Is the story Ranga's Marriage relevant …

Certainly ‘Ranga’s Marriage’ doesn’t present the changing face of the Indian village. No doubt, many Indian villages still share many superstitions and practices. But the scenario is changing fast. Hence, many incidents in the story seem to be exaggerated or outdated. It is true that many of the villagers still don’t have good understanding of English. Today if an educated youngman returns from a big city, people don’t rush to have a look of him. The homecoming of Ranga was a great event for the people of Hosahalli. But today it may be no news at all. Many youngmen go to the big towns and cities for higher education. These days English words like ‘change’ are quite common and the people don’t have any difficulty in understanding them.

Ratna of the story is a pretty girl. She is from a big town and knows how to play the veena and harmonium. But she is just eleven ! Who can even imagine to marry off a girl of eleven today? But the narrator thinks her to be the most suitable bride for Ranga. Today child marriages have been banned by the law. Even in the villages the marriage of a girl of eleven appears to be an exception rather than a rule.

It is true that even today villagers believe in astrologers like Shastri. ‘Arranged marriages’ are still very common. But not many village girls run inside overcome by shyness after seeing a stranger today. Things are changing fast but the story doesn’t present the changing face of the Indian village.