RANGA'S MARRIAGE

Ranga’s Marriage

by Masti Venkatesha Iyengar

Short Answer Questions:

Q.                Describe the pictorial sketch of the Hosahalli village.

Ans. Hosahalli is the village of the narrator. Its beauty enchants one and all. It is situated in the lap of nature. Its rusticity enthralls the readers forever. Versatility of Gudabhatta and sense of humour of the villagers are matchless. Nature around the village is a feast to behold. Taste of mangoes would linger on your tongue forever.

2.Ranga’s home coming was an important event for the villagers. Give reasons.

Ans. It was because the village accountant was the first one who had enough courage to send his son to Bangalore to study. English was a priceless commodity to the villagers. That was why his home coming was a great event to them.

3.                  Do you think that Ratna is a victim of the arranged marriage system? Give reasons.

Ans. When the narrator arranged the marriage of Ranga with Ratna, we have a conversation of Ranga and the narrator about their views on the marriage in our society but Ratna was not asked for it once. It shows that she got married without her consent or opinion about her independent thinking at the age of just 11.

Long Answer Questions:

Answer the following question in 100 to 120 words

Q.1.    Do you think that Indian marriage system keeps Indian social fabric alive? How?

Ans. Indian social fabric is based on the caste system. It has its own social hierarchy that is strictly maintained by one and all for their own convenience. The people like the narrators are ever ready to take initiatives to get the bachelors like Ranga married by arranging and compromising on traditions and rituals by virtue of their status in society and sometimes with the help of so-called customs i.e. seeking help from the Astrologers and Shastri.

In the present story, when Ranga returned to his village from the city, his ideas about marriage were then quite different. He wanted to bring about changes in the marriage system as a sole right of the individual. But the narrator moulded his point of view to follow the beaten track of society that is marriage is a social institute not the individual’s choice. That’s why I think that Indian arranged marriage system has been keeping Indian social structure alive for the century.

Q.2. English integrates India as a nation or it belittles/ dwarfs the expression of native speakers. Elucidate.

Ans. The story Ranga’s Marriage’s raises very important moral issues of a mode of communication in India and its consequences. In India English is playing a role of lingua franca without any doubt. It holds a composite dialogue among all Indians. It has brought all Indians together. It has opened the window on world. India poses itself as a nation because of its integrity. Another side of it is the excessive use and making it a matter of dignity confuses the mind of common man. The middle class mentality thinks that English is the matter of dignity. For the sake of it they discriminate the expression of the native speakers. Common man’s expression in their mother tongue is being dwarfed because of the excessive value of English in upper class society. In the present story Ranga was sent to pursue his education in city because of the mode of communication that provides plenty of opportunities and gets dignity in society. On

the other hand it is a priceless commodity for the villagers. It should have been a mode of communication only that bridges the gap between two social strata.

Questions for Practice:

Long Questions

1.      Discuss the creative role played by the narrator in fixing the marriage of Ranga.

2.      Is the story an indirect comment on the worthlessness of Horoscopes and Kundlies which can be managed to serve individual purpose? Discuss.

3.      What social atmosphere does the story portray?

4.      What is the tone of the narration of the story? Is it ironical and satirical, sarcastically humorous or tragic? Discussion

Short Questions

1.      Is Ranga happy with his marriage?

2.      Is the marriage of Ranga a love marriage or a perfectly arranged marriage?

3.      Describe the quality of the mangoes of the Hosahalli village?

4.      How does Shastriji become a pawn in the hands of the narrator to serve his purpose?

5.      Comment on the ending of the story. Is it a proper ending considering the general tone of the lesson?