The narrator talks much of his village Hosahalli and its people. Describe in your words the social and cultural life of the narrator’s village by citing examples from the story ‘Ranga’s Marriage’.

Masti Venkatesha Iyengar’s short story ‘Ranga’s Marriage’ has been set in the rural background. The narrator belongs to Hosahalli. It is a famous village situated in the erstwhile state of Mysore. The narrator seems to be greatly proud of his village and talks so glowingly of it and its people. Hosahalli is to Mysore state what the sweet ‘Karigadabu’ is to a festive meal.

Hosahalli has all the features of a typical South Indian village. The people speak Kannada. It does not have many people who know English. They can’t understand even such simple words like ‘change’ in English. Ranga’s father is the only one who sends his son to Bangalore to study. Ranga’s homecoming is a great event. People fear that modern English education takes away their caste and culture. They rush to have a look of Ranga. An old woman runs her hand over Ranga’s chest and the sacred thread the ‘janewara’. She declares that he has not lost his caste.

Generally, people in Hosahalli are superstitious. Child-marriages seem to be common. Ratna is a pretty girl. She is just eleven but the narrator considers her to be the just bride for Ranga. Like all villages, the people of Hosahalli believe in astrology and horoscopes. Astrologers like Shastri can be tutored and influenced easily to suit the occasion. The village has its share of mango trees and creepers. Like every Indian village, it has a pond. To sum up, Hosahalli is a representative South Indian Kannada village.