The Oriental places of worship are described in detail by Forster, and are the locations of important plot events (e.g Dr. Meanwhile, the sole Occidental religion, Christianity, is conspicuously absent- not just in the structure, but in the rest of the novel as well. Almost a quarter of a century later, the partition of India into the Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan justified Forster’s premonitions. Aziz’s heroic battle cry at the end of the novel (“Hindu and Moslem and Sikh shall all be one!”). Its insidious presence, both in the structure and throughout the novel nullifies any hope of unification between the Indians and the Moslems, despite Dr. The Marabar Caves are associated with the idea of negation- the trip to it is said to have “challenged the very spirit of the Indian Earth, which keeps men in compartments”, and ends in disaster.

The sections ‘Mosque’ and ‘Temple’ are separated by the section ‘Caves’, representing the gulf which lies between the Moslems and the Hindus in India. On a socio-historical level, religion is portrayed as a divisive force. The reactions and personal values of the adherents of each religion, in turn, reinforce the other themes of the novel, connecting everything to Forster’s grand vision. The presentation of its effects on individual characters enable Forster to explore philosophical concepts such as infinity and head vs. However, each of the three major religions is also portrayed as a philosophy through which man makes sense of himself and the universe around him. His portrayal of the tensions which exist within the different segments of Indian society foreshadows historical events which occurred years after the novel was published. On a larger plane, it enables Forster to deliver social commentary by supporting the themes of colonialism and ethnic relations. The theme of religion operates in the same way. Scenes involving the innermost thoughts and feelings of the characters alternate with scenes vocalizing the voice of the omniscient narrator, who directly addresses some of the heavier issues which lie at the heart of the novel.

E.M Forster’s ‘A Passage to India’ is a literary work which operates on two levels simultaneously- personal and impersonal.

Novel a passage to india