The Mark of Vishnu and Other Stories

The Mark of Vishnu and Other Stories is a 1950 book written by Khushwant Singh. Its titular story is an integral part of primary school curricula in India.
The book comprises mostly ironic tales about faith and religion, and deals with the author's school days. In the short story "The Mark of Vishnu", he brings out the differences of opinion between the young and the old. Ultimately he drives home the fact that how a man's superstitious beliefs lead to his doom.
Plot summary
Gunga Ram was an old brahmin. He was illiterate and full of superstition. He was most devoted to Lord Vishnu. He would smear his forehead with a V mark in sandalwood paste. On the other hand, the narrator and his brothers went on teasing Gunga Ram for his superstition.
To him all life was sacred, even if it was a serpent or a scorpion or a centipede. Gunga Ram had regard for snakes, in particular the Kala Nag. Every night he would place a saucer of milk near the Kala Nag's hole.
He would be satisfied to see the empty saucer, the next morning. He firmly believed that as long as he gave milk to the Kala Nag, it wouldn't harm anyone in the house. Kala Nag was about 6 feet long.
One day the narrator and his brothers saw the Kala Nag lying in an open patch on the lawn. Armed with long bamboo sticks, the boys surrounded it. It quickly made for the banana groove. But the ground was too muddy and it slithered. A heavy blow caught it and they broke his back. Without damaging his hood, the boys put it in a biscuit tin and tied up with string. Next morning they took it to school.
The science teacher began to untie the string around the box with a hum. As soon as the cord was loosened, the lid flew into the air just missing the teacher's nose. The Kala Nag came out with a loud hiss and went for the teacher's face. He fell on the floor and stared at the cobra, stunned with fear. The boys stood up on their desks and shouted hysterically.
The Kala Nag fell out of the tin and dragged itself painfully towards the door. When Gunga Ram realized that the Kala Nag had been captured, he went to the school with a saucer and the jug of milk. As soon as he saw the Kala Nag, he went down on his knees. He placed the saucer with milk near threshold. He bowed his forehead to the ground and prayed for forgiveness, but the Kala Nag bit Gunga Ram all over the head.
Gunga Ram fell down and groaned in agony. Within a few minutes his body turned pale and blue.
Little drops of blood were found on his forehead. When the teacher wiped Gunga Ram's forehead with his kerchief, he saw the V mark where the Kala Nag had dug his fangs. Thus Gunga Ram fell a prey to his superstition.

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