Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Absurdity and Chaos
Nature vs. Modernity
Traditions, Customs, and Expectations
Exploitation of Spirituality
Summary
Analysis
Almost immediately after realizing the sudden attention his son is receiving, Mr. Chawla is struck with an exciting idea. If Sampath is considered a holy man, it’s entirely possible to make a fortune off of him. Mr. Chawla recalls how many gurus and holy men are actually rich beyond measure despite their humble appearance, and his thoughts run wild with all the possibilities of turning a profit from this strange set of circumstances. Surprising and delighting Kulfi and Ammaji, who have already begun to treat the guava orchard as a second home, Mr. Chawla ceases his attempts to bring Sampath down from the tree. On the contrary, he resolves that the family should stay at the tree’s base indefinitely as he puts his new plans in motion.
This moment of realization is a major turning point for Mr. Chawla. Just a day before, he’d considered Sampath’s behavior to be unacceptable. But now that he realizes he could turn a profit from his son’s situation, he completely switches tracks and embraces Sampath’s new way of life. With this decision made, Mr. Chawla introduces the novel’s ongoing theme of the exploitation of spirituality. Where others see something sacred and spiritual, Mr. Chawla only sees the potential monetary value he could reap from the situation.
Themes
Soon enough, Sampath’s family begins to develop elaborate plans and systems for taking good care of Sampath without his ever needing to descend from his new home in the tree. They arrange a comfortable cot for him to sit upon up in the branches, and provide him with a cozy woolen hat to keep him warm at night and a large umbrella for a screen of privacy. After some trial and error, they begin to regularly raise crates of food and buckets of hot bath-water up into the branches by way of a makeshift pulley system. Before long, Sampath is living more comfortably than ever in his guava tree. He can hardly believe how luckily things have turned out, and how many reverent pilgrims now come to see him on a daily basis.
Once again, the imagery of the situation heightens the absurd comedy of the novel. As Sampath’s family goes to great lengths to keep him clean and well-fed up in his tree, they embrace how ridiculous their lives have become—with Mr. Chawla’s blessing. Although Sampath enjoys this turn of events, the presence of the guava fruit in his tree serves as a reminder of the natural simplicity he yearned to escape to. The new pulley system might just be the first in a series of modern developments that complicate that precious simplicity.
Themes
Two of Sampath’s visitors turn out to be his former coworkers, Mr. Gupta and Miss Jyotsna. They remark on how much happier and more peaceful Sampath seems to be nowadays, and Mr. Gupta jokes that Sampath should have taken him with him up into the tree, to give him a break from Miss Jyotsna. Sampath jokes in return, saying that Mr. Gupta should take her to the shops when he wants a break from her. But then Sampath remembers the receipts he had found in Miss Jyotsna’s purse some time ago at the post office, and adds that maybe she shouldn’t be taken back to the shops, as she already owes 152 rupees and 80 paisa. Miss Jyotsna is amazed by this personal detail that Sampath knows, and she begins to regard him much more reverently.
This exchange between Sampath and Miss Jyotsna is another example of how spiritual matters can be exploited for personal gain. Even though Sampath is just having a bit of fun and isn’t trying to swindle his former coworker, Sampath is nonetheless taking advantage of her gullibility. Whether he means to or not, Sampath is emotionally manipulating Miss Jyotsna and his other followers into an almost cult-like religion.
Themes
Sampath continues giving “sermons” to his visitors. One by one, they approach his tree and ask him questions concerning various matters, both mundane and spiritual. In every case, Sampath smiles and offers vague aphorisms that he invents on the spot, but which nonetheless sound mystical and wise to his devotees. Mr. Chawla and Pinky shake their heads in disbelief when they overhear some of the absurd sayings and metaphors Sampath uses to impress the growing crowds. But Sampath is content to persist in sharing his “unfathomable wisdom” with everyone gathered about his tree, as they’re all impressed by his words. To Sampath, it’s all in good fun.
The further Sampath takes his joke, the closer he grows to regaining the responsibility he fled from in the first place. As his followers come to see him as a holy man, they’ll expect more and more from him. But at the moment, Sampath is content to relish the joyful absurdity of his new position. At the same time, Mr. Chawla and Pinky easily see through his ruse, but are still happy to exploit Sampath’s reverent new followers for personal gain.
Themes
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Meanwhile, Kulfi has begun cooking Sampath’s meals every day. Back in Shahkot, she hadn’t cooked except when a rush of mad inspiration overtook her, as her world back in town had felt so small. But now, out in the open air of the orchard, Kulfi feels that her culinary obsessions can finally be satisfied. She’s free to explore the wilderness and forage for all the exotic ingredients she needs to create unusual and fantastic dishes to her heart’s content. She only cooks for Sampath, and she retains her connection to him above everyone else in the family. While the others might as well be strangers, she understands Sampath on a deeper level and remembers the miraculous day he was born every time she sees him up in his tree. Kulfi’s cooking and Sampath’s new way of life make him look plumper, happier, and more at peace than ever.
Kulfi’s new sense of happiness reveals that Sampath’s freedom is her freedom as well. At long last, she can satisfy the wild cravings that have haunted her since the beginning of the novel. This is entirely due to the fact that she and Sampath can now live in a natural, wide-open space, unrestrained by modern complications and claustrophobic environments. At least for the time being, it seems that this escape to nature is worthwhile. Kulfi and Sampath have always understood each other like no one else in the family, so it follows that they both share this new feeling of perfect contentment.
Themes
