Samskara: A Rite for a Dead Man (Oxford India Collection) [Paperback]

U.R. Anantha Murthy (Author), A.K. Ramanujan (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 21, 1979 | ISBN-10: 0195610792 | ISBN-13: 978-0195610796 | Edition: 2

Made into a powerful, award-winning film in 1970, this important Kannada novel of the sixties has received widespread acclaim from both critics and general readers since its first publication in 1965. As a religious novel about a decaying brahmin colony in the south Indian village of Karnataka, Samskara serves as an allegory rich in realistic detail, a contemporary reworking of ancient Hindu themes and myths, and a serious, poetic study of a religious man living in a community of priests gone to seed. A death which stands as the central event in the plot brings in its wake a plague, many more deaths, live questions with only dead answers, moral chaos, and the rebirth of one man. The volume provides a useful glossary of Hindu myths, customs, Indian names, flora, and other terms. Notes and an afterword enhance the self-contained, faithful, and yet readable translation.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

U. R. Anantha Murthy is a well-known Indian novelist.
A. K. Ramanujan is William E. Colvin Professor in the Departments of South Asian Languages and Civilizations and of Linguistics at the University of Chicago. He is the author of many books, including The Striders and several other volumes of verse in English and Kannada.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 2 edition (June 21, 1979)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195610792
• ISBN-13: 978-0195610796
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #85,736 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #21 in Books > Literature & Fiction > History & Criticism > Asian

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Masterpiece, July 20, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Samskara: A Rite of a Dead Man (Paperback)

There are two outstanding features of this book. The first being brilliant storytelling. The tale is a critical look at the life style of the "upper classes" of Hindu society during the early part of the twenthieth century. The plot is deftly interwoven with Hindu philosophy and the result is quite remarkable. The second feature is the tralsation. Having read the original Kannada version, I found the traslation to be very lucid . This is a must read for everyone familiar to the the Indian social setup and also for those who are interested in getting introduced to it.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent symbolic story, October 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Samskara: A Rite for a Dead Man (Oxford India Collection) (Paperback)

I was not excited when I learned that I had to read this for my Religion 1 Class at Dartmouth College because it looked long and boring. In reality, it was a gripping story that ranks up there with the greats. And if you liked Hesse's Siddhartha, you'll like this too.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great piece of work, January 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Samskara: A Rite for a Dead Man (Oxford India Collection) (Paperback)

A wonderful translation of a outstanding book from its Kannada original. The book traces events in an orthodox Brahmin village in Karnataka. It gently and very sensitively pokes holes in the close mindedness that has typified the so called higher castes in India. The book was writen in the 1960s, but remains relevant today. Accompanied by an outstanding glossary (it is worth buying the book just to read the glossary).