The spiritual journey of Siddhartha, a contemporary of Goutam Buddha is dealt with deftly in the novel Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. The novel is originally written in German. An English translation appeared in the year 1951. Since then, many editions of the book have become very popular.

The plot is set in Kapilavastu, a town in present day Nepal. Siddhartha, in search of spiritual illumination, leaves behind all his belongings and becomes a wandering ascetic.

Siddhartha's encounter with one of his best friends Gopala, and his chance meetings with a ferryman Vasudeva and a courtesan Kamala and the learnings have been beautifully portrayed in the novel. While Govinda joins the Buddha's order, Siddhartha pursues his own path believing that each person has a unique experience and cannot be described. 

Siddhartha spends most part of his life beside the tranquil river...