The Midnight Visitor-Robert Arthur-CBSE ENglish for Ckass X

 

Public Transport in London and Delhi-Nirad C. Chaudhuri-QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

 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.

Public Transport in London and Delhi-Nirad C. Chaudhuri-DETAILED SUMMARY

 Public Transport in London and Delhi-Nirad C. Chaudhuri-DETAILED SUMMARY

Public Transport in London and Delhi by Nirad C. Chaudhuri is an interesting and humorous essay in which the author compares the public behaviour of people in London and Delhi, especially while travelling. Through his observations, he highlights the great difference between the silent, disciplined life of Londoners and the noisy, informal, and lively behaviour of Indians.

 

The essay begins with Chaudhuri describing his experience in London. He says that even though London is a large and crowded city, the streets are surprisingly quiet. People do not make unnecessary noise. Even the crowded railway stations seem silent to him. He notices that the hustle and bustle, which is normal in Indian towns, is completely absent in London. In England, silence is considered polite behaviour, especially in public places.

 

Chaudhuri gives an example of dining at a London club. While having dinner, he tried to start a conversation with a person sitting opposite him. But the man simply indicated that he preferred to eat in silence. This showed that English people avoid talking unnecessarily in public places. They value their privacy and do not disturb others. According to the author, Englishmen do not even imagine how different public life in India is.

 

After describing the quietness of London, Chaudhuri shifts to his memories of travelling in India, especially in Delhi. He says he always travelled by bus or tram and observed the behaviour of people around him. What he found was completely the opposite of what he experienced in London.

 

In Indian buses, passengers think only about their own comfort. They lean against other people without concern. If someone objects, they are rudely told, “You are not a woman!” meaning that only women deserve gentler treatment. Sometimes, passengers even lift another person’s hand to check the time on their wristwatch instead of asking politely.

 

The author also noticed that Indians freely talk to strangers in buses. They discuss personal matters, public issues, jokes, and stories loudly. Even people who have never met before laugh together as if they are old friends. One day, a fellow passenger joked loudly about the author’s sola hat, saying it looked heavier than his entire body. Chaudhuri responded humorously by saying the hat was still not as big as the man’s turban. In another incident, a man sitting beside him became curious about the author’s habit of jerking his neck—a habit caused by summer irritation. Not understanding at first, the author was surprised when the man imitated his head movements to ask whether it was a disease or a habit.

 

Chaudhuri also points out that passengers in Delhi buses are extremely helpful, though sometimes in a mixed and confusing manner. If you ask for directions, many people will start guiding you at the same time. But since their opinions differ, the guidance becomes more confusing than helpful.

 

Indians also do not hesitate to share anything that belongs to others. If someone is reading a newspaper, the people sitting around simply take the extra pages and read them. They do not consider it rude. Even books get snatched away. Once, a man tried to pull out a copy of the Gita from the author’s hand.

 

The author had a habit of getting up early to stand near the bus door before his stop arrived. But other passengers prevented him from doing this. Some even pushed him back into his seat or held his coat to stop him. They did this not out of rudeness, but because they thought they were helping him avoid falling or getting hurt.

 

Chaudhuri gives another example of Indian helpfulness. One day, a bus conductor refused to accept his bad rupee note. A fellow passenger immediately exchanged it with a good one without hesitation. This act of kindness deeply impressed the author.

 

According to Chaudhuri, Delhi buses present a true picture of the Indian nation—full of both excitement and chaos. Many unusual incidents take place. Once, a hysterical woman tried to jump out of the bus window to commit suicide. Passengers regularly quarrel and fight on buses over small issues. Sometimes even the conductor and driver fight with each other. The author recalls a day when a driver got angry and left the bus after a quarrel with the conductor. Only when all the passengers begged him did he return to his seat and drive again.

 

The bus stops of Delhi are also full of remarkable events. One day, while waiting for a bus, the author met an elderly man with his family. The man asked about the bus to the Red Fort and then, without hesitation, began speaking to the author in a friendly and familiar manner. He introduced his daughter, mentioned that she was studying for her B.A., and discussed his plans for her marriage. Then he began talking about his personal legal dispute with his father. He explained that after his mother’s death, his father had kept a concubine and brought her to their ancestral house. His sons objected, and the old man threatened to disinherit them. The matter eventually went to court but was settled outside. This entire personal story was shared with the author, a complete stranger, within minutes.

 

The elderly gentleman seemed so pleased with the conversation that he even asked for the author’s name and address so that he could send him mangoes from his orchard as a gesture of affection.

 

Through all these experiences, Chaudhuri concludes that Indians are friendly, open-hearted, and willing to talk freely. They treat strangers like friends and share their joys, sorrows, and even personal problems. Their behaviour may seem noisy or disorderly, but it is full of warmth and natural affection.

 

In contrast, Englishmen remain reserved, private, and silent. They avoid unnecessary conversation and value peace and quietness in public.

 

Thus, the essay beautifully captures the difference in the social behaviour of people in London and Delhi. Where London represents silence, discipline, and privacy, Delhi represents noise, friendliness, and emotional openness. Chaudhuri presents these observations with humour, affection, and honesty, making the essay both entertaining and meaningful.