Rituals in Conflict With Modernization:A Critical Perspective on U.R. Ananthamurthy’s Samskara

The novel Samskara is an accurate estimate of brahmin society in the sixties or more correctly the brahmin societies of all times which suffer the serious problems of backwardness despite having intellectuals among them. Reason behind all silly problems that emerge is that their energy is directed by age-old convictions, beliefs, customs, traditions and superstition. Ananthamurthy raises questions on very sensitive issues like rituals, samskara, untouchability, sex, community feeling. He scans human weakness such as greed, lust and lack of human concern in the Brahmin community. Ananthamurthy’s characters favour freedom from the life in shackles of ritualistic performances. Naranappa the rebel character is anti brahminical in deeds ,but Praneshacharya who earned the title 'the crest jewel of vedic learning' rejects the double standard thinking after the death of his wife Bhagirathi. He wants to settle his life with Chandri a prostitute. The sudden death of Naranappa brings the real examination of Acharya's ideals, learning, and wisdom. This event brings a real man out of Acharya's being, burdened with suffocating scriptural knowledge. He wants to live like an ordinary man neither a righteous brahmin nor the crest jewel of vedic learning. The present paper analyses and criticizes the novel to help the reader to understand the cultural crisis and its reasons.