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Chapter IV

Cultural Values

Culture is a set of convention of conducts intimately associated with heritage.

Culture is a man-made social organization which includes thinking, living, social interaction,

ways of eating, dressing, religious and scientific beliefs, political and social customs,

traditions, and patterns of behaviour. Further, it refers to all inclusive habits of thinking

which shape human behaviour in all aspects and fields of human activity. In short, culture

epitomizes the total pattern of human belief and behaviour.

Culture can be defined as a set of characteristics that sets one group of people apart

from another. Some uniqueness is transcultural, though for instance, every child is expected,

everywhere, to adore their parents; but the way of expressing their love depends on the

tradition in which they live, yet the loving feelings are culturally agnostic. Mac Iver

defines culture as, “the expression of our nation in our modes of living and of thinking in

our everyday intercourse in art, literature, religion, reaction and enjoyments” (15).

Cultural values are largely as well as commonly shared concepts by their members. There is

dissimilarity between values explanation and cognitive ethical teaching. Values elucidation is

helping people illuminate what their lives are intended for and what is worth operational

for. “Cognitive moral education is based on the belief that one should learn to value

things like democracy and justice as one‟s moral reasoning develops. Educationist

Chaveen Dissanayake says that personal and cultural values can be varied by the living

standards of a man. The arena of cultural values can be as small as each individual's

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personal set of decisions. An individual is to adjust as his or her life conditions change.

The inherited attitudes, ideals and values by imitation and social contacts contribute to

the formation of one‟s personal culture” (en.wikipedia.org).

Culture can also be defined as a set of abstract principles or traits acquired and

translated into day-to-day behaviour. Values are associated to the norms of an ethnicity,

but they are further global and theoretical than custom. “Norms are rules for behaviours

in specific situations, while values identify what should be judged as good or evil. Flying the

national flag on a holiday is a norm, but it reflects the value of patriotism” (en.wikipedia.org).

Being dressed in dark garments and appearing somber are normative behaviour at a

memorial service. In some society, it reflects the principles of reverence and support of

associates and relations. Different cultures replicate diverse values. It is significant to

differentiate those characteristics that are cultural--that is, general to a group of individuals--

as complementary to attributing such distinctiveness to individual personality quirks. It is

somehow easier to disregard someone for not having surmounted a cultural barrier than it

is to excuse what is perceived as a personal deviance. Culture is also accepted as the

complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, and society.

Participation of individuals in a culture reveals their aptitude to synthesize and

extort aspects valuable to them from the manifold subcultures they fit in to. Divergence

theory centres on how values vary between groups within a culture, while functionalism

hub on the mutual values within a culture. For example,

American sociologist Robert K. Merton suggested that the most important

values in American society are wealth, success, power, and prestige, but


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that everyone does not have an equal opportunity to attain these values.

Functional sociologist Talcott Parsons noted that Americans share the

common value of the “American work ethic,” which encourages hard

work. Other sociologists have proposed a common core of American

values, including accomplishment, material success, problem-solving,

reliance on science and technology, democracy, patriotism, charity,

freedom, equality and justice, individualism, responsibility, and

accountability. (en.wikipedi.org)

A culture might harbour contradictory values. For instance, “the value of material

achievement may conflict with the value of charity; or the value of equality may conflict

with the value of individualism” (makarand.web). Such negation may survive due to

changeability between people's performance and the professed values, which explain why

sociologists must carefully discriminate between what people, do and what they say.

“Real culture refers to the values and norms that a society actually follows, while ideal

culture refers to the values and norms that a society acknowledges to trust” (cliffsnotes.com).

Novelists take a great responsibility to spread their country‟s culture through their

writings. In India, while many Indo-Anglian novelists had the propensity to preach, to

sermonize, to advice and to convert their readers, Narayan wrote for art's sake as well as

for life‟s sake. In his every novel, he has offered carve of life as he saw it with colourful

depiction. Narayan wanted to present Indian culture, nobility and unity in diversity.

R. K. Narayan had an aptitude to make the rhythm and intricacies of Indian life handy to

the people of other cultures. He wants to make the East to be the sentient of Indian noble

culture.


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No other twentieth-century novelist besides William Faulkner has so well

succeeded in creating through a succession of novels an imagined community

that microcosmically reflects the physical, intellectual, and spiritual qualities

of a whole culture than R. K. Narayan who has in his tales the South

Indian community of Malgudi. His stories have made a naive, highly

emotional society half a world away as much a part of a reader's experience

as Faulkner's novels have made the mad, decadent world of the red hills of

Mississippi. (Amazon.com)

V. S. Naipal suggests that,

I did not lose my admiration for Narayan but I felt that his comedy and irony

were a part of a Hindu response to the world, a response that I could no

longer share. And it has … become clear to me … that for all their delight

in human oddity, Narayan‟s novels are less the purely social comedies I

had once taken them to be than religious books, at times religious fables,

and intensely Hindu. (Makarant Web 12-13)

That is why, though Naipaul‟s remarks have been often repeated, it takes a critic like

Geoffrey Kain to put them into perspective:

While I am not convinced that this observation applies equally to each of

Narayan‟s novels, … especially as that traditionalism is challenged by

characters who entertain a more „modern,‟ more overtly individualistic

values. Interestingly, a number of Narayan‟s prominent characters work to


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resist traditional religious and familial duties or expectations (dharma)

then inadvertently or (seemingly) fortuitously fall into roles that exemplify

the very values or lifestyles they reject. (Makarant Web 101)

Many ventures to suggest, in many of R. K. Narayan‟s novels, a special kind of

interference can be seen about the ongoing problematical issue of Indian modernity.

Modernity means the innovative kind of subject matter and culture that appeared in India

after the impact of British imperialism. “Though one constituent of this impact was

enlightenment, rationality, science, and Western knowledge, Indian modernity was not

purely a copy of Western modernity; because modern India appears out of the intricate

struggle between colonialism and nationalism” (Makarant Web). Even though inclined by

the West, Indian modernity grades its own separate path. This path, as several have discussed

in a different place widely consists in taking momentous feature of Western modernity

and not easy to merge them with India‟s exploitable past. While both Western modernity

and Indian customs have numerous potential and processes, the self-constitution of India‟s

modernity turn into a multiplex and varied venture rather than any inexperienced supplanting

of ritual with modernity or the renewal of practice at the expend of modernity. Indian

modernity is consequently neither anti-traditional nor essentially pro-Western. It is, in its

place, a complex interface of countless forces which are from time to time gratifying and

sometimes opposing. “Reform, revival, resistance, conflict, collusion, collaboration,

capitulation, compromise, adoption, adaptation, synthesis, encapsulation, hybridity and

multiculturalism are all a part of the Indian‟s experiment in modernization” quotes

Yadav (Makarant Web 15-16). Impact of modern culture spoils our culture. Deiter


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familiarises that Narayan‟s every novel “Portrays the socio-cultural and political scene of

the present day society so realistically” (200). Narayan is nevertheless one of the best

Indian writers in exposing the culture of India.

Noble Indian culture: People gaze at India for its cultural values like true marriage,

hospitality, non-violence, spiritualism, yoga, education and so on. India is a multilingual

country having multiple culture and rich heritage. Asnani provokes that Narayan‟s novel

also demonstrates his abiding interest in folk wisdom, his faith in ancient Indian values,

and his pride for the rich spiritual heritage of his country thus ensuring that his metaphysical

probing and their possible solutions are firmly rooted in his own cultural ethos (9).

Narayan in order to evaluate such Indian values to the West has imbibed such hues in his

novels. He also protrudes the codes and customs followed by him and his families mainly

in South India as he belongs to orthodox Brahmin family which adheres to strict rituals.

Narayan has presented a modern view of some of his characters who deviate from these

rules in the name of modernism and due to the air of the West, but the author portrays

such new happenings in Indian society as a mode of rationalism, violence or women‟s

emancipation. The characters at last feel for their wrong and return to their normal life to

attain happiness. Emancipated characters either die or thrown out of family life.

Chastity: As per Hindu culture, an Indian man or woman should marry only once. Even

if the wife dies or husband dies, a forlorn life is lead. One of the parents has to bring up

their children. Extra-marital relationship or pre-marital relationship is strictly prohibited.

If they have, it may dissolve their status, so people even though tempted to have such

bucks, for the sake of society and fear of God never indulge in it or give up their virginity.


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In our Vedas and Upanishads it is prescribed not to cross the limit as they may be

enunciated (punished) after their death.

In The Bachelor of Arts, Mr. Brown, the Principal of the Albert Mission College,

has come to the theatre with a girl in the first class. Chandran remarked, “Must be some

other girl, then. The white fellows are born to enjoy life. Our people really don‟t know

how to live. If a boy is seen with a girl by his side, a hundred eyes stare at him and a hundred

tongues comment, where as no European ever goes out without taking a girl with him”

(TBA 15). This statement portrays the culture of noble Indians.

In every step in life, Chandran‟s mother rigidly followed Indian culture and orthodox

customs as a sign of dignity and appropriate modus operandi to be followed in life. Chandran

being educated never cares for such customs but agrees to his parents wish. After a long

time of his love failure and aggravation, his mother chooses a modest girl Susila for him.

The wedding gets fixed within fifteen days and they lead a happy married life.

The English Teacher apparently portrays the true love of husband and wife and

their reunion even after the wife‟s death. Love of Krishna and Susila deepens and intensifies in

the midst of household chores--prudent housekeeping, religious ceremony, Krishna‟s wry

reaction to it, family irritations and awkwardness, simple pleasant events like visit to a

café or a cinema, children‟s games and sickness, gardening, shopping, and thrift nature.

The more complete her relationship with Krishna is the more positive and independent

her personality will be. Murty said Narayan shows his gift of “healthy, refreshing,

invigorating humour, compassion, sympathy and even profoundness” (114). Through

Krishna and Susila, the author shows the values of a family life and how a husband and


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wife should live flawlessly. Both Krishna and Narayan had one girl child too Leela

(Hema) to pursue their future life. Narayan presents his own life in the form of bursted

emotions, the mismatch of horoscope success in family life, and his wife‟s death--all

reflect Krishna‟s character. Krishna‟s voyage through all his sufferings is kindled

accurately.

In The Guide, Raju the protagonist‟s happiness got lost when both Marco, the

husband and Rosie, the wife were complacent again. At least, at this juncture, by the

advice of Gaffur, Raju should have left Rosie and come back, “That would have saved

many sharp turns and twists in his life‟s course” (TG 131). As there occurs unbearable

misunderstanding between the couple, the novel prolongs with Raju and Rosie‟s love

story.

Raju seems to have become an instrument of the community for its own self-

renewal. Every time Raju‟s thoughts dwells on Rosie, wife of Marco, and a part of his

mind goes on saying, “No, no. It is not right. Marco is her husband, remember… It‟s not

to be thought” (TG 77). But, Raju admired her duly without thinking about the society

and his off beam rapport. “No living culture can be static; no living community can be

always the identical,” brings out O. P. Mathur (78). Culture changes due to the ardour for

foreign culture and the collision of breeze of West wind in India. East India Company

enlarges its legs in India in the name of imperialism and even after its departure its

motive of trade contact still makes the wavelength to precede the East culture.

Raju‟s mother persuaded Rosie to have a livelihood with her husband, as it is the

conjugal for a woman. “but it was always the wife, by her doggedness, perseverance, and


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patience that brought him round. She quoted numerous mythological stories of Savitri

Seetha and all the well-known heroines… my mother‟s motives were naively clear” (TG 155).

His mother advised Rosie that living with a husband is really a happy life, but she never

gives heed to her talk. Raju‟s mother does not like Rosie to have a long stay at their home

singing and dancing. So, she advised Raju, “She is a real snake-woman. I tell you. I never

liked her from the first day you mentioned her” (TG 154). The extra-marital relationship

is indeed brusquely avoided by everyone.

In The Man-Eater of Malgudi, Rangi is a temple dancer in deprived favour with

Nataraj's wife and Sastri, his printing assistant. People believe her to be lewd and unprincipled

because of her profession. Her mother Padma had the same profession, yet in high errand

with the townspeople. “This difference illustrates the variety of issues presented to women in

Postcolonial culture” (wmich.edu). Once, when Rangi comes to visit Nataraj to reveal the

secret plan of Vasu to kill the temple elephant, his wife dislikes it. This shows the green-

eyed nature of a wife and his possessiveness.

In The Painter of Signs, the story signifies that degradation awaits a person if there

is a flaw in his attitude. Raman discarded her aunt‟s advice of not to have an inter-caste

marriage as they belong to orthodox Brahmin family. But, he loves only the human soul

of Daisy and not her caste. Eventually, relevant may be an African adage, which says,

“As a man danced, so the drums were beaten for him” says Bob (131). Raman decides to

marry Daisy. So, he gives lots of explanation for his follies undergone. “Any work done

in good spirit is good work. It is not the work that is tiring or degrading but the wrong

attitude one brings down to life,” admits Iyengar (211).


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Daisy never shows much interest in leading a wedded life, though she sleeps with

Raman. Girls like Daisy in India prefer independent life. Their days of dependence are

gone. Bentham‟s utilitarianism has influenced every walk of the modern life and Daisy

like other modern girls of the society is not an exception. “The love known as the union

of two souls has lost its true meaning and is now evaluated in the sense of utility,” pursues

P. K. Singh (Novels 59). This is not the true love between Raman and Daisy; it is just an

obsession and is considered as pre-marital relationship which is not accepted in Indian

society.

Thus, Marriage in South-India is arranged by observing strict cultural conventions.

It is a great belief that if there is any ill-legal relationship between the couples their

association will not last long. It is because of the deep-rooted culture, India is adored by

all the other nations in the world.

Religion and Caste: R. K. Narayan is typically a Hindu in his celebration of the static.

He belongs to Orthodox Brahmin family; so, in his novels he broadcasts the same mode of

cultured families. They strictly adhere to the Hindu rituals in their life. K. R. S. Iyengar says,

“with rigid caste prohibition to be respected and difficult astrological hurdles to be crossed,

how can there be „love-marriages‟ in India?” (366). No love marriage takes place irrespective

of their caste. Narayan hates such theology and he himself tried love-marriage but it did

not materialize. His heroes tried to cross the limits of old culture to create a new trend of

having inter-caste marriage. Brata somberly realized that, “Caste has such a firm grip on

the Indian soul that it is difficult, if not impossible, to unshackle the population from its

hideous clasp, even with oceans and decades and generations insulating the present from


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the past” (231). The aim of religion can be compared to climbing the stairs of one‟s

house. Once you reach the roof, you see the same sky, stars, planets and the heavens.

So, all men are equal despite their caste or creed.

In The Bachelor of Arts, Chandran‟s father and mother want to follow the proposal

for their son according to old custom and reason. They want their bride from their caste

that is Iyer and wealthy family. They want to keep up their dignity. Chaudhuri points out

that when Narayan began writing in the 1930s, "The cultural legacies of the Orientalist

scholars, and of the Bengal Renaissance, with its transcendental strain, were still dominant,

contributing to an idea of India as a country with an ancient philosophical and religious,

mainly Brahminical, tradition. The subject of Narayan's fiction is, if anything, the

functionality of “timeless India” (21). As Chaudhuri points out, Narayan forged the

families he deals with to adhere to their caste i.e., the Brahmin as far as marriage is

concerned. Their unchangeable will is deliberately sort out novel after novel. In this

novel, Chandra‟s family promptly wants their daughter-in-law from their caste and

stubbornly waits to move the deal as per the codes and never give importance to their

son‟s desires and expectations.

Chandran feels very desperate regarding the caste of Malathi whom he loves.

“Chandran shuddered at the thought of all the complications that he would have had to

face if the gentleman had been Krishna Iyengar or Krishna Roa or Krishna Mudaliaar.

His father would certainly cast him off if he tried to marry out of caste” (TBA 67).

Chandran feels happy, when he knows that she belongs to his own caste and sub-caste.


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In The Guide, Rosie said that, “I belong to a family traditionally dedicated to the

temples as dancers; my mother, grandmother and before her, her mother… You know

how our caste is viewed. We are viewed as public women. We are not considered

respectable…” (TG 84). Under these circumstances, the lonely rich man and archeologist,

Marco, looking for a companion through matrimonial advertisements found Rosie and

married her for her being both beautiful and educated. Narayan introduces such modern

men who boldly come forward for inter-caste marriages.

In The Man-Eater of Malgudi, K. J. Label‟s owner comes to Nataraj to deliver his

labels, “the drink-seller was an old-type orthodox, who wore a red caste-mark on his fore

head” (TMEM 138). In this novel religious faith of K. J. can be seen as he wore a Red

Cross mark on his forehead as a symbol of faith and he belongs to the Brahmin caste who

worships Lord Narayana.

In The Painter of Signs, Raman‟s aunt gets annoyed about his decision of marrying

an inter-caste girl, “Who she may be to which caste she belongs? But he says, “Who is

she? It is immaterial. She is going to be my wife, that‟s all that need be known” (TPS 147) his

aunt could not bear and opposed it. He convinces her telling that she is too a human being

and he is least bothered about her caste. „The opinion of Raman on caste barrier is not

only his own‟ but „reflects the views of Narayan,‟ adulates P. K. Singh (61). She said

nothing but turned round, sunk deep in thought, and resumed the arrangements of the

vessels. He felt insignificant and insulted. R. K. Narayan seems to „ridicule‟ the „exclusive

orthodoxy‟ of „Indian conservation‟ and is clearly „sympathetic‟ towards modernity,‟

O. P. Mathur (71). Narayan wants to ridicule the silly values of old culture and in order


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to protest, he presented characters like Raman and the characters are portrayed against a

vast social, ethical and metaphysical backdrop is a source of endless irony. Raman a

rationalist was against all these odds.

Invitation card: Indians invite their kith and kin through invitation cards to celebrate

auspicious functions. Gifts are given in cash or kind as a token of love. It is an Indian

culture. In The Man-Eater of Malgudi, Nataraj was busy with a proof of a wedding

invitation of a girl whose father is an adjournment lawyer correcting it. He needs about a

thousand invitation cards, which Nataraj obliged to deliver in time.

Horoscope is a holy book forecasting a person‟s future based on the stars and planets at

the time of their birth (Oxford 437) written by an astrologer. Special occasions are ear-marked

by the astrologer with the help of a person‟s horoscope.

Horoscope-matching plays a major role in marriage fixing of youngsters in

South-Indian families. It is truly believed and followed even now-a-days for the marriage

proposal. “Narayan also hints at the practice of comparing horoscopes based on astrology,

which were considered to tell the destiny of men and women,” portrays Arya (91).

Narayan totally disagrees to this fact as has suffered a lot because of unmatched

horoscope. Narayan specifically has shown this aspect of Indian culture in most of his

novels.

In The Bachelor of Arts, Chandran thought both positively and negatively regarding

his love for Malathi. He wants deliberately to throw away all the old ideas in India by

marrying the girl he loved, whatever caste or creed she belongs to. This shows his hatred

towards horoscope matching, which rejects his lady-love. Chandran‟s parents sent for


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Ganapahi-Sastrigal, who was a match-maker. Chandran‟s father has faith in horoscope

but Sastrigal firmly beleived, “How are we to know whether two persons brought

together will have health, happiness, harmony and long life, if we do not study their

horoscopes individually and together?”(TBA 78). It is the common credence of the

people. Arya comments that in The Bachelor of Arts, “The readers should think of the

tyranny of horoscope and the false belief in horoscopes and the system of astrology on

which they were based?” (86). Though Narayan wants this false belief of tyranny to be

abolished in India, he could not come out of this great Indian cultural value. Thus, Chandran‟s

first love met with a failure due to the unmatched horoscope. Chandran gets disappointed

by his love failure; he wanders like a mad man. Chandran‟s father suggested a new

proposal that Mr. JayaramaIyer, who is a leading lawyer in Talapur, asked for an alliance

with them since both Chandran‟s and the girl‟s horoscope match each other. Chandran

gives no answer for the time-being, but later he gets married to Susila by observing all

the customs by the parents and they lead a happy life.

In The English Teacher, the autobiographical element is obviously brought out.

The author R. K. Narayan himself met with a failure in his life who married his wife

Rajam with the mis-match of horoscope and against all odds. His wife passed away at a

very early stage leaving him lonely along with a child Hema. Due to this incident, he

believed much in the horoscope matching for the couples. Krishna in the story married

Susila by making some adjustments in the horoscope, in spite of the warning that the

bride will not live for a long time if they marry. So, Susila died of typhoid after leaving a

girl child Leela.


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In The Man-Eater of Malgudi, Nataraj and Sastri went in search of an astrologer,

with the poet‟s horoscope and the almanac; they wanted to fix the date for the poet to

present his volumes, which should coincide with the spring festival at the Krishna temple.

“On the full moon, the moon is in the sixth house, which is the best place we can have for

the moon, and the presiding star that day is…which means…” (TMEM 136). Horoscope

plays a vital role in the Hindu society in all functions of family. So, Nataraj tried to fix

the date for the festival with the help of the poet‟s horoscope.

With the suggestion of Nataraj a convenient date was chosen. The astrologer said,

“This is as good a date as the best one but do you know why it‟s classed not so good? …

and the poet‟s ruling star is …. and it might not prove so beneficial after all Jupiter‟s

aspects remain for four and a half hours: that will be until 5.25… that‟s all” (TMEM

141). People prefer to follow the predictions consulting horoscopes and almanacs and

accordingly commence anything they deem auspicious. Hence, horoscope plays a vital

part in the life of Hindu families for fixing marriage alliance.

Dowry: Property or money brought by a bride to her husband on their marriage

(Dowarie-a French word) (Oxford 268).

Dowry is a usual custom in Indian Hindu marriage as a symbol of prestige and

respect in the society, though the groom‟s family is not well-off. Narayan was heavily

deft against such rituals and he understands how many families are affected by this social

malady and in the poor family circles, girl even after attaining the right age, go without

marriage without troubling their parents for money. Dowry plays a great role in women‟s

life even at this era to get a good husband.


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In The Bachelor of Arts, Chandran loves a girl and with Olympian courage

expressed his love to his parents. But his mother is very much disappointed with a Head

clerk‟s daughter. She asked, “Chandran, why won‟t you consider any of the dozens of

girls that have been proposed to you?” Chandran rejected it indignantly. He said, “But

supposes those girls are richer and more beautiful?” “I don‟t care. I shall marry this girl

and no one else” (TBA 68).

Mother approaches Chandran and suggests choosing some other girl who is

worthier than the clerk‟s daughter and also tells him that, “Extraordinary, do you think

marriage is a child‟s game? We don‟t know anything about them, who they are, what

they are, what they are worth, if the stars and the other things about the girl are all right,

and above all, whether they are prepared to marry their girl at all….” (TBA 69). Thus,

Chandran‟s mother shows exemplary determination in marring a rich girl for her son and

Chandran strokes battling discouragement for her words.

Sastri informs that, “They are prepared to give a cash dowry, of about two thousand

rupees, silver vessels and presents up to thousand, and spend thousand on the wedding

celebrations. These will be in addition to about a thousand worth of diamond and gold on

the girl” (TBA 78). Mother is little bit disappointed. But she likes to settle it later. Chandran

pleads his mother, not to be stubborn with the dowry, but she says, “We shall see we

must not be too exacting, nor can we cheapen ourselves” (TBA 84).

It is evident that the marriage of a daughter even in rural parts of India is “an

expensive affair” (Sharma 27). “Don‟t talk like that, Mother. I shall never forgive you if

this marriage does not take place through your bickering over the dowry and the


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presents” (TBA 84). However, in the end, he surmounts to his mother for he does not

want his parent to be unhappy. Chandran‟s new wife‟s name is Susila. “She was dressed

in a blue sari. A few diamonds glittered in her ear-lobes and neck” (TBA 160).

In The English Teacher, after Krishna and Susila‟s marriage, his mother trained

her well in looking after the household budget. The elder daughter-in-law, his brother‟s

wife, escaped to Hyderabad solely because of this. She was the daughter of a retired High

court judge, and would never allow a remark or a look from his mother to pass unchallenged.

His mother used to declare, “Whatever happens even with a ten-thousand rupee dowry I

shall never accept a girl from a High court Judge‟s family again….” (TET 30). Krishna‟s

mother found a rich girl in marriage for his first son but she never does her work properly

and is against her, so she dislikes rich girls.

In The Man-Eater of Malgudi, the adjournment lawyer who came to print his

daughter‟s wedding card suggested and prayed that, his daughter should live happily, as

he was spending a lot for her marriage and upbringing. He added that now-a-days life has

become so expensive. “Most people think that with the wedding all one‟s trouble is over.

It‟s only half the battle! Ha! Ha!”. “It‟s only after a marriage that one discovers how

vicious one‟s view relatives can be. How many things they demand and keep demanding!

Oh,God” (TMEM 74, 75). “All sorts of things, all sorts of things” (TMEM 75). He was

really fed up with casting dowry to her daughter‟s family.

At other instance, the lawyer went on with grim humour,

He must be given a present because it‟s the sixth month after the wedding,

because it‟s the month of Adi, because it is Deepavali, because it is this


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and that; every time you think of the great man, in cash or clothes! It‟s all

an old, silly custom; our women are responsible. I would not blame the

young man; what can he do? It‟s his mother who demands these things

and the bride‟s mother at once responds by nagging her husband...

(TMEM 75)

A clear picture of expecting cash is furnished with examples. The mahout explained his

story how his brother disliked his wife as she did not belong to their caste and from

Kerala, so demanded to send her off with two-hundred rupees. But the women said,

Keep you money, only tell me if there is any deep well or tank nearby

where I can drown myself. I want you to know that I have come to you not

for your money. If I can‟t be worthy of being your wife, I shall be quite

happy to be dead at your feet, rather than go back to my village with two

hundred rupees. (TMEM 126).

A true love of a wife is portrayed. Only man expects money from the wife and not vice-

versa. “Superstition is primarily ignorance,” uttered P. K. Singh (Novels 24). Receiving

bribes is a false belief of a society.

In The Painter of Signs, When Daisy was thirteen years old, her parents planned

to settle her for a good groom. She said, “They decked me in all the jewellery pieces

borrowed from my sister-in-laws in the house, diamonds and gold all over my ears, neck,

nose, and wrist, and clad me in a heavy sari crackling with gold lace.” “The young man

was not bad-looking, but it didn‟t concern me. He was a young land lord owning hundreds of

acres and earning a lot of money” (TPS 131). Daisy‟s parents want to get her married to a


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rich man, but they never care for her wish. Raman‟s aunt says, “Yes, that is what I say.

Why should you be involved in all this, when officers, judges, and rich men are ready to

accept you and treat you like a prince, and give you all the comfort that you may want”

(TPS 153). Raman‟s aunt suggests him to marry a girl who belongs to a rich family rather

than a run off girl.

Thus, Dowry‟s grade in the society is seen in various facets. At this era also

people crave for money and properties during the marriage time is explicitly seen through

the novels of R. K. Narayan.

Value of Music: (Mangla vathiam) It is a special code of music for all happy occasions.

It is considered as a sign of blessing and auspicious song in the Hindu mythology. It is

mainly heard in all the important occasions as a mark of joy and success.

In The Bachelor of Arts, when Chandran reached his friend Mohan‟s lodge to find

out about his lover Malathi and her response to his love-letter, he heard of Kalyani Raga,

and “The opposite house was fully decorated with plantain stems and festoons of mango

leaves. These were marks of an auspicious event” (TBA 91). They are few instances of

syn-aesthetic impressions. “The music scalded Chandra ears, he ran up the steps to Mohan‟s

room” (TBA 91). Chandran bade good bye angrily to his trusted friend who failed to

deliver his letter to her and unable to hear the music reached home.

In The Man-Eater of Malgudi, during the temple festival God was garlanded and

decked with ornaments and now it was ready to take it for procession.

The God was beautifully decorated. He wore a rose garland, and a

diamond pendant sparkled on his chest. The piper was blowing his cheeks


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out, filling the air with “Kalyani Rag” a lovely melody at this hour. The

temple was nearly a century old, built by public subscriptions in the days

when my grandfather and a few others had come here as pioneers.

(TMEM 178,179)

Kalyani Raga was played as it always marks any auspicious occasion. “Bhairavi”,

the favourite of Lord Nataraja delighted his father too. There was a room exclusively

meant for musical antics at their home. Whenever the South Indian musicians pay visits

to their place, his father allows them to stay in the musical hall which earned the disgust

of the people of the locality. Because, they attached a high degree of sanctity to the room,

as it accommodates seventy scriptures or music and bronze idols of worship. It was not

safe to use the room by the guests. But he never bothered. Bhairavi Raga is melodious

and kindles spiritual feelings. Music played a great role in the life of man, it may be any

kind of music but Narayan depicted the Hindu culture of playing Kalyani Raga for

auspicious functions.

Worship: Religious values are related to faith in God, means of reaching Him, consequences

that result from the deviations of not adhering to such noble paths etc. Idealism believes

that religious values are real, absolute and eternal. Religious faiths and rituals, primarily

aim to regulate human behaviour and make them law-abiding citizens. A truly religious

person is always guided by his conscience. Even today, crime rate in India is the least in

the whole world. Since people worship God, the almighty who is omnipresent and

omnipotent, they lead a spiritual domestic life.


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Prayer is a dialogue of a love encounter with one‟s creator. It is just being in a

deep, personal and close relationship between God and man. It generates awareness of

God‟s existence. St.Teresa says, “A prayer is a loving conversation with God who, we

know, loves us” says (Devasia131). Survival of a new born baby depends on its mother‟s

feeding and so the prayer to human to enrich faith. To commence a day with prayer and

worship is a cultural value in Hindu tradition. It is believed that a person‟s genuine prayer

is refuted. It is shown by people by undergoing fasting, celebrating festivals and appeasing

God with extraordinary offerings. “Palsied and useless the head unbowed, At the feet of

the God of eightfold virtue” quotes Mohan (9). Mohan‟s English translation of Thirukkural,

the handbook of Tamil culture and heritage, importunate that there is no use of our birth

unless we think and pray to God. Hence, Prayer is a pivotal aspect of spiritualism, and

considered to be the highest Indian value.

In The Bachelor of Arts, Chandran‟s mother prays to God by “Turning the prayer

beads in her hand looking at the coco-nuts trees at the far end of the compound. As she

turned the beads, her lips uttered the holy name of Sri Rama” (TBA 12).

The sanyasi uttered that his pooja would be over before sunrise. So, he is unable

to get permission to pluck the flowers. People pray to God by offering flowers at dawn.

It is believed that God visits at early morning and if one prays to him at that time, God

will shower his blessings.

In The English Teacher, Susila prayed to God, “She brought together her palms

and closed her eyes in prayer. The priest broke the coconut, and placed it and the other

things at the feet of the image. He lit a camphor, sounded a bell, and circled the flame


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around the image” (TET 64). This is the Indian method of praying to God and doing

pooja or worship.

In The Guide, when Raju was small, he got up early morning and prays to god

“I washed myself at the well, smeared holy ash on my forehead, stood before the framed

pictures of Gods hanging high up on the wall, and recited all kinds of sacred verse in a

loud, ringing tone… ” (TG 11). Raju became a guru for Velan, to get solution for all his

problems. When he attempted to touch his feet, he moved away saying, “I will not permit

anyone to do this. God alone is entitled to such a prostration. He will destroy us if we

attempt to usurp his rights” (TG 16); he is too fair in this context in upraising God Almighty.

He offered everything to God, what he got as an offering from the people. “He began

narrating the story of Devaka, a man of ancient times who begged for alms at the temple

gate every day and would not use any of his collections without first putting them at the

feet of the God” (TG 18). People offer food to God and Raju offered it and insisted

everyone to prostrate only before God and not before humans.

Rosie, as a dancer followed punctually the rules of Bharathanatyam regarding the

time and the respect to be given to the Lord Nataraj who is a lover and guru of dance.

In The Man-Eater of Malgudi, there was a poet among Nataraj‟s constant

companions, who was writing the life of God Krishna in monosyllabic verse. His

ambition was to compose a grand verse in praise of Him. There is a habit of taking God

on a procession placing Him on the Temple Elephant to be worshipped by all on special

occasions and it happened here during the offering of monosyllable verses of Radha

Kalyan.


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Muthu, the tea shop owner, hoped that Kumar, the temple elephant will collect

enough amounts to build a tower for the temple of the Goddess, which would be visible

for fifty miles around Mempi Hills. Building a temple to worship God is a tradition and is

considered as the holy deed of a man and Muthu did it with his lump sum money. He needs

some more money for further construction which he expects during this procession.

Everyone supported Kumar to be saved from Vasu the taxidermist who planned to

kill it during the procession but he did not give up, or so kind enough to answer them.

They all warned him not to create any disturbance to people who come along with God.

He said, “If God is everywhere, why follow him only in a procession?” (TMEM 194).

Vasu questions them if God is everywhere, why they worship Him in temples and

procession. Though God is everywhere, the temple is a holy place to worship Him where

many poojas take place and if we pray there we are blessed more than at home. There is

also a proverb: though cow gives milk which cannot be extracted from all parts of the

animal, but from its respective place, likewise temple is the suitable place to pray to God.

Mark Twain quotes, “In religion, India is the only millionaire …the one land that

all men desire to see, and having seen once, by even a glimpse, would not give that glimpse

for all the shows of all the rest of the globe combined ” (43). “Remove your shoes from

your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy ground” (Twain 43). Wearing slippers

is considered as a bad habit. Since slippers carry all the impurities, they are not used in

temples. There is one strong reason why they are not worn in the temples. Temples are

the place that contains pure vibrations. In olden days temples are constructed in such a

way to create vibration. They enter our body through our foot. In India, the slippers are

not allowed inside the homes as a mark of respect to the house and to honour its


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cleanliness and purity. Taking off one‟s shoes before entering any home is deeply

ingrained cultural habit in India. This gesture being both symbolic and a conscious desire

to leave behind the outer world. It also gives a spiritual connectivity with Earth.

Pilgrimage : John Knox noted “A man with God is always in the majority” (Devasia 107).

Love of God can be defined in two ways: God‟s love for us and our love for God. It is

true that with our limited intelligence, we cannot understand the mystery of God. Yet, we

believe that God is our creator. God shares His life with us because He loves us. Since

God shares His life with us, we are the images of God. So we visit temple to worship

such lovable great God.

In The English Teacher, Krishna and Susila visited the temple of Lord Srinivasa

with a coconut, a packet of camphor, plantain and betel leaves and garland to offer to

God. The couples feel satisfied after praying to God, received holy water from the priest

to drink and Krishna put a vermilion dot on her forehead, pinched the flower offered to

the God in her hair. This kind of habit exists even now.

In The Painter of Signs, Raman‟s aunt took her own path to go for a pilgrimage

and planned to settle her remaining age at Kasi. “It is like this, my boy! At my age…

auspicious end to one‟s life” (TPS 152). It is a belief for the elders in Hindu family to

spend their last days in Kasi. In Kasi, the ancient temple of Lord Shiva is adorned and our

Vedas insist that human beings should spend their old age there which gives them

Moksha (salvation). Artha and Moksha are permanent values in the world. So, Raman‟s

aunt frustrated by Raman‟s behaviour of having pre-marital relationship with Daisy,


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which is against their orthodox culture, and unable to see his Ghandharava marriage, she

who sacrificed her whole life for him left him abruptly and chose the spiritual path of

spending her last days at Kasi.

Friday was considered auspicious day and it is believed that dropping paisa or

money in the temple hundial and lighting the oil-lamp both at home and temple will

protect one from evil and earn God‟s blessings. Light is the symbol of God. So, people lit

up light to invite God to their home.

Greetings: One important way of wishing the people in Indian culture is by saying

“Vanakam” (Tamil) or Namaste (Hindi). It‟s a mark of respect which an Indian shows to

the other person. In The Guide, when Raju was dying as a saint for the people‟s cause of

drought by undergoing fast, many came to visit him among them an American who

shoots the film and TV show along with an interpreter, visited Swamiji, he greeted him

the Indian salute, “Namaste.” Raju felt happy to see him and his demeanours.

In The Man-Eater of Malgudi, one day a man came to visit Nataraj. At first, he

could not recognize him. Later when he said Namaskara, (social custom) he came to

know him as Muthu, a tea-shop man at Mempi Hills. Hence, greeting makes one recognize

the other‟s identity. If one says „Namaste,‟ he could be recognized as Indians.

Oxford Dictionary defines Hospitality as the friendly and generous treatment of guests or

strangers (438).

“Keeping house and gathering gear, Is all to entertain guests” (Mohan 87). One of

the main human values of Indian culture is hospitality. Good couples neither rich nor


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poor serve their guests with love, food and warmth to their utmost satisfaction. Brata

comments the hospitality of the villagers when he records his observation,

Although there is poverty, there is a village, even among the lowliest, in

their tiny thatched huts and mud floors you will always be offered tea, and

if you stay a little longer, there will be food, inevitable vegetarian, cooked in

front of you, and a cordial hospitality that will surprise the urban visitor. (201)

In The Bachelor of Arts, on the fifteenth of November, Chandran was very busy in

the celebration of his department function in the college. Chandran showed his good hand

of hospitality to the guests, who attended the function by welcoming them and helped to

take over their seat. On the function day, the celebrity should welcome the guests and must

show due respect to them. This is the culture of Indian people especially South-India.

When Chandran ran away from his uncle in Madras, fortunately he met Mr. Kailas in

a hotel and both went to all places in each other‟s company. Chandran could not oppose

Kailas, since he had an aggressive hospitality. They roamed till evening, and had good

food, which was paid by Kailas. As in the poem The Gift by Alice Walker, a lady love

unwillingly accepts her lover‟s gift of his soul as she is a southerner. She protected his

gift and returned it safely.

The Barber was another man of hard work who helped Chandran when he wants

to become a Sadhu, with pieces of cloth dyed in ochre. He brought also a few plantains

and a green coconut to offer Chandran to eat. Due to hunger, he never minds the type of

food what he eats. Any food offered with love is pleasant and considered as Amrutha

(Elixir)—the divine delicacy.


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In The Man-Eater of Malgudi, people always thronged Nataraj‟s Printing Press

because of his humble and honest values towards all kinds of people, “How could he

when all the time they were crowding my parlor, although all I could offer them was an

assortment of chairs and a word of welcome” (TMEM 69). Nataraj‟s hospitality in

welcoming the people, fulfilling their needs and allowing them to take rest with his

friendly nature surpassed many visitors to his parlour.

Nataraj recalled his past: when he was young he was brought up in a house, “I had

been brought up in a house where we were taught never to kill” (TMEM 65). One of his

uncles asked him to keep sugar on various corners to whisk away the ants. He often uses

to declare, “You must never scare away the crows and sparrows that come to share our

food; they have as much right as we to the corn that grows in the fields” (TMEM 65, 66).

Their granary made of bamboo matting was busily depleted by squirrels, mice and birds.

From his childhood, he was taught by his elders to help others and not to hurt other

creatures.

Offering food to crows is still considered to be holy as it is believed that the demised

elders of the family descend in the form of crows and bless the family taking the offering.

To perform funeral rites at the bank of river Ganga, Cauvery, Yamuna and in places like

Beneras, and Kasi, the habit of offerings food to our demised elders on their death anniversaries

will appease the spirit of elders and it is followed even today.

When the old man asked Sastri, where he is living, he gave his present address.

“Oh, that is far off Vinayak Street, ah, how many centuries it seems to me since I went

that way, come and see me sometime,” “I will be pleased” (TMEM 89). Sastri felt


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immensely happy to lay this enticement to visit him. The inclination of fascinating guests

to home and serving them heartily is a rich culture of India.

In The Painter of Signs, Raman received Daisy warmly. When she got up, Raman

managed, by saying; we prefer only mats than chairs. She too accepted it, what matters in

sitting, she used to sit on mats till eighteen, and aunt added that it is good for health. Mats

are offered for the guests to sit on.

Daisy reached the village, the headman and his wife received them warmly and served

them coffee and bananas. A person should not only serve his blood relations alone but to

all who visit their home which is portrayed by the headman‟s wife in this novel. It is a

custom in India to build a pyol at their entrance to facilitate the strangers to take rest. Pyol

was an important ornamental place of house in those days. As a symbol of hospitality,

helping or dropping a paisa for the beggars who reside out the temple, mainly for

handicapped people is also a benevolent deed.

Fasting: Go without food or drink especially for religious reasons (Oxford 325).

“And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure

their faces so as to show others that they are fasting” (Devasia 57). To fast is to abstain

from all or some kinds of food or drink for a certain period of time. People fast for

different reasons and it is a noble cause. They fast as part of a religious observance to

atone for their sins and to show their devotion to God. When it is seen from a spiritual

perspective, it is a source of strength--to control our desires and evil tendencies, to

control certain habits which pull us down. It helps us move ahead towards God and to

experience and to establish intimacy with God. When that intimacy is achieved, there is


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no room for sadness, dryness or hypocrisy, but only joy, fulfillment and contentment.

Fasting also helps us attain spiritual courage to face the challenges of the world. By fasting,

Indians believe that God will be happy and bless them with salvation (moksha) or make

life heaven on earth by removing all the sufferings.

In The Guide, Raju went on fasting for the sake of rain but on the twelfth day the

doctors declare, “Swami‟s condition grave. Declined glucose and saline. Should break the

fast immediately. Advise procedure” (TG 246). They telegram the serious message to their

headquarters. Doctors advised Velan to ask Swami to take care of his health. But Raju

was determined in his duty by declining their advice. A newspaper correspondent, along

with the commission made by the government, to look after the drought condition came

to examine the Swami. He wrote a report naming, “Holy man‟s penance to end drought”

(TG 233).

This Mangala is a blessed country to have a man like the Swami in our

midst. No bad thing will come to us as long as he is with us. He is like

Mahatma. When Mahatma Gandhi went without food, how many things

happened in India! This is a man like that. If he fasts there will be rain.

Out of his love for us he is undertaking it. This will surely bring rain and

help us. Once upon a time a man fasted for twenty-one days and brought

down the deluge. Only great souls that take upon themselves tasks such as

this…. (TG 102-103)

Raju reminds us of a social worker Anna Hazere who goes on fasting against

corruption in the country at present century in support of the Lok Pal Act.


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In The Painter of Signs, Chandran due to love failure hated everyone and now

started his career as an ascetic and starved, he suffered hunger, he said to his stomach:

“rage as much as you like, why don‟t you kill me?”(TPS 108). Chandran starved to end

his life without food. But good fortune always favoured him to escape.

Fasting plays an important role in the life of “Mahatma Gandhi” who decides

crucial problems by undertaking fast and he succeeds in it. In the same way people fast

for some noble cause.

Names: There is a ritual in Hindu society in India to name the son or daughter of their

prodigy in God‟s name. They believed that it will raise a child to greater heights and if

people keep calling out their children is like chanting the names of God which will help

them attain moksha after their death.

In The Bachelor of Arts, the protagonist‟s name is “Chandran” a name of moon God.

In The English Teacher, the protagonist‟s name is “Krishna” a name of Lord Vishnu.

In The Man-Eater of Malgudi, the protagonist‟s name is “Nataraj” a name of Lord Shiva.

In The Painter of Signs, the protagonist‟s name is “Raman” a name of God Vishnu and

his aunt‟s name is “Lakshmi” a name of the Goddess of wealth. His aunt used to tell long

stories of her childhood, which was unbelievable for Raman since it was the Age of Reason.

Such as, “We were a well-fed lot in our home. I was especially fortunate as I had the

name of the Goddess of wealth, Laxmi, and no one dared say; Go away, Laxmi, as it

might be inauspicious. It was always good to say, “Oh Laxmi, welcome to our house,”

(TPS 20).


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Equality is given to women in all respects that can be seen in Indian culture; man

has to do all religious rites and rituals only with the due participation of his wife or

otherwise they remain incomplete and ineffective. It simply means that men and women

are equally ordained to discharge differential duties. Rivers are all given female names

and worshipped. Nowadays, these kind of asserting names are going on blushing out.

Festival: Festivals are celebrated with great ecstasy by the people. Festivals like Pongal,

Deepavali, Dhasara are celebrated by people. During the festivals women wipe the

entrance of their home with cow-dung, draw Rangoli using rice dough, colour it, and

decorate the entrance with festoons, mango-leaves, flowers and sweet-smelling flower.

They light the oil-lamp before God to invoke his blessing. Carnival, like the novel is a

means for displaying otherness.

In The Painter of Signs, Raman went to ask his due amount for the sign-board he

painted for the bangle-seller. Since it is a Pongal season the shop was so crowded. When

demanded he said that, he would give the amount only after the change of colour in the sign

board. Pongal is a festival celebrated to thank the Sun god for good harvest. “Carnival is

discussed as a technique that relates man and nature and establishes the social fixity of

the novels of Narayan” quotes John (179). Carnival relates man and nature and makes

man eco-friendly.

In The Man-Eater of Malgudi, Nataraj and Sastri wanted to fix the date for the

poet to present his volumes, which should coincide with the spring festival at the Krishna

temple. The spring festival referred here is the Dhasara festival an advent of joy that


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portrays the winning of truth against evil. Festival draws attention to a variety of social

wrongs determined by class relations.

Festivals bring joy and merry to the people. They take oil-bath, wear new clothes,

and make variety of sweets and distribute them to all relatives and neighbours to show

their love and friendliness.

Karma: In Hinduism and Buddishm the sum of a person‟s actions in this and previous

lives, seen as affecting their future life (Oxford 496). “Fatalism that marks the common

Indian attitude to life” is highlighted (Vengatachari 76) amply in the novel.

Venkatachari observes:

In every novel such an event occurs occasioning a flash of understanding,

if not moral conclusion, in order that the protagonist may disentangle

himself from the automation of his past actions or dreary diurnal routine.

What follows such a critical event is the ordeal of consciousness on a gradual

awakening on the part of the protagonist to the need for acceptance of life in

spite of all its trials and tribulations, which is suggestive of a fatalism that

marks the common Indian attitude to life. (76)

People believe in fate for every action of life. The moment makes the man.

Shakespeare quotes, “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves…….”

(Bob 106). The theory of Karma is enunciated in the life of Raju, the protagonist in

The Guide. According to Hinduism, it is a foregone conclusion that an individual lives

and dies in accordance with his Karma and Vasanas. Desires and thoughts which spring

forth from one‟s vasanas makes it appear inevitable. Raju rushed along the crowd, to


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reach the car and when they reach home, before accepting the charge of the police, as a

convict, he confesses everything to Nalini who is never unperturbed, she merely said,

“I felt all along you were not doing right things. This is karma” (TG 216). Nothing was

helpless; he was made to stay, under police custody. As a Hindu, Narayan believes in

reincarnation. He surveys his teeming scene from the perspective of this most ancient of

practiced religions. As said by Emerson in a memorable poem named „Brahma‟, it is the

„One behind the many‟ that is responsible for one‟s life. Raju knew that the fact of his

being a Sanyasi is a myth, just like the old crocodile in the pond.

Raju felt cornered. „I have to play the part expected of me; there is no escape‟. He

brought out the following words: „all things have to wait their hour‟ (TG 51). He stuffed his

crowd of devotees with devotional songs and preaching. As days grew on, the crowd

satisfied to spend their evening with the saint i.e. the Guru. In Hindu mythology performing

God‟s work with no thought of reward will result in the purification of the illusion

„Maya‟ (Amitangshu Web). Raju, at last served the people with no expectation and was

rewarded a holy death.

The Guide, is the story of man‟s journey through life. It is Raju‟s journey through

a maze of illusions and the achievement of universal truth. The concept of moksha or

freedom, as stated by Hindu philosopher and theologian Shankara, existence is a struggle

for „Atman‟ to become „Brahman‟, where the atman is prevented from reaching the ideal

state of Brahman because of „avidya‟ or ignorance, which drives us into the arms of

Maya here we blindly seek our true self. Through the proper knowledge of Vedanta,

however, the individual soul recognizes the limitless reality forever existing behind the

cosmic veil of Maya, realizes that its own true nature is identical with Brahman, and


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through this self-realization achieves moksha. Through the life of Arjuna, Narayan shares

the limitless of this freedom which unifies us with the cosmos (Amitangshu Web). It is

greatly authentic that man‟s fate takes place only through his Karma.

Reference to ancient Gods: Asnani points out,

Of innumerable epic and legendary characters. Narayan makes a careful

selection of main characters for his purpose. His stories contain the brave

and selfless kings like Lavana, Harish Chandra, Shibi, dutiful Rama and

faithful Sita struggling against the evil demon Ravana, Savitri pulling out

her Satyavan from the hands of the Death God-Yama. There are Nala and

Pushkara trying to win Amaranth‟s favour. We also have Arjuna and his

valiant brothers pitted against the Kauravas the allegorical implications of

the demon Bhasmasura in the character of Vasu in The Man-Eater of Malgudi,

and the relationship of Daisy and Raman in The Painter of Signs reminiscent of

the goddess Ganga and kind Santhanu of the Mahabharata, are only too

obvious to be missed. (04)

The reference to ancient Gods and imparting these characters based on them is

one of the culture of India.

Asnani informed that in The Guide, we are made to believe that the Goddess

Parvathi jumped into the fire and produced the river to Malgudi. Marco is conducted by

Raju to see the remains of an old civilization preserved in caves and ruins (05). In The Guide,

the typical Narayan novel, is, “an inverted version of the myth of Shiva the ascetic


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bringing waters to Earth,” (54) added Chellappan in support to Asnani. Indicating

towards Sarayu, Raju said that it is a blessed sparkle from Lord Shiva. Sarayu is an

ancient God.

„Mohini‟ is another aspect of the „Maya‟ that Raju is steeped in; “Rosie in

The Guide also can be called a living embodiment of the illusion in Raju‟s life. Here I would

like to quote again from the soul mountain: do you believe that sensuality is devoid of

evil?‟‟(Amitangshu Web)). Raju becomes a prey to Rosie because of her dance and his

love for art “What a glorious snake dance! Oh, I keep thinking you all night. World‟s

artist number one! Don‟t you see how I am pining for you every hour? (TG 84) “It was

after all her art that I first admired” (TG 122). The art she embodies makes it a Maya to

love her. If Raju is the sinner-saint, it is the caricature of the principle of Shiva. Rosie is

the feminine principle the Maya or the serpent power. Rosie‟s entrance into the world of

Raju disturbs the routine rhythm and if he awakens the artist in her, she awakens the Eros

in him as Parvati is supposed to have done with Shiva. All the activities of Rosie and

Raju belong to the world of illusion.

In The Man-Eater of Malgudi, „man‟ becomes „a man-eater‟. Sastri even says,

“Every Rakshasa gets swollen with his ego. He thinks he is invincible, beyond every law.

But sooner or later something or other will destroy him” (TMEM 94) he displayed his

great versatility and knowledge. He also cited many examples like Ravana, Mahisha, the

asura Bhasmasura all Rakshasas were killed by the divine God in various forms and ways.

“Sastri cites the example of Ravana, the protagonist in the Ramayana who had ten heads

and twenty arms and enormous yogic and physical power and a boon from the gods that


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he could never be vanquished. And yet his tyranny comes to an end as he is killed

ultimately by Rama” P. K. Singh (Novels 52).

Nataraj enjoyed Sastri‟s words. “It‟s a tribute by the writer to his creativity that

“good and evil” are painted as two dimensions of the flux, that is „life‟”(31), comments

Sharma. The woman Rangi switched on the light and saw two mosquitoes plastered on

his brow. Vasu used the fist to slap the biting mosquitoes. It was also the end of Vasu.

Sastri added, “That fist was meant to batter thick panels of teak and iron…” (TMEM 240).

But Vasu used it unnecessarily and killed him. “He had one virtue, he never hit anyone

with his hand, whatever the provocation” I said, remembering his voice (TMEM 240).

Vasu died of his hand; at last truth triumphs and evil is punished.

Man can also think that he is great and live forever, but no one can guess from

which quarter his doom will come. Narayan used the tales from Puranas extensively

because as K. R. Srinivasa Iyengar observes, “they have been the ground plank of Indian

culture” (50).

In The Painter of Signs, Raman pleaded Daisy “if you say, I will never interfere,

I won‟t question you. I will be like the ancient king Santhanu,” says Raman (TPS 159).

He even accepts Daisy words quietly like King Santhanu to marry her. Raman tried to

dedicate their life to those three women, who came up, to take over Daisy. For Raman

“Three women! Unlucky for anyone-not a chance. Three witches of Macbeth, the sisters

of fate when they arrive in threes, your fate is sealed,” (TPS 181). She said they were

their honorary workers in each place. Raman sees the three women workers like

Macbeth‟s three witches.


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R. K. Narayan‟s realism touches every aspect of a developing country vis-a-vis is

representation in small towns, villages and countryside. Reference to ancient God is also

a special reference.

Aesthetic feeling: 1. concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty. 2. Having a

pleasant appearance (Oxford 14).

People give importance to natural beauty for the peace of mind that is worth alluring.

Some believe that art flourishes from human mind and music is the highest form of art.

Aesthetics results from the maturity of human experiences. Beauty does not lie in the

objects seen but arises from the mind that beholds them. John Ruskin says that, “Ugliness

lies in the lack of human sensation” (Bob-20). Anything which generates greater happiness to

greater number of people is aesthetic. A novel is to be read with enjoyment. If it does not

give that, it is worthless. The work of art should have a widely interesting theme.

R. K. Narayan is a straight forward descriptive artist. His narrations are very much

impressive as well as interesting. Narayan has a sure, keen and penetrating eye for

important details. So, the objects and situations described by him, linger in the memory

of the reader. His descriptions are full of interests because they bound in realism and

fantasy. He does not fail to depict human life with all its flaws and frivolities. Therefore,

an element of bizarre is also present in his novels.

In The Bachelor of Arts, Chandran after his dinner gets one rupee from his mother

to spend and enjoy in the theatre.

Chandran squeezed the maximum aesthetic delight out of the experience,

and Ramu‟s company was most important to him it was his presence that


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gave a sense of completion to things. He too smoked chewed drank coffee,

laughed, admired Chandran, ragged him, quarreled with him, breathed

delicious scandal over the names of his professors and friends and

unknown people. (TBA 13)

Narayanswami quotes, “Narayan‟s heroes are simple creatures that have a zest for

sensuous enjoyment of the world” (45).

R. K. Narayan is a true artist whose primary business as a writer of novel is, to

create an aesthetic longingness into the heart of the readers rather than to teach or preach

them. He is concerned neither with the exposure of the various drawbacks of society nor

with highlighting the cause of the downtrodden and the heaves not, nor with the portrayal

of spiritualism and inner conflicts. He as a true artist, is content with only “portraying the

realistic picture of human behavior, its various experiences sweet and sour, rough and

sublime” speculate (Prasad 76).

In The English Teacher, Krishna opened his father‟s letter first, which he used to

write elegantly, with the ink, he prepared and with the paper pad, he got through it from his

friend from the Revenue Department. “My father‟s letter brought back to him not only the air

of the village and all his child-hood, along with the facts-home, coconut garden, harvest,

revenue demand, about his mother and her poor health, everything was recalled genuinely ”

(TET 19). The ink used to write the letter and the words to be expressed are given much care

since it is the means of communication and it must give pleasure to the readers. The letter

from his wife, gives about the full description, of the child and her habits. She even tried to

call “Appa” (father). The child‟s first utterance is a great delight to the parents.


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In Narayan‟s The English Teacher, though his wife short lived, Narayan‟s paradise

has an unsurpassable idyllic beauty where tragedy, humour and happiness have been

deftly woven together obligated (Datta107). When Susila came to Malgudi with the

infant, all were got down safely, “I gazed on my wife, fresh and beautiful, her hair

shining, her dress without a wrinkle on it, and her face fresh, with not a sign of fatigue.

She wore her-usual indigo-colored silk sari looked at her and whispered: once again in

this saree, still so fond of it” (TET 33). The readers read it, and those words create

aesthetic considerations.

Krishna writes verses on the beauty he admires. He was ready, but could not find

a subject, and then Susila interrupted to write on her. He considered it as a good idea and

“She was a phantom of delight, When first she gleamed upon my sight: A lovely apparition,

sent to be a moment‟s ornament.” It went for thirty lines, “And yet a spirit still, and

bright, with something of an angel-light” (TET 46). A great deal of Narayan‟s greatness

lies in an honest description of the trivialities of life, the state of mind without the

conventional selection or rejection. The day to day anxieties, hopes and aspirations weave

the texture of happiness of the married couples says Sahai (48). He considered her as an

epitome of grace. Syed Mujeebuddin added that the categories of cohesiveness (Unity),

character and universality are the critical tools that have been mostly used in the

establishment of a universally valid aesthetic and all these qualities are blended in R. K.

Narayan‟s novels (14). The characters, unity, words everything co-ordinate to bring out

the beauty.

The person who has experience in occult communion chooses the beautiful place

for his leisure, “Beyond the casuarinas, would you believe it I have a lotus pond he ha,


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and on its bank a temple, the loveliest ruin that you ever saw! I was in ecstasy when I

found that these delightful things were included in the lot” (TET 109). Krishna loved the

pleasant atmosphere of the place which gives him peace and happiness. P. K. Singh

defines, “such person as Krishna after his wife‟s death starts receiving messages from his

wife through a medium, a cheerful man of philosophical outlook. He receives even minor

instructions from his wife about the management of the house. He is convinced that these

instructions could be form nowhere but form his dead wife” (Narayan 113). By reading

every event that took place in his life from the message, he got belief in the spirit.

Krishna was garlanded on his last day in the college. With a thunderous praise of

voice, evening comes to a conclusion. He walked home, with the fragrance of jasmine

and rose garland, slung on his arm “carrying a garland to a lonely house-a dreadful job,”

(TET 183) he told himself. Oblivion crept over him like a cloud. The past, present and

the future welded into one. He called softly, “Susila! My wife….” (TET 184) his mind

trembled with this rhythm and forgets himself and his own existence. When he opened

his eyes, he found her sitting on his bed looking at him with an extraordinary smile in her

eyes. Time goes, it is time for dawn. A cock crows. “We stood at the window, gazing on

a slender, red streak over the eastern rim of the earth. A cool breeze lapped our faces.

The boundaries of our personalities suddenly dissolved. It was a moment of rare,

immovable joy-a moment for which one feels grateful to life and death” (TET 184).

Pleasant description makes the reader feel the atmosphere.

In The Guide, Raju was sitting near the river in cross-legged “the branches of the

trees canopying the river course rustled and trembled with the agitation of birds and

monkeys settling down for the night. Upstream beyond the hills the sun was setting” (TG 5).


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The prominent areas in Malgudi and its outskirts are closely associated with many

important characters and scenes in the novels. The Saryu river which flows cutting across

the northern boundary of the town, is gleaming like a scimitar in moon-light originates in

the Mempi Hills, eight miles due north.

The peak house was perched on the topmost cliff on Mempi Hills…

Below us the jungle stretched away down to the valley, and on a clear day

you might see also the Sarayu sparkling in the sun and pursuing its own

course far away. This was like heaven to those who loved wild

surroundings and to ecstasy. Our house was surrounded with rich

vegetation. She ran like a child from plant to plant with cries of joy, while

the man looked on with no emotion. (TG 75, 76)

Venkateswarlu suggests, “One‟s love for native environment is a sign of sensibility

peculiar to Indian situation” (101).

Raju‟s boyhood days have taken similar reminiscence as in the following quote

from The Guide.

Once when he truants at a cowboy who used his area of enjoyment, by using

bad languages, it made his father, to make him to go to a school, which he

disliked…All day I was climbing in and out of the trucks, and my clothes

became red with mud… In a short while a small mountain was raised in front

of our house. It was enchanting… I spent all my time in the company of those

working on the track, listening to their talk and sharing their jokes…


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Presently I began to collect sawn-off metal bits, nuts and bolts, and it

treasured them in my mother‟s big trunk, where a space wall allotted. (TG 23)

Raju is a Malgudi product and the life of Malgudi deeply ingrained in his vein

from the very beginning. Some expressions are with the multiple sensuous experiences

that can be seen in The Guide:

I loved every piece of this work: the blue sky and the sunshine and the

shade of the house in which I sat and worked. The feel of the old water, it

produced in me a luxurious sensation oh! It seemed so good to be alive

and feeling all these smell of the freshly turned earth filled me with

greatest delight. (TG 227-228)

Natural environment gives peace to Narayan‟s characters. The Guide is truly an

aesthetic complex. It delineates the impact of the emotional life of the characters on their

self in society and vice-versa. People show their emotions and expression how they admire

their land. To Gandhi, art had to fulfill some kind of useful purpose and contribute to the

general education of the people. Aesthetics could only be a means and not an end‟

(Michel Pousse 61). Aesthetic sense should not end in itself as was written by Wordsworth in

the poem The Solitary Reaper, “His heart bored the music which was not heard no more”.

In The Man-Eater of Malgudi, Nataraj, had his own spot on the riverside to his

exclusive place which was immediately behind the Taluk office. “A Palmyra tree loomed

over the bank of the river, festooned with mud pots into which…I never looked up at the

Palmyra without a shudder. With his monopoly of taverns” (TMEM 4). Narayan describes

beautifully of the Palmyra tree.


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The Man-Eater of Malgudi, is an enjoyable piece of unfailing good human and

gentle satire. There are some passages in which Narayan‟s minute observation is very

much entertaining exhibiting his craftsmanship; the language is also full of comic

exuberance;

The Market Road was sleepy, a donkey was desultorily chewing an old

newspaper at the fountain parapet, the black cow and its friend the free

bull had curled up for a siesta right in the middle of the road… A couple

of late school-children were dawdling along the edge of the road… a

bright scalding sun was beating down; the woman sitting under the acacia

tree selling a ripped-up jack fruit was waving a stick over its golden

entrails trying to keep off a swarm of flies, a jutka was rattling along on

the granite metalled road; a sultry, sleepy hour. (TMEM 110)

The author pictures the very afternoon time beautifully through his plain words.

All of his stories are written in English and have their own beautiful rhythm and aesthetic

admiration. Narayan‟s stories have a very visual cinematic quality.

Blessings from the elders: The tendency to seldom think of what one has but always of

what one lacks is the greatest tragedy on earth. Count your blessings--not your troubles!-

Dale Carnegie (Bob-37). Greatest sin is what one forgets that he inherits, so thank God

for all his blessings. Blessing from the elders and to earn good name from them is a boon

and by getting it one can shine as a star in one‟s life and it makes everyone happy always.

In The Bachelor of Arts, when Chandran meets his professor regarding his supplement

of newspaper, he explained to him the esteem of his paper and persuaded him to subscribe


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his paper for the college. He also said, “I wish you luck. Please keep in touch with us.

It ought to be easier for our students to remember us than for us to remember them.

So don‟t forget” (TBA 147). Professor feels happy about his gratefulness of not forgetting his

teachers and asks him to contact as and when necessary. It is a great blessing and high

honour to get good name from the teacher.

In The English Teacher, Singaram helped a lot to Krishna to pack up his things

from hostel and was paid too. After long bargaining, he got eight annas more and bowed

and said, “God will make you a big professor one day” (TET 28) and walked away. The

peon (old man) blessed him to get good promotion in his life. Susila got blessings and

good name from her mother-in-law for her sincerity in work. It is a rare circumstance in

India to witness such mother-in-law and daughter-in-law bond.

Krishna and Susila visit the temple of Srinivasa, and the lady at the temple gate

said, “You are both so young and bright. He will bless you with numerous children and

may they, all be sons….” (TET 116). Blessing to get many children is a great wealth for

everyone. Good children are the greatest wealth of the family.

Gratitude: There is a saying in Thirukural, “Neither earth nor heaven can truly repay,

Spontaneous aid” (Mohan 95). Help done without expectation and never forgetting it is

valuable and bigger than the world. Man must inherit such virtue of gratitude in him for it

is a true value.

In The Bachelor of Arts, Mohan asked Chandran whether he still thinks about Malathi,

as he rejects his second offer for his marriage. But he uttered, “I don‟t believe in love. It

doesn‟t exist in my philosophy. There is no thing as love. If I am not unkind to my parents it


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is because of gratitude and nothing else” (TBA 156-157). Chandran completely avoids

the word „love‟ and now shows his gratitude even to his parents.

In The Guide, by all these influences, day by day many people come to visit Sadhu.

Their presence and company irritates him. One day he hid himself behind the hibiscus bush,

but no one doubts his escape from the temple. “Appearances are sometimes misleading,”

said someone (TG 32). Raju‟s trust with the village people made him to think. After a

long memoir, he decided to play the part Velan affixed on him as a spiritual guide. He

simply eats his daily food without doing any work, whatsoever. By observing continuous

fast and thereby sacrificing his life to get rains, Raju expresses his sense of gratitude to

the people of Mangal.

Marco was a well-disciplined man of gratitude, since he never tried to forget who

had helped him. He also thanked Raju for showing him many caves, which kindled his

interest. “When this is published, it will change all our present ideas of the history of

civilization. I shall surely mention in the book my debt to you in discovering this place”

(TG 128). Marco added Raju‟s name in his book for his help.

In The Man-Eater of Malgudi, Nataraj when he was left heedless in the Mempi

Hills by Vasu, Muthu, the tea shop man helped him. He provided tea with bun and also

recommended the conductor of a bus to drop him in Malgudi and to collect the fare at his

place. When Muthu visits him the next time, Nataraj welcomed him and identified.

Nataraj was very pleased by his presence. Nataraj was expecting a chance to pay his

debts to Muthu. Fortunately, Muthu came in person. The lawyer had taught him a lesson,

“I was suddenly inspired by the lesson taught by my adjournment lawyer not to mix


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accounts” (TMEM 111). Muthu felt hurt of Nataraj‟s repayment of his debts and also

insisted that he had come only to find a doctor to examine the temple elephant Kumar.

Hearing the statement, Nataraj was delighted at his innocence and helping tendency.

“Help given regardless of return is wider than the sea” (Mohan 95).

Nataraj received the register post for the first time in his life mechanically. By opening

it, he read the charges against him, “One, that I had given part of my press for rent without

sanction to one Mr.Vasu, and two that I was trying to evict a tenant by unlawful means… Vasu

had filed a complaint against me as a landlord” (TMEM 73). Vasu‟s ingratitude makes

the readers to hate him. Nataraj helped him at all means, but he forgot everything and

behaved selfishly. Hence ingratitude can never be forgiven.

Respect to elders: One of the superior qualities of Indian‟s is respecting and abides by

the elders. Bhardwaj states,

Narayan‟s novels highlight the change in human outlook with regard to

some of the cherished ideas, established institutions and accepted values.

Broadly speaking, the general trend of the time is to be scientific and

rational. The ideals of family obedience and reverence to elders in the

family are gradually dropped for the sake of keeping one‟s own

individuality intact. (171)

Such values are decreasing as no one bothers to hear elder‟s advice and never

find time to take care of them in this modern world. Narayan‟s novels are a mouth pieces

to educate the younger generation the importance of respecting the elders in the family as

well as in the society.


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In The Bachelor of Arts, Chandran proved to be an obedient son. He suppressed

his idea of love marriage and obeyed to his parent‟s decision. As he was born and brought up

in Indian cultured set up, he respected parents and preceded his life according to their

wish. Dr. T. A. Harris has put it very succinctly that, “through the troubling years of

adolescence when young people sometimes seem to turn a deaf ear to the words of their

anxious parents, there nevertheless is a hunger to hear and experience reassurance of

Mum and Dad‟s love and concern” (Bob 20). Now-a-days youngsters disrespect their

parents and their wishes and ensue to live their lives as they like.

In The English Teacher, Krishna was so happy about the word „brother‟ and their

childhood reminiscence. He loved and revered his brothers. He expected his child to possess

such virtues. So, he ordered her, “Little one, you must learn to obey your mother in all

these matters, without a word…” (TET 70). Throughout his life Krishna respected her wife,

tended her, cared her much and made everyone to accept and respect her. S. P. Bhardwaj

indented that, “The novel very emphatically contrasts the life of passion with the life of

action” (171). Krishna dawdled in the world of love and respected his relationship.

He also expressed his ample concern for all and also taught his daughter to respect his

wife and the elders, which is one of the highest cultural values in India. In due course,

Krishna‟s mother sent an old maid to assist the couples, “the old lady established herself

as a benign elder at home, and it meant a great deal to them” (TET 44). He even

respected the servants at home. “The respect of those you respect is worth more than the

applause of the multitude” (Bob 374). Bob admits that respecting others is worthier than

applauding in multitude. Through Krishna, the author depicts the valuable positive trait

of India.


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In The Guide, Raju becomes very bold and he never respects elders even his

uncle. He enjoys his life with Rosie, blindly. He does not think about his future. He lives

entirely stunned by slow-poison of the snake-woman. Raju forgets the Indian custom of

relationship and goes with Rosie illegally disregarding his mother, uncle and society

which is not favorable, but he feels for it at the end of his life. Kirpal emphasizes that two

opinions seems painful regarding the process of “growing up.” “One is the adolescent

who has a compelling desire to flout parental authority and assert his own identity and the

other he is still a child at heart quite in need of warmth, affection and reassurance” (115).

Adolescents, as they grow, forget their parent and got trapped in the web of love as

happened in the life of Raju.

Joint Family System: Joint family system is a heritage of Indian culture. Father, mother,

brother, sister, grand-parents, uncle, aunt and their children all lived together as one

family and shared all their joys and sorrows at home. Western people are overwhelmed

by the habit of joint family system of Indians. Narayan portrays such traditional families

that lead a happy family life, in his novels as a perfect example for the youngsters to

follow them.

In The English Teacher, an old maid joined in Krishna‟s family as recommended

by his mother, “the old lady, established herself as a benign elder at home, and it meant a

great deal to them” (TET 44). The maid did all the kitchen work, tended the child, gave

necessary courage when the child was not well and lived on one meal a day. The couples

made up their mind for her stay by adjusting all their expenses, since Susila felt greatly

relieved by her concern and paternal care of the child. Even servants are given much


158

importance and treated as one of the family members. Everyone contributes their moral

support for the welfare of the family.

In The Man-Eater of Malgudi, all the four brothers of Nataraj‟s father with their

wives and children numbering fifteen lived under the same roof for many years. His grandma

and a person called Grand Auntie administer the family smoothly. The unity existed till

the death of his grandmother. On one festive day, due to small quarrel, the family splits.

His father got disturbed and mildly said, “If mother were alive she would have handled

everyone and prevented such scenes” (TMEM 8). Later he accepted to break up the joint

family in the interest of peace for all. The family lawyers settled the properties justly and

now the house was empty. Elders are united to bring their family up. If a family is broken

they felt it shame in the society and children will learn moral values only in the extended

family.

In The Painter of Signs, Daisy‟s family was a large-joint-family consisting of

fifteen children. The household was like a hostel, she could not find privacy; the home

was full of noise to make one mad; but all showered love and were very kind to her. Here

she depicts her family was a large family and it looked like a small village having giggles

and full of rattles. Joint family is a happy family unit is pictured.

Raman saw the day holding a grand celebration in lawyer‟s home. Not only the

lawyer was a sentimentalist, but also all his family members bore the same kind of attitude to

fix the sign-board at the fixed time by the astrologer. All the family members united

together in their thought also. Narayan depicted that such kind of families lived joyfully

from generation to generation.


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Myth: Myth is an artistic tool of controlling, ordering and giving a shape and “significance to

the immense panorama of futility and anarchy, which is current history” (profkrdominic.com).

M. H. Abrams denotes “A mythology, we can say, is any religion in which we no longer

believe” (102). The term has also been extended to denote supernatural tales which are

deliberately invented by their authors.

People believe in myth. Myth played a great role in man‟s life. The mythical

mode unites parallel contemporaries with antiquity. Narayan‟s skilful use of myth makes

reality more easily understandable. Milligan rightly says, “Narayan continually add to the

richness of our human experience: they bring before us new topics, new characters, new

attitudes” (2). The use of tales from the Hindu mythology, the teachings of the Bhagavadgita

and the austere religious practices and beliefs add strength to the fictional art of

R. K. Narayan. Furthermore, these kinds of mythic allusions assist the reader with a

better perceptive of that particular character and a deeper insight into human nature.

The later novels like The Man Eater of Malgudi (1961), The Vendor of Sweets (1967),

The Painter of Signs (1967) and A Tiger for Malgudi are based on the classical myth. The

inevitable victory of the good over the evil, the law of life and concept of Karma, the

concept of cyclical existence and the four stages of human life. The novels embody the

religious and cultural glory of Hindu society and are marked with maturity in fictional

imagination.

In The Bachelor of Arts, Chandran‟s father wrote to Mr. Krishnan to meet him.

In their formal meeting, he said that the boy‟s horoscope had a flaw and it did not suit to

his girl. He also added that he knew some astrology, but Chandran‟s horoscope would kill


160

the wife soon after the marriage. This made him to avoid it deliberately. Because of the

flaw in horoscope, Chandran‟s love marriage stopped. Aruna Devi quotes, “any theme

within a mythical framework gains universality and claims validity at any point of time”

(212). Horoscope matching is widely accepted in South-India even now.

In The English Teacher, Krishna‟s mother-in-law arranged for an exorcist to bless

the bed-ridden Susila. While going, Swami hopefully says, “He uttered some mantras

with closed eyes, took a pinch of sacred ash and rubbed it on her forehead, and tied to her

arm a talisman strung in yellow thread” (TET 84). William Righter rightly states that

literature relates neither man and nature nor man and society too. Myth attains a place

when, “rite, ceremony or a social or moral rule demands justification” (15). People

widely accept myth if it gives benefits to the people. A neighbouring woman says,

Never trust these English doctors. My son had typhoid… Afterwards

somebody gave him a herb, and I gave him whatever he wanted to eat, and

he got well within two days. The last thing you must heed is their

advice… That is my principle. (TET 82).

The old man informed Krishna, “You must forgive the trouble I have given you.

You must have thought it was a call from a lunatic asylum!” (TET 108). The old man

who writes with the help of spirits was a sober farmer. He was not expert in writing, but

something grasps him to write was,

Here we are a band of spirits who‟ve been working to bridge the gulf

between life and after-life. We have been looking about for a medium

through whom we could communicate… But we‟re glad we‟ve found


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you….please, help us, by literally lending us a hand- your hand and we

will do the rest. (TET 112)

He positively approached, “The pleasure is mine”. And then my hand wrote: “Here is

Susila, wife of Krishna but as yet she is unable to communicate by herself. But by and by

she will be an adept in it. Will you kindly send the following as coming from her to her

husband” (TET 112). The occult communion with the spirit of his wife Susila brings the

redemption of love. P. K. Singh advocate, “Krishna after his wife‟s death. Starts receiving

messages from his wife through a medium, a cheerful man of philosophical outlook.

He receives even minor instructions from his wife about the management of the house.

He is convinced that these instructions could be from nowhere but from his dead wife”

(Narayan 113). Barrier of death is removed not in the physical sense but in the transcendental

sense. Narayan had his own unique vision of life. Sahai confesses that in the novel the

spirit of Susila becomes an “embodiment of divine power which brings about a total

transformation in the character of Krishna” (47).

Leela‟s teacher believed that, “This is perhaps my last day. Tomorrow, I may be

no more” “you may remember that I had an astrologer‟s report with me, and I have not

also mentioned that my wife…” (TET 161). Teacher‟s belief in the astrology about his

last day on earth is really astonishing and it even proved futile.

In The Guide, Raju finished his story from birth till there, non-stop to Velan.

Ghosh also justifies, “The inevitability of the myth of the proliferation of Sadhus of Indian-

soils-the hilarious ironic circumstances in which the innocent, illiterate villagers in India

worship the Sadhus” (TG 25). Raju‟s transformation, his tearing off the persona put upon


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him by social practice, has consequently escaped one‟s attention. But Velan bears silence,

when Raju asked for judgment from the judge, he said “Yes, Swami”. Raju was taken

aback, by the word “Swami” (TET 233). Raju thought, “This man will finish me before

I know where I am” (TET 233). Raju alleged Velan will force him to go away but he

cleverly descends him to sacrifice his life for them in the form of a saint. People too trust

wholly that the sacrifice of saint will bring rain. Mujeebuddin defends; R. K. Narayan‟s

technique involves a subtle, almost hidden use of Hindu mythology and philosophy. His

human comedies are woven around a complex web of Indian metaphysical traditions and

gather deeper significance when understood against this background (15). Myth is

unbelievable but it is believed it to be true even at this era.

A piece of writing is a contribution. R. K. Narayan measured his words and

phrases. One did not speak if he did not have anything worthwhile to say about Indian

culture. One has to look up to him for his magnanimous presentation and stable temperament

in analyzing every nook and corner of our tradition. It is a rare gift. No one can speak ill

of Indian rituals and codes which command a subtle sense of honour. Our culture is a

secular intellectual and not a dogmatic one. Indian culture is very ancient; it has rich

tradition.

Narayan portrays values such as chastity, faith in God, karma, hospitality, gratitude

and extended families that are the main indices of a modern civilized society. They have

been the roots of the Indian culture running through many thousand years. These components

could be noticed as the ethos of Indian culture, binding people of different hues in terms

of their language, religion, caste and creed etc. India‟s long geographical isolation


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explains the uniqueness of Indian culture. Indian ideas and institutions, taken as a whole,

resemble those of no other people. They have a peculiar shape and flavour of their own.

The modernist views the ancient cultural tradition as a burden, a source of conflict

and a hindrance to progress into a modern society. The current cultural crisis is the fast

change in life-style, particularly among the urban middle-class. Some of these changes

are due to changing socio-economic conditions but many are the result of copying western

modes. The youth belonging to the economically well-off class are particularly enamoured of

the glamour, the fun and freedom promised by the modern culture. They reject traditional

restraints on the pursuit of sensuous pleasures of old fashioned and unnecessarily restrictive

of their individual freedom. They have tended to transform and absorb any foreign

element that trickled into the region; for India, though politically conquered by outsiders,

was never culturally conquered.


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