Dr. Pal, an Agent in Margayya's Inauthenticity: a Study of R. K

Dr. Pal, an Agent in Margayya’s Inauthenticity: A Study of R. K. Narayan’s The Financial Expert (1952)

Dr. Tanu Gupta Professor Department of Humanities & Social Sciences Maharishi Markandeshwar University Mullana-Ambala (Haryana) & Mr. Gulab Singh Walia Research Scholar M.M.University Mullana (Ambala) India Abstract The present paper aims at depicting that Dr. Pal acts as an agent in Margayya‟s inauthenticity in The Financial Expert. Dr. Pal comes in Margayya‟s life after the advice of the temple priest. Dr. Pal is responsible for the success of Margayya to earn money in his life. The same Dr. Pal acts as an agent in ending of Margayya‟s career and bringing his poor status again and his filing for insolvency. He also destroys Margayya‟s son Balu and puts thoughts in his mind against his father.

The Financial Expert was first published in 1952 in England. It is regarded as one of R.K. Narayan‟s most successful works in the field of Indo-Anglian Fiction. This novel is the story of the rise and fall of Margayya, a proud money lender in Malgudi. He is a complex and interesting character with a flair for those fabulously involved minor financial transactions which are an integral part of Indian life. The novel is divided into five parts which correspond to the five acts of an Elizabethan drama. In the novel, Margayya‟s life at home, at his business place and in society, has been described by the novelist. Margayya‟s involvement with Dr. Pal changes his life altogether.

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Dr. Pal acts as an agent in Margayya‟s success by selling him his book. He also helps to prosper his career as a depositor of money. The same Dr. Pal proves inauthentic in spoiling Margayya‟s son Balu. He is also responsible for the ending of Margayya‟s career and his filing for insolvency. Thus Dr. Pal acts an agent in Margayya‟s inauthenticity. Margayya has no surname, no initials. This name was given to him by his admirers; it means the Path Finder as Margayya showed the way out to those in financial trouble. In the beginning of the novel, Margayya is a person advising the people of Malgudi how to extract loans from the Co-operative Bank. A brush with the Secretary of the Bank, and an incident in which his spoilt son Balu throws his account book down a drain, cuts short his career as a financier and he starts thinking the ways to earn wealth. Margayya meets a temple priest accidently when he is pondering about the ways to earn money, sitting sadly in the park. Margayya accompanies the priest to hear the story of Markandeya from the priest when it is dark. The priest takes Margayya inside the temple and offers him milk to drink. When Margayya tries to push away the tumbler of milk, the priest admonishes him: “Milk is one of the forms of Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth. When you reject it or treat it indifferently, it means you reject her. She is a Goddess who always stays on the tip of her toes all the time, ever ready to turn and run away. There are ways of wooing and keeping her. When she graces a house with her presence, the master of the house becomes distinguished, famous and wealthy” (The Financial Expert 35) Margayya is deeply impressed by the priest and he tells him about his desire to acquire wealth. The priest tells him that two Goddesses are fighting to confer their favours on him. Margayya asks the reason of the same, the priest replies: “How can we question? How can we question the fancies of Gods? They are just there, that‟s all….It‟s beyond our powers to understand.” (The Financial Expert 51) Soon a relationship of confidence develops between Margayya and the priest. This shows the status and role of the priests in the lives of common Indian people. The priest tells Margayya that he will have to pray for goddess Lakshmi single-mindedly with no other thought. At this, Margayya‟s mind is full of fear. But soon he is taken in by the priest. Robert G. Olson comments:

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“Fallenness is a state in which the individual constantly obeys commands and prohibitions whose source is unknown and unidentifiable and whose justification he does not bother to inquire into.” (Olson 136) Margayya is very much convinced about the priest‟s plan. The priest advises him to bring his horoscope the next night. He scrutinizes the horoscope and advises Margayya to worship Goddess Lakashmi continuously for forty days. For this, he will need a red lotus and ghee made from milk of a smoke-coloured cow. Margayya bows his head in humility and decides to do the bidding. P. S. Sundaram comments: “Convinced that money is the only thing that matters, Margayya consults a temple priest regarding his future and the quickest way of making a fortune. His stars, he is told, are propitious: he must worship the goddess of wealth for forty days, with the ash of a red lotus and ghee made out of butter from milk drawn from a smoke-coloured cow.” (Sundaram 60) This involvement affects his future to a great extent. He spends all his money in worshipping and on the cost of household things. When Margayya does not get the fruit of worshipping, he curses the priest thinking that he has been made foolish by him. He goes to the temple to enquire about the priest where he is told that the priest has left for Benares on a pilgrimage. Thus the involvement proves inauthentic as it is based on superstitious beliefs, and Margayya‟s deep faith in the priest soon vanishes when he has lost all his money. Jayant K. Biswal comments: “Margayya‟s tragic-comic posture emerges from a queer combination of the traditional and the commercial. On the one hand he religiously undertakes the rituals for forty days; on the other hand he does not hesitate to take all the advantages of the war situation to suit to his purpose. He worships goddess Laxmi; and for his son he hangs a picture of goddess Saraswati in his study room.” (Biswal 18) Margayya‟s involvement with Dr. Pal begins when he goes to fetch a red lotus. Dr. Pal gives him red lotus from the forest pond and Margayya feels overwhelmed with gratitude. Dr. Pal takes Margayya with him. They talk to each other. Dr. Pal shows a book to Margayya which he has written himself. At the end of the meeting, a friendship develops between the two. Jayant K. Biswal comments: “The peculiar first meeting between Margayya and Dr. Pal in the lonely, abandoned pond is not only a travesty of the usual, the commonplace, but also

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faintly indicates the queer nature of events to come as a result of their relationship.” (Biswal 86) Margayya once again meets Dr. Pal by chance. He wants to avoid, but Dr. Pal shows interest and their conversation starts. Dr. Pal takes Margayya to his office and asks him his desire. Margayya feels attracted by his speech. The novelist comments: “If you are thinking of making money or more money or just money, speak out,” said Pal almost in a whisper, coming close to his face. His eyes were so serious that Margayya said: “How did you guess?” “There are only two things that occupy men‟s minds. I am a psychologist and I know.” “What are they?” Margayya said. “Money…. And Sex…..” (The Financial Expert 84) Dr. Pal motivates Margayya to buy his book from him. He tells Margayya that he may get a lot of money from the sale of the book after its publication. He tells Margayya that he can give the book free to a friend, though it is costly. He tells him: “I am a man who cares for work, human relationships, and service to mankind,” said Dr. Pal. “Money comes last in my list.” (The Financial Expert 88) Now their involvement takes a practical turn. Dr. Pal becomes ready to accept merely the amount in Margayya‟s purse at that time in exchange of the book. He tells: “Don‟t be theatrical. Stick to your bargain. Here is something I‟m giving you worth at least a lakh of rupees. In return for it, give me your purse. I will take it whether it contains one rupee or one thousand or none. Isn‟t it a fair bargain?” (The Financial Expert 89) P. K. Singh comments: “He worships the goddess of wealth with ridiculously scrupulous devotion as the priest prescribes. He, however, succeeds to earn enormous wealth through the purchase of the book on „Domestic Harmony‟ by Dr. Pal for a paltry sum of Rs. 25. He selects Madan Lal his partner in his venture of publishing the manuscript on the equal profit basis. He succeeds in his venture and earns wealth.” (Singh 33) Margayya‟s involvement with Dr. Pal gives a new turn to his life. He now treads a new path where money matters the most. Lakshmi Holmstrom comments:

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“Margayya has a profound puritanical moral sense. Yet opportunities for making money, which ought never to be bypassed, always come through the agency of Pal, whom he sees as an evil and immoral man. Margayya allows for corruption in the making of money, but he is deeply distressed by any association with sexual immorality or loose living.” (Holmstrom 54) Thus involvement with Dr. Pal takes Margayya on the path of success after publication of the book given by Dr. Pal. He gets rich and the fruit of his worshipping is given to him. But he adopts inauthentic ways to become rich, so his future is not safe. Jayant K. Biswal comments: “His publication of the book „Bed Life‟ or „Domestic Harmony‟ to which his wife takes violent objection is a gross violation of the orthodox Indian values. This brings him immediate success, but in the long run it becomes the cause of his undoing. Thus the forty days‟ ritual bears fruit which may suggest the efficacy of the Indian beliefs. But at the same time, the rituals ultimately result in Margayya‟s disaster because of his impure ambitions.” (Biswal 18) Margayya‟s next meeting with Dr. Pal takes place after a long time. Their involvement now develops into friendship. Dr. Pal helps Margayya to occupy a new office for his new business of attracting deposits rather than lending money. Dr. Pal becomes his agent in procuring deposits from well-to-do people in the town. Dr. Pal has wide social connections being a journalist. He advises people to deposit all their surplus money with Margayya. Margayya‟s business soon flourishes and he becomes the leading financier of the town. Nazar Singh Sidhu comments in this regard: “Margayya no longer feels interested in advancing loans to the poor villagers. This interest business has become his limit. Money does not multiply here as rapidly as it would if he invites deposits. Dr. Pal is brought in with a double purpose in mind. He is a man of wide connections. Through his agency Margayya‟s deposits swell to unimaginable limits. Margayya becomes a financial wizard much known figure in Malgudi.” (Sidhu 79) Margayya‟s involvement with Dr. Pal ends on a bitter note when he perceives Dr. Pal‟s hand in spoiling Balu. He becomes furious and starts beating Pal. Dr. Pal lodges criminal complaint against Margayya in the police station. The novelist comments: “Nobody was prepared for it: and Dr. Pal staggered out. The moment he was out of the car, Margayya took off one of his sandals and hit him with it; he

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kept hitting out with such tremendous power and frequency that Pal could hardly protect himself. He was blinded by pain, and blood oozed from the cuts on his face.” (The Financial Expert 212) Jayant K. Biswal comments: “Margayya‟s passionate desire to become rich, reflected in such events as his forty days‟ ritual, leads him to a state of hysteria. His meteoric rise calls for our admiration as well as censure. He shapes things to suit to his own interest and a time comes when he is no more able to extricate himself from the things he has been associated with. Dr. Pal, with all his vulgar obsessions of sex and money moves from being Margayya‟s messiah to being the cause of his final ruin.” (Biswal 42) Dr. Pal takes his revenge upon Margayya by circulating a false rumour about Margayya‟s financial condition. The news spreads like wild fire and every client rushes to get his money back. This brings out Margayya‟s financial ruin to the extent of bankruptcy. He has to file insolvency petition. Nazar Singh Sidhu comments: “Dr. Pal retraces his steps to decimate Margayya-shatters Margayya‟s image through the same power of social contacts which had raised him to unparalleled heights of glory and power. All the deposits are claimed back and his financial world stands demolished.” (Sidhu 80) Thus the involvement between Margayya and Dr. Pal comes to an end as abruptly as it had started. Dr. Pal destroys Margayya‟s business and reputation by scandalizing him. He is the person who makes Margayya rich and it is he again who reduces him to a pauper. Lakshmi Holmstrom comments: “The relationship between Margayya and Pal is more complicated; their different abilities and values are opposed and matched until Pal becomes a „nightmare to Margayya.‟ (Holmstrom 57) In fact, benediction of Goddess Lakshmi comes in the form of Dr. Pal in Margayya‟s life and it vanishes as soon as Dr. Pal goes out of his life. The involvement proves inauthentic as it is based on monetary concerns and breaks due to lack of mutual understanding and wicked role of Dr. Pal. Jayant K. Biswal comments: “Dr. Pal, the guide and confident of Margayya, is the sole cause of all of the latter‟s doings and ultimate undoings.” (Biswal 86)

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The involvement between Dr. Pal and Balu proves inauthentic in Margayya‟s and Balu‟s life. Dr. Pal arranges Balu‟s marriage. He puts ideas into Balu‟s head regarding his father‟s fortune and sets the son against his father. He pays regular visits to Balu‟s house where he spends a lot of time, playing cards with Balu and his wife. Margayya also suspects that he takes cash from Balu on such occasions. Dr. Pal is also responsible for taking Balu every night to drink, gamble and associate with loose women. All these activities of Dr. Pal and Balu are reported to Margayya by his daughter-in-law Brinda. The novelist comments: “They gathered in a house and played cards-it was the house of a man who called himself theatrical agent. She had learnt from their servant that there were a lot of girls also in the building. Pal had something or other to do with these people, and picked Balu up in his car. They sat there continuously playing cards till midnight. They chewed tobacco and betel leaves, sometimes they drank also…” (The Financial Expert 210) The involvement is inauthentic as Dr. Pal takes Balu on a wrong path. He himself is impure in his thoughts and hence his company affects Balu also. Thus their involvement is negative in tone and tenor. It results on similar note when Balu‟s house is seized by the authorities and he finds himself homeless. He has to return with his family to his father‟s house where Margayya gives him his old tin-box as the share of his property and advises to start work under the same banyan tree under which Margayya used to work at one time. Lakshmi Holmstrom comments: “Because of a personal difference with Margayya, Pal persuades all the people who have deposited money to demand their capital immediately. The crash comes and Margayya is ruined, with only the prospect of returning to the banyan tree opposite the Land Mortgage Bank.” (Holmstrom 51) The involvement between Balu and his wife Brinda is not smooth and authentic. The reader comes to know this through the conversion of Brinda and Margayya. Balu does not act as a true husband. He drinks wine and also lives in the company of loose women. He also does not help in caring for his child. His dominancy is such that Brinda is afraid of him. He always comes home very late in the night though his wife and child are alone in the house. Jayant K. Biswal comments: “Margayya and Dr. Pal are the two champions of modern civilization, one of money and the other of sex. It is thus no wonder that Balu comes late at night

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drunk and beats Brinda. To add to this, Balu demands his share of the paternal property.” (Biswal 18) Thus we find that though Balu is inauthentic in his role of husband, still Brinda hopes that her father-in-law will chastise him. She also thinks that Balu‟s bad habits are due to bad company of Dr. Pal. Thus Dr. Pal is also responsible for taking Balu on a wrong track and due to this, Balu fails as a husband and as a father also.

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References: 1. Biswal, Jayant K. A Critical Study of the Novels of R. K. Narayan: The Malgudi Comedy. New Delhi: Nirmal Publishers and Distributors, 1987. 2. Holmstrom, Lakshmi. The Novels of R. K. Narayan. Calcutta: Writers Workshop Publication, 1973. 3. Narayan, R.K. The Financial Expert. Chennai: Indian Thought Publications, 2007. 4. Olson, Robert G. An Introduction to Existentialism. New York: Dover Publications, 1962. 5. Sidhu, Nazar Singh. Human Struggle in the Novels of R.K. Narayan. New Delhi: Bahri Publications, 1992. 6. Singh, P.K. The Novels of R. K. Narayan: A Critical Evaluation. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers and Distributors, 2001. 7. Sundaram, P.S. R. K. Narayan as a Novelist. Delhi: B. R. Publishing Corporation, 1988.