1.1     An Astrologer’s Day – Notes

1.1     An Astrologer’s Day – Notes

Meanings –

1) pies – a former monetary unit of India equal to 1/12 of an anna

2) tilting – move or causing to move in sloping position

3) bluff – to deceive

4) glimpse – a momentary or partial view

5) passer-by – a person going past something, especially on foot

6) peep – look quickly at something especially through a narrow opening

7) overwhelmed – to have strong emotional effect.

8) groaned– made a deep, sad sound conveying pain

9) surging –moving suddenly and powerfully forward

10) dahlia – name of a flower plant

11) din – a loud, unpleasant and prolonged noise

12) transacted – carried out or conducted

13) careworn – tired or unhappy because of prolonged worry

14) gasped – panted, catch one’s breath with an open mouth,

15) obscure – difficult to understand.

16) palmyra – a kind of palm.

17) Jutka – a horse-driven cart

18) disgorge – surrender under pressure

19) bewildering – confusing or baffling

20) endear – make likeable

 

Important key notes –

1. The exceptional qualities of the Town Hall Park-

• A surging crowd.
• A variety of trades & occupations
• Din contracting the whole town
• No benefit of Municipal lighting
• The place was lit up by shop lights.
• Shouting vendor of fried groundnuts.

 

2. Astrologer’s business tactics-

• Analysis of human troubles
• A good presence of mind, experience and perception
• Use of astrological equipment and shrewdness.
• Collection of enough stuff for questioning & giving advice
• Commenting habit on the customer’s nature, affairs, efforts and fate.
• Creation of fear in the mind of the customer.
• Use of general statements to endear the customers and win their hearts.
• Use of wit & shrewdness.

 

3. Reasons for the astrologer to change his appearance and his persona after his arrival in the city-

• The astrologer had quarreled & left his hometown.
• He wanted to get rid of his past
• He wished that no one should recognize him.
• He wished his offence of killing Guru Nayak should not be revealed.
• He wanted to begin a new life.

 

4. The astrologer opened his mouth only after listening to his customer and his problems-

• The information given by people provided him enough stuff for a dozen answers and advices.
• He got a chance to analyse the troubles of his customer.
• He professionally followed the policy that- ‘those who hear a lot, learn a lot’.
• He got enough time to predict answers and give advice.

 

5. The darkness load that was inside the astrologer has disappeared’. Through this sentence, explain the significance of the title ‘An Astrologer’s Day’-

The astrologer lived under the burden that he had the blood of man on his hands all those days. One day a stranger stood before him. He identified Guru Nayak & was upset. Guru Nayak was the person, with whom he had quarreled, & tried to kill. When he comes to know that Guru Nayak is alive, he becomes tension free. The day on which he was relieved from that load, was a special day for him. So that day is called ‘An Astrologer’s Day’

 

6. Critical justification & explanation of the astrologer’s feeling of relief that Guru is not dead as it relieves a great burden from him. –

The astrologer believed that he had murdered a person. The job of any astrologer is to predict the future happenings & understand important things from the client’s life. Ironically, the astrologer was himself unaware of his past life reality. Guru Nayak the person, with whom he had quarrelled, & tried to kill, one day comes before him as his customer. When he realizes that Guru Nayak is alive, he is relieved from his burden.

 

7. The astrologer wins/gets the sympathy of criticism of the readers in the end –

The astrologer was guilty of the crime of murder which he believed he had created in his past life. He wanted to get away from it. He had accepted his mistake and already started to live a new life. His smartness and the business tactics had saved him from his past crime. Acceptance of mistake is a great quality which is rarely found. His perception, presence of mind, self-confidence and shrewdness helped him to win his clients. In the end, when the astrologer realizes that the person who he believed was killed by him was dead, is actually alive, not only he is relieved from his burden but also the readers have a sense of relief for him. He had learnt a lesson hence the astrologer got sympathy from the readers.

 

8. Steps to eradicate superstitions and other ill practices from our society-

• Tell the people about the ill effects of superstitions on our health.
• Try to develop scientific views in the people.
• Make the people aware of how common people are deceived under the names of blind beliefs by so called Babas & Sadhus.
• Make the people aware of the good things & bad things for the development of our society.
• Take the help of the organizations working in the field of eradication of superstitions.
• Arrange programmes to show the ill impacts of superstitions.
• Try to develop scientific thinking within common people through practical experiences.

 

9) Listening helps in developing good relations with people. –

• Listening is a skill which helps one to communicate successfully.
• If we don’t listen to others and speak all the time, then people will get bored and try to avoid us.
• A good listener is always alert and can judge things in correct perspective.
• If we listen carefully what the person before us is saying, he / she will respect us.
• Listening also helps us to sort out the misunderstanding.

 

10) Code-mixing examples from the story-

Raja’s Delicacy       

Bombay ice cream  

Delhi Almond         

pies

annas

jutkas

cheroot

cowrie