Kanthapura

by

Raja Rao

Bhatta Character Analysis

A powerful and shrewd businessman who amasses land and power in Kanthapura. While he acts friendly and appears generous to the villagers who borrow money from him, he actually charges them very high interest rates and systematically manipulates them for his own financial gain. He is close to the Swami and takes government money to oppose Moorthy’s Gandhian movement, which he sees as “bad business.” He pays off other villagers and even arranges Waterfall Venkamma’s daughter’s wedding in order to maintain the village’s favor, but fails to do so as more and more of Kanthapura’s people join Moorthy. Ultimately, his house is the first part of Kanthapura to burn down, and Achakka and Rangamma’s other women Volunteers are delighted to watch the flames.

Bhatta Quotes in Kanthapura

The Kanthapura quotes below are all either spoken by Bhatta or refer to Bhatta. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Oral Tradition, Writing, and Political Power Theme Icon
).
Section 3 Quotes

Every fellow with Matric or Inter asks, “What dowry do you offer? How far will you finance my studies?—I want to have this degree and that degree.” Degrees. Degrees. Nothing but degrees or this Gandhi vagabondage. When there are boys like Moorthy, who should safely get married and settle down, they begin this Gandhi business.

Related Characters: Bhatta (speaker), Moorthy, Rangamma, Mahatma Gandhi, Ramakrishnayya, Satamma
Page Number: 28
Explanation and Analysis:
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Bhatta Quotes in Kanthapura

The Kanthapura quotes below are all either spoken by Bhatta or refer to Bhatta. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Oral Tradition, Writing, and Political Power Theme Icon
).
Section 3 Quotes

Every fellow with Matric or Inter asks, “What dowry do you offer? How far will you finance my studies?—I want to have this degree and that degree.” Degrees. Degrees. Nothing but degrees or this Gandhi vagabondage. When there are boys like Moorthy, who should safely get married and settle down, they begin this Gandhi business.

Related Characters: Bhatta (speaker), Moorthy, Rangamma, Mahatma Gandhi, Ramakrishnayya, Satamma
Page Number: 28
Explanation and Analysis: