Ranga’s Marriage Summary in English by Masti Venkatesha Iyengar

Ranga’s Marriage Summary in English and Hindi Pdf. Ranga’s Marriage is written by Masti Venkatesha Iyengar.

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Ranga’s Marriage Summary in English by Masti Venkatesha Iyengar

About the writer Masti Venkatesha Iyengar

Writer Name Masti Venkatesha Iyengar
Born 6 June 1891, Hosa Halli
Died 6 June 1986, Bengaluru
Education University of Madras
Awards Jnanpith Award
Movies Kakana Kote

Masti Venkatesha Iyengar

Ranga’s Marriage Theme

The story ‘Ranga’s Marriage’ dates back to the early days of British rule, when life in villages was slow and child marriage was common. It very interestingly shows the manipulations done by the narrator to bring a change in the idealistic views of Ranga about marriage and gets him married to a eleven year old girl, Ratna. Due to the narrator’s meticulous planning with the village astrologer, Ranga ultimately gets married to Ratna, with whom he had fallen in love on first sight.

Ranga’s Marriage About the Characters

Ranga: Ranga, the son of an accountant, gets educated outside his village, at Bangalore. But he has not changed much when he returns as he follows the traditional courteous behaviour towards elders. However, Ranga’s views about marriage are non-traditional, The narrator’s strategy succeeds in making him agree to the traditional arranged marriage.

Shyama (the narrator): He is Ranga’s neighbour He is impressed by Ranga’s cultured behaviour and plans a strategy, takes the village astrologer into confidence, and finally makes Ranga agree to marry a eleven year old orphan Ratna.

Ratna: She is a eleven year old orphan girl who is staying with her uncle, Rama Rao. She is pretty and . sings very sweetly. She also knew how to play the veena and the harmonium. She impresses Ranga so that he changes his views on marriage.

Shastri: He is the village astrologer who plays his role to -perfection, as tutored by Shyama. But he does not want to be treated shabbily and tries to assert his knowledge of the Shastras when Shyama tried to make fun of him.

Ranga’s Marriage Summary in English

No Fancy Title of the Story
The narrator comments why he had not given any elaborate title to the present story, like ‘Ranganatha’s Vivaha’ or ‘Jagannatha Vijaya’. The reason is that the story is about a common boy, Ranga, and his marriage. He is an accountant’s son and native of village Hosahalli.

The Village of Hosahalli
The narrator mentions that this village is very small and it is not mentioned in geography books. Still he speaks highly. about Hosahalli. Even the local doctor, Dr Gundabhatta, who has visited many places outside India, finds it an impressive village.

The village is famous for its sour mangoes and creepers growing in the village pond. The leaves of this creeper could serve as good plates for serving afternoon meals.

But the narrator, Shyama, says that real appreciation of the village can be felt only if one visits it personally and gets acquainted with it.

Ranga’s Home Coming was a Great Event
Shyama recalls an incident that happened ten years ago. The village accountant was the first one to gather enough courage to send his son to Bangalore to study. Not many people knew English then. That was why Ranga’s homecoming was a great event. A big crowd went to greet him.

The narrator rushed to see him. Everyone was surprised to see that Ranga had not changed. Once they realised that Ranga was unchanged, the crowd of people slowly disappeared. Only the narrator continued to stand there. Ranga had a smile on his face. He still followed the rituals of his caste by respectfully touching the narrator’s feet.

The Narrator Decides to Get Ranga Married
The same afternoon Ranga went to the narrator’s house with a couple of oranges in his hand. The narrator thought that such a fine and generous boy should get married and settle down. He enquired about his plan to get married. Ranga said that he didn’t want to get married soon. He was searching for the right girl who was mature enough. Secondly, he wanted to marry a girl he admired. He was not in favour of the arranged marriages prevalent in society. Till he got a girl of his choice, he wanted to remain a bachelor.

The narrator was distressed to learn about Ranga’s views on marriage but he made up his mind that very soon he would get Ranga married.

The Narrator Found a Suitable Girl for Ranga
The narrator found the most suitable girl for him. It was Rama Rao’s niece Ratna, a pretty girl of eleven who had come to stay with him after her parents died. She was from a big town, so she knew how to play the veena and the harmonium. She also had a sweet voice.

The Narrator Starts Playing Match-Maker
The next morning, the narrator told Rama Rao’s wife to send Ratna to his house to fetch some buttermilk. Ratna knew the narrator as he was a frequent visitor to Rama Rao’s place. Ratna came to the narrator’s house. When Ratna came, he requested her to sing a song. It was Friday, so she was wearing a saree.

Ranga’s Disappointment
Meanwhile, Ranga came to the narrator’s house and stopped at the threshold. He didn’t want the singing to stop, but he was curious to see the singer. He was enchanted by her and kept glancing at her. After a while Ranga asked about Ratna. The narrator quite cunningly told him that she was married a year ago. Ranga was extremely disappointed to hear this. The narrator noticed signs of disappointment on Ranga’s face. Ranga left after sometime.

The Narrator’s Plan
The next morning, the narrator met the astrologer, better known as Shastri, and tutored him about his plan in Ranga’s case. In the afternoon, the narrator met Ranga, who appeared as disturbed as he was yesterday. The narrator suggested to meet Shastri and enquire about what was worrying him. Ranga did not protest and went to meet Shastri with the narrator. Shastri pretended surprise and spoke about meeting the narrator after a long time.

The narrator almost ruined his own plan by saying that he had already met Shastri that very morning but Shastri saved it by changing the sentence.

The narrator told Shastri that something was worrying poor Ranga and they had come to seek his help. After making a pretence of some calculations, Shastri said that it was about a girl. To the narrator’s question as to who that girl was, Shastri said that she had the name of something found in the ocean – Kamala, Pachchi, Moss, Pearl or Ratna – the precious stone.

The Narrator’s Plan Succeeds
The narrator’s plan was bearing fruit. There was some surprise on Ranga’s face and even some happiness. On their return, Shyama passed in front of Rama Rao’s house.

Ratna was standing at the door. The narrator went inside Rama Rao’s house and came back a little later. He had a surprised look on his face. He told Ranga that there was some wrong information given to him. Ratna was not married. He also enquired of Ranga whether what Shastri had indicated was true. Shyama asked Ranga that he is thinking about Ratna. Ranga admitted that whatever Shastri said about the girl was true. Now, he wanted to get married to Ratna.

Ranga and Ratna Get Married
Finally Ranga and Ratna got married. All the idealism of Ranga was forgotten as he was totally fascinated by Ratna’s beauty and sweet voice. They named their first child Shyama, as because of Shyama’s (the narrator) efforts they had got married. Years’ later, Ranga invited the narrator for dinner on the occasion of his 3 year old son’s birthday. The son was also named Shyama in honour of the narrator. Thus, Ranga was leading a happy married life with Ratna.

Ranga’s Marriage Chapter Highlights

  • This story deals with the marriage of Ranga, a native of village Hosahalli, who had returned after being educated in Bangalore.
  • Hearing of Ranga’s return, the villagers came to find out whether Ranga had changed due to studying in a city school. To their surprise and pleasure he was the same Ranga who was treating everyone with respect.
  • In the afternoon, during Ranga’s visit to Shyama’s house, he asked Ranga about his plans for marriage. Ranga replied that first he must find the right girl whom he admired and who would be mature.
  • Shyama was unhappy that Ranga, who could prove to be a good husband, had decided to remain a bachelor at present.
  • So Shyama made up his mind that, irrespective of Ranga’s opinion about marriage or his decision to remain a bachelor, he would try his best to get Ranga married quickly.
  • Shyama knew a eleven year old orphan girl Ratna, who was his neighbour Rama Rao’s niece and stayed with him at present. The girl was beautiful, had a sweet voice and could play musical instruments (veena and harmonium) well.
  • Shyama chalked out a plan to let Ranga meet the girl and see her himself, by inviting Ranga to come to his home when Ratna was called there on purpose.
  • When Ratna came to Shyama’s house, he requested her to sing so that, when Ranga arrived, he could hear her.
  • Ranga was impressed with her singing as well as her beauty and enquired about her.
  • Shyama lied to Ranga by telling him that she was already married, which disappointed Ranga.
  • Next day, Shyama tutored the village astrologer, known as Shastri, to speak as Shyama wanted when Ranga was brought to him.
  • Ranga, meanwhile was looking sad and so Shyama suggested to him that they should consult Shastri to find out what was worrying him, to which Ranga agreed.
  • Shastri pretended to make some calculations and declared that a girl was responsible for Ranga’s condition and her name was of something found in the ocean, like Kamala, Pachchi, Moss, Pearl or Ratna.
  • Shyama mentioned that the Ratna whom they knew was already married, but the astrologer stuck to his words.
  • Returning from Shastri’s house, the narrator stopped at Rama Rao’s house, went inside for some time and then returned.
  • He pretended to look surprised and told Ranga that just now he had found that Ratna was not married and the earlier information was incorrect.
  • He now asked Ranga whether what Shastri had indicated was true. Ranga admitted that whatever Shastri said was true and he wanted to get married to Ratna.
  • So Ranga and Ratna got married, naming their first child the same name as that of the narrator, as he was the one responsible for them being happily married.

Ranga’s Marriage Word Meanings

Word – Meanings
rare-breed – uncommon persons
mill around – throng
pursue – continue
mouth-filling – long or complicated
cartographer – a person who makes or draw maps
karigadabu – sweet coconut samosas
glowingly – with much praise
annayya – respectful term for an elderly person
flea-pestered – troubled persistently by fleas
sure to go straight to your brahmarandra – very sharp
rambling – talking aimlessly
pice – a unit of coinage in India before 1957
muttering – complaining in a low tone
priceless commodity – valuable knowledge
widespread – well-known
homecoming – returning home after a length of time
his doorstep – just outside his home
courtyard – within the home’s compound but outside the home
Black Hole of Calcutta – refers to the incident in 1756 when many prisoners confined to a small cell died due to suffocation
janewara – the sacred thread worn by Brahmins
lost his caste – changed from living according to the rules of his caste
melted away – gradually disappeared
jerking – suddenly moving
wand – a slender stick or rod
pleasantries – courteous social remarks
troupe – a group of actors
admires – adores and respects
get him married – arrange his marriage

What is the summary of the story Ranga’s marriage?

Summary of Ranga’s Marriage

Ranga’s marriage summary is an interesting take on the story of marriage by Masti Venkatesha Iyengar. In this story, the narrator tells us about a very interesting incident from his life. It is about the village of Hosahali. In that village, there was a boy whose name was Ranga.

What is the theme of Ranga’s marriage?

Thus we can say that the main theme of the story is the conflict between tradition and modernity. The conflict occurs when Ranga, against his rationality, falls in love with Ratna, an eleven-year-old girl and finally gets married to her.

Is Rangas marriage a true story?

I had only read a few stories when I came across a story, ‘Ranga’s Marriage’, by Masti Venkatesha Iyengar. … The story obviously started out fine, with a vivid (and a two page) description of a fictional village, set way back in time, with a young fictional man returning after attaining his degree from the city.

Who is Ranga in the story Ranga s marriage?

Ranga, the accountant’s son, is one of the rare breed among the village folk who has been to the city to pursue his studies. When he returns to his village from the city of Bangalore, the crowds mill around his house to see whether he has changed or not.

How does the story Ranga’s marriage explore the theme of the constant conflict between tradition and modernity?

Answer: This is true because the theme of “Ranag’s marriage” is indeed a conflict between tradition and modernity. This is so because in Indian culture and society, past traditions have supported the concept of child marriage. As years pass by, people tend to realize that this tradition is wrong

What type of girl Ranga said he would marry?

Ranga wanted to marry a mature girl who would be able to talk lovingly. A very young girl was unlikely to understand him and could misconstrue his words, spoken in love.

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