CULTURAL, PHILOSOPHICAL, THEMATIC DIVERSITY AND SENSITIVITY IN RAJA RAO’S SHORT STORIES

Abstract

Cultural, Philosophical and Thematic diversity is focuses on examining cultural themes or patterns of meaning within data flexibly which give importance to special data set description, organization and theoretical interpretation of meaning. This analysis checks implicit and explicit details of the data. Rao's short stories often focus on novelty of identity, spirituality, and the clash between tradition and modernity. Many of his stories are set in rural India and explore the impact of colonization and the struggle for independence. His works also often delve into cultural, philosophical and existential questions, examining the nature of existence and the search for meaning.
In “The Policeman and the Rose”, the policeman described as egoistic who create uneasy situation. He thinks what does he stand for? In advaitic philosophy the policeman holding „I‟ in arrest suggests the ego overpowering in „Jiva‟ and thereby hampering its attempts at self-realization. The „Policeman‟ is one become many. His account of the past includes his incarnation in the think of Rama. Characters grapple with questions of who they are and where they belong. As in “On the Ganga Ghat” Rajiv, Jaya, Yeshwant, Usha, Aai and Doctor are struggling to emerge and try to be noticed but they remain alienated. Bhola has a meaningful connection with Indian mythology especially with reference to the importance of 'Gangajal'. Rani Rasomani‟s devotion to Shiva is marked by frenzied religious spiritual ecstasy she still recognizes Ma Anand Mayee, a great saint. Sudha, who worships Rama since her life in the previous birth, comes across three gurus.
Spirituality is another recurring theme in Rao's works. In “The Cow of the Barricades” the holy cow named after the goddess Gauri is an expressive symbol of the Indian synthesis of tradition and modernity. A symbol of deity, „elephant‟ becomes a symbol of Vigneswara who wards of all evils in the beginning and brings prosperity.

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