Book Review: Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse

Hermann Hesse, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1946, had been writing since 1904. It won’t be wrong to say that his writing career had two innings. In the second innings his writing was inclined more towards individual’s search for self-fulfillment. Siddhartha, which he wrote in 1922, throws light on Eastern spiritualism. It depicts the journey of a young man who leaves his family on a quest for the Truth.

The story starts with two friends Siddhartha and Govinda. Right from the childhood, Siddhartha shows the urge to find the Truth. The first few pages are enough to capture his keenness to search the innermost self, the Atman. Govinda is projected as a follower of Siddhartha. Though Siddhartha follows all the rituals done by a Brahman family, he is not content with the level of wisdom he expects to get out of these. He wants not only to achieve the deepest wisdom but also live it.

While his search for the sources of deep wisdom is going on, he comes across a group of ascetics called Samanas. The Samanas wander around naked in search of wisdom and project absolute self-denial. Siddhratha convinces his parents and joins the Samanas. Govinda, who is in love with Siddhratha, also joins him. Even after spending a good amount of time with these Samanas and learning quite a few tricks, Siddhartha is not satisfied.

Now they come to know about Buddha and decide to leave Samanas. Both of them come across Buddha and listen to his teachings. Govinda joins the Buddha community but Siddhartha is not satisfied. Govinda implores him to stay but Siddhratha leaves.

Siddhartha, who now realizes that he has become a man, one day, awakens to his surroundings. He enjoys the colours and feels the tangibles. He doesn’t feel like an ascetic anymore. Now he meets a ferryman, Vasudeva, who takes him to a village across the river and doesn’t charge him anything. In the village, he meets a woman and first time in his life feels a sexual desire. Then he moves to a city where he gets attracted towards a beautiful girl Kamala.

He wants to have her and learn the joys of love from her. Kamala asks him to follow goals, which are material in nature. He has to come back to her with clothes, shoes and money. He starts working for Kamaswami, the richest merchant in the city. Though Siddhartha’s methods of doing business don’t suit Kamaswami, they continue with each other. Siddhratha comes and enjoys with Kamala regularly. He owns a house and other material goods. He also feels bad on loss of money and his possessions. But sometimes, a pain arises in his chest. He compares that life with this. He gets upset. One day he realizes that all this beauty and lust are but ephemeral. He feels the vacuum and wants to resume his search for eternal bliss. He leaves everything and everyone and goes back to the forest.

Weakened by hunger, Siddhartha collapses under a tree and wakes up to find a monk who is none other than Govinda. Now, he thinks of everything around and feels content. Even the regret of leaving his search vanishes and he feels nice that he has had a feel of everything. He, somehow, meets Vasudeva and shows his interest of serving him as assistant in ferrying the boat. He is amazed by Vasudeva’s wisdom. Vasudeva teaches him to learn the wisdom from the river.

Siddhartha and Vasudeva become friends and start staying together in Vasudeva’s house. Years pass by and one day Vasudeva gets to know that Buddha is not well and will soon follow his path to salvation. There is a rush of people who want to have a look of the enlightened face. Kamala is also one of the pilgrims traveling. She has a son now, whose name is also Siddhartha. Kamala dies of a snakebite one day and leaves her son with Siddhartha. Before dying, she tells him that he was Siddhartha’s son. The boy doesn’t find the surroundings and people compatible.

Siddhartha is not very happy with the behaviour of his son. Vasudeva makes him understand that he should let the child have his way but Siddhartha, blinded by the child’s love, never listens. One day the child disappears with money and boat. Siddhartha, scared that the forest would gulp the child, runs after him. Then he realizes that he should not follow. He comes back but is not happy. Life continues and he again ferries people across. Everything turns normal but he feels the kind of pain his parents would have felt when he left. Soon, he stops fighting his fate and the suffering ends. Now Vasudeva leaves for the forest stating that he stayed to see the suffering end for Siddhartha.

According to him, Siddhartha has achieved what he was yearning for. Now Siddhartha, who has achieved the wisdom meets Govinda by chance and tells him that wisdom can’t be passed; it has to be realized on one's own. Overall, Siddhartha is an above average book, which is easy to comprehend. The conversations of Siddhartha with Vasudeva and Govinda are the highlights. Some emotions have been depicted very nicely. So, if you are searching for a light book, which can leave some food for thought, go for Siddhartha. It is worth its price.