By englishedition 
Read here the complete summary of An Astrologer’s Day written by R. K. Narayan in elegant style. Know about the style of writing in simple summary of the story including the characters, background and style.
Summary
The story opens with a detailed description of the astrologer’s appearance. He has an attractive getup with his forehead smearing with sacred ash and vermilion, dark whiskers, sparkling eyes and a saffron coloured turban around his head. His entire attire makes him appear like a true divine prophetic man though he knows scarcely anything about the astrology. For his work, he depends completely on his own wits, power of observation and his understanding of human behaviour.
Daily Life
Everyday he starts his business at midday under a tamarind tree which is close to a public place, the Town Hall Park. The narrow road is always overcrowded with people and passers-by who are attracted by various vendors. The place doesn’t have the benefit of municipal lighting. Rather the place is lit up by shop lights creating a bewildering ambience at night befitting to the astrologer of his own, so he has to depend on lights coming from neighbouring shops.
Meeting with Stranger
One night when the astrologer is ready to pack up his daily business he confronts a stranger. Sensing him as possible customer and guessing the man’s puzzling condition the astrologer invites him to sit and have a chat with him. The stranger questions his ability and challenges him to predict something worthwhile about him. Finally a negotiation is done after a little argument between them. The astrologer is about to start his prophecy.
Surprised invention
Suddenly he shudders noticing a glimpse of stranger’s face in match light. He feels uncomfortable and refuses to predict anything. After receiving threats from the stranger finally he agrees to speak for a rupee. He begins to reveal the stranger’s past that he was stabbed through the chest and left for dead there. Being excited the stranger queries about his culprit. Instantly the astrologer replies that he died in a road accident. The astrologer also addresses him by his name Guru Nayak and advises him to return to his own village and never travel in this direction again. Convinced and satisfied by astrologer’s prophecies Nayak leaves the place after giving him a handful of coins.
Astroger and his Wife
When the astrologer returns home to his waiting wife she is elated to see his day’s earning. Seeing his husband worried, she asks him the reason. At that very night he discloses the truth for which he was compelled to escape from his village. He confesses that one day in his youth in a drunken brawl he stabbed a man and left him for dead. So he thought himself to be a murderer but today he comes to know that the man is alive.
Peaceful Relief
The burden from his heart has been removed. He goes for a peaceful sleep. Ironic twist comes in the end of the story, when the readers realise that astrologer was that very man whom Guru Nayak had been searching for. But when he finally encounters him he can’t recognise the culprit. On the other hand the astrologer has lived his life with a guilt of crime which he had not committed.