Displeased with his mundane existence, Siddhartha, a young man from Kapilvastu, embarks, with his chum Govinda, on a spiritual journey to become a Samana. The journey leads them to Gotama Buddha, the Enlightened One. While Govinda cedes to Buddha s teachings, Siddhartha does not. He feels something missing in Buddha s enlightenment and carries on. He still has to undergo a greater ordeal before he attains Nirvana. Reading Siddhartha has been rewarding to many in their spiritual quest. This simple, yet complex tale is Hermann Hesse s greatest masterpiece.