Chapter - 5 Love across the Salt Desert by Keki N. Daruwalla/ RBSE/ Question-Answer
Chapter
- 5
Love Across the Salt
Desert Keki
N. Daruwalla
Q 1. Why did the Rann look like ‘a paralysed monster’?
Ans. The Rann looked like a paralyzed monster, its back covered with scab and scar tissue and dried blister skin. The earth had cracked and it looked as if chunks of it had been backed in a kiln and then embedded in the soil crust. It was all because it had not rained in the Rann for the last three years.
Q 2. What important incident occurred when Fatimah came
into the village?
Ans. When Fatimah came to the village, the whole sky was overcast with clouds and it started raining. It started with lightening and huge isolated rain drops. The three years of drought ended with that.
Q 3. Why did Fatimah not like Mahfuz Ali?
Ans. Fatimah did not like Mahfuz Ali because of his slurred speech and grotesque stammer. Urchins would mimick him. It was just a step removed from being hounded like a madman pelted with stones.
Q 4. Why did Aftab open the door three times during the
night? Was anybody knocking the door?
Ans. Aftab opened the door three times during the night
because he thought that his son had come back. But there was nobody except wind.
Q 5. Why was it not easy to cross the boundary? How were
people checked while crossing the border?
Ans. It was not easy to cross the boundary because Indus Rangers always kept a watch from their baboo watch towers and in heat everything became a mirage. Any movement was sure to be noticed through binoculars. The camel could die of fatigue.
Q 6. Why was Fatimah happy despite she was leaving her country as well as home?
Ans. Fatimah was happy despite leaving her country and home because first, she did not have to marry Mahfuz Ali.
Second, she was running away with the person whom she loved..
Long Question Answers
Q 7. Discuss the aptness of the title “Love across the
salt desert”.
Ans. The title “Love across the salt desert” is quite appropriate as the whole story revolves around love and desert. There are two main characters in this story: Najab and Fatima. Both live in different countries. The Rann of Kutch is spread
between their villages. Fatimah was a beautiful girl who was under
pressure to marry Mahfuz Ali. But she did not like Mahfuz Ali. Her
father wanted her to marry him. But she was attracted to the quiet,
young boy, Najab. Later they both liked one another. Najab made illegal trips across
the border with his father. Once he stayed at the house of Fatimah. In the evening, Najab hugs Fatimah.and promises to come back. One day
he crossed the desert alone and takes Fatimah along with him to his
village. Thus the whole story is about crossing the desert for the sake of love.
Q 8. Write about the rituals performed at panchmai pir?
Ans. Over a hundred years earlier Panchmai Pir roamed about the salt desert serving the people there. According to a legend, he would have a jackal for his company. He was a reclusive by habit so he would return to the thorn jungles after serving the people. In his honour a lamp was lighted every night on the hill top and flame could be seen all the way from Khavda. Anybody willing to cross the border would pay a homage to the Pir and leave some food on the hilltop. If the jackals materialized and ate the food, it would be considered a good omen to continue on the journey across the desert. The custom of feeding the jackals had lingered since then.
Q 9. The image of Rann has been used twice in this story:
in the beginning and also in the end. How was it associated with love, joy, and
harmony among the characters?
Ans. The first image of the rann is of a drought ridden land which lay like a paralyzed monster, back covered with scab and scar tissue and dried blister-skin The earth had cracked and it looked as if chunks of it had been baked in a kiln and then embedded in soil crust. The cattle became thin and emaciated. The oxen died. This image shows a land shorn of love, joy and harmony.
But the second image is full of love, joy and harmony as finally the love was brought to culmination by bringing Fatimah to Rann. The boundaries dissolved and love brought about a harmony between the two lands. The parents were happy because the son had returned ending the prolonged uncertainty and fear. The joy doubled as rain had ended three years of drought and brought relief to the people and land.
Q 10. Throw light on the difference of attitude between Najab’s mother and father when they came to know about his escaped?
Ans. When Aftab got to know that Najab had escaped, he was very furious. He ran into the camel enclosure and into the house to confirm. Moreover, when he found that Najab had not taken Tendu leaves with him, he got angrier as there would be nothing with him to do business. Zaman's accusations have made him more disappointed ant irritated. After Zaman's departure, Aftab went to his wife to break the news thinking she would faint at this. But she did nothing rather simply sat with her back against the mud wall. She did not even blink in surprise. She was waist-deep in this conspiracy along with her son and never even breathed a word about it. When questioned by Aftab, she said that he needn't worry, Najab would return with cloves.
Q 11. What difficulties did Najab face while crossing the border?
Ans. Najab had to face lots of difficulties while crossing the border. He had to move against the strong south wind. He could not move during daylight as the Indus rangers would be looking from their bamboo watch-towers all the time. Allahrakha, his camel could die of fatigue. There were patrolling parties on both sides. He was chased. There was firing from behind. He had to walk on his feet which scraped the callus from his feet and scarred them with agonizing cracks. The hot tin sky was throwing up needles into his eyes. The Rann palpitated and haunted him with mirage, pools of shadow and half-moons of water. At Kaley Shah's house as well, he had to live with cattle during day time.
Drought by Sharat Chandra Chatterjee/ RBSE/ Question-Answer
Chapter
- 4
Drought Sharat
Chandra Chatterjee
Short Question Answers
Q 1. Many a time Gafur was forgiven by the landlord. Why?
Ans. Gafur was a poor man. Every time he would commit some offence, he would apologize to the landlord and he would be forgiven.
Q 2. Describe the two times one Gafur lost self-control?
Ans. For the first time when his daughter told him that there
was no food and water in the house. The second time when the landlord's messenger spoke in an abusive language.
Q 3. What is penance? Why did Gafur think of doing it?
Ans. For your mistake, regret is penance. Gafur brutally
killed his bull Mahesh and took his life. Therefore, Gafur thought of doing penance.
Q 4. What kind of life did poor Amina lead right from her
childhood?
Ans. Amina has lived a life of difficulty, poverty, conflict
and lack of love since her childhood. She was a motherless girl. Yet she was an
affectionate, dutiful, calm girl.
Q 5. Why was there so much scarcity of water in the
village?
Ans. There was no rain in the village for a long time. Two out of three tanks had all dried up. The little water that there was in the private tank of Shibu Babu was not for public.
Q 6. Why did Gafur lose his temper and kill Mahesh?
Ans. Gafur had been ill for some days. He had no work, nothing to eat and even no water. He was quite frustrated. Moreover, he was punished by the landlord as well. When he saw that Mahesh was drinking the water brought by Amina, he lost his temper and killed Mahesh.
Q 7. Write a character-sketch of Tarak Ratna?
Ans. Tarak Ratna was the village priest. He was
flatterer, selfish, cruel and unfeeling to the poor people like Gafur. He would not help the needy even if he had enough.
Long Answer Type Questions
Q 8. Giving examples from the story, comment on the
relationship between Shibu and Gafur.
Ans. The relationship between Shibu and Gafur was that of a landlord and a servant. Shibu was cruel to Gafur. He had no sympathy for the poor state of Gafur. Gafur was to receive his share of straw but Shibu Babu kept it on account of last year's rent. Shibu Babu gave him paddy to last only for two months. His share of straw was added to Shibu Babu's stock. He would often be punished by the landlord. Once, when he refused to obey Shibu Babu's orders, he was dragged to the landlord and badly beaten by his men. He was quite insensitive towards Gafur's plight and never helped him out. Finally, all helpless Gafur had to leave his village.
Q 10. Describe the attitude of Shibu Babu towards the
villagers.
Ans. Shibu Babu was the Zamindar of a small village called Kashipur. He was a ruthless person. The villagers dared not stand up to him. He would care only to extort from the villagers and not help them in any way as in the case of Gafur, he did not give Gafur his share of straw rather kept it on account of last year's rent though Gafur had nothing with him. He had no sympathy and empathy for the poor villagers. He did not allow the villagers to draw water from his tank even when there was no water in the other two tanks of the village. He exploited the people of the village.
Q 11. Draw a character sketch of Gafur.
Ans. Gafur was a poor cultivator on the farms of Shibu Babu. He was a widower with only a daughter named Amina to take care of. He loved his daughter very much but due to extreme poverty, he was unable to take care of her well. He wanted to be a good father but his circumstances sometimes compelled him into sudden outbursts of anger. He had a bull named Mahesh who was like a family member for Gafur but he was unable to feed him even, Once, out of helplessness and poverty, he decide to sell Mahesh but he could not. When the buyers came to him, he sent them back. But the same Gafur killed Mahesh in a sudden fit of anger when he saw Mahesh drinking water brought by Amina. He was an emotionally charged man and could not control his emotions when compelled by the situations. A t the end of the story again he makes an emotional decision to go to Fulbere where he refused to go on earlier occasions on account of certain reasons.