Karma (Kushwant Singh)

 About the Author:

Kushwant Singh is a prominent Indian novelist and journalist. He was born on 2^nd February 1915 at Hadali, which is now in Pakistan. Singh completed his Bachelor’s degree in the Government College, Lahore and thereafter he went to London to study Law in King’s College. A significant post-colonial writer, Kushwant Singh is known for his clear-cut secularism and humour. He was awarded with the most prestigious awards of Indian such as Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan. He was the editor of several journals and newspapers, including “The Illustrated Weekly” and “Hindustan Times.” He was also a Member of Rajya Sabha from 1980-1986. Some important novels written by him are  “Train to Pakistan”, “I shall not Hear the Nightingale” and “Delhi: A Novel”. His autobiography, “Truth, Love and A Little Malice” records his views on sex, wine, and women and on life, religion and country. He passed away in 2014.

Introduction:    

Kushwant Singh’s short stories are mostly set in Indian atmosphere. They are both humorous and ironical. The story, “Karma” is based on the Indian philosophy that ‘out action decide our fate.’

The proud aristocrat Sir Mohan Lal:

Sir Mohan Lal was waiting in the first class retiring room at the railway station. He looked handsome in his western dress. He disliked speaking his mother-tongue, Hindustani. Mohan Lal spoke English like Oxford scholars. So he felt very proud about himself and looked down at his wife other Indians who did not know to speak English like him. Outside the waiting room, his wife, Lachmi was sitting on a steel trunk. She was wearing a dirty white sari with a red border. She was a typical native woman. Lachmi called a coolie to carry her luggage. The coolie asked her whether she was travelling alone. Lachmi said that her husband who was a barrister was also travelling in the same train. He always travelled in first class compartment so that he could meet many Englishmen in the train. She said that as she could not talk English, she had to travel in the ladies’ compartment. As soon as the train arrived, Lachmi managed to find a seat in the ladies’ compartment.

 

Mohan Lal’s imitation of English manners:

The arrival of the train  did not disturb Mohan Lal. He thought that excitement and hurry were the marks of ill-breeding. He got u and moved into his first class compartment without any hurry or excitement. He sat by the window and took out a copy of “The Times.” His Balliol tie, The Times, scotch and the English cigarettes were proofs of his western style. He could never forget the glorious life that he had lived in England for five years. This made his to dislike his own country people. He criticized the manners and attitudes of his fellowmen (Indians) thinking that they are illiterate.

Arrival of English men and Lal’s excitement:

Now Mohan Lal felt lonely in the compartment. Suddenly he saw two English soldiers on the platform looking into the compartment for space. Mohan Lal was happy enough to invite them, though they had reservation in the second class compartment. Mohan Lal wanted to have conversation with them during the journey.

The fate of Sir Mohan Lal:

The drunken soldiers, Bill and Jim entered into the first class compartment. Sir Mohan Lal was happy to invite them. But they showed no respect for Mohan Lal, because Mohan Lal is an Indian. They shouted at him and ordered him to get out of the compartment. But Mohan Lal protested and argued in King’s English. On the other hand, the soldiers did not bother about his refined English and started throwing Mohan Lal’s luggage on the platform and finally they pushed Mohan Lal out of the compartment. Mohan Lal fell on the platform and could not do anything against the soldiers. However, his wife, Lachmi without knowing all these things comfortably sitting in the ladies unreserved compartment chewed betel leaves and spat the saliva through the window.

Conclusion:

The proud Mohan Lal did not give respect to his wife and in turn he was not respected by the British soldiers. According to Indian philosophy it is Sir Mohan Lal’s ‘karma’ which was back to him and brought him  shame and insult.