The Grandmother's Tale and Selected Stories

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The Grandmother’s Tale And Selected Stories is a book written by R. K. Narayan. The main story in this book, on which the title is based, is a biographical account of his great-grandmother and her early and later life. The book is set during the last phase of the British Raj in India. The story is about how the protagonist Bala, a young lady, goes in search of her husband Viswa, who does not return after a pilgrimage to Pandaripur. The story showcases the transition of Bala in three stages, from innocence to belligerence, and narrates how she finally settles down as a simple and traditional housewife. The book further talks about Bala and Viswa’s life together with their children in a sleepy southern town. The book contains many elements of India during the pre-independence era, including minor aspects like the gender differences that were prevalent during the time, and child marriage. R. K. Narayan was a prominent name in Indian Literature and he is considered to be one of the foremost writers in the country. He was born in the year 1906 in Madras (now Chennai). He pursued his education at Maharaja College of Mysore and started his career as a school teacher. He soon established himself as a full time writer, after bidding adieu to his teaching role. He has written memorable classics, and some of them are The Guide and Malgudi Days. He won many coveted awards, including the Padma Vibhushan. He was also a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha. He breathed his last in Chennai, in the year 2001.