Choosing Our Universe-Questions & Answers-Stephen Hawking-Leonard Mlodinow

The Laburnum Top-Ted Hughes-English for Class XI-Hornbill

Kanthapura-Raja Rao-Questions-Answers-Short Answer-Type Questions-41 to 50

 Kanthapura-Short Answer-type Qs

Q41. How has Brahma been described by the Harikathaman?

Ans. According to the Harikathaman, Brahma was a self-created God in heaven. Once he was lying on his serpent when a sage named Valmiki reached there. Lord Brahma duly respected the sage and asked him the reason for his visit to heaven. Then the sage told Brahmaji about the miserable condition of his (Brahma’s) beloved daughter ‘Bhartha’ on the earth. He also suggested to Brahmaji that Siva himself go there to free ‘Bhartha’ from the slavery of the British.

Q42. How has the Harikathaman described Bhartha?

The Harikathaman described Bhartha, Brahma’s chief daughter, the goddess of wisdom and well-being (prosperity and health). Brahmaji gave Bhartha the sag e-land Himalayas in the north, seven seas to the south Ganges to meditate on, Godavery to live by and pure Cavery to drink in. She has also been given the riches of gold and diamonds and great kings like Chandragupta and Vikramaditya.

Q43.How is India equated with Sita in the novel?

Ans. The Harikathaman equated India with Sita in his Harikatha. India was overpowered by the evil forces of the British. Sita was also overpowered by the Chief of the evil forces, Ravana. Lord Vishnu incarnated himself as Rama and freed Sita from Ravna’s slavery. The Harikathaman said that Lord Vishnu again has incarnated himself as Gandhiji to free India from British rule.

Q44.Where does the policeman Bade Khan find a place to live in?

Ans. Bade Khan could not find a place to live in Kanthapura. Patel Gowda and the village Patwari did not pay attention to him because of his rude behavior. He left Kanthapura in a huff (irritation and anger) and went to the Skeffington Coffee Estate. He was given a hut there. It is also said that later he started living with a pariah woman, who was alone.

Q45. How did the villagers come to know that they were being followed?

Ans. One day, two villagers, named, Bhima and Motu saw a hefty (fat), bearded man. He was sitting on the village platform and smoking a cigarette. When Bhima and Motu entered Pariah Street, the bearded man started following them. Then they doubted that someone had come to live in their village, who could spy on the freedom fighters of Kanthapura.

Q46. Write a short note on Bhatta’s money lending business.

Ans. Bhatta had also started giving money on loans to people all of a sudden. He was always ready to do sale and purchase deeds. He would mortgage people’s land to give them loans at a very high rate of interest. During elections, he was the person who lent money to people inside or outside Kanthapura. He had also financed Seenappa’s and Chandra Shekhara’s elections. He exploits people’s problems and charges high rates of interest if his clients are in serious problems.

Q47. What vision does Moorthy have about Gandhiji?

Ans. Moorthy’s vision about Gandhiji is great. He is inspired by his ideology of non-violence and truthfulness. Like Gandhiji, Moorthy also imagines India to be a country in which people show respect to both, non-violence and social responsibility.

Q48. Who is Savitharamma? What happened to her?

Ans. Savitharamma was Bhatta’s first wife. She was a kind woman. She died in an accident. She had gone to bring water from the Champak well. But she slipped and fell down She died on the spot. Bhatta never cared for her health. After her death, Bhatta married the daughter of a rich person and had a rich dowry also.

Q49. What kind of life do widows lead in the village Kanthapura?

Ans. The widows in Kanthapura do not live respectable life. They are looked down upon there. They are forced to follow a social code of conduct. They are not allowed to wear clothes in the manner the ‘suhagan’ married women do. They are also not allowed to talk to men and take part in social and national activities.

Q50. Give a brief character sketch of the Swamiji.

Ans. The character of the ‘Swamiji’ has not been sketched in good colours in the novel. He is a dominating Brahmin. He lives in a city and sends his orders through Bhatta to the people of Kanthapura. He is against Gandhiji. He is also against giving equal rights to the people of the Pariah caste. He threatens Moorthy of excommunicating if he does not stop getting mixed with the Pariahs.

Q51. Who is Narsamma? Write a short note on her.

Q52. How does Moorthy’s mother Narsamma react to the threat of Moorthy’s ex-communication?

Q53.What hopes does Narsamma have for her son Moorthy? Are they fulfilled?

Q54. Why is Narsamma angry with her son, Moorthy?

Q55. How does Moorthy’s mother Narsamma react to the threat of Moorthy’s ex-communication?