Passing Away of Bapu ~ Madhaymik (Questions and Answers )

Passing away of Bapu ji

Unit-1

Q. Answer the following questions.

1.Who wrote 'The Passing Away of Bapu'

Ans: Nayantara Sehgal wrote 'The Passing Away of Bapu'.

2.Where from is 'The Passing Away of Bapu' taken?

Ans: 'The Passing Away of Bapu' is taken from Nayantara Sehgal's memoir 'Prison and Chocolate Cake'.

3.When was the author having tea at home?

Ans:The author was having tea at home on the evening of 30th January, 1948.

4.How did the author come to know of Gandhiji's death?

Ans :The author came to know of Gandhiji's death by an urgent telephone.

5.When had Gandhiji been shot?

Ans: Gandhiji had been shot on his way to a prayer  on the evening of 30th January, 1948.

6. Where had Gandhiji's followers and relatives gathered?

Ans: At Birla house, Gandhiji's relatives and followers had gathered round his body.

7. How had words of Bapuji's death spread through Delhi?

Ans: Words of Bapuji's death had spread through Delhi like a flame fanned by wind.

8. Who had collected around Birla House?

Ans: Sad groups of men and women had collected around Birla House.

9. What could one see out of every window?

Ans: Out of every window one could see a brown blur of faces.

10.How was the silence?

Ans: The silence was an unnatural one.

11. Why did the people jostle one another in a stampede?

Ans: The people jostled one another in a stampede to break into the house.

12.When did people calm a little?

Ans: people calmed a little when it was announced that they would be allowed to see Gandhiji before the funeral.

13.How did the mourning people look like?

Ans: The mourning people looked like Lost Children.

14.What did the author listen to the broadcast?

Ans: The author listened to the broadcast telling the people of India that their Bapu was no more.

15.How did the people of India come to know that their Bapu was no more?

Ans: The people of India came to know that their Bapu was no more by listening to the broadcast.

16.Where was Gandhiji's body kept ?

Ans: Gandhiji's body was kept at Birla House.

17. "I was numb with shock"-Why did the speaker feel so ?

Ans: The speaker felt so because she was overwhelmed with sudden and devastating news of Gandhiji's death .

18.When does one whimper according to author ?

Ans :According to the author ,when one is faced with the shock of loved one's death ,one whimpers.

Unit-2

1. When was Gandhiji's funeral take place?

Ans: Gandhiji's funeral was to take place the day after his death.

2.Why did people line the route ?

Ans :People lined the route to see the funeral procession .

3.Who was Padmasi ?

Ans : Padmasi was Mrs Naidu's daughter.

4.What did Padmasi say ?

Ans :Padmasi said that they would walk in the funeral procession .

5. "It was an agonizing walk ."-Why was it an agonizing walk?

Ans: It was an agonizing walk because it was the last time they would walk in the funeral procession of their beloved leader.

6.Why was it impossible to move ?

Ans : It was impossible to move due to the thick crowd.

7.What did the narrator understand at the time of walking ?

Ans : At the time of walking the narrator realised that she was not merely in the midst of grieving people.

8.What couldn't the narrator  accept ?

Ans :The narrator could not accept Bapu's absence in walking forever.

9.What was the only way open to average Indian ?

Ans :To walk was the only way open to average Indian .

10.What was Bapu's view about walking ?

Ans :According to Bapu , to walk is to make slow progress .It gives scope to think with clarity and look closely at everything around the person.

11.How was walking for the average Indians ?

Ans :For the average Indians ,to walk was often the only way open . It required no vehicle except his own body and cost him nothing but his energy.

12.What did the narrator realise on the day of the funeral procession ?

Ans : On the day of the funeral procession ,the narrator realised that walking with Bapu among others had a special meaning.

Unit-3

1. How were Gandhiji's ashes taken to Allahabad?

Ans : Gandhiji's ashes were taken to Allahabad by a special train .

2.How was the compartment decorated ?

Ans: The compartment was decorated with flowers .

3.What did people on the train sing ?

Ans : People on the train sang bhajans.

4.Why did not people weep anymore ?

Ans :People did not weep anymore because they could feel Gandhiji's presence amid the flowers and songs.

5.Why were the ashes of Gandhiji immersed ?

Ans : The ashes of Gandhiji were immersed in the Ganges.

6.How did the narrator feel when she was back in Delhi ?

Ans :Back in Delhi ,the narrator felt at sea.

7.Where did Bapu's followers go back after the immersion of his ashes ?

Ans :Bapu's followers went back to Delhi after the immersion of his ashes.

8.What does the author mean by 'magic circle'?

Ans :Here 'magic circle ' means the great living influence of Gandhiji.

9.What happened with Bapu's passing away ?

Ans :The author felt the magic circle of Bapu's influence had vanished ,leaving her unprotected .

10.How did the magic circle vanish ?

Ans :The magic circle vanished with the passing away of Bapu.

11.How did Bapu change the lives of millions of people ?

 Ans :Bapu changed the lives of millions of people by bringing them out of indifference and awakening them to one another's suffering.

12.How would India continue  to live after the passing away of Bapu ?

Ans :After the passing away of Bapu , India would continue to live in Bapu's children.

13.Who would bear Bapu's banner ?

Ans :The young and strong Indians who were transformed by Bapu's teachings would bear his banner.

14.What had Gandhiji left behind ?

Ans: Gandhiji had left behind his teachings and values that would continue to live in his followers.

1) ‘There was an unnatural silence. It was as if time stood still for those few minutes.” – Why?

Ans: A sense of grief and loss in the lives of the Indian countrymen was brought upon by Gandhiji’s death which froze time for a few minutes.

2) Why has the news of Gandhiji’s death been compared to a ‘flame fanned by wind’?

Ans: The news of Gandhiji’s death spread so fast through out Delhi that it seemed as if it was a ‘flame fanned by wind’.

3) What was the instant reaction of the common people after Gandhiji’s death?

Ans: The people were too stunned to speak in the beginning. Later they shouted wildly and cried loudly. They also pushed one another in a stampede to break into the Birla House where Gandhiji’s body was kept.

4) What happens when you lose a loved one suddenly?

Ans: When people lose a loved one suddenly, they make low, crying noises. Life seems to be meaningless.

5) Why did the people looked like lost children?

Ans: Gandhiji’s sudden death had left the whole of India fatherless. So, the countrymen looked like lost children.

6) What did Padmasi suggest and why?

Ans: Padmasi suggested that they should walk in the funeral procession as that would be the last time they would be walking with Bapu.

7) Why has the walk been termed ‘agonizing’?

Ans: The walk has been termed ‘agonizing’ because the walk was actually the funeral procession of India’s beloved leader leader Gandhiji.

8) Describe the funeral procession of Gandhiji.

Ans: Gandhiji was laid on an open truck covered with flowers. Thousands of people wept, trying to touch his feet. The crowd was so thick that was impossible to move.

9) How did people pay their last respect to Bapu?

Ans: Hours in advance, people lined the route Bapu’s funeral procession was to follow. Thousands of people silently watched the procession. They walked with their beloved leader for the last time with pain in their heart.

10) Why walking with Bapu ‘had a special eaning’?

Ans: People had walked with Bapu over the rough and smooth of India’s recent history. By walking, Bapu had led people over many difficult paths. So, walking with Bapu had a special meaning to all.

11) What did the author realise as she moved forward?

Ans: As the author moved forward she realised that this was not just a walk as it held a special meaning to the people. She understood that she was not only among grieving people. It was more than the funeral procession of India’s beloved leader.

12) Briefly describe the immersion of Gandhiji’s mortal remains.

Ans: The compartment of a special train, decked with flowers took Gandhiji’s ashes to Allahabad. At every station sorrowful crowds filled the platform. Amid song and prayer the train reached Allahabad.

13) How did the author feel after coming back to Delhi?

Ans: After coming back to Delhi, the author went into a state of hopelessness. She felt the loss of Gandhiji more than ever.

14) Who had been the mere onlookers?

Ans: The author, her sisters and the other young people who had not directly walked with Gandhiji, gone to jail at Bapu’s call or made any sacrifice for India had been the mere onlookers.

15) Why did the author feel unprotected after Gandhiji’s death?

Ans: The author felt unprotected after Gandhiji’s death because the ‘magic cir;e’ that he had grown up within had vanished after his death, leaving her unprotected.

Statements    Reasons

1) Sad groups of men and women had gathered round the Birla House   

Ans: Word’s of Bapuji’s death spread through Delhi like a flame fanned by wind

2) People would walk for the last time with Bapu in his funeral procession.   

Ans: The crowed was thick.

3) Walking is making slow progress.   

Ans: Because it helps to think with clarity and closely look at all that is around.

4) Hugs crowd had gathered at the river bank.   

Ans: Everyone wanted to pay their last respect to Bapu.

5) The author and the others went back to Delhi.   

Ans: The last rites of Gandhiji were over.

6) Almost all the young people like the narrator felt proud.   

Ans: They could still bear Gsndhiji’s banner before them.