Back to: CBSE Class 11th English Summary
Table of Contents
Introduction
The story revolves around Ranga (the accountant’s son) who came from Bangalore after studying. The story is narrated by Shyama. Ranga was reluctant to marry first but as he saw Ratna, his mind changed. Shyama acts as a bridge between Ranga and Ratna. The whole story is a turn of events that take readers on a roller-costar ride.
A Beautiful Village
The narrator (Shyama) asks a question about Ranga’s marriage. Ranga lives in Hosahalli, but according to the narrator, there is no such place on any geographical map. The narrator blames both the sahibs and the native people of Hosahalli for this blunder because both of them had not paid any heed to Hosahalli’s global presence.
Shyama loves Hosahalli. There is a doctor (Gundabhatta) in that village who has seen and visited many places. There is also a mango tree. Shyama invites the audience/reader to visit his village. They also have flowers in their village which offer exceptional visual delight, according to the narrator.
Ranga: The Hero
Shyama, while narrating a story, goes back in time. Ten years ago, Hosahalli had no English-speakers. Their village accountant was the first person who sent his son to Bangalore to study. However, now things have changed. Everybody uses English in their day-to-day life. What has happened is disgraceful, according to the Shyama.
English was not widely spoken then. When Ranga came back from Bangalore, everybody ran toward him to check what changes has he underwent. Shyama asked what had happened there, and a boy shut him up rudely.
Ranga came out, and according to Shyama, he was the same as ever before. After the crowd realized that Ranga was the same as before, they disbursed like a lump of sugar in a kid’s mouth. Shyama asked Ranga about his condition, and he replied very politely. Ranga was very polite, and this impressed the narrator. He gave Ranga some blessings.
Mission Marriage
Later that day, Ranga visited Shyama. They started this conversation about marriage. The narrator asked Ranga about his marriage plans. He told the narrator that he had no plan to marry until he finds the right girl. Ranga had decided to marry a mature girl. According to him, there was no fun in marrying a girl who had no or little sense. After Ranga left, Shyama decided to get him married.
Ratna: The Flower
Rama Rao’s niece had come to stay with him. Ranga, according to Shyama, was the best choice for this girl. Her parents were dead, and she could sing as well as play harmonium. Her name was Ratna.
Shyama was quite friendly with her. He asked her mother to send Ratna to fetch some buttermilk. Ratna visited Shyama, and he requested her to sing a song. Shyama also summoned Ranga simultaneously.
When Ranga entered, he heard Ratna’s melodious song. Both saw each other, Ratna abruptly stopped. For Ranga, it was like a fresh uneaten mango had slipped from his hands. There was an awkward silence. Ratna ran inside due to shyness. Ranga asked Shyama about Ratna, and he replied that it did not matter who she was. Because Shyama was already married, and Ranga had resolved not to marry anytime soon.
Lovestruck Rangappa
Ranga asked if Ratna was married, and Shyama lied to him about Ratna being married. This upset Ranga. Meanwhile, Shyama also consulted Shastri to keep everything ready and read the stars. Ranga was sad. He lied to the narrator that nothing was wrong with him.
Shyama suggested that Ranga should see Shastri. Ranga agreed without any protest. Shastri wished Shyama very warmly. Shastri was surprised to see Ranga. Shyama told Shastri to take out his paraphernalia and figure out what was bothering Rangappa.
Shastri asked Ranga about his stars, but he did not know anything. Soon, he figured out that it was about a girl. It was all a staged drama by Shyama and Shastri. Shastri also tried to guess the name of the girl as related to something found in the ocean.
He tried to guess the name wildly and finally stopped on Ratna. Shastri recognized her as Rama Rao’s niece. Ranga was surprised as well as happy. However, Ranga became upset when Shyama said that Ratna was married. They went home.
A Hope for Ranga
While passing Rama Rao’s house, Shyama went in for a couple of minutes and came out happy. He told Ranga that Ratna was not married. He asked Ranga whether he had started to think about Ratna, and Ranga admitted that what Shastri had told was totally true indeed.
Ranga went to Shastri and praised him well for copying the script, but Shastri told Ranga that this was what he could have told Ranga, had Shyama not visited him. Ranga had a child, and his name was Shyama. Ranga had named his son after Shyama (the narrator). He invited Shyama (narrator) for dinner. As Shyama went into his house, the little Shyama (Ranga’s son) came and grabbed the narrator’s leg. The narrator placed a ring on his tiny little finger.
