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The astrologer starts his work almost at midday.

He spreads his professional equipment, which consist of a dozen cowrie shells, a square piece of cloth with obscure mystic charts on it, a notebook and a bundle of Palmyra writing. He's a fine get-up of an astrologer, with his forehead shinning with sacred ash and vermilion. He has dark whiskers and sparkling eyes. To crown the effect, he wears a saffron colored turban around his head. He sits at a place which's frequented by all sorts-of people. Many hawkers cry loudly near him. And when it’s dark he gets light from a neighboring hawker.

The astrologer was devoid of any professional training. During his youth he used to drink, gamble and quarrel. Once he hit a fellow villager hard on his head and assuming the person dead, he pushed him into a well. To hide himself from the police he ran away and settled as an astrologer in a town. Even though he lacked training, he had all the shrewdness and understanding of human mind and the causes of human worries. That’s why he could answer convincing questions to his clients.

Once he had an encounter with a person before winding up his day's work. He picked up his cowrie shells and paraphernalia and was putting them back into his bag when the green shaft of light was blotted out; he looked up and saw a man standing before him. He sensed a possible client and said:

"You look so careworn. It will do you good to sit down for a while and chat with me."

The other grumbled some reply vaguely. The astrologer pressed his invitation; whereupon the other thrust his palm under his nose, saying:

"You call yourself an astrologer?"

The astrologer felt challenged and said, tilting the other's palm towards the green shaft of light: "Yours is a nature . . ."

"Oh, stop that," the other said. "Tell me something worthwhile. . . ."

Our friend felt piqued.

"I charge only three pies per question, and what you get ought to be good enough for your money. . . ."

At this the other withdrew his arm, took out an anna, and flung it out to him, saying:

"I have some questions to ask. If I prove you are bluffing, you must return that anna to me with interest."

"If you find my answers satisfactory, will you give me five rupees?"

"No"

"Or will you give me eight annas?"

"All right, provided you give me twice as much if you are wrong," said the stranger.
This pact was accepted after a little further argument. The astrologer sent up a prayer to heaven as the other lit a cheroot.

The astrologer caught a glimpse of his face by the match light. There was a pause as cars hooted on the ro&djutka drivers swore at their horses, and the babble of the crowd agitated the semi-darkness of the park. The other sat down, sucking his cheroot, puffing out, sat there ruthlessly. The astrologer felt very uncomfortable.

"Here, take your anna back. I am not used to such challenges. It is late for me today. . . ."

He made preparations to bundle up.

The other held his wrist and said: "You can't get out of it now. You dragged me in while I was passing." The astrologer shivered in his grip; and his voice shook and became faint.

"Leave me today. I will speak to you tomorrow." The other thrust his palm in his face and said:

"Challenge is challenge. Go on."

The astrologer proceeded with his throat drying up: "There is a woman . . ."

"Stop," said the other. "I don't want all that. Shall I succeed in my present search or not? Answer this and go. Otherwise I will not let you go till you disgorge all your coins"

The astrologer muttered a few incantations and replied:

"All right. I will speak. But will you give me a rupee if what I say is convincing? Otherwise I will not open my mouth, and you may do what you like."

After a good deal of haggling the other agreed. The astrologer said:

"You were left for dead. Am I right? "

"Ah, tell me more."

"A knife has passed through you once?" said the astrologer.

"Good fellow!" He bared his chest to show the scar. "What else?"

"And then you were pushed into a well nearby in the field. You were left for dead."

"I should have been dead if some passer-by had not chanced to peep into the well," exclaimed the other, overwhelmed by enthusiasm. "When shall I get at him?" he asked, clenching his fist.

"In the next world," answered the astrologer. "He died four months ago in a far-off town. You will never see any more of him." The other groaned on hearing it. The astrologer proceeded:

"Guru Nayak"

"You know my name!" the other said, taken aback.

"As I know all other things. Guru Nayak, listen carefully to what I have to say. Your village is two day's journey due north of this town. Take the next train and be gone. I see once again great danger to your life if you go from home." He took out a pinch of sacred ash and held it to him. "Rub it on your forehead and go home. Never travel southward again, and you will live to be a hundred."

"Why should I leave home again?" the other said reflectively. "I was only going away now and then to look for him and to choke out his life if I met him." He shook his head regretfully. "He has escaped my hands. I hope at least he died as he deserved."

"Yes," said the astrologer. "He was crushed under a lorry." The other looked gratified to hear it.

The place was deserted by the time the astrologer picked up his articles and put them into his bag. The green shaft was also gone, leaving the place in darkness and silence. The stranger had gone off into the night, after giving the astrologer a handful of coins.

Reaching home the astrologer told his wife that a great burden was off his head as the person whom he thought to be dead was alive. He narrated the past incident to her. After this, he yawned and stretched himself on the pyol.

R.K Narayan

R. K. Narayan (10 October 1906 – 13 May 2001), full name Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami, was an Indian writer known for his works set in the fictional South Indian town of Malgudi. He was a leading author of early Indian literature in English, along with Mulk Raj Anand and Raja Rao.

Resource passages:

https://archive.org/stream/astrologersday035473mbp/astrologersday035473mbp_djvu.txt

http://literaturesummaries.blogspot.com/2012/01/summary-of-astrologers-day.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._K._Narayan