English Summary
'Iswaran the Storyteller' by R.K. Laxman is a story about Mahendra, a junior supervisor, and his cook, Iswaran. Mahendra's job involved moving from one construction site to another, and Iswaran faithfully accompanied him everywhere. Iswaran was not just an excellent cook but also a devoted caretaker who managed the household single-handedly. He was also a master storyteller, capable of weaving extraordinary tales out of the most mundane incidents.
Iswaran's stories were greatly influenced by the Tamil thrillers he read. He would narrate dramatic accounts with vivid descriptions, such as an elephant going mad and destroying a school, which he claimed to have controlled using a Japanese art. Mahendra, though skeptical, enjoyed these stories as a form of entertainment. The central supernatural tale involved a 'ghost'—a female spirit clutching a foetus. Iswaran described seeing this ghost on a full-moon night near the factory area where they lived.
This story planted a seed of fear in Mahendra's rational mind. One night, after the story, Mahendra heard a low moan outside his window. In the moonlight, he saw a cloudy, feminine figure holding a bundle. Terrified, he spent a sleepless night and resolved to leave the place immediately the next morning. He handed in his papers and was prepared to resign. When he told Iswaran about his decision and the reason, Iswaran's face showed surprise, suggesting the 'ghost' might have been a figment of Mahendra's imagination, fueled by Iswaran's powerful storytelling. The story ends on this ambiguous note, leaving the reader wondering about the power of suggestion and the thin line between reality and imagination.
Chapter 3: Iswaran the Storyteller - Hindi Summary (हिंदी सारांश)
आर.के. लक्ष्मण द्वारा लिखित 'इस्वरन द स्टोरीटेलर' माहेंद्र, एक जूनियर पर्यवेक्षक, और उसके रसोइया इस्वरन की कहानी है। माहेंद्र की नौकरी में एक निर्माण स्थल से दूसरे स्थान पर जाना शामिल था, और इस्वरन हर जगह उसके साथ विश्वासपूर्वक जाता था। इस्वरन सिर्फ एक उत्कृष्ट रसोइया ही नहीं बल्कि एक समर्पित देखभालकर्ता भी था जो अकेले ही घर का प्रबंधन करता था। वह एक कुशल कहानीकार भी था, जो सबसे साधारण घटनाओं से भी असाधारण कहानियाँ बुन सकता था।
इस्वरन की कहानियाँ तमिल थ्रिलर उपन्यासों से बहुत प्रभावित थीं। वह ज्वलंत विवरणों के साथ नाटकीय वर्णन करता, जैसे कि एक पागल हाथी जिसने एक स्कूल तबाह कर दिया और जिसे उसने जापानी कला का उपयोग करके नियंत्रित किया। माहेंद्र, यद्यपि संदेहास्पद, इन कहानियों का मनोरंजन के रूप में आनंद लेता था। मुख्य अलौकिक कहानी एक 'भूत' के बारे में थी - एक महिला आत्मा जो एक भ्रूण को पकड़े हुए थी। इस्वरन ने पूर्णिमा की रात को फैक्ट्री के पास के इलाके में इस भूत को देखने का दावा किया जहाँ वे रहते थे।
इस कहानी ने माहेंद्र के तर्कसंगत दिमाग में डर का बीज बो दिया। एक रात, कहानी सुनने के बाद, माहेंद्र ने अपनी खिड़की के बाहर एक निम्न कराहट सुनी। चांदनी में, उसने एक धुंधली, स्त्री आकृति को एक बंडल पकड़े देखा। भयभीत होकर, उसने एक बेचैन रात बिताई और अगली सुबह तुरंत उस जगह को छोड़ने का फैसला किया। उसने अपने कागजात जमा कर दिए और इस्तीफा देने को तैयार हो गया। जब उसने इस्वरन को अपने फैसले और उसके कारण के बारे में बताया, तो इस्वरन के चेहरे पर आश्चर्य दिखा, यह सुझाते हुए कि 'भूत' शायद माहेंद्र की कल्पना का फल था, जो इस्वरन की शक्तिशाली कहानी कहने की कला से प्रभावित था। कहानी इसी अस्पष्ट नोट पर समाप्त होती है, पाठक को सुझाव की शक्ति और वास्तविकता एवं कल्पना की पतली रेखा के बारे में सोचने पर छोड़ देती है।
Character Sketch
Iswaran: Mahendra's devoted cook and caretaker. He is resourceful, managing all chores single-handedly. His most defining trait is his exceptional talent as a storyteller. He is deeply influenced by popular Tamil thrillers, which fuel his imagination. He narrates stories with dramatic gestures, vivid sound effects, and suspense, making even ordinary events seem extraordinary. While seemingly innocent, his storytelling has a powerful psychological impact, blurring the line between fact and fiction for his listener.
Mahendra: A simple, hardworking junior supervisor leading a nomadic life due to his job. He is rational, practical, and initially skeptical of Iswaran's fantastical tales, enjoying them merely as entertainment. However, he is impressionable and susceptible to fear. Iswaran's ghost story preys on his subconscious, leading him to hallucinate and ultimately make a drastic career decision. He represents the ordinary man whose logic can be overthrown by a potent narrative.
The 'Ghost' (The Imagined Spirit): Not a real character but a figment of imagination, first created by Iswaran's words and then 'seen' by Mahendra. This feminine spirit clutching a foetus symbolizes the power of suggestion and the primal fear of the supernatural. Its ambiguous existence drives the plot's climax and central theme.
10 Previous Year Questions & Solutions
1. What was Mahendra's job and how did it affect his life? (2020)
Answer: Mahendra was a junior supervisor in a firm that hired supervisors for construction sites like factories, bridges, and dams. His job required him to move from one site to another as projects were completed. This made his life nomadic and solitary, with no permanent home or family around, which is why he valued Iswaran's company.
2. Describe Iswaran's skills as a cook and a caretaker. (2022)
Answer: As a cook, Iswaran could conjure up delicious, freshly cooked meals even in remote places with limited supplies. He could make even simple vegetables taste like gourmet dishes. As a caretaker, he single-handedly managed all chores: washing clothes, tidying up the shed, and chatting with his master. He was a versatile and indispensable companion.
3. How did Iswaran describe the story of the mad elephant? What was Mahendra's reaction? (2019)
Answer: Iswaran described a mad elephant that escaped, entered a school ground, and destroyed everything. He claimed to have controlled it by hitting its third toenail with a cane, using a Japanese art (Karate or Ju-jitsu). Mahendra was amused but skeptical. He enjoyed the dramatic narration as a good pastime but did not believe it to be true.
4. What was the story Iswaran told about the female ghost? (2023)
Answer: Iswaran told Mahendra about a female ghost seen on the factory premises during full-moon nights. He described her as a horrifying spirit with a shriveled face, matted hair, and a foetus in her arms. He claimed she moaned and shrieked, and that the ghost was of a woman who had committed suicide after her newborn child had died.
5. What did Mahendra see outside his window one night? What was his reaction? (2018)
Answer: One full-moon night, Mahendra heard a low moan near his window. When he looked out, he saw a dark, cloudy figure resembling a woman holding a bundle. He was gripped with terror, broke into a cold sweat, and spent the rest of the night speculating about the ghost. This experience shattered his rational outlook.
6. Why did Mahendra decide to leave the place immediately? (2021)
Answer: Mahendra decided to leave immediately because he was convinced he had seen the ghost Iswaran had described. The terrifying sight outside his window filled him with such dread that he could not spend another night there. He felt his mental peace was destroyed and resigned from his job to escape the haunted place.
7. What was Iswaran's reaction when Mahendra told him about resigning? What does it suggest? (2022)
Answer: When Mahendra said he was leaving because of the ghost, Iswaran's face showed surprise and a hint of confusion. He asked, "Ghost? What ghost, sir?" This reaction suggests that Iswaran himself might not have believed in the ghost or perhaps had forgotten his own story. It implies that the ghost was likely a product of Mahendra's imagination, influenced by Iswaran's storytelling.
8. How does the story explore the power of storytelling and imagination? (2020)
Answer: The story shows how Iswaran's vivid, dramatic storytelling plants a seed in Mahendra's mind. His imagination, fueled by these stories, becomes so powerful that it overrides his rationality and leads him to 'see' the ghost. The story blurs the line between reality and fiction, demonstrating that a compelling narrative can profoundly influence a person's perceptions and actions.
9. What is the central theme of 'Iswaran the Storyteller'? (2023)
Answer: The central theme is the power of imagination and storytelling, and how it can blur the boundaries between reality and fiction. It explores how a skilled narrator can influence the mind of a listener to such an extent that the listener starts believing in the narrated fiction, leading to real-world consequences and decisions.
10. Do you think the ghost Mahendra saw was real? Justify your answer. (2019)
Answer: No, the ghost Mahendra saw was most likely not real. It was a psychological illusion created by his own fear, which was triggered by Iswaran's detailed and frightening story. His mind, conditioned by the narrative, interpreted a shadow or a trick of the moonlight as the ghost. Iswaran's surprised reaction at the end further confirms that the ghost was a figment of Mahendra's imagination.
