Paper No - 201 : Assignment
The Dichotomy of Indian Astrology in R.K. Narayan's 'An Astrologer's Day'
Name - Hina Parmar
Batch - M.A. Sem 3 (2022-2024)
Enrollment no - 4069206420220021
Roll no - 10
Subject code - 22406
Paper no - 201
Paper - Indian English Literature - Pre Independence
Email address - hinaparmar612@gmail.com
Submitted to - Smt.S.B. Gardi Department of English M.K.B.U.
Date of submission - 27 November 2023
This blog is written as an assignment on paper no - 201 Indian English Literature - Pre Independence. This assignment is assigned by Dr. Dilip Barad sir H.O.D of English Department M.K.B.U. In this particular blog I am going to deal with the topic "The Dichotomy of Indian Astrology in R.K. Narayan's 'An Astrologer's Day'".
R. K. Narayan
R. K. Narayan, born in 1906 and passing away in 2001, was a prolific writer. Throughout his career, he wrote 14 novels, more than 200 short stories, a memoir, two travel books, many essays, and two plays. His first novel, "Swami and Friends," was published in 1935, while his last work, "Grandmother's Tale," came out in 1992. His writings often focused on themes like exile, education in various forms, the role of women in society, ancient Indian myths, tradition versus modernity, the culture of Malgudi (a fictional town), appearances versus reality, and family dynamics. These were consistent topics in his nearly seventy-year-long career.
Narayan's writing style, much like Jane Austen's, captured the essence of a specific cultural setting in depth, despite focusing on a relatively limited scope. While Austen is widely acclaimed and extensively studied, Narayan's brilliance might need more attention. In today's literary landscape, writers like Narayan, whose works are clear and straightforward rather than complex or obscure, might not receive as much attention. However, recent scholarly work has started recognizing and evaluating Narayan's contributions in the context of post-colonial and post-modern terms.
R.K. Narayan’s “An
Astrologer’s Day”
R.K. Narayan’s short story “An Astrologer’s Day” was first published in 1943 in a short story collection titled “Cyclone and other stories “. Later on, it was republished in another short story collection “An Astrologer’s Day and other stories”. In the short story, the writer portrays a day’s events in the life of the protagonist, the Astrologer in the imaginary and stereotypical south Indian town of Malgudi, where the standard norms of tradition and superstition apply. The theme of the story is: how an astrologer faces earlier life’s deeds in the present day. The story deals with the darker side of human nature like shrewdness, revengefulness, selfishness and hypocrisy. Human frailties are depicted in the story. In the end, all ends well. Astrologer who has been running from realities of life faces an
adverse situation which he did not want to face. He comes across a person who was thought to be dead comes alive before the astrologer. Astrologer is well versed with “working analysis of mankind’s troubles: marriage, money and tangles of human ties”. The story also exhibits religious mentality, poverty, caste and selfishness of man etc. Setting: The marketplace. There
are three characters in the short story. The Astrologer, Gurunayak is Astrologer's wife. The author skillfully uses Irony in the story. Mysticism and religious hypocrisy, Identity, guilty, fear, Modernization,
Tradition and inequality are themes seen in the short story. Symbols used by the author are: The astrologer’s garb and equipment, Market place lightening and lorry. Style: Narayan adopts simple style and language. He uses a curious mixture of English and Tamil idioms.
Short Introduction of Indian Astrology
Astrologers in India trace their art to the fifth millennium B.C.E. though a new shape was given to ancient astrological speculations by Parashara Muni around 1500 B.C.E. He is one of the first astrologers in the world known to have actually cast horoscopes, the personal birth charts for individuals. He also is known to have had a special interest in the application of astrology to health and longevity concerns. He wrote several books, the most important being the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, and composed hymns to the several planetary deities.
The Character 'An Astrologer'
Astrologer's Background: Forced into the astrological profession due to adverse circumstances.
Daily Routine: Sets up shop under a tamarind tree, posing as a holy man, offering advice for a fee.
No Astrological Knowledge: Despite lacking astrological expertise, he offers comfort and emotional support to customers.
Conflict with Guru Nayak: A street brawl leads to the astrologer stabbing Guru Nayak and throwing him in a well.
Fleeing the Village: Leaves to evade prosecution, burdened by guilt but more due to self-interest than remorse for Guru Nayak.
Revelation to Wife: He discloses his past to his wife only when encountering Guru Nayak in the marketplace.
Greedy Nature: Expresses greed by berating Guru Nayak for paying less than promised (12 annas instead of 1 rupee).
Religion Hypocrisy
The astrologer has painted his forehead with sacred ash and wrapped himself in a saffron turban. In Hinduism saffron is a symbol of purity and quest for light. The astrologer sits beneath a large tamarind tree with his equipment. In fact, the author notes,
“half the enchantment of the place had to do with the fact that it did not have the benefit of municipal lighting”
Here, mystically, the marketplace lacks adequate lighting provided by the government. The astrologer’s keen insight around marriage, money, or tangled relationships and religious vocabulary mask the fact that he has no astrological wisdom. The astrologer confesses to himself that he had never envisioned becoming an astrologer and does not understand the stars or planets nor their astrological consequences better than any other peasant. The story puts forth how people seek mystical solutions to their worldly problems. It is known that it is an innate human desire to control worldly problems through astrologers. People like the astrologer, with their shrewdness and keen insight into the human psyche of customers, are simply giving customers what they want.
The Dichotomy of Indian Astrology in R. K. Narayan’s ‘An Astrologer’s
Day’
The storyteller, who isn't a real astrologer, tricks innocent and trusting customers dealing with money, marriage, or health issues. These fake practitioners take advantage of people who are desperate for solutions. It seems appealing when someone, claiming to have special powers and knowledge, offers help to solve big problems for a small fee. The author, Narayan, cleverly critiques the superstitions prevalent in Indian society during his time by portraying the astrologer. These fortune tellers, though found everywhere, gain significant respect in India by using deceitful appearances.
Narayan very well describes the crafty ways in which the astrologer surpasses his work and endeared to his gullible customers in the following words: He was as much a stranger to the stars as were his innocent customers. But it didn’t seem to matter at all. He said things which pleased and astonished everyone: that was more a matter of study, practice and shrewd guesswork.
The astrologer has mastered the tricks of trade in a very short time. He can judge what type of response his clients expect from him. He prolongs his conversation with his client so as to get a rough idea of his problem, to collect as many details from him as possible, to peep into his mind and then only will he begin asking questions. The questions are easy enough. The astrologer pretended to be omniscient. Majority of people in India are superstitious and behave irrationally. They are led to believe by holy figures and such impostors that any planet or stars located up in the sky can make it. They accept it as a gospel truth and never ask why some fortune tellers themselves fail to please angry stars. The very dealings of the astrologer with his customers are described thus:
He had a working analysis of mankind's troubles: marriage, money, and the tangles of human ties. Long practice had sharpened his
perception.
He told the person before him, gazing at his palm,
"In many ways you are not getting the fullest results for your efforts,"
Nine out of ten were disposed to agree with him. Or he questioned:
"Is there any woman in your family, maybe even a distant relative, who is not well disposed towards you? "Or he gave an analysis of character: "Most of your troubles are due to your nature. How can you be otherwise with Saturn where he is? You have an impetuous nature and a rough exterior."
This endeared him to their hearts immediately; for; even the mildest of us loves to think that he has a forbidding exterior.
It was a stereotyped life for the astrologer which he enjoyed until the fall. The speciality of Narayan lies in telling the readers about the life of an astrologer whose name is not even mentioned by the writer, even though no details of his past life has been given. It tends the readers to think that he must be an original inhabitant of this village. The narrative of the story takes a turn when the astrologer encounters a stranger whom he finds a potential client. He tries to entice him through his usual methods: You look careworn. It will do you good to sit down for a while and chat with me.
The stranger is not an ordinary client; it is difficult for the astrologer to accept his conditions. His usual methods of giving solutions don’t work with strangers. The stranger wants something worthwhile from the astrologer. He has his own questions to ask and is ready to pay high fees for that but if the astrologer found bluffing, he would like to have his money back with interest. The astrologer found himself caught in the tight situation. He knows that this visitor would lend him trouble. He may be exposed and his little empire may crumble. He even felt uncomfortable for some obscure reason when he caught a glimpse of the face of the stranger when he lit matchlight to light his cheroot. His self-confidence gives way and tries to wriggle out of the whole thing:
The astrologer felt very uncomfortable. "Here, take your anna back. I am not used to such challenges. It is late for me today. . . ."...The other held his wrist and said:
"You can't get out of it now. You dragged me in while I was passing." The astrologer shivered in his grip; and his voice shook and became faint. "Leave me today. I will speak to you tomorrow." The other thrust his palm in his face and said:
"Challenge is challenge. Go on."
The stranger is desperate to get the right information from the astrologer. It was a question of life and death for him. But for the help of such experienced astrologer his mission would remain unfulfilled. After a brief talk, the astrologer suddenly realizes that the visitor belonged to the same place as he. They arrive at a deal and the astrologer was to get a handsome amount provided he satisfied the query of his client.
The client had none of the usual problems of ill-health, poverty, unhappy married life etc. He was in search of the person who had attempted to kill him by throwing into the well. Luckily his life was saved. He was burning to take revenge. The killer had run away from the village. But he would carry on his efforts to find out his enemy from any corner of the world. The astrologer was a bit nervous but he planned everything properly. A little carelessness on his part meant his life was to end quickly.
The astrologer gives very authentic information, sometimes even before being asked, to his client which astonishes the client as well as the readers.
An Astrologer’s Day” features a plot twist worthy of O. Henry, but the brevity and conciseness of the tale and its low-key ending save it from the air of contrivance to which O. Henry was prone.
Conclusion
The story ends with a great relief for both of its only two characters. Though the victim could not take an eye for an eye, he was consoled that nature gave the assailant death he badly deserved. The astrologer is unburdened himself from his past sin of murdering a person in his silly youngster age under the intoxication of wine. He fabricated the story to keep any possible threat or danger to his life away. It has been attributed:
This story goes on to show how the past can actually affect the present and future of one’s life. The astrologer had committed a folly by getting into a quarrel when he was a drunk youngster, the result of which changed his entire path of life.
Resorces
“Introduction.” R. K. Narayan: An Introduction, by Mohan G. Ramanan, Foundation Books, 2014, pp. 1–53. Patel, Ramesh B. “THE DICHOTOMY OF INDIAN ASTROLOGY IN LIGHT OF R.K. NARAYAN’S ‘AN ASTROLOGER’S DAY’ .” An International Refereed E-Journal of Literary Explorations, vol. 3, no. 2, May 2015. Umakiran, K. “An Astrologer’s Day -Re-Visited (A Critical Analysis from 21 St Century Perspective).” International Journal of Research, vol. 07, no. 07, July 2020. "Vedic Astrology ." Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology. . Encyclopedia.com. 16 Nov. 2023 <https://www.encyclopedia.com>.
Words - 2,108
Pictures - 3
No comments:
Post a Comment