Samskara

                                                         Samakara by U.R. Anantha Murthy - The Review

I chose Samskara as my first book review because it is full of interesting questions: When does necessity outweigh tradition? Who is responsible? Can the social order determine the best outcome of a situation?

It also is full of conflict and tension: Religion vs. Desire, Social Order vs. Social Outcast, Man vs. Man, Woman vs Man - lots of interesting ideas going on here. Conflict is the central theme of this story.

It is a book which caused some controversy in the circles of the Hindu faith as a result of its portrayal of caste and social order. There are certain moments when the Hindu faith may be cast in a not so appealing light. However, Hinduism pervades the central theme in Samskara and therefore is under the microscope.

The social order of any traditional society often encounters moments when various elements combine to formulate a situation that cannot be acted upon without understanding the impact that action might have on the greater nature of society. Samskara highlights this through the death of a man whose body cannot be disposed of properly because certain restrictions within the Hindu religion prevent this. The story is full of interesting twists and turns but always comes back to the essential question: Who is responsible?

As a western reader, I found myself commenting about how simple it would be to dispose of this body, yet I had to remind myself that my culture and traditions are not representative of anybody's but my own. What right do I have to solve this conundrum considering that my knowledge of the Hindu social order is amateur at best? Yet, this is the theme of this well-crafted story: Who is responsible? Even within the confines of Hindu culture, there seems to be dispute over such a seemingly simple situation.

I recommend this book based upon its ability to question the social order in a constructive way which allows for meaningful analysis of tradition. This story has interesting characters and moments of laughter, which is always a bonus. It is a quick read - if one can get used to reading the long names of the characters - and one which gets my approval.