The document provides details about the short story "An Astrologer's Day" by R.K. Narayan. It summarizes the plot, which follows an astrologer through a typical day working in a marketplace. A stranger approaches the astrologer with a challenge and questions. Through vague clues, the astrologer is able to convince the stranger of his abilities. It is later revealed that the astrologer had stabbed the stranger years ago, and was relieved to learn that the man he attacked had died.

1. B.SULOCHANA
LECTURER IN ENGLISH
M.R.GOVT.DEGREE COLLEGE
VIZIANAGARAM

2. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
● R.K.Narayan is one of the best - known of Indian
English writers.
● His writings shows us simplicity and humor.
● He created the fictional world of Malgudi.
● A winner of the Sahitya Akademi Award (1960)
and the Padma Vibhushan (2000),
● His novel, The Guide (1958), has been made into a
popular film.

3. About the story
● An Astrologer’s day deals with a single day’s events
of a normal astrologer.
● It shows how a person maintains his livelihood for
bread and butter.
● It takes the reader to a thriller world for a while.
● This story reveals how he smoothly deals an issue
with a smart brain.

4. An Astrologer’s preparedness
● An astrologer lays out his tools of the trade, a mix of
cowrie shells, obscure charts, a notebook, and other
such curios.
● The astrologer has also painted his forehead with
sacred ash, wrapped his head in a turban, and seated
himself and his gear beneath a large tree.
● All of these things serve to give him an air of wisdom,
transcendence, and prophetic power,
● though the narrator is quick to point out that none of
these qualities actually belong to the man.

5. Setting of the story
● The astrologer began his little shop
amid a busy marketplace at the
auctioning of low-quality clothes.
● The marketplace is lit by various
shop lights and flares, the dancing
shadows of which enhance the
astrologer’s mystical quality.
● He notably has no light of his own,
but simply borrows that of the other
vendors.

6. The life- style of an astrologer
● The astrologer never thought of of
becoming an astrologer.
● But he was forced to leave his ancestral
home and travel several hundred miles away
with no plan and no money.
● He can easily convince the people. He gives
vague but comforting advice to people in
the market in the guise of an astrologer.
● Though it is not an honest living that the
astrologer makes, it is still a well-earned

7. A stranger’s challenge
● When it became dark, a stranger appears before him.
● the astrologer invites him to sit and chat to use the
opportunity. The stranger had some questions with him.
● The stranger makes a challenge with astrologer, if he
says wrong, he must return anna with interest.
● The astrologer can’t convince the stranger.
● He became anger that the astrologer cannot tell him
anything true or worthwhile.
● When the stranger lights a cigar, the astrologer catches
a brief glimpse of the man’s face and is filled with fear.
● He tries to get out of the challenge, but the stranger
holds him to it and will not let him leave.

8. Astrologer’s convince
● The stranger asked him that he succeeds in his
search or not.
● Then astrologer expects one rupee from the stranger
to open his mouth. The stranger agrees the deal
● He reveals that the stranger was once stabbed
through the chest and left for dead,
● Now, the stranger is here searching for taking the
revenge. He even reveals his name as Guru Nayak,

9. Guru Nayak’s revenge
● Guru Nayak is greatly excited by all of this, believing
the astrologer to truly be all-knowing.
● He presses the astrologer for the whereabouts of the
man who stabbed him so that he can take his
revenge.
● The astrologer tells him that he died several months
ago, crushed by a lorry. Guru Nayak is frustrated by
this,
● But satisfied that at least his attacker died terribly.
He gives the astrologer his money and leaves.

10. Astrologer’s reveal
● The astrologer arrives home late at night and
shows his wife the money he has made.
● He said that it is not quite as much as promised.
● Even so, his wife is thrilled.
● As they lie down to sleep, the astrologer reveals
to his wife that a great burden has been lifted off
of his shoulders.

11. The sound sleep
● Years ago, the astrologer was the one to stab Guru
Nayak and leave him for dead
● He was forced him to flee his home and make a new
life as a fraudulent astrologer.
● He had thought himself to be a murderer, but was
now content that he had not in fact taken a life
● Satisfied by this, he goes to sleep.