Kanooru Heggadati by Kuvempu is no short of a marvel in the literary world of India. Indian authors of the modern world haven’t succeeded much in making a mark in the international scenario except a select few like Salman Rushdie and Kiran Desai but it is arguable that even their works are internationally acclaimed because of certain political and social statements they make through their works.
If only we knew better than to scour just the English literature produced in India for wonderful works. A world of masterpieces await us in the vernacular bookstores – just where you will find Kanooru Heggadati by Kuvempu, published way back in 1936 – but remains an absolutely timeless classic.
Kuvempu, Kannada literature’s badge of honour, has a distinct style of storytelling that you know is grounded in a deep understanding and love for Kannada literature. Kanooru Heggadati overflows with his excellence in storytelling and envisioning aesthetic frames through words. It is the story of Hoovayya and Ramayya who return to their lethargic manor in Malenadu after having acquired modern education. Malenadu is as beautiful as ever, but not devoid of problems that threaten to engulf their progressive thoughts and possible actions. Chandrayya Gowda, the male of Kanooru manor plays contextual villain as he embodies the traditionalist feudal structure and everything toxic that the society had, including male chauvinism. He marries for the third time to a much younger woman named Subbamma who eventually becomes the lady of the manor.
Kanooru Heggadati is a special book because it is Kuvempu’s intent tribute to modernism, published even before Indian independence. Kuvempu subtly yet intently addressed casteism and feminism in his own sometimes satirical and sometimes comical way in the book. The straightforward storyline of Kanooru Heggadati itself advocates better times for Malenadu. The far sightedness in plot creation and the unparalleled style of descriptive narrative sets Kuvempu’s works apart, even though he has authored only two novels in his entire lifetime. (Kanooru Heggadati in 1936 and Malegalalli Madumagalu in 1967).
Hoovayya and Ramayya are Kuvempu’s rather complex protagonists who he brilliantly places as subtle radicals who raise an eyebrow at the traditional concerns of a rural Indian society. We can witness the impacts of spiritual gurus such as Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Swami Vivekananda on Kuvempu shape these characters. A bildungsroman approach can be witnessed with the character of Hoovayya who seems to be greatly confused about everything initially but eventually finds his grounding that culminates his education, Gandhian values and his love for his home town. Seethe, their love interest from childhood, is placed as a means to uncover the impeccable beauty of Malenadu that Kuvempu understood with what can be called a scientific undertone. The detailing of Kanooru and its characters is undoubtedly the highlight of the novel. Minor characters such as Shetty, Jois, Gange, other labourers who frequent the manor, the animals and birds that share space with the people blend into the storyline with such ease that we can barely put the book down. Not to mention Subbamma, the young wife who marries Chandrayya Gowda and has to find her own way through the household and life and ends up becoming a gray character. Even though the title of the novel mentions her (she being the authority figure of Kanooru), Subbamma barely has any importance in the novel and appears with important roles just a few times. However, Kuvempu does exhibit a great deal of compassion towards his female characters and understands the motives behind their actions (in case of Subbamma) and also the agony of living in a loveless marriage (in case of Seethe).
Somehow, a book from 1930s seems like it might be a distant entity that we might be unable to connect to, and yet, the values underlining the story of Kanooru Heggadati remain relevant till date. In its own way, the novel is futuristic and socially relevant without ever claiming to be either. Girish Karnad adapted the novel into a movie titled the same. It has been mentioned that Girish Karnad took over eight months to reduce the 700 pages long book to a movie screenplay. The book has also been translated to English by Ramachandra Sharma and Padma Ramachandra titled ‘House of Kanooru’.
The novel ends with a positive note, but the ending was debated by many because it pictures Hoovayya and Seethe (who was once married to Ramayya as a result of Chandrayya Gowda’s conspiracy) now leading ascetic lives in service of the people. The only negative thing that can be said about the book is that the climax doesn’t really fit the tone of the rest of the story.
‘Kanooru Heggadati’ holds a mirror to a society of the 1930s Malenadu which remained immune from colonization to a great extent. Despite the impeccable beauty that blessed the land, there was no dearth of issues such as feudalism, alcoholism, subjugation of females, fear of supernatural elements, casteism and so on. All the negative aspects make an appearance throughout the novel and Hoovayya stands at the centre of it, pondering what role he as an educated man can play about it all. There isn’t much that happens towards the end; but the book is worth every minute we spend reading it.
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