Siddhartha, written by German-Swiss author Hermann Hesse in 1922, follows the spiritual journey of a young Brahmin in ancient India. Dissatisfied with his privileged life, Siddhartha abandons his home to seek enlightenment. He joins ascetic Samanas, meets the Buddha but chooses his own path, then experiences wealth and sensual pleasure as a merchant and lover. Feeling empty, he despairs beside a river, where he finally finds wisdom through the simple ferryman Vasudeva and the river itself. The novel explores themes of self-discovery, the unity of all things, and the belief that true wisdom must be personally experienced rather than taught.
