Samskara is a Masterpiece novel written by Indian author, U.R Anantha Murthy. The novel was originally published in 1965. The story of novel centers around a character, Naranappa who recently died and no one from Brahmins community is ready to do his funeral.
Samskara Novel Sparknotes : A Rite for a Dead Man By U.R Anantha Murthy
Summary of Samskara Novel By U.R Anantha Murthy
The story of novel revolves around a character, Naranappa, a Brahmin man who recently died and his cremation is to be done. There is one problem that no one from Brahmin caste wants to do cremation of Naranappa.
They don’t want to do it because Naranappa was kind of a man who always disrespected Brahmin. So Brahmins are scared if they would do cremation of Narannapa than they would be kicked out from their Brahmin community.
There is one rule in Brahmins that they can’t eat anything until they would do a cremation of Naranappa as he belongs to their caste. The story now introduces new character, Praneshacharya, a leader of Brahmin community who is going to find a solution for this problem.
Praneshacharya is in his mid thirties and he is big scholar of Sanskrit. He has learned Sanskrit from Kashi and knows very well about Vedas and Shastras. One more thing about Praneshacharya is that to purify his soul he married with physically disabled woman. In 20 years of his married life, he never sleep with his wife.
Praneshacharya is not disappointed with himself as he believes Krishna is testing him on the path to salvation. He starts his day daily by giving a bath to his wife. He first gives food to his wife, then to his cow and after that he have his breakfast.
His energy is increasing after doing these work daily. He has done one work which is not everyone can do and that is he married a physically disabled woman and doesn’t sleep with her in 20 years of his marriage life.
There is a disease spreading in village which is killing people one after another. One Brahmin, Naranappa died through the disease at the beginning of story. The problem is who will do his cremation as he used to live with prostitute.
As well as he always disrespected Brahmin community. So no one wants to do his cremation. The Brahmin community asks Praneshacharya for the solution of this problem.
Praneshacharya start reading Holy books to find the solution of it. He doesn’t find any solution even after reading lots Holy books. Praneshacharya was doing his best but not able to find the solution.
Praneshacharya is disappointed with himself so he decides to go at a temple of Lord Hanuman. He prays to Lord Hanuman for a solution. The story now introduces new character, Chandri, a prostitute of Naranappa who comes forward and says that she is ready to bear all the expenses of Naranappa’s funeral.
She put her all jewellery on a footsteps of Praneshacharya. All the Brahmin who weren’t ready to do a funeral of Naranappa before got greedy after seeing the jewellery of Chandri. Praneshacharya is afraid as this gold may not corrupt us all.
When Praneshacharya was returning from Lord Hanuman temple at night, he met Chandri, who is worrying about the cremation of Naranappa. She started crying and fall on the footsteps of Praneshacharya.
Praneshacharya picked her up and hugged her. Thereafter, he fall on Chandri and asleep. When Praneshacharya woke up he saw herself in the Chandri lap. Afterwards, Praneshacharya started roaming in Jungle and swims across the river.
As Praneshacharay was taking a bath in river, then he remembered he forgot to give medicine to his wife. He immediately goes at home to give medicine to his wife but finds her dead lying on bed.
The next day, Praneshacharya does the cremation of his wife and does not returns home. Whatever happened that day with Chandri has changed Praneshacharya. He is not a same person anymore. He believes that he doesn’t deserve to be a leader of Brahmins anymore. Chandri is disappointed as she is worrying who would do the cremation of Naranappa now.
There comes new character, Ahmed, a muslim fish merchant who decides to help Chandri. He helps Chandri in doing the cremation of Naranappa. Praneshacharya was roaming in jungle where he met Putta. Putta tries to talk with Praneshacharya but he has no interest to talk with him. Putta does not give up and keep trying to talk with Praneshacharya.
Praneshacharya is upset with Putta as he is not leaving him alone. At the end of story Putta keep asking puzzle questions to Praneshacharya which he do respond with answer. Putta doesn’t leave Praneshacharya alone no matter what. The story ends with suspense without any conclusion.