The astrologer in Narayan's story plies his trade in a street where there are many different trades and occupations. As well as medicine-sellers and vendors of stolen items and junk, there are magicians and an auctioneer of cheap cloth.

All of these traders are incredibly vocal, shouting loudly about their wares before the large crowds who gather here to shop each day. But none is more vocal than the vendor of fried groundnuts, who draws in customers by giving his products a fancy new name each day. One day, they're called Bombay Ice Cream; the next, they're given the name Delhi Almond. The following day, the groundnuts are rechristened as Raja's Delicacy.

The groundnut vendor's simple marketing strategy brings in the crowds. This is not only good for him, but also for the astrologer. That's because a large section of the crowds that come to buy groundnuts hang around in front of the astrologer, giving him a golden opportunity to get some extra business. And, of course, that's precisely what the astrologer wants.

Whatever elaborate claims he may make about the power of astrology to predict the future, he's not doing it out of the goodness of his heart. Just like the groundnut vendor and all the other traders in the street, here's there for one reason and one reason only: to make money.