a. To give one’s word

b. Carry out one’s will

c. To make ends meet

d. To owe a loan

e. Give a deaf ear to

1. Oily lentil eaters
2. To become a mere worm
3. Seed of a donkey

Café, cliché, par excellence, vis-à-vis, à la carte, genre, laissez-faire, Répondez s’il vous plait (RSVP)

Author sets this story in British times. At that time British were considered Sahebs by common people of India. Indians were so proud of their foreign rulers instead of their own rich and glorious history. Indians used to imitate them to look elite. The author comments on such people that it is not necessary to copy European style of dressing as it is expensive. The same has pushed even the Europeans towards bankruptcy. He adds a nationalist flavor to the story by saying, “With them clothes make a man but, to us, mustachios make the man’.

Author is ridicules people who live in excessive vanity. People who readily lose their possessions to feed their vain glories are ridiculous. Such people talk about their royal blood and lineage even though they are surviving with bare minimum resources.

Ramanand is a clever businessman. When Azam Khan gets angry on his mustachios’ tip going up Ramanand surrenders immediately. He is not timid but he knows how to please his customers to his benefit. Azam khan is angry on noticing the upward tips of Ramanand’s mustachios. Ramanand moves it down to please Azam when he pawns his wife’s ornaments to lend money from him. After the deal he again moves the tip up. This way he provokes Azam khan to sell all his valuables to him including his house.

Author seems to be clearly giving two messages through the story. First is that people should live in their present and not in past. Riches of the past do not pay the bills of your present. Nor do they guarantee your happiness in future. Second message is that one should be able to control his emotions so that no one should take advantage of them. In the story Ramanand takes advantage of Azam’s feelings of pride and anger so cleverly that Azam Khan loses all his possessions.

Ramanand belongs to the lentil eater goat class. Azam Khan belongs to the tiger class. Ramanand wants to keep the tips of his mustachios up. Azam Khan thinks that the right to keep such upward tipped mustachios is only his privilege. He is agitated on being imitated by Ramanand. Ramanand discards Azam’s claims to descent royals and does not pay heed to Azam’s anger. This way they both are rigid on their views. But in the end of the story Ramanand score over Azam Khan. Azam khan is ready to lose all his possessions just to bring Ramanand’s mustachios’ tips down permanently. Ramanand happily agrees to the deal to bring the tips of his mustachios down against all the goods of Azam Khan. This way he satisfies Azam’s false pride and makes a good business deal.

In the beginning narrator gives some introduction in descriptive manner. Insertion of dialogue contribute to its interest as reader relates more closely with the characters of the story. Dialogue gives us a clear idea about the severity of Azam Khan’s pride and cleverness of Ramanand. Use of Hindi word ‘Achchha’ by the characters adds a local flavor to the story. At the end, the muttering by Ramanand, “My father was a sultan.” declares the victory of smartness over foolish pride.

The introduction of the story is so absurd, and reader gets no idea that what the story is about. In the introduction narrator gives a long description about various types of mustachios and their significance. He states that a particular type of mustachio is not a choice but a status symbol. Different styles of mustachios are associated with different status of people. Later, when the story develops reader is able to relate the importance of the styles of mustachios described earlier. The story is about two villagers Azam and Ramanand. Ramanand moves the tips of his mustachios upwards. Azam is not happy about it as he thinks that royals like him only can wear that kind of mustachios. At the end Azam Khan sells all his possessions to make Ramanad keep the tips of his mustachios down.

Ramanand is a grocer and a money lender. He is sharp and cunning. He believes in the principal that customer is always right. He has a servile nature which is suitable for his business of money lending and selling groceries. He seems to be submissive in his behavior but in real he is not submissive at all. He always keeps his business in mind. He keeps his pride secondary over his business and never argues with his customers.

Azam khan lives in the world of false pride. He claims to be the descendent of an ancient Afghan noble family whose heads were councilors in the court of the Moghul emperors. though he does not possess any riches now. People mock at his claims. He is short tempered and threatens to kill Ramanand on noticing him keeping a tiger mustachio like his own. He is impractical and naive as he sells everything to Ramanand just to bring Ramanand’s mustachios down.