An Astrologer's Day Summary

“An Astrologer’s Day” by R. K. Narayan is about an astrologer who meets a man who challenges him to tell his fortune. .The astrologer tells Guru
Nayak that he was once left for dead by another man, who had attacked him with a knife; Nayak, astonished by the astrologer’s knowledge,
wants to know if his assailant is alive. The astrologer, addressing Nayak by name, adds that his assailant is now dead and that he should go back
to his village and live out his life peacefully. In a twist, it is revealed that it was the astrologer himself who fought Nayak many years ago.
Summary
The story begins with a description of the place and environment in which the astrologer meets his clients and does his work. He begins his
work every day at midday in a public place under a large tree that is close to a public park in his town. The place chosen for his work is generally
full of people who pass by or gather there, such as customers attracted by vendors of nuts, sweetmeats, and other snacks. It is a place poorly
lighted in the evening, and because the astrologer has no light of his own, he must depend on what light comes from the flickering lamps kept
by neighboring vendors; a dully lighted, murky place is best for his purpose. He is not an astrologer by profession but was led into it by
circumstances that forced him to leave his village, where, if he had stayed, he would have settled down to a life of tilling the land.He has a
practical knowledge of the common problems of most people: “marriage, money, and the tangles of human ties.” His sharp eyes, used to
scanning for customers, make people believe he has an unusual ability to tell people’s fortunes. 2] “An Astrologer’s Day” opens as its title
character arrives at his workplace, at midday, and as usual spreads his charts and other fortune-telling props before him, though no one comes
seeking his aid for many hours. Later, with nightfall approaching, he begins preparing to go home when, all of a sudden, he beholds a man
standing in front of him. In the exchange of talk that ensues, the astrologer carefully tries to spread the net of his craft around the client, and the
client, Guru Nayak, responds with a challenge: Would the astrologer tell him whether he, Guru Nayak, will be successful in a search he is
carrying out, returning double the fee he has paid if the prediction cannot be made? The astrologer alternately accepts, declines, and feigns
indifference, all the more to whet Nayak’s appetite and make him press his offer. The astrologer then catches a glimpse of Nayak’s face
(previously shrouded in darkness) in the light of the match Nayak has struck under his cheroot, and, though at first chilled by the sight, decides
to play out Nayak’s game: The astrologer tells him that he was once left for dead by another man, who had attacked him with a knife; Nayak,
astonished, bares his chest to show the scar and wants to know if his assailant is alive. The astrologer, addressing him by name (to his further
surprise), adds that his assailant is now dead and that he, Guru Nayak, should go back to his village and live out his life peacefully. To placate the
still angry Nayak, who demands to know if the assailant met the kind of death he deserved, the astrologer replies that he was crushed under a
lorry (truck). Nayak pays him the fee and hurriedly departs. The astrologer returns home late to his anxious wife and gives her the money he
earned that day, adding that it all came from one client. The wife is happy but notices a slightly changed expression on her husband’s face; she
asks him if there is something wrong. “Nothing,” he says but after dinner tells her that he is relieved that the man he thought he killed in a
drunken brawl many years earlier is, in fact, alive. He says that it is late and goes to sleep on a pyol (mat).

ON SAYING PLEASE Alfred George Gardiner

In his essay, On Saying Please, A.G.Gardiner talks of the necessity and importance of being polite. Gardiner begins his essay with an account of a
lift-man who threw out a passenger from the lift because he didn‟t say “Please.” Bad manners and discourtesy are not legal offences and don‟t
require a violent response. There is no punishment for uncivil and bad behaviour in law. But this doesn‟t mean that bad behaviour can be
condoned. As in the case of the lift-man, such behaviour hurts our self-respect and our vanity. This, in turn, makes us hurt others. Bad manners
cause more damage to our lives than all the crimes in the world. However, one can‟t impose civil or religious restrictions to control all our
moods and manners. Words like “Please” and “Thank You” are indicators of our civility to each other. As human beings, we need to be
cooperative and such words help us run our society smoothly. Instead of commanding and demanding which would lead to resentment, a
courteous approach would bring willing service. Gardiner speaks of bus conductors who generally tend to regard passengers as enemies. Then
he talks of a particular conductor who permitted the writer to travel even when he didn‟t have money for the fare. Though Gardiner paid him
the fare, this left an impression on the author. In another instance, the same conductor stepped on the writer‟s toes with his heavy shoes. He
immediately apologised and this nature pleased the author. Gardiner went on to notice many such instances of the wonderful and kind nature
of the bus conductor. His politeness and helpful behaviour touched others and made them pleasant too. Gardiner sees the need to learn from
such modest lives like Wordsworth did from the leech-gatherer. Civility in behaviour needs to be sustained in the society. This alone would make
us kind and tolerable to each other. Unlike the lift-man‟s violent response, the need is for politeness in the face of bad manners and bad
behaviour. This alone will give us spiritual victory

THE COP AND ANTHEM

1] The Cop and the Anthem" is a short story written by O. Henry. The story was about a homeless man named Soapy. Soapy was staying at a
park in Madison Square. As the winter approached, Soapy thought of finding a better place to stay. Soapy desired to get three
months of food and stay on Blackwell's Island. So he thought of different plans to get caught by the policeman. 2] Soapy's first plan was to
have a delicious dinner at a high-class restaurant and then say that he had no money. With this plan in mind, Soapy came to
a restaurant where only the wealthy people came every evening. Unfortunately, the head waiter noticed Soapy's shattered shoes and sent him
out. As a result, his first attempt failed. 3] Then Soapy left Broadway. Soapy noticed a shop on the corner of Sixth Avenue. He thought of
executing his second plan. So he took a cobblestone and threw it at the glass door. People came rushing, and a cop was the first one to arrive.
He inquired who had done that. Soapy voluntarily came forward and confessed that he had broken the glass. But the policeman refused to
arrest because those who commit wrong would not surrender in front of the cops. Finally, his second attempt also got failed. 4] Later, Soapy saw
an ordinary restaurant across the street. He thought of executing his third plan. So he entered the restaurant, but no one was bothered about
his broken shoes and torn clothes. He ordered food and ate well. Finally, he told the waiter he had no money to pay the bill. Two of the waiters
threw him out of the restaurant. He had failed in his third attempt. 5] Soapy made his fourth plan by pretending to be a drunkard. But,
unfortunately, the cop misunderstood Soapy as a college boy, and hence he left him. 6] Later, Soapy saw an umbrella man buying
a newspaper. He then thought of executing his fifth plan. Soapy took the umbrella and strolled from there. The umbrella man followed him and
said to Soapy that it was his umbrella. But Soapy refused to give the umbrella and told him to call a cop. However, the man refused to call the
cop because the umbrella did not belong to him. Later Soapy felt sad and dejected because all his attempts had failed. 7] Finally, Soapy
thought of returning to the park. At that time, he saw an old church, and it was his childhood home. Soapy heard a "Sabbath anthem" coming
out through the window. The anthem had made a remarkable transformation in his life. The anthem made him recall his past life. At that
moment, Soapy decided to fight against the challenges of life. Most noteworthy, Soapy decided to find work from the very next day. Just then, a
cop came there, and he asked Soapy what he was doing there. Soapy then began to argue with him. However, the cop took him in front of the
judge the next morning. The judge gave him three months of prison on Blackwell's Island

BIG DATA AND INSIGHT Summary:

What is Big Data? There is a revolution in the life style of people which has been affected by Big Data. Our food habits, our health care, our
travelling, our scientific pursuits, you name it and everything has changed 360 degrees.The massive data is available with us which are making
various wonders in our life. Every our online activity is recorded. As we like, share, watch or post anything on social media, it’s been get
recorde .Big Data can be petabytes or exabytes of data consisting of billions to trillions of records of millions of people- all from different
sources, for example web, sales, customer contact centre, social media, mobile data and so on.
Uses of Big Data:
1] Location Tracking: Using big data we can identify and track the exact location of a place and a person. GPS and Google Maps make use of Big
Data. With the help of geographic positioning and radio frequency identification sensors we get the real-time data about traffic, congestion on a
particular route, information if the route is closed or if it is a one-way route, understanding accident prone areas etc. As we order any goods or
dish, we can track the location. Big Data has helped the logistics companies to reduce risks in transport, improve speed and reliability in delivery.
2] Understanding the Weather Patterns: With the help of weather sensors and satellites set-up we can predict or forecast the impending
natural calamities like floods, earthquakes, tsunami etc. Necessary steps can be taken in advance to avoid its consequences. We can study global
warming, predict availability of natural resources like water.
3] Health Care Industry: The smart watches, health apps and other various wearable in our phone keep on collecting data. They are our own
mini biomedical research devices. They detect our heart rate, monitor the patient’s sleep pattern, keep a record of his exercise, the distance
walked etc. The analysis of this data collected can give new insights and provide a personalized, individual feedback to each and every person.
Nowadays we have gadgets to monitor blood sugar, blood pressure etc. at home; 24 x 7 monitoring can be provided to patients in hospitals too.
Big Data has helped the doctors. Big Data has been used in Pharmaceutical companies for research
4] Banking, Finance and Trading: Big Data has enabled smooth functioning of banking, finance and trading sector. Nowadays, Big Data is being
used to avoid cyber attacks.
5] Sports: Today we watch any sport matches live seating in our house. Even the data of each sport player in any game is very useful to the
player to reflect on one’s performance. This history of one’s performance on the ground helps the entire team. The data is very helpful which is
recorded during the live matches.
6] Advertising: Big Data is a boon for advertising companies. The advertising companies are able to target their customer through the online
activities of all the individuals. Facebook or Instagram feed is filled with ads of the same or similar items as one’s liking.
7] Entertainment and Media: It is common to see videos with headings like “Suggested for you” or “Recommended Videos” on YouTube.
Which kind of video content we watch on any social platform. It has been maintained or recorded. This helps entertainment industry to analyse
which shows get better viewership.
8] Education Industry: Even education industry is now from the use of Big Data. We see Big Data has been used in this sector. A record of the
way students study and what aids they use more to understand their concepts are useful to the education industry. This make it possible to
design course material accordingly. Nowadays, school and colleges are providing their applications for the students to complete their study.
Conclusion: Big Data is a genie in our hands. If it is used in ethical ways, Big Data will continue to benefit humans.

THE NEW DRESS : Verginia Woolf SUMMARRY

In Woolf’s 1924 short story ‘‘The New Dress,’’ Mabel Waring arrives at Clarissa Dalloway’s party and is immediately overwhelmed by feelings of
inadequacy and inferiority. These negative emotions are triggered by her worry that her new dress is inappropriate for the event. After greeting
her hostess, she rushes to a mirror at the far end of the room to examine herself, only to feel miserable, convinced that ‘‘It was not right.’’ She
imagines the other guests thinking to themselves, ‘‘What a fright she looks! What a hideous new dress!’’ She starts to criticize herself for trying
to appear ‘‘original’’ since she couldn’t afford a dress in the latest fashion and had a yellow silk dress made from an outdated pattern. Her self-
criticism borders on self-torture as she obsesses over her perceived foolishness ‘‘which deserved to be chastised.’’ She views the new dress as a
‘‘horror . . . idiotically old-fashioned.’’ When the stylishly dressed Rose Shaw tells her the dress is ‘‘perfectly charming,’’ Mabel is convinced she
is being mocked. 2] She searches for a way ‘‘to annul this pain, to make this agony endurable.’’ The intense language and Mabel's evident
torment might suggest to the reader that she is not entirely mentally or emotionally stable. However, it could also highlight the discomfort that
shy or socially unskilled individuals may feel in social situations. 3] Mabel attempts to see the partygoers as ‘‘flies, trying to crawl over the edge
of the saucer,’’ all looking the same and sharing the same goals. However, she fails to view them this way. She tells another guest that she feels
like ‘‘some dowdy, decrepit, horribly dingy old fly,’’ and is then mortified to realize that he must have interpreted her remark as a ploy for the
insincere compliment he quickly gives her. 4] Mabel recalls how happy and comfortable she felt at the dressmaker’s, as Miss Milan pinned her
hem, asked her about the length, and tended to her pet canary. This comforting memory quickly fades as she is thrust back into the present,
‘‘suffering tortures, woken wide awake to reality.’’ She scolds herself for caring about others’ opinions, but then drifts into thoughts about her
own ‘‘odious, weak, vacillating character.’’ 5] Mabel reflects on her ordinary family background and upbringing. She reminisces about her
dreams of romance in distant lands and contrasts them with the reality of her marriage to a man with ‘‘a safe, permanent underling’s job.’’ She
recalls isolated moments in her life—described as ‘‘delicious’’ and ‘‘divine’’—when she feels truly happy and fulfilled, feeling connected with the
earth and everything in it, ‘‘on the crest of a wave.’’ She worries that these moments might come less frequently in the future and resolves to
seek personal transformation through ‘‘some wonderful, helpful, astonishing book’’ or an inspiring public speaker. Rising to leave the party, she
assures Mrs. Dalloway that she has enjoyed herself.

INTO THE WILD LIFE :Kiran Purandare

Part – I: Lost in the Jungle . 1] The narrator study in Nagzira forest area. After a productive day of field study in the jungle, he was on his way
back to his lodgings in village Pitezari when he was alerted by the alarm calls of a gang of Langurs. 2] He knew that only the threat of a predator
like a Tiger or a Leopard could cause such commotion. The narrator followed the target sight of the Langurs and examined it for any traces of a
predator. He saw a spot of fresh animal droppings which confirmed the presence of a leopard nearby. He hurriedly left the place and advanced
on his way. 3] Ahead on his way, he met a village man named Raju Iskape. Raju too had heard the alarm calls and had therefore decided not to
go close to the site. The two men chatted for a while before their ways parted. Left alone in the jungle once again, Purandare climbed a hillock
and moved forward until he realised that he was on the wrong path. It was the sunset time and the realisation that he had lost his way made
the narrator panic for a while. 4] After some thought, the narrator started following the same path that he had come from. Moving at a quick
pace, he spotted marks of bicycle wheel on the soil. Now assured of human presence close by, he climbed another hillock and could finally see
the presence of human civilization. 5] Totally exhausted, he eventually reached the village where he bathed and ate heartily. Back in the safe
proximity of humans, the narrator amused on the thought that somewhere in the world the jungle still exists and it is a blessing that one is not
lost in that wilderness.
Part – II: Tracking the Panther of Nagarhole 1] This is an account about Shaaz Jung, the wildlife photographer and man-animal conflict
resolution seeker. He works in the jungles of Nagarhole or the Rajiv Gandhi National Park. He also showcases his photography in art galleries
around the world. Jung also leads many photography safaris in the dense forests of Africa. 2] His journey started with an interesting incident.
He recalls that he once encountered two leopards, one an old, tired leopard and the other, a young and active one full of energy and strength.
To Jung, they seemed to be symbols of the past and the present, respectively. He sensed that the two were about to have a fight, but he could
not stay to witness the battle between the two big cats. 3] Curiosity brought him back to the same spot the next morning and he saw the
young leopard was still there with blood dripping from a cut on his face. It seemed to have been victorious and was seated like the “king of the
jungle”. This interesting incident initiated Jung into the field of wildlife photography. 4] Jung gained fame and admiration for his photographs of
the young leopard whom he had named Scarface. He also went on to photograph other leopards like the old leopard who had lost to Scarface.
One of the important protagonists of his photographs was Saya, a black panther whose behaviour Jung documented on his camera. 5] Jung did
not limit himself to photography only but also went on to create Buffer Conflict Resolution Trust of India (BCRTI) in order to educate villagers
who live on the peripheries of forests. Jung strives to resolve the man versus animal conflict. The absence of a buffer zone to separate the areas
of the village from the forest has created a conflict between the two sides. Animals like elephants and even tigers often walk into the residential
areas and harm the crops. There is, therefore, a feeling of fear and a threat of the wild animals to the lives of the villagers. 6] Jung started a
training program for villagers in order to educate them about merits of conservation of wildlife and how it can be achieved. This training has
been funded by tourist currency that comes from numerous wildlife resorts in the Nagarhole area. 7] A villager named Madegowda, who
initially despised the animals because they destroyed his crops, is now a certified naturalist who works with ‘The Bison’. With his knowledge of
animals and their sounds, he guides visitors to the animals and earns this way. He has come to believe that listening is more important than
sight. All it requires is shutting off other sounds and listening patiently to the jungle.
Conclusion; Both the accounts conclude that the jungle can be both adventurous and dangerous at the same time. They also prove that an
understanding of animal behaviour and their habitats, can help in mitigating the human-animal conflict. Though full of dangers, wilderness is
not a threat if humans and animals can learn to co-exist peacefully. The task of wildlife conservation can be achieved by more wildlife
enthusiasts like Kiran Purandare and Shaaz Jung.

WHY WE TRAVELE :Siddarth Pico Raghavan Iyer Summary

“Why We Travel” is an essay written by Pico Iyer that explores the motivations and benefits of travel. Iyer argues that travel is not simply a way
to escape from the stresses of daily life, but rather a means to gain perspective and understanding about oneself and the world.
2] Iyer draws on his own experiences as a world traveler, explaining that travel helps to break down cultural barriers and broaden one’s
understanding of the world. He also suggests that travel can help individuals gain a better understanding of themselves and their place in the
world, as it allows them to step outside of their familiar surroundings and see things from a new perspective. 3] Additionally, Iyer contends that
travel can help individuals develop empathy and compassion for others. He notes that through travel, individuals can witness the hardships and
struggles of people in different parts of the world, and this can lead to a greater appreciation of the diversity and richness of human experience.
4] Overall, Iyer’s essay argues that travel is a powerful and transformative experience that can help individuals grow and develop in numerous
ways. He suggests that by stepping outside of our comfort zones and embracing the unknown, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves
and the world around us.

Summary of Voyaging Towards Excellence By Achyut Godbole

1] The story of essay begins with writer who was from poor family and their house was very small. The writer’s family doesn’t even had money
to afford basic things like Fan, geyser, Refrigerator and dining table etc. 2] When writer took admissioin in college then he received a watch
from his family. In childhood, poets like Vinda Kandikar, Mangesh Padgoankar and Vasant Bapat used to visit writer’s home. The writer used
listen their talk for hours. Vinda, Manges and Vasant Bapat used to talk about English Literature in writer’s house. 3] They used to talk about
other famous poets like Keshavsut, Mardhekar, Shakespeare, Charles Dickens and Thomas Hardy. The writer never get bored listening to them
and his interst in Literature was increasing day after day. 4] The writer say, I was very young and not able to understand their conversation
properly but I loved listening literature talks. Apart from this there are other people who used to visit writer’s home like Pt. Kumar Gandharv, Pt.
Bhimsen Joshi and Pt. Jasraj. 5] They used to talk about Indian music. Through this, writer developed immense interest in Literature and Indian
Music. The writer say, even though I doesn’t know much about music at that time but I was developing my interest in music by listening to
them. 6] I loved English literature but that doesn’t mean I don’t like other subjects. I also like Science and Math and in school I never studied
for marks, I studied as I loved studying. When I was in seventh class then I used to solve problems of class 9 physics and Math. Here writer is
trying to say that he is very intelligent since his schooling days. 7] The writer’s habit of solving physics and Math problem helped him in IIT
Entrance. He almost score 100 marks in all his Math exams. Apart from this, he had 16 rank in SSC Board. When writer get admission in IIT, he
was very happy but his happiness doesn’t last longer because every professor in IIT were teaching in English and writer doesn’t know English.
Writer was very weak in English and was not able to pronounce English words so he was feeling alone in IIT. 8] One day, writer was sitting in his
hostel and one senior came to him and started talking with him in English. Senior student finds faults in writer’s English. Senior say, you are
making lots of mistake in English, don’t you know how to speak in English ? Senior insult writer and goes away. The writer felt very bad and was
going depressed. Writer wanted to quit and want to go back home. But writer decides that he will learn English language and will speak fluent
English like other students. 9] The writer realize that he is from small rural village, he is a top scorer in University and he is very good in Math
so English is nothing for him. Afterwards, writer started learning English daily. He first started reading English newspaper and English novel. 10]
After this, writer started reading etymology and phonetics. The writer used to stand in front of mirror and practice English speaking. Writer
practice English speaking for 9 – 10 months consistently and become fluent English speaker. He got confident to speak English in front of
anyone. His English speaking skills help him in his professional life. 11] The writer say, he met many great people in his work life. He used to
learn lots of things from them. After meeting great people, writer realizes that he needs to learn many more things in life. When you sit
between knowledgeable people, it make you realize that you need to learn lots of things. 12] The writer wrote four books in starting of his
career which are around 500 to 700 pages. In all his four books, writer has talk about technology. All his books were published by Tata MCgraw
Hill. Afterwards, writer books were converted into Chinese language. 13] The writer learn many great things in life, one of the great things he
learn is the importance of teamwork. Writer believes you can’t achieve anything in life alone. If you are egoist and believe you are the only
person who can do great things in life then you are wrong. If you are team person then you can win anything in life. You can achieve anything in
life by teamwork. You should treat your colleague as a friend. 14] After working for years in Software companies, I left them. I started doing
what I love the most which is Reading and writing. I started writing about Human life and existence. Even though I got 2 offer of 3 crore to be a
English writer but I rejected them because I wanted to be a Marathi writer. Afterwards, I wrote 34 books in Marathi. Many of my books become
best seller. 15] Thousands of people reads my books. How much book I sold and how much money I make was not important for me, for me
importance thing was how many people read my book and how many life I changed through my books. My two books has cure thousands
people depression. And these two books are Musafir ( Autobiography ) and Manat ( Psychology book

SONG OF THE OPEN ROAD : Walt Whoteman

Summary and Form 1] This poem was one of the twenty new poems in the 1856 edition of Leaves of Grass. Like “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry,”
which appeared at the same time, it celebrates a communion and a democracy based on place. Here Whitman sets up the out-of-doors as a
utopian, democratic space, in which all men can come together. 2] This poem shows more structure than many of Whitman’s works. From the
cry of “Allons!” (Let’s go!) that opens many of the stanzas, to the lists and repeated phrases (the “efflux of the soul,” the “fluid and repeating
character”) this poem truly does have the character of a song: musical and rhythmic, while at the same time completely unconventional.
Commentary 1] In this poem Whitman celebrates the out-of-doors, and the road in particular, as a space where men can come together in a
meaningful way, where status and social markers matter less. A road is something everyone uses, whether they are rich or poor, and it forces all
levels of people to associate with one another. The road, furthermore, signifies mobility: one can take the road to somewhere new, and in
America that means somewhere one can start over. For Whitman, too, the road is a space for gathering the material for poetry. As he travels
along it, he sees a variety of people and places, and hears a plethora of stories. He argues against staying in one place for too long, although the
hospitality may be a lure, for only the tests of the open road will do. 2] By contrast, indoor spaces are fixed and so stultifying as to be almost
toxic. “You must not stay sleeping and dallying there in the house,” he commands. Indoors is a place of “secret silent loathing and despair,”
where death always lurks and people’s bones are almost visible as signs of their mortality and innate debasement. True companionship is not
possible in this indoor world, for people, bound by “customs,” live too close together and knowledge of one another is a liability rather than a
linkage of love. 3] This is a call to arms, an exhortation to those who are strong enough to join Whitman on the road. While for him the journey
is the source of poetry, he sees it as something larger, as a way of life. The poetry is secondary. As he says, “I and mine do not convince by
arguments, similes, rhymes, / We convince by our presence.” What is at stake is therefore more fundamental and more universal than literature.
The road is a symbol of a democratic and vital society that just happens to make for good poetry.

INDIAN WEAVERS : Sarojini Naidu

‘Indian Weavers’ is a short but beautiful poem, consisting of three stanzas. The flow of language is full of rhythm and word images. The weavers
are busy weaving clothes in different colours throughout the day. Each colour as well as timing of the day symbolises different occasions in one’s
life. In the morning, they weave a bright blue coloured cloth for a new born baby symbolising birth and happiness. During the day, they weave a
bright coloured purple and green cloth for the marriage veil of a queen signifying life’s celebrations. Finally, at night, they weave a white
coloured cloth for the shroud of a dead body signifying death. S

THE INSHAPE ROCK : Robert Southey