A story set in the late 40s, post Independence era of India, Hemanthagaana is a journey of an idealist in a rapidly changing political environment. This kannada novel is divided into 3 sections and the middle chapter is perfectly set between the chapters of two women, which is a reflection of the main story line. Anatha Udupa, the protogonist is a man who gives up a promising future for the betterment of the society but loses his way by falling in love with a young widow of a freedom fighter. Indira, his subject of love is an ardent follower of Gandhi (or Bapuji as he is fondly called) and completely immersed in her 'seva' or service to uplift the downtrodden. In the process, she extends financial help many a time through her father, Mr.Talpade to Anantha's blazing cause and supports his struggling tabloid that reaches Kannadigas across the great industrial city, Mumbai.
The background of the story is set in Mangalore and Mumbai. In Mangalore, Anantha has left his wife Bharathi, the daughter of a succesful lawyer with his large family struggling to get through the days. He has promised to take her to Mumbai as soon as he finds a house for them to live in. (Mumbai is notorious for being an expensive city with cubby holes for houses. Those cubby holes are not easy to rent as well!) After a prolonged wait Bharathi's father, Sripathi Rao decides to take her to Anantha and settle them down by paying for the house rent himself. The next 10 months reflects on Bharathi's acceptance to the hard life with Anantha in a new city and her craving for a social life. Ultimately Bharathi gets pregnant and leaves for Mangalore. This is the time Anantha's desire for Indira's company overtakes his strong values and makes him admit his love to her. The next turn of events reveals Indira's strong character and values and the light in which she had come to see Anantha.
The other key characters of this novel are-
1. Rajeeva - a man with a tough exterior but a golden heart. Anantha's guiding light in Mumbai
2. Sripathi Rao - Anantha's father-in-law who admires the idealist and gets his elder daughter Bharathi married to him
3. Somayaji - Mentor to Rajeeva and Keshava (Indira's husband who dies in 1942 under the British attack), also guides Anantha in his failed love with Indira
4. Nagesha Rao - An old acquaintance of Sripathi Rao in Mumbai, who leans more towards the modern Congress political moves and does not go with Anantha's idealist ways
5. Parvathi, Narahari, Padmanabha-siblings of Anantha who Bharathi loves and cares for
6.Mr.Udupa- Anantha's father who stays in the background but his displeasure with Anantha's indifference to family and his own poor financial situation has made him a bitter man. His letters to Anantha are mainly the connection between father & son in this story.
Story narration - Good pace, easy read, good insight to pre and post independence era, sensitive and subtle human emotions
Shelley's poems star in Indira, Keshava and Rajeeva's lives. Key line 'If winter comes could spring be far behind?'
Downside: Dark shade from beginning to end
Metaphor - Bharathi is the Hindu name for India. Bharathi, Anantha's wife delivers a baby boy towards end of the story. While lighting Anatha's funeral pyre what Indira sees with great agony and shock is 'Bharathi', perhaps the author implies that she speculates the future of India upon the death of a freedom fighter.
The background of the story is set in Mangalore and Mumbai. In Mangalore, Anantha has left his wife Bharathi, the daughter of a succesful lawyer with his large family struggling to get through the days. He has promised to take her to Mumbai as soon as he finds a house for them to live in. (Mumbai is notorious for being an expensive city with cubby holes for houses. Those cubby holes are not easy to rent as well!) After a prolonged wait Bharathi's father, Sripathi Rao decides to take her to Anantha and settle them down by paying for the house rent himself. The next 10 months reflects on Bharathi's acceptance to the hard life with Anantha in a new city and her craving for a social life. Ultimately Bharathi gets pregnant and leaves for Mangalore. This is the time Anantha's desire for Indira's company overtakes his strong values and makes him admit his love to her. The next turn of events reveals Indira's strong character and values and the light in which she had come to see Anantha.
The other key characters of this novel are-
1. Rajeeva - a man with a tough exterior but a golden heart. Anantha's guiding light in Mumbai
2. Sripathi Rao - Anantha's father-in-law who admires the idealist and gets his elder daughter Bharathi married to him
3. Somayaji - Mentor to Rajeeva and Keshava (Indira's husband who dies in 1942 under the British attack), also guides Anantha in his failed love with Indira
4. Nagesha Rao - An old acquaintance of Sripathi Rao in Mumbai, who leans more towards the modern Congress political moves and does not go with Anantha's idealist ways
5. Parvathi, Narahari, Padmanabha-siblings of Anantha who Bharathi loves and cares for
6.Mr.Udupa- Anantha's father who stays in the background but his displeasure with Anantha's indifference to family and his own poor financial situation has made him a bitter man. His letters to Anantha are mainly the connection between father & son in this story.
Story narration - Good pace, easy read, good insight to pre and post independence era, sensitive and subtle human emotions
Shelley's poems star in Indira, Keshava and Rajeeva's lives. Key line 'If winter comes could spring be far behind?'
Downside: Dark shade from beginning to end
Metaphor - Bharathi is the Hindu name for India. Bharathi, Anantha's wife delivers a baby boy towards end of the story. While lighting Anatha's funeral pyre what Indira sees with great agony and shock is 'Bharathi', perhaps the author implies that she speculates the future of India upon the death of a freedom fighter.
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