Public Transport in London and Delhi-Nirad C.
Chaudhuri-QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS (30–40 Words Each)
1. How does Chaudhuri
describe public places in London?
Ans. Chaudhuri
describes London’s public places as extremely silent and disciplined. Even
crowded streets, stations, pubs, and restaurants remain quiet. People avoid
unnecessary conversation and try not to disturb anyone.
2. What difference did
the author notice between English and Indian behaviour in public?
Ans. The author
noticed that Englishmen prefer silence, privacy, and self-control, whereas
Indians are noisy, friendly, talkative, and informal. Indians freely engage
with strangers, while English people avoid unnecessary conversation.
3. How do passengers behave in Delhi buses?
Ans. Passengers in
Delhi buses lean on one another, joke loudly, share newspapers, and freely ask
personal questions. They help others but can also be confusing and noisy. Their
behaviour reflects openness and lack of formality.
4. What humorous
incident happened with the author’s sola hat?
Ans. A fellow
passenger joked that the author’s sola hat was heavier than his body. Chaudhuri
replied humorously that the hat was still not as large as the man’s turban.
5. How did fellow
passengers stop the author from standing near the door?
Ans. When the author
tried to stand near the door before his stop, passengers pulled him back, held
his coat, and made him sit. They believed he might fall and wanted to “help”
him.
6. What happened when
the conductor refused the author’s bad rupee?
Ans. A fellow
passenger immediately exchanged the bad rupee with a good one. This showed the
natural helpfulness and generosity of Indian commuters.
7. What unusual
incidents does the author mention in Delhi buses?
Ans. Chaudhuri
mentions a woman trying to jump out of the window, frequent quarrels among
passengers, and even fights between drivers and conductors. These incidents
show the restless and emotional nature of Indian public life.
8. How did an elderly
man at the bus stop behave with the author?
Ans. The elderly man
began speaking warmly to the author, shared personal details about his daughter
and family disputes, and even offered to send mangoes as thanks for the
conversation.
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS
(150–200 Words Each)
1. Describe the major
differences the author observed between public behaviour in London and Delhi.
Ans. In the essay Public Transport in London and Delhi, Nirad
C. Chaudhuri highlights the sharp contrast between the public behaviour of
Englishmen and Indians. In London, silence and discipline dominate public life.
Even crowded places like streets, stations, pubs, and restaurants remain quiet.
People respect each other’s privacy and avoid unnecessary conversation. A
striking example is when the author tried to talk to a man during dinner, but
the man politely signalled that he preferred silence. This shows the English
preference for personal space and quietness.
In contrast, Delhi displays a completely different picture.
Indian public life is full of noise, warmth, and informality. People talk
loudly, share jokes, and even discuss personal matters with strangers. In
buses, passengers lean on each other, make humorous comments, and sometimes
cause confusion while trying to help. They even share newspapers and sometimes
snatch books without hesitation. Though noisy, Indians are open-hearted and
friendly. They willingly help others, as shown when a passenger exchanged the
author’s bad rupee. Thus, the essay shows London as disciplined and silent,
while Delhi is lively, emotional, and socially warm.
2. How does Chaudhuri
use humour and real-life incidents to describe Indian behaviour in public
transport?
Nirad C. Chaudhuri’s essay is filled with humour, which makes
his comparison between London and Delhi both entertaining and realistic. He
narrates several amusing incidents from his bus journeys in Delhi. For example,
one man loudly joked that the author’s sola hat was heavier than his entire
body. Chaudhuri cleverly replied that it was not larger than the man’s turban,
creating a humorous exchange. Another funny incident happened when a curious
passenger imitated the author’s head movements to ask whether his neck jerking
was a disease. Such scenes show how Indians freely interact with strangers.
The author also humorously describes how passengers share
newspapers by snatching the unread pages or even pulling books from others'
hands. Another amusing moment appears when passengers prevent the author from
standing near the door, sometimes pulling him back by his coat to “save” him.
Chaudhuri also describes dramatic scenes, such as a woman trying to jump out of
the bus and quarrels between conductors and drivers. Through these real-life
examples, he portrays Indians as noisy, emotional, friendly, and spontaneous.
His humour highlights the lively and unpredictable nature of Indian public
behaviour, making the essay enjoyable and memorable.
