AVASTHE: A NOVEL

Description

A literary colossus – THE NEW YORK TIMESOne of the greatest Indian writers of the last century – PANKAJ MISHRAA masterpiece that will continue to speak to generations – K. SATCHIDANANDANFirst published in Kannada in 1978, Avasthe is U.R. Ananthamurthy’s tour de force.In a nation struggling with corruption and the corrosion of human values, the prime minister is all set to become a ruthless dictator. From his sickbed, Krishnappa Gowda, revolutionary leader of the peasants, grapples with his conscience, the schemes of partymen and flattery from hangers-on. Memories come and go as his mind, tethered to a failing body, reaches for the true meaning of life.In Ananthamurthy’s hands, life’s cruel negations – caste, poverty, pettiness – are delicately balanced with its triumphs – the splendour of nature, the majesty of poetry, the delight of friendship, the deliverance of love.The quintessential Indian novel, Avasthe is a masterpiece whose meanings will continue to resonate and reveal themselves long after it has been read.