Taatayya (My Grandpa), translated by Ranga Rao

 

Taatayya (My Grandpa), translated by Ranga Rao

The short story Taatayya (My Grandpa), translated by Ranga Rao, provides a vivid portrayal of Brahminical traditions and caste hierarchy in an Indian village through the eyes of a young narrator. The story revolves around the protagonist’s relationship with his strict, orthodox grandfather, or "Taatayya", a devout Brahmin who upholds the rigid rituals and customs of his caste. Taatayya embodies the traditional ideals of purity, avoiding interaction with lower castes and following strict dietary and religious rules.

 

The narrator contrasts Taatayya’s adherence to these customs with his father's more modern and relaxed approach, symbolizing the tension between tradition and modernity. Despite Taatayya’s harsh judgments about caste and purity, he is loved and respected by his family and the community. His eventual death is a significant moment, evoking the inevitability of change, as his passing symbolizes the fading of old customs and values in the face of a rapidly changing world.

 

Through this story, the author explores the complexity of caste, tradition, and family relationships, capturing the innocence of the narrator who grows up amidst these entrenched societal norms, while also hinting at the gradual erosion of these boundaries in a modernizing India.

Relationship between the narrator’s father and Taatayya symbolic of the tension between tradition and modernity

The narrator’s father represents modernity, while Taatayya embodies traditional values and orthodoxy. The father, although still a Brahmin, deviates from traditional norms by growing a mustache, wearing pressed clothes, and not following the rigid purity rituals Taatayya adheres to, such as applying sacred ash to his forehead or tucking up the pleated end of his dhoti. The father also knows English, which Taatayya does not, further symbolizing his connection to modern education and global influences. This tension between father and Taatayya represents the broader conflict between old customs and new ways of life in a rapidly changing society. Despite this, both father and Taatayya coexist within the same family, highlighting the gradual, yet inevitable, shift from orthodoxy to more relaxed social customs as India moves toward modernization.

Death is portrayed as a natural, yet profound event in the story, deeply intertwined with religious and cultural rituals. When Taatayya dies, there are strict rites performed, including chanting mantras and offering tulasi water, which reflects the Brahminical belief in the sanctity of death and the afterlife. However, despite being a pure Brahmin, Taatayya is still said to go to hell, as even the most righteous people accumulate some sins. This reflects the cultural belief that no one can escape punishment in the afterlife, no matter how pure they may seem in life. The fear of hell and Yama’s judgment is highlighted through the narrator’s fear of Yama’s men and the tortures awaiting sinners. The portrayal of death also underscores the inevitability of change, as Taatayya’s passing symbolizes the fading of traditional values in a modernizing world. The contrast between Taatayya’s death and Naayanamma’s (who believes an airplane has come to take her away) further illustrates how each generation grapples differently with the concept of death.