What is the conflict in the story of Karma by khushwant Signh?

Answer 1

Karma

A fascination towards western culture is a common thing, which can be seen anywhere in India. People blindly try to imitate the ways and customs of the English people. We feel their culture to be superior to us. Khushwanth Singh depicts such an idea in his story karma. It is the story of Sir Mohan Lal, a person who blindly admired and imitated the British culture and later ruthlessly humiliated by the same people. The story makes a funny comparison between Indian and English cultures through the diverse characters of Sir Mohan Lal and his wife Lachmi. The backdrop of the story is a railway station. The story is sarcasm against all the people who neglect the indigenous culture and blindly imitate the western culture.

Sir Mohan Lal was a person who loved the British culture than anything else. In every manner he tried to imitate them. He had spent five years abroad, which gave him a good idea about their culture. He wore their cloths, spoke their language, read their news paper and used their products. He hated Indian culture and had a contemptuous attitude towards all the Indians and their manners. He hated everything of Indian and strongly believed that all the Indians were uncivilised and cultureless. He liked to maintain company with the British people. But his wife Lachmi was typically Indian and had having all the mannerisms of an ordinary Indian village woman. She was a follower of Indian culture and customs. As an uneducated lady she did'nt know anything about the culture and customs of the British people. In the railway station Sir Mohan Lal was sitting in the waiting room of the 1'st class compartment and Lachmi was in the platform. Both were waiting for the train to come. As Lachmi was uncultured Mohan Lal was not ready to keep her with him. In their house also we can see this separation. Mohan Lal stayed at the down stairs and Lachmi was on the upstairs. Mohan Lal didn't like her relatives and they were not allowed to come to their house. Sir Mohan Lal visited the upper floor once in a while and this visit didn't give her a child. Khushvanth Singh gives many instances, like their conversations with the bearer and the coolie, which show the differences in their behaviour.

When the train came Lachmi got in and sat near to the window. The arrival of the train didn't make any changes in Sir Mohan Lal. He didn't show any eagerness or over enthusiasm to get in to the train even if he had intense ambitions to meet and maintain company with the British people. He did everything like a cultured English man. He was very confident in his English. His five years abroad had given his English the quality of oxford English. Apart from his language he had lot of other things in his hand to catch the attention of the British people. He had a copy of the times with him. In the train he can attract them by showing it with an expression 'I have finished it'. If the news paper fails he had other things with him like the Balliol tie, scotch, cigarette case etc...He loved his glorious five years abroad most than the wretched forty years he spent in India. Sir Mohan Lal also got in to the first class compartment and sat at a corner. When he got in, the compartment was empty. Later two drunken heavy loaded soldiers came to that. In fact it was a compartment reserved for the soldiers. They asked sir Mohan to clear off the compartment. For them sir Mohan was just an inferior being, a Negro. Sir Mohan was not ready to go out and he tried to oppose them with his beautiful English. But they were not ready to hear the explanations of sir Mohan. When the train prepared to go they threw out his suitcase and other luggage to the platform. When Mr. Mohan started to shout one of the soldiers gave him a heavy slap. Soon the engine began to move they caught him by his arms and threw him on to the platform. The British soldiers didn't give any consideration to the civilised behaviour of Sir Mohan Lal. Rather they humiliated him in the most malicious manner. Without knowing all these misfortunes that happened to her husband Lachmi continued her journey.

Answer 2

I don't know tell khushwant singh he will help you. so GTFO

Answer 3

Man Vs. Man and Man Vs. Society