A Pair of Mustachios | Class 11 English Notes
By ConceptScroll Team · Published on 17 July 2026 · 4 min read
A Pair of Mustachios – this guide gives you a concise, exam-ready overview of A Pair of Mustachios from Class 11 English, written by ConceptScroll editors and reviewed against the latest NCERT textbook.
Conflict Over Mustachio Styles in the Village
The narrative shifts to a specific incident in the author's village involving Seth Ramanand, a grocer and moneylender, and Khan Azam Khan, a proud descendant of Afghan nobility. Ramanand, who has prospered by buying wheat crops cheaply from peasants and selling them at higher prices, decides to twist the tips of his goat moustache upwards so that it nearly resembles the tiger moustache. This act is significant because the goat moustache is traditionally associated with the nouveau riche and shopkeepers, while the tiger moustache is a symbol of noble lineage and feudal pride. Most villagers do not object to Ramanand's altered moustache because many peasants are indebted to him and because the resemblance is not exact. However, Khan Azam Khan, who lives in a dilapidated Mughal-style house and claims descent from Afghan nobility, takes offense. Despite his poverty, Khan Azam Khan maintains pride in his ancestry and the tiger moustache as a symbol of his family's past glory. He confronts Ramanand, accusing him of imitating the noble tiger moustache and demanding that he revert to the proper goat style with the tips turned down. This confrontation highlights the social tensions and pride associated with mustachio styles, reflecting broader issues of class, identity, and respect in the village. Khan Azam Khan's pride contrasts with Ramanand's pragmatic business acumen, setting the stage for a power struggle over symbolic social status.
📊 Diagram: See figure_1: 'If that is all the trouble, here you are', said Ramanand, brushing one end of his moustache with his oily hand so that it dropped like a dead fly. 'Come, show me the trinkets. How much do you want for them?'
🧪 Activity: Students can role-play the confrontation between Ramanand and Khan Azam Khan to understand social dynamics.
🔗 Connection: This conflict leads to negotiations and power play between the two characters over the mustachio styles and collateral items.
Frequently asked questions
1. What do you understand of the natures of Ramanand and Azam Khan from the episode described? 2. Identify instances in the story that show the business acumen of Ramanand. 3. Both Ramanand and Azam Khan seem to have very fixed views. How does Ramanand score over Azam Khan towards the end of the story?
1. Ramanand is shrewd, practical, and clever in business dealings. He uses wit and negotiation skills to outsmart Azam Khan. Azam Khan is proud, stubborn, and concerned about his image and honour, especially about his moustache, which symbolizes his status.
2. Ramanand shows business acumen by cleverly bargaining with Azam Khan, making him pawn his possessions, and ensuring a legal deed is drawn up with witnesses to secure the deal. He also uses psychological tactics by agreeing to keep his mou
1. The episode has been narrated in a light vein. What social mores does the author seem to ridicule? 2. What do you think are the reasons for the references made to the English people and the British monarchy? 3. What do you think is the message that the author seems to convey through the story?
1. The author ridicules social pretensions, pride in superficial symbols like moustaches, and the stubbornness of people clinging to outdated notions of honour and status.
2. The references to the English people and British monarchy highlight the colonial context and the influence of British rule on Indian society, possibly mocking the blind admiration or mimicry of British customs.
3. The message conveys the futility of pride based on external symbols and the importance of practical wisdom ov
1. Comment on the way in which the theme of the story has been introduced. 2. How does the insertion of dialogue in the story contribute to its interest?
1. The theme is introduced through a humorous and engaging episode involving the moustaches, symbolizing pride and social status. The narrative sets the tone for satire and social critique.
2. The dialogues make the characters lively and realistic, add humour, and help in developing the plot and conflict effectively. They also reveal character traits and social attitudes vividly.
1. Nouveau riche and bourgeoise are French words. Collect from newspapers, magazines and other sources some more French words or expressions that are commonly used in English. 2. Locate expressions in the text which reflect the Indian idiom, for example, the pride of the generations of his ancestors. 3. We ‘draw up a deed’. Complete the following phrases with appropriate words a. …………… one’s word b. …………… one’s will c. …………… ends meet d. …………… a loan e. …………… a deaf ear to
1. Examples of French words commonly used in English include: déjà vu, fiancé, faux pas, rendezvous, bon voyage, à la carte, coup d'état, etc.
2. Expressions reflecting Indian idiom from the text include: 'the pride of the generations of his ancestors', 'lentil-eating moneylender', 'keeping the moustache in the goat style', etc.
3. Completed phrases: a. keep one’s word b. make one’s will c. make ends meet d. take a loan e. turn a deaf ear to
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