Auspicious Occasion by Rohinton Mistry, an in-depth summary

The title of the story ‘Auspicious Occasion’ signifies a very special day that was meant to be favorable and propitious as it held special meaning and fond memories for the main characters. They felt that nothing could ever go wrong on this day as it had religious significance too. The special day was Behram Roje which is the New Year for the Parsi community. However: this distinct day is tarnished by unexpected events that turn out ironically against their wonderful expectations.The two main characters of the story are husband and wife who, though live in harmony yet, are contrasting in physical appearance and attitudes.

The husband Rustomji is quite aged, chaotic in appearance, and chauvinistic and lewd in his language and attitudes as compared to his wife Mehroo who is much younger than him and is pretty, calm, and organized in her approach towards people and life in general. She is sentimental and reveres old traditions and beliefs.The events of the story as it unfolds are significant in bringing to the forefront the many vulnerable beliefs from which the meaning of life is constructed.

The setting of the story is a decaying home and a monotonous environment created by the inflexibility of Rustomji’s expectations of people and life as well as by the traditional submissive attitude of a younger Indian wife. The setting and environment also reflect the superficiality of clinging to old, decaying beliefs and customs.

Summary

The auspicious day begins for Rustomji in the most inauspicious way with the roof leaking soiled droplets over his head while he is sitting on the toilet. As a consequence, his bowel routine is disturbed which agitates him so much that he jumps out and lets out his rage on the building control officials, his wife, and neighbors.

Due to the mess, he has to bathe all over again to get ready to go to the Fire Temple for the special proceedings of the day. Things also do not turn out well for his wife as she has to deal with the leaking roof problem. The maid comes late for work, so Mehroo cannot decorate the entrance of their home properly as she usually likes to do on Behram Roje. She somehow manages to get ready in time to reach the fire temple for the religious ceremony and prayers of the day but discovers that a most terrible thing has happened over there. The old Dustoor Dhunjisha has been murdered the night before by a junior employee of the temple, so all events of the day are canceled.

Meanwhile, Rustomji gets ready for the Fire temple but on the way meets with a most uncalled-for accident. When he gets off the bus someone spits paan juice on his white clothes. This greatly angers him and he lets out a string of obscenities at the person who committed this unholy act. This angers the crowd and Rustomji barely escapes them on the pretext of his old age. He reaches home with a chaotic state of mind with the entire day completely ruined.

Mehroo too is greatly agitated and when she gets back home she sees Rustomji’s paan-stained clothes and learns of the accident he had on the way to the Fire Temple. She makes tea to diminish the distress they both feel at the turning of the events of the ‘Auspicious Day’. The unexpected ending of the story reflects the reality of life and an end to sentimental values and beliefs.

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