In which year was Raja Rao's Kanthapura published?

Correct option is A

Explanation:

The correct answer is 1938, the year when Raja Rao’s Kanthapura was first published. The novel, considered one of the foundational texts of Indian English literature, was published by Allen & Unwin in London.

Kanthapura is a landmark in Indian English fiction and a prominent example of early Indian nationalist literature. Set in a South Indian village, the novel portrays the influence of Gandhian philosophy on rural India during the Indian independence movement.

The narrative is told in the style of Indian oral tradition, through the voice of an old village woman, Achakka, and weaves the story of Moorthy, a Brahmin young man who becomes a follower of Mahatma Gandhi and brings the spirit of civil disobedience to his village.

Information Booster:

Raja Rao (1908–2006), a pioneering Indian English novelist known for spiritual and philosophical themes in his works.

Kanthapura is a Political/Historical Fiction.

Narrative Technique: Oral storytelling style influenced by Indian folk traditions and spiritual discourse.

Setting: A fictional South Indian village called Kanthapura, symbolic of rural India during the colonial period.

Themes:
- Gandhian nationalism and freedom struggle
- Caste discrimination
- Spirituality and traditionalism
- Rural transformation
- Role of women in nationalist movements

Style: Highly Indianized English prose, incorporating native idioms, Sanskritized vocabulary, and rhythm of Indian speech patterns.

- The novel narrates how the quiet village of Kanthapura is transformed by Moorthy’s nationalist zeal, resulting in caste tensions, resistance against colonial forces, and ultimately, the spiritual and political awakening of the villagers.

- It is both a socio-political commentary and a cultural document of pre-Independence India.