Karma-summary (sem 2 unit 1)

Kindly play the video given below for
summary of the story in Gujarati.

Karma is a short story by Khushvant Singh. It has British India as its setting. We are introduced with two characters here. one is Sir Mohan Lal, a well bread upper class oxford graduate in Indian Civil Service. second is his wife Lachmi, an illiterate woman with middle class upbringing and sensibilities. Author brings the contrast between two characters from the very beginning. We can see that Sir Mohan Lal has dressed well, like an English aristocrat. Lachmi is wearing a sari. Sir Mohan Lal is sitting in waiting room for first class passengers. Lachmi is sitting on a steel trunk outside it. Even the behavior of both characters are very different. Sir Mohan Lal appears orderly and behaves politely. He sits on large cane chair and sips scotch. On other hand, Lachmi sits on luggage and eats her meal. She even belch in public and rinse her mouth at public tap. She eats pan. This tells us enough about their different upbringing and makes us wonder how they became a couple.

Second part of story consists of Sir Mohan Lal's fascination for English culture. He is in awe with English culture which makes him follow it. He can speak good English like a British would speak. He has immense knowledge of any topic. In short, he can carry conversation on any subject under the sun. He has some techniques for starting a conversations which are clever as he doesn't have to initiate. He uses following techniques:

He always keeps a copy of prestigious newspaper 'The Times'. It can draw attention to any Englishman and may lead to ask for it. It will automatically start a conversation.

He wears his balliol college tie, recognizable to any Englishman. That would instill respect for Sir Mohan Lal and may lead to a long conversation about his years in England.

He would order bearer to bring scotch and offer it to co-passengers which will also establish him as a noble aristocrat. He also keeps English cigarettes to offer to them. Which will inspire any gentleman to make a conversation with him.

Story moves forward as the train arrives. Lachmi sets herself into inter class zanana compartment and eats pan as she watches the hustle in the station. Sir Mohan lal does not hurry like her. He orders bearer to put his luggage into first class compartment and walks slowly towards it after finishing his scotch. 

His compartment is empty. But soon two English soldiers appears and comes to his compartment. They orders him out so they can sit there. It is out of protocol for soldiers to sit in first class compartment but they can not bear an Indian sitting there while they have to travel in crowded second class. So they fling Sir Mohan Lal's luggage and slaps him when he protests. At last they throw him out of the train. Sir Mohan Lal stands on the platform shaken from the insult.  Lachmi, however, unaware of the incident sits and spits out liquid of pan as the train moves out of the station. This is the point where story ends.

This story employs realism to make characters more plausible. It uses various details to make a picture perfect of the its setting. Broken mirror, how Sir Mohan Lal orders scotch, movements of Lachmi, arrival of train etc help a reader's imagination to see the era of British India. Khushvantsingh shows us how Indian were treated in British subjugated India. They were considered inferior race to British, and were treated accordingly. They were forbidden from entering some places, they had to pay heavy taxes for everything from crops to urban roads to a government which was foreign to them. Author highlight that situation effectively. First he establishes the character of Sir Mohan Lal as superior in appearance, behaviour and education. Then he is insulted by two soldiers and his whole picture of English being a superior culture shatters.