This document provides a summary of the short story "A Stench of Kerosene" by Amrita Pritam. It introduces the main characters - Manak, his first wife Guleri, his second wife Roop, and his mother. It describes how Guleri commits suicide by setting herself on fire after learning of Manak's arranged second marriage due to societal pressure to produce a child. Though Manak loved Guleri, he was forced by his mother to marry Roop. When Roop gives birth to a son, Manak refuses to hold the baby, saying it "stinks of kerosene," still haunted by Guleri's tragic death. The story conveys the disastrous

1. by:-Amrita Pritam
Presented by

2. 
 Amrita Pritam (31 August 1919 – 31 October 2005)
was an Indian novelist, essayist and poet, who
wrote in Punjabi and Hindi. She is considered the
first prominent female Punjabi poet, novelist,
essayist and the leading 20th-century poet of the
Punjabi language, who is equally loved on both
sides of the India–Pakistan border.
 She is best remembered for her poignant poem, Ajj
aakhaan Waris Shah nu , an elegy to the 18th-
century Punjabi poet, an expression of her anguish
over massacres during the partition of India.
About the author

3. 
Amrita Pritam
31 August 1919 – 31 October 2005

4. 
'A Stench of Kerosene' is a fundamental
representation of how customs and traditions can
become ruthless pressures in life, causing individuals
to make complex decisions, for their security in the
community on terms of culture and traditions.
Introduction

5. 
 Manak:- Main character of the story
 Guleri :- Manak’s 1st wife
 Manak’s mother
 Roop:- Manak’s 2nd wife
 Bhavani:- Manak’s friend
Casts

6.  ' A Stench of Kerosene' , authored by the pen of
Amrita Pritam, is a tale of suffering and injustice in
the rural areas of India.
 Guleri was a young cheerful girl , get married to
Manak ,a charming boy who belongs to a respected
family.
 Every year she use to visit her fathers house in the
harvesting festival with her father’s servant.
Similarly she went to her fathers house in that
harvesting festive.
“A Stench of kerosene”

7. 
 But her husband - Manak was not very happy. "Her
husband pulled at his hookah and closed his eyes.
It seemed as if he either did not like the tobacco or
that he cloud not bear to face his wife".
 When he came back to his house after dropping his
wife to her fathers house, his mother went to his
room and told him to get married for the second
time as Guleri was unfertile and was not able to
give birth in the span of 7 years of the marriage.
 He was knowing that as soon as Guleri will leave
the house ,he will get married to another girl .
That’s why he told Guleri not to go this time,but
she was not aware of the storm which was arriving
in her life.

8. 
 Manak was not interested in his 2nd marriage as he
love his 1st wife from his whole heart .But his
mother pressurised him for the marriage and he got
married to Roop(2nd wife).
 After some days of his 2nd marriage , his friend
Bhavani visited his house. He told him some thing
that killed his sole but physically he was alive. His
friend told him that Guleri is no more, he siad
“When she heard about your second marriage, she
soaked her clothes in kerosene and set fire to
them".
 Manak, mute with pain, could only stare and feel
his own life burning out. Manak's body responded
to the new woman but his heart was dead with in
him"

9. 
 Roop was having only works to do in the house as
she is not liked or loved by her husband it was like
occupation for her.
 One day Manak’s mother enters his room very
excitedly and told him that Roop is going to give
birth to family’s 1st child. Manak did not reacts to
the news and leaves the room.
 His wife ,Roop , was searching for love from him in
that period of her life, but she was unable to find
that as he was totally dead from inside .
 The day when she gave birth to a son, Manak’s
mother was very happy, coz it was the most
awaited moment for her from many years.

10. 
 She excitedly took her grand son to Manak where he
refuses to take the baby saying:-
 “Take him away, he stinks of
kerosene.”


11. 
CONCLUSION
 In this story we come across the curtail side of our
society and their believes . Love and marriage, loss
and guilt, and the role of women in Indian society
are the main themes in “Stench of Kerosene” by
Amrita Pritam. The author tries to send a very
important social message through the short story,
namely that traditional views on marriage and
gender roles can have a disastrous effect on
couples.

12. 
 The story in brief is not that of Manak's wife's
tragic death, alone but it also touches upon the
arrival of another woman to Manak's house and
becoming an occupant.
 Kerosene being inflammable, odorous and
dangerous fuel symbolises the intense sorrow and
disaster caused to Guleri, as a result of Manak's
'family conceptions'.

13. 
Thank you