The story takes place in ancient India around the time of Gautama Buddha (likely between the fourth and seventh centuries BCE). Siddhartha, the son of a Brahmin, leaves his home to join the ascetics with his companion Govinda. The two set out in the search of the enlightenment. Siddhartha goes from asceticism, to a very worldly life as a merchant with a lover, and back to asceticism as he attempts to achieve this goal.
n Hesse�s novel Siddhartha, experience is shown as the best way to approach understanding of reality and attain enlightenment � Hesse�s crafting of Siddhartha�s journey shows that understanding is attained not through scholastic, mind-dependent methods, nor through immersing oneself in the carnal pleasures of the world and the accompanying pain of samsara; however, it is the totality of these experiences that allow Siddhartha to attain understanding.
