Maasthi Venkatesha Iyenger (1891 - 1986)
Famous as 'Maasti Kannadada Aasti' (Masti is Kannada's Treasure)
A popular author who wrote in Kannada language and used the pen name 'Srinivasa'
This story, Ranga's Marriage, was initially written in Kannada and titled 'Rangana Maduve' (1910)
Chapter Vocabulary:
- Mouth - filling one
- Cartographer
- Potency
- Pice
- Savour
- Pachchi
- Bittergourd
- Paraphernalia
- The black hole of Calcutta
- Writers expatriate, native, diaspora
- Regional Tongue Influence, Native Flavour
Things to keep in mind as you read:
- Maasthi Venkatesha Iyenger is an Indian regional author whose work has been translated into English from Kannada
- When such translation is done, some of the native flavour is lost and certain references seem out of place or just plain comical
- The story was written in 1910. Arranged marriages were omnipresent and marrying a girl even before she hit her teens was fairly common
Key Elements:
1) The concept of arranged marriages in the Indian culture: then and now
2) Ranga as a character who retains his traditions even as he harbours new age thoughts
3) Ranga as a character whose thoughts do not seem to have eventually matched his actions
4) The narrator, Shyama, whose brilliance is in a simple plan of placing elements together and watch as things run their natural course
5) The author's writing style - first person narrative, casual almost verbal communication with the reader, rambling narration, deliberate use of native words, proverbs, anecdotes and other references
6) The narrator's, and therefore, the author's views on the English language
Question Bank:
Short answer questions –
Q.1. Who was Ranga? What was
special about him?
Q.2. What are the narrator’s
views about English language?
Q.3. What impression do you form
of the narrator? How does he add to the humour of the story?
Q.4. What was the role of the
astrologer in bringing about the marriage of Ranga with Ratna?
Q.5. Why is there no mention of
Hosahalli in any Geography book?
Q.6. What were Ranga’s views on
marriage?
Q.7. Did Ranga select his bride according to the views
he held on the subject of
marriage?
Q.8. What arrangements did the
narrator make with Shastri, the astrologer?
Q.9. Why did the narrator
compare himself himself to a he-goat and Ranga to a
lion?
Q.10. This is a humorous
story. Which part did you find the most amusing?
Long answer questions -
Q.1. Write a diary entry as Ratna relating her views on her husband and
marriage.
Q.2. The astrologer narrates the incident to his friends one evening taking all credit for bringing about the marriage of Ranga and Ratna. Write the narrative.
Q.3. When Shyama, Ranga and Ratna's son is ready for marriage, his parents share the story of his godfather. Narrate the story from their perspective.
Q.4. Shyama decides to open a match-making bureau. Write an advertisement or draft an attractive poster for the bureau.
Q.5. What do you think happens when a regional story gets translated into English? Discuss with references from the story.
Q.6.Write a letter from Ratna to Shyama thanking him for the role he played
in getting her married to Ranga and the subsequent domestic felicity she is
experiencing.
Q.7. Write a diary entry as Ratna on the day she first met Ranga.
Q.8. The astrologer and Shyama decide to debate on who was truly responsible for bringing about the alliance. Write their conversation in dialogues.
Q.9. Write a matrimonial ad for yourself imagining how you would be placed fifteen or twenty years from now.
Q.10. Do you enjoy reading regional fiction or indigenous authors? Discuss any differences you may have seen in the work of Indian authors writing in regional languages or English as compared to native English writers.
where r the answers for them???
ReplyDeleteA question bank is meant to check your understanding of the story. This site is to help you identify your own strengths. The site is not meant as a guide book; no spoonfeeding here :)
ReplyDeleteyou should have them. it'll help this site in becming popular.
ReplyDeletei dont find it helping.
ReplyDeletecoooool baby
ReplyDelete@all: Thanks for your comments
ReplyDeleteu mst atlst expln som imprtnt lines etc......
ReplyDeleteHmm... I'll think about it
Deletewhere are the answers?
ReplyDeleteWhat were Ranga’s views on marriage? According to Ranga, one should find a right girl to get married. The girl should be mature enough to understand the importance of marriage ceremony. A man should marry a girl he admires. There is no point in getting married to a girl who is too young to 'bite her fingers'.
ReplyDeletewhy is there no mention of hosahalli in any geography book There is no mention of Hosahalli village in geography books because English sahibs had no idea that such a place exists in India. Eventually, our own Indian geographers also forgot to mention it. When both sahibs and geographers forgot to mention the place on a map, it is vain to even think that cartographer would remember it.
WHY WAS RANGA'S HOMECOMING A GREAT EVENT?
ranga 's home coming was a gr8 event coz he he was one of the rarest breed in the village folk who want to city to pursue his studies and moreover he had learnt english which was a rare n less spread language in the village
hope it helpd u
because he was first in the village to go to a city for higher education
Ranga's home coming was a great event 10 years previous to the day this story was written. In those days, nobody spoke English in the author's village. People spoke pure Kannada and did not use English words in between their speech. Thus, English was considered to be a priceless commodity in their society. Therefore, when Ranga arrived there was a rush everywhere. He was an intelligent person who was educated in English. He was the first person to be sent to Bangalore (now Bengaluru) for studies and when he came back, it was announced as a great event for the village people to celebrate that the accountant's son was back. Hope this helps!
give an example to show that the narrator is proud of his village. The narrator seems to be very proud of his village. He says that Hosahalli is to Mysore State what the sweet Karigadabu is to a festive meal.
what arrangement did the narrator make with shastri the astrologer?
The narrator, Shyama made a plan withShastri, the village astrologer to get Ranga married to Ratna. He tutored him ...
What were Ranga’s views on marriage? According to Ranga, one should find a right girl to get married. The girl should be mature enough to understand the importance of marriage ceremony. A man should marry a girl he admires. There is no point in getting married to a girl who is too young to 'bite her fingers'.
ReplyDeletewhy is there no mention of hosahalli in any geography book There is no mention of Hosahalli village in geography books because English sahibs had no idea that such a place exists in India. Eventually, our own Indian geographers also forgot to mention it. When both sahibs and geographers forgot to mention the place on a map, it is vain to even think that cartographer would remember it.
WHY WAS RANGA'S HOMECOMING A GREAT EVENT?
ranga 's home coming was a gr8 event coz he he was one of the rarest breed in the village folk who want to city to pursue his studies and moreover he had learnt english which was a rare n less spread language in the village
hope it helpd u
because he was first in the village to go to a city for higher education
Ranga's home coming was a great event 10 years previous to the day this story was written. In those days, nobody spoke English in the author's village. People spoke pure Kannada and did not use English words in between their speech. Thus, English was considered to be a priceless commodity in their society. Therefore, when Ranga arrived there was a rush everywhere. He was an intelligent person who was educated in English. He was the first person to be sent to Bangalore (now Bengaluru) for studies and when he came back, it was announced as a great event for the village people to celebrate that the accountant's son was back. Hope this helps!
give an example to show that the narrator is proud of his village. The narrator seems to be very proud of his village. He says that Hosahalli is to Mysore State what the sweet Karigadabu is to a festive meal.
what arrangement did the narrator make with shastri the astrologer?
The narrator, Shyama made a plan withShastri, the village astrologer to get Ranga married to Ratna. He tutored him ...
i want the answers not the questions
ReplyDelete