Question- What are those qualities that go into the making of Moorthy, the central figure in Kanthapura?

Answer - 

Moorthy, the central figure of Raja Rao's Kanthapura is introduced to the reader on a significant note. The simple statement of Achakka (the narrator) holds the key to the figure of Moorthy in the novel. The Hindus venerate the cow and give it the status of a mother for its milk that nurtures us. For someone to be called a 'noble cow' is giving him high homour. It gives us the first-clue to the personality of Moorthy. He is kind and non-violent, and cares for others. Incontrast to the vicious Waterfall Venkamma, he is quiet, and in contrast to the greedy Bhetta, he is generous. And then he is calm, respectful, and brahmanic, a very prince among the ordinary people of Kanthapura. They think he has all the good qualities, and they've no hesitation in accepting him as their leader in the Satyagraha movement that he launches in the village.

Moorthy is a self-sacrificing young man, who has no personal ambitions. He cares for the others the poor villagers, the pariahs and the coolies of the Skeffington Coffee Estate and has the ability of raising his voice against oppression and challenging the authority of the Redman, when Rachanna's family is sent away from the Coffee Estate. He finds it difficult to avoid the hospitality of Rachana's wife after he arrange alternative shelter for him. However, his brahmanic consciousness and upbringing raises a doubt in his mind whether he is doing the right thing. His mother does not let him enter the kitchen for fear of polluting it and he accepts her verdict without protests.

The people of his community refer to Moorthy as a 'Gandhiman'. This is a dubious term since it is used by both the followers as well as the detractors of Gandhi. For the followers of Gandhi, it is a meritorious and noble team, but in the eyes of his detractors it is a derogatory term. Very easly, Moorthy comes under the charismatic influence of Mahatma Gandhi, when he listens to him at a public meeting in the city. So influenced is he that he tries to imitate Gandhi in every respect. He follows Gandhi's ideals and principles blindly. He reads the Gita, plies the spinning wheel, and even mimies Gandhi's Dandi March by leading the picketing of the toddy shop. He appears out to be a parody of Gandhi when he goes on a fast unto death seeing his followers suffer from police atrocities.

Rangamma, a respectable and wise woman of the village speaks of Moorthy the good, Moorthy the religious, and Moorthy the noble. At the time of the convening of the Congress Committee in the village, Range Gowda equates Moorthy with Gandhi and everybody present laughs but Range Gowda admonishes him.

In the ultimate analysis, Moorthy proves to be a weak Gandhian when his nationalism is transformed into Jawahar Lal Nehru's socialism. But he is a genuine son of the soil who retains his simplicity and sincerily even after all the experience that he goes through. The happenings of Kanthapura are centered round the personality of Moorthy and his mental growth parallels the transformation of Kanthapura from a sleepy village to a hot bed of active Satyagraha. Moorthy tries to preach the Gandhian precept of universal love, which ought to include one's enemies too.

To sum up, Kanthapura is one of the best Gandhian novels in English. Its hero, Moorthy, represents in theory and practice the Gandhian principles of Ahinsa and satyagraha. He is somewhat an idealized character.

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