An Astrologer's Day MODULE - 3

An Astrologer's Day
3

AN ASTROLOGER’S DAY

Notes

The short story, “An Astrologer’s Day,” has been written by the renowned Indian cowrie: small sea
writer, R. K. Narayan. R. K. Narayan’s literary prowess has positioned him in the creature with a bright,
coloured external shell;
league of Dickens, Chekhov, Faulkner and Flannery O’Connor, among others. “An used as money in the
Astrologer’s Day” is a thriller. It is a suspense story which describes a day in the life of past (kodi)
fake astrologer. This story deals with various themes related to human nature, such as obscure: not easy to
hypocrisies, selfishness, shrewdness and revengefulness. Let’s read and find out how see or understand
the story not only exposes the fake astrologer, but also highlights the gullible and mystic: relating to
superstitious people who approach him. magic or sorcery or
involving magical
powers
palmyra: tall, fan-
LEARNING OUTCOMES
leaved Palm tree
whose leaves can be
At the end of the lesson, the learner: used for writing
resplendent: having a
 Recognises the narrative techniques of creating suspense and surprises;
bright and attractive
 Discusses how superstition is the religion of feeble minds; appearance
vermilion: a brilliant
 Discovers the role of language in the formation of our identities and culture; red pigment, used in the
powdery form, by
 Interprets characteristics of works of literature from colonial India. Indian wives and in
rituals as sindoor
3.1 SECTION I sparkle: to shine
brightly with many
Punctually at midday he opened his bag and spread out his professional equipment, small points of light
which consisted of a dozen cowrie shells, a square piece of cloth with obscure mystic gleam: soft light that
charts on it, a notebook and a bundle of palmyra writing. His forehead was shines for a short time
resplendent with sacred ash and vermilion, and his eyes sparkled with a sharp prophetic: having the
abnormal gleam which was really an outcome of a continual searching look for power to say correctly
customers, but which his simple clients took to be a prophetic light and felt comforted. what will happen in the
future
ENGLISH COURSE (302) 45
 MODULE - 3 An Astrologer's Day

An Astrologer's Day The power of his eyes was considerably enhanced by their position—placed as they
were between the painted forehead and the dark whiskers which streamed down his
cheeks: even a half-wit’s eyes would sparkle in such a setting. To crown the effect he
wound a saffron-coloured turban around his head. This colour scheme never failed.
People were attracted to him as bees are attracted to cosmos or dahlia stalks. He sat
under the boughs of a spreading tamarind tree which flanked a path running through
the Town Hall Park. It was a remarkable place in many ways: a surging crowd was
always moving up and down this narrow road morning till night. A variety of trades and
occupations was represented all along its way: medicine sellers, sellers of stolen
Notes

cosmos: plant grown in

gardens for its brightly
coloured flowers
dahlia: brightly coloured
garden flower with long,
thin petals in a shape like
a ball
flank: to be at the side
of someone or something
surging: increasingly
greatly and suddenly
auctioneer: person who
organises the selling at
an auction (nilam)
din: loud and unpleasant
noise or mixture of
noises
vociferousness: making
a loud outcry and
expressing something
repeatedly
ware: product Fig. : 3.1
flock: move or come hardware and junk, magicians and, above all, an auctioneer of cheap cloth, who
together in large numbers
created enough din all day to attract the whole town. Next to him in vociferousness
dally: waste time or do
something slowly came a vendor of fried groundnut, who gave his ware a fancy name each day, calling
transact: do and it Bombay Ice-Cream one day, and on the next Delhi Almond, and on the third Raja’s
complete an activity Delicacy, and so on and so forth, and people flocked to him. A considerable portion
crackle: make a lot of
of this crowd dallied before the astrologer too. The astrologer transacted his business
short, dry, sharp sounds
enchantment: attractive by the light of a flare which crackled and smoked up above the groundnut heap
and pleasing quality nearby. Half the enchantment of the place was due to the fact that it did not have the
benefit of municipal lighting. The place was lit up by shop lights. One or two had
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An Astrologer's Day MODULE - 3

hissing gaslights, some had naked flares stuck on poles, some were lit up by old cycle An Astrologer's Day
lamps and one or two, like the astrologer’s, managed without lights of their own. It
was a bewildering crisscross of light rays and moving shadows. This suited the
astrologer very well, for the simple reason that he had not in the least intended to be an
astrologer when he began life; and he knew no more of what was going to happen to
others than he knew what was going to happen to himself next minute. He was as
much a stranger to the stars as were his innocent customers. Yet he said things which
pleased and astonished everyone: that was more a matter of study, practice and shrewd
guesswork. All the same, it was as much an honest man’s labour as any other, and he
deserved the wages he carried home at the end of a day. Notes

LET US UNDERSTAND 3.1 hissing: making a noise

like a long s sound
At midday, an astrologer opened his backpack and took out his professional gear, bewildering: confusing
crisscross: a pattern of
which included cowrie shells, cloth with mystic charts, a notebook and palmyra writing.
intersecting or crossing
He wore a saffron-coloured turban around his head, and his eyes shone with an unnatural lines
brightness. People were drawn to him in the same way that bees are drawn to cosmos shrewd: quality of
or dahlia stalks. He sat beneath a tamarind tree at Town Hall Park, where a range of judging a situation
accurately and turning it
trades and occupations were represented. The astrologer knew nothing about the
to one’s own advantage
stars, but somehow made a career by positioning himself next to the person selling
fried groundnuts.

His place was lit by adjacent shop lights, gaslights, naked flares, antique cycle lamps,
and without their own lights. He was a hard worker who deserved the money he
brought home at the end of the day.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 3.1

1. What is the profession of the protagonist in the story?

2. What were the professional equipments used by the protagonist to attract his
customers?

3. Given below are a few words. Find their antonyms (words with opposite meaning
from the passage and write them in the blanks given):

Blunt ……………………………….

Discomfort ……………………………….

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 MODULE - 3 An Astrologer's Day

An Astrologer's Day Costly ……………………………….

Complex ……………………………….

Innocent ……………………………….

Dishonest ……………………………….

4. Does the astrologer have special powers of predicting the future?

3.2 SECTION-II
Notes
He had left his village without any previous thought or plan. If he had continued there
tilling: preparing and he would have carried on the work of his forefathers—namely, tilling the land, living,
using land for growing marrying and ripening in his cornfield and ancestral home. But that was not to be. He
crops had to leave home without telling anyone, and he could not rest till he left it behind a
tangles: an untidy mass couple of hundred miles. To a villager it is a great deal, as if an ocean flowed between.
of things not in order
disposed: to be willing He had a working analysis of mankind’s troubles: marriage, money and the tangles of
or likely to do something human ties. Long practice had sharpened his perception. Within five minutes he
impetuous: likely to do
understood what was wrong. He charged three pies per question and never opened
something suddenly,
without thinking about
his mouth till the other had spoken for at least ten minutes, which provided him enough
the results of one’s stuff for a dozen answers and advices. When he told the person before him, gazing at
actions his palm, ‘In many ways you are not getting the fullest results for your efforts,’ nine out
endear: cause someone of ten were disposed to agree with him. Or he questioned: ‘Is there any woman in
to be liked your family, maybe even a distant relative, who is not well disposed towards you?’ Or
forbidding: unfriendly
he gave an analysis of character: ‘Most of your troubles are due to your nature. How
and likely to be
unpleasant can you be otherwise with Saturn where he is? You have an impetuous nature and a
paraphernalia: all the rough exterior.’ This endeared him to their hearts immediately, for even the mildest of
objects needed for or us loves to think that he has a forbidding exterior.
connected with a
particular activity The nuts-vendor blew out his flare and rose to go home. This was a signal for the
careworn: appearing astrologer to bundle up too, since it left him in darkness except for a little shaft of green
tired, worried, and light which strayed in from somewhere and touched the ground before him. He picked
unhappy up his cowrie shells and paraphernalia and was putting them back into his bag when
grumble: to complain
the green shaft of light was blotted out; he looked up and saw a man standing before
about someone or
something in a disturbed
him. He sensed a possible client and said: ‘You look so careworn. It will do you good
way to sit down for a while and chat with me.’ The other grumbled some vague reply. The
vague: unclear astrologer pressed his invitation; whereupon the other thrust his palm under his nose,
tilt: to cause to move saying: ‘You call yourself an astrologer?’The astrologer felt challenged and said, tilting
into a sloping position the other’s palm towards the green shaft of light: ‘Yours is a nature...’ ‘Oh, stop that,’

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the other said. ‘Tell me something worthwhile...’ An Astrologer's Day

LET US UNDERSTAND 3.2

The astrologer had left his town without thinking or planning ahead of time. He had a
working analysis of mankind’s problems, such as marriage, money and human bonds.
He was paid three pies for each question and never opened his lips until the other
person had spoken for at least ten minutes. It gave him enough information for a dozen
responses and suggestions. He gave standard, relatable responses that involved common
life realities. This immediately warmed the hearts of his clients, as even the mildest of
Notes
people enjoys illusions like having a forbidding exterior. The astrologer noticed a man
standing before him and encouraged him to sit and talk for a while. The other complained piqued: slightly angry
about something in an unclear manner. However, the astrologer confronted him and or annoyed, because
someone has hurt one’s
claimed to be an expert on human nature. The other requested something useful and of feeling of pride
interest. anna: former Indian
currency in the form of
a copper coin, worth one
sixteenth of a rupee
INTEXT QUESTIONS 3.2 fling: to throw
something or someone
suddenly and with a lot
1. Does the protagonist choose to be an astrologer by choice? of force
bluffing: deceiving
2. How could the astrologer satisfy his ‘clients’ ? someone by making
them think either that
3. What was the signal for the astrologer to bundle up and go home? one is going to do
something when one
4. Given below are a few words. Find out their synonyms (words of same meaning) really does not want to
do it, or that one has
from the passage and write them in the blanks given: knowledge that one does
not really have, or that
i. Problem ………………………………. one is someone else

ii. Ancestor ……………………………….

iii. Insight ……………………………….

iv. Far off ……………………………….

v. Ray ……………………………….

vi. Murmur ……………………………….

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 MODULE - 3 An Astrologer's Day

An Astrologer's Day 3.3 SECTION-III

Our friend felt piqued. ‘I charge only three pies per question, and what you get ought
to be good enough for your money...’At this the other withdrew his arm, took out an
anna, and flung it out to him, saying: ‘I have some questions to ask. If I prove you are
bluffing, you must return that anna to me with interest.’

‘If you find my answers satisfactory, will you give me five rupees?’

‘No.’
Notes ‘Or will you give me eight annas?’
pact: a formal ‘All right, provided you give me twice as much if you are wrong,’ said the stranger.
agreement between two
people or groups of
people
This pact was accepted after a little further argument. The astrologer sent up a prayer
hoot: a short, loud, high to heaven as the other lit a cheroot. The astrologer caught a glimpse of his face by the
sound match-light. There was a pause as cars hooted on the road, jutka-drivers swore at
babble: to talk or say
something in a quick, their horses and the babble of the crowd agitated the semi-darkness of the park. The
confused, excited, or silly other sat down, sucking his cheroot, puffing out, sat there ruthlessly. The astrologer
way
agitate: to make felt very uncomfortable. ‘Here, take your anna back. I am not used to such challenges.
someone feel worried or It is late for me today...’ He made preparations to bundle up. The other held his wrist
angry and said, ‘You can’t get out of it now. You dragged me in while I was passing.’ The
puffing: in this context,
to smoke tobacco astrologer shivered in his grip; and his voice shook and became faint. ‘Leave me
ruthlessly: in a way today. I will speak to you tomorrow.’ The other thrust his palm in his face and said,
that shows no thought or
worry about pain caused ‘Challenge is challenge. Go on.’ The astrologer proceeded with his throat drying up.
to others when deciding ‘There is a woman...’
what one needs to do
disgorge: to be forced ‘Stop,’ said the other. ‘I don’t want all that. Shall I succeed in my present search or
to and unwillingly give
money not? Answer this and go. Otherwise I will not let you go till you disgorge all your
mutter: to speak quietly coins.’ The astrologer muttered a few incantations and replied, ‘All right. I will
and in a low voice that is
speak. But will you give me a rupee if what I say is convincing? Otherwise I will not
not easy to hear
incantation: words that open my mouth, and you may do what you like.’ After a good deal of haggling the
are believed to have a other agreed. The astrologer said, ‘You were left for dead. Am I right?’
magical effect when
spoken or sung ‘Ah, tell me more.’
convincing: able to
make one believe that
something is true or right ‘A knife has passed through you once?’ said the astrologer.
haggling: the act of
arguing about the price ‘Good fellow!’ He bared his chest to show the scar. ‘What else?’
of something to make
the seller reduce it ‘And then you were pushed into a well nearby in the field. You were left for dead.’

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‘I should have been dead if some passer-by had not chanced to peep into the well,’ An Astrologer's Day
exclaimed the other, overwhelmed by enthusiasm. ‘When shall I get at him?’ he
asked, clenching his fist.

‘In the next world,’ answered the astrologer. ‘He died four months ago in a far-off
town. You will never see any more of him.’ The other groaned on hearing it. The
astrologer proceeded.

LET US UNDERSTAND 3.3

The stranger challenges the astrologer to return an anna to him with interest if he can Notes
prove he is bluffing. The astrologer is able to persuade the stranger to pay him eight
overwhelmed: to be
annas for satisfactory answers, but it comes with the clause that if the astrologer is filled with sudden, strong
wrong, he has to pay back twice as much. At one point the astrologer wanted to quit, emotion, that is too much
to manage
but the stranger gripped his wrist and declared that he could not back out then. The enthusiasm: a feeling
astrologer shivered under his control and his voice turned faint. Even though the of energetic interest in
astrologer tried giving him a different day, the other declined. some subject or activity
and wanting to be
involved in it
clench: to close or hold
something very tightly,
often in a determined or
angry way

Fig. : 3.2

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 MODULE - 3 An Astrologer's Day

An Astrologer's Day He even stopped the astrologer as he started speaking about a woman in his life. The
stranger’s interest revolved only around his current search. Realising that he has no
other option, the astrologer revealed how the stranger had been fatally wounded,
pushed into a well and left for dead. The astrologer then informed the stranger that his
culprit had died four months ago in a distant place and that he would never see him
again.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 3.3

Notes
1. How much fee did the astrologer charge per question?
pinch: a tiny amount of
something, especially the 2. How did the astrologer initially react upon seeing the stranger?
amount that one can
3. “Leave me today. I will speak to you tomorrow.” Who is the speaker of the
hold between their first
following words? Choose the appropriate option.
finger and thumb

reflectively: in a way i) The astrologer

that shows that one is ii) The stranger
thinking carefully and
quietly iii) The shopkeeper
choke: to make iv) The narrator
someone stop breathing
because something is 4. What does the astrologer’s scar symbolise in the story? Choose an appropriate
blocking one’s throat answer from the given options.

i) A physical injury

ii) A birth mark

iii) A reminder of his past mistake

iv) A mark of his expertise in astrology

3.4 SECTION- IV

‘Guru Nayak—’

‘You know my name!’ the other said, taken aback.

‘As I know all other things. Guru Nayak, listen carefully to what I have to say. Your
village is two day’s journey due north of this town. Take the next train and be gone. I

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see once again great danger to your life if you go from home.’ He took out a pinch of An Astrologer's Day
sacred ash and held it out to him. ‘Rub it on your forehead and go home. Never travel
southward again, and you will live to be a hundred.’

‘Why should I leave home again?’ the other said reflectively. ‘I was only going away
now and then to look for him and to choke out his life if I met him.’ He shook his head
regretfully. ‘He has escaped my hands. I hope at least he died as he deserved.’ ‘Yes,’
said the astrologer. ‘He was crushed under a lorry.’ The other looked gratified to
hear it.

The place was deserted by the time the astrologer picked up his articles and put them Notes
into his bag. The green shaft was also gone, leaving the place in darkness and silence.
gratified: pleased and
The stranger had gone off into the night, after giving the astrologer a handful of coins.
satisfied
It was nearly midnight when the astrologer reached home. His wife was waiting for
deserted: without any
him at the door and demanded an explanation. He flung the coins at her and said, people
‘Count them. One man gave all that.’
jaggery: solid dark
‘Twelve and a half annas,’ she said, counting. She was overjoyed. ‘I can buy some sugar made in India
jaggery and coconut tomorrow. The child has been asking for sweets for so many from sugarcane and the
days now. I will prepare some nice stuff for her.’ sap of date palm trees,
locally known as gur

swine: an extremely
unpleasant and unkind
person

pyol: a raised platform

used to sit or even lie
down, built on either
sides of the main door
of a house

Fig. : 3.3

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 MODULE - 3 An Astrologer's Day

An Astrologer's Day ‘The swine has cheated me! He promised me a rupee,’ said the astrologer. She looked
up at him. ‘You look worried. What is wrong?’

‘Nothing.’

After dinner, sitting on the pyol, he told her, ‘Do you know a great load is gone from
me today? I thought I had the blood of a man on my hands all these years. That was
the reason why I ran away from home, settled here and married you. He is alive.’

She gasped. ‘You tried to kill!’

Notes ‘Yes, in our village, when I was a silly youngster. We drank, gambled and quarrelled
badly one day—why think of it now? Time to sleep,’ he said, yawning, and stretched
gasp: take a short,
himself on the pyol.
quick breath through
the mouth, especially
LET US UNDERSTAND 3.4
because of surprise,
pain or shock
The astrologer advised the stranger named Guru Nayak to take the next train for
gamble: to risk money home and to never travel southward again if he wanted to live long. Sensing Guru
in a game of luck Nayak’s keenness to know whether his culprit died in a manner, apt for his wrongdoing,
the astrologer clarified that a lorry had crushed him. The stranger left after that and the
area had become empty. On returning home, the astrologer’s wife was thrilled to
know how he had received a handful of coins from a stranger. The twelve and a half
annas would make it possible for her to buy the ingredients to prepare some sweets
for her child. However, the astrologer felt cheated as he had been promised a full
rupee.

It is only after dinner that the astrologer revealed to his wife how he was feeling light
after a long time. He informed her how as a drunk youngster, he had tried to murder a
man in his community after a major quarrel over a game of gambling. It is because of
the sense of guilt of having the blood of a man on his hands, that he had moved and
settled away from his home. But having seen Guru Nayak alive that night, he felt
unburdened. Consequently, he stretched himself on the pyol and yawned.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 3.4

1. What motivated the astrologer to confront the stranger openly? Choose the
correct answer from the options given below:

a) Fear of exposure

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An Astrologer's Day MODULE - 3

b) Guilt and the need for redemption An Astrologer's Day

c) The stranger’s insistence on the truth
d) Desire for revenge.

2. Where was Guru Nayak’s village situated?

3. When did the astrologer reach home?

4. What did the astrologer’s wife plan to do with twelve and a half annas?

CHARACTER SKETCHES
Notes
The Astrologer

 He is described as a middle-aged man with an impressive turban, draped in a

saffron-colored gown. His eyes are intense and scrutinizing.

 The astrologer is shrewd, confident, and cunning. He has a knack for observing
people and reading their reactions. He is also secretive about his past.

 He earns his livelihood by pretending to be an astrologer, using his knowledge

of human nature to make accurate predictions about people’s lives.

Guru Nayak

 He is a well-dressed man with a prominent scar on his face.

 Initially, he appears to be a troubled and disturbed individual, carrying the weight

of a dark secret. He is desperate to find the man (astrologer) who he believes is
responsible for ruining his life;

 He is the catalyst for the conflict in the story, driving the plot forward as he
confronts the astrologer.

DO YOU KNOW

 This story was first published in 1947.

 It becomes the first chapter of R. K. Narayan’s short story collection Malgudi

Days.

 R. K. Narayan was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1960.

 He is also the recipient of Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan,

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 MODULE - 3 An Astrologer's Day

An Astrologer's Day LET’S LEARN

GRAMMAR

Read the following sentences carefully:

a) I have been studying for three hours.

b) I had been studying for three hours before she called.

Notes The first sentence indicates that the person started studying in the past, and the action
is still ongoing.

The second sentence conveys that the studying occurred for a duration before another
past event, which is the phone call.

In both examples, the continuous aspect emphasises the duration of the action. If it is
ongoing up to the present, then it is in Present Perfect Continuous Tense; and if it
had been ongoing up to a specific point in the past then it is in Past Perfect Continuous
Tense.

Hence, the Present Perfect Continuous tense is used to express the duration of an
action that started in the past and continues into the present. The basic structure of the
sentences would be as the following:

[Subject + has/have (present perfect auxiliary) + been + present participle

(base verb + -ing)]

Examples:
1. I have been studying for two hours.
2. They have been working on the project all week.
3. She has been reading that book for a while.

Likewise, the Past Perfect Continuous tense is used to describe the duration of an
action that started in the past and continued up to another point in the past. This tense
helps to establish a timeframe for an ongoing activity that started before another event
in the past.The basic structure of the sentences would be as the following:

[Subject + had (past perfect auxiliary) + been + present participle

(base verb + -ing)]

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Examples: An Astrologer's Day

1. I had been working for several hours when he called.
2. They had been waiting for a long time before the bus arrived.
3. She had been practicing the piano before the concert.

Understanding these tenses enhances your ability to convey the continuity and duration
of actions across different time frames.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 3.5 Notes

Fill in the blanks with appropriate form of verbs:

1. She __________ (study) for her exams for three hours.
2. They __________ (work) on the project since last Monday.
3. By the time we arrived, they __________ (wait) for us for over an hour.
4. I __________ (wait) for you for more than an hour.
5. They were exhausted because they __________ (dance) at the party for hours.
6. By the time he got the job, he __________ (search) for it for six months.
7. The children __________ (play) in the garden since morning.
8. When they finally met, they __________ (talk) on the phone for hours.
9. She realized she __________ (work) on the wrong assignment all night.
10. He __________ (paint) the house for the last two days.

LITERARY DEVICES

Irony

Irony is a literary device characterised by a contrast between what is expected and

what actually occurs. It often results in a humorous, surprising, or thought-provoking
effect. It is a tool used by writers to convey deeper meanings or to highlight the
discrepancy between appearance and reality.

Example: “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry

In this story, the astrologer said for Guru Nayak, “The swine had cheated me! He
promised me a rupee.” Yet in reality, it is the astrologer who cheated Guru Nayak by
concealing his true identity and showcasing his astrological power which was false.

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 MODULE - 3 An Astrologer's Day

An Astrologer's Day VOCABULARY ENRICHMENT

Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are combinations of a main verb and one or more particles (prepositions
or adverbs). The meaning of a phrasal verb is often different from the individual words.
For example, “take off” can mean to remove something, but as a phrasal verb, it can
also mean to leave quickly, like an airplane taking off.

Notes INTEXT QUESTIONS 3.6

1. Fill in the blanks using the correct forms of the phrasal verbs given in the box.
put back put on put up put out put off
put by bring in look after climb up make out
come up with fall back on to keep up with

i. Every wise person _________a little money for a rainy day.

ii. Please ________ the fire after you have cooked rice.

iii. She couldn’t __________ the answer during the test, so she left it blank.

iv. The meeting was __________ as the chairman was not well.

v. The children need someone to _____________ them while their parents

are away.

vi. The concert organizers had to ____________ extra chairs to accommodate

the unexpected crowd.

vii. Please ________ the dictionary on the top shelf after you have looked up
the meaning of the words.

viii. ___________ your cardigan as it is cold.

ix. The team ________________ a great performance.

x. The cat tried to ________________ the tree to catch the elusive bird.

xi. I could not _________ what he was trying to say.

xii. The couple is always trying ________ their neighbour’s status.

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xiii. If one has some savings, one can _____ them in times of need. An Astrologer's Day

2. Match the table A with table B:

Table A Table B
i. looked through a) glanced at
ii. looked into b) searched for
iii. looked after c) took care of
iv. looked at d) examined
v. looked for e) read through Notes

LET’S DO

1. There is an error in each line with a blank alongside. The verb in each sentence
is incorrect. Remember to underline the error and write the correct form of verb
in the blank space alongside.
i. At the beginning of the year, Rahul did not knew a word of Urdu.
ii. Now he was able to read simple Urdu book without difficulty.
iii. His parents pays special attention to his needs and encourage him.
iv. But Atul’s case has different.
v. Instead of making progress he seeming to be going slow.
vi. The negative factors at home causes all this differences.

2. In the following passage there are mistakes of subject-verb agreement. Go

through if you can find the slips and correct them.
i. My father giving me some money yesterday. He always gave some money
whenever he is in a happy mood; but the trouble are, his happy mood does
not last very long. I is waiting for his next happy mood now.
ii. What guide the wasp or the bee when it flies home? When young bees fly
out for first time, it makes short flights. The bees fly a yard or two, circle
around, and then fly one. At last they know all the landmarks around the
hive. Each flight is longer then the one before. These flights are not to test
their wings but to get to know the country. They find their way home because
they have flew over the country and seen it. They know their geography.
LET’S WRITE
1. Write a paragraph discussing how the story portrays the interplay between destiny

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 MODULE - 3 An Astrologer's Day

An Astrologer's Day and individual choices, using examples from the plot.
2. Write a paragraph exploring how the contrast between light and darkness is
used to convey deeper meanings about knowledge, deception, and self-
discovery.

WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNT

 The astrologer’s predictions are vague and general, yet his clients believe in
Notes their accuracy. This underscores the role of perception in shaping our beliefs
and actions.
 People can change and seek redemption if they were given the opportunity. For
ex, the protagonist, the astrologer, was initially a deceitful and morally
questionable character. However, his encounter with a man from his past leads
to a transformation.
 Though it is popularly believed in the power of destiny, individuals can control
their own lives.

TERMINAL QUESTIONS

1. How does the astrologer manipulate his client’s palm reading?

2. What does the astrologer’s interaction with his clients reveal about human nature?

3. What is the significance of the title, “An Astrologer’s Day”?

4. What is the moral of the story “An Astrologer’s Day” by R.K. Narayan?

ANSWERS TO INTEXT QUESTIONS

3.1
1. Astrology
2. a dozen cowrie shells, a square piece of cloth with obscure mystic charts
on it, a notebook, and a bundle of palmyra writing
3. Sharp, Comfort, Cheap, Simple, Shrewd, Honest
4. No

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An Astrologer's Day MODULE - 3

3.2 An Astrologer's Day

1. No
2. He would always say relatable things which pleased his customers. His
strategy was to let a customer speak for at least ten minutes. That gave him
enough stuff for a variety of answers.
3. When the nuts vendor blew out his flare and rose to go home that was a
signal for the astrologer.
4. Trouble, Forefathers, Perception, Distant, Shaft, Grumbled
3.3 Notes
1. Three pies per question
2. Startled and fearful
3. i) The astrologer
4. A reminder of his past mistake
3.4
1. b) Guilt and the need for redemption
2. two day’s journey due north of astrologer’s town
3. at midnight
4. She wanted to prepare some nice sweets for her daughter.
3.5
1. has been studying
2. have been working
3. had been waiting
4. have been waiting
5. had been dancing
6. had been searching
7. have been playing
8. had been talking
9. had been working
10. has been painting
3.6
1. i. put by
ii. put out

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 MODULE - 3 An Astrologer's Day

An Astrologer's Day iii. come up with

iv. put off
v. look after
vi. bring in
vii. put back
viii. put on
ix. put up
x. break down
Notes
xi. makeout
xii. to keep up with
xiii. fall back on
2. i. looked through e. read through
ii. looked into d. examined
iii. looked after c. took care of
iv. looked at a. glanced at
v. looked for b. searched for
Let’s Do
1. i. At the beginning of the year, Rahul did not know a word of Urdu.
ii. Now he was able to read simple Urdu books without difficulty.
iii. His parents pay special attention to his needs and encourage him.
iv. But Atul’s case is different.
v. Instead of making progress he seems to be going slow.
vi. The negative factors at home cause all these differences.
2. i. My father gave me some money yesterday. He always gives some
money whenever he is in a happy mood; but the trouble is, his happy
mood does not last very long. I am waiting for his next happy mood
now.
ii. What guides the wasp or the bee when it flies home? When young
bees fly out for the first time, it makes short flights. The bees fly a
yard or two, circle around, and then fly one. At last they know all the
landmarks around the hive. Each flight is longer than the one before.
These flights are not to test their wings but to get to know the country.
They find their way home because they have flown over the country
and seen it. They know their geography.

62 SENIOR SECONDARY