The ‘Christian novel’ in Kannada

Hemalathe-Prabhakara, a novel written by G. N. Savanoor in 1904, is Kannada literature’s contribution to the small sub-genre of novels in the course of the early days of the novel in India that may very well be referred to as the ‘Christian Novel.’ Nearly all Indian languages have at the least one novel throughout this era that not solely offers with the backwardness of Hindu society and wish for social change, however extra importantly, talks about equality in Christianity and a lifetime of peace and concord in a non-hierarchical faith beneath a benevolent and simply god. These novels have been largely written by Hindu writers transformed to Christianity and a few by international missionaries themselves.

Hemalatha is a younger widow who was married to a 65-year previous Jagirdar when she was solely 5 years previous. The Jagirdar had died inside a 12 months of getting married to Hemalatha. Hemalatha is now 14 years previous and it’s now, 9 years later that her household has learnt that her husband had died. She attends the ladies’ faculty and is essentially the most clever woman in her class. Hemalatha doesn’t need to reside like a widow with a tonsured head, consuming as soon as a day, doing rituals at house, and fasting. Her mom, Kashibai, agrees, however doesn’t need her to attend faculty anymore. Violet Goodwill, referred to as Goodwill Missy, a missionary and a trainer on the faculty, additionally a well-wisher, provides to come back house and educate her. Kashibai is just not too happy as a result of Goodwill is taken into account untouchable as she is a Christian and a foreigner, and as Brahmins they’d get polluted, however for the sake of her daughter she accepts.

Hemalatha’s father, Janardhanachari’s foremost occupation is match-making and his forte is discovering pre-pubertal younger brides for very previous males, who’re prepared to pay excessive bride-prices. He is called ‘maiden service provider’ among the many educated class. He’s in opposition to Hemalatha going to highschool and studying English, and when he involves know that Goodwill involves their home to show Hemalatha, he’s furious and sends Kashibai away to her brother’s city. He additionally places an finish to Hemalatha’s studying at house.

In the mean time, their city is besieged by plague and Janardhanachari dies of the illness and Kashibai comes again to Bangalore. Goodwill helps them to restart their lives and in addition persuades them to maneuver away from their darkish, airless, and unhygienic giant home to a greater home with pure mild and recent air. Kashibai has now come to just accept that schooling is necessary for girls and resumes Hemalatha’s classes at house. She too begins studying Kannada and in addition begins pondering critically about Hemalatha’s remarriage to an informed younger man.

Prabhakara is a progressive and idealistic younger man finding out for his BA diploma in a school on the town. He lives in the identical neighbourhood as Hemalatha appear to love one another. Prabhakara at that time was not conscious that she is a widow. Prabhakara’s mom Yamunabai has orthodox views about girls studying to learn and write, caste air pollution, performing rituals, and superiority of the Brahmin caste. Prabhakara’s father Madhavarao works and lives in Pune. Prabhakara feels strongly about schooling for girls and is appalled on the backwardness of the Hindu group, its caste system, its stunning remedy of girls, bride-price, and superstitious beliefs, rituals and practices of his Brahmin caste. He desires to herald some change and is prepared to set an instance.

Prabhakara doesn’t imagine in idol worship and feels that god is omniscient and one can pray to god in any method, in any language. On his method to Madras to jot down his BA exams, he meets Rev. Vedamitrayya, a Christian priest, on the prepare. He discusses his dilemmas with him extensively. When Rev. Vedamitrayya asks him if he wish to convert to Christianity, Prabhakara says that he has no readability now and he wish to know extra concerning the faith. The priest presents him a replica of The Bible and asks him to learn it totally. He asks him to satisfy Goodwill, in order that he can converse to her about Christianity when he goes again to Bangalore. He meets Goodwill and tells her about his views and want for change.

Prabhakara good points admission in a legislation school in Madras to pursue his diploma in legislation. When Kashibai discloses that she is focused on getting Hemalatha remarried, Goodwill thinks of Prabhakara and summons him to Bangalore. Hemalatha and Prabhakara meet one another and with Kashibai’s blessings, they get married in Madras. The marriage itself was a easy ceremony, however officiated by Brahmin monks who had come from Rajahmundry. It’s talked about that an necessary individual from Rajahmundry delivered a chat on widow remarriage within the night. Remarkably, the complete wedding ceremony occasion is described in a single brief paragraph. Prabhakara is now proven as a profitable lawyer, agency, however type to poor litigants. Each Hemalatha and Prabhakara proceed their liking for Christianity. They’ve eschewed idol worship and pray to an omniscient god in their very own method. Prabhakara has Biblical quotes and photos of kids kneeling down and praying on the partitions of his workplace. Because the novel closes, the authorial voice says that Hemalatha and Prabhakara haven’t but transformed to Christianity because of group {and professional} anxieties, however have accepted Christianity wholeheartedly, and a few day sooner or later they’d settle for Jesus as their protector.

The novel contrasts Hinduism and Christianity utilizing a set of sturdy and vocal characters, however regardless of Hemalatha’s, Prabhakara’s, and Kashibai’s sharp views concerning the backwardness of Brahminical practices and beliefs, their anxieties concerning faith and caste don’t appear to go away, extra so of caste. When Goodwill talks about Prabhakara to Hemalatha and vice-versa, each need to know if the opposite is a Brahmin; Kashibai even asks if he’s a ‘deshasta Brahmin.’ Even when Rev. Vedamitrayya provides him a room to remain in his quarters Prabhakara is hesitant and understanding this, Vedamitrayya provides to speak to his Brahmin neighour and arranges for him to remain there. When Goodwill talks to Prabhakara about Hemalatha, he wonders if she is a Christian convert, and tells himself that he would by no means marry a Christian woman. Hemalatha’s and Prabhakara’s wedding ceremony is carried out by Brahmin monks. They’re prepared to comply with ‘Christian practices,’ because the writer appears to recommend by means of their ‘kneel-down’ prayer postures, praying in their very own language with out mentioning any god’s title or dealing with any idol or in a pooja room, and even depicting Biblical themes and quotes on the partitions. At some stage, the novel means that it’s troublesome to shake off the coils of caste.

Nearly nothing is thought about G. N. Savanoor. Among the many handful of books on Kannada Arunodaya literature, just one guide to date, R. Y. Dharawadakar’s Hosagannada Sahityada Udayakala (1975), mentions this novel. Bearing in mind the writer’s title and the Kannada used within the novel, Dharawadakar speculates that Savanoor would in all probability have had his roots in north Karnataka, however his ancestors may have migrated to the previous Mysore province.

There may be a variety of letter-writing within the novel by Prabhakara, Goodwill, and Hemalatha, and in addition letters from readers appreciating a serial-story written by Hemalatha within the newspaper edited by Goodwill, suggesting that literacy was gaining floor in city areas at the least. Hemalatha is seen studying Pandita Ramabai’s Stree Dharma Neeti and Yatrikana Sanchara, the Kannada translation of John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. We additionally get to see two giant cities in India in the course of the early days of the twentieth century with their academic establishments, rail and postal techniques in place, print media, and different paraphernalia that we acquired throughout this era of colonial modernity.

Hemalathe-Prabhakara succeeds in portraying a widow remarriage, a easy wedding ceremony, a younger woman changing into a author, her older mom studying to learn and write, and a profitable and clever younger man setting an instance for his group.

(A scanned copy of Hemalathe-Prabhakara is positioned right here https://eap.bl.uk/project/EAP673)

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S. Jayasrinivasa Rao is a literary historian and translator dwelling in Hyderabad. He’s a trainer at Aurora’s Technological & Analysis Institute, Hyderabad. esjeisiri.row@gmail.com