Chapter 1- Munoo, a hill child from Bilaspur, is happy in his picturesque village in spite of the abuse he receives from his uncle and aunt. Together with other lads, he likes to play and graze cattle on the Beas River. Among Munoo’s pals are Bishan, Bishambar, and Jay Singh, the son of the local owner. Munoo’s peon uncle at Imperial Bank wants to take him to town so he can make money. Jai Singh makes fun of him when his aunt calls for him. Munoo purposefully gives them both no attention. Munoo’s buddies Bishan and Bishambar are in competition for village leadership, which causes friction.
Munoo is made to go to town with his uncle, where he is supposed to be employed as a servant in Babu Nathu Ram’s residence. He wants to travel to a different place after clearing his examinations since he finds machinery fascinating. Munoo resolves to go right away after hearing his aunt’s call while grazing his cattle. Reluctant to ignore it, he gathers his livestock and departs his hut to get ready for his trip to town. His activities show that he is interested in machines and that he wants to visit the city.
Chapter 2 – Little Munoo from Bilaspur is brought to Sham Nagar by his uncle Daya Ram, where he meets Bibiji, his uncle’s wife. Daya Ram is afraid of being late for his office, so he won’t allow him sleep even if his feet and eyes are fatigued. Munoo sees and experiences a variety of things on the road, including tongas, carriages, bamboo carts, black-bodied phat parties, and a train hauling brown buildings behind it. His uncle informs him that they only have money to meet their necessities, despite his curiosity about the animals and the fields they graze and till.
Daya Ram’s nephew Babu Nathoo Ram is introduced to Munoo. Bibiji, a dark-faced woman, is Babu’s frequent abuser and mistress. Babu lives in a suburban area of the city at the end of a long lane. Munoo is forced to work on his first day of arrival and sleeps without eating. He gets embarrassed in the morning for using the outdoor restroom in the kitchen because there isn’t one. Babu lives in the house with his wife, kids, and younger brother, Doctor Prem Babu, also referred to as Chota Babu.
Munoo is a domestic worker who cleans utensils and gets water from the public tap in Babu Nathoo Ram’s home. He receives harsh criticism from Bibiji, who reprimands and finds fault with him. Despite her ignorance of hygiene standards, she imparts the message of cleanliness. Munoo becomes enraged and reminds Babu of his place in the house when she goes with him and speaks to him. Munoo is happy to see Chota Babu playing the record and phonograph, though.
Munoo is restless and longs for the village’s carefree way of life. However, he is enthralled with the Babus’ attire and footwear and longs to wear them someday. W.P. England has been urged by Babu Nathoo Ram to visit his house, but the walk there is challenging because of the congested houses and small streets. The tea gathering turns into a disaster when Mr. England declares that the heat makes him incapable of accepting any pakoras, sticky Indian sweets, or English-made pastries. When Munoo is told to carry in the tea tray, it breaks apart as it falls out of his hands.
Bibiji gives Munoo a smack when the guest leaves, and if Chota Babu hadn’t stepped in, she would have battered him severely. One day, Munoo says he wants to leave the house without eating and go get some homemade rice and dal from his uncle. When he gets to his uncle’s house, he is chastised for smashing the tea set. His uncle brutally beats Munoo and refuses to give him the money he asks for.
Varma and Lenu are two other slaves who Munoo meets while working at Babu Nathoo Ram’s home. Varma, a judge’s servant, teases the hill lad and cracks jokes about his mistress. One day, Varma, who has been controlling the pump for a while, forbids Munoo from filling his pitcher. With great courage, Munoo fights back, but one of his opponents strikes him fatally in the face with a large wooden stick, leaving a wound that bleeds.He receives better care from Doctor Prem Babu and is placed to rest in a kitchen corner.Munoo has another setback when Sheila and her friends practice dancing, just after she has recovered from the fever. He bursts into the space, showing the hard reality of city life as he does his monkey dance.
He is not allowed to play with the kids, according to Sheila. When Sheila pulls Munoo’s ear too much, he bites her. When Bibiji and Babuji step in, Babuji viciously kicks and beats Munoo. Munoo flees when left alone and eventually makes it to the train godown. Through a window, he leaps inside a train vehicle and hides behind a seat in a crowded but empty compartment. The train departs Sham Nagar and transports Munoo to an unidentified location. It draws attention to the terrible conditions that impoverished youngsters in urban areas endure while working for wealthy households.
Chapter 3- Munoo encounters Seth Prabha Dayal, who owns a pickle plant in the city, and finds out about his trip to Daulatpur. His co-partner Ganpat, who is childless and wants to adopt him as his son, is with him. Munoo receives a hearty welcome and a delectable lunch from Prabha’s wife. His job is to work in the factory and distribute merchandise to different stores around the city.
In contrast to Sham Nagar, Munoo believes Daulatpur to be a fascinating place. He remembers that he read about Daulatpur in one of his schoolbooks and that he read about it in one of his books. Munoo is promised essences by Prabha Dayal in the future.
Rai Bahadur Sir Todar Mals are the next door neighbors of Prabha Dayal. The ovens in the factory emit foul smells, which cause nuisance to his neighbors. Rai Bahadur’s wife shouts abusive language to the factory owner for the nuisance the smoke causes her. Ganpat no longer bears her and answers her rudely. The Rai Bahadur’s son, Sub-Inspector in the British Raj, beats Ganpat and causes him to fall into the gutter. Prabha Dayal apologizes and sends her a gift of pickle and jam.
Munoo becomes ill after consuming unripe mangoes that were delivered to the facility to be pickled. He receives a slap from Ganpat, but Munoo’s wife looks after him nicely. Munoo receives modest work treatment following his recuperation.
After a protracted absence, Ganpat returns to the factory to collect unpaid dealer dues; however, during that time, Prabha Dayal borrows money from Lady Todar Mal. When Ganpat returns, he acts strangely and beats Munoo brutally when he sees him handing Lady Todar Mal a jar of jam. Additionally, he acknowledges that he has only received fifty rupees from collections despite having received eight hundred, which he used to pay for a courtesan. When it comes to money, Prabha advises him to be trustworthy, but Ganpat mistreats and hits Munoo.
Following the dissolution of the partnership, Ganpat propagates the rumor that Prabha Dayal has gone bankrupt. Lady Todar Mal’s son is promoted to Police Sub-Inspector after she begs him to give back her five hundred rupees right away. He is taken into custody and humiliatedly taken to the police station.
After being completely destroyed, Prabha Dayal returns to Kangra to work as a coolie after losing his factory. Munoo and Tulsi attempt to make some money to help their master while their mistress tends to his illness. In the grain market, they face fierce rivalry, and Munoo finds it difficult to stay ahead. He is cursed by the Lallas and struggles to lift large sacks while working as a coolie. He makes little money working at a vegetable market.
Munoo gets drawn in one day by the sound of a drum beating, which announces the Tara Bai circus and its amazing performances. He befriends an elephant driver, who gives him odd jobs and shows him the show. The elephant-driver takes Munoo to Bombay, a megacity.
Summary of Anand Coolie Chapter 4-5
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