prepared according to the latest edition.

The Chapterwise page will help the students to revise the syllabus during the
exams.

An Astrologer’s Day Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes

Comprehension:

C1. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
What articles did the astrologer carry?
Answer:
The astrologer carried his professional equipment of a dozen cowry shells, a square piece of cloth with obscure mystic
charts on it, a notebook and a bundle of palmyra writing.

Question 2.
What were the different names given by the nuts vendor for his business?
Answer:
R.K. Narayan highlights the creativity of the nuts vendor who refers to his business with different names. Bombay Ice
Cream, Delhi Almond, and Raja’s Delicacy were the different names given by the nuts vendor for his ware.

Question 3.
What kind of life would the astrologer have in his own village?
Answer:
The strange turn of events transformed a farmer into an astrologer. If the astrologer had stayed back in his own village
he would have carried on the work of tilling the land, which was the work of his ancestors. He would have married and
grown old in his cornfield and ancestral home.
Question 4.
How much did the astrologer charge his clients?
Answer:
The astrologer charged his clients three paise per question.

Question 5.
Why did the astrologer remain silent for at least ten minutes, initially?
Answer:
Remaining silent for at least ten minutes initially was an intelligent move by the astrologer. The astrologer silently
listened to his clients for the first ten minutes and gathered sufficient information to answer the questions of the
clients.

Question 6.
What was the signal for the astrologer to bundle up?
Answer:
The astrologer conducted his business with the help of the lights in the shops around him and with the help of the flare
of the nuts vendor. When the nuts vendor blew out his flare to go home, the astrologer also bundled up to go home.

Question 7.
How much did the astrologer demand from his new client to answer his question?
Answer:
At first, the astrologer demanded five rupees and then eight annas. After hackling for some time, the amount of one
rupee was agreed upon to answer the questions.

Question 8.
What did the astrologer ask Guru Nayak to do?
Answer:
The astrologer recognized Guru Nayak the very minute he saw him. That is why he asked Guru Nayak to return to his
village immediately and never travel southwards again.

C2. Answer the following:

Question 1.
Why did the astrologer have no light of his own for his business?
Answer:
The profession of the astrologer was such that semi-darkness added to the mystery of the set-up. That is why he was
satisfied with whatever light was available from shop lights, a couple of hissing gaslights, some naked flares stuck on the
poles. In fact, the astrologer did not want to be in the light. He just wanted enough light to give the impression that he
was reading the face of his clients. He did not want the clients to read his face as he did not know anything about
astrology.

Question 2.
Why did the astrologer close his business when the nuts vendor blew out his flare?
Answer:
The place, where these people conducted their business, did not have the benefit of municipal lighting. The nuts vendor
had a flare stuck on the groundnut heap and the astrologer used to conduct his business by the light of flare that
smoked up above the heap.

After his business was over, the nuts vendor used to blow out his flare and prepare to leave and the astrologer also used
to do the same as there would be no light for him to continue with his business.

Question 3.
How efficient was the astrologer in his business?
Answer:
Despite the fact that the astrologer had no knowledge of astrology, he was efficient in his business. This was possible
because he had a working analysis of mankind’s troubles, marriage, money and the tangles of human relations. Long
practice had sharpened his perception. Within five minutes, he understood what was wrong. He would silently listen to his
clients for the first ten minutes which provided him sufficient information to answer their questions.

In addition, he would make some general statements which would be true for all. The gullible client was easily led to
believe that it was the power of astrology and was highly impressed.

Question 4.
“When shall I get him?”
Answer: