Ranga's Marriage | Class 11 | NCERT Solution.

Lesson Architecture

• Theme

• Story-At-A-Glance

• NCERT Solution

• Extra Questions

Theme:

The story is set in the remote village of Hosahalli in Karnataka.

Ranga is the main character around whom the story revolves.

The story highlights about the influence of English as a language and way of life in Indian Society.

Story-At-A-Glance

• The narrator of the story is an inhabitant of the village who takes enormous pride in everything about his native place.

• He feels offended that the name of his village does not find mention in any of the geography books written by Englishmen.

• It is an important place in the state of Mysore. The same opinion is shared by the doctor of the village who has seen many other places.

• The village boasts of a special type of mango and a creeper in the pond that bears beautiful flowers.

• The narrator, Shyama, narrates a story that happened ten years ago. Back then people in villages did not have knowledge of English. Nor did they inject English words into their conversation.

• The village accountant was the first to gather enough courage to send his son, Ranga to Bangalore for studies.

• When Ranga came home after six months, it was an event to celebrate. People rushed to see him, and so did the narrator.

• An old lady even ran her hand over his chest to find out whether he was still wearing the sacred thread. She smiled with satisfaction that he had not ‘lost his caste.’

• The crowd that had gathered to have a glimpse of the boy, slowly dispersed on realizing that he still had the same hands, legs, eyes and the nose.

• Ranga then noticed the narrator and bowed down respectfully. The narrator blessed him that he might get married soon.

• Ranga visited the narrator in the afternoon. On being asked about the when Ranga would get married, he replied that he would wait and find the right match. He believed in marrying when one was physically and mentally mature.

• According to Ratna, a man should marry a girl he admires and it would be impossible to admire an immature girl.

• The narrator was disappointed with Ranga’s views, but was determined to find a match for him.

• Ratna was Rama Rao’s eleven-year-old niece. She was from a big town and had come to stay with her uncle. She had a sweet voice and knew to play the veena and harmonium.

• The narrator decided that Ratna would be the perfect bride for Ranga. The narrator was a frequent visitor to Rama Rao’s place and shared an easy comfortable relation with the girl.

• The narrator told Rama Rao’s wife that he would send some butter milk for them and Ratna could go to his house to fetch it.

• Ratna went wearing a beautiful saree and the narrator requested her to sing a song. While she was singing Ranga reached the door and stopped at the threshold, completely enchanted by the melodious voice.

• The narrator noticed that Ranga repeatedly glanced at her. When Ranga realized this , he became self-conscious and immediately expressed a desire to leave, but did not even move.

• When Ratna ran into a room, Ranga asked the narrator who the girl was. The narrator declined to answer as he said that Ratna was married and Ranga was not interested to marry .

• Ranga was visibly disappointed when he came to know that Ranga was already married and left the place.

• The narrator went to Shastri and apprised him of a plan and tutored him what to say in front of Ranga.

• Later in the evening the narrator met Ranga who was still lost in thought. He asked him to accompany him to see Shastri in order to find out how auspicious the stars were for him.

• Shastri deduced that Ranga’s problem had something to do with a girl.

• The narrator asked Shastri if any positive result might come if they negotiated with Rama Rao for his niece, Ranta.

• Shastri pretended to think for a while and replied in the affirmative.

• Ranga’s face brightened up for a moment only to be dismayed by the narrator’s words that she was married.

• On their way , they passed by Rama Rao’s house and saw Ratna standing at the door. The narrator went in alone , but came out a minute later and announced that he was mistaken and the girl was not married.

• Ranga then confessed his feelings about Ratna. And they got married.

• One day Ranga came to invite the narrator for dinner on the occasion of his son Shyama’s third birthday.

• The narrator laughter at their choice of name for their lovely son. But Ranga and Ratna followed the English tradition of naming the child after someone they loved.

• Ranga’s son rushed to the narrator and put his arms around his legs. The narrator kissed him and slipped a ring on his tiny little finger.

Recapitulation:

• The story is set in the remote village of Hosahalli in Karnataka.

• Ranga is the main character in the story.

• The narrator is very proud of his village and blames English geographers for excluding the name from map.

• The village accountant was the first to send his son Ranga to Bangalore to study.

• His homecoming after six months was an event in the village. Large number of people gathered to have a glimpse of the boy.

• Ranga’s views on marriage were unconventional . He would marry a girl who was mature and who he could admire.

• Ratna was a beautiful eleven year old niece of Rama Rao. She had lost her parents and had come to stay with her uncle.

• The narrator called Ratna to his house on some pretext and asked her to sing and sent for Ranga at the same time.

• Ranga was enthralled by her song and started developing interest for her.

• Once the narrator tutored Shastri on how to handle the situation and told everything to him regarding Ranga.

• Shastri revealed that Ranga was being disturbed by the thoughts of a girl and on hearing this Ranga’s face brightened up.

• On their way, the narrator entered Rama Rao’s hose and came out with a clarification that Ratna was not married.

• Ranga and Ratna were blissfully married.

• After several years, Ranga came to invite the narrator to their son’s third birthday. They named their son, Shayma, after the narrator who they admired and loved.

• The narrator kissed the child and slipped a ring onto his tiny finger.

Reading With Insight

1. Comment on the influence of English-the language and the way of life-on Indian life as reflected in the story. What is the narrator’s attitude to English?

Ans: English has a great influence in Indian society. In this story we get a reflection of an Indian village where no one spoke English or used English words in their conversation. The village accountant was the first person to sent his son Ranga to Bangalore to study English. That is why his homecoming was such a great event in the village. A crowd gathered to see what he looked like and tried to find out whether he still wore the sacred thread. English was considered a ‘priceless commodity’ and thus they were in awe of a person who studied it.

They narrator’s attitude was quite positive. He showed that the language did not have any adverse influence on Ranga, who still wore the sacred thread and bent low for the gesture of ‘namaskara’.

2.Astrologers’s perceptions are based more on hearsay and conjecture than what they learn from the study of the stars. Comment with reference to the story.

Ans: In most Indian villages, astrology is practiced without much study and knowledge. It is due to the fact that our society is largely governed by superstition and blind faith on astrology. In reference to the story, we have come across an astrologer by the name of Shastri. We do not have any clue about his level of astrological knowledge as he is in connivance with the narrator to fix up Ranga’s marriage. His movement of lips and fingers in making calculation of stars and planets was easily believed by Ranga who had such unconventional views. In spite of being told everything to Shastri regarding Ranga’s interest for Ratna, Shastri made it seem like it was the prediction of Ranga’s planetary positions.

Q3. Indian society has moved a long way from the way the marriage was arranged in the story. Discuss.

Ans: In spite of the fact that society has become much advanced and progressive, the prevalence of arranged marriages in Indian society cannot be ruled out. Arranged marriages are still prevalent mostly in villages and some percentage in urban areas as well.

But like in the story, girls are no longer married off at a tender age of eleven like Ratna in the story. Nowadays , education and career get topmost priority over marriages. With reference to the story nowadays matrimonial websites are available to work like a mediator like the narrator in the story. There is independence in choosing a life partner according to their own judgment. Before the marriage Ratna was not consulted about her opinion about marriage. This scenario is in total contrast to the situation of today when the opinion of girls get priority before the marriage.

Q4. What kind of a person do you think the narrator is?

The narrator is a friendly, empathetic and cheerful person. He is very proud of his village though his description of the village is exaggerated.

His involvement in the matter of the village is evident when he arranges Ranga’s marriage. He resorts to manipulation and influences Shastri to do as he had planned in order to get Ranga agree to the marriage.

Ranga and Ratna are so much influenced by his personality that that name their son after him. He is very caring and concerned about the well-being of Ranga and Ratna.

Extra Short Questions

1. How did the village people react to Ranga’s homecoming?

Ans: Ranga was the son of the village accountant who was the first person from that village to be sent to Bangalore to study. In Hoshahalli English was a precious commodity. Since Ranga was exposed to English culture, the whole village came to see the changes that may have come over him. Once they realized that Ranga still had the same hands and legs, eyes and nose, they slowly dispersed from there.

2. Why did the author go to Ranga’s house? Why was he impressed?

Ans The author joined the crowd on Ranga’s homecoming. Like other people in the village, he went to pay visit to Ranga’s house. He was impressed by the way Ranga touched his feet to do ‘namaskara’ and asked for his blessings.

Q3. Why did the narrator take Ranga to see Shastri?

Ans: The narrator had already instructed Shastri on how to influence Ranga to consent to the alliance between Ranga and Ratna. He took Ranga on the pretext of asking Shastri whether Ranga was worried about anything.

Q4. Who was Ratna? What made the author think she was the perfect choice?

Ans: Ratna was Rama Rao’s beautiful niece who had come to stay with him after her parents’ demise.

She knew how to sing and could also play veena and harmonium. As she belonged to a good family background with certain qualities of head and heart, the narrator thought that she was the perfect match for Ranga.

Q5. How did the narrator succeed in his mission of Ranga’s marriage?

Ans: Though Ranga’s views on marriage were quite unconventional , yet Shyama, the narrator, was determined to work towards an alliance of Ranga with RamaRao’s beautiful eleven year old niece Ratna. Thus he cleverly arranged a meeting between Ranga and Ratna at his house. He connived with the village Shastri to influence Ranga with his prediction of Ranga’s interest for a girl. In the end, Ranga confessed his feelings for Ratna and they were married.

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