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Private Notes
Little Swamy, like all timid children, sucks his thumb and sleeps near his devoted, story – telling grandmother. Father is quite annoyed at this mollycoddling and cleverly provokes his son into a show of courage: he is to sleep all alone in his office that very night. And so, he drags the reluctant child to the office while the women in the family look on helplessly. A petrified Swamy sleeps fitfully’ dreams and reality merge’ but the next morning the little boy wakes up “A Hero” – with a special invitation to join the police force. Swamy abounds in the adulation and praise, while Father is pleased to know his son’s photograph has appeared in the local newspapers. Rushing in one night to break the good news, he finds Swamy back to his old ways one night of manhood is enough for the boy. R.K. Narayan pits the age – old courage vs. strength theory – either you have it in you or you don’t.
An impressive statue of a Horse and Warrior stands on the outskirts of a sleepy village named Kritam, not too far from Malgudi. Muni, the local goat – herd and his family (wife and two goats) has obviously seen better day. Hunger seems to follow them about like shadows because the shopkeeper’s terms are ‘strictly cash’. And so, penniless, dreaming of drumstick curry and other such delicacies, he grazes his goats each day – lazing in the shadows of the great Horse. On one such typical day, an American tourist happens to run out of ‘gas’ near the statue. The unlikely characters meet and an interesting conversation is soon in full swing. The American speaks only English while Muni speaks chaste Tamil. Not a single word is understood by either, yet they go on like long lost friends. Finally, an unexpected bargain takes place between Muni and the American that has surprising results for Muni. The story brings out R.K. Narayan’s earthy sense of humor, dealing with communication and the language barrier.
A simple farmer was exploited constantly by the landlord, who is a drunk and debauch landlord. Unable to bear the torture, the farmer pushes him into a well and flees, fearing the police will catch him. But the landlord has a miraculous escape and survives as the well has dried up. For many years the landlord thirst for revenge and is on the search for the farmer. One day he hears of a famous astrologer who can predict almost anything under the sun. Though the landlord is very cynical about astrology, he decides to pay a visit to the astrologer at the insistence of a friend. The astrologer shocks the landlord when he precisely recounts the landlord’s past by narrating to him the attempt on his life by the farmer. When the landlord asks him for the whereabouts of the farmer the astrologer tells him that the farmer has met with a gruesome death and that he should stop his futile search. The landlord, somewhat appeased, leaves. The astrologer returns home and removes his disguise. We find that he is none other than the farmer himself! All these years the farmer has been guilt – ridden for having killed the landlord, but since finding out that the landlord is alive, he is happy and relieved and makes plan to lead a normal and open life. A light and lively tale, “An Astrologer’s Day” has R.K. Narayan’s satire with a twist in the tale.
No one knew her name, from when she went, or came – for the family she was just ‘Ayah’*. A willing slave to cook and care for the three children, keep a stern eye on the other servants and to generally keep the house in running order – all for a pittance of a sari and a few rupees a month. The only sign of any family of her own were two hefty, sullen men in their early 40′s who would come to collect a part of her meager salary which she gave willingly. The story features ‘The Ayah’ and Little Radha (the smallest of the children) – their unique relationship where each indulges the other’s fantasy till one day when the Ayah leaves to becomes a willing slave for yet someone else. Everyone from eight to eighty will identify with this bitter — sweet tale. For the ‘Ayah’ forms an important figure in the Indian household. And for the Western world, our central character would be quite, quite unbelievable yet, about a Mother figurine.
‘Annamalai’ is a touching story of a warm and gentle worker who starts to work for a writer under very strange circumstances. The writer wants peace but is unable to bear the racquet the nearby lorry depot makes. The lorry owner gives him a choice of moving to a peaceful place and even lends him one of his lorries to move. One of the movers happens to be Annamalai who has been working as an indenture labourer for the lorry owner. Annamalai decides to stay back at the writers home. The writer and Annamalai develop a beautiful relationship. Annamalai does many things; cooks, guards the house but most of the time takes care of the garden. Annamalai is an uneducated person, but has a strong sense of morals and ethics. One day, Annamalai finds out that a tailor who owes him money in his village is cheating him and his family. Annamalai requests the writer for a 10 day leave, but the writer refuses as he has begun to become dependent on him. Instead the writer offers him money. But Annamalai is not so much bothered about money as he is about being cheated. So, he begs him to give him leave but to no use. Finally, Annamalai decides to leave without the writer’s permission. Assuring the writer that he is not a thief and telling him that he has taken only is belonging, Annamalai leaves. After many months, the writer gets a letter from Annamalai asking him some financial help. The writer sends him more than he had asked for, hoping he will come back. One day as the writer sits writing, the sound of the gate opening is heard. He sees Annamalai is back.
‘Annamalai’ is a touching story of a warm and gentle worker who starts to work for a writer under very strange circumstances. The writer wants peace but is unable to bear the racquet the nearby lorry depot makes. The lorry owner gives him a choice of moving to a peaceful place and even lends him one of his lorries to move. One of the movers happens to be Annamalai who has been working as an indenture laborer for the lorry owner. Annamalai decides to stay back at the writers home. The writer and Annamalai develop a beautiful relationship. Annamalai does many things; cooks, guards the house but most of the time takes care of the garden. Annamalai is an uneducated person, but has a strong sense of morals and ethics. One day, Annamalai finds out that a tailor who owes him money in his village is cheating him and his family. Annamalai requests the writer for a 10 day leave, but the writer refuses as he has begun to become dependent on him. Instead the writer offers him money. But Annamalai is not so much bothered about money as he is about being cheated. So, he begs him to give him leave but to no use. Finally, Annamalai decides to leave without the writer’s permission. Assuring the writer that he is not a thief and telling him that he has taken only is belonging, Annamalai leaves. After many months, the writer gets a letter from Annamalai asking him some financial help. The writer sends him more than he had asked for, hoping he will come back. One day as the writer sits writing, the sound of the gate opening is heard. He sees Annamalai is back.
The Antidote’ is a humorous tale that takes place entirely in the backdrops of a film shoot and its crew. The protagonist of the story, Gopal is also the hero of the Tele – film. The day of the shoot coincidentally happens to be his birthday. The scene that is to be shot on that day is of the hero’s death. But ironically the hero’s astrologer has forewarned him that he is not supposed to do anything inauspicious on that particular day. The hero requests, pleads and even begs the director, the scriptwriter and the producer to shoot the scene on some other day. But due to various constraints they refuse to abide by his wishes and insist on shooting it that very day. Terror stricken to the enact a death scene. Gopal finds a solution by winking at the camera at the last minute. This goes unnoticed by the camera man and the director. Gopal’s duplicity is revealed when they all preview the rushes. But everything ends well with the director forgiving Gopal and they decide to re – shoot the scene. The Antidote’ dwells lightly on people’s faith in superstitions and how by twisting events and circumstances everyone can be happy.
It is a funny tale of exploitation in the village where a landlord and an exorcist combine to squeeze the blood from their miserably poor tenants. To protect his loot, the landlord places six kerosene cans one on top of each other hoping that any thief might sound the alarm. But the only thieves here are rats- not humans. The exorcist suggests that a cat could deal with these vermin. When a brass pot suddenly comes alive bouncing up and down in the landlord’s godown, the terror stricken tenants not realizing that the cat is under the pot huddle together and the exorcist is sent for driving away the evil spirit !
When the talkative man won a massive road engine at the fair, friends congratulated him on his good fortune. Little did he know that this was just the beginning of ‘engine trouble’! As we follow the talkative man through his travails to get rid of the engine, we encounter several familiar small – town characters – the arrogant municipal chairman, the temple priest, a yoga swami and event the temple elephant. When all fails, the talkative man prepares to leave the town, leaving the engine to its fate. Is that the only way out or will a miraculous solution present itself. Thoroughly enjoyable, ‘Engine Trouble’ keeps you chuckling.
Dodu is a sweet touching story about a little boy who wants to make some money to buy little things he fancies. Being smart and enterprising, Dodu decides to use the pocket money his uncle has given him to buy stamps and sell them. His family members who buy the stamps fail to pay him. Thus making him incur losses. Once a stranger offers to buy stamps, but starts a fight when he discovers that Dodu is making a profit over the stamp. Thus ends Dodu’s business venture. One day he discovers that people buy writings done on palm leaves. Without knowing that the ones they buy are of historical importance and are heritages of the past, Dodu in all his innocence scribble on a palm leaf and takes it to the archeologists. The archeologists happens to be a kind and warm human being and he indulges Dodu by buying the leaf for a few coins. Dodu is happy, he walks away, munching on peanuts. R.K. Narayan is at his best when he writes about children and little dreams and aspirations. Dodu is one touching example.
Poor old watchman! ‘Why’ he asks, ‘do people come to my Tank Bund to end their lives’ Suicide has become almost a fashion at the small, deep Tank – with the explanatory letter left behind. Death seems to greet him every month or so, till one night he chances on a young lady in distress already waist – deep in the water. The night is young as the Watchman gets acquainted with the lady’s problems. At dawn, having said his piece, he leaves her to do what she will. And it is only many, many years later that he discovers what really happened the morning after the night before. R.K. Narayan examines the stifling conditions of the Indian Woman for whom economic independence seems the only answer to their problems.
This is the story of a pick – pocketier and his final outcome in life when he tries to take right path which is practically satire. Raju, who is a pick pocketer continues his profession bluffing his wife that he is earning ease from various business, etc. On one such occasion he follows a gentle man with the Green Blazer finds that he has bought some balloons for his daughter and ultimately pick pockets his purse. While removing the cash from the purse notices the balloon, which the man bought for his young daughter. He is really upset thinking what the child will feel when he goes back without the balloon. Raju push back the balloon in the purse and tries to put it back in the pocket of the gentleman with the Green Blazer. At that time he is caught, beaten up and handed over to police with the feeling that never again he will ever sympathize with anyone.
Krishna’s love for his wife was killing her. Strange though it many sound, they were the very word uttered by a holy Astrologer. It all began years ago when his and the girl’s parents were opposed to the marriage. The horoscopes too, did not match. But on seeing the unhappy couple, the parents relented and gave in. Now, many years later as the Astrologer had predicted, Mars (Krishna’s house) was killing the girl. The doctor diagnosed it as typhoid, but no amount of treatment would cure her. And so, Krishna returned to the Astrologer who advised him to be unfaithful to his wife. That day he dressed in the finest silks and ordered the taxi driver to take him to Rangi the dancer who sometimes doubled as a woman of vice. Would Krishna save his wife or would the deadly fever consume her?
A little girl’s performance is watched by a film producer and director who come in search of the girl who is asked to be brought to studio for the screen test. The girl fearing this hides herself as the time nears for her to go to the studio The parents who start searching fo their daughter are worried about her disappearance. Ultimately the mother realizes that the girl has hidden herself in a basket and fainted and when she comes to her senses and pleads with the mother not to send her to acting, she concedes to her demand.
Forty- Five A Month is a touching story about a simple man Venkat who has a wife Laxmi and school going daughter Shanti. He works with Elgin Electric Flour Mill as an accountant and earns Rs. 40 per month. Venkat who is constantly under work responsibilities cannot take time out for his daughter and wife. This upsets both of them. One day his daughter Shanti pleads him to take her to watch a cinema in nearby theatre. This time Venkat decides to please Shanti make up for all the past events he has missed with her.
In the office, impressed with his performance his boss offers him a promotion and increase in salary by Rs. 5. This puts him in an awkward situation to ask for a leave. In the excitement Shanti bunks her school, doesn’t eat her food and keeps waiting for her father the entire evening but Venkat doesn’t come till late in the night. He finds his daughter tired and sleeping. Helpless Venkat sits by her bedside and starts weeping.
R.K Narayan is at his best in describing the life of a common man.
‘Four Rupees’ is a delightful story of Ranga a poor man who is lazy and good for nothing. The story begins with Ranga being scolded by his wife to go and look for job, as they do not have anything to eat. Reluctantly, Ranga goes out and asked people for odd jobs such as climbing the coconut tree and plucking the coconuts. At all his efforts are to no avail. As he sits dejected in the market road, a servant comes by and seeks his help to fetch an antique pot, which has fallen into the well. He even promises good money. Ranga is enticed by the offer, but is scared to get into the well. But the servant leaves him no choice and drags him along. When they reach the rich man’s house, Ranga is petrified looking at the deep well and wants to back out, but the entire family coaxes him to get into well. To postpone the impending task, Ranga claims he is hungry and they feed him like a royal prince. They even increase his fee for fetching the pot. Finally, mustering enough courage, Ranga goes into the well and by accident retrieves the pot. He goes home with four rupees, a box of sweets and new clothes much to the disbelief of his wife who thinks he must have stolen the money. He tells her of his ordeal of getting into the well but the wife does not believe him. When he notices a similar looking antique pot belonging to the mother – in – law Ranga starts running, shouting that he will not return till the pot is taken away from his sight.
Every college has an Iswaran – the student who seems to be growing roots in the same class. The target for fellow – students taunts and even his own parents skepticism. Ishwaran is a lonely, tormented soul. He tries to mask his feelings with jaunty defiance, but underneath he remains hopelessly scared by failure, desperately longing and praying for success. He seeks escape in the cinema, trying to lose his woes in the world of make – believe. Torn between the desire to see his name among the successful students, and the fear of failure, he contemplates and then discards the idea of suicide. However fate has something in store for Iswaran; an ending that takes us all by.
‘Lawley Road’ is a charming story that begins with the Talkative man, an endearing character created by R.K. Narayan. In the episode, the Talkative Man recounts to his friends the incident of how he came to have a house in the New Extension in Malgudi though he is a mere freelance journalist.
The story is set just after India had got her independence. A blanket seller, who used to sell blankets to the British, wins the election and becomes a Municipality chairman.
Having won the election, the new chairman want to do things that will earn him posterity. His ambition leads to a number of hilarious incidents; including changing the names of the streets and causing utter confusion. The chairman however, is still not satisfied. He is on the look out to do more when he realizes that though India has got her independence, Sir Frederick, a British officer’s Statue stands proudly in the center of Malgudi. He wants to bring it down immediately.
A plan to evacuate the statue is set in motion but the statue made out of metal proves to be a burden. Finally the Talkative man offers to take it if he is given it free of cost. The chairman agrees. The Talkative Man manages the Herculean task of bringing the statue to his home, but it gets stuck in the doorway. He and his family can neither get in to the house nor go out. His wife gets angry at the entire incident and leaves for her father’s house.
In the meantime, the chairman gets a letter from the government saying Sir Frederick Lawley was a supporter of India’s Independence movement and that an error has been committed by removing his statues. The government also instructs that Sir Frederick Lawley Statue should immediately be reinstalled with honor. But the statue is stuck in the doorway of the Talkative man’s house. The talkative Man refuses to give back the statue. He ultimately strikes a deal with the chairman and sells his house along with the Sir Frederick Lawley’s Statue to the government as a Na
8 year old Leela abounds with joy when her parents hire a new servant to help about the house. Sidda the servant, is a simple soul – but he is all she knows. The Sivasankar family is a picture of joy as Sidda helps run an efficient household and give Leela the benefit of his experience. One day on the way home from market, Mrs. Sivasankar discovers her daughter’s chain missing. Sidda too vanishes. Leela is beside herself with grief, while the parents are busy with their own work, and the Police. In yet another bitter – sweet tale, R.K. Narayan sharply contrasts the innocent world of child with the hard realities of adulthood. The chain in finally found in a pickle- jar, but Sidda’s screams rent the air around the Police – station. Leela’s Friend is no more.
Minister without portfolio & Korean Grass is a hilarious political farce with R.K. Narayan’s unique satirical touch. The story is a series of funny events that take place around a Minister who happens to hold no portfolio. Having no portfolio also means a minister has no importance. Yet he wants to make himself useful and appear important. The incongruity of his position is reflected in the fact that he has to inaugurate, of all things, a crematorium. With plenty of time on his hands and nothing much to do, the minister plans all kinds of schemes which are of no worth to anyone. One such scheme is that of importing Korean grass, to make the landscape beautiful. His secretary plays along with the minister’s idiotic plans adding to the comical situation. Another one is to investigate the death of a child by a tiger in the zoo. His superiors always thwart the minister’s plan. It ends happily when the Chief Minister’s far off relatives dies, and the Minister without Portfolio has to inaugurate the crematorium with the dead body. He feels important that at least he is inaugurating the crematorium with an important, thigh dead, person.
