H
I
SHIVAJI UNIVERSITY, KOLHAPUR
CENTRE FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION
English for Communication
(Compulsory English)
For
B. A. Part-II
(Semester-III & IV)
K
(Academic Year 2014-15 onwards)
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Copyright ©
Registrar,
Shivaji University,
Kolhapur. (Maharashtra)
First Edition 2014
Prescribed for B. A. Part-II
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced in any form by mimeography
or any other means without permission in writing from the Shivaji University, Kolhapur
(MS)
Copies : 10,000
Published by:
Dr. D. V. Muley
Registrar,
Shivaji University,
Kolhapur-416 004.
Printed by :
Shri. B. P. Patil
Superintendent,
Shivaji University Press,
Kolhapur-416 004
ISBN- 978-81-8486-544-8
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Further information about the Centre for Distance Education & Shivaji University may be
obtained from the University Office at Vidyanagar, Kolhapur-416 004, India.
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This material has been produced out of the Developmental Grant from UGC, Distance
Education Bureau, New Delhi.
(ii)
Centre for Distance Education
Shivaji University, Kolhapur
n ADVISORY COMMITTEE n
Prof. (Dr.) N. J. Pawar
Vice-Chancellor,
Shivaji University, Kolhapur
Dr. J. S. Patil
Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences,
Shivaji University, Kolhapur
Prof. P. Prakash
Hon'ble Vice-Chancellor,
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University,
Hyderabad.
Dr. C. J. Khilare
Dean, Faculty of Science,
Shivaji University, Kolhapur
Prof. (Dr.) K. S. Rangappa
Hon. Vice-Chancellor,
University of Mysore
Prof. (Dr.) R. Krishna Kumar
Hon. Vice-Chancellor,
Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra
Open University, Dnyangangotri,
Near Gangapur Dam, Nasik
Dr. R. G. Phadatare
Dean, Faculty of Commerce,
Shivaji University, Kolhapur
Prof. (Dr.) A. B. Rajage
Director, B.C.U.D.,
Shivaji University, Kolhapur
Prof. (Dr.) D. V. Muley
Registrar,
Shivaji University, Kolhapur
Prin. (Dr.) A. S. Bhoite
Pro-Vice-Chancellor,
Shivaji University, Kolhapur
Shri. M. A. Kakade
Controller of Examinations,
Shivaji University, Kolhapur
Prof. (Dr.) Cima Yeole
Git Govind, Flat No. 2,
1139 Sykes Extension,
Kolhapur-416001
Shri. V. T. Patil,
Finance and Accounts Officer,
Shivaji University, Kolhapur
Prof. (Dr.) A. R. Bhosale
(Member Secretary)
Dr. A. P. Gavali
Director, Centre for Distance Education,
Dean, Faculty of Arts and Fine Arts,
Shivaji University, Kolhapur.
Shivaji University, Kolhapur
n B. O. S. MEMBERS OF ENGLISH n
Chairman- Dr. S. B. Bhambar
Assitant Professor and Head, Dept. of English, Arts & Commerce College, Nesari
l
Prof. (Dr.) P. A. Attar
l
Professor and Head, Dept. of English,
Shivaji University, Kolhapur
l
l
Associate Professor and Head
Dept. of English,
Shivraj College of Arts, Commerce &
Science, Gadhinglaj
Dr. S. R. Ghatge
Associate Professor and Head
Vivekanand College, Kolhapur
l
Dr. S. I. Noorani
Dr. P. M. Patil
Dr. S. R. Sawant
Associate Professor,
Dept. of English,
Kisan Veer Mahavidyalaya, Wai
Associate Professor and Head
Smt. Meenalben Mehta College, Panchgani
l
Dr. N. R. Sawant
l
Assitant Professor and Head,
Dept. of English, Arts, Commerce &
Science College, Palus
Dr. R. P. Lokhande
I/c Principal,
Yashwantrao Chavan Mahavidyalaya,
Pachwad
(iii)
Centre for Distance Education
Shivaji University,
Kolhapur.
English for Communication
Writing Team
Sem. I
Units
Sem. II
Units
Dr. Sunil R. Sawant
Kisan Veer Mahavidyalaya, Wai
1
9
Smt. Sarita Mane-Bobade
Mudhoji College, Phaltan
2
10
Dr. G. V. Jadhav
Sharadchandra Pawar Mahavidyalaya, Lonand
3
11
Mr. V. B. Kulkarni
Arts & Commerce College, Nagthane
4
12
Dr. Neeta Dhumal
Kamala College, Kolhapur
5
16
Mr. P. V. Satpute
Arts & Commerce College, Satara
6
13
Dr. P. B. Patil
Shri Shiv-Shahu Mahavidyalaya, Sarud
7
15
Dr. P. A. Patil
Miraj Mahavidyalaya, Miraj
8
14
Writers Name
n
Editors n
Dr. Sunil R. Sawant
Associate Professor
Dept. of English
Kisan Veer Mahavidyalaya, Wai
Shri. Y. S. Kalamkar
Former Head
Dept. of English
Kisan Veer Mahavidyalaya, Wai
Dr. S. B. Bhambar
Assitant Professor and Head
Dept. of English
Arts & Commerce College, Nesari
(iv)
Introduction
Dear Students,
This Self Instructional Material (SIM) for Compulsory English at B. A. Part-II is prepared
for you as distance learners. It is designed specially for you taking into consideration that there
is no teacher to explain any of your difficulties. It helps you to understand the lesson. It provides
answers to the Check Your Progress exercises in the end to enable you to correct your own
responses to the exercises.
There are sixteen units in this book, which are divided into two parts, one for each
semester. Each part contains three units of Communication Skills and five units of the skill for
Reading Comprehension.
The units on Communication Skills are designed to teach you the use of English for
practical purposes, These units help you to use English for writing notices, expressing your
opinions/beliefs, etc. interpreting data, writing summary, writing reviews, etc. The units on
Communication Skills are designed to teach you English for your future career. Similarly, the
units on Reading Comprehension introduce modern English Prose and Poetry to increase your
vocabulary and make you understand how English is used for creative writing.
This book is, thus, carefully designed to enable you to use English effectively in your future
career.
We wish you great success in your career and hope that you will take full advantage of
this book in English.
- Editorial Board
(v)
CONTENTS
English For Communication
Semester–III
Section I : Communication Skills
Unit 1
Expressing Likes/Dislikes/Beliefs/Opinions
1
Unit 2
Drafting Formal Notices
10
Unit 3
Interpreting Data
21
Section II : Reading Comprehension
Unit 4
The Storeyed House, by Waman Hoval
32
Unit 5
The Unity of India, by Amartya Sen
50
Unit 6
I am not that woman, by Kishwar Naheed
62
Unit 7
The Conjurer's Revenge, by Stephen Leacock
68
Unit 8
On Killing a Tree, by Gieve Patel
78
Semester–IV
Section I : Communication Skills
Unit 9
Writing Review of a Film/a Play
86
Unit 10 Summary Writing
98
Unit 11 Organizing Written Composition
106
Section II: Reading Comprehension
Unit 12 On the River Bank, by S. K. Pottekkat
117
Unit 13 Krishnakali, by Rabindranath Tagore
131
Unit 14 Milkha Singh : The Flying Sikh, by Sonia Sanwalka
137
Unit 15 An Old Woman, by Arun Kolatkar
156
Unit 16 Time to Ignite the Minds of the People, by APJ Abdul Kalam
163
(vii)
Each Unit begins with the section Objectives Objectives are directive and indicative of :
1. What has been presented in the Unit and
2. What is expected from you
3. What you are expected to know pertaining to the specific Unit
once you have completed working on the Unit.
The self check exercises with possible answers will help you to
understand the Unit in the right perspective. Go through the possible
answer only after you write your answers. These exercises are not
to be submitted to us for evaluation. They have been provided to
you as Study Tools to help keep you on the right track as you study the
Unit.
(viii)
Unit-1
Expressing Likes/Dislikes/Beliefs/Opinions
Index
1.0 Objectives
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Content
1.2.1 Expressing Likes and Dislikes
Check Your Progress I
1.2.2 Expressing Beliefs and Opinions
Check Your Progress II
1.3 Summary
1.4 Answers to Check Your Progress
1.5 Exercises
1.0 Objectives:
After working with this unit you will be able to:
• use English for expressing your likes/choices
• express in English your likes/disapprovals
• state your beliefs and opinions in English
• learn a variety of expressions, favourable as well as unfavourable
• use a variety of descriptive expressions for people/things/places.
1.1 Introduction:
We use language as a means of communication in speaking and writing, and
through reading as well. Our social relations depend upon how we express ourselves.
We can use language to win friends, to form healthy social relationships and, of
course, to express ourselves effectively. In our social communication, we have to
express our likes and dislikes, our beliefs and opinions using language, either in
1
speech or in writing. We do this in our mother tongue. But, here we have to learn
how we should do it efficiently making use of English for our day-to-day
communication.
English is a foreign language for us. We, in India, learn English as a second
language in our schools and colleges. We feel the need of using it in our jobs, in the
offices and while visiting other states in our country, because English in our country
is the official language as well as the language for the inter-state communication.
Dear students, in your social life, anywhere in India, you have to use English
effectively in your social as well as official communication. Your success can
depend on how politely, efficiently and firmly you express yourself in these
situations. This unit is the beginning of your social communication. It is supposed to
help you in your contacts in the multilingual social and official set-up.
1.2 Content:
1.2.1 Expressing Your Likes and Dislikes:
In your social communication, you often have an occasion to express your likes
and dislikes about books, movies, places, events and even persons. You ask people
whether they like something or dislike it. You yourself would like to say what you
like or dislike. And sometimes you also say why you like it or dislike it. You, in fact,
express your feelings about things, etc.
Let us first see how in spoken English you express yourself communicating your
likes and dislikes. Read the following short piece:
I like going for a walk early in the morning. I like to walk briskly.
And I don’t like to talk to anyone while taking a walk. You see, walking is
my favourite exercise.
I like cool, early morning breeze, especially in summer season. In
winter I love to put on my long woolen sweatshirt, and cover my head with
a scarf. And after a brisk four kilometer walk, I enjoy two cup of hot tea. I
prefer crisp Britannia biscuits or brown well-baked rusks with my tea. I
Enjoy watching morning news as I sip my tea.
2
Now read what Sheela likes or dislikes:
Sheela does not like to wear saree. She always prefers her salvarkamiz. She does not like gaudy colours. She normally goes for light blue,
cream Yellow and even white and gray. She dislikes to put on trousers and
shirt. Her mother would like her to wear saree on festival days. But she
would go In for Ghagra and Chunery. My friend, Sujata, is exactly
opposite of her She likes to put on tights and short-sleeved blouse.
How do you talk about movies, expressing your likes and dislikes?
:
What kind of movies do you like?
:
I like to watch movies which are full of suspense and adventure.
:
I don’t like horror movies at all. In fact, I prefer to watch TV serials rather than
go for a movie. What about you?
:
Well, I like to watch movies with some social problem or theme. I like to watch
singing competitions on the TV. I prefer to go to cinema hall to watch movies
rather than watch them on TV.
Here are two friends talking about sports :
:
What sports do you like?
:
I like playing cricket and watching cricket matches also.
But I like One-Day matches better than twenty-twenties.
:
I too enjoy one-day cricket matches. But a test match is very boring. Besides,
who has got so much time to spend watching a test match?
One-day matches played abroad in England or Australia are better, because we
can watch them at night.
:
My brother doesn’t like cricket. He is a foot-ball fan. He plays foot-ball at the
local club, but he detests watching a match on TV.
3
Language study:
Note the verbs and expressions used in the passages given above expressing likes and
dislikes.
Likes
:
like, prefer, go for, enjoy, love (to watch, play), would go in for, (my)
favourite (game, etc)
Dislikes :
don’t like, dislike, detest, (is) boring, tiresome, I would rather stay at
Home
While expressing your likes and dislikes, you can use the following favourable
and unfavourable expressions:
Favourable:
1)
nice, fascinating, attractive (about colour or dress), colourful,
2)
Wonderful, expensive, interesting, fabulous, full of suspense, Amusing, useful,
moving (scene or event),
3)
realistic: novel, play or a movie
4)
reasonable (price, quality, charges at a hotel),
5)
grand, cool (place),
6)
warm (clothing, climate),
7)
smashing (to look at, meaning beautiful),
8)
enthusiastic (person),
9)
startling (scene),
10) sportive, cool-headed, inspiring, thought-provoking (play or a movie or a book),
11) grand (celebration, display),
12) challenging (task)
13) worthy (person),
14) valuable (experience or instruction)
4
Unfavourable:
1)
gaudy, unattractive (about clothes),
2)
dirty, odd, boring, cheap (can be both favourable and unfavourable),
uninteresting (movie, or a book),
3)
absurd, outdated (film or a story),
4)
backward, tiresome, dull (to watch), drab, ungainly (figure, dress), ugly, etc.
Favourable expressions suggest whether you like the thing, appreciate it,
approve of it, would go in for (buying it or watching it,), buy it, recommend it, and
so on. On the other hand, the Unfavourable expressions suggest that you dislike the
thing, disapprove it, would not watch/buy it, would not recommend it to any one, etc.
You may find many more such expressions through your reading. Make use of these
in your speech and writing.
Now, here is a task for you. Try to use English as much as possible and use the
expressions given above. Don’t do it as a task, do it for sharpening your skill of
speaking and writing.
Check Your Progress I
Write a small paragraph (4 to 5 lines each) stating your likes or dislikes about
the following: a sports person, a book (a novel or a play), a movie, a place, (a hotel, a
garden,), a person.
1.2.2 Expressing Beliefs and Opinions:
Read the following small pieces:
1
Your beliefs and disbeliefs depend on your personal life, education, your
bringing up and what you read. I don’t believe there are ghosts. But, I am
afraid of entering our old house in the village in the pitch dark of a
moonless night. Even if there is the moon, the moonlight can throw weird
shadows. I feel terrified and I am full of doubts and misgivings. Suppose
there is a ghost? Our mind refuses to obey reason. It is the fear of the
unknown that takes our possession.
2 : What do you think of college elections?
:
In my opinion college elections are a training ground for democracy, but …….
5
:
I too feel there is this ‘but’, about it. It seems to me the past experience of
college elections is responsible for our doubts and anxieties.
:
What I feel is there should be a code of conduct for the candidates.
:
How do you react to the suggestion that candidates for elections should have
sound academic record?
:
Do you think students with sound academic record can also have leadership
qualities or understanding of the problems of students?
These two small passages have a number of underlined expressions, which have
been used to express beliefs and opinions and personal points of view. We express
our views and opinions on a number of things. You come across exchanges like:
1.
2.
3
4
:
It is difficult to say, what will happen in the coming elections. There are so
many players in the field.
:
Yes. You cannot be sure of any one party getting a majority.
:
Do you hope to get this job?
:
I’m not too sure about it. But I believe my resume will impress them.
:
As far as I am concerned, I am going to take up a job after my
graduation.
:
I quite agree with you. We can do MBA while doing a job.
:
It’s good that you are doing BCA. It will help you in your career.
:
I feel I should do MCA as well before taking up any job.
Now read the following passage expressing opinion about the violence on TV:
My own feeling is that if you really want to generate a fear, a hatred and a
horror of death on television, that is to take a positive instead of negative
approach, then killing should be shown as it genuinely is. And I think
there would be such a feeling of revulsion by the public that its request for
less violence would be much more genuine. What if a woman in a
melodrama is shot to pieces? What if someone’s mouth or ears are ripped
off by a knife or a gun wound? You say it is too horrible. I disagree. What
is horrible and what is tasteless is to see antiseptic death, the way it hardly
ever happens. That is dishonest
6
Here the writer is expressing his opinion about the violence in TV films. In his
opinion it is unrealistic, and it fails to create abhorrence for violence, which it should
do by showing real violence.
Note the expressions the writer uses to express his opinions.
Check Your Progress II
(A) Write a small paragraph of about 3 to 6 sentences each expressing your
beliefs / opinions regarding the following:
i)
The Semester System of Examinations.
ii) The Horoscope Predictions in the Newspapers
iii) Hoardings in the city
iv) Good or Bad Omens
v)
Horror Shows on TV
(B) Express your belief/opinion about the following in one line:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Negative voting
Semester System reduces the burden on students
Oral test for English
There are ghosts and spirits
Censor-board for T.V. channels
1.3 Summary:
In this Unit you learned how to express your likes and dislikes as well as your
beliefs and opinions. This unit expects you to master the conversation idiom
introduced in it. This can be done only if you practice speaking like this among your
friends and even at home if possible. You should find situations and occasions to
exercise your spoken English, which will benefit you in your future life.
1.4 Answers to Check Your Progress:
Check Your Progress I
1.
A Sportsperson I like: I am very fond of playing cricket. My cricket icon is
Mahendrasing Dhoni. He is very dependable batsman. He is also a very
successful Captain. It is true that in England, the Indian team has failed badly,
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2.
but such ups and downs are expected in games. I hope Dhoni will inspire his
team and lead them to victory.
I very much liked Singham I. I know that the fights in such films are only
fictitious. But, it is a very satisfying to see a police-officer coming from a rural
background shows honesty and spirit for fighting injustice. It should inspire and
teach something to our police force.
(Write similarly on the other topics given in the exercises)
Check Your Progress II
A
1. The Horoscope Prediction :
2.
I like to read the horoscope predictions given in the newspapers, especially, the
Sunday editions. It does not mean that i believe these predictions. But, it is
interesting to read them, and then watch how your week passes. The good
things expressed in horoscope prediction certainly boost your morale, and to bad
things tell you to be careful. They may not happen, but what is the harm in
being careful?
Hoardings in the City :
These hoardings disfigure the city. Who reads them? Only those who put up
these hoardings might read them. They do it because they have to show loyalty
to some leaders. But common people do not bother. They, in fact, curse these
hoardings if they prove to be obstructions and inconvenience.
(Try to write on the other themes on your own)
B.
1.
Negative Voting:
I like the idea, because how can i vote if there is no worthy candidate in my
opinion?
OR
I think there can never be a perfect choice, so we ought to vote the candidate
who is better than others.
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2.
Semester System:
To be honest, i don’t like it because we are hurried through the syllabus and the
syllabus is hardly completed.
3.
Oral test for English;
The oral test for English is necessary to make us learn how to speak, as without
such a test students would not practice speaking.
(Write about other topics on your own)
1.5 Exercises:
(A) Express your likes/dislikes about the following in 4/5 lines each:
i.
The ‘Dahi-Handi’ programmes on Gokul Ashtami
ii.
The Fire-crackers in Deepavali Festival
iii. Immersion of Ganesha-idols in the river
(B) Express your belief/opinion about the following briefly:
i.
Omens
ii.
Making offerings in temples
9
Unit-2
Drafting Formal Notices
Index
2.0 Objectives
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Content
Subject Content – 1
2.2.1
Drafting Formal Notices related to Clubs, Educational Organizations,
etc.
Check Your Progress I
Subject Content – 2
2.2.2
Drafting Formal Notices: Legally registered companies, business
houses, etc
Subject Content – 3
2.2.3
Drafting Agenda for the Meetings
Check Your Progress II
2.2.4
Writing Minutes of the Meeting
Check Your Progress III
2.3 Summary
2.4 Answers to Check Your Progress
2.5 Exercises
2.0 Objectives:
After studying this unit you will be able to:
• learn how to write formal notices in English for inviting members of a club, or
an educational institution, etc.
•
understand how to write notices for inviting members of legally registered
companies, business houses, etc.
10
•
learn how to draft Agenda for the meetings
•
learn two ways of drafting Agenda of the meeting
•
learn how to write minutes of the meeting.
2.1 Introduction
You are familiar with the notices displayed on the notice boards in schools and
colleges. These notices may be from the office of these educational institutions,
addressed to the students asking them to fill in particular forms, informing them of
the dates and time of examinations, notices about sports meet, annual social
gathering, etc. If you have a cooperative store in your college, you must have come
across notices displayed by this store on the board, or sent in writing to the members
of the society. A legally registered company or a business organization has a
managing committee as well as a general body of its members. Such organization
holds the meeting of its managing committee periodically, because this committee
looks after the company’s business, taking decisions about appointments, sales and
purchases, etc. There is a legal requirement of maintaining records of these meetings.
There is a secretary, who looks after the routine official work, and there is a
chairman or the president of the company, who is responsible for the running of the
company, signing notices, presiding over the meetings, etc.
In this unit, we are going to learn how language (here English) is used for
drafting formal notices, and then, how to record the “minutes” of the meetings of the
business organizations or cooperative societies.
2.2 Content:
2.2.1 Subject Content - I
Notices are of several types. Some notices are only to pass on information. For
example, a Sports Club or Swimming Pool would display notices regarding changes
in timings, dates of competitions to be held, etc. for the users of the club, on the
notice board. In the schools and colleges, the notices for the students appear on the
big boards or in the show-cases, in the campus. Office employees and workers are
also given instructions, etc. by sticking notices in the show-cases or on the boards.
Let us now read some notices and study the language used in them.
11
Notice for the Class Representatives:
Date: 20th Sept. 2014
A meeting of all the class representatives shall be held on the 25th
September, 2014 (Thursday) at 12-30, in the office of the Principal to discuss
internal sports matches to be organized in December 2014. The CRs are
requested to attend the meeting.
Sd/General Secretary
Note the use of language in this notice. It uses impersonal passive construction,
for example: (i) meeting shall be held, ii) CRs are requested to attend. The passive
construction is used here because such notices are impersonal, addressed to all the
members. In most of the official correspondence, you will find passive construction
used because there is no need for personal appeal.
The notice above is very matter-of-fact. It states the following details:
1.
Whose meeting
2.
On what date and at what time
3.
Where (the place of the meeting)
4.
The purpose of the meeting.
5.
Formal request (in passive structure).
The meeting called for may be cancelled and postponed to some other date.
Another notice informing the members of this cancellation and the new date of the
meeting may be displayed on the notice-board. See, for example:
Notice for the Class Representatives
The class representatives are hereby informed that the meeting of the
CRs to be held at the Principal’s office on the 25th Sept. 2014, has been
cancelled, and it will be held on Wednesday, the 1st October, 2014 at 12-30, in
the office of the Principal.
G.S.
12
Check Your Progress I
Draft the following notices:
1
The secretary of the Sports Club, in your city invites a meeting of the board
members to discuss the sports competitions to be held in the month of December
2014. State the date, place, and time of the meeting.
2
The meeting of the members of the Lions’ Club, Kolhapur to be held on the 8th
July 2014 (Tuesday) has been cancelled. It will be held on the 15th July
(Tuesday) instead, in the club’s office at 11-00 a.m.
2.2.2 Subject Content - II
Notices of the institutions registered under the Company Act, and the
organizations governed by their own bye-laws, are required to call meetings of
the members of their governing body or office bearers, periodically. These
notices are somewhat different because they have to follow legal procedure laid
down for them.
These notices must be sent to the members of the committee or the governing
body, 15 days before the date of the meeting.
The notice must be on the printed letter-head of the organization.
It should contain the following details:
A letter head containing the name of the organization or the company, its
address, etc.
1.
Day, and date, and time of the meeting.
2.
Place of the meeting.
3.
Agenda of the meeting.
The organization or the company has its registered office printed on its letter
head. Agenda means the list of business to be discussed in the meeting. We are going
to study the language of the Agenda in a short while. Let us first study the details of
the legal notice, which the secretary of the organization sends to the members of the
board, managing committee, etc.
13
Vidya Vihar Cooperative Bank, Ltd. Satara
Date: 9th September, 2014.
NOTICE
The ninth meeting of the Board of Directors of Vidya Vihar Coop. Bank,
Ltd. Satara will be held at 3-00 p.m. on Wednesday, the 25th Sept. 2014, at the
office of the Bank. All the members are requested to attend the meeting.
Sd/Secretary
Encl. The Agenda of the meeting.
To: All the members.
Note the details that appear in the notice. The date of the meeting is 15 days
ahead of the notice of the meeting.
The only difference here from the earlier notices is that, there is legally required
time limit of 15 days from the date of the notice. Secondly, the meeting is to be held
at the premises of the bank. And thirdly, the Agenda, the list of business to be
transacted at the meeting is enclosed to the notice.
2.2.3 Drafting Agenda for the Meeting:
Let us now study how Agenda of the meeting is written:
AGENDA of the 9th Meeting of the Board of Directors to be held on the 25th
September, 2014
9.1 Confirmation of the Minutes of the previous meeting.
9.2 Business arising out of the previous meeting.
9.3 Consideration of the loan application of the Modern Steel Works, Pvt. Ltd., for
Rs.10,00,000/9.4 Consideration of appointment of Assistant Manager and one Accounts Clerk for
the Branch at Koregaon.
9.5 Any other business with the permission of the chair.
Now, let us look at the way the items under the agenda have been drafted. Note
the numbers given to the business items on the agenda, which start with 9.1, 9.2, etc.
It is progressive numbering from the previous meeting. It shows that there was 8th
meeting before this, and its minutes (the record of the business done) have to be
14
confirmed first in this meeting. Note the language used for writing the items of the
business. You can see that each item of the business is a Noun Phrase:
Confirmation of the minutes …….
Business arising out of ……..
Consideration of ……….
There is another way of writing these business items on the agenda. You can use
infinitival verb phrases instead of the noun phrases as above. See, for example:
To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting.
To consider business arising out of the previous meeting.
To consider the application of ……….
One thing common to both the ways is that the Agenda is written precisely. Now
you ought to try your hand at writing an agenda of a meeting.
Check Your Progress II
(A) Prepare the agenda of the meeting of the managing committee of Bharat
Electricals Pvt. Ltd. Using the following points. Use non-finite verbs: 6.1
Minutes of the last meeting, 6.2 business arising out of the last meeting. 6.3.
Mr. Dixit’s application for the post of Assistant Engineer. 6.4. Sanction for the
purchases of tools worth Rs. Six lacs.
(B) Rewrite the above agenda making use of Noun Phrases.
(A) What details are given on the letter-head for the notice of the meeting?
(B) What enclosure is attached to the notice of the meeting? Who signs the
letter?
(C) What is ‘Agenda’?
2.2.4 Writing Minutes of the Meeting:
Notice of the meeting, its agenda, and recording the business carried out in the
meeting are all very important record of any business organization. They have legal
importance. In the case of any dispute, this record must be presented in the court of
law. Therefore, the notice of the meeting, the agenda (along with the receipts of the
members having received the notice) must be preserved in the company’s office.
15
The next important thing is writing the minutes (the record) of the business
transacted in the meeting. Have you noticed the very first item on the agenda on the
previous page? It is ‘confirmation of the minutes of the last meeting’. The members
of the managing committee or the board would like to see that the business done,
decisions taken in the previous meeting are correctly recorded in the minutes. The
secretary will circulate the minutes of the last meeting, and after reading them the
members of the committee will pass them or suggest corrections, change the minutes
with the permission of the chairman or the president of the meeting. Then the
secretary will write ‘the minutes of the last meeting were confirmed’ and the
chairperson / president will sign it on the ‘minute book’.
Now, we are going to learn how to write minutes of the meeting. Minutes of a
meeting are the official record, and as said earlier, it is legally very important.
Look at the following format of the minutes of a meeting. Note how the
resolutions are written. Resolutions are the decisions taken by the committee about
the purchases, appointments, buying land, opening a new branch, etc. These
resolutions are ‘proposed by’ and ‘seconded by’ the members of the board. Below
the text of the resolution, it is recorded ‘proposed by Mr. …….’, ‘seconded by
……..’. Minutes of the sixth meeting of the Managing Committee of Bharat
Electronics, Pvt. Ltd. Kolhapur, held at 12-30 p.m. on Friday, the 7th March
2014, at the company’s office.
Members present:
1.
Mr. B. R. Deshmukh,
President
2.
Mr. S. M. Dekhane
Member
3.
Mr. V. R. Chougule
"
4.
Mr. B. C. Deole
"
5.
Mr. G. S. Nawale
"
6.
Mr. N. R. Kadam
"
7.
Mr. V. C. Katkar
"
Members absent:
1.
Mr. C. R. Jadhav
2.
Mr. D. B. Sardesai.
16
6.1 Minutes of the last meeting: Minutes of the last meeting held on 24th January
2014, were read out by the secretary and confirmed by the members, and signed
by the President.
6.2 In the last meeting, Mr. V.R. Chougule was entrusted with the task of buying 10
Micro Tech Generators. Mr. Chougule informed the members that the
generators have been received and the bills have been presented to the Accounts
section for payment. The prices have been as already approved by the
committee.
6.3 The President, Mr. Deshmukh, informed the members that out of four
applications received for the post of Assistant Manager, the applications of M.
Y. M. Patil and Mr. C. R. Deshmane, have been shortlisted and they were called
for interview on 25th February, 2014. The committee of Mr. V.R. Chougule and
Mr. B.C. Devale interviewed the candidates and have recommended Mr.
Y.M.Dixit for the post.
Resolution: It was resolved that Mr. Y.M. Dixit be appointed as the Assistant
Manager of the Company, with effect from 15th March 2014, on the pay scale as
advertised. Proposed by: N. R. Kadam Seconded by: V. C. Katkar.
6.4 Mr. N. R. Kadam’s proposal to open a new branch of the company at Pune was
accepted, and a subcommittee of the following members was appointed to put
up a detailed proposal with possible area in Pune for the Company’s
establishment, rented place or possibility of buying a house, for opening a new
branch, and submit their proposal in a month’s time. 1) Mr. B. C. Deole 2) Mr.
G. S. Nawale
6.5 As there was no further business, the meeting came to an end with a vote of
thanks to the chair.
President
Secretary.
Study the chronology of writing minutes. We state the time and date of writing
the minutes, place of the meeting, the names of the members present, beginning with
the name of the chairman or the president, and ending with the name of the secretary.
The names of the members absent at the meeting are also stated below.
17
After the confirmation of the minutes of the previous meeting, there may be
some business arising out of the previous meeting. Then one by one, the items on the
agenda are taken up and the decisions are recorded.
Study the language of the Resolutions:
The resolution begins with the expression: It was resolved that, ————— be
appointed / be purchased / be called, etc.
Study the language used in recording the minutes (the business) discussed,
decisions made, information given, etc. in the meeting. The business and the
decisions will depend on what kind of business organization it is. If it is a factory
producing different kinds of machinery, the decisions and the discussions will relate
to sales, purchases, orders to be obtained, etc. If it is a sports club, the discussion will
be about purchasing sports material, holding sports matches, etc.
Now, try to write the following minutes:
Check Your Progress III
At the 12th Managing Committee meeting (held on 25th February 2014, the following
business was transacted. Draft the resolutions passed in the meeting about these
business items:
i)
Purchase of 4 acres of land on Pune – Satara road for the warehouse of the
company.
i)
Mr. D. S. Deshpande was appointed as the chartered accountant for the period of
two years, 2014-15 and 2015-16, on the yearly fees of Rs.25,000/-.
ii) Resolution was passed to appoint two accounts clerks and one Peon for the head
office of the company.
2.3 Summary:
In this unit you learned how to draft formal notices for the Sports Clubs, etc. for
inviting meeting of their members, as well as notices for the Company Directors,
Board members, for attending the meeting. These formal notices state the details
such as day and date, as well as, the time of the meeting and the business of the
meeting. The company notices are attached agenda of the meeting. There are two
ways of drafting the agenda. The minutes of the meeting contain resolutions and
decisions taken in the meeting.
18
2.4 Answers to Check Your Progress:
Check Your Progress I
1.
Sports Club, Kolhapur:
5th Nov., 2014
Meeting of the Board of the Members is invited to discuss Sports Competitions
to be held during the month of December, 2014, at 4.00 p.m. at the premises of the
club.
Secretary
2.
Lions’ Club, Kolhapur
6th Jan., 2014
Meeting of the Members of the Club to be held on the 8th July, 2014 (Tuesday)
has been cancelled. It will now be held on the 15th July, (Tuesday) at the Clubs’
Office, at 11.00 a.m.
Members Please note.
Secretary
Check Your Progress II
(A)
6.1 To read and confirm the minutes of the last meeting held on ------ at the
company premises
6.2 To consider the business arising out of the last meeting viz. the report of the
sub-committee of Mr.Sushant Singh and Mr.B.M.Das on purchase of premises
for the company’s new branch at Satara
6.3 To consider the application of Mr. Dixit for the post of Assistant Engineer
6.4 To consider purchases of tools worth Rs. 6 Lacs
(B) The Noun Phrases in place of the Non-Finite Verbs above can be:
6.1 Reading and confirmation of the minutes......................
6.2 Consideration of the businesses............................
6.3 Consideration of the application...................
19
6.4 Consideration of purchases of ............................
Check Your Progress III
1
It was resolved that 4 acres of land be purchased on Pune-Satara road for the
new ware-house of the company
2
It was resolved that Mr. D.S. Deshpande be appointed as the Chartered
Accountant of the Company for the period of two years 2014-15 and 2015-16,
on the yearly fees of Rs. 25,000/-
3
It was resolved that two account clerks and one peon be appointed at the head
office of the company.
2.5 Exercises:
(A) Draft the following Notices;
i.
The Sports Club, Sangli invites its members to plan and organize sports
meet for the school children of the city
ii.
The Secretary of the Ajanta Housing Society informs the members that the
meeting to be held on 25th Sept., 2014 has been cancelled, ant it will be held
at the office of the Society on the 15th Nov., 2014, instead.
iii. Syndicate Bank Ltd., Pune invites the meeting of the Board of Directors to
Discuss Elections to be organized during September, 2014.
(B) Draft the Agenda for the following:
i.
ii.
Agenda of the Sixth meeting of the management of Nutan Cooperative
Bank Ltd., Satara to discuss the following business:
a)
Minutes of the last meeting
b)
Appointment of a clerk and a peon for the branch of the bank at
Shirval
c)
Purchases of computers for the branch at Shirval and Panchgani
d)
Any other point with the permission of the chair.
Write the Agenda given above using infinitives.
20
Unit-3
Interpreting Data
Index
3.0 Objectives
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Content
3.2.1
Subject Content – 1
Interpretations of Tree Diagrams
Check Your Progress I
3.2.2
Subject Content – 2
Flow Chart
Check Your Progress II
3.2.3
Subject Content – 3
Bar-Diagrams
3.2.4
Subject Content – 4
Pie-Diagram
Check Your Progress III
3.3 Summary
3.4 Answers to Check Your Progress
3.5 Exercises
3.0 Objectives:
After working with this unit you will be able to:
• what information transfer is and its necessity
• learn how information transfer can help interpretation of data
• learn how a tree-diagram can be interpreted
• learn how information presented in a flow-chart can be interpreted.
• learn how bar-diagram and a pie-diagram can be interpreted
21
3.1 Introduction
Data is information often presented in tables, bar-diagrams, charts and graphs.
This information is normally about the production of food grains, industrial
production (vehicles, cell phones, computers, etc.), student population in different
classes or streams, rainfall during the months of rainy season during four or five
years, and many such fields, important for the governments, industrialists, scholars in
different fields, who have to present this information before an audience. This
information, for such presentation, is given in a variety of diagrams as stated above.
In your presentation before an audience, you make use of these diagrams, charts, etc.
and narrate , interpret and comment on the data, explaining its significance. For
example, with the help of the table given about agricultural production for the last
four years, you can make statements about high or low yield of a particular crop like
wheat, Jwar, cotton, etc. You narrate the visual information given in a table or a
diagram or a graph. You can make statements about high or low yield of a particular
crop and state your evaluation of the field of agriculture.
Interpretation means explaining data presented in a variety of diagrams, tables,
etc. While interpreting data, we have to make general statements about the
information. For example, we can say:
The agricultural production in the year 2004-2005 is greater than in the
year 2003-2004. It was because the rains were timely and adequate.
We also need to make statements comparing and contrasting the information, and to
discuss the factors involved in it. See, for example:
The turnover of small cars during the year 2004 was higher than the
previous year as a result of increase of demand from Shri Lanka and the
African countries.
Thus, when we interpret the data given in the tables, we make statements stating
reasons and conditions affecting the figures.
In this unit we are studying use of English for interpreting data in various tables,
diagrams and graphs, etc.
22
3.2 Content:
3.2.1 Tree Diagrams:
Tree diagram is called so because it resembles a tree. But this tree is inverted, its
branches grow downwards and the root is up. Look at the following Tree diagram,
which illustrates the relationship between the genus (the major category) and its
Species, or the major class and its sub-divisions.
Insects
Physical Features
Six Legs / No backbones / three part body
Useful
Bees
Harmful
Silk worms
Locusts
Neutral
Mosquitoes
Butterflies I’birds
Moths
Honey
Silk
destroy crops
spread
beautiful & Interesting
Beautiful & interesting
diseases
The tree diagram given above gives us classification of insects. Let us now write
a paragraph based on the information given by this tree diagram. (Insects are small
creatures which have six legs and no backbone. Their body is divided into three
parts. Insects are classified into three types according to their relationship with the
human beings. There are useful insects such as bees and silkworms. Bees produce
honey from flowers. This honey tastes sweet and has medicinal property also.
Another useful insect is a silk worm, which produces a fibrous substance, used later
for making silk cloth. Locusts and mosquitoes are harmful insects. Locusts come in
thousands and destroy crops. Mosquitoes spread diseases like Malaria. Neutral
insects, for example, are butterflies, I’Birds and Moths, which are beautiful and
interesting.)
You can see from the small paragraph above how the tree-diagram is rendered
into a narrative prose passage. What is the advantage of a tree diagram? A tree
diagram makes us understand the relationship between different classes or
23
components. It shows how they relate to one major category. Here ‘Insect’ is the
major category. It is classified into three broad groups — useful, harmful and neutral.
And each group is again classified into the types such as bees, silk worms, etc. The
tree-diagram gives us the idea of the interrelationship between them at a glance. This
is the advantage of a tree diagram. You can then expand it into a prose passage as
shown above.
A Tree-Diagram can be used to present relationship between different types of
material, or hierarchical relationship in the organizations, offices, in the corporate
world, etc. For example, study the tree diagram below which shows hierarchy of
relationship in the management of a company.
CHAIRMAN
Production
Manager
Personnel
Manager
Finance
Manager
Purchase
Manager
Asstt.
Asstt
Asstt.
Asstt.
Maintenance
Civil
Electrics
Recruitment
Training
Audit
Advt.
You can narrate this tree-diagram stating the hierarchy in the company management.
See, for example:
The management of a big company is headed by the Chairman or the Managing
Director. There is a second layer of officers working under him. There is a
production manager who has three assistants working under him. There are assistant
managers of maintenance, civil and electrical under the production manager. The
personnel manager has two assistants, one for recruitment and the other for training.
Accounts and Finance Manager has two assistants, one for audit and the other for
advertising. A Purchase Manager has only one assistant manager.
24
Check Your Progress I
Write a narrative paragraph based on the information given in the following tree
diagram:
Musical Instruments
Wind instruments
Wood
Brass
Others
Flute
Trumpet Mouth
Clarinet
Organs
Basson
Bagpipe
Horn
Percussion Instruments
Stringed Instruments.
Banging
Striking
Plucked
Bowed
Drum
Tabla
Harp
Guitar
Violin
Cello
3.2.2 Flow Chart:
A flow-chart is normally used to show the stages in the production or any sequence of
action. There are stages of production, one leading to the other. A flow chart gives us a
picture of a process at a glance. Suppose, you are describing a process of production to a
visitor, you are going to start with the initial action in the process, then you take him from
one stage of production to the other, describing how a finished product is arrived at. Making
a flow chart is, thus, an activity. We have to perform one action after the other. Or it is a
process telling us what we should do first, then next, until the process is completed. Let us
study the following flow chart and how it is narrated into a passage.
Take lime stone and
Clay, ratio 3:1
Grind the mixture
to a fine powder
Introduce hot air
& coal dust into the Kiln
Heat it to the 1400
temperature
Transfer it to a cylindrical
rotating kiln
o
clinker is formed
Now allow it to cool
Add 3% gypsum intoit
Let us now see how we can write a narrative passage for this process of producing
cement.
25
First take lime stone and mix it with clay in a ratio 3 :1, i,e. three parts limestone and one part clay. Then grind this mixture in the machine to turn it into a fine
powder. Transfer this powder to a cylindrical rotating kiln. after that mix coal dust
into it and allow hot air into the kiln. Then heat this mixture to the 1400o C
temperature. Cement Clinker is now formed. Allow it to cool. When it is cooled, add
3% gypsum into it. The Cement is formed.
Check Your Progress II
Write a paragraph based on the following chart showing the process of harvesting:
Plough the field after the first
showers of rain
Harvest the crop when
it is ready.
Cut and bind the sheaves
Into bundles
sow the seeds
introduce organic
Chemical fertilizers
take them for threshing
and separating grain
water the field regularly
after seeds sprout
Remove unwanted grass
and weeds.
Remove the chaff by
winnowing
Pack the grains into bags.
26
3.2.3 Bar Diagram:
Look at the following figure with rectangular bars. This is a bar-diagram or bar
chart, which shows production and sales of air conditioners (in thousands) over the
years 2007 to 2010. Let us see how the information given in this bar diagram can be
narrated in a passage.
Sales
Production
Figures in thousands
13
13
8
10
2009
2010
9
5
6
2007
5
2008
The Bar Chart given above shows production and sales of air conditioners
(figures in thousands) over the years 2007 to 2010. In the year 2007, the sales have
gone up to 9000, but the production in this year was only up to 6000 air conditioners,
which means that the need of sales was made up through the previous stock. In the
year 2008, the figures of production and the sales are the same, namely 5000 air
conditioners. In 2009 again the production was only 8000, but the sales went up to
13000 sets. In 2010, the production is only 10,000 air conditioners, while the sales
went up to 13000 again. It means the company had to meet the demand from the
previous stock, or keep the clients on the waiting list.
You can see how the information given in the chart is transferred into a narrative
passage. We do not merely transfer information here but also make a few comments
on the trend shown in the diagram.
27
3.2.4 Pie Diagram:
A pie diagram is made up of a circle, which represents total expenditure or total
production of various food grains and the share of each item of expenditure or each
food crop. The circle below shows major inputs in agricultural production, in other
words, the amount spent on fuel, fertilizers, seeds, etc. during the year 2010-2011.
Major Inputs in Agriculture during the Year 2010-2011
Fertizers
32%
Seeds
12%
Electriclle
diesel 7%
Others
30%
Feed
19%
Total
On Electricity
and Diesel
On Fertilizers
On Seeds
On Feed
Other expenses
Rs. 14610 Crores
Rs. 800 Crores
Rs. 4672 Crores
Rs. 1752 Crores
Rs. 2774 Crores
Rs. 4380 Crores
Now let us see how this diagram can be narrated in a paragraph describing the
inputs into the agriculture during the year 2010-2011.
During the year 2010-2011, total investment in the Agriculture was to the
tune of Rs.14610 crores. The percentages given in the pie diagram are
approximate. We can see that during this year major expenditure incurred was
on fertilizers, more than the third outlay of the total Rs.14610 crores. The next
bigger item of spending is the ‘other expenses’, which must cover labour,
water, transport, etc. On Electricity and Diesel about 7% of the total outlay was
spent, which amounted to Rs.800 crores. Rs.1762 crores were spent on the
seeds, which is about 12% of the total expenditure. And on the Feed (for
domestic animals) Rs.2774 crores, about 19% of the total outlay was spent. It
can be seen that Fertilizers and the miscellaneous expenses claimed lion’s
share of the total expenditure on agriculture during the year 2011-12.
28
Check Your Progress III
Here is a Pie Chart showing percentage of expenditure of a middle-class family,
every month. The monthly income of the family is Rs. 50,000/- during the year 20102011.
Saving
15%
Food
25 %
Others
20%
The monthly income of the
family is Rs. 50,000/-
15
Ho
usi
ng
Cloting
10 %
%
Transport
5%
Transport
5%
Write a small paragraph narrating the information given in the pie chart above,
and make your comments on how the family spends its income.
3.3 Summary:
In this unit you learn information can be presented in a variety of charts and
diagrams visually. Each diagram has its utility. A tree-diagram presents hierarchical
relationship between the components. It is useful to understand structure of an
organization like a limited company or a bank, etc. It can also be used to present
family relationships, classes of things such as drinks, eatables, etc. A flow-chart can
present a process, how a finished product is finally produced, step-by-step. Bardiagrams and Pie-charts are useful to give visual impression of production of
different items, or yield per year of crops during a period of 4 or 5 years. It can also
show rainfall over five or ten years. Information presented in the diagrams can be
narrated in a prose passage precisely. It can be used as a good exercise for paragraph
writing.
29
3.4 Answers to Check Your Progress:
Check Your Progress I
There are three main types of musical instruments: Wind instruments,
Percussion instruments, and Stringed instruments. Wind instruments are again of
three types: Wood wind, Brass wind and others. Wood wind instruments are flute,
clarinet, and bassoon. We create musical notes by blowing wind into them. There
are Brass wind instruments like trumpet and horn. The other wind instruments are
mouth organ and bag pipes. The percussion instruments are only two: a banging
instrument Drum and Striking instrument Tabala. Similarly, there are four stringed
instruments. Harp and Guitar are Plucked Stringed Instruments and Violin and Cello
use a blow for creating music.
Check Your Progress II
Process of Harvesting:
The process of harvesting involves a number of steps. The farmer first prepares
the field by ploughing it. He may use a tractor or a bullock-driven plough. Then,
after the shower of rains, he sows seeds. If necessary, he regularly waters the field
depending on the need of the crop. The seeds grow into plants. Now, mere watering
is not enough. The farmer weeds out unwanted grass and wild shrubs to keep the
field clean. He then uses organic or inorganic fertilizers to give strength to the crop.
The crop is harvested when it is ready. It is cut and bound into bundles. Then the
bundles are taken to the threshing machine to separate grains from the ears of the
crop. The next step is winnowing for separating grains from the chaff. The grains
are then packed into bags and stored or sent to market.
Check Your Progress III
Percentage of Expenditure of a middle-class family:
The monthly income of this family is Rs.50,000/-. It spends 25% of its income
on food, which is more than its expenditure on any other hand. Next item of sizeable
expenditure is ‘others’ which might include expenditure on medicines, entertainment,
etc. The family spends 5% on transport of the children and another 5 % on the
transport of the children going to school/college. It pays 15% of its income on
housing i.e. rent, and 10% on educational fees for the children. Its expenses on
30
clothing amount to 10% of its income. After all these expenses, the family invests
15% of its income in saving.
3.5 Exercises:
1.
Narrate the following information given in the form of a table. There are five
factories A, B, C, D and E. Look at the data given below in the table, write a
narrative passage making general statements about the way each factory has
employed the personnel. Also make statements comparing and contrasting the
information.
Factories
Category
Officers
Supervisors
Technicians
Skilled
labourers
Unskilled
labourers
A
270
200
330
B
225
180
290
C
160
280
255
D
310
250
280
E
165
270
225
150
130
110
125
95
180
75
180
200
155
2. Write a paragraph on how a satellite is launched making use of the following
flow-chart.
Fixing & installing
the satellite on the rocket
General check up
of major parts
Launching of rocket
Ignition of first
Fuel filling
Count down
starts
Checking of each and
every part of the rocket
31
Unit-4
The Storeyed House
Waman Hoval
Index
4.0 Objectives
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Content
4.2.1
Section-I
4.2.2
Bayaji's Retirement, Arrival in his village and his Plan of Building the
House
4.2.3
Section-II
4.2.4
Bayaji's building the storeyed house, Bhujaba and Kondiba Patil's
hatred and Housewarming ceremony.
4.2.5
Section-III
4.2.6
Devastation, New House on fire, Bayaji severely burnt
4.2.7
Section-IV
4.2.8
Bayaji's Death, Fulfilment of his Last Wish
4.3 Summary
4.4 Terms to Remember
4.5 Answers to Check Your Progress
4.6 Exercises
4.0 Objectives:
After studying this Unit you will be able to:
understand how casteism is still affecting the life of people in the rural area.
explain the evils of casteism.
find relationship between the people of low castes and high castes.
note how the oppressed family determines to fulfil the father’s wish.
see how there is awareness about injustice and will to fight against it.
32
4.1 Introduction:
Friends, from our childhood, we have been listening to a number of stories. Our
parents used to tell us very simple stories with a message, when we used to go to bed.
These stories may be about animals, birds, reptiles, trees etc; but they all give the
moral message for the betterment of human life. We learn from these stories the
human nature: varieties and vices, kindness and wickedness, simplicities and
complexities of life, and so on.
Friends, we know that our country is full of diversity. There are cities and there
are villages. Most of Indian population lives in villages. The people are from
different creeds and castes. Their styles, clothes, languages, literatures are different.
But casteism is a great drawback of Indian life. It is a curse to humanity. The city life
is somewhat free from the horrible effects of it. But the village life still has not been
freed from this evil. We may find even today, how people of one caste become the
enemies of the other caste. Rural India is still struggling to come out of this division.
About the author:
The present short story ‘The Storeyed House’ is written by a well-known
Marathi Dalit writer-Waman Govind Howal. It has been translated from Marathi into
English by a renowned critic and translator Prof.M.D.Hatkanangalekar.
The story depicts the worst scene of the caste system, but a powerful enrichment
of Dalits from nowhere, a view of hope prevailing within them. The following short
story collections are written by Waman Howal:1) ‘Benwad’(1973), 2)
‘Yelkot’(1982) 3) ‘warasdar’(1986) 4) ‘Wata Adwata’(1988)
About the story:
It is one of the heart-rending stories of the suffering of the Dalit community. It
moves around the main character called Bayaji who after retirement, comes back to
his village with a sizeable amount, after 35 years. There he tries to build a storeyed
house for his family. But, a high caste landlord, Kondiba Patil doesn’t like it. He
opposes Bayaji’s idea of building a storeyed house. Hence, we see the house is burnt
to ashes on the very housewarming night. Bayaji is also burnt and finally loses his
life. But his sons start building their storeyed house to fulfil their father’s last wish.
33
4.2 Content:
4.2.1 Section-I
There was something really wrong with the State Transport bus. It had come up
the winding road in the mountain as if with a life-time’s effort. The road was now
down-hill and yet the bus moved as slowly as a sick man walking with the help of
another. It reached the plain where the dispensary building was situated, and stood
still, like an obstinate bull. Now, the destination was hardly a mile or two away. But
the driver was sore and the conductor had no option but to be silent. When they
realized that the bus wouldn’t move any faster, a couple of passengers exclaimed:
“Goddamit for a bloody nuisance”!
The conductor asked the passengers to get down and they all put their strength
together to push the bus. Having gained this initial momentum, the bus started.
Passengers clambered up, jostling one another. The conductor rang the bell and the
bus gradually took on speed. It entered the village reluctantly, like a truant child
being dragged the school. As it wound its way through the curves on the outskirts, it
groaned and croaked like a hen about to lay eggs and stopped with a bang in front of
Bhujaba Patil’s residence. As it halted, it gave a big lurch, sending the passengers
helter-skelter, churned like water in a pitcher when the carrier stumbles.
All the passengers got down.
The coolie put his hand on a huge wooden box and shouted, ‘Whose box is
this’?
Bayaji who was brushing away the dust from his body, answered. ‘Oh, it’s mine,
please lower it down.’
The coolie heaved and grunted as he lowered the box which Bayaji caught with
ease.
Bayaji had packed his entire household goods in this box. There was no longer
any reason to hang around in Bombay. He had worked honestly for the past thirtyfive years in the dockyard and had retired from service two months before. Not that
he had held an important position. He had merely got an extension for two years;
during that period he had become a supervisor. Otherwise his entire life had been
spent lifting heavy loads. He had worked very hard whenever he could, day and
night.
34
Bayaji had crossed sixty but was in sound health. He had a sturdy frame right
from birth, and hard work had given a well-formed shape to his strong body. He paid
fifteen paisa to the coolie, put the box on his own head and began to walk in the
direction of his house into which he had thrown pots and pans and sundry other
things.
As he reached Kadam’s house he saw Bhujaba coming towards him. Bhujaba
was a known rascal of the village. Bayaji balanced the burden on his head.
Straightening his neck, he said, ‘Greetings to you, sir, how are things with you?’
Bayaji was a Mahar by caste and according to age-old custom should have
greeted Bhujaba with ‘My humble salutations to you, sir, who are my father and
mother.’ So, when Bayaji merely said ‘Greetings’ Bhujaba became furious and said,
‘Do you think you can become a Brahmin merely by saying “Greetings?” Can you
forget your position simply because you’ve turned Buddhist?’
Bayaji was nonplussed. For a moment, he was tempted to knock him down with
his box but realized that he couldn’t afford to do so. Besides, now he had come back
to his village for good. He was to spend the rest of his days on this soil and would be
interred in the same soil. He would not be able to return to Pune or Bombay
hereafter. It was not good policy to incur the hostility of anyone in the village, least
so of the Patil, the village headman.
So he said in a meek tone, ‘Sir, why spring this on me even before I set foot on
the soil of my forefathers? I have to stay here till the end of my life.’
‘Why? Aren’t you going back to your job?’ asked Bhujaba. ‘No sir, my service
is over, I’ve turned sixty.’ With this Bayaji lifted the load from his head a little to
place it in position.
‘Then you’ve collected your fund amount?’ Bhujaba was taking his measure.
‘Yes sir,’ Bayaji replied with pride. ‘How much?’ Bhujaba asked greedily. ‘Not
much, what can a daily worker earn?’ Bayaji answered. ‘Why won’t you mention the
figure, man?’ Bhujaba persisted artfully.
‘Some two and a half thousand rupees.’ Bayaji gave the correct figure.
‘Bayaji, you have a heavy load on your head. Go to your house first. We’ll talk
at leisure later.’ Bhujaba said in mock sympathy.
35
‘Yes, yes.’ Bayaji mumbled and walked in the direction of his house. At the
moment, Bayaji was the proud owner of two and a half thousand rupees in cash, so it
made no difference whether he was an untouchable or a Buddhist. If only one could
swindle out of the untouchable Bayaji-or rather Buddhist Bayaji-four or five hundred
rupees, that was enough. With the thought in his mind, Bhujaba entered his wada, the
big house.
Exchanging pleasantries with people he met on the way, Bayaji reached the
public building called Takkya in the untouchables’ settlement. The building was
named Buddha Vihar by those who had embraced Buddhism. As Bayaji neared
Buddha Vihar, the children, who were playing with a ball made of rags, finished their
game and cried out, ‘Baiju Nana is here, Baiju Nana is here!’ and scampered in the
direction of Bayaji’s house. Bayaji’s eighty-five-year-old mother quickly scrambled
to her feet. She had aged much but her old-world frame was still sturdy, and her teeth
were strong enough to chew gram. She could thread a needle without help. When she
heard of Bayaji’s arrival her heart swelled.
As Bayaji came in, his wife concealed her joy with the end of her sari and took
down the box from his head. His grandchildren clung to him and began to twist the
folds of his dhoti. The neighbouring children watched the scene in idle curiosity.
‘Come, get into the house, children!’ said Bayaji. His mother walked out with a
bent back and told Bayaji to wait outside the door. Bayaji obeyed.
The old woman came forward, poured some water over the piece of bread in her
hand, moved it around Bayaji’s face and flung it away as an offering. She ran her
palms over his cheeks and pressed her fingers on his temples. All eight fingers gave
out a cracking sound.
Bayaji’s family was doing well. He had eight children in all, six sons and two
daughters. The daughters had been married off and had given birth to children. The
elder sons looked after the fields, the next two sons were in government service, the
one after them was a school-teacher and the sixth one was still studying. Since they
knew that Bayaji was coming home for good the elder son in service and the two
daughters were already home to greet him. All of them wondered what their father
had got for them from his lifetime’s earnings.
The next day when Bayaji opened the box, it revealed only some pots and pans,
nails and photographs.
36
Looking at this, the elder daughter asked, ‘Nana, how is it that you haven’t
brought anything for us?’
Bayaji was amused that his daughters thought in this childish manner even after
they had children of their own. He ran his eyes over all his children and said, ‘Look
here children, if I had brought new clothes for you, they’d tear, if I had brought an
ornament it would soon wear out. Out of my earnings I wish you to have something
that’ll last longer.’
Bayaji paused after these words.
His eldest son was godly. He said, ‘neither we nor our wives want anything. Tell
us what you’d like us to do.’
‘Look children, ours is such a large family. Even at mealtime, we’ve to eat by
turns or sit crowded, knocking our knees together. I wish to build a house out of my
earnings, and it has to be a storeyed house; the usual three-portioned house won’t be
adequate for us.’
All were happy with this plan.
The plan was finalized and the foundation of the storeyed house was laid on the
auspicious new year day.
4.2.2 Bayaji’s Retirement, Arrival in his village and his Plan of Building
the House:
In this first section, readers are introduced with Bayaji who had worked for the
last thirty five years in dockyard in Mumbai and two months before he had retired
from his job as a supervisor. He was very honest and a hard working man. He was
above sixty. By collecting all his amount of saving, he turned back to his native
village. Being a Mahar by caste, he was welcomed in his village hatefully by the high
caste people like Bhujaba Patil.
Check Your Progress-1
I.
Answer the following questions in one sentence each:
1)
Where did the bus stop finally?
2)
Where did Bayaji work and how long?
3)
What was the luggage with him?
37
4)
What was Bayaji’s age?
5)
After getting down the bus, to whom did Bayaji greet first?
II. Complete the following statements
from the ones given below each:
1)
correct
alternative
b) mahar
c) bramhin
d) kunabi
Bhujaba Patil was known as a ..............of the village.
a) Police Patil
3)
the
By caste, Bayaji was.................
a) chamar
2)
choosing
b) sarpanch
c) rascal
d) leader
Bayaji had worked.........
a) in the dockyard
b) in the cloth mill
c) at the Bombay railway station d) in the factory in Bombay
4)
All ............ fingers of Bayaji’s mother gave out a cracking sound at the time
of his welcome.
a) five
b) six
c) eight
d) ten
4.2.3 Section II:
The news that Bayaji was building a storeyed house spread like a cry from the
rooftops. There was only one storeyed house in the village and that belonged to
Kondiba Patil. That Bayaji, an untouchable creature, should think of a rival storeyed
house was too much for Kondiba to bear. Others also murmured that the
untouchables were forgetting their position.
Work on the foundation had started. Dattaram Vadar was given the contract of
construction. The foundation trenches were filled with mud,bits of stone and other
fillings. Work progressed with speed. One day Bayaji saw Kondiba coming towards
him and greeted him. ‘It’s with your blessings that I have ventured on this storeyed
house.’
‘Baiju,you shouldn’t lose your head simply because you’ve set aside some
money. Do you aspire to an equal status with us by building this house? The poor
should remain content with their cottage, understand?’ Kondiba remarked rather
sharply.
38
‘No Patil, please don’t misunderstand me.’ Bayaji was a little dizzy with
nervousness.
‘How do you say that? One should keep to one’s position. You shouldn’t let a
little money turn your head.’
‘I only wish to build shelter for my family. Then I shall be free to breathe my
last.’ Bayaji answered.
‘Who says you shouldn’t have a house? You can have a small house with three
convenient portions, a veranda in the front and at the living section in the middle.
Why spend unnecessarily on a storeyed house?’ Patil gave his counsel.
‘No, but .....’ Bayaji faltered.
‘You may go in for a storeyed house only if don’t wish to stay in this village. I
hope you know what I mean.’ Kondiba shot out as a warning and walked away.
Other ruffians in the village threatened Bayaji in a similar manner.
Out of fear Bayaji had to abandon plans for the storeyed house. The
conventional three-portioned house was taken up. Work was resumed and the walls
rose rapidly. The middle portion was a little elevated and a small first storey fixed up
there with wooden flooring. This part could be reached by stairs rising from the
kitchen. No one could guess from the outside that there was a first storey to the
house. Bayaji had to make the best of things.
The house was complete and the traditional housewarming ceremony was
planned. Invitations were sent to relatives in different villages. The village elders, by
convention, could not be invited to a meal or refreshments, so they were invited to
the ceremonial paan-supari. Bayaji put up a fine pandal in front of the house. His
sons worked hard for two full days in the decorations. Relatives started
arriving.Well-known devotional singers, Kadegaonkar Buwa, Parasu Buwa, Kalekar
Bapu Master, Jija Buwa and Vithoba of Wadgaon came with their troupes. People
looked forward with delight to the forthcoming contest among the various troupes.
In the evening four petromax lights were hung in the four corners of the pandal.
It lent a unique golden yellow light to the surroundings. Guests were engrossed in
conversation.
Kondiba Patil was soon there. With him was the thug Bhujaba and four or five
seasoned rascals like Vithoba Ghayakute and Parasu Martanda. These people felt
39
uneasy at the sight of the brand new house, the impressive pandal and the crowd of
smiling faces.
Their eyes roved all over the place. Bayaji led them up the stairs in the
kitchen.The first floor looked like a drawing room.The walls were radiant with blue
oil-paint. The fresh colour gave out a pleasant smell. Framed pictures of great men
like Lord Buddha,Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar,Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil, Mahatma
Jyotiba Phule and others hung on the walls. The loft-like first floor was filled with a
pious and holy ambience.
Bayaji spread a rough woollen carpet for Patil and the other high-caste people.
Patil sat quietly on that. His companions rather uncomfortably took their positions
around him; Bayaji offered them the customary betel leaves. Patil accepted the leaves
but immediately gave it back to Bayaji with the remark, ‘Yes, it’s all very nice!’
‘But why don’t you accept the betel leaves?’ Bayaji asked nervously. Bhujaba
smiled artificially and said, ‘It’s enough that your offering is honoured; is it also
necessary to eat it? We’ll make a move now.’ With this Kondiba Patil, Bhujaba and
his companions rose to leave. As they came down, Bhujaba felt as if he were
tumbling down the stairs.
They eyed one another as if to say, ‘This untouchable worm has got a swollen
head. He needs proper handling.’
4.2.4
Bayaji’s building the storeyed house, Bhujaba and Kondiba
Patil’s hatred and Housewarming ceremony:
Bhujaba and Kondiba Patil didn’t like Bayaji’s idea of building a storeyed
house. They suggested and then threatened him not to build such a house because he
was from a low cast family. They asked him to build a small house with a veranda
and a living section. Bayaji became rather nervous and discouraged and frightened
also. But then he built the storeyed house. He organized a housewarming ceremony.
All the relatives and villagers gathered for the ceremony. A fine pandal in front of
the house, decorations, refreshments, meal, ‘pan-supari’, devotional singing
programme etc. made all the atmosphere very happy and joyful. Kondiba and
Bhujaba Patil and some others became restless and left the house with an intention to
punish that untouchable properly.
40
Check Your Progress-2
Answer the following questions in one sentence each:
1)
Who was given the contract of constructing the house?
2)
“You may go in for a storeyed house only if you don’t wish to stay in this
village”. Who said this? To whom?
3)
Whose pictures-frames were hanging in the new house of
Bayaji?
4)
What was the impression of Kondiba, Bhujaba Patil on seeing the new
brand house?
5)
What did Bayaji off for Patil and other high caste people to sit?
4.2.5 Section III:
Bayaji fed all his guests with a sweet meal of shira and puris. Along with betel
nuts items of gossip rolled over their tongues and then the session of social
devotional songs began.
Among the Bhajan singers, Kalekar Bapu Master had a superior voice.
Kadegaonkar Buwa was better at classical singing. Devotional songs were sung in
praise of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and Lord Buddha. People swayed their heads in
appreciation as the programme gathered momentum. It was two o’clock in the
morning. Bayaji was strutting about in the pandal. He sat down by a guest now and
then, to inquire after his welfare. Small children, unable to resist sleep, had dropped
off like bundles of rags. Women sat in the front verandah. Bayaji’s children were
busy preparing tea for a second round. They had put tea powder and sugar into a pot
on a trenched stove and waited for the water to boil. The bhajan was in full swing. ‘I
had a dream at night and my breast was full of feeling,’ went the line.
The group advanced from baseless devotionals-like ‘from the east came a horde
of ghosts, each one with seven heads’-to social devotionals.
Kalekar Bapu Master’s powerful voice rose up, ‘Take to heart the sweet advice
of Bhimraya and bow down to Buddha for the emancipation of the whole world. I fly
to the refuge of the faith; I fly to the refuge of the faithful.’ The song rent the air,
filling it with joy. And then the undreamt-of incident took place.
41
Bayaji’s new house had caught fire from all sides. It had suddenly flared up. The
womenfolk in the front verandah screamed in confusion. The guests stood up swiftly
and began to pull out the women like a herd of cattle.
Bayaji was frantic. He ran around crying. ‘My house, my storeyed house! It’s on
fire. My enemy has taken revenge on me.’ He entered the roaring flames, crying,
‘My house, my house.’ He climbed up, pulled the pictures of Buddha and Babasaheb
from the walls and hurled them down. As he was about to come down the stairs, it
crumbled down in flames. People pulled up water from a nearby well to put out the
dreadful fire but it could not be easily contained. ‘Bayaji, jump down, quick, jump,
jump,’ people shouted. Women and children were crying and screaming. Now that
the staircase had collapsed, no one could go up. Scorched in the flames, Bayaji ran
around like a trapped creature, howling all the time, ‘My house, my house!’
And then the upper storey itself came down with a crash, and along with it
Bayaji, with a resounding thud. People pulled him out.
Bayaji was burnt all over. He was still wailing, ‘My house, my house!’ Bayaji’s
children encircled him and cried their hearts out. The guests were busy putting out
the fire. All Bayaji’s hopes had been reduced to ashes. What was the use of putting
out the fire now?
4.2.6 Devastation, New House on fire, Bayaji severely burnt:
The housewarming ceremony was over. The guests enjoyed the meals of shira
puri. Bhajans were sung at night. Children and other relatives and guests were tired.
Kalekar Bapu Master’s singing was going on. Suddenly, the new house was put on
fire from all the sides. Bayaji, tried to extinguish the fire with other people. But, of
no use. He shouted and shouted. He entered the flames. People requested Bayaji to
jump down. But he was crying, ‘My house, my house’. At last the upper storey came
down along with Bayaji. The people pulled him out of the fire, but upto that time he
was badly burnt.
Check Your Progress-3
I.
Answer the following questions in one sentence each:
1)
In whose praise, the devotional songs were sung?
2)
When were Bayaji’s children preparing tea?
42
3)
Why did, suddenly,the guests stand up and began to pull out the women
like a herd of cattle?
4)
What did happened, when Bayaji was about to come down the stairs?
II. Complete the following statements choosing the correct alternative from the
ones given below each:
1)
2)
Kalekar Bapu Master,Kadegaonkar Buwa and other singers sang ............
a)
film songs
b)
dramatic songs
c)
ballads
d)
devotional songs
Bayaji climbed up in the fire and, pulled the pictures of............
a)
Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi
b)
Buddha and Ambedkar
c)
Ambedkar and Pandit Nehru
d)
Ambedkar and Tilak
4.2.7 Section IV:
Bayaji was badly burnt and he was in great agony. He asked for water all the
time. As his eyes began to roll in his head, his eldest son moved closer, gulped down
the sorrow that was surging in his throat and asked, ‘Nana, what’s your last wish?’
‘Sons, I want you to build a storeyed house. I’ve no other wish.’ With these
words, his head collapsed like the storeyed house. Bayaji was quiet and the fire too
had calmed down.
Bayaji’s mother wept bitterly. ‘Your father passed away without giving me a
burial. At least your hands should have pushed the dust over my dead body. Bayaji,
speak to me.’ She was mad with grief.
Bayaji’s wife was sobbing her heart out, crying repeatedly, ‘Who’s done this
evil to us? Let the house burn to cinders. Save my husband first!’
43
The entire family was shattered by the calamity. The spirits of all the men were
dampened like a cooking-fire on which water had been poured.
In the morning the village officers and witnesses visited the place to record the
facts of the accident. ‘Bayaji’s death was the result of an accident due to a petromax
flare-up’, was their conclusion.
The house was burning before the house-warming ceremony was over and
Bayaji was in ashes in the cemetery instead of enjoying the comforts of a retired life.
After the funeral, people returned hanging their heads. All of them were pained
at heart to think that having come to celebrate the housewarming; they had the
pickaxe and began to dig.
The eldest son was digging, the second was gathering the earth with his spade
and the others were lifting it away in baskets.
The guests asked in amazement, ‘Children, you are in mourning! What’s this
you’re doing?’
‘We’re starting on a house, not one with a concealed first floor but a regular two
storeyed house,’ replied the eldest son of Bayaji. And the six brothers resumed with
determination the work of digging the foundation of a two-storeyed house.
4.2.8 Bayaji’s Death, Fulfilment of his Last Wish:
We see here dying Bayaji. As he was seriously burnt, his eldest son asked him
about his last wish. Bayaji told him that his last wish was that his sons should build a
storeyed house. When Bayaji died all his sons gathered together. The eldest son
started digging the foundation of a new two-storeyed house. Thus, immediately after
Bayaji’s death, his sons started fulfilling his last wish.
Check Your Progress-4
I.
Answer the following questions in one sentence each:
1)
What was the last wish of Bayaji?
2)
To whom did Bayaji tell about his last wish?
3)
When did the sons start to build a new house?
4)
How many brothers were involved in the work of building a new house?
44
5)
What reason of the fire was recorded by the village officers?
II. Complete the following statements choosing the correct alternative from the
ones given below each1)
2)
The village officers recorded that the cause of the fire was........
a)
flaring up of petromax lamp.
b)
Bayaji’s mistake
c)
criminal action of some village rascals.
d)
that a child used a matchbox which started fire.
........... fulfilled the last wish of Bayaji
a)
Bayaji’s brothers.
b)
Bayaji’s relatives.
c)
Bayaji’s friends.
d)
Bayaji’s sons.
4.3 Summary:
‘The Storeyed House’ is a touching story. Bayaji, a low caste man, after his
retirement from dockyard, turned back to his village along with all his savings. He
worked hard for 35 years very honestly. He had a dream of building a storeyed house
for his family.
As soon as he entered the village, he becme aware of the jealousy and hatred of
the high caste landlords like Kondiba Patil, who started threatened him and asked
him not to build a big house. They advised him to build a simple house. Bayaji
neglected their warning and decided to build the house of his dream. Kondiba Patil,
Bhujaba Patil and some other people of the same type opposed Bayaji.
Even after receiving the warning and threatening from Kondiba Patil,Bayaji
gave the contract of constructing the house to Dattaram Vadar. Finally, a fine new
house was built. All the villagers were surprised to see such a nice house. Bayaji
organized a housewarming party for all. The house was well-decorated. The
refreshment, meals of shira puri, paan supari were given to all the relatives, friends
and others. Kondiba and Bhujaba Patil and the likewise didn’t take anything. They
45
were very angry. They were thinking of revenge. They couldn’t tolerate the idea that
a poor man from low caste could build, such a better house than theirs.
When the singing bhajan was going on late at night, suddenly the people saw
that new house was on fire from all the sides. It was really a horrible thing. Bayaji
and other relatives tried to extinguish the fire. But it was of no use. At last, when the
staircase fell down Bayaji also fell down. He was badly burnt. Before dying, he
expressed his last wish to his eldest son. He wished that his sons should build a
storeyed house. The sons promised him to do so. Immediately after the funeral, his
six sons started the work of constructing the new storeyed house. It was a true
homage to their father.
4.4 Terms to Remember:
dispensary
:
hospital
sore
:
a source of distress and annoyance.
nuisance
:
a person, thing, or circumstance causing trouble or
annoyance.
clambered
:
climbed with hands and feet.
truant child
:
shirking, idle, wandering, a person wasting time
lurch
:
a sudden unsteady movement or leaning.
helter-skelter
:
in disordered and hurried state.
obstinate
:
difficult to persuade.
destination
:
the place to reach.
reluctantly
:
without willingness.
sturdy frame
:
strong body.
nonplussed
:
taken aback, dumbfounded.
hostility
:
enmity.
meek
:
humble and submissive.
scampered
:
ran.
concealed
:
kept secret.
dizzy
:
confused.
ruffians
:
violent lawless persons.
46
roved
:
looked in changing directions.
frantic
:
wildly excited, frenzied.
emancipation :
free from slavery, freedom (from worldly things)
cinders
:
the residues of coal or wood that has stopped giving off
flames but can still burn.
cemetery
:
burial ground.
swindle
:
loot or steal.
4.5 Answers to Check Your Progress:
Section I: Check Your Progress-1
I.
1)
The bus stopped finally in front of Bhujaba Patils residence.
2)
Bayaji had worked in the Bombay dockyard for 35 years.
3)
The major luggage with him was a huge wooden box.
4)
Bayaji was above sixty.
5)
After getting down the bus, Bayaji greeted Bhujaba Patil first.
II. Key to answer
1-b
2-c
3-a
4-c.
Section-II: Check Your Progress-2
1)
Dattaram Vadar was given the contract of constructing the house.
2)
Kondiba Patil said this sentence to Bayaji.
3)
The picture frames of Lord Buddha, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Karmveer
Bhaurao Patil, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and others were hanging on the
walls.
4)
When Kondiba and Bhujaba Patil saw the brand new house, they felt
insulted and angry and envious.
5)
Bayaji spread a rough woollen carpet for Patil and other high
caste people.
47
Section-III: Check Your Progress-3
I.
1)
The devotional songs were sung in praise of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and
Lord Buddha.
2)
Bayaji’s children were preparing tea for bhajan singers and other at
2.o’clock in the morning.
3)
The guests suddenly stood up and began to pull out women like a herd of
cattle because they saw that the house was on fire.
4) When Bayaji was about to come down the stairs, the stairs
crumbled down in the flames.
II. Key to answers:
1-d
2-b
Section-IV: Check Your Progress-4
I.
1)
Bayaji’s last wish was to build a storeyed house.
2)
Bayaji told his eldest son about his last wish.
3)
Immediately after the funeral of Bayaji, the sons started to build a new
house.
4)
All the six brothers were involved in the work of building a new house.
5)
The village officers recorded the reason of the accident as a petromax flareup.
II. Key to answers:
1-a
2-d
4.6 Exercises:
A) Answer the following questions in 100 to 120 words each:
1)
Why did Bayaji turn back to his village?
2)
What did Bayaji carry in his box?
3)
How was Bayaji welcomed by the villagers and his family members?
4)
Comment on the attitude of high caste people in the village towards the low
caste person Bayaji.
48
5)
Write the character sketch of Bayaji.
6)
Describe Bayaji’s house on fire.
7)
Why was Kondiba Patil upset with Bayaji’s house? What did he suggest to
him?
B) Write short notes on the following in about 100 to 120 word each:
1)
Bayaji’s family
2)
End of the story
3)
Bayaji as the central character
4)
The housewarming ceremony
5)
Casteism in Bayaji’s village
6)
The tragic end of Bayaji’s dream
7)
Bayaji’s sons
49
Unit-5
The Unity of India
Amartya Sen
Index
5.0 Objectives
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Content
5.2.1
Section - I
Notes and Glossary
Check Your Progress- I
5.2.2
Section - II
Notes and Glossary
Check Your Progress- II
5.2.3
Section - III
Notes and Glossary
Check Your Progress- III
5.3 Summary
5.4 Terms to Remember
5.5 Answers to Check Your Progress
5.6 Exercises
5.7 Reference for Further Study
50
5.0 Objectives:
After reading this unit you are going to learn about:
•
unity of India
•
Akbar's contribution in intercommunity discussions.
•
how diversity of India has baffled many.
•
general statements about India and Indians that can be found throughout
history.
•
features of India's unity vary greatly with context.
•
description of Ujjain in Kalidasa's Meghadutam
•
Akbar's attempts at some standardization
5.1 Introduction:
Amartya Sen (born 3 November, 1933) is an Indian economist and a Nobel
Laureate. His contributions to welfare economics, Social Choice theory, economic
and social justice and indexes of the measure of well-being of citizens of developing
countries are noteworthy. He is professor of Economics and philosophy at Harvard
University, a senior fellow at the Harvard society of fellows, distinguished fellow of
All Souls College, Oxford and fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. He is a prolific
writer and his books have been translated into more than thirty languages. Sen has
received over 90 honorary degrees from universities around the world. He has
received many awards and honors; in 1998 he received the Nobel Memorial Prize in
Economic Sciences for his work in welfare economics, in 1999 he received the
Bharat Ratna award, in the year 2002 he received the International Humanist Award
from the International Humanist and Ethical union to name a few.
Development as Freedom (1999), The Idea of Justice (2009). The Argumentative
Indian (2005) Rationality and Freedom (2002) Reason before Identity (1999), On
Ethics and Economics (1987), Choice, Welfare and Measurement (1982), Hunger
and Public Action (1989) are some of the prominent works by Amartya Sen. The
present essay is taken from his famous book The Argumentative Indian writings on
Indian Culture, History and Identity. It is a collection of 16 essays many of which are
based on the lectures that Amartya Sen delivered on various occasions on various
51
topics. In these essays Amartya Sen discusses India's long argumentative tradition
and India's multi cultural history. In the present essay he discusses the unity of India.
5.2 Content:
5.2.1 Section I:
I turn now to a different issue, that of the unity of India. We can distinguish
between two distinct features of the intercommunity discussions arranged by Akbar
in Agra in the late sixteenth century. The first was the 'acceptance of plurality',
embracing the regular presence of a multitude of beliefs and convictions. The second
was the 'dialogic commitment' in the form of Akbar's visionary insistence on the
need to have conversations and interchanges among holders of different beliefs and
convictions. They are interlinked features of a rich and integrated understanding of a
diverse society.
Consider, first, the far-reaching relevance of the former - the more elementary feature of Akbar's vision, the acknowledgement and recognition of the internal
diversity of India. The extent of that diversity has baffled many. Indeed, many
centuries later, when Winston Churchill made the momentous announcement that
India was no more a country than was the Equator, it was evident that his intellectual
imagination was severely strained by the difficulty of seeing how so much diversity
could fit into the conception of one country. The British belief, very common in
imperial days and not entirely absent now, that it was the Raj that somehow 'created'
India reflects not only a pride in alleged authorship, but also some bafflement about
the possibility of accommodating so much heterogeneity within the coherent limits of
what could be taken to be a pre-existing country.
Notes and Glossary
distinguish:
to make out as different
multitude:
a great number
dialogic:
of, pertaining to, or characterized by dialogue.
Commitment:
the act of committing, pledging or engaging onself.
integrated:
harmonious.
acknowledgement:
an expression of appreciation.
52
recognition:
realization.
baffled:
bewildered.
momentous:
of great or far-reaching importance.
heterogeneity:
diversity.
coherent:
logical and consistent
Check Your Progress- I
Choose the correct alternative from the options given below each sentence and
complete the sentences.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Intercommunity discussions were arranged by Akbar in the
a) fifteen century
b) late sixteenth century
c) seventeenth century
d) early seventeenth century.
Two distinct features of the intercommunity discussions were 'acceptance of
plurality' and _________
a) personal commitment
b) social commitment
c) dialogic commitment
d) moral commitment
Internal ________ of India has baffled many.
a) quality
b) integrity
c) diversity
d) purity.
________ made the momentous announcement that India was no more a
country than was the Equator.
a) George Bush
b) Barrack Obama
c) Abraham Lincoln
d) Winston Churchill
The British belief that it was the Raj that somehow _______ India.
a) made
b) created
c) incorporated
d) crafted
53
5.2.2 Section II:
Yet, general statements about India and Indians can be found throughout history,
from the ancient days of Alexander the Great, of Megasthenes (author of the Indika,
in the third century BCE), and of Apollonius of Tyana (an India-expert in the first
century CE) to the 'medieval' days of Arab and Iranian visitors (who, like Alberuni,
wrote so much about the land and the people of India), all the way to the
Enlightenment and post-Enlightenment Europe (with heroic generalizations about
India presented by Herder, Schelling, Schlegel and Schopenhauer, among many
others). It is also interesting to note that, in the seventh century CE, as the Chinese
scholar Yi Jing returned to China after spending ten years in India, he was moved to
ask the question: 'Is there anyone, in the five parts of India, who does not admire
China?' That rhetorical - and somewhat optimistic - question is an attempt at seeing a
unity of attitudes in the country as a whole, despite its divisions, including its 'five
parts'. Akbar was one of the ambitious and energetic emperors of India (along with
Candragupta Maurya, Ashoka, the later Candragupta of the Gupta dynasty, Alauddin
Khilji, and others) who would not accept that their regime was complete until the
bulk of what they took to be one country was under their unified rule. The wholeness
of India, despite all its variations, has consistently invited recognition and response.
This was not entirely irrelevant to the British conquerors either, who even in the
eighteenth century - had a more integrated conception of India than Churchill would
have been able to construct around the Equator.
Notes and Glossary:
medieval:
relating to the Middle Ages.
Enlightenment:
The age of Enlightenment was cultural movement of
intellectuals beginning in the late 17th and 18th century Europe
emphasizing reason and individualism rather than tradition.
irrelevant:
unrelated.
Check Your Progress- II
Choose the correct alternative from the options given below each sentence and
complete the sentences.
1)
The author of the Indika was _______
54
2)
3)
4)
5)
a) Megasthenes
b) Apollonius
c) Alexander the great
d) Herder
Apollonius of Tyana was an India-expert in the _______
a) first century cE
b) second century cE
c) third century cE
d) fourth century cE
Alberuni wrote so much about the ______ and the _____ of India.
a) states, dialect
b) region, persons
c) land, people
d) provinces, rulers
Chinese scholar ______ returned to China after spending ten years
a) Yang Xiong
b) Shang Yang
c) Zhang Yi
d) Yi Jing
in India.
______ was one of the ambitious and energetic emperors of India.
a) Akbar
b) Babar
c) Harsha
d) Samudra Gupta
5.2.3 Section III:
The features of India's unity vary greatly with the context. Some of them are
more often recollected than others, though they all have their specific relevance.
Consider, for example, the emergence, far less often discussed than it should be, of
the city of Ujjain, in the early centuries of the first millennium cE, as the location of
the 'principal meridian' for Indian calendars, serving for Indian astronomers as
something like an Indian Greenwich. It is still the base of the Indian standard time
today, nearly two thousand years later, an awkward five and a half hours ahead of
Greenwich Mean Time. That technical development clearly had much to do with the
location of imperial power as well as scientific research at that time. Ujjain (or
Ujjayini, as it was then called), as an ancient Indian city, moved from its role as the
capital of Avanti (later, Malwa) in the seventh century BCE, to become the capital of
the aka royalty, and most prominently served as the base of the later Gupta dynasty,
in the period of the flowering of Indian mathematics and science. Ujjain was, as it
happens, also the home of many leaders of India's literary and cultural world,
55
including the poet Kalidasa, in the fifth century. It was this connection, rather than
the scientific one, that attracted E. M. Forster - that profound observer of India - to
Ujjain in 1914. He was struck by the lack of contemporary interest in the history of
that ancient city: 'Old buildings are buildings, ruins are ruins'. In Kalidasa's long
poem Meghadutam, a banished husband, who asks a cloud to carry across India his
message of love and longing to his far-away wife, insists that the cloud must
undertake a detour to see the magnificence of Ujjain. Of course, here too - as
elsewhere in Kalidasa's sensuous writings - he cannot resist dwelling on the feminine
charm that could be found. As he visits modern Ujjain, E. M. Forster recollects
Kalidasa's description of the beauty of Ujjayini women, and how the fifth-century
city livened up in the evening as 'women steal to their lovers' through 'darkness that a
needle might divide'. The cloud is firmly instructed:
Though it diverts you on your way northward,
Do not fail to see the roofs of Ujjayini's stuccoed palaces If you are not enchanted there by the way the city women's eyes
Tremble in alarm at your bolts of lightning,
You are cheated.'"
Kalidasa combines his observation of diverse charms and beauties across India
with a determination to provide a full view of the entire land that lies on the way
from one end of India to another on the route that the poet determines for the
messenger cloud.
Similarly, Akbar not only noted the variations across India, but also made
serious attempts at some standardization. Indeed, both his abortive moves to initiate
an integrated calendar for India, the 'Tarikh-ilahi', and his unsuccessful efforts to
have a synthetic religion, the 'Din-ilahi', drawing on the different religions known in
India, reflected a constructive search for an overarching unity, combined with a firm
acknowledgement of plurality. The recognition of heterogeneity has much to do with
an understanding of India's qualified solidarity that emerges in these diverse literary,
scientific and political efforts. Neither a homogeneous conception of a unitary India,
nor a view of isolated segments, could take the place of the idea of the pluralist India
that was firmly established well before Lord Clive began erecting the foundations of
the Raj.
56
Notes and Glossary:
meridian:
a circle passing through a place and the North and South poles.
detour:
a round about way
sensuous:
stimulating the senses.
stuccoed:
plastered.
enchanted:
charmed
variations:
a change or slight difference in condition
abortive:
failing to produce the intended result.
solidarity:
firm unity
plurality of India:
(India’s) population of many castes and creed
homogeneous:
of the same kind
unitary:
single
Megasthenes:
(350-290 BCE) Was a Greek ethnographer and explorer in the
Hellenistic period, author of the work Indika. He was born in
Asia Minor and became an ambassador of Seleucus I of
Seleucid dynasty possibly to Chandragupta Maurya.
Apollonius of Tyana: (C.15.C 100 CE) was a Greek Neopythagorean philosopher
from the town of Tyana in the Roman province of Cappadocia in
Asia Minor.
Alberuni:
(973 - 1048) Was born in Khiva in 973 A.D. He came to India in
the war-train of Mahmud of Gazani. He was a great philosopher,
mathematician and historian. Attracted by Indian culture, he
learnt Sanskrit and studied Hindu philosophy and culture.
Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling: (1775-1854) An American poet, ecologist,
naturalist, and explorer of wilderness areas. He has travelled in
North America, Europe, India and Himalayas.
Robert Clive:
(1725-1774) Major-General Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive also
known as Clive of India, was a British officer who established
57
the military and political supremacy of the East Indian company
in Bengal.
Johann Gottfried Herder: (1744-1803) was a German philosopher, theologian, poet
and literary critic.
Schlegel:
(Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schelgel (1772-1829) was a German
poet, literary critic, philosopher, philologist and ideologist.
Schopenhauer:
Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) was a German Philosopher.
Check Your Progress- III
Choose the correct alternative from the options given below each sentence and
complete the sentences.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Ujjain is considered as the location of the _______ for Indian calendars.
a) principal meridian
b) principle meditation
c) principal location
d) principal site
Ujjain was the home of many leaders of India's _______ world.
a) political
b) literary and cultural
c) social
d) historical
In Kalidasa's long poem ________ a banished husband asks a cloud to carry
across India his message of love to his far away wife.
a) Meghadutam
b) Abhijnanashakuntalam
c) Kumarsambhavam
d) Malavikagnimitram
Kalidasa combines his observation of diverse charms and beauties across
________.
a) India
b) Ujjain
c) Avantika
d) Malwa.
Akbar not only noted the variations across India but also made serious
attempts at some ________ .
a) equation
b) organization
c) moderation
d) standardization
58
5.3 Summary:
In this unit we have learnt about unity of India. In the late sixteenth century
Akbar had arranged intercommunity discussions which aimed at accepting different
beliefs and convictions as he had recognised the need to have conversations and
interchanges among the holders of these different beliefs and convictions. It is
Akbar's recognition of the internal diversity of India. Many foreign philosophers and
thinkers have made many general statements about India which we can find since
ancient days to the eighteenth century.
This wholeness of India has been consistently recognized and emphasized.
Features of India's unity vary greatly with the context. The example of the city of
Ujjain is cited here. In the early centuries Ujjain was considered as the 'principal
meridian' and even today it is the base of Indian standard time and it was the home of
many literary and cultural leaders. E.M. Forster was struck by the lack of
contemporary interest in the history of that ancient city. While visiting modern Ujjain
he recollects Kalidasa's description of the beauty of Ujjaini women. Kalidasa has
tried to describe charms and beauties across India and provides a full view of the
entire land. Similarly, Akbar, too, noted the variations across India and made serious
attempts at some standardization, which was the constructive search for unity. Even
before the foundations of the Raj the idea of the pluralist India was firmly
established.
5.4 Terms to Remember:
Acceptance of plurality: It is an attitude of accepting diversity in different
beliefs and co-existing in the society
Kalidasa’s Meghdutam: is a long poem written by Kalidasa. It means “cloud
messenger”. It describes how a yaksha, a subject of King Kubera,after being
exiled for a year to Central India for neglecting his duties, urges passing cloud to
convey his message to his beloved wife at Alaka on mount Kailasa.
Tarikh- Ilahi and Din-Ilahi: Akbar himself had made an attempt’,in 1584, to
to replace the Hejira calendar by a new synthetic calendar, Tarikh-Ilahi. Din –
Ilahi is a synthetic religion he tried to promote.
59
5.5 Answers to Check Your Progress:
Section - I
1)
-
b) late sixteenth century
2)
-
c) dialogic commitment
3)
-
c) diversity
4)
-
d) Winston Churchill
5)
-
b) created
Section - II
1)
-
a) Megasthenes
2)
-
a) first century cE
3)
-
c) land, people
4)
-
d) yi jing
5)
-
a) Akbar
Section - III
1)
-
c) principal meridian
2)
-
b) literary and cultural
3)
-
a) Meghadutam
4)
-
a) India
5)
-
d) Standardization
5.6 Exercises:
I)
Answer the following questions in 100 to 120 words each.
1.
What was the British belief about India?
2.
What was the momentous announcement made by Winston Churchill?
3.
Who have made general statements about India and Indians?
4.
What features of India's unity have been discussed in the passage?
5.
How does Kalidasa describe Ujjayani women?
60
6.
What efforts did Akbar make for standardization of India?
II) Write short notes in about 100 to 120 words each.
1.
The unity of India
2.
The foreign visitors who made general statements about India
3.
Ujjain
4.
Kalidasa's observation of diverse charms and beauties across India
5.7 Reference for Further Study:
Sen, Amartya, The Argumentative India: Writing on Indian culture, History
and Identity. New Delhi: Penguin Books India, 2012. Print.
61
Unit-6
I am not that woman
Kishwar Naheed
Index
6.0 Objectives
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Content
Check Your Progress
6.3 Summary
6.4 Terms to Remember
6.5 Answers to Check Your Progress
6.6 Exercises
6.7 Writing Activity
6.0 Objectives:
After reading this unit you will learn:
•
the place of a woman in the male-dominated society.
•
the struggle of a woman in her own culture
•
the degradation and exploitation of woman in society’s customs and
traditions.
•
the poet’s desire to throw away restrictions and to achieve freedom.
6.1 Introduction:
Kishwar Nahed is a feminist Urdu poet from Pakistan. She was born in 1940 in
Bulandshahar in Utter Pradesh, India. She migrated to Lahore, Pakistan after
partition in 1949 with her family. She struggled and fought to receive education
when women were not allowed to take education. She got M.A. degree in Economics
from Punjab University Lahore. Her several poems are translated into English and
62
Spanish. In this poem, the poet deals with the struggle of woman who is maltreated
in the man-dominated society and has been suffering exploitation and oppression for
a long period of time in her society’s customs and traditions.
6.2 Content:
I am not that woman
selling you socks and shoes!
Remember me, I am the one you hid
in your walls of stone, while you roamed
free as the breeze, not knowing
that my voice cannot be smothered by stones.
I am the one you crushed
with the weight of custom and tradition
not knowing
that light cannot be hidden in darkness.
Remember me,
I am the one in whose lap
you picked flowers
and planted thorns and embers
not knowing
that chains cannot smother my fragrance.
I am the woman
whom you bought and sold
in the name of my own chastity
not knowing
that I can walk on water
63
when I am drowning.
I am the one you married off
to get rid of burden
not knowing
that a nation of captive minds
cannot be free.
I am the commodity you traded in,
my chastity, my motherhood, my loyalty.
Now it is time for me to flower free.
The woman on the poster,
half-naked, selling socks and shoes--No, no I am not that woman!
Check Your Progress:
I
Say whether the following statements are true or false.
i)
Kishwar Naheed migrated to Pakistan before independence.
ii) She didn’t go to school to receive education because she was poor.
iii) Kishwar Naheed obtained M.A. degree in Economics from Punjab
University, Lahore.
iv) The woman in the poem was selling socks and shoes.
v)
II
The woman in the poem wants to throw away the burden of customs and
traditions.
Complete the following statements choosing the correct alternative from the
ones given below each.
1.
The title of the poem suggests that the speaker denies to be a woman -------.
a.
respected
b.
adored
64
2.
3.
4.
5.
c.
crushed and bought and sold
d.
on the poster
The woman is crushed under the burden of -------a.
elite class.
b.
lower class.
c.
customs and tradition.
d.
people’s criticism.
The expression ‘that chains cannot smother my fragrance’ means-----a.
the overall qualities of the woman cannot be suppressed.
b.
the wisdom of the woman cannot be denied.
c.
the role of the woman cannot be neglected.
d.
the feelings of the woman cannot be smothered.
The woman is married off mainly considering her to be ------------a.
a commodity.
b.
a liability.
c.
a someone else’s responsibility.
d.
a burden.
Love, chastity, loyalty are the qualities of woman as a --------------a.
a good wife.
b.
a good daughter.
c.
a commodity.
d.
a good companion.
6.3 Summary:
The woman in this poem is making protest against the inhuman treatment
women in general have been given in a male-dominated society. She has been kept
hidden behind the stone walls imposing harsh limitations on her while the men
roamed freely as a breeze. She was crushed under the heavy weight of customs and
65
traditions. But she says that darkness and fragrance cannot be chained. Similarly the
virtues, qualities and abilities of a woman cannot be imprisoned for a long time. A
woman cannot be treated as a commodity and her chastity, loyalty and motherhood
cannot be bought and sold. The time has come for a woman to be free and flourish in
the open air.
6.4 Terms to Remember:
remember:
identify
hid:
kept out of sight (past tense of ‘hide’)
roam:
wander
breeze:
slight wind
not knowing:
without taking into consideration
smother:
put pressure, prevent, imprison
crush:
humiliate or depress completely
custom and tradition: an inherited regular pattern of thought or action
lap:
the thighs
ember:
a burning piece of coal
fragrance:
sweet smell (metaphorically ‘good quality’)
chastity:
virtue
to get rid of:
to get free from something
burden:
tension, load on mind
captive:
imprisoned
commodity:
a product that is bought and sold commercially
trade in:
buy and sell
loyalty:
quality of being true in friendship
flower free:
flourish openly
66
6.5 Answers to Check Your Progress:
I
II
True or false
1. False
2. False
4. False
5. True
3. True
Multiple Choice
1.
a - careful
2.
c - customs and tradition
3.
a – the overall qualities of the woman cannot be denied.
4.
b – a liability
5.
d – a good companion
6.6 Exercises:
I
II
Answer the following questions in 100 to 120 words each.
1.
What is the central idea of the poem?
2.
How is woman exploited and oppressed in her own culture?
Write short notes on the following in 100 to 120 words each.
1.
The significance of the title
2.
The qualities and abilities of woman
6.7 Writing Activity:
1.
Write an essay on the place of woman in modern India.
2.
Write a note on unequal treatment given to a girl at home.
67
Unit-7
The Conjurer's Revenge
Stephen Leacock
Index
7.0 Objectives
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Content:
7.2.1
Check Your Progress
7.2.2
Check Your Progress
7.2.3
Check Your Progress
7.3 Summary
7.4 Terms to Remember
7.5 Answers to Check Your Progress
7.6 Exercises
7.0 Objectives:
After studying this unit you will be able to:
understand the way the conjurer takes revenge on the Quick Man
explain the reason for the conjurer’s revenge
find out the relationship between the conjurer and the audience
7.1 Introduction:
Stephen Butler Leacock, (1869-1944) popularly known as Stephen Leacock
was an internationally popular Canadian writer. He was an educator, lecturer,
essayist and an author of more than thirty books and lighthearted sketches. Though
he wrote books on history and political economy, the world remembers him as a
humorous writer. His fame rests on his fantasy book, Literary Lapses (1910) and
Nonsense Novels (1911). Leacock’s humour is typically based on a comic perception
68
of social foibles and the incongruity between appearances and reality. Sarcasm is
foreign to his work. It is rather characterized by youthful zest and the invention of
the lively comic situations. Leacock’s book, Humour: Its Theory and Technique
(1935) discusses his theory of humour and The Boy I left Behind Me (1946) is an
incomplete autobiography.
The present humorous story is taken from his book, Literary Lapses. It is a story
of a skilled and smart magician. The magician avenges a man (named as ‘The Quick
Man’ in the story) who devalues all his tricks in a public performance, saying ‘hehad-it-up-his sleeve’. The story ends with the magician’s revenge on the Quick Man
7.2 Content:
“Now, ladies and gentlemen,” said the conjurer, “having shown you that the
cloth is absolutely empty, I will proceed to take from it a bowl of goldfish. Presto!”
All around the hall people were saying, “Oh, how wonderful! How does he do
it?”
But the Quick Man on the front seat said in a big whisper to the people near
him, “He–had–it up–his–sleeve.”
The people nodded brightly at the Quick Man and said, “Oh, of course”; and
everybody whispered round the hall, “He–had–it up–his–sleeve.”
“My next trick,” said the conjurer “is the famous Hindostanee rings. You will
notice that the rings are apparently separate; at a blow they all join (clang, clang,
clang) - Presto!”
There was a general buzz of stupefaction till the Quick Man was heard to
whisper, “He–must–have-had-another-lot–up–his–sleeve.”
Again everybody nodded and whispered, “The rings-were-up-his-sleeve.”
The brow of the conjurer was clouded with a gathering frown.
“I will now,” he continued, “show you a most amusing trick by which I am
enabled to take any number of eggs from a hat. Will some gentleman kindly lend me
his hat? Ah, thank you – Presto!”
He extracted seventeen eggs, and for thirty-five seconds the audience began to
think that he was wonderful. Then the Quick Man whispered along the front bench,
69
“He-has-a-hen-up-his-sleeve,” and all the people whispered it on. “He–has-a- lot-ofhens-up-his-sleeve.”
The egg trick was ruined.
It went on like that all through. It transpired from the whispers of the Quick Man
that the conjurer must have concealed up his sleeve, in addition to the rings, hens,
and fish, several packs of cards, a loaf of bread, a doll’s cradle, a live guinea- pig, a
fifty-cent piece, and a rocking –chair.
The reputation of the conjurer was rapidly sinking below zero. At the close of
the evening he rallied for a final effort.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “I will present to you, in conclusion, the
famous Japanese trick recently invented by the Natives of Tipperary. Will you, sir,”
he continued, turning towards the Quick Man, “will you kindly hand me your gold
watch?”
It was passed to him.
“Have I your permission to put it into this mortar and pound it to pieces?” he
asked savagely.
The Quick Man nodded and smiled.
The conjurer threw the watch into the mortar and grasped a sledge hammer from
the table. There was a sound of violent smashing, “He’s–slipped-it-up-his-sleeve,”
whispered the Quick Man.
“Now, sir,” continued the conjurer, “will you allow me to take your
handkerchief and punch holes in it? Thank you. You see, ladies and gentleman, there
is no deception; the holes are visible to the eye.”
The face of the Quick Man beamed. This time the real mystery of the thing
fascinated him.
“And now, sir, will you kindly pass me your silk hat and allow me to dance on
it? Thank you.”
The conjurer made a few rapid passes with his feet and exhibited the hat crushed
beyond recognition.
70
“And will you now, sir, take off your celluloid collar and permit me to burn it in
the candle? Thank you, sir. And will you allow me to smash your spectacles for you
with my hammer? Thank you.”
By this time the features of the Quick Man were assuming a puzzled expression.
“This thing beats me,” he whispered, “I don’t see through it a bit.”
There was a great hush upon the audience. Then the conjurer drew himself up to
his height and, with a withering look at the Quick Man, he concluded:
“Ladies and gentlemen, you will observe that I have, with this gentleman’s
permission, broken his watch, burnt his collar, smashed his spectacles, and danced on
his hat. If he will give me further permission to paint green stripes on his overcoat, or
to tie his suspenders in a knot, I shall be delighted to entertain you. If not, the
performance is at an end.”
And amid a glorious burst of music from the orchestra the curtain fell, and the
audience dispersed, convinced that there are some tricks, at any rate, that are not
done up the conjurer’s sleeve.
7.2.1 Check Your Progress:
Complete the following statements choosing the correct alternative from the
ones given below each.
1.
2.
3.
The present story is taken from-------a)
Literary Lapses
b)
Humour: Its Theory and Technique
c)
The Boy I left Behind Me
The meaning of the term ‘Presto’ is----------a)
Hallo
b)
Look !
c)
Ready
d)
Listen to me
The ‘Quick Man’ in the story----------a)
listens quietly to the conjurer.
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4.
5.
b)
watches the magic tricks.
c)
devaluates the tricks.
d)
leaves the show
The conjurer’s show came to an end-----------a)
in the morning
b)
in the evening
c)
at night
d)
at midnight
At the end of the show-----------a)
the audience beat the conjurer
b)
the Quick Man was beaten by the audience
c)
the Quick Man beat the conjurer
d)
the audience appreciated the show
7.2.2 Check Your Progress:
Answer the following questions in one sentence each:
1.
Why does the conjurer avenge himself on the Quick Man?
2.
What is the meaning of the phrase, “he-had-it-up-his-sleeve”?
3.
How many eggs does the conjurer extract from a hat?
4.
What is the name of the trick which the conjurer shows at the end of the
show?
5.
Which trick does the conjurer perform at the end?
7. 2.3 Check Your Progress:
I Answer the following questions in about 100 to 120 words each.
How does the Quick Man comment on each of the tricks?
II Write short notes on the followings in about 100 to 120 words each.
The character of the Conjurer
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7.3 Summary:
It is a humorous story of a conjurer (magician) who revenges a man from the
audience who makes fun of his tricks. The conjurer performs several tricks for the
audience. Each time when he performs a trick the Quick Man in the audience says
that the trick has been done with the help of items hidden up the conjurer’s sleeve.
When the conjurer produces a bowl of fish from a piece of empty cloth – the Quick
Man says that it must have been up his sleeve. For all the other tricks that the
conjurer performs which includes rings, eggs, cards, bread, live guinea pig and a
rocking chair, the Quick Man says that these must have kept all the items up in his
sleeve. Such constant comments by the Quick Man upset the conjurer but he does
not show it and continues to perform his tricks. The Quick Man’s comments make
the audience feel that the tricks are nothing special and are the result of the conjurer
having things hidden up his sleeve. This upsets the conjurer. In spite of his
uneasiness, he goes on performing one trick after the other. Still when the Quick
Man continues to comment and devalue the tricks, the conjurer decides to take
revenge. He appears to perform a trick using items borrowed from Quick Man. First
of all, he takes the Quick Man’s watch and breaks it into pieces. He pays no
attention when Quick Man tells the audience that is resting into the conjurer’s sleeve.
The conjurer then takes the Quick Man’s handkerchief and puts holes in it. The
Quick Man thinks that this is also a trick which he does not understand. The conjurer
then takes the Quick Man’s hat and dances on it. He then moves to burn the Quick
Man’s collar and shatters his spectacles. The Quick Man thinks that this is just a
trick. Later, the Quick Man and the audience realize that what the conjurer did with
the Quick Man’s things are actually destroyed and are not tricks. Thus, the conjurer
takes his revenge and teaches him a lesson which he will never forget.
7.4 Terms to Remember:
conjurer:
A person who performs magic tricks popularly known as
magician
proceed:
go on to do something or move forward in action
bowl of goldfish:
a round, deep dish with gold-coloured fish
Presto:
(in a magic show) expression of an announcement of the
successful completion of a trick; readiness
wonderful:
amazing, surprising yet excellent
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Quick Man:
Man who reacts or responds quickly. Here, it is used for the
man who mocks all the time at the conjurer’s tricks.
whisper:
say in a low voice
nodding (to nod):
moving the head in an agreement; an expression of agreement
brightly:
with a feeling of understanding
Hindostanee rings:
this reference is to the big iron rings used by magicians in
India in a show where the rings are joined and separated with
skill by him.
blow:
hit or strike
clang-clang-clang:
repeatedly made a loud, resonant metallic sound
buzz of stupefaction: a murmuring sound of excitement and thrill
brow:
forehead
crowded with frown: covered with expression of strong disapproval and displeasure
amusing:
entertaining
trick:
a skilful act performed for entertainment
enabled:
allowed or permitted
extracted:
took something out from something else
transpired:
revealed, known
concealed:
hidden secretly
guinea pig:
a tailless South American pig now tamed as a pet animal
reputation:
fame, good name
rapidly sinking:
falling down quickly
rallied:
made himself ready (for a final effort)
natives of Tipperary: residents/citizens of Tipperary, a city in Ireland
hand me:
lend, give me
mortar:
a cup shaped jug in which small items are crushed
pound:
crush, grind into a powder
savagely:
aggressively, in an uncontrolled manner
nodded:
allowed (by nodding his head)
sledge hammer:
a large, heavy hammer used for breaking hard things
deception:
cheating
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visible:
able to be seen
beamed:
became bright and happy
rapid passes:
fast and quick throws, kicks
celluloid:
transparent and easily burnt
features:
facial appearances, expressions
puzzled:
confused
beats me:
I cannot understand
drew up to his height: stood erect (to his full height)
withering look:
look of severe expression
suspenders:
a pair of straps for holding up trousers
a glorious burst:
a celebrated outbreak/ shout
7.5 Answers to Check Your Progress:
7.2.1
1.
a) Literary Lapses
2.
c) Ready
3.
c) devaluates the tricks.
4.
b) in the evening
5.
d) the audience appreciated the show
7.2.2
1.
The conjurer avenges himself on the Quick Man because the Quick Man
always makes fun of his tricks, saying ‘he-had-it-up-his-sleev’.
2.
The meaning of the phrase ““he-had-it-up-his-sleeve” is everything is kept
in the sleeve of the conjurer.
3.
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4.
The name of the trick shown at the end is Japanese trick
5.
At the end of the show the conjurer smashes the spectacles of the Quick
Man.
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7. 2.3
I
The character of the Quick Man is the heart of the story. From the beginning of
the conjurer’s show, the Quick Man keeps disturbing the show for the conjurer by
saying that he has kept the things hidden up his sleeve. This upsets the conjurer and
spoils the show for the audience. In this respect, the Quick Man may be considered to
be the villain of the story. He is also the cause of the final trick of the conjurer which
leads to much amusement for the audience. If the Quick Man is not there, the story
will end very uneventfully and it will not be a good readable story. In other words, it
is the character of The Quick Man that adds magical beauty to the story. Moreover
the story becomes humorous because of the Quick Man’s spoiling nature. Therefore
though the Quick Man is villainous by nature, it gives significant importance to the
character of the conjurer.
II
The conjurer is a skilled magician. He can do difficult tricks like taking out eggs
from a hat. When he wants to teach the Quick Man a lesson he quickly thinks and
calls it a ‘Japanese trick’ invented by the natives of Tipperary. This shows that he has
a good imagination. The conjurer tolerates the Quick Man for a long while before
taking revenge. This shows that the conjurer has a lot of patience. From the language
used by the conjurer one can say that he is also a well educated person. The
humorous part of his character is the seriousness. He never makes the Quick Man
realize what he is going to do. The way he ends the show also shows how he uses
serious words to create peals of laughter among the audience.
7.6 Exercises:
I
Answer the following questions in about 100 to 120 words each.
1.
How did the conjurer try hard to impress the audience?
2.
How does the conjurer take revenge upon the Quick Man?
3.
How does the Quick Man react to the destruction of his hat, watch, etc.?
4.
Why can’t the Quick Man complain about the destruction of his things?
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II
Writing Activity:
1.
Describe the magic show witnessed by you.
2.
Is magician an artist or a smart cheater or both? What do you think?
Discuss this with your friends and arrange a debate on it.
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Unit-8
On Killing a Tree
Gieve Patel
Index
8.0 Objectives
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Content
8.3 Summary
8.4 Terms to Remember
8.5 Answer to Check Your Progress
8.6 Exercises
8.7 Reference for Further Study
8.0 Objectives:
After studying this unit you will be able to:
•
Understand the general idea and the theme of the poem.
•
appreciate if killing on animal or human being is inhuman and cruel act, so
is felling or killing a tree.
•
learn how the poet goes on to tell us that the tree sucks the juice from the
mother earth. It reminds us of a child’s sucking at mother’s breast.
•
note the poet’s strong plea against destroying trees by human being.
•
learn when the tree cut, bleeds and bleeding wounds can heal. Similar
things happen to human beings.
8.1 Introduction:
Gieve Patel (b.1940) one of the four well-known of the ‘Parsi Quartet’ of Indian
English Poetry (the other three are Adil Jussawalla, Keki N. Daruwala and Kersey D.
Katrak). He is a medical practitioner by profession, is very familiar with pain,
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disease and death. He has published two volumes of poetry so far, Poems (1966) and
How Do You Withstand Body (1976). His poetry deals with situation and recreates
characters in our situation. The poems in the first volume make use of local subjects
and are born of observations leading to contemplation on the self and social attitudes.
Patel’s early poems register his sympathies with the oppressed, the underdog in
society. He is popular as an actor playwright too, with three productions, Princes
(1970) Savakasa (1982) and Mister Behram (1988) to his credit.
On Killing a Tree is Gieve Patel’s one of the popular poems. Though present
poem is an obscure poem yet the deep meaning of the poem is highly symbolic. In
the present poem the poet wants to say something about the cutting of trees.
According to him it will take too much time to kill a tree. It is not just a simple jab, a
quick stab, or a blow to do the job. A wood cutter may hack, cut or chop with
repeated and regular blows and chop, but still this alone will not do the job. The tree
does not seem to feel any kind of pain because the bleed bark seemed to heal all the
time.
8.2 Content:
On Killing a Tree
It takes much time to kill a tree,
Not a simple jab of the knife
Will do it. It has grown
Slowly consuming the earth,
Rising out of it, feeding
Upon its crust, absorbing
Years of sunlight, air, water,
And out of its leprous hide
Sprouting leaves.
So hack and chop
But this alone won’t do it.
Not so much pain will do it.
The bleeding bark will heal
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And from close to the ground
Will rise curled green twigs,
Miniature boughs
Which if unchecked will expand again
To former size.
No,
The root is to be pulled out –
Out of the anchoring earth;
It is to be roped, tied,
And pulled out – snapped out
Or pulled out entirely,
Out from the earth-cave,
And the strength of the tree exposed,
The source, white and wet,
The most sensitive, hidden
For years inside the earth.
Then the matter
Of scorching and choking
In sun and air,
Browning, hardening,
Twisting, withering,
And then it is done.
8.3 Summary:
Contemporary Indian English Poet, Gieve Patel is a doctor by profession. Being
a doctor he has employed his imagery very dexterously from his daily experiences as
a healer of diseases. The themes of his poems are drawn purely from the Indian life
and situation and he also expresses his concern for humanity. There is a tone of
detachment in his poems, but no undercurrent of his feeling of pity or compassion.
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On the surface level, his poetry seems to be the world of lepers, servants and
beggars. His perception of his environment is different form that of R. Parthasarthy
or A. K. Ramanujan. He is aware of local conditions of life, yet guards himself from
involvement.
On Killing A Tree is known as Gieve Patel’s most well-known poem. At the
surface level it describes an act of killing a tree by human being. This ‘felling tree’
involves uprooting the tree so that its branches would not grow again from the root.
The poet makes an appeal to us to look at the trees as human being. He solemnly
believes that felling a tree is as cruel as killing a human being. In his selfish motive
human beings deliberately forget that trees are also living things. According to the
poet the tree has grown slowly consuming the earth, eating and drinking from it,
rising out of the earth, feeding upon the crust of the earth, absorbing, taking in
innumerable years of sunlight, air, water. So the poet believes that it will take too
much time to kill a tree. A wood cutter may hack or chop with repeated and regular
blows and chop but still this alone will not complete the task. The tree does not seem
to feel any kind of pain because the bleeding bark seemed to heal all the time. The
trunk of the tree close to the ground will produce curled green twigs that will rise
from the miniature bows. If their growth is not checked then they will expand again
and grow to their former sizes.
According to Patel the most important thing to do while killing a tree is to
ensure that the root is pulled out of the anchoring source of security and stability
from the earth. The tree is to be rope-tied and pulled out with a snapping sound or it
should be pulled out entirely from the earth cave. In order to carry this image to its
logical conclusion the poet provides images suggesting an operation:
“Not a simple jab of the knife
Will do it ….
So hack and chop
But this won’t do it…”
If the operation is not successful, then the disease will recur. Being a doctor by
profession, Gieve Patel is obsessed with the idea of disease and eradication of it
through successful operation. The deep meaning of the poem is highly symbolic.
Patel uses clinical images such as ‘simple jab of the knife’, ‘its leprous hide’, thus
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here the poet would like to compare the ‘killing of a diseased tree’ to performing a
surgical operation to eradicate the disease. These words link the tree to human being.
Then the poet describes that, how the tree sucks the juice from mother earth, which
reminds us of a child’s sucking at the mother’s breast. Further the poet describes the
bark and relates it to human disease, leprosy. Then the poet talks of the process of
healing. Uprooting the diseased tree is similar to that of performing a surgical
operation in lack of compassion. The images such as ‘simple jab of the knife’, ‘its
leprous hide’, ‘sensitive hidden,’ choking’ sustain the surgical analogy.
Check Your Progress -1
A) Complete the following statements using the correct alternatives from the
ones given below each:
1)
According to Gieve Patel, it takes much time to kill a …………….
a) tiger
2)
4)
5)
c) tree
d) leopard
The poet believes that the tree has grown slowly consuming the ………..,
and rising out of it and feeding upon its crust.
a) earth
3)
b) lion
b) fertilizers
c) soil
d) pesticides
According to the poet, the tree absorbs years of ……… from earth’s crust.
a) sunlight, air, water
b) nutrients and oxygen
c) carbon dioxide
d) chlorophyll
According to the poet, though the tree was cut or chopped with repeated
blows, its bleeding bark will ………
a) perish
b) wither and dry
c) fallen on the ground
d) heal
According to the poet the cutting tree has a ……… source, which is hidden
for years inside the earth.
a) white and wet
b) red and juicy
c) green and hard
d) fluid and oily
B) Answer the following questions in not more than one sentence each:
1)
From where does the tree grow? and how ?
2)
According to the poet what does the tree absorb?
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3)
According to the poet what will rise close to the ground?
4)
What is to be pulled out of the anchoring earth?
5)
What appeal does the poet make through this poem?
C) Write answers to the following questions in four or five sentences.
1)
How does the poet describe the growth of a tree?
2)
How does the poet describe the process of cutting of a tree in the third
stanza?
3)
What do the expressions such as ‘kill, ‘jab’, ‘bleeding bark’ ‘consuming the
earth and healing’ suggest?
D) Write short notes on the following
1)
The ironic tone of the poem.
2)
Symbolic meaning of the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’
8.4 Terms to Remember:
jab (v)
:
to poke abruptly with something sharp
crust (N)
:
the hard outer portion or surface
leprous (adj)
:
having leprosy (leprosy = a contagious disease which
affects the skin and can cause deformities.)
hack (v)
:
to cut or chop with repeated irregular blows.
miniature (adj)
:
much smaller than normal, on a small scale
anchoring (v)
:
moor with an anchor
scorch (v)
:
to burn slightly so as to change in colour, flavour, or
texture
browning (v)
:
to make brown, especially to cook or burn until brown
twisting (v)
:
to bend or curl.
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8.5 Answers to Check Your Progress:
A) 1) tree 2) earth
B) 1)
3) sunlight, air, water
4) heal
5) white and wet
The tree has grown slowly from consuming the earth.
2)
According to the poet the tree absorb years of sunlight, air and water.
3)
According to the poet curled green twigs will rise close to the ground.
4)
The root of the tree is to be pulled out of the anchoring earth.
5)
Gieve Patel makes a fervent appeal to look at the trees as human beings.
C) 1)
According to the poet the tree has grown slowly consuming the earth eating
and drinking from it, rising out of the earth, feeding upon the crust of the
earth absorbing, taking in innumerable years of sunlight, air and water.
2)
The root of the tree is to be pulled out by anchoring the earth. Then it is to
be roped, tied, snapped out or pulled out entirely from the earth-cave. Thus
the strength of the tree in the form of white and wet source is exposed,
which was hidden inside the earth. Then comes the process of drying,
twisting and cutting it into pieces.
3)
In the opening line the poet uses the word ‘kill’, he thinks that felling a tree
is as cruel as killing a human being. Clinical images ‘simple jab of the
knife’ suggest a surgical operation to eradicate the disease. Consuming the
earth, ‘bleeding bark’ and ‘healing’ these words link the tree to human
being.
D) Short Notes:
1)
‘On Killing a Tree’ is Gieve Patel’s one of the famous poems. The present
poem expresses the poet’s environmental message of conservation of
nature, and trees are also like living beings. In the present poem the poet
wants to say something about the cutting of trees. The poet makes a strong
plea against destroying trees. In his point of view cutting a tree is cruel and
inhuman as killing a living being. He points out that all forms of life are
essentially similar in their desire to live, expand, reproduce and their
similarity in suffering, pain and ageing. Uprooting the diseased tree is
similar to performing a surgical operation lacking compassion.
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2)
The surface meaning of the poem is cutting of a tree is as inhuman as
killing a living being. The deep meaning of the poem is highly symbolic.
The poet seems to say that mere cure of disease is not enough. The cause
of the disease has to be eradicated and only then the disease can be cured
for all time to come. Clinical images like, ‘simple jab of the knife’, ‘its
leprous hide’ underline the poet’s intention to compare the killing of a
diseased tree to performing a surgical operation to eradicate the disease.
8.6 Exercises:
Please refer to Check Your Progress C and D.
8.7 Reference for Further Study:
Dr. Das, Bijay Kumar. (1993) A Reader’s Guide to Ten Twentieth Century
Indian Poets. Bareilly : Prakash Book Depot.
Ramamurti, K. S. (2012) Twenty-Five Indian Poets in English. Delhi:
MacMillan Publishers India Ltd.
Web:
www.shvoong.com/books/poetry/215619-given -patel-killing-tree
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