own thread and cloth, correspond with the ideals that the believers feel are essential for liberation, both within themselves and for their country.

While those who campaign for independence are clearly in the vanguard of social thought, as they reject the very premise of foreign imperial rule, the underlying premises are not so neatly drawn in black and white. Some of the characters who oppose the Gandhian movement do so on progressive grounds, claiming that its ideals are backward-looking and will limit India’s progress. Instead, they pin their hopes on reforming the colonial system or maximizing the benefits they derive from it. The theme of gender relations as representative of modern ideas is also complicated. Achakka can become involved in the movement in part because her high Brahmin status gives her opportunities others lack, but she bases her involvement on traditional values.

Tightly intertwined with the idea of tradition, religion serves both as a conservative brake on change and as a progressive force. Moorthy exemplifies a Brahmin who enters the movement largely because religious beliefs prod his conscience into political action. The core concepts that Gandhi emphasized, such as the peaceful respect for all living beings (ahimsa), are translated into political doctrine. Moorthy’s ability to teach from Hindu scripture, for example, increases his credibility among the townspeople who would reject straightforward Marxist class analysis. The underlying notion that religious conviction is the bedrock of rebellion or revolt carries through the whole novel.