“An Astrologer’s Day” is a short story written by R.K. Narayan. The story revolves around an astrologer who operates on the outskirts of a market, offering his services to people who seek guidance about their future. The astrologer’s life seems mundane, but it takes an unexpected turn when a stranger approaches him, intent on seeking revenge. The stranger believes that the astrologer is the same person who had attempted to murder him years ago. Read More Class 11 English Summaries.
An Astrologer’s Day Summary
An Astrologer’s Day Introduction:
The story begins with the description of an astrologer sitting in the market. He counsels people about their day-to-day problems. He knows nothing of astrology. He does his job through guesswork and through common understanding of human psychology.
One day, when it is already dark and the astrologer has prepared to bundle up, a person approaches him with a query. He wants to know whether he would succeed in his search for the man who attempted to kill him. Ironically, the man he has been searching for is none other than the astrologer himself.
The astrologer recognizes him in a slight streak of light in the street. Instead of being perplexed, he cleverly answers the man’s query. He asks him to stay in his village and avoid visiting the city for better fortune and long life. The man goes away quite satisfied. Thus very cleverly, the astrologer prevents the possibility of any future encounter with this man.
In his youth, the astrologer had got into a scuffle with this man in his village. He had stabbed him and then taking him as dead had pushed him into a well. Then he ran away for fear of being hanged for murder and settled in a far-off town.
An Astrologer’s Day Summary in English:
An astrologer carried on his job under a tree on a busy public road. He would start his work at midday and continue till there was enough light from the adjoining shops or vendors. He counselled people about their day-to-day problems.
The astrologer knew nothing of astrology or stars because he had never intended to be an astrologer in life. He had to leave his village without telling anyone and could not rest till the village had been left behind a few hundred miles.
Though he knew nothing of astrology, yet he was quite successful with his customers. He wore such a dress that he at once attracted the eyes of others. His forehead was marked with sacred ash and vermilion. He wore a saffron-coloured turban round his head.
This colour never failed to attract the people. The astrologer was very tactful also. He always said things which pleased and astonished everyone. He did his job through guesswork and through common understanding of human psychology.
One day, it had become quite dark and the astrologer was preparing to bundle up. All other vendors had already left. Just then, the astrologer saw a man standing near him. He took him for a customer and invited him to sit down.
The astrologer started telling his usual stuff, but the man stopped him at once. “Tell me something worthwhile …….,” he said. The astrologer felt offended, “I charge only three pies per question,” he said in a rough voice. The man threw one anna before the astrologer and said that he wanted to ask some questions.
“If I prove you are bluffing, you must return that anna to me with interest,” he said.Then the astrologer sent up a prayer to heaven as usual. In the meanwhile, the man lit a cheroot for himself. The astrologer had a glimpse of his face by the matchlight.
He began to feel very uncomfortable. “Here take your anna back. I am not used to such challenges,” said the astrologer. But the man held on the astrologer’s wrist and said that he could not go back on the pact that had been made.
The astrologer shivered in his grip and said, “Leave me today. I will speak to you tomorrow.” But the man didn’t let him go and asked him to answer his question. He asked the astrologer if he would succeed in his present search or not. “Answer this and go.
Summary of An Astrologer’s Day
Otherwise I will not let you go till you disgorge all your coins,” said the man. At this, the astrologer said that if what he said was satisfactory, he would charge one rupee. “Otherwise I will not open my mouth and you may do what you like,” he said. The man agreed after a lot of haggling.
Then the astrologer said, “You were left for dead. Am I right ?” “Ah, tell me more.” “A knife has. passed through you once ?” said the astrologer. “Good fellow !” He bared his chest to show the scar. “What else ?” “And then you were pushed into a well nearby in the field.
You were left for dead.” “I should have been dead if some passer-by had not chanced to peep into the well,” exclaimed the other. “When shall I get at him ?” he asked, clenching his fist.The astrologer told him that the man, who had stabbed him, had been crushed to death under a lorry. Then he addressed the man by his name, Guru Nayak.
He told him that he knew everything about him. He added that there was once again a grave danger to his life. So he must go back to his village at once and never travel southward.It was nearly midnight when the astrologer reached home.
He told his wife how he had been relieved of a great burden. He said to her, “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 !”.