Ashok
Ashok, a Jain monk, has abandoned his billionaire lifestyle to embrace asceticism. As Mehta describes in the glossary of The River Sutra, Jainism is an "Indian religion of extreme antiquity." Followers of Jainism adhere to the teachings of Mahavira, a religious reformer from around 500 B.C., who parted ways with Hinduism due to its rigid caste system that segregated individuals into distinct social classes. Jain monks strive to relinquish all sense of self by adhering to stringent ascetic practices. Through self-denial, which involves begging for sustenance and severing all ties with loved ones, they pursue enlightenment. Living according to the principle of "ahimsa," or nonviolence, these monks pledge not to harm any living being. To ensure this, they wear muslin masks over their mouths to prevent accidentally killing any insects that might fly into their mouths.
The monk is likely only around thirty years old, yet he has already grown weary of a life that provided him with everything he desired: immense wealth, a caring family, and opportunities to improve others' lives through charity. He has consciously chosen to become a monk in a faith where, as fellow monks remind him, he will endure "cold, hunger, heat, thirst, sickness." Ashok deems these sacrifices meaningful because, in his renunciation, as the same monks assure him, he "will be free from doubt...delusion...extremes." He takes the significant step of becoming an ascetic because, once his previously frozen heart is warmed by "compassion...for the human helplessness that links us all," he experiences a profound connection to the world for the first time. His renunciation of worldly life, paradoxically, represents a celebration of that newfound connection.
Other Characters
Naga Baba
The narrator is astonished to discover that the esteemed Narmada River scholar, Professor Shankar, is actually the same individual as the ascetic hermit, Naga Baba. Known for renouncing worldly possessions, Naga Baba wandered through the countryside, covering himself in cremation ashes and relying on alms for survival. In contrast, Professor Shankar appears to be a modern expert on the Narmada River, skeptical of its associated myths, while Naga Baba's life was devoted to spiritual pursuits. However, Professor Shankar explains that he has returned to worldly life, realizing that true enlightenment comes from engaging with humanity and the hustle of life. His journey for spiritual insight, which initially drove him to become an ascetic, ultimately led him back to the society he once left behind. It seems that the girl, Uma, whom Naga Baba rescued from a brothel, played a significant role in teaching him this valuable lesson. Tariq Mia reflects that the ascetic found no greater enlightenment than his bond with the mistreated girl. In many respects, the mullah's observation is accurate. By loving and caring for her, Naga Baba abandoned his solitary life. Teaching her the river's songs and traditions brought him back to his previous career as an archaeologist. Through love, Naga Baba reclaimed his place in the world, once again becoming the renowned Professor Shankar.
Nitin Bose
A tea merchant, Nitin Bose is sent by his uncle to recover at the narrator's Government rest house. Initially perceived as insane, Nitin Bose claims to be a woman to the authorities. Once a young executive in Calcutta, he seems to have lost his sanity while managing a tea plantation in the secluded Himalayan foothills. Immersed in the region's folklore, Nitin Bose can no longer distinguish between reality and mythological tales. After years of celibacy, he imagines a serpent-like woman visiting his bed each night, unsure if she is real or a figment of his imagination. Upon realizing he has been intimate with Rima,...
(This entire section contains 2808 words.)
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a peasant woman, he is repulsed by the affair. Repelled by her low caste, Nitin insists that the spell she cast over him is broken. Yet, part of the fantasy lingers, leading Nitin to believe Rima has captured his soul. Clinging to this belief, he arrives at the rest house, hoping the tribal people will use their ancient rituals to liberate him. His transgression was not rejecting Rima, but denying the power of desire. By making offerings to the goddess of desire, Bose hopes to regain his sanity and wholeness.
Mr. Chagla
Mr. Chagla, the clerk of the narrator, travels 19 kilometers daily from his hometown of Rudra to the Government rest house. His energetic demeanor starkly contrasts with the narrator's passive observations. Often, Mr. Chagla educates the narrator about the traditions of the tribes and the lifestyle of the villagers. Despite his lower professional and social standing, Mr. Chagla seems to grasp the essence of life more profoundly than his superior. He explains to the narrator, "But, sir, without desire there is no life. Everything will stand still. Become emptiness. In fact sir, be dead." This is a lesson the narrator has yet to understand.
The Courtesan
This elderly woman recounts her traditional training in the art of love. Her role was to "teach nobleman good manners," distinguishing her from a typical prostitute. She claims that becoming a courtesan allowed her to be "more accomplished than any woman in India." However, with cultural shifts, the art of love diminished in value, and courtesans were reduced to mere prostitutes: "Trained as scholars, artists, musicians, dancers, we are only women to [vulgar men], our true function to heave on a mattress and be recompensed by some tawdry necklace flashing its vulgarity on a crushed pillow."
Still cherishing her craft, the courtesan instructed her daughter in the art of love while shielding her from men. When her daughter is abducted, it feels as if she has lost her art for the second time.
The Courtesan's Daughter
This stunning young woman, kidnapped by a criminal, falls in love with her abductor. Like her mother, she was trained in the art of love, but her grace and elegance clash with the notorious bandit who has taken her. The bandit, Rahul Singh, believes they are destined to be together, having shared tragic love in many past lives. She falls deeply in love with him, but he is soon killed by the police, causing her to lose the child she was carrying. The narrator is drawn to her but is also repulsed by her courtesan nature. She appears manipulative, as if she can feign love without truly feeling it. The narrator is uncertain whether to pity her or trust her story of love. However, when he discovers her plan to avenge her husband's killers and sees that "all the artifice had dropped from her demeanor. Now her eyes had the desperation of a trapped animal," he believes in her sincerity. When she leaps into the Narmada River to end her life, he hopes, along with her mother, that "she would be purified of all her sins."
The Great Sahib
A wealthy music enthusiast offers Master Mohan 5000 rupees to have Imrat perform for him. Master Mohan is wary of the great sahib's servant who comes to make the request and declines the offer. However, Master Mohan's wife, driven by greed, arranges for Imrat to sing. Captivated by Imrat's voice, the great sahib exclaims, "Such a voice is not human. What will happen to music if this is the standard by which god judges us?" Then, without explanation, he kills Imrat by slitting his throat. Being a man of wealth, he faces no consequences for his actions.
Imrat
Imrat, a blind boy, sings devotional Muslim songs with a voice likened to that of an angel. His life has been fraught with tragedy—his father perished in a flood, and his sister had to leave him behind. Despite this, Imrat finds joy in singing. His dream is to perform a song his father taught him at the tomb of the Muslim Saint, Amir Rumi, and to earn enough money to reunite with his sister. Tragically, he is murdered by a wealthy madman who, as Tariq Mia believes, killed his "object of worship so no one but himself can enjoy it." Imrat represents innocence and love, and his pure aspirations clash with a corrupt world, ending the most perfect voice his devoted music teacher ever heard.
Imrat's Sister
Unable to care for her blind brother, Imrat's sister moves to Calcutta to work as a maid. She pleads with Master Mohan to look after Imrat and hopes to soon earn enough money to bring her brother back to live with her.
Master Mohan's Wife
Master Mohan's shrewish wife blames him for their financial struggles. Born into wealth, she constantly reminds him of her shame in his inability to provide. Her greed and malice lead her to send Imrat to the unnamed "great Sahib," who ultimately kills the boy. Unable to face returning home to his wife and children who despise him, Master Mohan chooses to end his own life rather than return from Tariq Mia's mosque.
Tariq Mia
Tariq Mia is an elderly Muslim scholar who regularly meets with the narrator for chess games and philosophical discussions. Residing in a Muslim village not far from the narrator's Government rest house, he introduces his friend to the music of Amir Rumi, a revered Muslim Saint whose tomb is next to Tariq Mia's mosque. During their lengthy chess matches, Tariq often bursts into song and attempts to impart the meaning of life to the narrator, frequently returning to the central theme of love. Through his tales, he illustrates that the "capacity to love" is one of life's greatest gifts. By the novel's conclusion, the narrator distances himself from Tariq Mia, perceiving the man and his village as "frozen in time, untouched by the events of the larger world." Nevertheless, Tariq Mia's own ability to love, evident in his teachings and passion for spiritual music, indicates that he is more connected to the world than the narrator. He challenges the narrator, asking, "How can you say you have given up the world when you know so little of it?"
Misfortune
Refer to Uma
Dr. Mitra
Dr. Mitra, a skeptical local physician, abandoned a prominent career to work in relative anonymity. He takes pleasure in the tales about the Narmada River. According to the narrator, Dr. Mitra "claims that he encounters more intriguing patients here than he could ever hope to find in Delhi or Bombay, and whenever he recounts meeting a pilgrim with only one-third of a body or some particularly dreadful form of elephantiasis, his eyes light up with excitement as if he is describing a masterpiece."
Mohammed-sahib
Mohammed-sahib accompanies Master Mohan to a music festival where they encounter Imrat. He advises Master Mohan to defy his wife's anger and bring the young musical prodigy home. The paanwallah, however, is skeptical of Mohammed-sahib's advice, noting, "It is easy for him to give advice when it costs him nothing." This cynicism seems justified when Mohammed-sahib, afraid of his own wife's temper, later refuses to let Imrat stay at his house.
Master Mohan
Master Mohan, a music teacher from Calcutta, visits the tomb of the Muslim Saint Amir Rumi, located beside Tariq Mia's mosque. Emotionally distressed, he shares his troubles with Tariq. Years later, Tariq Mia recounts Master Mohan's story to the narrator, a narrative filled with themes of love, suffering, and loss. Despite being a music teacher who never achieved fame, Master Mohan finds happiness, affection, and purpose after adopting a blind boy with an extraordinary voice. Through the child’s music, Master Mohan reconnects with the world. However, the boy's tragic murder plunges him into despair. Master Mohan visits the mosque to offer the boy's recorded voice to the Muslim Saint, as Imrat couldn't fulfill his dream of singing at Amir Rumi's tomb. Subsequently, he takes his own life by stepping in front of a train. When the narrator asks why, Tariq Mia responds, "Perhaps he could not exist without loving someone as he had loved the blind child. I don't know the answer, little brother. It is only a story about the human heart."
The Monk
See Ashok
The Monk's Father
A wealthy diamond merchant, unnamed in the story, attempts to convince his son to remain in his world and not join the Jain monks. The son is partly attracted to Jain asceticism due to what he perceives as his father's hypocrisy. The father claims to follow the doctrine of ahimsa, choosing to be a merchant to avoid harming any living being, unlike a farmer. However, the son sees the poor conditions in which the diamond workers live and holds his father accountable. Despite rejecting his father, the monk eventually grasps the true essence of ahimsa. His father's grief over losing his son is described as "melted the numbness that froze my heart." The father's lack of understanding of Ashok's decision is evident in the extravagant celebrations he hosts for his son's renunciation of worldly life. He distributes diamond chips and pearls to the crowd gathered for his son's initiation into the Jain sect, believing he is doing a good deed. However, he fails to anticipate the ensuing chaos: riots as the peasants scramble to collect more.
Moonlight
See Uma
The Musician
This female musician possesses a lovely figure, but her face is notably unattractive. Enthralled by her father's musical talents, she eagerly becomes his student at the tender age of six. She recounts how she was taught to perceive the world through the lens of music, interpreting the Hindu deities and nature as creators of melodies. In later years, she realizes that "Through music, [my father] tried to free me from my own image so I could love music wherever it was to be found, even if it was not present in my own mirror." When it becomes clear that no one desires to wed the unattractive girl, her father tells her that he "will be giving [her] as wife to...the gods of music." However, the musician falls in love with her father's student, as the music they create together transcends the physical realm and bonds them in a spiritual symphony. Their music complements each other perfectly. They become engaged, fulfilling her father's requirement for accepting the man as his student, and they appear on the brink of genuine happiness. Yet, the pupil ultimately leaves her. Heartbroken, the musician distances herself from her music, feeling let down by the harmony that could not uphold her love.
The Musician's Father
A strict mentor, the musician's father insists that his daughter must first perceive the music of the natural and spiritual world before she can begin creating her own. As a patient educator, he shares his deep passion for music with his daughter. When her heart is shattered by her fiancé, the father attempts to rekindle her love for music. He takes her to the Narmada River, hoping it will mend her spirit, but his affectionate efforts seem in vain. She feels betrayed not only by love but also by the music her father taught her to cherish and revere.
The Musician's Fiancé
This music student becomes engaged to the musician as a condition to study under her father. He appears to fall for the musician, despite her plain appearance, because her music harmonizes beautifully with his. However, he ultimately undermines the power of their shared music and love by leaving the musician for another woman.
The Musician's Mother
A traditional mother, she is troubled by her daughter's lack of beauty. She worries about her daughter's prospects of finding a husband.
The Narrator
The unnamed narrator was once a prominent bureaucrat until his wife passed away. Left without family or purpose, he contemplates withdrawing from life entirely. Lacking the resolve to fully embrace the life of a Hindu hermit and abandon all worldly comforts, he instead assumes control of a government rest house along the Narmada River. In this relative seclusion, he becomes an observer, gathering tales of human love and suffering without truly experiencing these emotions himself. Each story he hears—whether about religious, familial, sexual, or eternal love—further highlights his own inability to connect with the world through love. As he watches the Narmada River, revered as the daughter of the Hindu god Shiva, he observes life passing by yet feels unable to partake in it.
The Paanwallah
This street vendor, who sells traditional Indian digestive paan, encourages Master Mohan to seek some joy, advising him to attend a music festival. Later, he claims credit for Master Mohan's support of the blind singer Imrat. He holds onto Imrat's earnings to prevent Master Mohan's wife from taking them.
Rima
Rima is a woman with a serpent-like allure who visits Nitin Bose's bed at night. Familiar with the folklore of the Himalayan foothills, this peasant woman, married to a laborer, captivates Nitin with her tales and her skills in lovemaking. After Nitin rejects her, Rima entices him into the moonlight, claiming she has trapped his soul in a coconut shell. Her low caste and tribal lineage make her simultaneously appealing and repellent to Nitin.
Mr. Sen
Mr. Sen, an overseer on a tea plantation, translates the peasants' songs for Nitin Bose.
Dr. V. V. Shankar
Refer to Naga Baba.
Ashok
Ashok, a board member of a tea company, attempts to convince Nitin Bose to leave the tea plantation and return to Calcutta. When Nitin declines, Ashok tells him, "You are definitely going mad." Although Ashok seems crude, his words prove to be prophetic.
Shashi
Shashi, an old school friend of Mr. Chagla, serves as a police officer in the town of Rudra.
Sheela
Sheela is one of the young female assistants working with Professor Shankar.
Rahul Singh
Rahul Singh is a notorious bandit who hides with his gang in an uninhabited forest along the Narmada River. He kidnaps the Courtesan's daughter, believing she was his wife in a previous life. The intensity of his love captivates her. Eventually, he is killed by the police.
Uma
Uma, referred to as "Misfortune" by her father, is sold to a brothel when she is still a child. She endures repeated sexual assaults by male clients, which leaves her terrified of men and fearful of the world around her. Sensing her suffering, the Naga Baba intervenes, demanding the brothel's owner release the girl, threatening to curse the establishment if she refuses. He takes Uma to the Narmada River, proclaiming it as her new mother. As a servant of the river, Uma learns its myths and songs. Through the Naga Baba's compassion and care, Uma recovers and escapes the dreadful future of child prostitution. She transforms into a river minstrel, preserving the tales of the river that rescued her.