AN ASTROLOGER’S DAY R.

K cowries shells, charts, Palmyra: writings etc from his later, when the man lit up his cheroot, the
NARAYAN bag. He also dressed typically like an astrologer to astrologer caught a glimpse of his face. He denied
An Astrologer's Day" is a story about a man who attract customers. He put sacred ash and vermilion the challenge and asked the man to let him go. But
runs away from his home and pretends to be an on his forehead. Due to his makeup, his forehead the man held him tight on his wrist. The astrologer
astrologer after imagining that he has committed a seemed quite bright. He placed a saffron turban on trembled in fear. He accepted the challenge
murder. In a strange situation, an ironic twist of his head. Thus, the astrologer presented himself unwillingly. The astrologer started telling him about
fate, he runs into the very man he thought he had perfectly to attract his customers. the woman but the man stopped him being
killed. • This short story ” An Astrologer’s Day” has The astrologer was a shrewd person who hardly had unsatisfied. The man had a single question whether
been written by an Indian writer R.K. Narayan. “An any knowledge of astrology. He just made he would get that what he was searching for. The
Astrologer’s Day” is a thriller, suspense story which guesswork to satisfy his customers. According to man promised the astrologer to pay him up a rupee
describes a day in the life of an ordinary but fake him, he left his village because he didn’t want to after getting a satisfactory answer. The astrologer
astrologer. The main character here in this story is continue the traditional occupation of his again prayed a few incantations before replying.
an astrologer who is unnamed. He earns his forefathers i.e. farming. He never had any plans to The astrologer revealed about the incident of the
livelihood through making prophecies or selling return his native village. He had to work s hard to man in the past time. According to him, the man
cosmic insights to gullible villagers though he does earn his wages using his smart mind. He gave his had been attacked by an unknown person with a
not know the cosmos or actual spiritual insights. • day time earning to his wife in the evening time • knife on his chest. The man became excited to hear
This story has presented a very typical situation of MAIN EVENOne day, when groundnut vendor astrologer’s words. In the past, he had been
the astrologer where he faces his past life’s story. blowout his gaslight, the astrologer also started attacked with a knife. After he got wounded, he
Here, he has become successful to save his life closing his shop. While packing up his professional was thrown into a well nearby to die. A passerby
through his proper use of mind. • Here in this story, tools, he saw a man standing in front of him. He saw and rescued him. The man wanted to know
we find various themes related t human nature as thought the man as his prospective customer. about culprit’s detail from the astrologer so that he
hypocrisies, shrewdness, revengeful nature and When the astrologer invited him, the man could take revenge. But the astrologer informed
selfishness. • DESCRIPTION OF THE ASTROLOGER challenged the astrologer and his astrology science. about culprits death four months ago in a far town.
AND HIS BUSINESS: • According to the writer, The man-made a bet with the astrologer. He The man was disappointed to hear this. The
astrologer always opened his astrology business provided an anna to the astrologer and demanded astrologer even identified the name of the man
during midday. He used to sit and run his his satisfactory answer to his question. He even before him as Guru Nayak. He told the man that his
business under a tamarind tree on the Town Hall added that if he didn’t answer satisfactorily, he village was located in the north and took two days’
road. That road led to Town Hall park which was would have to return his anna with interest. The journey to reach there. • He warned him to go back
quite good for his business to lure his customers. astrologer denied saying that he charged three pies home and never to travel south again. He asked him
The road was amply crowded with different people for per question’s answer. He demanded five to return to his hometown immediately. He related
with different trades and professions. The rupees charge for a satisfactory answer. But, finally, the man that he might get into the trouble if he left
groundnut vendor also used to sit beside him. The he demanded eight annas for a satisfactory answer. his home again. The man wanted to know the cause
gaslight of groundnut vendor enabled the astrologer The man became ready to pay up. But, he put up a behind. culprit’s death. The astrologer satisfied him
to run his business even after the sunset. The condition in front of astrologer. According to him if by informing that the culprit was crushed under a
astrologer was quite skilful at analysing human the astrologer answered his question satisfactorily, lorry. The man left after giving the astrologer a
nature and psychology. • When he started his he would provide him with eight annas. But, if he handful of coins. The astrologer also packed his
business during midday, he decorated his business failed to satisfy him with his answer, he would have belongings and went home. • The astrologer
of astrology making various preparations. He took to return double amount i.e. sixteen annas. The bet reached home quite late. His wife was worried
out his professional tools like square cloth piece, was made. The astrologer prayed to heaven. • A bit about him. The astrologer flung the coins at his wife
to count. There were altogether twelve and a half him and visit him to hear his predictions and he him about his past event and says that he was
annas. She became so happy to see that amount. helps his clients by making assumptions about their attacked by a stranger with a knife on his chest. He
She planned to buy jaggery and coconut for their past, present and future life, relationships, even gives him his name and address. He informs
child, who was demanding sweets for a long time. marriage, money, problems, etc. He listens to the him of the culprit’s death four months ago. After all,
However, the astrologer looked worried and was problems of his customers for ten minutes, in less the astrologer very tactfully advises him to move to
not happy like his wife. He was angry with Guru than five minutes he gets many clues asks them his hometown immediately to ensure the safety of
Nayak who promised him to give him a rupee but questions, thanks to his many years of practice and his life.
provided him only twelve and a half annas. After experience. He always tries to make matching d. Why does he advise the stranger to go home
dinner, he shared the secret of his life with his wife. assumptions and helps his customers to satisfy their immediately? • ➜ The astrologer is a very smart
He said that a great burden of his life was gone that needs. person. In the past, he was even suspected of
day. He always felt that he had killed Guru Nayak. b. How do you characterise the astrologer’s attitude criminal offences. A stranger he met during the day
So the astrologer had run away from his native toward the stranger? was a criminal named Guru Nayak. When an
village due to the fear of being accused as a ➜ Here the astrological activities of the astrologer astrologer recognizes someone as Guru Nayak, he
murderer. He settled in Malgudi and married and offer him the necessary salary for the smooth tries to get rid of mental stress. The astrologer
decided that he would never return to his native functioning of a family. He starts his business at himself tried to kill Guru Nayak. When he saw Guru
village. The man who tried to kill Guru Nayak was noon and works hard with his shrewd mind to make Nayak in
the astrologer himself. So he was able to make money. His presentation is very much appreciated. Margudi, he trembled. When he knows
accurate predictions about him though he hardly When he sees a stranger standing in front of him, the intention of Guru Nayak, he tries to move him
knew astrology. The astrologer confessed to his he sees him as his potential customer. During back to the north. He didn’t want to see Guru Nayak
wife that in his youth he was into bad company closing time, he invites him instead of moving to his again. He wanted to live a life without fear in
with Guru Nayak. He drank, gambled and quarrelled house. This shows his greedy attitude. The way he Malgudi. He told him about the possible dangers in
badly one day. In that fight, he almost killed Guru bargains with the stranger has proved his money- the life of strangers and suggested going home
Nayak. minded concept. He tries his best to convince the immediately.
Understanding the text stranger for the purpose of money. He doesn’t e. What is your reaction to the conversation
• Answer the following questions. know about astrology but he tries his best to satisfy between the astrologer and his wife? • ➜ I am very
a. How does the astrologer’s appearance help him the stranger through his assumptions for the sake happy that this
attract customers? How does he help the customers of money only. Also, his acts of convincing the astrologer got rid of his guilt and fear and made
satisfy their needs? • ➜ The astrologer here in this stranger show his fake attitude. He advises the some money that day. I am surprised that these
story is an intelligent person, he always prepares stranger to move to his hometown immediately people lead a simple lifestyle. The coins collected by
well before starting a business, decorating his which shows his shrewdness and hypocrisies in his an astrologer in one day are enough to keep them
business by placing various astrological tools like attitude. alive until the next day. • Reference to the context
cowrie shells, mystical astrological charts, Palmyra c. What details does the astrologer give the • a. Suspense is the feeling of anticipation you may
scriptures, etc. on his square piece of cloth. He stranger about his past? • The astrologer gives the have as you read. In this story, what details
wears holy ash and vermilion on his forehead and a stranger various shocking details about the past contributed to your feelings of suspense and
saffron-coloured turban on his head. His eyes are events of his life, tells the stranger various things surprise? Explain. • ➜ This story is a nice
constantly searching for his customers. He dresses precisely because he has a chance to see his face. combination of suspense and surprise. The story
like an astrologer. His looks help him Introduce The astrologer recognizes him when a stranger begins with a description of the astrologer and his
himself as a professional astrologer. Because of his lights his cigar. Aside from the trick, Guru Nayak activities. When a stranger appears before the
attractive appearance, most of the clients believe in cannot recognize an astrologer. The astrologer tells
astrologer in the evening, the astrologer sees him as expression “open your mouth” means conveying as an astrologer and his forehead is lit with holy ash
his potential client and bets for a satisfactory convincing information about the stranger. and vermilion. He wraps a saffron-coloured turban
answer. The astrologer tells him various facts of his d. Description helps readers visualize what is on his head, his dress and his appearance match his
life during his prophecies, he tells exactly his past happening in a story. What details and techniques character and become a point of attraction. The
events, his name and address, and it is precisely does the author use to describe the astrologer? • astrologer easily fools his customers and has clever
these details that made me ➜ The author of this story uses various details and ways of getting the job done. He does a functional
feel surprised. The stranger is too excited and narrative techniques to describe the protagonist of analysis of human problems
satisfied, but I feel a kind of suspense. One question the astrologer. From beginning to end, the author • Reference beyond the text
arises in my mind: “How did he answer accurately?” uses various details in his narrative to tell the story. • a. The astrologer attracts many customers in the
This particular suspense surprises when the He talked about the astrologer’s past, his daily life, street who are pleased and astonished by what he
astrologer tells his wife the details of his past after business and his smart calculations with customers, tells them. What does this tell you about the people
dinner. Here I find the answer to my feeling of his business preparation, meetings with Guru Nayak of the town walking in the street? • ➜ The main
suspense. The details of the astrologer’s story and conversations with his wife. The author character here in this story is an astrologer. His
solved the mystery of suspense and created introduced every detail of the astrologer and astrology business depends on his astrological tools,
surprises for me and all the readers. • b. Analyze aroused curiosity and surprise with his narrative his sense of dress, and his guesswork. The way he
the conflicts in “An Astrologer’s Day.” Explain how skills. • e. Irony is a contrast between appearances dresses suits his character. He’s pretty smart in his
the conflicts are resolved and what they reveal and reality. What is ironic about Guru Nayak’s astrology business. He dresses perfectly as an
about the characters involved in the story. meeting with the astrologer? • ➜ The irony of the astrologer, his saffron turban and dress help him a
➜ Conflicts arise in the story when a stranger situation centers around the meeting of Guru lot in attracting his customers. He is delicately
appears as a client of the astrologer on the site to Nayak’s meeting with the astrologer. Here we find presented so that his customers will believe that his
consult him, the astrologer packs up his things and Guru Nayak, who asks the astrologer about the dress’ savvy makes his customers consider him a
is ready to call him one day. When the stranger perpetrator who once stabbed him in the chest wise astrologer.
smokes his cigar, he sees his face in the light of the with a knife. He doesn’t know that the culprit is the b. Why do most people want to know their future?
game, and for some obscure reason, the astrologer astrologer. The darkness and the astrologer rise, Do you think astrologers can really help them know
feels uncomfortable and refuses the challenge, but Guru Nayak cannot recognize him. The lifelong their future? • ➜ Most people want to know their
is forced to say something to the stranger in order burden for the astrologer is the murder of Guru future because they are very curious about their
to please him. He is surprised when the astrologer Nayak. He is quite surprised to find Guru Nayak happiness, the problems ahead, and their safety.
tells him about his past life and agrees to stop alive. The information from the perpetrator makes Yes, real astrologers with real astrological
looking for his enemy who would have been Guru Nayak feel satisfied. The astrologer’s ruse is knowledge can help you see your future.
knocked down under a truck. The astrologer very ironic. Here the victim turns to the perpetrator c. Is astrology a good practice of fortune telling or is
guarantees a safe life in the future. to find the right solution. Finally, Guru Nayak feels it just a blind faith? Give reasons. • ➜ Yes,
c. “All right. I will speak. But will you give me a good to hear the prophecies of the (guilty) astrology is a good divination practice. In Eastern
rupee if what I say is convincing? Otherwise I will astrologer. Here both characters finally feel good. societies, most people practice and believe in
not open my mouth, and you may do what you f. How does the astrologer’s manner of dress suit divination. Astrology is said to be the best part of
like.” • i. Who is the speaker? • ➜ The speaker is his character? • ➜ The protagonist of the story is human life. The practise of astrology is seen in
the astrologer. • ii. Who is he speaking to? • an astrologer. The first part of the story describes various life events. In Eastern societies, people
➜ He is speaking to Guru Nayak. • iii. What does the dress and appearance that the astrologer wears believe a lot in astrology. People find the right
the expression ‘open my mouth’ mean? • ➜ The when performing his duties. He is usually disguised solutions to their problems through astrology.