Sahyadri Books Online Trivandrum.: 197. An Astrologer’s Day. R K Narayan Story Reintroduced By P S Remesh Chandran

Saturday, March 28, 2020

197. An Astrologer’s Day. R K Narayan Story Reintroduced By P S Remesh Chandran

197

An Astrologer’s Day. R K Narayan Story Reintroduced

P. S. Remesh Chandran

Editor, Sahyadri Books & Bloom Books, Trivandrum

Article Title Image By Girasol Tarsio Monge. Graphics: Adobe SP.

An Astrologer’s Day is a story by the famous Indian writer R. K. Narayan. The story abounds in humour, wit and irony. The astrologer in the story is not a real one but a pseudo one, an impostor. He once lived in a village. He did not intend to leave his village but in a drunken condition he quarreled with Guru Nayak, wounded him with a knife, and left him in a well. Fearing the man might have died he secretly left his village, reached the town and got married, and settled there posing as an astrologer of which faculty he knew nothing.

His practical wisdom, commonsense, keenness in observing people and clever guessing brought him success in astrology.

The astrologer was well aware of his own ignorance in astrology. ‘He was as much a stranger to the stars as were his innocent customers.’ But he had practical wisdom and commonsense and keenly observed people and their manners. He was good in guessing also. His practical wisdom, commonsense, keenness in observing people and clever guessing brought him success in the profession of astrology. He took care to speak only things pleasing and astonishing to everyone. He consoled his customers by pointing out that their troubles were due to the particular position of Saturn sitting in the sky. How could their lives be otherwise with Saturn sitting where it is? So he asked his customers, and thus the conditions in their life accounted for and justified, his customers were satisfied.

Flares, oil lamps and shop lights lighted the place at night and broken lights and moving shadows created the suitable atmosphere and ambience for the astrologer’s business.

The astrologer made his daily appearance on a pavement where there many other traders also. He always sat under a tamarind tree and he made his appearance always wearing a saffron-coloured turban on his head and sacred ash on his forehead. This colour scheme never failed and his eyes sparkled though we do not know how he made them to be so. People were attracted to him as bees are attracted to dahlia flowers. That part of the road was always busy with people. Flares, oil lamps and shop lights lighted the place at night and broken lights and moving shadows created the suitable atmosphere and ambience for the astrologer’s business.

Guru Nayak coming to town in search of his enemy.

One day the inevitable happened. The astrologer was closing business as usual and preparing to return home. A stranger appeared before him. It was none but Guru Nayak whom he had almost killed years ago. The astrologer recognized him but Guru Nayak did not recognize his enemy in the astrologer. We can say the stars in the sky were indeed in favour of the astronomer then. His Saturn of course was not sitting at the wrong position in the sky at that time. Nayak challenged the astrologer to answer a few questions regarding his enmity and his coming to the town in search of his enemy. He wanted to know if he could kill his enemy. The astrologer was cautious and cunning. His quick wit and practical wisdom came to his rescue. He replied that his enemy had already been crushed under a lorry and died painfully. He further warned that other dangers were coming his way and therefore he should leave the town immediately. (A precaution for whom?). Terrified and sad, Nayak paid the astronomer handsomely and left.

‘I thought I had the blood of a man in my hands all these years!’

The astronomer was greatly relieved for finally saving himself from his enemy. The most dreaded moment in his life has passed and there will be no more threats from the past. He returned to his home that as happy as a lark. That night he told his wife the whole story- his life in the village, getting intoxicated, stabbing Nayak, leaving him in a well, and fleeing- everything. He exclaimed: ‘I thought I had the blood of a man in my hands all these years!’ He was happy that he was not guilty of another man’s death, and went to sleep peacefully.

Written on: September 1990
First published on: 28 March 2020

Tags:

An Astrologer’s Day, Astrology Business, Cheating Professions, Free Student Notes, Indian Writers, R K Narayan, Short Stories Reintroduced, Stories From India, Surprise End Stories,

About the Author P. S. Remesh Chandran:

00. Author Profile Of P S Remesh Chandran By Sahyadri Archives.

Editor of Sahyadri Books & Bloom Books, Trivandrum. Author of several books in English and in Malayalam. And also author of Swan: The Intelligent Picture Book. Born and brought up in the beautiful village of Nanniyode in the Sahya Mountain Valley in Trivandrum, in Kerala. Father British Council trained English teacher and Mother University educated. Matriculation with distinction and Pre Degree Studies in Science with National Merit Scholarship. Discontinued Diploma studies in Electronics and entered politics. Unmarried and single.