The Theme of Buddhism in Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje

Abstract

Anil's Ghost, written by Michael Ondaatje, is a riveting story that explores love, family, identity, the presence of an invisible foe, and the hunt for the mysteries of the past. It presents an opportunity to comprehend the intricate web that religion, politics, and violence form in Sri Lanka, as well as their interconnectedness. At the beginning of the book, the story is organised around a description of temples in the Shanxi region of China. This serves to introduce the reader to the religious atmosphere as well as the philosophical framework of Buddhism. In an area that can only be reached by the military, the character Anil stumbles across a newly buried skeleton in addition to numerous old ones. She has no choice but to put her life in jeopardy in order to uncover the identity of those responsible for the death of that unnamed victim as well as other information that the government intends to conceal from the general public. This paper is an attempt to trace the impressions of Buddhism in the novel Anil’s Ghost.