RANGA’S MARRIAGE

Questions and Answers1. Masti Venkatesha Iyengar expresses an aversion to English language and the English

rule in India. Bring out instances.The author, Masti Venkatesha Iyengar, though a civil servant by profession and a writer in English language, is critical in his views about English language and English rule. He satirizes people’s respect for English and the trend of using English words stringed with Kannada words. He considers this trend similar to a blind awe to the British men in India. Besides, he puts the blames on the British cartographers who made the map of India having not marked Hosahalli, his village.

2. Why does the author equal his countrymen to a flock of sheep?Masti Venkatesha Iyengar expresses extreme aversion for his countrymen’s slave attitude to the Western culture. He is of the opinion that Indians are like a flock of sheep who blindly believe that the British were always right. Because of this attitude, people hesitate to believe there are places like Hosahalli because the British cartographer didn’t mark it when he made the map years ago.

3. What is Dr. Gundabhatta’s opinion about Hosahalli and the world outside?Dr. Gundabhatta speaks so much glowingly about Hosahally as the author does. He is proud of Hosahalli. Though he has toured quite a number of places outside India, he admits that there is not such a wonderful place like Hosahalli.

4. How are the mangoes of Hosahalli remarkably special?Hosahalli is a wonderful place for so many reasons among which its mangoes are remarkably sour. Be advised against eating these mangoes – if they are eaten, their sourness will affect one’s physical and mental functioning.

5. How did the narrator carry out his resolve to get Ranga married to Ratna?The narrator felt that Ranga and Ratna was a suitable match for each other. Hearranged a meeting in which Ranga could meet Ratna and get impressed with her quality of singing. He manipulated things in a clever way and made Ranga fall in lovewith her. He finally got them married.

6. What are the special characteristics of Hosahalli and in what respect are they so?In the village of Hosahalli the mango trees produce sour mangoes whose sourness gostraight to the skull bones. There is also a creeper growing in the ever-so-fine water of the village pond. The flowers are a feast to behold and the leaves can be used to serveafternoon meals.

7. What was special about Rangappa? How did the villagers react to it?After his return from Bangalore where he had been studying for six months, much toeveryone’s surprise, he was just the same. His homecoming became a great event for the villagers. People rushed to his door step wanting to have a look at him. An oldlady even ran her hand over his chest, looked into his eyes and remarked that the janewara was still there. He hadn’t lost his caste.

8. What exactly had happened ten years ago?Ten years ago, the village accountant’s son was the first one to be sent to Bangalore to study. At that time, not many in the village knew English and no English words were used while talking in the native language.

9. What does the narrator tell the reader about his village Hosahalli?According to the narrator, the village Hosahalli is important to Karnataka as ‘Karigadabu’ is to a festive meal. It has mango trees which produce sour fruit. It is a place that has not been mentioned in any geography book, yet the author is proud of his village.

10. Who was Ranga? What was special about him?Ranga was the village accountant’s son who had gone to Bangalore to study. People thought that city education would change him but they were wrong. He still showed respect towards elders in the village and wore the sacred thread. However, his views on marriage had changed.

11. What are the narrator’s views on English Language?The narrator did not like English Language. English was not spoken by the villagers.Ranga was the first person to go out of the village to study English. People felt that he would be a changed person after getting English education.

12. What impression do you form of the narrator? How does he add to the humour of the story?The narrator appears to be a very talkative man. He jumps from one topic to another. There are too many digressions in his narration. He takes a lot of interest in village affairs. He decides to

get Ranga married to Ratna as soon as he realizes that they seem suitable for each other. His narration evokes the humour in the story when he manipulates the situation in a clever way. The astrologer’s remarks and the meeting between Ranga and Ratna add to the humour of the story.

13. Why was Ranga’s homecoming a great event?Ranga’s homecoming was a great event because he had gone to Bangalore to study. He was the first person in the village to have done so. His homecoming was a delight for the villagers and they all thronged to his house to see if city education had changed him or not.

14. What were Ranga’s views on marriage?Ranga was of the view that one should not marry a very young girl. A person should marry a girl who is mature. According to him, a man should marry a girl whom he admires.

15. Why does the narrator compare himself to a he-goat and Ranga to a lion?The narrator referred to a story in which a clever he-goat was able to scare away a lion. Here, he compares himself to the shrewd goat who has laid a plot for Ranga’s marriage. Just as the lion was unable to escape the clever moves of the goat, Ranga was also taken in by his manipulations.

16. How did the narrator arrange that Ranga should meet Ratna?The narrator was a frequent visitor to Rama Rao’s place and Ratna was quite free with him. On a Friday, he called Ratna to his house to deliver the buttermilk made by Rama Rao’s wife. He asked Ratna to sing for him and sent for Ranga at the same time. Ranga arrived while Ratna was rendering the melodious song. In this way,Ranga was able to meet her there.

17. “Words, mere words! The fellow said he would leave but he did not make amove. How can one expect words to match actions in these days of Kaliyuga?”Who said these words and in what context?The narrator spoke these words when Ranga came to his house only to find Ratna singing beautifully. Ratna stopped singing when she saw Ranga watching her. Ranga felt guilty that his arrival had made her stop singing. It was then that the narrator spoke these words.

18. Character sketch of the narrator.Shyama, the narrator of the story ‘Ranga’s Marriage’ is also the central character. His style of narration evokes a lot of humour in the story. He is an elderly gentleman and refers to himself as a dark piece of oil cake. He is passionately in love with his village and the villagers and rambles incessantly while describing it. He is a keen observer of his surroundings and uses a colourful style of narration. He feels it is disgraceful to use English words in the native tongue. He is a good judge of people and regards Ranga as a generous and considerate fellow. He is conservative at heart and feels unhappy at Ranga’s decision to remain single. He means well and his intentions are good. He schemes to get Ranga married. He calls Ranga when Ratna was singing. He also arranges a meeting with Shastri whom he had tutored thoroughly. He had decided that Ratna would be a suitable bride for him. He is a shrewd contriver as he tells Ranga that Ratna was married. This he does in order to rouse Ranga’s desire for the unattainable.