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Krishna Classes, English Worksheet, Ch. Ranga’s Marriage, By: Masti Venkatesh Iyengar, Notes:-, Ranga’s Marriage, by Masti Venkatesh Iyengar, is a story about a boy who returns to his village after receiving education in English medium from Bangalore. The boy is the son of the accountant of the village. They live in the village Hoshali in Mysore. The boy when returns, the whole village floods over him to see if there is any change in his personality. However, to their dismay, he still has the same eyes and mouth and everything else. He did the traditional namaskar and all dispersed., The story is a first person narrative and a major portion of the story is in flash back. The speaker directly addresses the reader. The narrator is a neighbour of the protagonist. He introduces the story with a difference by first giving a detailed description of their village Hoshali. He praises the mangoes from his village. He asks the reader if he/she has ever heard of the village. He replies to the question himself, for the village was not located in any of the maps for the English babus and the ones in our country forgot to put it there. Then he introduces Ranga, the protagonist, in a time ten years ago. Ranga had gone to Bangalore for studies and returned home after six months. It was the time when English was a language not popular and a few people used it. All used to converse in Kannada. All the villagers arrived at Ranga’s place and began scrutinizing him. To their dismay, he was still the same old Ranga and they left disappointed. However, the narrator stayed back and shared a few jokes with the boy and then left. Later in the afternoon, Ranga arrived at the narrator’s home with a few oranges. The narrator judged the boy and felt it appropriate to marry such a well educated and humble boy. However, Ranga had no plans to settle as a married man. He put his views on marriage in front of the narrator that he wanted to get married to a girl who is mature and someone Rangappa could admire., Ranga left after the discussion and the narrator decided then that he would get the boy married. Determined, he began considering Rama Rao’s niece Ratna as a suitable bride for Ranga. She was from a big town and knew how to play veena and harmonium. He came up with a plan. He asked Rama Rao’s wife to send Ratna to his place to fetch some buttermilk. So she came on Friday wearing a grand saree. He requested Ratna to sing and sent for Ranga. Ranga reached the narrator’s place and stopped outside the room as he did not want to disrupt the singing but was curious to see her face so peeped in. Ratna noticed the stranger, and stopped abruptly. Ranga came in and the girl left., Curiously he inquired about the girl and narrator cleverly played at his words. He told Ranga that the girl was married off a year ago and noticed the disappointment flaring Ranga’s face. He was infatuated to the girl. The narrator was happy as his plan was working. As his next step, the next day the narrator took Ranga to an astrologer who he had already tutored what to say. It was the meeting with the astrologer when the narrator’s name is disclosed. Shyama, he was. The astrologer pretended to read the natal chart of Rangappa and declared that the boy was in love with a girl who had a name of something found in the ocean. Shyama said it could be Ratna, Rama Rao’s niece. Ranga’s smile was not hidden from Shyama. But the girl was married!, The narrator took the boy to Rama Rao’s home and asked him to wait outside. When he came outside he confirmed that the girl was not married, that there had been some confusion. After all, the narrator had to come up with something. Even Ranga then admitted that he had been attracted to the girl. Later a conversation between the astrologer and the narrator is described as how the astrologer says that though the narrator had given him clues, he could have found it all out by himself through astrology., The story moves forward ten years, or to say, returns to the present. Rangappa came one day to the narrator, inviting him at his son Shyama’s third birthday. Obviously, Ratna and Ranga had been married. And now they have a three years old son whom Ranga named after the narrator., Word Meaning:, Rare breed- a person or thing with characteristics that are uncommon among their kind; a rarity, Vivaha- Marriage, Vijaya- Victory, Girija- female (here), Kalyana- beautiful, lovely, auspicious in Sanskrit, Sahib- a polite title or form of address for a man, Like a flock of sheep- a group of people behaving in the same way or following what others are doing, Cartographer- a person who draws or produces maps, Bharatvarsha- India, Karigadabu- a South Indian fried sweet filled with coconut and sugar, Annayya- (in Kannada) a respectful term for an elder, Flea-pestered dog- A flea- pestered dog does not stick to one place but keeps roaming everywhere. Flea-pestered means being infested by fleas and ticks which can cause uncontrollable itching in animals, Behold- see or observe (someone or something, especially of remarkable or impressive nature), Rambling- (of writing or speech) lengthy and confused or inconsequential, Janewara- (in Kannada) the sacred thread worn by Brahmins, Considerate- thoughtful, concerned, Troupe- a group of dancers, actors or other entertainers who tour to different venues, Threshold- a strip of wood or stone forming the bottom of a doorway and crossed in entering a house or a room, Betray- portray (here), Shrivelled- shrunken and wrinkled; especially as a result of loss of moisture, Tutored- taught, Paraphernalia- trappings associated with a particular institution or activity that are regarded as superfluous, Cowries- a marine mollusc which has a glossy, brightly patterned domed shell with a long, narrow opening, Palmyra- palm tree, Harikatha- Story of Lord, Madhavacharya- an exponent of Vedantic philosophy from South India, Marvellous- causing great wonder; extraordinary, Multiple Choice Questions:, Q1. According to the Shastri, what was Ranga’s concern?, Concern for a girl, Concern for his studies, Concern for a job, Concern for his village, Q2. Why was it not important to know Ranga’s star?, Because Shastri already knew, Because Shastri was taught beforehand by the narrator, Because Shastri was not well versed, All of the above, Q3. What does the narrator mention as a ‘priceless commodity’?, To his native language, To mangoes of his village, To flowers of his village, To English language, Q4. According to Ranga what type of girl should one marry?, Mature, Admirable, Both, Not mentioned in the story, Q5. Later on, Ranga got to know that Ratna was, Divorced, Widowed, Unmarried, Engaged, Q6. What sort of cue did Shastri suggest for the girl’s name?, Something found in the forest, Something found in the ocean, Something found in the sky, None of the above, Q7. What is the name of the narrator’s village?, Hosahalli, Panchavalli, (iii)Hadinaru, (iv) None of the above, Q8. After knowing that Ranga was the same, the crowd was, Disappointed, Happy, Angry, Irritated, Q9. It’s Shyama’s birthday.” Who has been referred to in this line?, Ranga and Ratna’s child, The narrator, A child in village, None of the above, Q10. “There’s greater truth in that shastra than we imagine.” Who said this?, Shyama, Shastri, Ratna, Ranga, Q11. The story “Ranga’s Marriage” is set in a village of, Madurai, Banglore, Mysore, Bhubaneswar, Q12. What sort of intentions does the narrator seem to have towards Ranga?, He is mean, He feels responsible for his marriage, He is manipulative, He feels pitiful, Q13. Why does the narrator call the couple childish?, Because they were immature, Because they named their child after him, Because they were playful, Because they invited him for dinner, Q14. Who was Ranga?, The narrator’s son, The accountant’s son, The doctor’s son, None of the above, Q15. Come, let’s go and see Shastri.” Who was Shastri?, The village doctor, A village elder, The astrologer, Not mentioned in the tale, Q16. What is the name of the narrator of the tale?, Rangappa, Shastri, Rama, Shyama, Q17. When Ranga reached the narrator’s house, Ratna was, Sitting, Painting, Singing, Waiting, Q18. Ranga was __ about Ratna., Curious, Uninterested, Envious, Annoyed, Q19. She was married a year ago.” Hearing this, Ranga was, Thrilled, Disappointed, Unconcerned, Surprised, Q20. How does the narrator describe Ratna?, Pretty girl of eleven, From a big town, Disrespectful, Both (i) and (ii)