Plural Perspectives

Environmental Studies: Definition, Scope and Importance

Comprehension Questions (Answer in a sentence or two)

1. Define Environment

Ans.Environment can be defined as a sum total of all the living and non-living elements
and their effects that influence human life. While animals, plants, forests, fisheries, and
birds, are living or biotic elements , non-living or abiotic elements include water, land,
sunlight, rocks, and air.

2. What is Environmental Studies?

Ans:Environmental Studies deals with every issue that affects an organism. It is

essentially a multidisciplinary approach that brings about an appreciation of our
natural world and human impacts on its integrity.

3. How do we traditionally refer to our environment?Why?

Ans:We traditionally refer to our environment as ‘Mother Nature” .This is because

most traditional societies have learned that respecting nature is vital for their
livelihoods.

4. What changes have happened in our world in the last 200 years?

Ans.Over the last 200 years modern societies began to believe that technological
innovations could be used to produce more resources.

5. What are natural resources?

Ans.The natural resources are water, minerals, petroleum products, wood etc.
 6. Define non-renewable resources

Ans.Non-renewable resources, such as minerals and oil are those which will be
exhausted in the future if we continue to extract these without a thought for
subsequent generations.

7. Give examples of renewable and non-renewable resources

Ans.Renewable resources , such as timber and water, are those which can be used
but can be regenerated by natural processes such as regrowth or rainfall.Non-
renewable resources, such as minerals and oil are those which will be exhausted in
the future if we continue to extract these without a thought for subsequent
generations.

8. What is sustainable development?

Ans.Using our natural resources in a judicious way so that they are naturally
replenished is called sustainable development. This includes not using more resources
than we really need, not indulging in wasteful behaviour patterns without ever thinking
about their environmental impact.

9. What are the components of Environmental Studies?

Ans. The components of Environmental Studies are biology, geology, chemistry,

physics, engineering, sociology, health, anthropology, economics, statistics,
computers and philosophy.

10. Give an example of the overuse of natural resources.

Ans. Removal of timber and firewood from a forest faster than the regrowth and
regeneration of trees is an example of the overuse of natural resources.
 Paragraph Questions(To be answered in 80-100 words)

1. What is the scope of Environmental Studies?

Ans.When we look around at the area we inhabit we realize that our surroundings
were originally natural landscapes such as forests, rivers, mountains, deserts or a
combination of these elements. Most of these landscapes have been heavily modified in
villages , towns and cities, by human activity. Even the urban population depends on
surrounding villages for our food supply. For resources such as water for agriculture,
fuel, food and fish we depend on natural landscapes. Our daily lives are linked with our
surroundings and inevitably affects them. We use water, we breathe air, we use
resources from which food is made. We depend on the community of living plants and
animals which form a web of life, of which we are also a part. Everything around us
forms our environment and our lives depend on keeping its vital systems as intact as
possible. We traditionally refer to our environment as ‘Mother Nature” .This is because
most traditional societies have learned that respecting nature is vital for their
livelihoods.The scope of environmental studies is very wide and it deals with
renewable as well as non-renewable resources, the loss of forest cover, and
deforestation. It studies the multiple effects on the environment resulting from routine
human activities.

2. State the differences between renewable and non-renewable resources with

examples.

Ans.Renewable resources , such as timber and water, are those which can be used but
can be regenerated by natural processes such as regrowth or rainfall. But these too will
be depleted if we continue to use them faster than nature can replace them.For
example, if the removal of timber and firewood from a forest is faster than the growth
and regeneration of trees, it cannot replenish the supply.Non-renewable resources,
such as minerals and oil are those which will be exhausted in the future if we continue
to extract these without a thought for subsequent generations.

3. Why is Environmental Studies the need of the hour?

Ans. We live in a world in which natural resources are limited. Water,air, soil, minerals,
oil, the products we get from forests, grassland, oceans and from agriculture and
livestock are all a part of our life support systems. Without them , life itself would be
impossible. As we keep increasing in numbers and the quantity of resources each of
uses also increases, the earth’s resource base must inevitably shrink. The earth cannot
be expected to sustain this expanding level of utilisation of resources. Added to this is
misuse of resources.We use more material like plastic which is discarded after a single
use. We waste colossal amounts of food. Manufacturing processes create solid waste.
Chemicals flow out as liquid waste and pollute water, and gases pollute the air. Many
diseases and other adverse environmental impacts are now seriously affecting our
lives. Therefore Environmental Studies is the need of the hour.

4. What is the role of plastic in our society?

Plastics clearly constitute an important component of the range of materials used in

modern society. Almost all aspects of daily life involve plastics or rubber in some form
or the other. Owing to their light weight, plastics reduce transportation costs and,
therefore, atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions.Substantial quantities of plastic have
accumulated in the natural environment and in landfills. Around 10 per cent by weight
of the municipal waste stream is plastic . Discarded plastic also contaminates a wide
range of natural terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats, with newspaper accounts
of plastic debris on even some of the highest mountains. There is also plastic littering
in the urban environment. We use plastic carry bags and bottles which are discarded
after a single use.

5. Comment on the use of fossil fuels.

Ans.Coal, crude oil, and natural gas are all considered fossil fuels because they were
formed from the fossilized, buried remains of plants and animals that lived millions of
years ago. For more than a century, burning fossil fuels has generated most of the
energy required to propel our cars, power our businesses, and keep the lights on in our
homes. Even today, oil, coal, and gas provide for about 80 percent of our energy
needs.Fossil fuels are used to produce energy; in the home they are burned to produce
heat, in large power stations they are used to produce electricity and they are also used
to power engines.The United States gets 81% of its total energy from oil, coal, and
natural gas, all of which are fossil fuels. People depend on those fuels to heat homes,
run vehicles, power industry and manufacturing, and provide electricity.For example,
once extracted, oil is transported to refineries via supertanker, train, truck, or pipeline
to be transformed into usable fuels such as gasoline, propane, kerosene, and jet fuel—
as well as products such as plastics and paint.

Essay Questions

Write an essay on the importance of Environmental Studies in today’s world.

The scope of environmental studies is very wide and it deals with many areas like i)
Conservation of natural resources, ii) ecological aspects, iii) pollution of the
surrounding natural resources, iv) controlling the pollution, v) social issues connected
to it, and vi) impacts of human population on the environment.The components of
Environmental Studies are biology, geology, chemistry, physics, engineering, sociology,
health, anthropology, economics, statistics, computers and philosophy.When we look
around at the area we inhabit we realize that our surroundings were originally natural
landscapes such as forests, rivers, mountains, deserts or a combination of these
elements. Most of these landscapes have been heavily modified in villages , towns and
cities, by human activity. Even the urban population depends on surrounding villages
for our food supply. For resources such as water for agriculture, fuel, food and fish we
depend on natural landscapes. Our daily lives are linked with our surroundings and
inevitably affects them. We use water, we breathe air, we use resources from which
food is made. We depend on the community of living plants and animals which form a
web of life, of which we are also a part. Everything around us forms our environment
and our lives depend on keeping its vital systems as intact as possible. We traditionally
refer to our environment as ‘Mother Nature” .This is because most traditional societies
have learned that respecting nature is vital for their livelihoods.The scope of
environmental studies is very wide and it deals with renewable as well as non-
renewable resources, the loss of forest cover, and deforestation. It studies the multiple
effects on the environment resulting from routine human activities.
Renewable resources as well as non-renewable resources, such as minerals and oil are
those which will be exhausted in the future if we continue to extract these without a
thought for subsequent generations.We live in a world in which natural resources are
limited. Water,air, soil, minerals, oil, the products we get from forests, grassland, oceans
and from agriculture and livestock are all a part of our life support systems. Without
them , life itself would be impossible. As we keep increasing in numbers and the
quantity of resources each of uses also increases, the earth’s resource base must
inevitably shrink. The earth cannot be expected to sustain this expanding level of
utilisation of resources. Added to this is misuse of resources.We use more material like
plastic which is discarded after a single use. We waste colossal amounts of food.
Manufacturing processes create solid waste. Chemicals flow out as liquid waste and
pollute water, and gases pollute the air. Many diseases and other adverse
environmental impacts are now seriously affecting our lives. Therefore Environmental
Studies is the need of the hour.

Ecosystems

Comprehension Questions (Answer in a sentence or two)

1. Define Ecosystem

Ans. An ‘Ecosystem’ is a region with a specific and recognizable landscape form such as
forest, grassland, desert, wetland or coastal area.

2What are the components on which an ecosystem is dependent?

Ans.The geographical, climatic and soil characteristics form its non-living (abiotic)
component. These features create conditions that support a community of plants and
animals that evolution has produced to live in these specific contiins. The living part of
the ecosystem is referred to as its biotic component.

3.How are ecosystems divided?Name the two types.

Ans.Ecosystems are divided into terrestrial or land based ecosystems, and aquatic
ecosytems in water. These form the two major habitat conditions for the Earth’s living
organisms.

4. What is a biosphere?

Ans. At a global level, the thin skin of the earth on the land, the sea and the air, forms
the biosphere.

5. What are the different biographical realms of the world?

Ans. The different biographical realms of the world are Eurasia called the Palaearctic
realm; South and South-East Asia (of which India forms a major part) is the Oriental
realm; North America is the Nearctic realm; South America forms the Neotropical
realm; Africa the Ethiopian realm; and Australia the Australian realm.

6. Name the biogeographic regions of India.

Ans. The distinct biogeographic regions of India are the Himalayas, the Gangetic plains,
the Highlands of Central India, the Western and Eastern Ghats, the semi-arid desert in
the West, the Deccan plateau, the Coastal belts, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

7. Give examples of natural and man-made ecosystems.

Ans. Natural ecosystems include the forests, grasslands, deserts and aquatic
ecosystems such as ponds, rivers, lakes, and the sea. Man-made or man-modified
ecosystems include agricultural land and urban or industrial land use patterns.

8. What are keystone species?

Ans.Some species if eliminated seriously affect the ecosystem. These are called
‘keystone’ species.

9. What are biotic components?

Ans.The living part of the ecosystem is referred to as its biotic component.

10. What are the reasons for the degradation of ecosystems?

Ans.The reasons for the degradation of ecosystems are human actions leading to the
extinction of species of plants and animals, deforestation, draining of
wetlands,grasslands and pasture lands being changed into irrigated fields, pollution
from industries and waste from urban settings, rapidly exploding population and
affluent societies which consume and waste a very large proportion of resources and
energy.

Paragraph Questions(To be answered in 80-100 words)

1. State the differences between the biotic and abiotic components of an

ecosystem.

Ans. The ecosystem is dependent on geographical features such as hills, mountains,

plains, rivers, lakes, coastal areas or islands. It is also controlled by climatic contitions
such as the amount of sunlight, the temperature and the rainfall in the region.The
geographical, climatic and soil characteristics form its non-living (abiotic) component.
These features create conditions that support a community of plants and animals that
evolution hs produced to live in these specific conditions. The living part of the
ecosystem is referred to as its biotic component.

2. What are the characteristic features of an ecosystem?

Ans. Ecosystems are made up of different types of forests, grasslands, river catchments,
mangrove swamps in deltas, seashores, islands. Each of these forms a habitat for
specific plants and animals. Ecosystems have both non-living and living components
that are typical to an area giving its own special characteristics that are easily observed.
Thus an ecosystem can be said to be a region with a specific and recognizable
landscape. The living community of plants and animals in any area together with the
non-living components of the environment such as soil, air and water, constitute the
ecosystem. Some ecosystems are fairly robust while others are highly fragile and are
quickly destroyed by human activities.

3. Write a short note on the function of an ecosystem.

Ans. The ecosystem functions through several biogeochemical cycles and energy
transfer mechanisms. The non-living or abiotic features of the ecosystem, such as air,
water , climate and soil and its biotic components, the various plants and animals
interact with each other through several functional aspects to form Nature’s
ecosystems. Plants, heribivores and carnivores can be seen to form food chains. All
these chains are joined together to form a ‘web of life’ on which man depends. Each of
these use energy that comes from the sun and powers the ecosystem.

4. What are the reasons for the depletion of resources?

Ans. The reasons for the depletion of natural resources is twofold- our rapidly
exploding population that needs to sustain itself on resources, and th growth of affluent
societies, which consume and waste a very large proportion of resources and energy.
Increasong extraction of resources is at the cost of natural ecosystems,leading to a
derangement of their important functions. We waste resources such as water, and use
plastics that are non-degradable.The reasons for the degradation of ecosystems are
human actions leading to the extinction of species of plants and animals, deforestation,
draining of wetlands, grasslands and pasture lands being changed into irrigated fields,
pollution from industries and waste from urban settings.

Essay Questions (Answer in not more than 200-250 words)

1. Comment on the structure and composition of an ecosystem.

Ans. Structure is related to the organization and distribution of elements within an

ecosystem. Ecosystem functioning are related to the exchange of materials and the flow
of energy in an ecosystem. The ecosystem has two major kinds of components: (1)
Abiotic (non-living) and (2) Biotic (living) components.The geographical, climatic and
soil characteristics form its non-living (abiotic) component. These features create
conditions that support a community of plants and animals that evolution has produced
to live in these specific conditions. The living part of the ecosystem is referred to as its
biotic component. Ecosystems ae made up of different types of forests, grasslands, river
catchments, mangrove swamps in deltas, seashores, islands. Each of these forms a
habitat for specific plants and animals. Ecosystems have both non-living and living
components that are typical to an area giving its own special characteristics that are
easily observed. Thus an ecosystem can be said to be a region with a specific and
recognizable landscape. The living community of plants and animals in any area
together with the non-living components of the environment such as soil, air and water,
constitute the ecosystem. Some ecosystems are fairly robust while others are highly
fragile and are quickly destroyed by human activities. Natural ecosystems include the
forests, grasslands, deserts and aquatic ecosystems such as ponds, rivers, lakes, and the
sea. Man-made or man-modified ecosystems include agricultural land and urban or
industrial land use patterns.

2. Write an essay on the degradation of ecosystem.

Ans. An ‘Ecosystem’ is a region with a specific and recognizable landscape form such
as forest, grassland, desert, wetland or coastal area.The geographical, climatic and soil
characteristics form its non-living (abiotic) component. These features create
conditions that support a community of plants and animals that evolution has produced
to live in these specific conditions.

The living part of the ecosystem is referred to as its biotic component.

Ecosystems are divided into terrestrial or land based ecosystems, and aquatic
ecosytems in water. These form the two major habitat conditions for the Earth’s living
organisms. Some ecosystems are fairly robust while others are highly fragile and are
quickly destroyed by human activities.

The reasons for the degradation of ecosystems are human actions leading to the
extinction of species of plants and animals, deforestation, draining of wetlands,
grasslands and pasture lands being changed into irrigated fields, pollution from
industries and waste from urban settings, rapidly exploding population and affluent
societies which consume and waste a very large proportion of resources and energy.

The reason for the depletion of natural resources is twofold- our rapidly
exploding population that needs to sustain itself on resources, and th growth of affluent
societies, which consume and waste a very large proportion of resources and energy.
Increasong extraction of resources is at the cost of natural ecosystems,leading to a
derangement of their important functions. We waste resources such as water, and use
plastics that are non-degradable.

The Fish

Elizabeth Bishop

The poem begins with the speaker telling the reader that she went fishing and caught a
“tremendous fish.” She emphasizes the fact that as she was reeling in the fish, it did not
fight at all. Bishop uses three adjectives to describe it. It is “battered,” “venerable,” and
“homely.” She goes on, spending the next lines giving in-depth details about the state of
the skin. She compares it to old wallpaper that is peeling off the walls of an ancient
house. In the next seven lines, the sight of the blood inspires the speaker to consider the
fish’s insides. From past experience catching, killing, and eating these animals, she
knows that the “white flesh“ is “packed in like feathers.”

Most importantly, she notes that there are “five old pieces of fishing line” in the fish’s
mouth. They are all “still attached” to their “five big hooks.” The speaker continues to
stare at the fish, and she begins to feel a sense of victory. She also notices the oil in the
boat and the way it spread into a rainbow. The speaker was awed by these sights, and
suddenly everything appeared to be a rainbow. This new state of mind encouraged her
to release the fish.
Analysis of the Title

Bishop’s poem, ‘The Fish,’ has a straightforward title that’s hard to misinterpret. It
designates this poem as focused on “the fish” the young main character catches. This
ensures that the reader puts as much time into thinking about the fish as possible,
rather than analyzing other, less central parts of the text.

Themes

‘The Fish’ is one of those poems that seems simple from the outside but actually
contains great depths of meaning. In the text, Bishop engages with themes of nature,
humility, and choices. After catching this extremely noteworthy fish, it is her choice to
release it back into the water. She had a moment of connection with the creature that
spread out into a broader connection with the natural world. She was suddenly more a
part of things than she had been in the past, her state of mind was altered. Additionally,
it is clear that this particular creature’s history moved her, the number of times it had
been caught, and how each time it escaped death. This speaks to another less obvious
theme–death.

Structure and Form

It is written in free verse, meaning that there is no specific pattern of rhyme or meter to
the lines. In total, there are 76 lines contained within a single stanza. They are all
similar in length, fairly short, and sometimes stray into the realm trimeter. This means
that a number of them, although nowhere close to all of them, contain three sets of two
beats. Again, there is no single pattern of rhythm to the text.

When scanning the poem, the reader will immediately notice the dashes. Bishop chose
to incorporate this form of punctuation into the poem in order to make the reader
pause and consider what her speaker just said. Often, the dashes are also used to
represent the speaker’s own uncertainty. She pauses to think about her own words
before continuing.

Literary Devices

While there is no rhyme scheme, there are also a few moments of complete or perfect
rhyme. For example, a reader can look to lines one and six with the words “caught“ and
“fought.” The word “thought” also connects to the word “fight” directly above it in line
number five, as well as to “out” in line three. These relate to one another due to
consonance or the use of similar consonant sounds.

Repetition appears throughout the text and in different forms. There are examples of it
lines seventy and seventy-one with the use and reuse of the word “rusted.” Another
moment is in line sixty-five with the repetition of the word “stared.”

Alliteration occurs when words are used in succession, or at least appear close
together, and begin with the same letter. This is one of the most common techniques
used by poets and appears a number of times in ‘The Fish.’ For example, in line thirty-
eight, she uses the phrase “tarnished tinfoil.”

Another poetic technique Bishop makes use of is simile. There are a few examples, such
as in line twenty-eight when the speaker describes the flesh of the fish as “packed like
feathers.”

Analysis of The Fish

Lines 1-7

I caught a tremendous fish

and held him beside the boat
(…)
He hadn’t fought at all.
He hung a grunting weight,

In the first lines of ‘The Fish,’ the speaker begins by stating that she went fishing and
caught a “tremendous fish.” As soon as the fish was out of the water, she began an
intense period of observation. Perhaps due in part to surprise, the speaker does not
immediately haul the fish into the boat. It is halfway out of the water, and she takes
note of the fact that her hook is caught in the corner of its mouth, where one would
expect it to be.

In lines five and six, this speaker emphasizes the fact that as she was reeling in the fish,
it did not fight at all. This seems surprising considering the fact that the fish is so large.
There is a distinct possibility that if it had fought, then it could’ve broken in the line and
gotten away. A reader should take note of the use of anaphora in lines five, six, and
seven. Although the fish did not fight when she reeled it in, it had a deadweight which
proved to be a different kind of resistance.

Lines 8-13

battered and venerable

and homely. Here and there
(…)
and its pattern of darker brown
was like wallpaper:

In lines eight and nine, Bishop uses three adjectives to describe the fish. It is “battered,”
“venerable,“ and “homely.” At first, these three words seem to cancel one another out.
But that is not the case at all. Through the use of the word battered, Bishop’s speaker is
acknowledging the fact that this is not the first time the fish has been caught. It also
possibly references injuries the fish sustained in the water itself.

When she uses the word venerable, she is showing her respect for the animal. She has
taken note of its past injuries and the scars which have resulted. She knows that the fish
has strength, endurance, and perseverance that should be recognized. Lastly, she calls
the fish homely. This is a word meaning ugly or unattractive.

She goes on, spending the next lines giving in-depth details about the fish’s skin. Bishop
uses a simile to describe its state. She compares it to old wallpaper that is peeling off
the walls of an ancient house. As the strips come off, the skin underneath is revealed,
and a new pattern is created as the two different textures and colors contrast to one
another.

Lines 14-26

shapes like full-blown roses

stained and lost through age.
(…)
fresh and crisp with blood,
that can cut so badly —

In the next two lines of ‘The Fish,’ the speaker uses additional similes to compare the
shapes that the peeling skin makes to “full blown roses.” This is another reference to a
wallpaper pattern. But, she makes sure to emphasize the fact that the paper pattern has
been lost to the ages. However it used to look, those images are long since gone.

There are other textures on the skin as well. These return the speaker to the wallpaper
simile over and over again. They were “barnacles” and “fine rosettes of lime.” But, the
speaker makes sure she doesn’t get too far from the “homely” qualities of the creature.
These barnacles and rosettes are infested with sea lice.

She also takes note of the impact the oxygen is having on the fish. It is struggling
through its violent introduction to this very different world. The oxygen is described as
“terrible” and the gills as “frightening.” They move as though terrified themselves.
There is also the blood; as a result of the hook in the fish’s mouth.
Lines 27-33

I thought of the coarse white flesh

packed in like feathers,
(…)
and the pink swim-bladder
like a big peony.

In the next seven lines, the sight of the blood inspires the speaker to consider the inside
of the fish. From past experience catching, killing, and eating these animals, she knows
that the “white flesh“ is “packed in like feathers.” With this simile in mind, she
continues on to describe the different size bones and the dramatic, contrasting, and
evocative colors and shapes one would see inside the fish’s body. There is another
simile that relates back to the roses of the wallpaper. This time, the “swim bladder” is
like a “big peony” flower.

Lines 34-44

I looked into his eyes

which were far larger than mine
(…)
— It was more like the tipping
of an object toward the light.

The speaker also makes sure to draw a comparison between the fish and herself. She
notices that his eyes are much larger than hers, but they are also “shallower” and
yellower.

Just like the fish’s entrails, there is a shine to its eyes. They appear like “tarnished
tinfoil.” She goes on to connect the fish to the human body again and the act of wearing
glasses. The fish’s eyes move in their sockets, but not with the intent of looking at her.
She is just another object in this terrible yet familiar world. As the eyes move, she
compares them to objects “tipping toward the light.”
Lines 45-55

I admired his sullen face,

the mechanism of his jaw,
(…)
with all their five big hooks
grown firmly in his mouth.

The fish is further personified or compared to humans when she describes its face as
“sullen.” She also begins to speak about its lower lip and then pauses. The dashes
indicate this moment. She is considering the fact that it may not actually be a lip. It is
more like a weapon and much grimmer than a human lip.

Most importantly, she notes that there are “five old pieces of the fishing line” in the
fish’s mouth. They are all “still attached” to their “five big hooks.” Their age is
determined by the fact that they have “grown firmly in his mouth.”

Lines 56-64

A green line, frayed at the end

where he broke it, two heavier lines,
(…)
a five-haired beard of wisdom
trailing from his aching jaw.

The speaker takes the next line to detail what the hooks and fishing line look like. The
in-depth study of these details makes the poem slow down. It feels as if time itself is
moving at a decreased pace. She stares at the fish, entranced by its age and history. The
speaker sees the hooks and their attached strings not as burdens but as metals. They
speak to its venerability and strength.
It is clear that the speaker is capable of sympathizing with the fish. She interprets the
hairs on its chin as representatives of wisdom and determines that its jaw must be
aching.

Lines 65-76

I stared and stared

and victory filled up
(…)
was rainbow, rainbow, rainbow!
And I let the fish go.

The speaker continues to stare at the fish, and she begins to feel a sense of victory. As if
she surmounted some great obstacle with the catch and capture of this creature. Again,
there is a great amount of detail used to slow the lines down. She takes notice of the oil
in the boat and the way it had spread into a rainbow. The speaker also noticed how the
“thwarts” had been cracked by the sun and a number of other small details.

These elements, combined together, convey to the reader that she is in awe of the
animal and is having a transcendent moment in its presence. Finally, the beauty of the
scene overcomes her, and everything transforms into the rainbow of oil. In the last,
simple, and concluding line Bishop’s speaker admits that she let the fish go. Now, her
victory seems different.

The fact that she caught the fish does not speak to her strength or skill. In fact, five
people before her had accomplished the same thing. The last line indicates that all of
them had a similar transcendent moment. They were all influenced to release the fish
back into the water.

It also speaks to the possibility that the fish had some understanding of its impact on
those who caught it. Because it does not fight, perhaps it knew that it was not in any
real danger. It just had to endure the temporary pain and terror, and then it would be
let go.

Similar Poetry

Readers who enjoyed ‘The Fish‘ should also consider reading some of Elizabeth
Bishop’s other poems. For example:

• ‘In the Waiting Room‘ – depicts how a child learns about the adult world as she
went with her aunt to the dentist’s office.
• ‘The Bight‘ – is a nature poem not dissimilar to ‘The Fish.’ In it, the poet describes
low tide in a bight where various animals, plants, and people share the
landscape.
• ‘One Art‘ – is one of Bishop’s best-known poems. In it, the speaker explores
themes of loss and how to deal with it.
• ‘Questions of Travel‘ – argues the pros and cons of traveling and the feelings of
regret one might encounter.

“Trophic Cascade”

Camille T. Dungy

Questions and Answers

Define Trophic Cascade

Trophic cascade is an ecological phenomenon triggered by the addition or removal of

top predators and involving reciprocal changes in the relative populations of predator
and prey through a food chain, which often results in dramatic changes in ecosystem
structure and nutrient cycling. The removal of a predator changes the life of all around.
What were introduced at Yellow Stone National Park? Why?

Grey Wolves were introduced at Yellow Stone National Park for the purpose of culling
the overabundant deer population.

List the changes brought about by the growth of trees.

Ans.Trees had at one time been stunted by the grazing of deer. Now they grew tall
and songbirds nested in them. The songbirds scattered seed for underbrush and in
that cover snowshoe hare warrened.

What were the animals and birds that returned?

Ans.Weasel, water shrew, vole, hawk, falcon, bald eagle, kestrel, bear, bevers, muskrats,
tadpoles, water striders, American dipper, vulture and coyote returned to the park.

How did the river change?

Ans.Earlier the river was prone to run straight ,overrun and flood.Beavers created
dams in the river. Dammed, the river was compelled to meander.

What brought the bear and the beaver?

Ans.Berries brought bear, while undergrowth and willows growing near the river
brought beavers.

What does the poet refer to in the line “the night song of the fathers of tadpoles?”

Ans.The poet refers to the croaking of frogs

Name the omnivores that came to feed on the dead

Vulture and coyote came to feed on the dead.

What was the event in the poet’s life that brought the cascade efect?

The poet became a mother and reintroduced herself to herself.

How does the poet reintroduce herself?

Ans.The poet became a mother and reintroduced herself to herself.

11. Explain “Nothing was ever the same.”

Ans.After the poet became a mother, her life underwent a complete change. The poem
connects the natural phenomena to a human cascade effect - the birth of a child that
transforms the environment around it.

What is the central theme of the poem Trophic Cascade?

The poem represents hope. Through the reintroduction of grey wolves at Yellow Stone
National Park for the purpose of culling the overabundant deer population, positive
results spread out to other species. Camille Dungy explores the human experience in
broad, often ecological terms and focuses on how we treat each other, and come to love
each other.

What causes trophic cascade?

Trophic cascades are powerful indirect interactions that can control entire ecosystems.
Trophic cascades occur when predators limit the density and/or behavior of their prey
and thereby enhance survival of the next lower trophic level.

Paragraph Questions (Answer in not more than 80-100 words)

What effect did the reintroduction of gray wolves have on the landscape?

Grey Wolves were introduced at Yellow Stone National Park for the purpose of culling
the overabundant deer population. Trees grew beyond the restrictions imposed for
deer and songbirds nested in them. The songbirds scattered seed for underbrush and
in that cover snowshoe hare warrened. Weasel, water shrew, vole, hawk, falcon, bald
eagle, kestrel, bear, beavers, muskrats, tadpoles, water striders, American dipper,
vulture and coyote returned to the park.Earlier the river was prone to run straight
,overrun and flood.Beavers created dams in the river. Dammed, the river was
compelled to meander. Berries brought bear, while undergrowth and willows growing
near the river brought beavers.
2.Write a note on the relationship between the flora and the fauna of the national
park.How did one influence the other?

Ans.Through the reintroduction of grey wolves at Yellow Stone National Park for the
purpose of culling the overabundant deer population, positive results spread out to
other species.The removal of a predator changes the lives of all around. In a cascade
effect the flora and fauna of the area are affected from the top down. Trees grew
beyond the restrictions imposed for deer and songbirds nested in them. The songbirds
scattered seed for underbrush and in that cover snowshoe hare warrened. Weasel,
water shrew, vole, hawk, falcon, bald eagle, kestrel, bear, beavers, muskrats, tadpoles,
water striders, American dipper, vulture and coyote returned to the park.Earlier the
river was prone to run straight ,overrun and flood.Beavers created dams in the river.
Dammed, the river was compelled to meander. Berries brought bear, while
undergrowth and willows growing near the river brought beavers. Notably, the lines
“[…] songbirds nested, who scattered / seed […]” (ll. 5-6) and “[…] their scat scattered
seed […]” (l.23) are very similar to one another and are laden with hidden messages.
Both refer to seed that will eventually produce new plants, which will sustain more
animals and so on.

3. Explain the lines.”All this life born from one hungry animal.”

Ans. With the reintroduction of gray wolves to Yellowstone National Park in the United
States. There occurs the re-birth of an ecosystem. .Grey Wolves were introduced at
Yellow Stone National Park for the purpose of culling the overabundant deer
population. The removal of a predator changes the lives of all around. In a cascade
effect the flora and fauna of the area are affected from the top down. Dung describes teh
wide variety of species that were impacted by the arrival of the wolves; first the deer
population decreased,then the trees they had been grazing began to regrow, then the
songbird population increased because of their growing habitat and so on.

4. Comment on the reasons for and consequences of the change in the course
of the river.

Ans. The berries in the streams brought bear, while undergrowth and willows growing
near the river brought beavers. Muskrats came to the dams, and tadpoles. Night songs
of the frogs followed. Water striders followed and the dark gray American dipper
which bobbed in fresh pools of the river. The fish stayed in the river.Bear came to fish.
The bear culled deer fawns. To their kill scraps came culture and coyote. Their scat
scattered seed and more trees, brush and berries grew up along the river. Earlier the
river was prone to run straight ,overrun and flood.Beavers created dams in the river.
Dammed, the river was compelled to meander.

5. Explain how the poet visually presents the cascade effect in the poem.

Ans.“Trophic Cascade” is a narrative of how every single creature is intrinsically

linked to others, whether they have consciousness or not, which further highlights
how humans are also closely connected to nature and how the co-existence of both is
crucial. The poet uses powerful visual imagery of birds, trees, animals, rivers etc to
create the cascade effect in thepoem.Furthermore, the use of alliteration throughout
the poem appeal to the reader’s sight and once again points out the similarities
between the environment and the circle of life.

6.How does the coming of the baby change the life of the poet?

Ans.Dungy implies that the new mother is a wolf eager to create an individual
whose first breath relies on the vitality of its predecessor. The speaker is like the
wolf whose existence changes a whole ecological community in the sense that her
pregnancy modified her “landscape” . These metaphors imply that her body, her
habits and the way things happened to her were transformed by the new being that
was introduced in her own ecosystem. When the carnivorous animals were brought
back to the National Park, a revolution happened in nature. For the speaker, “[…]
nothing was ever the same” (l. 31) once she became a mother. Both the park and
she had to adjust to a major new element brought into their lives to find once again
the previous symbiosis they possessed.

7.Comment on the significance of the title.

Ans.Trophic cascades are powerful indirect interactions that can control entire
ecosystems. Trophic cascades occur when predators limit the density and/or behavior
of their prey and thereby enhance survival of the next lower trophic level.The title itself
contains an element that hints at the poem’s parallel because, in the study of animals
and other living organisms “trophic” is attributed to the “relationships between species
in a food chain or web” . This definition also has a connotative suggestion because
“Trophic Cascade” is a narrative of how every single creature is intrinsically linked to
others, whether they have consciousness or not, which further highlights how humans
are also closely connected to nature and how the co-existence of both is crucial.
 Essay

Nature, motherhood, and racial violence intersect in Trophic Cascade, Camille T.

Dungy’s fourth poetry collection. Dungy, editor of the anthology Black Nature: Four
Centuries of African American Nature Poetry, demonstrates her mastery of synthesis:
fact, observation, and revelation mingle in perfect proportions. Whether she writes
about threatened invertebrates, the effects of climate change on penguins, or a family
member’s final hours, Dungy’s commitment to accuracy never falters. Nor does her
compassion fail. “Grief will ride in on the smallest of bodies, / a tick on a cormorant’s
wing,” Dungy writes (“Notes on what is always with us”); with Trophic Cascade, Dungy
signals her commitment to the small, the grieving, and the interconnectedness of our
world.Camille T. Dungy’s “Trophic Cascade” , the title poem of the volume , is a free-
verse poem consisting of thirty-one enjambed lines relating the speaker’s experience of
becoming a mother. She compares this milestone in her life with the reintroduction of
gray wolves to Yellowstone National Park in the United States. Through her use of
fertile denotative and connotative language as well as comparative imagery conveyed
through metaphor and simile, Dungy suggests that the resemblance between the re-
birth of an ecosystem and giving birth to another human being is considerable. Nature
and humanity are intimately connected and interdependent; the speaker advocates the
importance of treating nature like one would treat a fragile newborn.

Firstly, the most apparent feature of the poem is its extensive vocabulary
relating to nature. There are eighteen fauna species mentioned throughout the text and
various references to vegetation and organic landscapes. This lexicon is generally
associated not with humanity, but with wilderness description, which seems to be the
central focus of the poem until near the very end. Only in the last few lines does the
reader realize that Dungy is, in fact, skillfully personifying a whole ecosystem. The
speaker is a new mother who makes it very clear that she considers Yellowstone to be
an organic whole just like her, capable of birthing “all this / life […]” (ll. 27-8). This
attribution of human characteristics to the long account of this environmental
rejuvenation makes the connection between nature’s rejuvenation and childbirth much
more vivid since the two are depicted as containers of all this fresh growth. The poem’s
ending subverts expectations because such a scientific and objective description does
not usually conclude with a short, emotional and subjective implication, but without
such a closure the poem would have a completely different connotation. This
juxtaposition reinforces the speaker’s perception of nature and progeny; as much as
they can appear to be very distinct things, they require unity to properly function. The
poem can be considered a kind of list, which creates a build-up for the reader who
wants to know what the quick succession of wilderness terms is going to lead to. This
choice of structure makes the resemblance explained in the conclusion have a bigger
impact than if it was in another format. Another dramatic effect is created by the
repetition of the names of the species in the lines seven to eleven. This recurrence
emphasizes the omnipresence of these animals and suggests that they cannot be
ignored just as any new life form that suddenly appears in your life, such as a child,
cannot be overlooked either.

Secondly, the names of specific elements of nature mean that the reader could focus on
their denotation; however, many of them have a connotation that stresses the
importance of the wilderness. The title itself contains an element that hints at the
poem’s parallel because, in the study of animals and other living organisms “trophic” is
attributed to the “relationships between species in a food chain or web” . This definition
also has a connotative suggestion because “Trophic Cascade” is a narrative of how
every single creature is intrinsically linked to others, whether they have consciousness
or not, which further highlights how humans are also closely connected to nature and
how the co-existence of both is crucial. Furthermore, the use of alliteration throughout
the poem appeal to the reader’s sight and once again points out the similarities
between the environment and the circle of life. Notably, the lines “[…] songbirds nested,
who scattered / seed […]” (ll. 5-6) and “[…] their scat scattered seed […]” (l.23) are very
similar to one another and are laden with hidden messages. Both refer to seed that will
eventually produce new plants, which will sustain more animals and so on. Seed is a
mandatory ingredient for the creation of life in animals and humans, accentuating the
link between fertility and nature.

Finally, even if the significance of most of the poem’s diction seems focused on the
denotation of the words, lines 26 to 31 use strong similes that transform the whole text
into one vast metaphor. The speaker introduces her monologue with “[…] the
reintroduction of gray wolves / to Yellowstone […]” (ll. 1-2) and later she explains that
pregnancy was as if she had “reintroduced [herself] to [herself]” (l. 30). Both are
instances of a new beginning where diversity and habit exist side-by-side. In addition,
Yellowstone’s survival depends on the viability of wolves, which were reintroduced by
humans, while the introduction of a new life depends on a woman being “one hungry
animal” (l. 28). Dungy implies that the new mother is a wolf eager to create an
individual whose first breath relies on the vitality of its predecessor. The speaker is like
the wolf whose existence changes a whole ecological community in the sense that her
pregnancy modified her “landscape” (l. 29) and that “the course of the river changed” (l.
29), metaphorically speaking. These metaphors imply that her body, her habits and the
way things happened to her were transformed by the new being that was introduced in
her own ecosystem. When the carnivorous animals were brought back to the National
Park, a revolution happened in nature. For the speaker, “[…] nothing was ever the
same” (l. 31) once she became a mother. Both the park and she had to adjust to a major
new element brought into their lives to find once again the previous symbiosis they
possessed. Dungy ties together our shared ecosystems with our internal struggles and
journeys and life experiences in a way that opens new worlds of self knowledge.

In summary, “Trophic Cascade” by Camille T. Dungy is a specimen of nature poetry that

uses various literary and poetic techniques to relate the life-changing experience of
motherhood to the reinvention of an ecosystem and demonstrate how both must exist
in harmony to protect each other’s fragility. Dungy also cleverly challenges the
patriarchal notion of the superiority of male toughness by showing that a woman is as
powerful as nature itself, as competent for growth as a revived ecosystem, and able to
accomplish as much as a famished carnivore.

“The Rightful Inheritors of the Earth”

Questions and Answers.

1. Why did the narrator assume that his future was secure?
Ans: The land that he bought had an old house and a number of coconut palms. The price of
coconut was very high then. He thought that he could make a happy and decent living by
selling those coconuts
2. Who were the first visitors to his coconut farm?

Ans: The butterflies and birds were the first visitors to narrator’s farm.

3. When the birds and animals come to his farm the narrator feels that

A.They are encroaching on his property

B.They have come to rest in his garden.

C.They also have a right over his property.

Ans: They are encroaching on his property

5. Who is referred to as a fierce creature’?

Ans: The cobra

6. When the narrator asks this fierce creature’to leave his plot , does he think
that he isdoing the right thing? Why?
7. Ans: No he does not think that he is doing that he is doing the right thing because
man

has bought almost the whole of the earth bit by bit and the fierce creature’has no
placeto go.

6. What complaint did the narrator’s wife have about squirrels and crows?

Ans: The narrator’s wife complained that the squirrels and crows were eating away
allthe repined jackfruits.

7. Why did the family plan to kill the rats?

Ans: The narrator’s family thought that the rats were responsible for the
tender coconuts falling from the cocunut trees. So they decided to kill the rats.

8. The wife is upset that the birds are eating away the fruits in their
garden but her husband doesn’t seem to share her anxiety. Why?

Ans : The narrator is of the opinion that god has created a variety of things for
hiscreatures such as fruits, edible roots, grass, grains, flowers, water, air warmth and light.
Therefore the birds, beasts and insects are also entitled to the produce of the earth.

9. What was the effect of poisoning the rats in and around the house?
 Ans.In five days, five hens, twelve squirrels, two hundred rats and a cat disappeared.

10. Who was suspected of destroying the coconuts? Who were the real culprits?

Ans. Rats were suspected of destroying the coconuts. Actually the real culprits were bats.

11.Why did the narrator’s wife and cousin return “scared”?

Ans. The narrator’s wife and cousin had gone to a little islet on which stood an old temple. Next
to it grew a pair of banyan trees. At least three thousand bats could be seen hanging on the twigs
of the banyan trees. When the narrator’s wife andcousin reached there to kill the bats, they were
surrounded by a hundred people with weapons. They looked menacing.They threatened to kill
them if they killed the bats. The people believed that bats are the souls of their ancestors.

11. What did the narrator eventually decide about the birds and animals on his
farm?Why?

Ans.At the end of the story, the narrator understands that the earth belongs not only to humans,
but that God created it for all his creatures.

12. What was the narrator’s reaction to his wife’s suggestion of buying a gun?

Ans. The narrator says that guns should never have been invented.

13. What was the attitude of the visitors towards the dog?

Ans. The visitors did not seem to be at all afraid of the watchdog Shan.

14. What do you understand by the term “inheritors”?

Ans.By “inheritors” is meant heir or progeny.

Paragraph Questions

1. What is the narrator’s initial reaction to the “trespassers”on his farm?How does it
change?

Ans: Initially, the narrator resented the presence of the trespassers on his farm. These creatures
seek to share his land and coconuts. His farm was a two-acre plot with coconut palms and an old
house. Those were the days when the price of coconuts was going up and he was in high spirits at
the thought of the palms laden with coconuts. At the end of the story, the narrator understands
that the earth belongs not only to humans, but that God created it for all his creatures. The
narrator is of the opinion that god has created a variety of things for
hiscreatures such as fruits edible roots, grass, grains, flowers, water, air warmth and
light.Therefore the birds, beasts and insects are also entitled to the produce of the earth.
 2. What are the narrator’s thoughts on the gun. Why does he consider that “guns
should never have been invented?”

Ans.At the end of the story, the narrator understands that the earth belongs not only to humans,
but that God created it for all his creatures. The narrator is of the opinion that god has
created a variety of things for hiscreatures such as fruits edible roots, grass, grains,
flowers, water, air warmth and light.Therefore the birds, beasts and insects are also entitled to the
produce of the earth. The narrator therefore, has no taste for killing any creatures.

3. Why does the narrator think that God created a variety of creatures in this
universe?

Ans. At the end of the story, the narrator understands that the earth belongs not only to humans,
but that God created it for all his creatures. The narrator is of the opinion that god has
created a variety of things for hiscreatures such as fruits edible roots, grass, grains,
flowers, water, air warmth and light.Therefore the birds, beasts and insects are also entitled to the
produce of the earth. While human beings are the owners of the land, without a doubt, thebirds,
beasts, reptiles, and insects too have a right to these things just as humans have. God has made
them for all his creatures and humans had better remember that occasionally.

4. Comment on the reason the villagers do not allow the bats to be harmed.

Ans.The narrator’s wife and cousin had gone to a little islet on which stood an old temple. Next to
it grew a pair of banyan trees. At least three thousand bats could be seen hanging on the twigs of
the banyan trees. When the narrator’s wife andcousin reached there to kill the bats, they were
surrounded by a hundred people with weapons. They looked menacing.They threatened to kill
them if they killed the bats. The people believed that bats are the souls of their ancestors.

5. Write a note on the narrator’s scientific way of living

Ans. At the end of the story, the narrator understands that the earth belongs not only to humans,
but that God created it for all his creatures. The narrator is of the opinion that god has
created a variety of things for hiscreatures such as fruits edible roots, grass, grains,
flowers, water, air warmth and light.Therefore the birds, beasts and insects are also entitled to the
produce of the earth. While human beings are the owners of the land, without a doubt, thebirds,
beasts, reptiles, and insects too have a right to these things just as humans have. God has made
them for all his creatures and humans had better remember that occasionally. Hence the narrator
believes that we need a scientific way of living, a new way that helps us to live without killing any
living creature.
 6. Comment on the significance of the title.

Ans. The title “The Rightful Inheritors of the Earth” is significant because it points to
the author’s conviction that human beings alone are not the sole heirs of the
earth.The narrator understands that the earth belongs not only to humans, but that God
created it for all his creatures. The narrator is of the opinion that god has created
a variety of things for hiscreatures such as fruits edible roots, grass, grains, flowers,
water, air warmth and light.Therefore the birds, beasts and insects are also entitled to the
produce of the earth. While human beings are the owners of the land, without a doubt,
thebirds, beasts, reptiles, and insects too have a right to these things just as humans have. God
has made them for all his creatures and humans had better remember that occasionally.

“The Rightful Inheritors of the Earth”

(Essay)

“Beypore Sultan” Vaikom Muhammad Basheer was a freedom fighter, and

Malayalam writer who wrote short fiction, novels, and also many of his works were
made motion pictures.No other writer in Malayalam enjoyed such rapport with the
readers as Basheer did. His conversational style of writing, often used with the
dialect commonly used by ordinary people, made his work popular. People could
identify with the caricatures that he had made with his pen, and often names such as
Aanavari Raman Nair, Ponkurisu Thoma, Mandan Muthappa, Ettukaali Mammoonju,
Ottakkannan Pokkar etc became household names.

“The Rightful Inheritors of the Earth” (Bhoomiyude Avakasikal) by Vaikom Muhammad

Basheer is a short narrative in which the author talks about the need to consider the
other animals also as part of this earth, as they are the rightful inheritors of the earth.
The narrative progresses through a situation faced by the narrator and his wife after
they started living in the newly bought house and surrounding land. The problem
encountered by them was that their coconuts were eaten by some animals. Later they
identified that bats are the real culprits. Narrator’s wife, with the help of her cousin,
thought of killing the bats. They identified that the bats came from the nearby temple.
They went to kill the bats using a gun. But they were chased by the local people as it is
believed that bats are the souls of their forefathers.

The story concludes with the narrator saying that although bats cannot be
considered as the reincarnation of our forefathers, they definitely have a right to
reside on this earth. The words of the author may remind us of an age-old concept in
ancient India, that of vasudhaiva kutumbakam, ‘vasudha’ being ‘the earth’, and
 ‘kutumbakam’ means family. In other words, the whole world is a family, including
the animals.

Biodiversity

Comprehension Questions (Answer in a sentence or two)

1. Define Biodiversity

Ans. Biological diversity or biodiversity is that part of nature which includes the
differences in genes among the individuals of a species, the variety and richness of all
the plant and animal species at different scales in space, locally in a region, in the
country and the world and various types of ecosystems, both terrestrial and aquatic,
within a defined area.

2. What are the three levels of biodiversity?

Ans. The three levels of biodiversity are genetic diversity or the genetic
variability with a species, species diversity or the variety of species within a
communiy,and ecosystem diversity or the organisation of species in an area into
distinctive plant and animal communities.

3. Define genetic diversity.

Ans. Each member of any animal or plant species differs widely from other
individuals in its genetic makeup because of the large number of combinations
possible in the genes that give every individual special characteristics. This is genetic
diversity.

4. What is species diversity?Give examples

Ans. The number of species of plants and animals that are present in a region
constitutes its species diversity. This diversity is seen both in natural ecosystems
and in agricultural ecosystems. Some areas are more rich in species than others. For
example, natural undisturbed tropical forests have a much greater species richness
than plantations developed by the Forest Department for timber production.
5. What is gene pool?

Ans. The diversity in wild species forms the gene pool from which our crops and
domestic animals have been developed over thousands of years. Modern technology
manipulates genes for developing better types of medicines and a variety of
industrial products.

6. Define Greenhouse effect.

Ans. The loss of forest cover, coupled wth the increased release of carbon dioxide
and other gases through industrialization contributes to the Greenhouse effect.

7. What is ecosystem diversity?

Ans.Ecosystems have their own complement of distinctive interlinked species based

on differences in their habitat. Ecosystem diversity can be described for a specific
geographical region, or a political entity such as a country, a State of a Taluk.

8. What do plants offer us?

Ans.Trees and plants offer us fruit, fuel wood, fodder, fibre, gum, resins and
medicines.

9. How many biogeographical regions are there in India?

Ans. There are ten biogeographical regions in India: 1.The cold mountainous snow
covered Trans Himalayan region of Ladakh 2. The Himalayan ranges and valleys of
Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Assam and other North Eastern States. 3.
The Terai, the lowland where the Himalayan rivers flow into the plains. 4.The
Gangetic and Brahmaputra plains. 5.The Thar desert of Rajastan.6.The semi-arid
grassland region of the Deccan plateau, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. 7. The North east states of India. 8.The Western ghats in
Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala. 9.The Andaman and Nicobar islands. 10.The
long western and eastern coastal belt with sandy beaches, forests and mangroves.

10. What are some of the important services offered by ecosystems?

Ans. Production of oxygen, reducing carbon dioxide, maintaining the water cycle
and protecting soil are important services offered by ecosystems.
 Paragraph questions ( Answer in not more than 80-100 words)

1. What are the advantages of natural forests?

Ans.Natural undisturbed tropical forests have a much greater species richness

than plantations developed by the Forest Department for timber production. A
natural forest ecosystem provides a large nmber of non-wood products that local
people depend on such as fruit, fuel wood, fodder, fibre, gum, resins and medicines.
The value of a naural forest, with all its species richness is much greater than a
plantation. In the long term the economic sustainable returns from non-wood forest
products is said to be greater than the returns from felling a forest for its timber.

2. Describe the origin of life on earth.

Ans. The origins of life on earth some three and a half billion years ago are obscure.
Life was probably initiated as a product of organic reactions in the Earth’s primordial
seas. Alternative possibilities such as life beginning in a muddy ooze, or of life having
been seeded from outer space have also been suggested. Once life took hold on the
planet, it began gradually to diversify. Unicellular unspecialized forms gradually
evolved into complex multi-cellular plants and animals. Abiotic changes in nature
such as climatic and atmospheric upheavals, repeated glaciations, continental drift
and the formation of geographical barriers, segregated different communities of
plants and animals and gradually led to the formation of new species over millions of
years.

3. Enumerate the values of biodiversity

Ans. Species and ecosystems offer many environmental services. These are essential at
global, regional and local levels. Production of oxygen, reducing carbon dioxide,
maintaining the water cycle, protecting soil are important services. The world now
acknowledges that the loss of biodiversity contributes to global climatic changes.
Forests are the main mechanismfor the conversion of carbon dioxide into carbon and
oxygen. The loss of forest cover, coupled with the increasing release of carbon dioxide
and other gases industrialization contributes to the Greenhouse effect. Global warming
is melting ice caps, resulting in a rise in the sea level which will submerge the low lying
areas in the world. It is causing atmospheric changes, leading to increased
temperatures, serious droughts in some areas and unexpected floods in other areas.

4. What is the importance of biodiversity in the ecological process?

Ans.Biological diversity is essential for preserving ecological processes such as fixing
and recycling of nutrients, soil formation, circulation and cleansing of air and water,
global life support, maintaining the water balance within ecosystems, watershed
protection, maintaining stream and river flows through the year, erosion control and
local flood reduction. Production of oxygen, reducing carbon dioxide, maintaining the
water cycle, protecting soil are important aspects of biodiversity. Food, clothing,
housing, energy, medicines are allresources that are directly or indirectly linke to the
biological carity present in the biosphere. The preservation of biological resources is
essential for the well-being and long-term survival of mankind. The diversity of
livingoraganisms which is present in the wilderness, our crops and livestock plays a
major role in human development.

5. What are India’s biogeographical zones?

Ans.There are ten biogeographical regions in India: 1.The cold mountainous snow
covered Trans Himalayan region of Ladakh 2. The Himalayan ranges and valleys of
Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Assam and other North Eastern States.3.
The Terai, the lowland where the Himalayan rivers flow into the plains.4.The
Gangetic and Brahmaputra plains.5.The Thar desert of Rajastan.6.The semi-arid
grassland region of the Deccan plateau, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.7. The North east states of India.8.The Western ghats in
Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala.9.The Andaman and Nicobar islands.10.The long
western and eastern coastal belt with sandy beaches, forests and mangroves.

Essay (Answer in not more than 200-250 words)

1.Write an essay on the process of evolution of life on earth.

Ans. The origins of life on earth some three and a half billion years ago are obscure.
Life was probably initiated as a product of organic reactions in the Earth’s primordial
seas. Alternative possibilities such as life beginning in a muddy ooze, or of life having
been seeded from outer space have also been suggested. Once life took hold on the
planet, it began gradually to diversify. Unicellular unspecialized forms gradually
evolved into complex multi-cellular plants and animals. Abiotic changes in nature
such as climatic and atmospheric upheavals, repeated glaciations, continental drift
and the formation of geographical barriers, segregated different communities of
plants and animals and gradually led to the formation of new species over millions of
years. Most species appear to have a life span extending over several million years.
Their adaptability to gradual changes in their habitat, and interactions with newly
formed species produce groups of interlinked organisms that continue to evolve
together.
 Food chains, pre-predator reltaionships, parasitism,commensalism etc are important
examples. Behavioural patterns of the different species comprising a community of
species links them to each other through their breeding , biology, feeding patterns,
migrations etc. As ancient species became extinct due to geological upheavals, they
left behind empty ‘niches’ in the habitat that stimulated existing species to fill them
through the formation of new species.

The Earth’s ancient history has seen periods of mega extinctions, which have been
followed by periods of formation of new species.This repeatedly led to a drastic
reduction in the number of species. However the diversity of life recovered each time
by gradually increasing the number of species existing on earth. This however took
millions of years, as evolution is a very slow process. Thus when man came on the
scene 2 million years ago, the earth was more rich in species than ever before.
During the recent past however, extinction due to the activities of modern man have
begun to take place very rapidly. Hence nature has had no time to evolve new
species.

2. How is the preservation of biodiversity linked to survival of mankind?

Ans.The great variety of life on earth has provided for man’s need over
thousands of years. This diversity of living creatures forms a support system which has
been used by each civilization for its growth and development. Those that used the
bounty of nature carefully and sustainably survived. Those that overused or misused it
disintegrated.

Scientific knowledge has helped in utilizing the earth’s biological wealth for the
benefit of humanity and has been integral to the process of development. This includes
better health care, better crops and the use of these life forms as raw material for
industrial growth which has led to a higher standard of living for the developed world.

Biological diversity is essential for preserving ecological processes such as fixing and
recycling of nutrients, soil formation, circulation and cleansing of air and water, global
life support, mantaining the water balance within ecosystems, watershed protection,
maintaining stream and river flows through the year, erosion control and local flood
reduction. Production of oxygen, reducing carbon dioxide, maintaining the water cycle,
protecting soil are important aspects of biodiversity. Food, clothing, housing, energy,
medicines are allresources that are directly or indirectly linke to the biological carity
present in the biosphere. The preservation of biological resources is essential for the
well-being and long-term survival of mankind. The diversity of living organisms which
is present in the wilderness, our crops and livestock plays a major role in human
development. The preservation of biodiversity is important to improve the quality of
human life.
3. Comment on the importance of genetic diversity with an example.

Ans.Each member of any animal or plant species differs widely from other
individuals in its genetic makeup because of the large number of combinations
possible in the genes that give every individual special characteristics. This is genetic
diversity. Thus, for example, each human being is very different from all others. This
genetic variabitity is essential for a healthy breeding population of a species. If the
number of breeding individuals is reduced, the dissimilarity of genetic makeup is
reduced and in-breeding occurs. Eventually this can lead to extinction of the
species.The diversity in wild species forms the gene pool from which our crops and
domestic animals have been developed over thousands of years. Today the variety of
nature’s bounty is being further harnessed by using wild relatives of crop plants to
create new varieties of more productive crops and to breed better domestic animals.
Modern technology manipulates genes for developing better types of medicines and
a variety of industrial products. The number of species of plants and animals that
are present in a region constitutes its species diversity. This diversity is seen both in
natural ecosystems and in agricultural ecosystems. Some areas are more rich in
species than others. For example, natural undisturbed tropical forests have a much
greater species richness than plantations developed by the Forest Department for
timber production.

Disaster Management

Comprehension Questions (Answer in a sentence or two)

1. What are some of the natural disasters India is vulnerable to?

Ans. India is vulnerable to droughts, floods, cyclones, earthquakes, landslides,

avalanches and forest fires.

2. Which coastline is prone to cyclones?

Ans. The Indian Ocean is one of the six major cyclone prone regions of the world. The
eastern cyclone is more prone to cyclones as it is hit by about 80percent of the total
cyclones generated in the region.

3. Define disaster management.

Ans.Disaster management is a multidisciplinary area in which a wide range of issues
that range from forecasting, forewarning, warning, evacuation, search and rescue,
relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation are included. It is also multi-sectoral as it
involves administrators, scientists, planners, volunteers and communities.

4. What are cyclones?

Ans. Tropical cyclones are the worst natural hazards in the tropics. They are large
revolving vortices in the atmosphere extending horizontally from 150-1000 km and
vertically from the surface to 12-14 km. These are intense low pressure areas.

5. What are the guidelines for disaster mitigation?

Ans. Pre-disaster mitigation can help in ensuring faster recovery from the impacts of
disasters. Mitigation easures must ensure protection of the natural and cultural assets
of the community. Hazard reduction methods must take into account the various
hazards faced by the affected community and their desires and priorities. Any
mitigation program must also ensure effective partnership between Government,
scientific establishments , private sector, NGOs and the community.

6. What are the causes of floods?

Ans. Floods can be caused by natural, ecological or anthropogenic factors either

individually or as a combined result. Anthropogenic activities such as deforestation and
shifting cultivation can also lead to floods.

7. Mention two flood mitigation measures.

Ans.The flood mitigation measures include both structural and non-structural

measures. The structural measures include 1. Reservoirs for impounding monsoon
flows to be released in a regulated manner after the peak flood flow passes.
2.Prevention of over-bank spilling by the construction of embankments and floodwalls.
The non-structural measures include 1.Flood plain management such as Flood Plain
Zoning and Flood Proofing including Disaster Preparedness. 2.Maintaining wetlands.

8. Which are the most destructive natural hazards?

Ans. Earthquakes are considered to be one of the most destructive natural hazards.

9. Which parts of India suffer from adverse floods?

Ans. The lower plain regions of India, in particular Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West
Bengal in respect of the Ganga and Assam in respect of the Brahmaputra suffer from the
adverse effects of floods every year.

10. How can we minimize the loss and destruction from natural disasters?

Ans.Early warning systems, careful plannng and preparedness on the part of the
vulnerable community would help in minimizing the loss of life and property due to
these disasters.

Paragraph questions ( Answer in not more than 80-100 words)

1.Write a note on floods in India.

The lower plain regions of India, in particular Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal in
respect of the Ganga and Assam in respect of the Brahmaputra suffer from the adverse
effects of floods every year.Floods can be caused by natural, ecological or
anthropogenic factors either individually or as a combined result. Anthropogenic
activities such as deforestation and shifting cultivation can also lead to floods.The flood
mitigation measures include both structural and non-structural measures. The
structural measures include 1. Reservoirs for impounding monsoon flows to be
released in a regulated manner after the peak flood flow passes. 2.Prevention of over-
bank spilling by the construction of embankments and floodwalls. The non-structural
measures include 1.Flood plain management such as Flood Plain Zoning and Flood
Proofing including Disaster Preparedness. 2.Maintaining wetlands.

2. What are the features of disaster management?

Ans.Disaster management is a multidisciplinary area in which a wide range of issues

that range from forecasting, forewarning, warning, evacuation, search and rescue,
relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation are included. It is also multi-sectoral as it
involves administrators, scientists, planners, volunteers and communities. These roles
and activities span the pre-disaster, during disaster and post disaster plans. Since their
activities are complementary as well as supplementary to each other there is a critical
need for coordinating these activities. In order to transfer the benefits of scientific
research and development to the communities, links must be developed between
scientific communities and field agencies. Coordination between Government agencies
and NGOs need to be built up so that overlap of activities may be avoided and linkages
between the Government and communities are established.

3. Explain flood mitigation measures.

Ans. The flood mitigation measures include both structural and non-structural
measures. The structural measures include 1. Reservoirs for impounding monsoon
flows to be released in a regulated manner after the peak flood flow passes.
2.Prevention of over-bank spilling by the construction of embankments and floodwalls.
3. Improvement of flow conditions in the channel and ani-erosion measures. 4.
Improved drainage.The non-structural measures include 1.Flood plain management
such as Flood Plain Zoning and Flood Proofing including Disaster Preparedness.
2.Maintaining wetlands. 3.Flood forecasting and warning services. 4. Disaster relief,
flood fighting and public health measures. 5. Flood insurance.

4. Enumerate the causes and methods of prevention of landslides.

Ans. Landslides occur as a result of changes on a slope, sudden or gradual, either in its
composition, structure, hydrology or vegetation. The changes can be due to geology,
climate, weathering, land-use and eathquakes. A significant reduction in the hazards
caused by landslides can be achieved by preventing the exposure of population and
facilities to landslides and by physically controlling the landslides.Developmental
programs that involve modification of the topography, exploitation of natural
resources and change in the balance load on the ground should not be permitted. Some
critical measures that could be undertaken to prevent further landslides are drainage
measures, erosion control measues such as bamboo check dams, terracing, jute and coir
netting and rockfall conrol measures such as grass plantation, vegetated dry masonry
wall, retaining wall and most importantly preventing deforestation and improving
afforestation.

5. What is drought? Mention the causes and consequences of droughts.

Ans. Drought is caused by a lower than average rainfall over a long period of time.
There are four major reasons for drought in India- delay in the onset of monsoon/
failure of monsoon, variability of monsoon rainfall, long break in monsoon and areal
difference in the persistence of monsoon.Most of the drought prone areas identified by
the government lie in the arid and semi-arid areas of the country. Sixteen percent of
the country’s total area is drought prone. Drought has impacted many villages, not just
in terms non-availability of water, also in agriculture damage and livelihood loss. It has
severely affected food security, food sovereignty, the status of natural resources and
ecology, and finally the exchequer.

Essay (Answer in not more than 200-250 words)

1. Write in detail about cyclone mitigation measures.

Ans. Tropical cyclones are the worst natural hazards in the tropics. They are large
revolving vortices in the atmosphere extending horizontally from 150-1000 km and
vertically from the surface to 12-14 km. These are intense low pressure areas.Although
one cannot control cyclones, the effects of cyclones can be mitigated through effective
and efficient mitigation policies and strategies. These are : 1.Installation of early
warning systems. Such systems fitted along the coastlines can greatly assist forecasting
techniques thus helping in earlyevacuation of people in the storm surge areas. 2.
Developing communication infrastructure: Communication plays a vital role in cyclone
disaster mitigation and yet this is one of the first services that gets disrupted during
cyclones. Amateur radio has today emerged as a second line unconventional
communications system and is an important tool for disaster mitigation.3. Developing
shelter belts: Shelter belts with plantations of trees can act as effective wind and tide
breakers. Apart from acting as effective windbreakers and protecting soil crops from
being damaged they prevent soil erosion.4. Developing community cyclone shelters:
Cyclone shelters at strategic locations can help minimizing the loss of human life. In the
normal course these shelters canbe used as public utility buildings. 5.Construction of
permanent houses: There is a need to build appropriately designed concrete houses
that can withstand high winds and tidal waves.6. Training and education: Public
awareness programmes that inform the population about their response to
cyclonewarnings and preparedness can go a long way in reducing causalities. 7.
Landuse control and settlement planning: No residential and industrial units should be
ideally permitted in the coastal belt of 5km from the sea as it is the most vulnerable
belt. No further growth of settlements in this region shoudl be allowed. Major
settlements and other important establishments should be located beyond 10km from
the sea.

2.Comment on the role of NGOs in the Gujarat Earthquake relief.

Many years have passed since the earthquake struck Gujarat on January 26,
2001. During these years rehabilitation was done on a massive scale. Gujarat’s
experience has taught that building shelters with less vulnerability to earthquakes
should also take into consideration the specific needs of the victims insead of being a
top down approach.

The role of NGOs in this is very important. Their strength lies their manpower,
informality in operations and valuable human resources. Their ability to reach out to
the community and sensitivity to local traditions is an asset in such situations. Mihir
Bhatt has prepared a report on various such initiatives in Gujarat in Down to Earth (Vol
12, No.2). This reveals the various developments that followed the earthquake.
According to the report the initiatives of the International Fund for Agriculture
Development in supporting the Self Employed Women’s Association and the
Government’s initiative in community based livelihood security for earthquakes and
drought victims have the potential to shape future disaster response and development
projects in Gujarat.

The Gujarat Women’s Economic evelopment Corporation also showed initiative

in reviving women’s businesses after the calamity. This provides many practical lessons
in regenerating local economies and artisan markets. This project was supported by the
Asian Development Bank. It gives importance to investments in income generation and
asset building after a natural disaster. The farming kits provided to affected farmers by
Gujarat’s agriculture industry are also showing promising results after two seasons.
However the author states that coordination between Government, local NGOs and
local community initiatives both for rescue as well as rehibilitation needs to be
strengthened. Otherwise it can cause delays, overlaps and waste of relief material and
efforts.

3.Differentiate between disaster management and disaster mitigation with an

example.

Till very recently the approach towards dealing with natural disasters has been
post disaster management involving problems such as evacuation, warnings,
communications, search and rescue, fire-fighting, medical and psychiatric assistance,
provision of relief shelters etc. After the initial trauma and the occurrence of the
natural disaster is over and reconstruction and rehabilitation is done by people, NGOs
and the Government, its memories are relegated to history.

Though traditionally disaster management consisted primarily of reactive

mechanisms, the past few years have witnessed a gradual shift towrds a more
proactive, mitigation based approach. Disaster management is a multidisciplinary area
in which a wide range of issues that range from forecasting, forewarning, warning,
evacuation, search and rescue, relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation are included. It
is also multi-sectoral as it involves administrators, scientists, planners, volunteers and
communities. Since their activities are complementary as well as supplementary to
each other there is a critical need for coordinating these activities. In order to transfer
the benefits of scientific research and development to the communities, links must be
developed between scientific communities and field agencies. Coordination between
Government agencies and NGOs need to be built up so that overlap of activities may be
avoided and linkages between the Government and communities are established.

For example, today we have a range of early earning systems for a range of
natural hazards. Although they are more accurate than before and can help in
prediction it is not enough to ensure communities are safe from disasters. This is where
disaster mitigation can play a major role.Mitigation means lessening the negative
impact of the natural hazards. It s defined as sustained action taken to reduce long term
vulnerability of human life and property to natural hazards. While the preparatory
response and the recovery phases of emergency management relate to specific events,
mitigation activities have the potential to produce repetitive benefits over time.

“Real Estate”

Sebastian

Comprehension Questions (Answer in a sentence or two)

1. How is the stream described?

Ans. The stream is described as clear, limpid and waveless.

2. What is being described as being in perfect harmony?

Ans. The stream , clear, limpid and waveless and the clear sky are described as
being in perfect harmony.

3. List the words used to denote care in the process of doing

something.

Ans. The words used to denote care in the process of doing something are :
gently, no jerking, no spilling, lower it softly, no part falling off or slipping off our
hands.

4. What are the things to be lifted and lowered?

Ans. The stream, the river and the sky are the things to be lifted and lowered.

5. Why is the task to be done with care?

Ans. The poet uses the words gently, no jerking, no spilling, , no part falling off
or slipping off our hands and so on to suggest that the task should be done with
care. He wants to put the river and sky together, and glue them hard lower
them softly into some void so that they don’t part again.

6. Where are the sky and river to be put together?

Ans. The poet wants to put the river and sky together, and lower them softly
into some void so that they don’t part again.

7. Why should they be glued hard?

Ans.He wants to put the river and sky together, and glue them hard and lower
them softly into some void so that they don’t part again.

8. Explain the line “No time to waste.”

Ans. The poet says that there is no time to waste before the river swells with
waves.

9. Who is being addressed in the last stanza?

Ans. The real estate dealers are being addressed in the last stanza.

10. What have they done buying and selling?

Ans. Buying and selling, they have eaten up the earth.

11. What is the plea of the poet?

Ans. The poet pleads with the real estate dealers not to cast their covetous eyes
on the river and the sky.

12. What is the central theme of the poem?

Ans. The poem creates a future scenario where men try to create a new world
by putting together a sky and earth in the void.

Paragraph questions ( Answer in not more than 80-100 words)

1. What are the two worlds presented in the poem?How are they
different?

Ans.The poet presents a beautiful earth and a beautiful sky. On the earth flow
clear limpid streams while the sky is clear and cloudless . Both are in perfect
harmony. The other world is that of greed and exploitation of nature. The
exploiters are out to destroy the earth for their own selfish purposes. They
 try to create a new world by putting together a sky and earth in the void.
While the earth and sky are pure and innocent, the other world is vile and full
of guile and covetousness. This world of men does not respect the beauty and
power of the earth. Their avarice and acquisitiveness knows no bounds.

2. Write a note on the men of trade. Why does the poet address his
plea to them?

Ans. The men of trade are actually the land mafia who are concerned only
with profit. Their world is that of greed and exploitation of nature. The
exploiters are out to destroy the earth for their own selfish purposes. There
is an attempt to create a new world by putting together a sky and earth in the
void. The void exists because the men of trade have eaten up the earth and
the poet pleads with them to not turn their envious eyes on this new earth,
seeking to destroy that too. While the earth and sky are pure and innocent,
the other world is vile and full of guile and covetousness. This world of men
does not respect the beauty and power of the earth. Their avarice and
acquisitiveness knows no bounds.The poet address his plea to them because
only they can save the earth from further destruction.

3. Explain the lines, “don’t cast your covetous eyes on this.”

Ans.The poet has seen the mindless exploitation and destruction of the earth.
He knows about the greed and avarice of the land mafia who have been
relentlessly draining the earth of all her vital resources. On glimpsing the
clear limpid stream and the cloudless sky, he hopes that the exploiters will
not cast their covetous eyes on these, for very little of untouched , pristine
nature actually remains on the earth. The poet address his plea to them
because only they can save the earth from further destruction.There is an
attempt to create a new world by putting together a sky and earth in the void.
The void exists because the men of trade have eaten up the earth and the poet
pleads with them to not turn their envious eyes on this new earth, seeking to
destroy that too.

4.Comment on the poet’s criticism of the men of trade’s greed.

Ans.The poet has seen the mindless exploitation and destruction of the
earth.Nature has been thoroughly ravaged. The poet knows about the greed
and avarice of the land mafia who have been relentlessly draining the earth of
all her vital resources. He describes them as having “covetous eyes.”Their
avarice and acquisitiveness knows no bounds. The poet comments on their
 insensitivity and blind drive for profit. The poet address his plea to them
because only they can save the earth from further destruction.

5.Why does the poet call for the new sky and earth to be put together
in the vast void?

Ans.On glimpsing the clear limpid stream and the cloudless sky, the poet
hopes that the exploiters will not cast their covetous eyes on these, for very
little of untouched , pristine nature actually remains on the earth. The poet
addresses his plea to them because only they can save the earth from further
destruction.There is an attempt to create a new world by putting together a
sky and earth in the void. The void exists because the men of trade have eaten
up the earth and the poet pleads with them to not turn their envious eyes on
this new earth, seeking to destroy that too.

6.Write a note on the poet’s attitude to the earth.

Ans. The poet looks on the earth very tenderly and protectively. He has
respect and reverence for nature .He is sensitive to the innocence and purity
of the earth which has nurtured mankind for centuries.On glimpsing the clear
limpid stream and the cloudless sky, the poet hopes that the exploiters will
not cast their covetous eyes on these, for very little of untouched , pristine
nature actually remains on the earth.The poet has seen the mindless
exploitation and destruction of the earth.Nature has been thoroughly
ravaged. The poet knows about the greed and avarice of the land mafia, the
real estate men of trade, who have been relentlessly draining the earth of all
her vital resources.

7.Comment on the significance of the title.

Ans. The title “Real Estate” draws attention to the present predicament of the
earth which is being gobbled up by the real estate men of trade, the land mafia.
The poet speaks about the greed and avarice of the land mafia, the real estate
men of trade, who have been relentlessly draining the earth of all her vital
resources.The poet addresses his plea to them because only they can save the
earth from further destruction.On glimpsing the clear limpid stream and the
cloudless sky, the poet hopes that the exploiters will not cast their covetous
eyes on these, for very little of untouched , pristine nature actually remains on
the earth.The poet has seen the mindless exploitation and destruction of the
earth.
 Essay (Answer in not more than 200-250 words)

1. Describe the ecological implications of man’s greed with reference

to the poem/Comment on the attitude of man that seeks ownership over
nature and its harmful consequences/ Discuss the modern implications of
the idea of greed with regard to the extinction of several natural resources
due tot he avarice of man.

Ans. Man has destroyed the earth and its resources. His greed has been the
cause of natural calamities, climate change, global warming and great damage to
the environment.The rate of species extinction continues to accelerate,
diminishing Earth’s biodiversity and weakening the web of life which sustains us
all. Countless causes contribute — destruction of habitat, toxic chemicals,
invasive species which displace less adaptable kinds, and intentional slaughter.
We — individually and collectively — can no longer claim ignorance or
innocence about the state of the planet we call home. The knowledge is too deep
and too pervasive.

“Real Estate” draws attention to the present predicament of the earth which is
being gobbled up by the real estate men of trade, the land mafia. The poet
speaks about the greed and avarice of the land mafia, the real estate men
of trade, who have been relentlessly draining the earth of all her vital
resources.The poet addresses his plea to them because only they can save the
earth from further destruction. On glimpsing the clear limpid stream and the
cloudless sky, the poet hopes that the exploiters will not cast their covetous
eyes on these, for very little of untouched , pristine nature actually remains on
the earth.The poet looks on the earth very tenderly and protectively.There is an
attempt to create a new world by putting together a sky and earth in the
void. The void exists because the men of trade have eaten up the earth and the
poet pleads with them to not turn their envious eyes on this new earth, seeking
to destroy that too.

The poet has respect and reverence for nature .He is sensitive to the innocence and
purity of the earth which has nurtured mankind for centuries.The poet has seen the
mindless exploitation and destruction of the earth. Nature has been thoroughly
ravaged. The dominant culture of the world today, transcending nationalities and
borders, is a culture out of balance, which has led to a people out of balance. We are a
people out of balance with our place in the web of all life, thinking we are, somehow,
above and exempt from the laws of the natural world. The poem is a powerful
statement against the materialism of modern man.

“The Truth about the Floods”

 Nissim Ezekiel

Questions and Answers

1.What is the picture of the flood affected districts that emerges from the
poem?
Nissim Ezekiel, in his poem “The Truth about the Floods”, narrates the plight of the
ordinary people who are ravaged by the severe floods in the villages. One villager
speaks how he exposed his two children to the mercy of god, while his remaining
children are begging somewhere to sustain their lives. All the houses had collapsed,
and they don’t have any hope left as they don’t get any help from the government.

1. Write a note on the reaction of the villagers to the flood.

As the flood occured during the night, all of a sudden, the villagers could not plan
anything to sustain their life. The helplessness of the villagers can be seen
throughout the poem. When the speaker visits the village, at first people were
reluctant to talk, thinking that he might be a government official. The poet says,
“An atmosphere of despair pervaded the village.”

2. Explain the irony in the repetition of the line, “until I told them I wasn’t a
government official.”
Irony is used in poetry to show a contrast or incongruity between what might be
expected and what actually happens. A government official or a public servant is a
person who is supposed to help the people, however, we know that public
servants seldom serve the people. This idea is conveyed in the poem through the
repetition of the line “until I told them I wasn’t a government official.”

3. Why does the poet say that it is difficult to get at the truth about the floods?
The saying, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics” is very
apt in the case of India. As the poet says in the poem, any official you meet would
claim that the area under his jurisdiction is the worst-hit, and would pass on a
hand-out with statistics of relief work. This statistics, we know, is an utter lie.
Anyone who goes beyond the official version would be reminded by the officer to
“Write the truth in your report”, often in a tone of veiled threat.

4. Write a note on the relief party that visited the village. What was its
purpose and result?
The relief party which consisted of five students, came with a transistor, a tin of
 biscuits, and a camera. Their only motive was to make use of this tragic situation
for their own advantage. They can publicize the pictures taken to prove their
philanthropic and humanitarian activities and even collect money in the name of
that.

Write a note on the significance of the title.

For anybody who relies on government reports and statistics, the “truth” is that
enough relief and rehabilitation work is done, and everything is perfect. However, in
reality it is not true. The truth about the floods is that, people suffer no matter what
the govt claims. This is the reason, for example, the eminent journalist P Sainath, after
visiting the drought-stricken villages in India, published his study using the title
“Everybody loves a good draught”.

Comment on the apathy and indifference of the government officials towards

the flood victims.
The government officials are not at all worried about the poor villagers who have
lost everything in the flood. They prepare the report that their block or division is
the worst-hit, by incorporating statistics to prove the point. The government might
have allocated funds based on the report submitted to them, however, no such help
is given to the poor villagers. For the government officials, it is just another
opportunity.

Essay

How does the poet present the picture of official apathy through the poem?

Nissim Ezekiel, in his poem “The Truth about the Floods”, narrates the plight of the
ordinary people who are ravaged by the severe floods in the villages. One villager
speaks how he lets his two children to the mercy of god, while his remaining
children are begging somewhere to sustain their lives. All the houses had collapsed,
and they don’t have any hope left as they don’t get any help from the government.

As the flood occured during the night, all of a sudden, the villagers could not plan
anything to sustain their life. The helplessness of the villagers can be seen throughout
the poem. When the speaker visits the village, at first people were reluctant to talk
thinking that he might be a government official. The poet says, “An atmosphere of
despair pervaded the village.”Irony is used in poetry to show a contrast or
incongruity between what might be expected and what actually happens. A
government official or a public servant is a person who is supposed to help the
people, however, we know that public servants seldom serve the people. This idea is
conveyed in the poem through the repetition of the line “until I told them I wasn’t a
government official.” The saying, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and
statistics” is very apt in the case of India. As the poet says in the poem, any official
 you meet would claim that the area under his jurisdiction is the worst-hit, and would
pass on a hand-out with statistics of relief work. This statistics, we know, is an utter
lie. Anyone who goes beyond the official version would be reminded by the officer to
“Write the truth in your report”, often in a tone of veiled threat.The relief party
consisted of five students, who came with a transistor, a tin of biscuits, and a camera.
The only motive behind their arrival was to make use of this tragic situation for their
own advantage. They can publicize the pictures taken to prove their philanthropic
and humanitarian activities and even collect money in the name of that.
The poem was written in the 1960s, but we know that even in the present age things
are not better.For anybody who relies on government reports and statistics, the
“truth” is that enough relief and rehabilitation work is done, and everything is
perfect. However, in reality it is not true. The truth about the floods is that, people
suffer no matter what the govt claims. This is the reason, for example, that the
eminent journalist P Sainath, after visiting the drought-stricken villages in India,
published his study using the title “Everybody loves a good draught”.The government
officials are not at all worried about the poor villagers who have lost everything in
the flood. They prepare the report that their block or division is the worst-hit, by
incorporating statistics to prove the point. The government might have allocated
funds based on the report submitted to them, however, no such help is given to the
poor villagers. For the government officials, it is just another opportunity.

Matsyaganddhi

M. Sajitha

Essay

Matsyaganddhi is a one-act play about the travails, problem and challenges of the
fishing community in the age of globalizations. The playwright portrays the lives of
the fishermen, their problems at sea, challenges at the fish market and threats they
have to face from the mechanized fishing motor boats and trawler nets in the
backdrop of globalization.

The one-act-play "Matsyaganddhi" deals with the plight of the lives of fishermen.
Fishing is s huge trade and many poor people eke out their livelihood from it. Their
lives are prone to tension and fear as a natural calamity such as cyclone will bring
them down to destitution. The writer portrays the hardships of the fisherman’s lives,
their conventional ways of fishing and the financial difficulties faced by them
because of modern changes in it. The story is a dramatic monologue. A fisher woman
enacts the story on the stage and narrates her hardships to the audience. Their
problems are compared to the stench of the fish.
The scene shifts from one place to the other. The sea shore, harbour, boats, market
and ships find description in the one-act play. The advancement in fishing gives way
to the rise of commercial boats and ships. The fisherman who eke out their living in
the conventional mode of fishing can’t digest the changes, they undergo financial
difficulties.

Urbanization led to establishment of colonies and construction of house. Many ponds

and lakes have disappeared from towns and cities giving place to houses. The
disappearance of water had affected the fishing community. There came a lot of
change in the lives of the fisherman with the advent of motor boats. They led a
peaceful life. Though they were poor, they were happy and peaceful. The woman
feels happy with the news from the harbour. She hopes that the people on the shore
will get jobs at the harbour and at the big hotels.

The woman stands at the shore and recollects her memories with her mother. She
makes a comparison between their present lives and past lives. Their source of
income is uncertain. Sometimes they are forced to bear the stench of the unsold fish.
When the price falls their financial difficulties increase. Sometimes the woman is
seen at the market place. She explains the hardships faced by her at the place. They
are affected by the arrival of trawler boats and foreign vessels. There are many
instances of fisherman being killed by the rage of th sea. The tittle of the play is
based on Satyavathi who was the adopted daughter of a fisherman. She earned
reputation as a holy woman whose son, Vyasa was fathered by a wandering sage,
Parashara. Since she has the smell of fish she is known as Matsya Gandhi. There is an
element of irony in the story as the pathetic lives of the fisherman don’t match with
Satyavathi’s life in the original story. Their lives are tragic.

This adverse effect of marginalization is well portrayed through the life of a widowed
fisher woman in Matsyagandhi. Originally written in Malayalam, the play exposes the
pathetic life of a fishing community living in the coastal areas of Kerala. The play mainly
focuses on the condition of the women belonging to that community, and the various
women question she has to face during her struggle for existence. It presents the
anxiety of a woman regarding life, reality and social circumstances. The contemporary
issues embedded in the play makes it more relevant to our times. Sajitha Madathil
travels through the life of Araya community, the community whose problems are less
considered or discussed. The story takes place in Kerala, God,s own Country. The
people of this community depend only on the sea for their survival. There, a woman’s
duties are not constrained to house hold activities alone; she also belongs to the
working class community which strives hard to make both ends meet. The sea is their
mother- incarnation of a Goddess. These people have their own beliefs and culture.
Certain myths guide their life. The life of a fisher man who goes to the sea will be
protected by the Kadalamma as long as his wife remains chaste. This belief is
intertwined with the belief that Kadalamma, the sea- mother is the destroyer and
preserver of the community. She will take care of them as long as the women in the
community remain chaste. But the plight of such chaste women in today’s society is
very pathetic. The narrator of the play is a woman fish vendor. She is a widow. Through
her, the author brings into limelight the challenges faced by a fisher woman in today’s
society. The struggle for existence of a fisher woman starts early in the morning. She is
burdened with many responsibilities . She is a fish vendor. She has to leave her home at
four in the morning. Before that she has to complete all her house hold duties. From the
play it is clear that the time she usually reaches after her work is quite late. Sometimes
when she gets back home, the kids may have already gone to sleep. She doesn’t get
enough time to spend with them. She recounts the struggle she has to go through, to get
the fish and to get it transported to the market. In the harbour she has to argue with
fish traders for getting good stuff. Sometimes they cheat her by giving her bad items.
She is a woman, how long can she argue with such strong people? A Keralite cannot
even think of a day without fish. But they cannot accept fish vendors coming near them
because of their fish-stink. However they are happy when this fish is cooked and served
on their dining table. The buses will not permit her to get in as she has fish-stink. The
domination of the male is very evident in the fish markets. She has to encounter a lot of
challenges put forward by the male counterparts to suppress her. She has to fight the
domination of men at the fish market. They monopolise the fish market too. All the tidy
spots will be conquered by the puffed up males, leaving unhygienic places for women.
The women folk have to occupy the dirty spots swarming with flies and mosquitoes.
Lack of proper sanitation facilities, pure drinking water etc makes their situation
worse. Women fight with each other under the tap to get a precious drop of water to
drink. There too, they have to face the wrath of men. These women can’t even clean up
their face or body to get rid of this fish stink. But the men folk enjoy a lot of advantages
in the field. These puffed up males use good clothing, spray themselves with perfumes
and go around on their own vehicles. Those who sell in the market occupy tidy places
and sell fish at cheap rates to their regular customers. Apart from the harassment of
their own men folk, she has to face the trouble caused by other ruffians there. The
working atmosphere in the market is not so congenial for them. The ruffians in the
market treat them as an easy scape goat for fulfilling their sexual desires. Intentional
touching, eve teasing, filthy comments are some of the common sexual advances which
create a lot of frustration in the minds of women. Here, the narrator remembers the
story of Matsyagandhi from Mahabharatha. Sathyavathi was the queen of the Kuru king
Shantanu of Hastinapur and the great grandmother of the Pandava and Kaurava. When
she was the daughter of the Chedi King Vasu, she was cursed celestial nymph-turned
fish Adrika with fish stench over her body. So she was named Matsyagandhi. She was
named Sathyavathi and brought up by the fisherman chieftain. She helped her father in
ferrying. A wandering Rishi Parashara met her and he rewarded her with a sweet
fragrance emanating from her body. She later got married to the king Shanthanu.The
narrator compares it to the deplorable plight of present day matsyagandhis. They are
marginalized by the society and are often looked down upon only because they bear
fish stink. She adds that the ruffians who rape them in the market even in the broad day
light are not bothered about their fish stink. There too, she is treated only as a sex
object. Here she refers to Flory, the fisherwoman who was brutally raped by the
ruffians publicly while she was hawking fish in Prashanth Nagar Housing Colony,
Ulloor, Thiruvananthapuram,Kerala, in 2000. She pleaded for help to many, including
the house wives but all of them turned their back. The ruffians are ridiculously called
‘three sages’. The condition of their life before and after globalization too makes the
story relevant to the present day scenario. Globalization too brought an adverse effect
on the life of the community, especially the women. They are crushed in the hands of
trawlers and foreign fishing ships. These trawlers slaughter the little fishes and decay
the sea. The foreign ships take away the life of the fisher men. The narrator’s husband
was also a victim in the hands of these foreign vessels. They left her and her kids alone.
Now it is her responsibility to nurture her kids. For this, she has to strive hard in this
male dominated society. To get fish, she has to depend on harbours and has to walk
long distances to reach there early in the morning. There too, she has to face a lot of
challenges. If she is a little late, she won’t get good fish and as a result of globalization,
fish has become dearer. This fish is bought and sold at low rate by the men and this
creates a dilemma for the women fish vendors. She yearns for the serene past when life
was all delightful. The sea was full of fish. Children of their community were healthy
and fish was not expensive. The abundant availability of fish from the sea stopped them
from hunting for fish in the neighbouring harbours or markets. Before the advent of
trawlers, the sea mother sustained her children with her gleaming silvery fish. The life
of the fishing community was quite contented. Neither the trawlers nor the foreign
vessels were there to decay the sea or take away the life of the fisher men. Another
myth which prevailed in their community was that Kadalamma would become angry if
she finds a woman on her shore with her hair down. The people consider Kadalamma
as their sole mother. Our narrator, who is a widow, has no one to share her sorrow
other than her sea mother. The children, especially girls, would rely on their mother for
solace. She thinks that her sea mother can save her from all the dilemmas. By seeing her
hair down Kadalamma would become angry and she would shatter those trawlers and
big foreign vessels. The stench is not the fish stink from these women’s bodies, but the
stench from the sea, where the little fishes are slaughtered by the trawler boats and the
stench of the shattered dreams of the matsyagandhis. But the irony is that Kadalamma
who is given a female perspective, too is not free from male domination. The sea
mother is swallowed by the huge hands of globalisation. She is captured by the
government. Even the Goddess is not safe in today’s world. Then what will be the
condition of ordinary women? The knitting of intertexual elements like the myths
makes the play more interesting. The chastity myth, the mythological story from
Mahabharatha all shows the power of a woman. During ancient days, women were
venerated and worshipped as goddesses. The great scholar Manu said, “Where women
are worshipped, there the deities are pleased.” Through presenting these myths in this
play, the author reminds us how these myths are devalued in today’s society. Now
myths are mere myths. They have no importance in our world. In the present male
dominated society, women are not even considered as independent entities. Sajitha
Madathil spotlights the difficulties faced by the people living in the lower strata of our
society. She depicts the real life of the Araya community. The pathetic plight of fisher
women is well discussed here. Globalization too has had an adverse effect on the life of
these poor women. Government makes tall promises and does little for the upliftment
of the backward class. The poor masses remain illiterate and are reduced to vote banks
only to be used at the time of elections. Education is the foundation on which any
change is built. Economic independence helps women to live independently. However
lack of education keeps her unaware of her rights. It prevents her from fighting against
the challenges imposed on her by the society. Learning helps her to regain her rights .

Answer the following in a word or a sentence .

a)Who is the central character of the play, Matsyagandhi?

Answer: The central character of the play is a fisherwoman (a woman belonging to the
araya community).

b) What is a monologue?

Answer: A monologue can be defined as a long speech delivered by one actor in a play
(here in Matsyagandhi, there is only one character and hence it is also known as a ‘Solo-
Play’).

c) What is the significance of the two constellations referred to in the play?

Answer: Orion, the Great Bear and the Southern Cross are the two constellations
mentioned in the play and they always act as indication for the boatmen. It guides
them, provides a sense of safety and also acts as an indication of where the fishes are.

d) Comment on the attitude of the public towards the fisherwoman.

Answer: The public (people) hold their noses at the fish baskets and the smell of the
fish but they love the taste of a plate full of fish on the dining table.

Answer the following in about 50 words each

a) Identify the major themes of the play, Matsyagandhi.

Answer: Matsyaganddhi presents the plight of the araya (fishing) community during
the post-globalization era. It also deals with the marginalization of women, double
standards of the society and the process of commodification.

b) According to the play, what are the problems that a fisherwoman encounters
in the market?
 Answer: In Matsyaganddhi, the woman says that if she couldn’t reach the market in
time, it becomes a hassle. The tidy and better spots will be occupied by the males who
can also go around and sell fish in vehicles. The women are forced to take whatever
dirty spots are left and they are troubled by flies and mosquitoes. The tap in the fish
market lacks water and under it, the women fight against one another for a drop of
drinking water. These are the problems faced by the fisherwoman in the market.

c) Comment on the myth prevalent in the araya community that is referred to in

the play.

Answer: The myth prevalent in the araya community says that the women or the wives
of the mukkuvas (fishermen) should remain chaste so that they will be protected by the
Kadalamma (Sea-Mother), that is, the safe return of a fisherman from the sea depends
on the fidelity of his wife waiting for him on shore. If the woman turns immoral,
Kadalamma will take away the life of her man. The film Chemmeen which is referred to
in the play deals with this theme.

d) The play uses a number of transliterations from the Malayalam. Comment on

the effect of this in the reading of the play.

Answer: Transliteration is the process of transferring a word from the alphabet of one
language to another. The play Matsyaganddhi has been originally written in Malayalam
and later translated into English by Prof. V.C. Harris. Words like arayan, mukkuva,
chemmeen, Kadalamma, Molay, aila, mathi, etc. appear in the English translation too in
the form transliteration. The translator has deliberately restored these words to convey
the original tone and intent of the message, taking into account cultural and regional
differences between the two languages (Malayalam and English). Moreover, it provides
a realistic impression and takes the audience closer to the culture of the particular
community.

Answer the following in about 100 words each.

a) Comment on the significance of the mythological story of Matsyaganddhi, with

reference to this play.

Answer: In Matsyaganddhi, Sajitha M., the playwright has used the mythological story
of Matsyaganddhi to juxtapose the past and present situation of the women of the araya
community. In the original story of Mahabharatha, Satyavati who is also known as
Matsyaganddhi used to ferry people across the river in her little boat. Once, an old sage
named Parashara fell in love with her as he was fascinated by the Matsyaganddham
(smell of the fish). He created a cover out of the thin blue mist and made love with her
in the boat itself. Later, he gave her a musky fragrance and got her renamed as
Yojanagandha. She gave birth to Vyasa, the legendary author. But in the modern era, the
playwright ironically narrates the story of Flory, a hapless fisherwoman who was
brutally raped publicly by three ruffians in Trivandrum. This incident shows the
attitude of the modern people towards the women of araya community (women in
general too). Thus the playwright proves how things have changed by referring to the
mythical story.

b) Comment on the intertextual elements in the play.

Answer: In the play Matsyaganddhi, a few intertextual elements can be traced. It means
the interconnection between similar or related works of literature. The play refers to
the story of the novel/film Chemmeen by citing the myth which is prevalent among the
araya community. The play also refers to the story of Matsyaganddhi and Parashara
depicted in the epic, Mahabharatha. The playwright employs this story to narrate the
plight of the fisherwomen in the new era. Thus, through these intertextual elements,
the playwright has skillfully juxtaposed the past and the present.

c) How does the central character bring out the glorious past of the fishing
community, in the days before the advent of trawling?

Answer: The central character of the play recollects the glorious past of her community
in the play Matsyaganddhi. She says that in the past the sea was full of fish and it was
less expensive too. The children of the community were healthy at that time and the
women didn’t have to hunt for fish at the harbour and other markets. The shore itself
had abundance and her mother used to pick a few fishes and sell at far-off markets. She
and her siblings waited for her mother’s return as she would come with the basket full
of rice, vegetables, peas, chillies and bananas. She believes that, labour had its rewards
and Kadalamma used to protect her children. Her husband too confidently went to sea
for fishing and returned safe with plenty of fishes. Later, the whole scenario changed
with the motorboats and trawler boats disturbing the sea. This is how the woman
reveals the glorious past of the fishing community.

d) Bring out the use of irony in the play.

Answer: The play Matsyaganddhi subverts the central motif, taken from the
Mahabharata, to narrate a story of poverty and despair. The playwright uses irony
effectively to depict the plight of the araya community of the present era. The woman
says that the people hold their noses at the fish baskets and the smell of the fish but
they love the taste of a plate full of fish on the dining table which is quite ironic. The
playwright takes the story of Matsyaganddhi and Parashara from the epic
Mahabharatha to juxtapose with story of Flory, a hapless fisherwoman. It is ironic
because in the past the women of the araya community received respect and love from
others while nowadays, they are treated with disdain. Towards the end of the play, the
woman says that the community has lost everything and the government has even
snatched away Kadalamma from them which is also ironic. With the advent of
modernization, the ethnic community has lost their roots. It is time to ponder and
address this issue too. The women are forced to sell their bodies to earn their living and
the central character says that shore will be full of illiterate, fatherless little Vyasas
unlike the legendary Vyasa born in the epic story. These are examples of irony in the
play.

e) Comment on the ending of the play.

Answer: The play ends with the depiction of the impact of globalization in the life of
the araya community. Towards the last part, the central character is seen with an
umbrella on which it is printed as ‘God’s own Country’. She says that the government
has decided to build a harbor on the sea shore which will lead to the arrival of many
foreign ships. More people will get jobs and a new hotel will be opened. But the
problem she feels that, the wall which is going to be created will affect the lives of the
araya community. They won’t be able take out their boats to the sea and she feels that
the sea itself will be gone. The women will be forced to sell to sell their bodies to earn
their living and the shore will be full of illiterate, fatherless little children. The play
concludes with a few questions raised by the central character. She thinks what she is
doing on the shore with her hair down. She asks whether the government can return
her husband who had died when the trawler vessel hit his little boat. The woman says
that if the story which says Kadalamma will be angry if a mukkuva woman stands on
the seashore with her hair unloosened is true, let the sea rage and break all trawler
boats and foreign vessels. The central character of the play says that the stench is not
the fish-stink as people believes and it is also not from her basket but it is the stench of
the sea decaying and stench of the little fishes being slaughtered by the trawler nets
and above all, it is the stench of the decaying dreams of Matsyagandhis.

Write an essay of about 300 words

a) Matsyaganddhi is a play with contemporary relevance; it looks at the life and

times of a fishing community in the context of globalisation.

Matsyagandhi is a solo-play – a monologue by a fisherwoman – the play is an

expression of her angst, anguish and anxiety . The play presents the life of the fishing
community in the context of globalisation and the ecological and economic issues
related to fishing in the aftermath of globalization .It examines how the members of the
community are affected by the technological innovations brought about by
globalization .It depicts the glorious past of the community when the shore was full of
fishes and their lives were safe – the coming of the modern era which has created many
issues in the community .It portrays thestruggle of a fisherwoman to sell the fishes .It
also shows the perspective of men and general public regarding the fisherwomen
.There is a reference to the story of Satyavathi. The death of her husband, and the
decision of the government to build a harbour alters the equation of her life.. Her
lamentation later turns out to be a curse. The play has contemporary relevance
because it depicts class struggles , the issues of being marginalized and the plight of
the women. All these elements contribute to the universality of the play. The play ends
with the depiction of the impact of globalization in the life of the araya community.
Towards the last part, the central character is seen with an umbrella on which it is
printed as ‘God’s own Country’. She says that the government has decided to build a
harbor on the sea shore which will lead to the arrival of many foreign ships. More
people will get jobs and a new hotel will be opened. But the problem she feels that, the
wall which is going to be created will affect the lives of the araya community. They
won’t be able take out their boats to the sea and she feels that the sea itself will be gone.
The women will be forced to sell to sell their bodies to earn their living and the shore
will be full of illiterate, fatherless little children. The play concludes with a few
questions raised by the central character. She wonders what she is doing on the shore
with her hair down. She asks whether the government can return her husband who had
died when the trawler vessel hit his little boat. The woman says that if the story which
says Kadalamma will be angry if a mukkuva woman stands on the seashore with her
hair unloosened is true, let the sea rage and break all trawler boats and foreign vessels.
The central character of the play says that the stench is not the fish-stink as people
believes and it is also not from her basket but it is the stench of the sea decaying and
stench of the little fishes being slaughtered by the trawler nets and above all, it is the
stench of the decaying dreams of Matsyagandhis.

Environmental Values

Comprehension Questions (Answer in a sentence or two)

1. Define Environmental values

Ans.Environmental values aim at bringing about a sensitivity for preserving nature as

a whole. They deal with concepts of what is appropriate behaviourin relation to our
surroundings and to other secies on earth. How we live our lives in fact shapes our
environment. The sentiment that attempts to reverse adverse enironmental impacts is
a part of environmental values. These values lead to strengthening pro-environmental
behaviour and preventing anti-environmental actions.

2. How do native societies view nature?

Ans.Native societies are concerned about preserving nature as a whole. The believe in
the oneness of all creation, in respecting and valuing all the different components of
nature.

3. What is environmental awareness?

Ans. Environmental awareness is the awareness of the consequences of unlimited and
unrestrained anti-environmental behaviour. It leads to appropriate behaviour in
relation to our surroundings and to other species on earth.

4. Why do humans explore nature?

Ans.Humans have an inborn desire to explore nature. Wanting to unravel its mysteries
is a part of human nature. Once exposed to the wonders of the wilderness, people tend
to bond closely to Nature. They begin to appreciate its complexity and fragility and this
awakens a new desire to want to protect our natural heritage.

5. State the causes of environmental problems.

Ans.Environmental problems are caused due to a lack of awareness of the

consequences of unlimited and unrestrained anti-environmental behaviour.Enormous
numbers of people are throwing away large quantities of non-degradable waste.

6. Mention some of the environmental services.

Ans. These include nature’s mechanisms in cleaning up air by removing carbon dioxide
and adding oxygen by plant life, recycling water through the water cycle of nature,
maintaining climate regimes etc.

7.How do we educate people on environmental values?

Ans. New educational processes should be created that provide a meaning to what is
taught at school and college level. Providing suitable meanings for questions
concerning environment can help people make decisions and develop values. Most
people in society will begin to accept such values as a norm. Thus pro-environmental
actions begin to move from the domain of individuals to that of a community.

8.What is the fundamental environmental sentiment?

Ans. The most fundamental environmental sentiment is to value nature herself.

Appreciating her magnificence and treasuring life itself leads to positive feelings that
are a manifestation of pro-environmental consciousness. The oneness of our lives with
the rest of nature and a feeling that we are only a miniscule part of nature’s complex
web of life becomes apparent when we begin to appreciate the wonders of nature’s
diversity. A sensitivity for preserving nature as a whole can be called a fundamental
environmental sentiment.
 9.Give an example of how environmental awareness extends to man-made
landscapes.

Ans. Environmental awareness can be seen in some man-modified landscapes , such

as in the coloured patterns of farmland, or the greens of a tea or coffee plantation in
the hills. Urban gardens and open spaces are also valuable. These green spaces act as
not only the lungs of a city but also provide much needed psychological support
through mental peace and relaxation.

10.Define existence values.

Ans. Human beings appreciate the magnificence , size and intelligence of animals such
as the tiger, elephant, whale and primates, the gracefulness of birds such as cranes etc.
The lush splendour of an evergreen forest, the great power of the ocean’s waves, and
the tranquility of the Himalayan mountains are things that we value even if we do not
experience it ourselves. We value its being there on earth for us. This is called its
existence value.

Paragraph questions ( Answer in not more than 80-100 words)

1. Differentiate between native and colonial environmental values.

Ans. Natives do not value a river for its water, a forest for its timber and non-wood
forest products, or the sea for its fish.This is an integrated native view.A sensitivity for
preserving nature as a whole can be said to be part of native environmental
values.There are several writings and sayings in Indian thought that support the
concept of oneness of all creation, of respecting and valuing all the different
components of nature. Unfortunately, white settlers have no such spiritual and
emotional associations.They consider the earth as something to be tamed, conquered,
plundered and exploited to the full until it ceases to be useful. The colonisers had profit
oriented and exploitative views about nature. Westerners value the resources of nature
for their utilitarian importance alone.

2. Explain the changes in environmental values over the years with an example.

Ans.Environmental values have changed over the years. It was considered ‘sport’ to
shoot animals. It was considered a royal, brave and much desirable activity to kill a
tiger. In today’s context, with wildlife reduced to a tiny fraction of what there was in the
past, it is now looked down upon as a crime against biodiversity conservation. Similarly
with the large tracts of forest that existed in the past, cutting a few trees was not a
significant criminal act. Today this constitutes a major concern. Felling trees is
considered unwise behaviour. With the small human numbers, in the past, throwing
away a little household degradable garbage could not have been considered wrong. But
with enormous numbers of people throwing away large quantities of non-degradable
waste, it is indeed extremely damaging to the environment and our value system must
prevent this through a strong environmental value education system.

3. Write a note on humans’ close relationship with nature.

Ans. Humans have an inborn desire to explore nature. Wanting to unravel its mysteries
is a part of human nature. Once exposed to the wonders of the wilderness, people tend
to bond closely to Nature. They begin to appreciate its complexity and fragility and this
awakens a new desire to want to protect our natural heritage. Human beings
appreciate the magnificence , size and intelligence of animals such as the tiger,
elephant, whale and primates, the gracefulness of birds such as cranes etc. The lush
splendour of an evergreen forest, the great power of the ocean’s waves, and the
tranquility of the Himalayan mountains are things that we value even if we do not
experience it ourselves. We value its being there on earth for us.

4. Comment on environmental values at the community level.

Ans. Each action by an individual must be linked to its environmental consequences in

his/her mind so that a value is created that leads to strengthening pro-environmental
behaviour and preventing anti-environmental actions. Providing suitable meanings for
questions concerning environment can help people make decisions and develop
values. Most people in society will begin to accept such values as a norm. Thus pro-
environmental actions begin to move from the domain of individuals to that of a
community.At the community level this occurs only when a critical number of people
become environmentally conscious so that they constitute a pro-environment lobby
force that makes governments and other people accept good environmental behaviour
as an important part of development.

5. Write a note on the need for architectural heritage.

Ans. Environmental values must also stress on the importance of preserving ancient
structures. The characteristic architecture, sculpture, artworks and crats of ancient
cultures is an invaluable environmental asset. It tells us where we have come from,
where we are now , and perhaps where we should go. Architectural heritage goes
beyond preserving old buildings, to conserving whole traditional landscapes in rural
areas and streetsapes in urban settings. Unless we learn to value these landscapes, they
will disappear and our heritage will be lost.

Essay Questions (Answer in not more than 200-250 words)

1. Write an essay on the human need for environmental awareness.

Ans. Environmental awareness is the awareness of the consequences of unlimited and

unrestrained anti-environmental behaviour. It leads to appropriate behaviour in
relation to our surroundings and to other species on earth. Our environmental values
must translate to pro-conservation actions in all our day to day activities. Most of our
actions have adverse environmental impacts unless we consciously avoid them.

Humans have an inborn desire to explore nature. Wanting to unravel its mysteries is a
part of human nature. Once exposed to the wonders of the wilderness, people tend to
bond closely to Nature. They begin to appreciate its complexity and fragility and this
awakens a new desire to want to protect our natural heritage. However modern society
and educational processes have invariably suppressed these innate sentiments.

Environmental values have changed over the years. It was considered ‘sport’ to shoot
animals. It was considered a royal, brave and much desirable activity to kill a tiger. In
today’s context, with wildlife reduced to a tiny fraction of what there was in the past, it
is now looked down upon as a crime against biodiversity conservation. Similarly with
the large tracts of forest that existed in the past, cutting a few trees was not a significant
criminal act. Today this constitutes a major concern. Felling trees is considered unwise
behaviour. With the small human numbers, in the past, throwing away a little
household degradable garbage could not have been considered wrong. But with
enormous numbers of people throwing away large quantities of non-degradable waste,
it is indeed extremely damaging to the environment and our value system must
prevent this through a strong environmental value education system.

Our attitude towards degradation of the environment, loss of species, pollution,

poverty, corruption in environmental management, the rights of future generations and
animal rights must change.We have a great responsibility to protect life in all its
glorious forms. We need to develop a sense of values that lead us to protect what is left
of the wilderness by creating effective National parks and Wildlife sanctuaries. Hence
environmental awareness is the need of the hour.

2. Comment on the need for sustained environmental values/ Write in detail

about the link between environmental values and sustainable development.

Ans. Each action by an individual must be linked to its environmental consequences in

his/her mind so that a value is created that leads to strengthening pro-environmental
behaviour and preventing anti-environmental actions. Providing suitable meanings for
questions concerning environment can help people make decisions and develop
values. Most people in society will begin to accept such values as a norm. Thus pro-
environmental actions begin to move from the domain of individuals to that of a
community.At the community level this occurs only when a critical number of people
become environmentally conscious so that they constitute a pro-environment lobby
force that makes governments and other people accept good environmental behaviour
as an important part of development.

Environmental values have changed over the years. It was considered ‘sport’ to shoot
animals. It was considered a royal, brave and much desirable activity to kill a tiger. In
today’s context, with wildlife reduced to a tiny fraction of what there was in the past, it
is now looked down upon as a crime against biodiversity conservation. Similarly with
the large tracts of forest that existed in the past, cutting a few trees was not a significant
criminal act. Today this constitutes a major concern. Felling trees is considered unwise
behaviour. With the small human numbers, in the past, throwing away a little
household degradable garbage could not have been considered wrong. But with
enormous numbers of people throwing away large quantities of non-degradable waste,
it is indeed extremely damaging to the environment and our value system must
prevent this through a strong environmental value education system.

Environmental awareness is the awareness of the consequences of unlimited and

unrestrained anti-environmental behaviour. It leads to appropriate behaviour in
relation to our surroundings and to other species on earth. Our environmental values
must translate to pro-conservation actions in all our day to day activities. Most of our
actions have adverse environmental impacts unless we consciously avoid them. Thus
there is a direct link between environmental values and sustainable development.

Our attitude towards degradation of the environment, loss of species, pollution,

poverty, corruption in environmental management, the rights of future generations and
animal rights must change.We have a great responsibility to protect life in all its
glorious forms. We need to develop a sense of values that lead us to protect what is left
of the wilderness by creating effective National parks and Wildlife sanctuaries. There is
a dire need for environmental conservation and sustainable development.

THE END OF LIVING

AND

THE BEGINNING OF SURVIVAL

Chief Seattle

Background
Chief Seattle (c 1780—June 7, 1866) was a chief of Duwamish tribe, the Native
Americans in western Washington and metropolitan Seattle. In 1854, the government
of the United States of America made an offer for a large area of Indian land and
promised a ‘reservation’ for the Indian people. Chief Seattle’s reply to the proposal—
the prose passage named ‘The End of Living and the Beginning of Survival’—remains a
most beautiful and profound statement on environment and related issues. There is a
great deal of controversy surrounding the speech of 1854. There are many conflicting
pieces of information, various versions of the speech, different dates and debates over
its very existence.

Summary

This is an inspiring speech delivered by Chief Seattle, a Native American leader, as a

response to an offer made by the President of the United States to buy their land. He
feels and argues that it is impossible to buy or sell natural resources like air, water and
land because we do not own them. They are a gift. He says that every part of the earth is
sacred to him and his people; they are a part of the earth and the earth is a part of them.
Even the souls of the Native Americans do not leave their land. Instead, they make it
their permanent residence, unlike in the belief systems of mainstream religions. In
short, the earth is not an inanimate tract of land, but a living presence to be treated
with love, care, respect and fear. But the worldview of white men is entirely different.
For them, it is an object to be tamed, conquered and exploited to the full, until it ceases
to be useful. For Native Americans, on the contrary, all natural phenomena are their
own siblings. It is true that the President has promised to take care of them like a
father. He has also promised to give them a special area where they can continue living
with all their rites, rituals and other cultural practices. But still the sale is going to be
difficult as he pangs of parting with such a dear and sacred place are excruciating. The
Chief suggests some conditions. If at all the transaction takes place, white men should
remember that the land is sacred and inviolable. They should also teach their children
the same. The Chief wants white men to treat rivers and beasts as their own brothers,
not to be seen through a utilitarian perspective. They have seen white men pollute
rivers and shoot animals for the sake of fun. The reality is that every object in nature is
connected with each other. Whatever happens to animals and the land will happen to
us sooner or later. No one can escape this fate. The earth does not belong to us but we
belong to the earth and all are bonded like family members. For his people the din,
frenzy and chaos of modern cities are a painful sight. For them simple pleasures of
nature are more precious and more important than anything else. They treat rain, wind
and land as living organisms just like humans. Unfortunately the white man has neither
the sense nor the sensibility to feel the pulse of nature. Chief Seattle ironically and
sarcastically adds that perhaps the problem is with himself and his people—they are
uneducated, uncultured and uncivilized! The holistic vision of the speech is reiterated
at the end within a theological framework. There is only one God and He does not
discriminate between peoples. White or red, human beings are equal in His eyes. The
earth is precious to Him and to harm the earth is to heap contempt on the creator. The
destiny is a mystery to the Native Americans too, but they do realize that the changed
environment marks the end of living and the beginning of survival.

Answer these questions in a sentence or two each.

1. What is strange about buying and selling land according to Chief Seattle?

A: The idea of buying or selling land is strange because it is a divine gift, it does not
belong to man and every part of the land is sacred to them.

2. What does Seattle say about the cities of the white man?

A: The cities of the white man are full of din, frenzy and chaos and the sight of these
cities pains their eyes.

3. What would happen if all the beasts were gone?

A: If all the beasts were gone, men would become extinct from a great loneliness of
spirit as whatever happens to animals will happen to humans sooner or later.

4. What is the difference between living and surviving?

A: Living is a meaningful existence with many activities including hopes for a bright
future whereas survival is the bare minimum mode of existence in which a being
struggles to remain alive somehow.

5. What is the white man likely to discover before long?

A: White man is likely to discover before long that there is only one God and that He
does not discriminate between peoples. White or red, human beings are equal in His
eyes.

6. What is the attitude of the Indians to their ancestors?

A: Native Americans believe that their ancestors do not leave their land but make it
their permanent residence, making it a living presence to be treated with love, care,
respect and fear.

7. How does the Indian look upon water?

A: Indians regard water as the blood of their ancestors and as their brothers. Water,
thus, deserves to be treated with care and affection.
8. What does Seattle want the white man to teach his children?

A: Seattle wants white men to teach their children that the land is sacred and inviolable.
They need to treat rivers and beasts as their own brothers and to approach nature with
moderation.

Answer these questions in about 100 words each.

1. Write a short note on the implications of the statement “The Earth does
not belong to man; man belongs to the earth.”

A: The statement implies the need for holistic vision, interconnected nature of living
organisms, preservation of environment, unitary nature of the universe, environmental
awareness and a new paradigm of development which takes into account the delicate
relations that structure the world. Indians regard land as a sacred divine gift of which
they are a part. They believe that their deceased ancestors permanently reside in the
land, making it a living presence to be treated with love, care, respect and fear. There is
only one God and He does not discriminate between peoples and to harm the earth is to
heap contempt on the creator.

2. What do you think of the white man’s attitude to land? Write your answer
based on Seattle’s reply to the President.

A: As far as the white man is concerned, land is a mere hostile territory to be tamed,
conquered and exploited to the full until it ceases to be useful any longer. For him it is a
buyable and sellable commodity not worthy of love, care, respect and fear. He has no
religious, spiritual, genealogical or eschatological associations to the land and naturally
there is nothing that ties the white man down to it. Land is uniform all over the world
and it is an area to build bustling cities on. He is insensitive to the finer sensibilities and
pulse of the land. Chief Seattle justifiably fears that his appetite would devour the earth
and reduce it into an arid desert.

What is the theme of Chief Seattle’s speech?

One of the most important themes of Chief Seattle's speech is his people's relationship
with their land. This speech is an emotional response to Governor Stevens' proposal for
the land of the tribal people. For Chief Seattle andhis people land is not just a piece of
earth but a symbol of their culture and memories.
In which year did Chief Seattle make the address titled The end of living and the
beginning of survival?

Chief Seattle delivered this speech in 1854.

How does the Chief conclude his speech?

He concludes his speech by saying that when the last Red man has vanished from the
earth, his memory will become myth and the shores and forests will hold the fruits of
his tribe. The White Men will never be alone.

Answer: The message sent by the White Chief to the native people was that if they give
him more land, he would protect them. Chief Seattle says that they have already taken
much of their land and now they want more and in return they claim that they would
protect Red Indians .

Why do the Red children regard themselves as orphans? What did the white
man's God give them?

Their people are ill-treated by the White people. They neither respect their religion and
culture nor their land rights. ... Though God has given His love and care to the White
people, He is indifferent to the Red. That is why the Red native people think of
themselves as orphans.

What is the meaning of “yonder sky?”

1 at, in, or to that relatively distant place; over there.

Why does the speaker say tomorrow it may be overcast with clouds?

'Overcast with clouds' refers to the uncertainty that looms large over the future
existence of his tribe. This uncertainty comes especially at a time when the White chief
has sent them a message wanting to buy the native lands where the tribals live.

What advice does the Chief give to the youth?

They never realise that they have everything to lose and nothing to gain. Chief Seattle's
comment on the impulsive nature of the young men of his tribe comes as an attempt at
self-criticism and anxiety at the impending doom of the Red Indians and also as an
attempt at a reconciliation with the White people

What is the meaning of “We may be brothers after all?”

The given sentence is used while describing the fate of the people after many
generations. All the people will be living happily in their home but the destruction of
the environment leads to a common destiny . When that happens, all the people will be
brothers and sisters without any superiority.

Why do the dead of the White men cease to love their land and their people?

This is because they never connect with their land their people spiritually. Their
relationship with their land and their people is not sacred or holy; it is materialistic.

Who is referred to as the great chief of Washington?

The Great Chief at Washington is George Washington - Washington state is in the pacific
region of the United States. The Great Chief at Washington wishes to buy the lands of
Red Indians.

What condition of surrender does the chief propose?

Ans. The proposal which has been put forward by the great Chief i.e. George
Washington is that if Natives surrender or sell their land to the White settlers, his army
will provide them protection and save them from their ancient enemies.

What does the speaker mean by the common destiny?

“The common destiny” as Chief Seattle calls it in his speech is the way everything has
decayed with time. Just as the Red tribal people of America have been reduced to their
meagre existence, the White people will see the same fate, however distant it may be.

Answer the following in two or three sentences each:

1. Why does Seattle say that buying their land will not be easy for the Great Chief
in Washington?
Seattle says that buying their land will not be easy for the Great Chief in
Washington, because this land is sacred to them. The shining water in the streams and
rivers is the blood of their ancestors.

2. What does Seattle want the white men to teach their children?
Seattle wants the white men to teach their children that the land is sacred and
that each ghostly reflection in the clear water of the lakes tells of events and memories
in the life of his people. The water's murmur is the voice of his father's father.

3. What is the difference in approach between the Native Red Indians and the
Whites towards Mother Earth?
To the Whiteman, The earth is not brother, but his enemy, and when he has
conquered it, he moves on. He treats everything to be bought, plundered, and sold like
sheep or bright beads. But the Indian prefers the soft sound of the wind and its smell.
The air is precious to the Redman, for all things share the same breath - the beast, the
tree, the man.

4. Explain the sarcasm in the words of Seattle when he says 'I am a savage and do
not understand'.
When Seattle says that he is a savage, he means that the Whiteman is a
savage and he does not understand the sacred earth, trees, rivers, sky, and the beasts
and birds, there is no quiet place in the Whiteman’s cities. He does not seem to notice
the air he breathes, and like a man dying for many days, he is numb to the stench.

5. What are the conditions laid down by Seattle to sell his land to the Great Chief?
The Great Chief must keep the land apart and sacred, as a place where the
white man can go taste the wind. The Whiteman must treat the beasts of this land as his
brothers. He must teach his children that the earth is the Redman’s mother.

Answer the following questions in 100 words each :

1. Comment on the Red Indian's Criticism of the white settler's treatment of Mother
Earth?
Speaking on behalf of the Red Indian's Seattle criticisms the Whiteman’s
attitude towards Mother earth. The Whiteman leaves his father's grave behind. He
kidnaps the earth from his children. The earth is not his brother, but his enemy. His
appetite devours the earth and leaves behind only a desert. He forget his father's grave
and his children's birth right. He treats his mother, the earth, and his brother, the sky as
things to be bought, plundered, sold like sheep, or bright beads. There is no quiet place
in the Whiteman’s cities. There is no place to hear the unfurling of leaves in spring, or
the rustle of an insect's wings. The Whiteman does not seem to notice the air he
breathes. Like a dying man, he is insensitive to the stench.

2. What are the two world views on environment reflected in the speech of
Seattle?
The speech of Seattle brings out the two world views on environment which
are diametrically opposed to each other. The white settler is a representative of
western outlook on environment which places man above everything. it is the
anthropocentric or human centered concept of ecology. According to this theory living
beings and the nonliving exist for the sake of man. In other words, it is the concept of
shallow ecology that the white hold on to. On the other hand, the Red Indian speaks
through the author. Seattle strongly advocates the theory of all inclusiveness or the
concept of Deep Ecology. He says, "For whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens
to man. All things are connected". He asks the white settlers to teach their children that
the earth is our mother. Again, "the earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the
earth...... all things are connected". This is a direct and convincing affirmation that both
the Redman and the white man are the son s of God. Hence they are brothers.

Answer this question in about 250 words

Seattle's speech calls for the need to arrive at a consensus in favour of ' sustainable
development' which will ensure social justice without destroying our ecosystem.
Discuss. ?
The speech of Seattle brings out the two world views on environment -
shallow ecology and deep ecology. The western concept of anthropocentric ecology is
not conducive to sustainable development. The author strongly advocates an all-
inclusive approach to ecology which is the deep ecology. The chief from Washington
who wants to buy the Redman’s land does not care for the sanctity of the Mother Earth.
The Redman wants the white settler to teach his children certain lessons about the
earth and certain values to be followed by them. The Redman is ready to sell his land on
certain conditions - conditions which are essential for sustainable development
ensuring social development without destroying our ecosystem.
Speaking on behalf of the Red Indians, Seattle criticises the white man's
attitude towards mother earth. The Whiteman leaves his father's grave behind. He
kidnaps the earth from his children. The earth is not his brother, but his enemy. His
appetite devours the earth and leaves behind only a desert. He forgets his father’s his
father's grave and his children's birth right. He treats his mother, the earth, and his
brother, the sky as things to be bought, plundered, sold like sheep, or bright beads.
There is no quiet place in the Whiteman’s cities. There is no place to hear the unfurling
of leaves in spring, or the rustle of an insect's wings. The Whiteman does not seem to
notice the air he breathes. Like a dying man, he is insensitive to the stench.
Seattle tells the agent of the Great Chief from Washington that he is willing
to sell the land, but it is not easy. The Whiteman must remember that the air is precious
to the Redman, that the air shares its spirit with all the life it supports. The Redman is
ready to sell his land to the Whiteman on condition that it be kept apart and sacred as a
place where even the white man can go taste the wind that is sweetened by the
meadow's flowers. Further, the Whiteman must treat the beasts of this land as his
brothers, because all things are connected. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons
of the earth. If men spit upon the ground, they spit upon themselves. The earth does not
belong to man. man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood which
unites one family.
The bold declarations that Seattle makes in his speech emphasis the point
that every living and non - living on this earth, the air, the sky, the rivers, the lakes the
sky are interconnected and interdependent. One cannot exist at the cost of the other. By
exploiting the resources of the earth beyond a certain limit which will be detrimental to
the very survival of the earth and the future generations will be harmful. It is not
development. It is destroying our ecology. Sustainable development is possible if we
are ready to follow a policy of preservation of our environment..

Answer these questions in about 250 words each

1. Seattle’s letter to the American Government is a passionate plea for

respect on the part of humans for environment. Discuss.

A: Seattle’s letter to the American Government is a passionate plea for respect on the
part of humans for the environment. It emphasizes the need for a holistic vision, the
interconnected nature of living organisms, preservation of environment, the unitary
nature of the universe and a new vision of development. The anthropocentric,
utilitarian, materialistic and parochial worldview of white settlers considers earth an
inanimate object to be tamed, conquered, plundered and exploited with scant regard
for posterity. Land is uniform everywhere with no spiritual values and associations.
While one piece of land runs out its utility, they march ahead looking for another. But
for Native Americans earth and natural resources are a divine gift—sacred and 5
inviolable. They are a part of the earth and vice versa. Earth is a living presence to be
treated with love, care, respect and fear. Everything is interconnected. Whatever
happens to animals and land will happen to us sooner or later. For them rain, wind and
land are living organisms just like humans. There is only one God and He does not
discriminate between peoples. The earth is precious to Him and to harm earth is equal
to scorn Him. According to Chief Seattle, even the souls of the Native Americans do not
leave their land. Instead, they make it their permanent residence, unlike in the belief
systems of mainstream religions. But the unscrupulous white settlers destroy it and
deny his own children the graces of the earth and prevent them from enjoying the
music of nature. Modern cites are full of din, frenzy and chaos and city dwellers are
missing the simple pleasures of nature. White man, in his critical view, is incapable of
sensing the subtle aspects and changes of nature. Chief Seattle makes it abundantly
clear that all living and non-living beings are interconnected and depend on each other.
To extinct one species is a crime to ourselves, future generations and to God. What we
need is a new paradigm of development which takes into account the importance of
nature and the delicate relations that structure the world.
2. How does Seattle establish the view that man’s exploitation of nature will
lead to the end of living and the beginning of survival?

A: Chief Seattle argues that it is impossible to buy or sell natural resources like air,
water and land because we do not own them. They are a divine gift. Every part of the
earth is sacred to him and his people; they are a part of the earth and vice versa. Even
the souls of the Native Americans do not leave their land. Instead, they make it their
permanent residence, unlike in the belief systems of mainstream religions. In short, the
earth is not an inanimate tract of land, but a living presence to be treated with love,
care, respect and fear. As far as the white man is concerned, land is a mere hostile
territory to be tamed, conquered and exploited to the full until it ceases to be useful any
longer. For them it is a buyable and sellable commodity unworthy of human emotions.
He has no religious, spiritual, genealogical or eschatological associations to the land and
naturally there is nothing that ties the white man down to it. Land is uniform all over
the world and it is a surface to build noisy cities on. Chief Seattle justifiably fears that
the white man’s appetite would devour the earth and reduce it into an arid dessert. It is
true that the President has promised to take care of the Native Americans like a father.
He has also promised to give them a special area where they can continue living with all
their rites, rituals and other cultural practices. But still the sale is going to be difficult
because the pangs involved in parting with such a dear and sacred place are acute. 6
Seattle wants white men to teach their children that the land is sacred and inviolable.
He wants them to treat rivers and beasts as their own brothers and to approach nature
with moderation. Indians have seen white men pollute rivers and shoot animals for the
sake of fun. The reality is that every object in the nature is connected with each other.
Whatever happens to animals and land will happen to us sooner or later. No one can
escape this fate. The earth does not belong to us but we belong to the earth and all are
bonded like family members. For his people the din, frenzy and chaos of modern cities
are a painful sight. For them simple pleasures of nature are more precious and more
important than anything else. They treat rain, wind and land as living organisms.
Unfortunately the white man has neither the sense nor the sensibility to feel the pulse
of nature. Chief Seattle ironically and sarcastically adds that perhaps the problem is
with himself and his people—they are uneducated, uncultured and uncivilized! The
holistic vision of the speech is reiterated at the end within a theological framework.
There is only one God and He does not discriminate between people. White or red,
human beings are equal in His eyes. The earth is precious to Him and to harm the earth
is to heap contempt on the creator. The destiny is a mystery to the Native Americans
too, but they do realize that the changed environment marks the end of living and the
beginning of survival.

More questions and answers

1. Why does Chief Seattle say that buying their land will not be easy for the
Great Chief in Washington?
2. A: The process will not be easy because Native Americans consider their land
sacred and inviolable. They are physically, mentally and spiritually attached to it
and maintain deep kinship-like ties with natural phenomena like rain and wind.
3. What is the difference in approach between the Native Americans and the
Whites towards Mother Earth?

A: For Native Americans earth is sacred, living, sentient and inseparable from them,
where their souls reside forever. But for the whites it is a mere hostile territory to be
tamed, conquered and exploited to the full until it ceases to be useful any longer.

3. Explain the sarcasm in the words of Seattle when he says “I am a savage

and do not understand.”

A: The ironically caustic remark implies that it is the white man who lacks the sense
and sensibility to feel the pulse of nature—to understand it. It is the ignorant white
man who wastes his life in noisy and frenzied cities and thus misses out on the simple
pleasures and rhythm of nature.

3. What are the conditions laid by Chief Seattle to sell his land to the Great
Chief?

A: Seattle wants white men to remember that the land is sacred and inviolable, to treat
rivers and beasts as their own brothers and to approach nature with moderation. They
should open their eyes to the reality that as every object in the nature is connected with
each other, whatever happens to animals and land will happen to us sooner or later,
however hard we try to thwart it.

Paragraph questions

1. Comment on the Red Indian’s criticism of the white settler’s treatment of

Mother Earth.
2. A: According to Chief Seattle, earth is not an inanimate tract of land, but a living
presence to be treated with love, care, respect and fear. Even the souls of the
Native Americans do not leave their land. Instead, they make it their permanent
residence, unlike in the belief systems of mainstream religions. Unfortunately,
white settlers have no such spiritual and emotional associations.They consider
the earth as something to be tamed, conquered, plundered and exploited to the
full until it ceases to be useful. Their actions deny their own children the graces
of the earth and prevent them from enjoying the music of nature. Modern cities
are full of din, frenzy and chaos and city dwellers miss the simple pleasures of
 nature. White man, in his critical view, is incapable of sensing the subtle aspects
and changes of nature.
3. What are the two worldviews on environment reflected in the speech of
Seattle?

A: The anthropocentric, utilitarian, materialistic and parochial worldview of white

settlers considers earth an inanimate object to be tamed, conquered, plundered and
exploited with scant regard for posterity. Land is the same everywhere with no
spiritual values and associations. When one piece of land runs out its utility, they march
ahead looking for another. But for Native Americans earth and natural resources are a
divine gift—sacred and inviolable. They are a part of the earth and vice versa. Even
their souls do not leave their land. Earth is a living presence to be treated with love,
care, respect and fear. Everything is interconnected. Whatever happens to animals and
land will happen to us sooner or later. For the native Indians rain, wind and land are
living organisms just like humans. There is only one God and He does not discriminate
between people. The earth is precious to Him and to harm earth is equal to scorning
Him.

“Going Local”

Helena Norberg-Hodge

Comprehension Questions.Answer in a sentence or two.

1. Who according to the author is the cause of the planet’s woes?

Ans. Human greed has caused the planet to be on fire with global warming, toxic
pollution and species extinction, along with fundamentalism, terrorism and fear.
Corporate-led globalization destroyed the livelihood of farmers and local businesses
and thus created unemployment.

2. What is the driving force behind the world crisis?What is the solution?

Ans. The driving force behind the world crisis is corporate-led globalization.

3. Define localisation.
Ans. Localisation or “Going local”, is a process of decentralization, a process of shifting
the economic activity from the multinational coporations to the common man.

4. What is local food?

Ans. Local food is food produced for local and regional consumption.

5. What are the economic benefits of local food systems?

Ans. Most of the money spent on food goes to the farmer, not corporate middlemen.
Small diversified farms can help invigorate entire rural economies since they employ
far more people per acre than large monocultures. Wages paid to farm workers benefit
local economies and communities far more than money paid for heavy equipment and
the fuel to run it.

6. What are the ecological benefits of local food systems?

Ans.Food miles being relatively small, it greatly reduces fossil fuel use and pollution.
Local markets give farmers an incentive to diversify, which creates many niches on the
farm for wild plant and animal species.Local markets give farmers an incentive to
diversify, which creates many niches on the farm for wild plant and animal species.
Diversified farms cannot accommodate the heavy machinery used in monocultures ,
thereby eliminating a major cause of soil erosion. Diversification also lends itself better
to organic methods, since crops are far less susceptible to pest infestations.

7. What is monocultural production?

Ans.Monocultural production systematically eliminates all but the cash crop from the
land.Monoculture/solely crop production farms are the farming types by which
farmers grow only crops, both annual crops/trees and field crops, such as wheat, corn,
rice, rapeseed, sugar cane, and cotton. Under certain circumstances, monocropping can
lead to deforestation. The practice has also been criticized for its environmental
impacts, one of the major being soil degradation due to nonrotational cropping.
8. Explain the effects of monocultural production on the environment.

Ans.Continuous monoculture, or “monocropping” where the same species is grown

year after year, can lead to unsustainable environments such as building up disease
pressure and reducing particular nutrients in the soil. Under certain circumstances,
monocropping can lead to deforestation. The practice has also been criticized for its
environmental impacts, one of the major being soil degradation due to nonrotational
cropping.

9. What are the other areas in which “going local” has had benefits?

Ans. Other than local food, Helena talks about herbal medicine, local media, and
vernacular architecture as various fields that have benefited from the localisation
process. Community supported projects like local media outlets, radio, television, art
and journals help reconnect people to each other and learn about their surroundings.

10. Why, according to the author, should we follow diversified farming?

Ans. Studies carried out allover the world show that small-scale diversified farms have
a higher total output per unit of land than large-scale monocultures. Global food is also
very costly. However most of those costs do not show up in its supermarket price.

11. In what way can the governments help in reducing pressure on the
environment?

Ans. Governments should put into practice a “Breakaway Strategy”, forming an

international alliance of nations to leave the WTO and also formulate policies that
would protect the environment and human rights.

Paragraph questions (80-100 words)

1. Explain the benefits of localisation with an example.

Ans. Helena Norbert-Hodge talks about herbal medicine, local media, and vernacular
architecture as various fields that have benefited from the localisation process.
Increasing numbers of doctors and patients are rejecting the commercialised medical
mainstream in favor of more preventive and holistic approaches, often making use of
local herbs and traditional methods. Community supported projects like local media
outlets, radio, television, art and journals help reconnect people to each other and learn
about their surroundings. Millions of farmers are switiching to organic practices and
dietary preferences among consumers are shifting away from processed foods with
artificial colourings,flavourings and preservatives, towards fresher foods in their
natural state.

2. Write a note on the benefits of diversified farming.

Ans. Studies carried out allover the world show that small-scale diversified farms have
a higher total output per unit of land than large-scale monocultures. When we buy local
food we can actually pay less because we are not paying for excessive transport,
wasteful packaging, advertising, and chemical additives, only for fresh, healthy and
nutritious food. Most of the money spent on food goes to the farmer, not corporate
middlemen. Small diversified farms can help invigorate entire rural economies since
they employ far more people per acre than large monocultures. Wages paid to farm
workers benefit local economies and communities far more than money paid for heavy
equipment and the fuel to run it.

3. What are the disadvantages of monocultural production?

Ans.Monocultural production systematically eliminates all but the cash crop from the
land.Monoculture/solely crop production farms are the farming types by which
farmers grow only crops, both annual crops/trees and field crops, such as wheat, corn,
rice, rapeseed, sugar cane, and cotton. Under certain circumstances, monocropping can
lead to deforestation. The practice has also been criticized for its environmental
impacts, one of the major being soil degradation due to nonrotational
cropping.Continuous monoculture, or “monocropping” where the same species is
grown year after year, can lead to unsustainable environments such as building up
disease pressure and reducing particular nutrients in the soil.

4. Comment on the harm caused by global food systems

Ans. Global food systems exert control over food and are therefore centralised. The
are concentrated in a handful of corporations. Global food sysems do not provide fresh
or nutritious food. They use preservatives and chemical additives.Global food is also
very costly. However most of those costs do not show up in its supermarket price.
Instead, a large portion of what we pay for global food comes out of our taxes to fund
research into pesticides and biotechnology, to subsidise transport, communications and
energy infrastructures the system requires, and to pay for the foreign aid that pulls
Third World economies into the destructive global system.

5. Why is global food costly?

Ans.Global food is very costly. However most of those costs do not show up in its
supermarket price. Instead, a large portion of what we pay for global food comes out of
our taxes to fund research into pesticides and biotechnology, to subsidise transport,
communications and energy infrastructures the system requires, and to pay for the
foreign aid that pulls Third World economies into the destructive global system.

6. Write a note on the author’s “Breakaway Strategy.’

Ans.Governments should put into practice a “Breakaway Strategy”, forming an

international alliance of nations to leave the WTO and also formulate policies that
would protect the environment and human rights. These policies would move society
away from dependence on a few monopolies and promote small scale on a large scale,
allowing space for more local economies to flourish and spread. This will lead to true
sustainability for the community and the earth.

7. Comment on the significance of the title.

Ans. “Going local”, for Helena Norberg-Hodge , is a process of decentralization, a

process of shifting the economic activity from the multinational coporations to the
common man. Hence the title is significant.

Essay Questions (Answer in not more than 200-250 words)

1.What according to the author are the multi-layered advantages of going local in
terms of farming? Give reasons for your answer.

“Going Local” is an essay written by eminent Swedish environmentalist and activist

Helena Norberg-Hodge. She is a famous activist, who received the prestigious Right to
Livelihood Award, (also known as Alternate Nobel Prize). She was born in a Swedish
family, into a multicultural setting. In her own words, her great grandfather was a
German, and her own mother is English. She studied in various countries in Europe,
including Sweden and Germany, and later moved to the USA. She is an acclaimed
linguist, having done her doctorate with Noam Chomsky. She can speak seven
languages.
In the 1970s, she reached Ladakh, India as part of a film crew who wanted to do a
documentary, as a translator. After her project, she worked for the well being of the
native people of Ladakh. In 1978, “Ladakh Ecological Development and Environmental
Group” was formed under her leadership.She was very much worried about the
environmental and cultural damage brought about by globalization in places such as
Ladakh and she finds solution from the ancient living style of the people there. The
result was her book Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh (1992). In 1986, she
received the Right Livelihood Award, also known as Alternate Nobel Prize, for her work
in Ladakh.

In her essay “Going Local”, she shows how globalization destroyed the livelihood of
farmers and local businesses and thus created unemployment. She says that almost all
the problems faced by the contemporary society, be it global warming, toxic pollution,
or even fundamentalism and terrorrism, if we go in search of the real reason behind all
these problems, we will not fail to see that it is globalization.She also discusses the
solution to this problem: Localisation. “Going local”, for Helena, is a process of
decentralization, a process of shifting the economic activity from the multinational
coporations to the common man.

Preferring local food over global food is an example for this. She says localising the
agricultural economy allows small, biodiverse farms to provide for local markets, which
encourages farmers to increase the variety of their crops, employ more people, and use
less energy and fewer resources. The big corporates, such as Monsanto and Walmart,
invest heavily on research, to bring out products such as Genetically Modified Crops,
which will destroy the divergent crops. Monoculture based farming systematically
eliminates all but cash crops from the land.

What are the advantages of local markets:

• prefers diversified crops

• helps the preservation of wild plants and animal species
• does not need heavy machinery, which is an answer to soil erosion
• organic food, as local farmers do not rely on pesticides heavily
• economic benefit: money spent in buying products goes to the farmers, not
corporate middlemen
• reinvigorate the local economy:
. wages paid to the workers
. Not much money needs to be spent for transporting, packaging, and advertising
• fresh and nutritious food
• animal husbandary: as an additional revenue for farmers
• if every village produces the crops it needs, endemic hunger could be eliminated
• the total output we get from land where diversified farming is practised is
greater than that of monoculture.

Disadvantages of Global Food

⚫ costly
taxes are imposed on us to fund
researches on pesticides and biotechnology
Taxes imposed also to subsidise transport
infrastructure and . environmental costs

• Other than Local Food, Helena talks about herbal medicine, local media, and
vernacular architecture as various fields in the localisation process.
For all these needs to happen, there should be a policy change from the part of the
governments which as of now prefer global economy.For us Indians, these ideas are
not new. Mahatma Gandhi’s concept of “grama swaraj” or self sufficient villages in
fact is the same as mentioned above.
•

Plural Perspectives

An Introduction

Kamala Das

This poem first appeared in Kamala Das’s very first volume of poem which was entitled
Summer in Calcutta and which was published in 1965. This poem is wholly
autobiographical and may also be labelled as a confessional poem. It is confessional in
the sense that Kamala Das here takes the reader into her confidence with confessional
poems, this one shows Kamala Das’s candour in dealing with sex, with bodily functions,
and the like. At the same time, it shows Kamala Das’s capacity for self-assertion.
Furthermore, we have here a poem of revolt against conventionalism and the restraints
which society has been imposing upon women. Kamala Das’s feminism or her advocacy
of the rights of women clearly appears here. Thus this poem reveals to us several
aspects of Kamala Das as a poet.

The poem is written in free verse in a colloquial style which appropriately allows the
free flow of writer’s thoughts and feelings. The poem is revealing of the poet of her
political knowledge, of her linguistic acquirements, of her physical growth, of the sad
experience of her marriage and of her quest for fulfilling love. What M.K. Naik says of
her poetry in general also applies for this poem: “Kamala Das’s persona is no
nymphomaniac; she is simply every woman who seeks love and she is the beloved and
betrayed; expressing her female hunger”

“An Introduction” by Kamala Das is an autobiographical and confessional poem that

voices her concern about patriarchy, starting from politics to sexual politics.“An
Introduction” by Kamala Das encapsulates her personality as it expresses some
incidents of her life, her rejection of patriarchal norms, and her rebellion against the
gender role as well. This revolt ends with the assertion of her identity by recognizing
herself with ‘I’.

Analysis

Her views on politics

Kamala Das starts with a statement that the poet doesn’t know politics
nevertheless she is well aware of the politicians who are ruling the country. The names
of the politicians, beginning with Nehru, are so few that she can count them as the days
of the week or the names of the months. This shows that politics and power in the
nation were only in a few hands at her time. Politics is a field of male dominance and it
offers no space for women .

Identity

The poet Kamala Das proudly announces her identity as an Indian; she is brown,
born in Malabar, Kerala. She speaks three languages, she is a bilingual writer who
writes both in her mother tongue, Malayalam, and in English as well and she dreams
only in one. In a way, she is proving that she is no lesser than a man.

Advocacy of English Language

However her choice of writing in English has caught the attention of critics,
friends, cousins; they oppose her choice of writing in English and suggest to her not to
write in English as English is not her mother-tongue, it is a colonial language. This
shows the concern of many Indians who do not want to accept the colonial language.

The poet wants them to stay away from her and let her speak any language she
wants. She defies their argument by arguing that language is common property. It
might be queer and distorted but when she uses the language, it becomes her.

Her advocacy of using English supports the view of many post-colonial writers
and critics who think that there is a need to adapt the English language to serve the
purpose of Indian writers in English. From a postcolonial standpoint, she can adopt the
language of colonizer and can twist the language by adding the native phrases and
terms and make it totally a new language, that is “half English, half/ Indian.”

In this context, Elleke Boehmer finds Kamala Das is echoing the same spirit that
R.K. Narayan called “a swadeshi language”. This process of transforming is what Salman
Rushdie terms “chutnification”. This language sounds funny yet it is her honest
expression. It is as human as she is human. The queerness and distortions could mean
local idioms and cultural referents to which English is adapted.

Furthermore, Kamala Das says that the language she speaks becomes her identity
since it expresses her joys, yearnings, and hopes. It is an indispensable part of her
expression as “cawing/ Is to crows or roaring to the lions.” She adds that the language
she uses is a human speech which can be understood by the mind and it is not strange
unlike the blind speech of trees in the storm or monsoon clouds or rain or incoherent
muttering of the blazing Funeral Pyre.

Her Miserable Married Life

Kamala Das afterward changes our focus from language to her personal life. As she
physically grew, her parents told her she has grown up. When she asked for love, she
got nothing but pain. Though she reached puberty at the time of her marriage however
she was not prepared for her sexual encounter. Her miserable marriage life made her
traumatized, she says that she was not beaten by her husband yet her body felt beaten.

Kamala Das also adds “The weight of my breasts and womb crushed me.” At an early
age, Kamala Das was married. In her autobiography My Story Kamala Das reveals that
the anguished persona of her poetry is evidently derived from a traumatic frustration
in love, and marriage.

Rejection of patriarchy- Aspect of Feminism

Because of Das’s painful experiences in marriage, she was tired of her body and
womanliness. Therefore in a fit of frustration and protest, she defies the gender roles
set by patriarchy. She wore a shirt and her brother’s trousers and cut her hair short.

The imposition of societal norms

Upon seeing this, the categorizers asked her to dress in sarees and to choose her
role: a girl, wife, embroiderer, cook but she could never be herself and live life the way
she wants. The categorizers refer to those people who categorize gender roles and
follow them religiously. According to those categorizers, women should accept the role
that is designed for her in society. Being a woman, they thought it is quintessential for
her to choose a role in society.

Kamala Das was asked not to sit on walls as it was against feminine roles, or peep
in through their lace-draped windows. She was asked not to feign schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder in which the person suffers from delusions and
withdraws himself/herself from reality. By acting as a male, she is not following the
role of the female; she seems for them someone who has lost connection with reality.
They even asked her not to cry out when she is abandoned suddenly in love.

Her Struggle to obtain “I”

 However, she met a man whom she loved. She does not call him by any definite
name ; for her, the man is everyman. He is like every man who is in need of a woman to
quench the thirst of lust just as every woman seeks love from a man. When she asks
each man about their identity, the answer is ‘I’. It is the ‘I’ that is found in men. The ‘I’ or
the supreme male ego is stuck to a male personality like “sword in its sheath”. Here she
uses simile, just like a sword is always affixed to its sheath, in the same manner, the ‘I’
and male personality are always bound together.

Gender Bias

It projects the power politics of the patriarchal society. It is because of ‘I’ that man
has got the freedom to do anything he likes. He can drink at midnight at strange hotels
in unfamiliar towns. It is because of ‘I’ he can laugh the way he wants and quenches his
lust. However, after that, he feels ashamed at the thought of losing his willpower in
front of a woman. This is gender bias.

Identifying herself with the ‘I’

Towards the end of “An Introduction”, there we see a reversal of role as she
declares

I am sinner,
I am saint. I am the beloved and the
Betrayed. I have no joys that are not yours, no
Aches which are not yours. I too call myself I.

She identifies herself with the ‘I’. She is also sinner and saint; she has done many
virtuous things and committed many vices as well just like everyone else. She loved and
had a painful experience of betrayal. Since there is no difference between her and man
in terms of joys and sorrows, and experience so she too declares herself as ‘I’. This is
how at the end of the poem the poet asserts her identity in the male-dominated society.

Structure and Form

“An Introduction” is a sixty line poem that is contained within a single stanza. The lines
range from three words up to eleven and do not follow a specific metrical pattern. Das
also chose not to use a rhyme scheme. The lines also vary greatly in length and syllable
number. This means that the poem is written in free verse. This style of writing allows
the poet to explore various structures and make use of more sporadic rhymes. There
are several examples of half-rhyme and internal rhyme in “An Introduction”.

The theme of “An Introduction” by Kamala Das.

Das explores powerful themes of feminism/equal rights, freedom, and marriage in ”In
Introduction”. This poem is a very clear feminist statement that advocates free choice
for all women. This is in regard to every aspect of life, but the poet puts a special
emphasis on marriage. She compares and contrasts the roles of men and women in
society and explains for the reader how her life, the rules she’s forced to obey, infringe
on her freedom. Readers should be able to ask themselves while moving through the
poem how, if at all, the things Das is talking about apply to their own life. If nothing
matches up, they might ask themselves why and if some kind of unaddressed or
unacknowledged privilege is making their lives better.

Kamala Das is an autobiographical and confessional poet. Autobiographical and

confessional elements are common and striking features of Das’s poetry. Confessional
poetry is a type of poetry in which the poet deals with the facts and intimate mental
and physical experiences of life.The theme of “An Introduction” by Kamala Das is her
quest for identity in a male-dominated society. The poem is based on her experiences
as a woman in patriarchal society.

Structure of An Introduction

The poem “An Introduction” has irregular rhyme; it does not follow any specific
pattern. However, Kamala Das uses literary devices like enjambment. Ellipsis is
excluding some parts of a sentence by using three dots. Kamala Das often uses ellipsis
in her poetry. In “An Introduction” we see the use of ellipsis in – “Then … I wore a shirt
and my/ Brother’s trousers, cut my hair short and ignored/ My womanliness.”.

Enjambment on the other hand is a continuation of line even after the line break. They
are also called run-on lines. For instance,

I don’t know politics but I know the names

Of those in power, and can repeat them like

Days of week, or names of months, beginning with

Nehru. I am Indian, very brown, born in

Malabar. I speak three languages, write in

Two, dream in one.

An Introduction

Conclusion
 One of the common features of Das’s poetry is the honest expression of her
privacy. This honest expression of Das’s personal life is what Mary Erulkar called “the
bitter service of womanhood” M.K.Naik says that Kamala Das’s persona is no
nymphomaniac; she is simply ‘every woman who seeks love’; she is ‘the beloved and
the betrayed’ However, she remains the eternal Eve who proudly celebrates her
essential femininity.

Literary Devices

The poet uses techniques such as enjambment, repetition, and

anaphora. Repetition and anaphora are seen at the beginning of a number of lines, such
as four and five. In this instance, the speaker is giving two conviction filled statements
about who she is. This is conveyed through the repetition of the pronoun “I”. Later on,
repetition is used again to define her language as both “English” and “human”. She is a
human being, as equal and valuable as any other.

There are also several examples of allusion. She references specific a specific place and
the name of a politician that requires some research in order to
understand. Enjambment is another important technique. it can be seen throughout
this poem, but one good example is the transition between lines fifty-eight and fifty-
nine

Summary
‘An Introduction’ begins with the speaker, Das, stating that she knows all the male
leaders of India. Their names are a part of her, a tribute to their overwhelming power.
This contrasts significantly with the lack of power she felt growing up and getting
married at sixteen. She struggles with her identity and is finally able to step away from
the traditional role of wife.

Das describes the way that men are able to move through the world with a solid
identity. They are allowed their choices and emotions. In the last lines, she pushes back
against this way of life by stating that she feels things that do not belong to the man she
loves. She too can be “I.”

How does Kamala Das interrogate patriarchal values in her poem “An
Introduction?”
In her poem 'An Introduction' she rebels against the social norms and customs that
drive women to a dark corner. She finds herself and other women in a custom ridden,
orthodox society controlled by men. She ponders deeply over the grievances of Indian
women in the family and society.

How does Kamala Das introduce herself and her poetry in “An Introduction?”

'An Introduction' begins with the speaker, Das, stating that she knows all the male
leaders of India. ... In the last lines, she pushes back against this way of life by stating
that she feels things that do not belong to the man she loves. She too can be “I.”

What is the theme of the poem an introduction by Kamala Das?

The theme of An Introduction by Kamala Das is her quest for identity in a male-
dominated society. An Introduction by Kamala Das is based on her experiences as a
woman in patriarchal society.

How does Kamala Das generalize her man and herself?

The poetess generalizes herman to be the lover of every woman. And she
generalizes herself to be all women who seek love from their partners. The narrator
(every woman) seeks love, but men always remained with an egoistic word
“I“,like a sword in it's sheath

Do you think “An Introduction” is a confessional poem?

The confessional poets deal with personal emotional experiences which are generally
taboo. There is ruthless self-analysis and a tone of utter sincerity.Hence “An
Introduction” may be considered a confessional poem.

Which language does Kamala Das dream in?

She can speak three languages - her mother tongue, English and Hindi and write
two languages - her native language and English. However, she can dream in only
one language as dreams have a universal language

What are the specific chores assigned as the duty of “women” in the poem?
The categorizers asked her to dress in sarees and to choose her role: a girl, wife,
embroiderer, cook but she could never be herself and live life the way she wants.

Why do they ask the narrator not to write in English?

Since English is not her mother tongue they feel it is pretentious on her part to write in
English.

Whom does the word “they” in the poem represent?

It refers to the critics, friends, visiting cousins, the literary establishment, all of whom
try to dictate terms to the poet.

How did the narrator try to ignore her womanliness?

She decided to put on her “Brother’s trousers” and cut off her hair. The speaker is
ridding herself of the female image that has harmed her. Now that she is remaking her
identity she is able to say no to the traditions of womanhood.

What are the special chores assigned as the duty of “women” in the poem?

She is asked to dress in sarees and to choose her role: a girl, wife, embroiderer, cook but
she could never be herself and live life the way she wants.

What is wrong with sitting on walls and peeping through lace-draped windows?

“Sitting on walls” is considered unfeminine. She is advised not to invade the privacy of
the closed lives of people or to write about their lives.

How, according to the categorizers should the narrator behave when jilted in
love?

She is advised not to “cry embarrassingly loud.” Her role as woman is supposed to be
meek, quiet, and contained.

What is the significance of the title “An Introduction?”

The title is significant because the poet persona is trying to find a place denied to her in
the literary and social establishment. Hence she feels the need to introduce herself.
First she introduces herself saying she is an Indian, then reveals her colour is very
brown, after that she is also proud to be born in Malabar. For Kamala Das, her speech is
coherent, because it has a meaning.

What are the pretending games forbidden by the “categorizers?”

They forbid her to play at schizophrenia or be a nympho.

Who are the categorizers?

The categorizers refer to those people who categorize gender roles and follow them
religiously. According to those categorizers, women should accept the role that is
designed for her in society. Being a woman, they thought it is quintessential for her to
choose a role in society.

How does Kamala Das introduce herself in the poem an introduction?

First she introduces herself saying she is an Indian, then reveals her color is very
brown, after that she is also proud to be born in Malabar. For Kamala Das, her speech
is coherent, because it has a meaning

Give an example of transferred epithet in the poem

Transferred epithet is when an adjective usually used to describe one thing

is transferred to another. An epithet is a word or phrase which describes the main
quality of someone or something. “Deaf blind speech of trees in storm “, “incoherent
mutterings of the blazing funeral pyre” are examples of transferred epithets in the
poem.

What does the phrase “very brown” indicate?

After the opening lines that set the scene, the speaker moves on to describe her own
being. She is “Indian” and she is “very brown.” She wishes to stress her Dravidian as
well as postcolonial identity. Lastly, she is from Malabar in southwest India.

Which is the narrator’s region of birth?

She is from Malabar in southwest India.She was born in Punnayurkulam in

Malappuram district.

Paragraph Questions
 In the poem “An Introduction”, Kamala Das expresses her resentment in being

confined to gender roles. Discuss.

Throughout the poem An Introduction, the poet seems to be dissatisfied because of the
patriarchal society in which there is no place of women. The poet tells us that she remembers
the names of all those in power but none of them is a woman.The poet further narrates the
practice of forced marriage in society, According to her, she was married off when she was just
16. Her husband had no intention of loving her. She was simply an object of satisfying lust in the
hands of her husband.Further she tells that she was severely criticised for the dress of her
choice. In the end, she strives for the status of “I” i.e. she wants herself to be treated as a human
rather than an object.

Explain the irony in the following lines:

“I don’t know politics but I know the names

of those in power , and can repeat them like

Days of week, or names of months, beginning with Nehru.”

Das explores powerful themes of feminism/equal rights, freedom, and marriage in ‘An
Introduction’. Though people assume she does not know politics she knows the names of those
in power. Ironically all of these are men. This poem is a very clear feminist statement that
advocates free choice for all women. This is in regards to every aspect of life including politics.
She compares and contrasts the roles of men and women in society and explains for the reader
how her life is , the rules she’s forced to obey, infringe on her freedom

Explain the narrator’s concept of mother tongue.

The narrator asserts that she is able to, […]speak three languages, write in Two, dream
in one. She continues to describe language and the role it plays in her life by saying that
she is judged for writing in English. It is not her “mother-tongue.” Whenever she is
criticized for how she speaks and writes she feels as if she is alone. There is no one, not
her friends or cousins, who back her up. They are critics “Every one.” She directs the
next line at this group, asking them why they care what she speaks. She feels a deep
 connection to the words she uses and how, through “distortions,” her language can only
be defined as her own.

How does the narrator distinguish the sound of human speech from the other
sounds of nature?

Her identity, as seen through her voice, is “human” just as she is human. It should be held under
that single defining category and no other. Das describes the control she has over her voice,
whether through speech or text. It can display all of her emotions and her, […] mind that sees
and hears and Is aware. Human speech is to humans as roaring is to lions. It is intelligible, unlike
the roaring of a storm or the “mutterings of the blazing fire.” The speaker defines her freedom
through the use of her voice.

Why did the sad woman-body feel beaten even though the man had not beaten her?

Although her husband did not beat her, her, sad woman-body felt so beaten. She feels used and
violated. This line of “ An Introduction” is interesting as she is placing her own body in one of
the categories she rebelled against in the first stanza. It is this simplification of a woman as
nothing more than a body that led her to marriage at sixteen. She also places blame on her own
body for leading her to this place.

What are the stipulations laid down by the “categorizers?”

The categorizers ask her not to write in English. They ask her to take up the
conventional roles of wife mother an dhousewife.Whenever she is criticized for how
she speaks and writes she feels as if she is alone. There is no one, not her friends or
cousins, who back her up. They are critics “Every one.” She directs the next line at this
group, asking them why they care what she speaks.Das added another few reminders
on behalf of the “categorizers.” She shouldn’t “play pretending games” or “cry
embarrassingly loud.” Her role as woman is supposed to be meek, quiet, and contained.
According to those categorizers, women should accept the role that is designed for her
in society. Being a woman, they thought it is quintessential for her to choose a role in
society. She is asked to dress in sarees and to choose her role: a girl, wife, embroiderer,
cook but she could never be herself and live life the way she wants.
Explain the line “I too call myself I”

Towards the end of “An Introduction”, we see a reversal of roles as the poet declares
 “I too call myself I.” “The male “I” enjoys freedom in a patriarchal society. She identifies
herself with the ‘I’. She is also sinner and saint; she has done many virtuous things and
committed many vices as well. . Since there is no difference between her and man in
terms of joys and sorrows, and experience so she too declares herself as ‘I’. This is how
at the end of the poem the poet asserts her identity in the male-dominated society.

How does the male “I” differ from the female “I?”

When she asks each man about their identity, the answer is ‘I’. It is the ‘I’ that is
found in men. The ‘I’ or the supreme male ego is stuck to a male personality like “sword
in its sheath”. Here she uses simile, just like a sword is always affixed to its sheath, in
the same manner, the ‘I’ and male personality are always bound together The male “I”
enjoys freedom in a patriarchal society. She identifies herself with the ‘I’. She is also
sinner and saint; she has done many virtuous things and committed many vices as well
just like everyone else. She loved and had a painful experience of betrayal. Since there
is no difference between her and man in terms of joys and sorrows, and experience so
she too declares herself as ‘I’. This is how at the end of the poem the poet asserts her
identity in the male-dominated society.

Analysis of An Introduction

Lines 1-13 In the first section of An Introduction the speaker begins by comparing her
knowledge of politicians to the days of the week and months of the year. Although she
does not have a firm grasp on politics itself, those in power have remained in her mind.
This shows their power to be much greater than their role should allow. The first of
these she is able to recall is “Nehru,” who served as India’s first prime minister after the
withdrawal of the British. After these opening lines that set the scene, the speaker
moves on to describe her own being. She is “Indian” and she is “very brown.” Lastly, she
is from Malabar in southwest India. These are the basics of her life, but of course not
everything. She adds that she is able to, […]speak three languages, write in Two, dream
in one. She continues to describe language and the role it plays in her life by saying that
she is judged for writing in English. It is not her “mother-tongue.” Whenever she is
criticized for how she speaks and writes she feels as if she is alone. There is no one, not
her friends or cousins, who back her up. They are critics “Every one.” She directs the
next line at this group, asking them why they care what she speaks. She feels a deep
connection to the words she uses and how, through “distortions,” her language can only
be defined as her own.

Lines 13-25 In the next thirteen lines the speaker goes on to describe herself as “half
English, half Indian.” She sees a humour in this combination and acknowledges that fact
as it is “honest.” This seems to be one of the most important parts of her, a desire for
authenticity and honesty. Her identity, as seen through her voice, is “human” just as she
is human. It should be held under that single defining category and no other. Das
describes the control she has over her voice, whether through speech or text. It can
display all of her emotions and her, […] mind that sees and hears and Is aware. Human
speech is to humans as roaring is to lions. It is intelligible, unlike the roaring of a storm
or the “mutterings of the blazing fire.” The speaker defines her freedom through the use
of her voice. In the next lines she explains to the reader that there are other
circumstances in her life that infringe on that freedom. They are out of her control. She
introduces this section by stating that she only felt older as she grew because she was
told of her own physical changes.

Lines 26-38 Her unhappiness is defined in the next section of lines and is directly
related to a need for freedom. When she was young she “asked for love,” because she
didn’t know what else to want. This ended with her marriage at sixteen and the closing
of a bedroom door. Although her husband did not beat her, her, […] sad woman-body
felt so beaten. This line of” An Introduction” is interesting as she is placing her own
body in one of the categories she rebelled against in the first stanza. It is due to this
simplification of a woman as nothing more than a body that led her to marriage at
sixteen. She also places blame on her own body for leading her to this place. Her
distinctly female parts, “breasts and womb” are a crushing weight on her life. The
pressure placed on her by her husband and by her family led to an emotional and
mental shrinking. It was a “pitiful”process. But it ended. She goes on to state that a
change came over her. She decided to put on her “Brother’s trousers” and cut off her
hair. The speaker is ridding herself of the female image that has harmed her. Now that
she is remaking her identity she is able to say no to the traditions of womanhood. These
include fitting in and dressing in “saris.” The “categorizers” might tell her not to, […]
peep in through our lace-draped windows But she is not going to listen. She chose to
move her life beyond the traditional and therefore expand her presence in the world.

Lines 39-50 In the first two lines of the next section of “An Introduction” it becomes
clear that the speaker is truly meant to be the poet herself. She wonders at her own
identity and marvels over the fact that she can now be, Amy, or be Kamala. Or, better
Still, be Madhavikutty. It is by this final name that the poet, Kamala Das, came to be
known and is still called. Das added another few reminders on behalf of the
“categorizers.” She shouldn’t “play pretending games” or “cry embarrassingly loud.”
Her role as woman is supposed to be meek, quiet, and contained. She goes on to
describe a time in which she met and loved a man. This person is referred to as “man,”
he is not named. This strips him of some of the agency he is so in control of in the next
lines. Additionally, the name is of little importance as he is meant to represent every
man in the world who uses women as he pleases. At one point, at the height of her
emotions, she asks the “man” who he is. He replies “it is I.” The “I” represents the
agency he has in the world. Men make their own decisions and have the ability to use
the pronoun in order to get what they want.

Lines 51-60 “An Introduction” moves to its conclusion with the speaker
acknowledging the constant presence of “I” around her. In the world she’s a part of
there are “I” men everywhere she looks. A person of this nature is able to go and
“Drink… at twelve” and stay in “hotels of strange towns.” As the lines continue the
division between the speaker and the “I” is blurred. Eventually a reader comes to
 understand that she is trying to come to terms with her own independence and identity
as both “saint” and “sinner.” She is trapped between her own need for a free life and the
world which tries to keep her contained. The final statement is one of protest and
resistance. Das states that she has “Aches” which belong to no one but herself. She too
can be “I.”

Q. Critically analyse the poem “An Introduction” by Kamala Das

. Ans:- The poem, “An Introduction” by Kamala Das was included in Kamala Das's first
volume of poetry, Summer in Calcutta (1965). The poem begins with a statement that
shows her frank distaste for politics, especially in politically free India ruled by a
chosen elite. The poet asserts her right to speak three languages, and defends her
choice to write in two--her mother-tongue, Malayalam, and English. She doesn't like to
be advised in this matter by any guardian or relations. Her choice is her own: authentic
and born of passion. The poet looks upon her decision to write in English as natural and
humane.From the issue of the politics of language the poem then passes on to the
subject of sexual politics in a patriarchy-dominated society where a girl attaining
puberty is told about her biological changes by some domineering parental figure. As
the girl seeks fulfilment of her adolescent passion, a young lover is forced upon her to
traumatize and coerce the female-body since the same is the site for patriarchy to
display its power and authority. When thereafter, she opts for male clothing to hide her
femininity, the guardians enforce typical female attire, with warnings to fit into the
socially determined attributes of a woman, to become a wife and a mother and get
cofined to the domestic routine. She is threatened to remain within the four walls of her
female space lest she should make herself a psychic or a maniac. But the poet is an
individual woman trying to voice a universal womanhood and trying to share her
experiences, good or bad, with all other women. Love and sexuality are a strong
component in her search for female identity and the identity consists of polarities. The
poem ends with repetitions of the 1st person singular I to suggest vindication of the
body and the self. The poet truly discloses herself and the position of women in society
particularly in that time to reveal the abuses in the society.
“Kitchen Rags”
Vijila Chirapadu
Introduction

Vijila Chirappad is a Malayalam Dalit poet. Her works talk about caste and
gender problems that the Dalit face. Born at Perambra in Calicut, Kerala, Vijila has
dabbled in poetry right from her campus days.Vijila's works have been published in
three collections: Adukkala Illatha Veedu

(A Home without Kitchen, 2006), Amma Oru Kalpanika Kavitha Alla

(Mother is not a Poetic Figment of Our Imagination ,2009), and

 Pakarthi Ezhuthu (Copied Notes, 2015). Some of these verses are prescribed reading at
the Kerala, MG and Calicut Universities. Her work has also been featured in the OUP
India Anthology of Poems that was brought out in 2012. Her three poems have been
selected for the Dalit Anthology by Oxford University Press. Vijila's poem “Kitchen
Rags” (Kaikala Thunikal) has been selected and included by the Mahatma Gandhi
University in its Malayalam text named Modern Poetry (2017) According to Vijila dalit
writings are not mere lamentations though many people understood it to be so.. She
says that Dalits should know their rights and how to uphold their pride. The feminist
writers mainly attack a patriarchal society; a society that is male- centred and
controlled, and is organized and conducted in such a way as to subjugate women to
men in all domains: economic, cultural , religious, political, familial, social, legal and
artistic. In this sense, Vijila’s works are feminist in tone. The representation of women
in literature, was felt to be one of the most important forms of socialization, since it
provided the role models which indicated to women, and men, what constituted
“acceptable versions of the feminine and legitimate feminine goals and aspirations”.Fro
m the very beginning women tend to be defined as the Other. Male traits are assumed
to have achieved the most important scientific and technological inventions and
innovations in the field of education and culture. Hence women are moulded to
internalize the patriarchal ideology to acquiesce in their inferiority.

As Simon de Beauvoir puts it, “One is not born, but

rather becomes, a woman..... it is civilization as a whole that produces this creature......

which is described as feminine.” The major concern of the feminist writers is to
reconstruct the used pathways of literature, so as to do justice to female view points,
thoughts, feelings and emotions.
Vijila’s poems have emerged successful in developing a specifically female framework.
They deal with female realities such as marriage, cooking, relationship between
daughter and mother, between sisters etc.

Comprehension Questions (Answer in two to three sentences)

1. What does the word “grime” represent in the poem “Kitchen Rags”?
Ans. “Grime” means dirt ingrained in surfaces. In the poem the word symbolizes the
squalid existence of Dalits. They have become hard like rocks because of the dirt. Nobody washed
them even once. The poem also compares the life of a married woman to the house hold rags.

2. What is meant by “never allowed to rinse and dry”?

Ans. This refers to the miserable and subhuman existence of Dalits. They have become hard
like rocks because of their miserable existence. They are not allowed renewal. The poem also
compares the life of a married woman to the house hold rags that are perpetually wet and dirty.
3. How does the rag become “rock hard?”
Ans.They have become hard like rocks because of the perpetual dirt. Nobody washed them
even once. They are never allowed to rinse and dry.
4. What is the word used by the poet to describe the bygone nature of the rag?
Ans. The poet uses the word “rock hard”.
 5. Whose frock was turned into a kitchen rag?
Ans. Kunjumol’s frock was turned into a kitchen rag.
6. How does the poet remember Kunjumol?
Ans. The poet remembers Kunjumol as a sprightly young girl who used to sing around in the
kitchen.
7. Where is Kunjumol now?
Ans. She is now in another kitchen, confined to domestic slavery.
8. “Not a hum these days.” Explain.
Ans. Kunjumol who was a bright and sprightly young girl is now not even a shadow of her earlier
self. She has internalised her state of domestic slavery so much that she does not even hum a song
these days.
9. Who is the “one in a tiny frock?”
Ans.Kunjumol is the “one in a tiny frock.”
10. How does the poem end?
Ans. The poet wishes that the one in the tiny frock, namely the child that Kunjumol once was, would
push the adult girl into the cleansing rain.

Paragraph questions ( 80-100 words)

1. Describe the gradual transformation of kitchen rags.

Ans. The kitchen rags have become hard like rocks because of the perpetual dirt.
Nobody washed them even once. They are never allowed to rinse and dry. Finally they
become rock hard. This refers to the miserable and subhuman existence of Dalits. They
have become hard like rocks because of their squalid existence. They are not allowed
renewal. The poem also compares the life of a married woman to the house hold rags
that are perpetually wet and dirty. The utter helplessness and marginalisation of dalits,
especially women, are symbolised through the poem.

2. What does the rock hard rag represent?

Ans. The rock hard rag represents the bitterness and despair in the lives of dalit men
and dalit women. They are denied a chance to redeem themselves from poverty and
oppression. The poem refers to the miserable and subhuman existence of Dalits. They
have become hard like rocks because of their miserable existence. They are not allowed
renewal.They are like accursed beings destined to lead a peripheral existence on the
margins of society. The poem also compares the life of a married woman to the house
hold rags that are perpetually wet and dirty.

3. How does the poet represent the bygone days of the rag?
Ans. At one time the rag was actually a frock worn by the speaker’s daughter Kunjumol.
Kunjumol was a lovable little girl, sprightly and musical, perhaps full of her own hopes
and dreams. She used to enliven her mother’s kitchen withher songs and lively
behaviour. The rag might have been one of the colourful frocks worn by the little girl.
However, just like Kunjumol’s present life, the rag has also become dull and worn out,
with too much of use .

4. Why are the condition of the kitchen rag and Kunjumol’s life placed together?

Ans. The kitchen rags have become hard like rocks because of the perpetual dirt.
Nobody washed them even once. They are never allowed to rinse and dry. Finally they
become rock hard.The kitchen rags have become hard like rocks because of the
perpetual dirt. Nobody washed them even once. They are never allowed to rinse and
dry. Finally they become rock hard.At one time the rag was actually a frock worn by the
speaker’s daughter Kunjumol. Kunjumol was a lovable little girl, sprightly and musical,
perhaps full of her own hopes and dreams. She used to enliven her mother’s kitchen
withher songs and lively behaviour. The rag might have been one of the colourful frocks
worn by the little girl. However, just like Kunjumol’s present life, the rag has also
become dull and worn out, with too much of use . Kunjumol has lost all her spontaneity
and creativity. Her talents have become rusted and her songs are silenced. She is now
confined to domestic slavery.

5. What happened to Kunjumol’s songs?

Ans. At one time the rag was actually a frock worn by the speaker’s daughter Kunjumol.
Kunjumol was a lovable little girl, sprightly and musical, perhaps full of her own hopes
and dreams. She used to enliven her mother’s kitchen withher songs and lively
behaviour. The rag might have been one of the colourful frocks worn by the little girl.
However, just like Kunjumol’s present life, the rag has also become dull and worn out,
with too much of use . At one time the rag was actually a frock worn by the speaker’s
daughter Kunjumol. Kunjumol was a lovable little girl, sprightly and musical, perhaps
full of her own hopes and dreams. She used to enliven her mother’s kitchen withher
songs and lively behaviour. The rag might have been one of the colourful frocks worn
by the little girl. However, just like Kunjumol’s present life, the rag has also become dull
and worn out, with too much of use . Not even a hum emanates from Kunjumol these
days.

6. Describe the conclusion of the poem.

Ans. The poem ends with a hopeful note. The poet expects the coming of a little girl
who will push the woman into the rain. The rain here stands as a rejuvenating and
cleansing agent which will release them from all the bondages. Perhaps the adult girl
will be able to renew and redeem herself from her miserable plight through a
remembrance of her vibrant childhood. The household rag in the poem becomes the
 disturbing symbol of a discriminatory world. Thus the poem is revolutionary in
content.

Essay Question ( Answer in not more than 250 words)

1.How does the poem “Kitchen Rags” portray the condition of women in
Kerala?/Attempt a critical appreciation of the poem “Kitchen Rags”.
Ans. Vijila Chirapadu is a Dalit woman poet who writes in Malayalam and tells stories of
Dalit women in Kerala. Her poems imply how Kerala has done nothing to achieve a
casteless society.Vijila’s poems explain that the struggle of every woman is not same.
She distinguishes between dominant caste women and Dalit women in Kerala. Her
poems reflect everyday difficulties that women face in and outside homes. Vijila’s
poem, “Kitchen Rags” bring out the culture of slavery that married women are bound
to.

Dalit women writers have lived their lives in agony, misery, oppression and
subjugation. Being a Dalit itself is synonymous with discrimination, and being born as a
Dalit woman is really a double challenge. In a country like India, women have lots of
restrictions in society. In rural India especially, the barriers are more rigid. In such a
situation a Dalit woman getting educated is a strenuous job. However a few of them
succeeded in getting themselves educated and have come out with
their powerful activism through their writings. They wrote for the emancipation of Dali
ts, to make them aware of the pathetic situation they have been living in. Their works
are characterized by a distinct autobiographical voice, and of course a strong invocation
for womanhood to free themselves from the invisible chains of oppression. “Dalit
women are referred to as “Dalit among the Dalits” or downtrodden among the
downtrodden because they are thrice alienated on the basis of their class (under-
privileged), caste (outcaste)and gender. Women of Dalit communities may be the
biggest examples of marginalization. They are the ones who are most vulnerable
victims of repression and of discrimination”

Vijila’s poems are distinctively subjective in looking at womanhood including herself

and also in perceiving the outer world. Her language is noted for a clearly feminist
style. The distinct autobiographical note in her writings clearly defines what women
think, feel and perceive in a male dominated world. When we go through her poems we
find a sincere approach to the realities of everyday life. The poem "Kaikala Thunikal"
(“Kitchen Rags”) strongly describes the protest of the writer against social as well as
gender discriminations. The dirty kitchen rags symbolize the Dalit themselves. They
have become hard like rocks because of the dirt. Nobody washed them even once. The
poem also compares the life of a married woman to the house hold rags. The poem ends
with a hopeful note. The poet expects the coming of a little girl who will push the
woman into the rain. The rain here stands as a rejuvenating and cleansing agent which
will release them from all the bondages. The household rag in the poem becomes the
disturbing symbol of a discriminatory world. Thus the poem is revolutionary in
content.
 “Dakshayani Velayudhan-A Biographical Sketch”

Meera Velayudhan

Comprehension Questions (Answer in two to three sentences)

1. In which caste was Dakshayani Velayudhan born?

Ans. Dakshayani Velayudhan was born in the Pulayar community.

2. In which year did Ayyankali begin his “walk for freedom”?

Ans. Ayyankali began his “walk for freedom” in 1893.

3. Mention any two symbols of caste slavery that Ayyankali sought to eradicate.

Ans. Dalits could not cover their upper torso. They could not use the public road.
Ayyankali sought to eradicate these caste symbols wearing the traditional upper caste
Nair attire, and riding on a bullock cart using the public road.

4. What was Dakshayani Velayudhan’s father by profession?

Ans.Dakshayani Velayudhan’s father by profession was a village school teacher.

5. What were the hardships that Dakshayani Velayudhan’s brothers had to face
when they entered public spaces?

Ans. When they entered public roads, people from other communities would hoot at
them; when on the country boat, people would throw stones at them because they
“wore upper castes’ clothes”.

6. How did the Pulaya Mahajana Sabha overcome the Maharajah’s order that
untouchables should not hold their meetings on “his land”?

Ans.Meetings were held with country boats tied together in the sea at Bolghatty- for
the sea did not have caste. The raft was made by joining a large number of catamarans,
with the help of fisherfolk.

7. How did Pulayas gain entry to the agricultural exhibition held in Ernakulam?

Ans.Dakshayani Velayudhan’s brothers and Krishnethi wrote an appeal to the Cochin

Maharaja in poetry following which Pulayas were allowed to enter agricultural
exhibition held in Ernakulam.
8. Who was the first Indian Dalit woman graduate?

Ans. The first Indian Dalit woman graduate was Dakshayani Velayudhan.

9. Why did journalists want to photograph Dakshayani Velayudhan as she

entered Maharaja’s college?

Ans. Journalists wanted to photograph Dakshayani Velayudhan as she entered

Maharaja’s college because she was the first in her community to enter college.

10. Why did Dakshayani Velayudhan have to learn chemistry experiments

from a distance?

Ans. Upper caste teachers were hesitant to teach her experiments. Hence she had to
learn chemistry experiments from a distance.

11. Why was Dakshayani Velayudhan’s application for nomination to Cochin

Legislative Council rejected?

Ans. The Minister for Rural Development, Dr.A.R.Menon rejected Dakshayani

Velayudhan’s application for nomination to Cochin Legislative Council, saying that she
was a government servant, being a school teacher.

12. Which was the language chosen by Dakshayani Velayudhan for her maiden
speech at the Cochin Legislative Council ?

Ans. The language chosen by Dakshayani Velayudhan for her maiden speech at the
Cochin Legislative Council was English.

13. To which parties did Dakshayani Velayudhan and her husband belong?

Ans. Dakshayani Velayudhan belonged to the Indian National Congress. Her

husband Velayudhan was the Socialists led by Ram Manohar Lohia.

14. What was Dakshayani Velayudhan’s reason for not joining the AIWC?

Ans. Dakshayani Velayudhan’s reason for not joining the AIWC was that she found it
elitist in nature.

15. What was the organisation founded by Dakshayani Velayudhan in 1977?

Ans. In 1977 Dakshayani Velayudhan founded the organisation called Mahila Jagriti
Parishad. This lively conference with over 200 Dalit women from different states, with
their own stories, poems, speeches and songs reflected a desire to create a space of
their own, nationally.
Paragraph questions ( 80-100 words)

1. Why is Dakshayani Velayudhan called “the child of social change”?

Ans. Belonging to the Pulayar community, Dakshayani Velayudhan was among the first
generation of people to be educated from the community. She holds several distinctions
including becoming one of the first women from her community to wear an upper cloth,
the first Scheduled Caste woman graduate in India, a science graduate, a member of
the Cochin Legislative Council and of being one of nine female members of
the Constituent Assembly of India.She and her family instigated resistance against
dominant caste members as she became one of the first lower caste girls to cover her
torso and receive an education at a government school.She encountered a Nair woman
who demanded that she get off the road to the paddy fields on the side, to make way for
her. However, Dakshayani refused and stated if she wished to walk past her, she should
get down the path and walk. The dominant caste woman conceded to her demands and
walked through the paddy fields.The disillusionment with the institutional ability to
counter systematic discrimination made her approach politics as a practical means to
challenge and eradicate discrimination. Her active in many social and political fields
bettered the life of her community.

2. What is meant by democratising public spaces?

Ans. Public spaces should be open for all, regardless of considerations like caste or
class.Dalits could not use the public road. Ayyankali sought to eradicate this
malpractice by riding on a bullock cart using the public road. Dakshayani Velayudhan
also did her best to make public spaces available to all. One such instance occurred
some time after she had started teaching. She encountered a Nair woman who
demanded that she get off the road to the paddy fields on the side, to make way for her.
However, Dakshayani refused and stated if she wished to walk past her, she should get
down the path and walk. The dominant caste woman conceded to her demands and
walked through the paddy fields.

3. Describe the activities of the Pulaya Mahajana Sabha and its leaders.

Ans. The Pulaya Mahajana Sabha and its leaders took up important social issues in
their meetings.Meetings were held with country boats tied together in the sea at
Bolghatty- for the sea did not have caste. The raft was made by joining a large number
of catamarans, with the help of fisherfolk.They held meetings with the followers of
Sree Narayana Guru.Dakshayani Velayudhan’s brothers and Krishnethi wrote an appeal
to the Cochin Maharaja in poetry following which Pulayas were allowed to enter
agricultural exhibition held in Ernakulam.

4. Describe any two instances of casteist atrocities faced by Dakshayani

Velayudhan.
Ans. One such instance occurred some time after she had started teaching. She
encountered a Nair woman who demanded that she get off the road to the paddy fields
on the side, to make way for her. Upper caste teachers were hesitant to teach her
experiments. Hence she had to learn chemistry experiments from a distance.

5. Describe the content of Dakshayani Velayudhan’s first speech in the

Constituent Assembly.

Ans. Dakshayani Velayudhan in her first speech in the Constituent Assembly spoke
against separate electorates and slave labour.She argued for the abolition of
untouchability. She argued that untouchability should be banned immediately though
an ordinance.

6. What does Dakshayani Velayudhan mean when she says that the Constituent
Assembly should have gone beyond framing a Constitution?

Ans. Dakshayani Velayudhan said that the Constituent Assembly should have gone
beyond framing a Constitution. It should give people a new framework for life, use the
opportunity to make untouchability illegal, and ensure moral safeguards that would
give real protection to the underdogs of India. Her idea of moral safeguards rested on
the idea that only an independent socialist republic could remove social disabilities and
offer civil liberties to every citizen.

Answer the following in 200-250 words.

Dakshayani Velayudhan’s life was lived in constant encounter with casteist

injustice. Explain./Dakshayani Velayudhan was the child of social change.
Explain.

The essay “Dakshayani Velayudhan-A Biographical Sketch” is written by Dr

Meera Velayudhan,the daughter of Dakshayani Velayudhan. It is about the life of
Dakshayani Velayudhan an Indian parlimentarian and social activist.Through the
essay,we get a glimpse of the world she was born into and the hardships she faced both
as a woman and as a Dalit. Dakshayani Velayudhan (4 July 1912 – 20 July 1978) was
an Indian parliamentarian and leader of the Oppressed classes. Belonging to
the Pulayar community, she was among the first generation of people to be educated
from the community. She holds several distinctions including becoming one of the first
women from her community to wear an upper cloth, the first Scheduled Caste woman
graduate in India, a science graduate, a member of the Cochin Legislative Council and of
being one of nine female members of the Constituent Assembly of India. But it is not
correct to mention that she was one of the first women from her community to wear an
upper cloth. Her elder sister and her mother Thayyithara Maani may be given this
credit prior to her. Mother Maani lived up to the post independent period in India and
died in 1959.
Honouring Dakshayani Velayudhan, the first and only Dalit woman MLA, the Kerala
government has constituted the ‘Dakshayani Velayudhan Award’ which will be given to
women who contributed in empowering other women in the state.

Dakshayani Velayudhan was the only Dalit woman and the youngest member of the
Indian Constituent Assembly amongst 299 members and 15 women. She was born
in 1912 in the Mulavukad village of Ernakulam district and belonged to the Pulaya
community in Cochin. The Pulayas were mostly agricultural labourers.

Early life
Women from the Pulaya community were prohibited by dominant caste persons from
covering their torsos (they were only permitted to cover themselves with bead
necklaces), having access to education, cutting their hair or even coming in close
proximity to people from dominant castes. Dakshayani Velayudhan defied these norms
since she was a little child.

Her name was a marker of subversion in itself, as she was given an unconventional
name for a Dalit girl, who were given names such as Kurumba, Poomala, Thara, etc. In
contrast, her parents named her Dakshayani, meaning Durga or daughter of Daksha.
She recalls in her autobiography how Pulaya women pointed out that she was given an
Ezhava girl’s name, a caste although considered backwards, more privileged than the
Pulayas.She never thought of herself as dispossessed and talked about the love and
attention she received from her father amongst her five siblings.

She grew up being inspired by the extraordinary forms of protests organised by

the Pulaya Mahajan Sabha. The Dalit leaders met and protested on boats – in a lake
meeting on Vembanadu lake, as a form of defiance against the king’s rule according to
which no Dalit groups could have their meetings on his land.

Foray into subversion: education and employment

She and her family instigated resistance against dominant caste members as she
became one of the first lower caste girls to cover her torso and receive an education at
a government school. She further proceeded to pursue a Bachelors degree in Chemistry
from the Maharaja’s College in Ernakulam, with a scholarship from the Cochin state
government.Dakshayani faced discrimination due to being the only woman in class and
for belonging to a non-dominant community. She was prohibited from observing
experiments by a dominant caste teacher. That did not deter her and she went on to
earn the second position in class and became the first Dalit woman to earn a degree.

Following the completion of her degree, she taught in an Ezhava-dominated high

school. The time she spent as a high school teacher was peppered with various
instances of discrimination and her refusal to put up with such behaviour.

One such instance occurred some time after she had started teaching. She encountered
a Nair woman who demanded that she get off the road to the paddy fields on the side,
to make way for her. However, Dakshayani refused and stated if she wished to walk
past her, she should get down the path and walk. The dominant caste woman conceded
to her demands and walked through the paddy fields.

n 1940, she married Dalit leader Raman Kelan Velayudhan at Sevagram in Wardha, in M
K Gandhi and Kasturba Gandhi’s presence while a leper priest conducted the ceremony.
She did not convert to Christianity as many of her family members had done.

Activism and her role in the making of the constitution

The disillusionment with the institutional ability to counter systematic discrimination
made her approach politics as a practical means to challenge and eradicate
discrimination. She contested elections from a scheduled caste seat in the Cochin
legislative council, in the footsteps of her brother KP Vallon.

She was also nominated to the constituent assembly from Madras. She was the only
Dalit woman leader in the constituent assembly, surrounded by women such as Sarojini
Naidu, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Hansa Jivraj Mehta, etc. She was criticised for asking too
many questions while the assembly would be in session.

She was proactive when it came to the welfare of non-dominant caste persons in the
parliament. There are a few instances when she had to face sexist remarks for having
talked about wellbeing and due rights more than her time limit. The chairperson, in
response to her exceeding her time limit, stated that “You have exceeded your time
limit, I’m only allowing you to speak because you’re a woman”.

She was a staunch supporter of both Gandhi and Ambedkar, with the objective of
ending caste discrimination and making it illegal. She staunchly supported the idea of a
socialist republic with a strong centre. She was very vocal in her support for Article 17
of the Indian Constitution.

She differed from Ambedkar when she questioned the idea of reservations and
separate electorates and their conducive effect on eradication of caste and inequality.
For her, assigning separate electorates would not be conducive to the annihilation of
inequality unless structural reforms like moral safeguards were implemented.

After her time as a member of the Constituent Assembly and the provisional
parliament, Dakshayani Velayudhan retired from active politics and worked for
underprivileged groups. Later in life, she went on to organise a forum for Ambedkarite
women titled Mahila Jagriti Parishad in Delhi to work among slum dwellers.

The political understanding of oppression and inequality and how it manifests itself in
one’s personal life led her to consciously question archaic beliefs and habits, even in the
most ordinary of instances. Her daughter Meera recalled how once when she was
preparing for exams with a slouched back, her mother corrected her and reminded her
to sit straight, reminding her of the years of oppression that enforced the slouching of
one’s back in the presence of dominant castes.It is from these anecdotes that one can
trace her personal and political evolution and get an idea of the courage she carried
with her uncompromising ideas. Her legacy still lives with the constitution which
promoted her ideas of equality.

3. “Although a Gandhian, she was with B.R. Ambedkar’s take on many

issues”. Elaborate the differences of opinion between Gandhi and Ambedkar.

Gandhi viewed untouchability as a flaw in Hinduism and believed it could be removed

if efforts were put in. Ambedkar believed that it was a practice in Hinduism and
couldn’t be separated from the religion. Gandhi mainly fought for political
independence while Ambedkar fought for the social and economic freedom of the
depressed classes. Gandhi supported the Varnashrama dharma and also believed that
the depressed classes could be still be made equal in the hierarchy by changing the
mindsets of the people. But for Ambedkar, untouchables were “a part apart” (he once
use this phrase for himself and indicated he was a part of these uniquely oppressed
people). Ambedkar believed the people had to adopt an entirely new religion to lead a
normal life and not that in which he is oppressed.Gandhi was reformer and an ascetic
while Ambedkar was a fighter and a revolutionary.

Although a Gandhian, Dakshayani Velayudhan was with B.R. Ambedkar’s take on

many issues. On the draft constitution, she expressed her appreciation while calling
for greater decentralisation. She intervened during the discussion on Draft Article 11
(Art 17 of the Constitution) which aimed at abolishing discrimination based on caste,
and making it punishable by law. She said,”We cannot expect a Constitution without a
clause relating to untouchability.”She was proactive when it came to the welfare of
non-dominant caste persons in the parliament.

Dakshayani Velayudhan said that the Constituent Assembly should have gone
beyond framing a Constitution. It should give people a new framework for life, use the
opportunity to make untouchability illegal, and ensure moral safeguards that would
give real protection to the underdogs of India. Her idea of moral safeguards rested on
the idea that only an independent socialist republic could remove social disabilities
and offer civil liberties to every citizen.

‘Learning to be a Mother’

Shashi Deshpande

Comprehension Questions (Answer in a sentence or two)

1. What are the “nuggets of wisdom” that the author is talking about?

Ans. She learnt that a mother is like God. All loving and all forgiving. She is also as
sacred as God, therefore, to hurt her is to commit a sin.She learnt that a mother is
constantly sacrificing herself for her children and that a mother is one’s refuge. She is
the one person who will always understand and sympathise. She learnt that childbirth
is a painful but joyous process. She learnt that love springs joyously and spontaneously
in you the moment you become a mother and that nobility and goodness follow just as
naturally.

2. What did Shashi Deshpande realise aout a mother swhen she was a child?

Ans.She saw that mothers often tire of their children. She realized that mothers want
you to be what you are not and not to be what you are. She saw that mothers hold out
their love like a carrot - a prize for what they consider good behaviour. Their love is not
unconditional and be sometimes be taken away. She knew that mothers can be partial
and even play off one child against another. It is wise never to tell one’s mother one’s
real feelings and secrets. These can be used against you and become a family joke.

3. What happened to the realisation as she grew older?

Ans. As the author grew older she realized that mothers can and do thwart their
children’s ambitions that they can stifle children’s desires, that mothers who say they
want nothing for themselves, try to get things through their children. A mother’s
sacrifice can become a rope to tether her children to herself and can be used as a
weapon in the never-ending mother-child warfare.

4. What is the author nostalgic about?

Ans.She is nostalgic about the days when she had been a girl, ‘half-savage, hardy and
free.’

5.What were the “tangled threads” that Shashi Deshpande eventually unravelled?

Ans.She realized that her mother had lost her mother when she had been only an
infant. Her idealization of her mother role was a fantasy she indulged in. The guilt that
the author heaped on herself was due to the fact that she could in no way come near
this fantasy figure.

6.Comment on the portrayal of mothers in movies.

Ans. Movies portray a mother as just that - a mother pure and simple, absolutely
nothing else. She is often a widow, so that she need not even be a wife. All attributes are
squeezed out of her, so that she is shorn of even humanhood, leaving behind nothing
but motherhood. All her dreams, her desires, ambitions, joys and sorrows centre
around her children.
7. How is a mother portrayed in the stories of Shashi Deshpande as mentioned in
the essay?

Ans. There is confusion and anger regarding motherhood in Shashi Deshpande’s

stories. In her story called “Death of a Child” a woman decides to abort an unwanted
foetus. In the novel The Dark Holds no Terrors, there is mother-daughter conflict at its
core. These writings are devoid of sentimentality and appear cruel.

8. What is “perfect motherhood” according to the author?

Ans. The author believes that there is nothing called “perfect motherhood”.
Motherhood is something that cannot be calibrated.

9. What are the doubts and agonies of a new mother?

Ans. A new mother feels trapped, wants freedom, is resentful and angry when she is
deprived of sleep and is not allowed a single moment to herself.

10. Why does the author feel guilty?

Ans. The author feels guilty because she feels that she had neglected her children in
order to foster her creativity. She fears that by putting herself and her work first she
had failed her children.

11. What is Bernard Shaw’s opinion about parenthood?

Ans.Bernard Shaw’s opinion about parenthood is that it is the most difficult of all
professions. However people take it up without any qualifications for it.

12. What is the concept of self-sacrifice that the author is talking about?

Ans. A mother is often illustrated as a woman with abundant love for all, endless
patience and eternal glory. She is a friend to her children, always there when
needed.This perception often veils her humanness and her true identity.

Paragraph questions ( 80-100 words)

1. What is the stereotypical image of a mother in our society?

Ans.A mother is often seen as a woman with abundant love for all, endless patience
and eternal glory. She is a friend to her children, always there when needed.This
perception often veils her humanness and her true identity. In the Indian socio-cultural
Indian setting a mother’s desires, dreams and potential are often suppressed or
crushed. Children of all ages expect their mother to put them first, and are never
comfortable with the thought of their mother having a life of her own.She is also as
sacred as God, therefore, to hurt her is to commit a sin. A mother is constantly
sacrificing herself for her children and a mother is one’s refuge. She is the one person
who will always understand and sympathise.

2. What was the author’s personal experience of being a mother?

Ans.When she became a mother herself, she realized that childbirth is not only a
hideously painful process, but a cruel and ugly one as well. She learnt that nothing
comes naturally, not even breast feeding. She realized that she did not change and
become an enirely different person when she became a mother. Nobility and goodness
did not suddenly descend on her. She realized too that motherhood is a state of
vulnerability. She became wide open to pain. She also went through doubts and agonies
regarding her abilities as a mother. She was anxious as well as joyful about her baby
but also felt tht she was being swallowed up. She was badly affected by lack of sleep.

3. Discuss the statement”When you become a mother, you don’t just become
A Mother.”

Ans. The author explains that on becoming a mother one does not automatically shed
all one’s personality and become just “A Mother”. You are still the person you were- an
individual who has lived and developed for years before becoming a mother.
Motherhood is neither sacred nor holy - it is natural. Since nature wants you to nurture
the very vulnerable young life that you have produced, it links you to it, in such a way
that the child becomes an extension of yourself. One should not expect the link to stay
the same way, even after that need for which nature has instilled it in you is over.
Nature’s goal is birth and survival, no more.

4. What are the general characteristics that are displayed by mothers?

Ans.Most mothers carry fantasy figures of ideal mothers in their minds.They find it
difficult to give up the idea of ‘special-ness’of mothers. Mothers can and do thwart their
children’s ambitions that they can stifle children’s desires, that mothers who say they
want nothing for themselves, try to get things through their children. A mother’s
sacrifice can become a rope to tether her children to herself and can be used as a
weapon in the never-ending mother-child warfare.Mothers often tire of their children.
Mothers want you to be what you are not and not to be what you are. Mothers hold out
their love like a carrot - a prize for what they consider good behaviour. Their love is not
unconditional and be sometimes be taken away. Mothers can be partial and even play
off one child against another.

5. What are the fearful things that can happen to a woman who is only a
mother?

Ans. A woman who is only a mother places too much expectations on her
children.Motherhood becomes a monster that devours both her and her young. When
the children go away, there is an emptiness wich is filled with frustration and despair.
She has unreasonable and unrealistic hopes about her family. She has forgotten that
she is a human being in her own right. She has failed to create a space for herself, a
space in which she can explore her own creative impulses.

Essay:Answer the following in about 200-250 words.

1.Who is an ideal mother? Discuss.

A mother not only gestates and reproduces a human being, but she also nurtures and
acts as a potential catalyst for that human's cultural and social transformation.
Motherhood is one of the most publicly controlled institutions in modern and
traditional societies alike.

Shashi Deshpande shares her touching experience of being mother and daughter
or both. The various facets of motherhood, especially the issues surrounding the ideals
and reality of motherhood are scrutinized and analyzed in great detail. The essay is a
personal narrative by the author on being a mother, the challenges she has faced as a
parent and the strain of balancing the multiple roles of motherhood and professional
vision in contemporary India. A mother is often illustrated as a woman with abundant
love for all, endless sacrifice and eternal glory. This perception often veils her
humanness and her true identity. In the Indian socio-cultural Indian setting a mother’s
desires, dreams and potentials are often suppressed or crushed. Some of the author’s
reminiscences provide a vivid account of her struggle to be socially accepted while also
fulfilling multiple role expectations of daughter, and mother. Deshpande wishes to be
different from the version of Indian mother ingrained in her consciousness by her
mother. She ponders over the familiar problems of competing responsibilities . Is
motherhood a full time job? Can a mother be a writer too? Yes, if she can manage the
work load , lack of rest and constant guilt. Her own performance as a mother filed her
with feelings of guilt and inadequacy. Her urge to write added fuel to her creativity .
How could she shut the door on a child who wanted her? Yet how could she shut the
door own her creativity. Being a self reflexive woman Deshpande knew the fact that she
was inefficient , confused, unreasonable, tyrannical. At the same time she wished to be a
very good mother always in need of her children, but she could never accomplish her
dream of being a good mother in the middle of her individual desire to write. She is
constantly haunted by a sense of guilt over her incapability as a good mother. Her urge
to read hampers her motherly duties. For her, selflessness and creativity are uneasy
partners. Creativity demands that you put yourself first. And to put oneself, one’s work
first-is to fail one’s children. Children of all ages expect their mother to put them first,
and are never comfortable with the thought of their mother having a life of her own.
Caught in the crossfire between individual responsibility and motherly duties,
Deshpande preferred to choose her career as a writer leaving her children aside so as
to fill the vacuum that exists within her. She claims that her children no longer need
her , but her life does not seem empty. She proves that when you become a mother, you
do not automatically shed your personality and become just a mother. You are still the
person you were-an individual who has lived and developed for years before becoming
a mother. Motherhood is neither sacred nor holy-it is natural. Thus she suggests that
the way to look at motherhood is to treat it as one of many roles of a woman. Not a
state that defines her and puts her in a box ,but a role that helps her to grow as a human
being.“I am a human being first and a mother next” she concludes.

A woman, especially a mother has to struggle to meet and fulfill societal and
familial expectations but even through this Deshpande has worked hard to generate
her own spaces. The strains of balancing modern motherhood and a professional
career is narrated by Deshpande. Shashi Deshpande, in her essay, ‘Learning to be a
mother’ has exquisitely written about how she maintained a balance between
motherhood and creative writing. She was determined to do justice to both of these
things, though creativity demands that you put yourself first. The myths and realities of
motherhood are discussed elaborately in this essay. Far from being an unchanged static
category, motherhood is capable of many permutations, refracting some of the major
satisfactory categories.

She also points out that the over emphasized motherhood myth can be taken as
the most effective boost to the patriarchal control system over women which traps not
only her body, but also her mind. Shashi Deshpande, has written very beautifully about
modern motherhood. She reiterates that motherhood is only one facet of humanness,
and the idea of the special nature of mothers and motherhood is something we have
been toting around for too long and find difficult to give up. She felt that the dawn of
motherhood in her life did not immediately or automatically infuse her with nobility
and goodness.

Conversely, she discovered that motherhood in fact inflicted in her a state of

vulnerability. She found that the portrayed and culturally accepted media clichéd
stereo-typical role of motherhood often crept into her subconscious to haunt her
credibility and adequacy as a good mother. These revelations about motherhood and
mothers highlight the fact that motherhood is something that cannot be calibrated and
a ‘realistic mother’ can be far different from an ‘ideal mother’. Feelings of inadequacy
could prevent one from being a good mother. Identifying our own potential, creativity
and limitations, one has to look forward to utilizing the most out of it so as to provide a
better future for ourselves as well as for our children, especially our daughters, in this
gender-biased society.

2.Discuss the stereotypical image of a perfect mother as portrayed in movies.

Ans.Shashi Deshpande has written very beautifully about modern motherhood.

She reiterates that motherhood is only one facet of humanness, and the idea of the
special nature of mothers and motherhood is something we have been toting around
for too long and find difficult to give up. She felt that the dawn of motherhood in her life
did not immediately or automatically infuse her with nobility and goodness.

Conversely, she discovered that motherhood in fact inflicted in her a state of

vulnerability. She found that the portrayed and culturally accepted media clichéd
stereo-typical role of motherhood often crept into her subconscious to haunt her
credibility and adequacy as a good mother. These revelations about motherhood and
mothers highlight the fact that motherhood is something that cannot be calibrated and
a ‘realistic mother’ can be far different from an ‘ideal mother’.

Movies portray a mother as just that - a mother pure and simple, absolutely
nothing else. She is often a widow, so that she need not even be a wife. All attributes are
squeezed out of her, so that she is shorn of even humanhood, leaving behind nothing
but motherhood. All her dreams, her desires, ambitions, joys and sorrows centre
around her children. She also points out that the over emphasized motherhood myth
can be taken as the most effective boost to the patriarchal control system over women
which traps not only her body, but also her mind.

3.Can a woman be a successful mother and a successful writer at the same

time? Discuss.

Ans. Shashi Deshpande ponders over the familiar problems of competing

responsibilities . Is motherhood a full time job? Can a mother be a writer too? Yes, if she
can manage the work load , lack of rest and constant guilt. Her own performance as a
mother filed her with feelings of guilt and inadequacy. Her urge to write added fuel to
her creativity . How could she shut the door on a child who wanted her? Yet how could
she shut the door on her creativity. At the same time she wished to be a very good
mother always in need of her children, but she could never accomplish her dream of
being a good mother in the middle of her individual desire to write. . Her urge to read
hampers her motherly duties. For her, selflessness and creativity are uneasy partners.
Creativity demands that you put yourself first. And to put oneself, one’s work first-is to
fail one’s children. In her biography of Charlotte Bronte Mrs Gaskell wrote that when a
man becomes an author, it is merely a change of employment. But no other can take up
the quiet regular duties of the daughter, wife or the mother. Thus we have a long line
of childless women writers. For modern women writers it is no longer a quiestion of
either/or. Women want both work and family life. Deshpande got married, had children
and began writing. None of these were conscious choices. She drifted into all of them.
She did all her writing in the ‘wretchedly limited working time’ as the artist mother
Kathe Kollwitz said. Women writers try to never cut into family time. They try to work
at night. Most writers have to do this. They make choices, give up everything else but
their family and writing. Caught in the crossfire between individual responsibility and
motherly duties, Deshpande preferred to choose her career as a writer leaving her
children aside so as to fill the vacuum that exists within her. She claims that her
children no longer need her , but her life does not seem empty. She proves that when
you become a mother, you do not automatically shed your personality and become just
a mother. Thus she suggests that the way to look at motherhood is to treat it as one of
many roles of a woman.

Lalithambika Antharjanam

Introduction

The Kerala Brahmin caste of Namboodiris in the 1900s were for the most part wealthy
landowners whose influence extended to the royal houses of Travancore and Malabar,
and who were widely regarded as ‘keepers’ of the Hindu scriptures, brahminical
learning, and the Hindu caste hierarchy since they occupied its topmost tier in the
state.While Namboodiri men wielded a great deal of social, cultural, and personal
power, the community lived by a strict patriarchal and patrilineal code of ritual
seclusion for their women, often giving prepubescent girls in marriage to men fifty or
sixty years older than them, consigning women exclusively to the kitchen at puberty,
forbidding them from getting an education, prescribing rigorous ritual seclusion for
widows, including child widows, prohibiting widow remarriage, and casting out or
ostracising women from family and community if they dared to question, confront or
reject any of the strictures placed upon them. The term “antharjanam“ is a Namboodiri
caste name; it literally means “one who lives in the interiors.” A cognate is the gendered
feminine form “akathullol“ or “one who is inside.” It was primarily this women’s world
that Lalithambika delineated with great compassion and boundless imagination in over
a hundred short stories written over a period of forty years between the late 1930s and
1970s. In shedding light on the inhuman indignities suffered by Namboodiri women in
Kerala, Lalithambika’s stories shed light on all toxic patriarchal structures and held
them accountable for the gendered abuse of women for all times.

Lalithambika’s chosen form was the short story, which she described as “the art form
best suited to the powerful interpretation of a comprehensive union of thought and
emotion.” Indeed, her stories, while exhibiting a heavy preference for the diegetic
narrator, explore the innermost thoughts of abject women (and men) with an
immediacy and rawness that contain an urgent social critique. In 1976, she won the
state’s prestigious Vayalar award, the Kerala Sahitya Akademi award and the Kendra
Sahitya Akademi award for her one and only novel, Agnisakshi.
Lalithambika was born in 1909 to a traditional Namboodiri household in Kottavattom
in Kollam district, Kerala. Unlike many Namboodiri girls of her generation,
Lalithambika’s parents, particularly her progressive father, allowed her to secure an
informal primary education along with her brothers that was supplemented with
informal discourses on literature, religion, nationalism et al that amorphously and
inconsistently rippled through the family home as well as the larger Kerala society.

As a child and young woman, Lalithambika grew attracted to the ideas and ideals of
Gandhi, Vivekananda, and Tagore. Tagore’s depiction of women in the traditional
Bengali society, in particular, influenced the young writer, and Lalithambika referred to
Tagore as “[her] god in the early phase of my literary career.” In the early 1930s, when
Lalithambika started writing, Kerala was a cauldron of social reform movements that
confronted several social inequities, particularly the intersectional oppression
perpetrated on putative lower castes, non-Hindu religions, and women, through a
sickly confluence of caste, religion and gender prejudices. The anti-colonial and anti-
feudal Mappilla Uprising (1921), and Vaikom Satyagraham (1924), and Guruvayur
Satyagraham (1931) against untouchability were all social protests against such
inequities. Namboodiri women and Muslim women were the most ritually secluded in
terms of their access to education and freedom of movement. In her writings,
Lalithambika often acknowledges her debt to Sree Narayana Guru and Kumaran Asan
who connected gender oppression to caste oppression in his famous long
poem Duravastha where a Namboodiri woman falls in love with a lower caste Pulaya
man in the fiery days of the Mappila rebellion.Lalithambika’s life was personally
affected by the reformist movements led within the Namboodiri community by
pioneering reformers and writer-activists such as V. T. Bhattathiripad who
wrote Adukkalayilninnu Arangathekku and M. R. Bhattathiripad who
wrote Marakkudayile Mahanarakam . 2019 marks the 110th anniversary of
Lalithambika’s birth. In her unshaken faith in the power of art to raise up the
awareness of people, Lalithambika modeled the existentially engaged writer.
In Kathakarthriyude Marupadi (A Woman Writer’s Reply) (1962), Lalithambika
described artistic work as a structural effort. She says, “I believe that even as the artist,
man or woman, pulls down the girders of a narrow, decayed society, he or she must
also forge the tools to build a cultured and wholesome new structure in its place”. This
beneficence of a creatrix, primarily in the role of a nurturing mother, struggled with the
social activist and critic in Lalithambika’s stories, but the conversations she started
about women’s rights and roles reach well into our own times for our own intellectual
and social engagements about the human rights of women.

Comprehension Questions (Answer in two to three sentences)

1. What is the name of the newspaper the character Pappi was reading?

Ans.Pappi was reading the Yogakshemam newspaper.

2. What is the reason for the baby’s wailing?

Ans. Pappi shoved aside the nursing baby from her lap. This caused the baby to wail.

3. Why does Pappi’s husband shout with anger at her?

Ans. Pappi’s husband shouts with anger at her because she failed to provide him with
coffee. He is also irritated with the baby’s wailing.

4. How does the granny react when Unni shouts at his wife?

Ans. The granny says that Unni is served right for having taught his wife, encouraging
her to cast away her marakuda and puthappu and wear modern clothes, to take part in
public speeches and Sabha activities. The granny accuses Pappi of neglecting her
domestic and family duties, finding time only to read the paper.

5. How does Pappi react to her husband’s anger?

Ans. Pappi reacts calmly that she had not said no to the horses being harnessed to the
carriage. But if the horses were not fed properly they might lose speed.

6. What does Pappi say when her husband walks out with rage after attempting
to slap her?

Ans. She speaks softly and wonderingly to herself that her husband belongs to the
progressive lot , the community leaders. Even so,he was prepared to slap her for
reading the newspaper while she was nursing the baby.

7. How did NP bring in social transformation in his own family?

Ans. Caught in the urge of social transformation he reformed his beloved’s attire and
ushered her into the spacesof public speaking and newspaper columns.

8. How did his revolutionist attitude change over a period of time?

Ans. When the urge for novelty slowly subsided, NP withdrew like many others. He fell
at the feet of repentance and purified himself.

9. How did the article in Yogakshemam affect Pappi?

Ans. The article in Yogakshemam hit her hard. It wounded her self-oride. Mixed feelings
of loathing, reproach and hate about its author left her in a state of grief.

10. Who is the author of the article in Yogakshemam?

Ans.The author of the article in Yogakshemam is NP.

11. What is the content of the article? Why does Pappi tell her husband about
it?
Ans. The article downrightly abuses antarjanams as incapable of speaking unless men
scripted their speeches for them to memorise.

12. What was N.P.’s reaction when a rejoinder penned by an antharjanam

appeared in the paper?

Ans. NP is taken aback at the harsh rejoinder from an antharjanam. He assumes that it
was surely penned by a man. He believes that an antarjanam who knows no better than
to quarrel in the kitchen side and worship the saddle quern could never write so
profoundly.

13. What is the title of the second rejoinder by the antharjanam in the next
issue of the paper?

Ans. The title of the second rejoinder by the antharjanam in the next issue of the paper
is “The Blindness of Namboodiri Youth or Their Audacity…they assume that they spin
the wheels of time.”

14. How does the husband react when he learns that it was his wife who wrote
under the pseudonym antharjanam ?

Ans. He is shocked and accuses her of turning against her own husband.

15. Does the story end on a positive note? Why?

Ans. The story ends on a positive note because the husband feels boundless pride and
joy at his wife’s attempts to redeem the self-esteem of the antarjanams. He feels she
should triumph over him. He feels it will be his victory too.

Answer the following in 80-100 words

1. The predicament of women in Namboothiri community as portrayed in the

story.

Ans. While Namboodiri men wielded a great deal of social, cultural, and personal
power, the community lived by a strict patriarchal and patrilineal code of ritual
seclusion for their women, consigning women exclusively to the kitchen at puberty,
forbidding them from getting an education, prescribing rigorous ritual seclusion for
widows, including child widows, prohibiting widow remarriage, and casting out or
ostracising women from family and community if they dared to question, confront or
reject any of the strictures placed upon them. The term “antharjanam“ is a Namboodiri
caste name; it literally means “one who lives in the interiors.” Pappi, the protagonist,
was ushered into public spaces and newspaper columns by her husband. He
encouraged her to cast away her marakuda and puthappu and wear modern clothes, to
take part in public speeches and Sabha activities. However he relapses into orthodoxy
after a short time. The granny in the house accuses Pappi of neglecting her domestic
and family duties, finding time only to read the paper. The novel ideas that Pappi had
imbibed did not die in her. The wisdom she had garnered did not die, but continued
to enthuse her. Pappi has to command over all affairs in the kitchen as well as take care
of the five-six babies who were born every passing year.

2. Write a note on the character Pappi.

Ans. Pappi, the protagonist, was ushered into public spaces and newspaper columns
by her husband. He encouraged her to cast away her marakuda and puthappu and wear
modern clothes, to take part in public speeches and Sabha activities. However he
relapses into orthodoxy after a short time. The granny in the house accuses Pappi of
neglecting her domestic and family duties, finding time only to read the paper. The
novel ideas that Pappi had imbibed did not die in her. The wisdom she had garnered
did not die, but continued to enthuse her. Pappi has to command over all affairs in the
kitchen as well as take care of the five-six babies who were born every passing year.
Pappi is a very enlightened young woman. In spite of extreme provocation, she reacts
very gently and civilly to the aspersions cast against antarjanams in the Yogakshemam
newspaper.

3.The Yogakshema Sabha and the empowerment of women.

Ans. A revolutionary group of Namboothiris congregated in Cherumukku Vaidikan's

Illom located on the bank of the Periyar River, on the Mahaasivaraathri day of Feb-Mar,
1908. The meeting was presided over by Desamangalam Valiya Sankaran
Nambudiripad. This event, in fact, gave birth to Namboothiri Yogakshema Mahaasabha
later known as Yogakshema sabha. This movement was spearheaded by stalwarts like
Kurur Unni Nambudiripad, Chittoor Narayanan Namboothirippad and V.T.
Bhattathiripad. The main objectives of the young Namboothiris was to remove the
superstition and customs that they saw as redundant in the new era of Western
education and upward mobility. V.T. Bhattathiripad, which brought about some
semblance of modernization to the community. He was very much radical in the action
and desired change not only for the Namboothiri community but for the entire Kerala
society. He encouraged widow remarriage in the Brahmin society and tried to reform
the conservative practices of the Namboothiri community in particular and the society
at large. He conducted the first mixed-race marriage in the Brahmin society. Uma
Antharjanam, Parvati Nenminimangalam, Arya Pallam, Kainikkara Devaki Antharjanam,
Lalitambika Antharjanam etc. were the industrious women activists in Yogakshema
sabha.

4.Yogakshemam as the mouthpiece of Yogakshema sabha.

 Ans.TheYogakshema Sabha was formed initially with broad objectives, with a major
thrust on eradication of both illiteracy and lack of modern education. One of the
resolutions of the second annual meeting emphatically brought forth these
aspects. The Sabha started a monthly publication called "Yogakshemam", as a medium
to create awareness among all members of the community as to why the Sabha was
formed, what its aims and objectives are and how they can be achieved. The essentiality
of English education and the drawbacks in its absence, were themes which were
constantly treated in the magazine.

5.History of the formation of caste organisations to initiate social reforms in Kerala.

Ans.The foundations of social changes in Kerala go back to the 16th century. Narayana
Guru, Ayyankali and others belonged to caste groups considered lower in the social strata
of 19th century Kerala. Ayyankali gave impetus to the early dalit movements in Kerala.
Hence most of them emphasized the need for abolition of the caste system rather than its
reformation.A social reformer, revolutionary, poet, rationalist, an impeccable
administrator and a legislator who brought in several landmark legislations, Sahodaran
Ayyappan is considered one of the foremost figures who changed the face of history in
Kerala.The untiring endurance of Narayana Guru and his Sree Narayana Dharma
Paripalana Movement (S.N.D.P) brought many changes in the society. The movement
established new schools and created new social idioms for Ezhavas. The movement created
a public space for women.

6. Narrate the episode that lays bare the hypocrisy of the reformist husband.

Ans. NP, Pappi’s husband shouts with anger at her because she failed to provide him
with coffee on time. He is also irritated with the baby’s wailing. He regrets having
uplifted her from ignorance and seclusion.NP writes an article which downrightly
abuses antarjanams as incapable of speaking unless men scripted their speeches for
them to memorise. NP is taken aback at the harsh rejoinder from an antharjanam. He
assumes that it was surely penned by a man. He believes that an antarjanam who
knows no better than to quarrel in the kitchen side and worship the saddle quern
could never write so profoundly.

1. “What a state of affairs . If Your father was in my place, he would have smashed
your bones.” Comment.

Ans. These words of NP suggest that Pappi’s father was an extremely orthodox and
patriarchal man.The earlier generation of antarjanams had to suffer extreme seclusion
and social alienation. NP prides himself that he is enlightened and modern. This does
not prevent him from contemplating or attempting physical violence on his wife for the
trivial reason that she had not served him coffee on time. He is also irritated with the
baby’s wailing. He regrets having uplifted her from ignorance and seclusion.

2. Comment on the title “Is this Desirable?”

Ans. Namboothiri men who considered themselves progressive uplifted the
antarjanams from ignorance and social seclusion.They gave these women motivation
and eagerness to think and speak. Then the namboothiri men went on to monopolise
thought and speech and raised the question “Is this Desirable?” in all their
writings.They regret having uplifted women . Pappi on behalf of the antarjanams in her
community raises the question back. She questions the arrogance of the namboothiri
youth and the rigid patriarchal structures of her community. She questions the
regressive attitude of the namboothiri men who wish to silence the women and curb
the intellectual aspirations of the women folk in the community. After enthusing them
with the eagerness to think the Namboothiri men attempt to enclose these women once
more within the walls of the houses.It is this regressive attitude that is being
questioned in the title.

III. Answer the following in 200-250 words.

How does Lalithambika Antharjanam bring to light the rigid patriarchal

structures that account for the gendered abuse of women through the portrayal
of the man-woman relationship in marriage?

Ans. In shedding light on the inhuman indignities suffered by Namboodiri women in

Kerala, Lalithambika Antharjanam’s story “Is this Desirable?”sheds light on all toxic
patriarchal structures and holds them accountable for the gendered abuse of women
for all times. While Namboodiri men wielded a great deal of social, cultural, and
personal power, the community lived by a strict patriarchal and patrilineal code of
ritual seclusion for their women, consigning women exclusively to the kitchen at
puberty, forbidding them from getting an education, prescribing rigorous ritual
seclusion for widows, including child widows, prohibiting widow remarriage, and
casting out or ostracising women from family and community if they dared to question,
confront or reject any of the strictures placed upon them. The term “antharjanam“ is a
Namboodiri caste name; it literally means “one who lives in the interiors.”

Pappi, the protagonist, was ushered into public spaces and newspaper columns by her
husband. He encouraged her to cast away her marakuda and puthappu and wear
modern clothes, to take part in public speeches and Sabha activities. However he
relapses into orthodoxy after a short time. The granny in the house accuses Pappi of
neglecting her domestic and family duties, finding time only to read the paper. The
novel ideas that Pappi had imbibed did not die in her. The wisdom she had garnered
did not die, but continued to enthuse her. Pappi has to command over all affairs in the
kitchen as well as take care of the five-six babies who were born every passing year.NP
writes an article which downrightly abuses antarjanams as incapable of speaking
unless men scripted their speeches for them to memorise. NP is taken aback at the
harsh rejoinder from an antharjanam. He is not aware that Pappi is the author. He
assumes that it was surely penned by a man. He believes that an antarjanam who
knows no better than to quarrel in the kitchen side and worship the saddle quern
could never write so profoundly.
Namboothiri men who considered themselves progressive uplifted the antarjanams
from ignorance and social seclusion.They gave these women motivation and eagerness
to think and speak. Then the namboothiri men went on to monopolise thought and
speech and raised the question “Is this Desirable?” in all their writings.They regret
having uplifted women . Pappi on behalf of the antarjanams in her community raises
the question back. She questions the arrogance of the namboothiri youth and the rigid
patriarchal structures of her community. She questions the regressive attitude of the
namboothiri men. Pappi is a very enlightened young woman. In spite of extreme
provocation, she reacts very gently and civilly to the aspersions cast against
antarjanams in the Yogakshemam newspaper. The story reveals the faultlines in the
marriage and the abusive relationship that NP entertains with his wife. However at the
end of the story he appears to regret his wrong doings and realises the true worth of
his wife.

Still I Rise

Short Summary

“Still I Rise” is an empowering poem written by African – American poet Maya Angelou.
The speaker of the poem is a black woman who addresses the white oppressor as
‘You’.The tone of the poem is defiant, angry, sarcastic, self-assured. The voice is of
oppressed who is talking about the oppression held for centuries. The poem is about
the struggle to overcome prejudice and injustice. The speaker is courageous, rebellious
and confident in attitude with self-respect.The poem is a symbol of hope for the
victimised. It is the fight by oppressed to the power misused by the oppressor. The
poem is universal in appeal though it is written against the backdrop of black slavery.

Stanza wise summary

Stanza 1. The poem is clearly addressed to the White oppressor by a black woman. The
stanza describes the false historical lies written by the oppressor in the historical
writings. The repeated use of the phrase ‘Still I Rise’ shows the firm self-belief of the
speaker that nothing can hold her back. Speaker compares herself with dust and says
like dust she will rise.

Stanza 2. Speaker is asking questions about the sadness of the oppressor. She has the
attitude as if she has got the oil wells that means she is happy and confident and her
attitude now has become her powerful weapon.

Stanza 3. The speaker compares herself with the certainty of suns and moons, simply
with the certainty of nature and with the hope that she will spring high.

Stanza 4. Speaker is asking questions about the unfulfilled expectations of the white
oppressor who did want to see the speaker as weak, broken and crying with bowed
head and lowered eyes.
Stanza 5. The speaker is saying that now her attitude is confident as though she has got
gold mines digging in her own backyard.

Stanza 6. The speaker now permits the white oppressor to use abusive words, to kill
with hateful looks, but it would be of no use because now like air she will rise.

Stanza 7. In this stanza, the speaker talks about the physical assault by the white
oppressor and says that as a fight against it, now she does not have a helpless attitude.

Stanza 8. Stanza 8 and 9 are irregular where the spirit of freedom reaches up to the
peak.

In stanza 8 she talks about the past which was rooted in pain, and out of the huts of
history’s shame, she will rise.

Here, the poet uses a metaphor that she is a black ocean very wide welling and swelling.

Now she has left behind the nights of terror and fear and the bright future is on the
way. The poet uses the bright image of a clear day. The speaker says she will rise to
bring the ancestors gifts. She is the dream and hope of the slave.

The poem ends with the repetition of phrase ‘I rise’ which encapsulates the idea that
now she has the firm belief over herself.

Section 1-‘Still’:

The word ‘still’ refers to ‘something happening for longer than expected’ or a situation
or action that continues to the present because it has not finished’.

The poet uses the word ‘still’ to connotate the perpetuity of the tyrannical oppression
of the society. By stating “bitter” and “twisted lies” she mocks and taunts the society for
making racial as well as sexist and discriminating comments and judgments. The poet
also states: “write me down in history” referring towards the notion that history is
written as per the society and its curriculum, and that those opposing it are always
portrayed as the antagonist and wrongdoers. Also, beautifully, referring towards the
superiority of the superior class and the inferiority of the inferior class, and how in the
eyes of the people the former are always correct and how the latter are always wrong
no matter what the situation.

Furthermore, the poet uses rhetorical questions such as “does my sassiness upset you?”
to taunt the racial society more. The entire fourth stanza can be taken into account at
that matter. The poet delineates for the readers the expectations of the society after
analyzing it herself. She states: “want to see me broken…lowered my eyes…shoulders
falling down…” This surmises for the readers the abusive society of that time and their
harassment.

In the sixth stanza when the poet states: “shoot…words”, “cut…eyes”,

“kill…hatefulness”, the readers are fully capable of comprehending the fact that the
persecutions still haven’t ended. They are ongoing, in fact, they have inflicted upon the
victims in every manner: “words, cuts, and hatefulness”. This choice of words and use of
tone intensifies the effect of the poem and adds a different layer to it; giving it more
emotion and integrity.

Section 2-‘I’:

The entire poem is composed in the first-person narrative. The letter ‘I’ in the title
informs the readers about the ensuing format of the poem.

Maya Angelou uses the first person narrative to her advantage in a very skilful manner
in order to boast about her success “oil wells…”, to rebuke the society and their unjust
customs “want to see me broken” and finally informing the world that no matter the
persecutions and sexist discrimination “still I’ll rise”.

Moreover, through this format, the readers are able to notice the poet’s tone of sarcasm
– “don’t you take it awful hard” – In a much better way while also noticing the poet’s
strong and tedious tone in the fourth, fifth and the sixth stanza. This helps the readers
to deduce that maybe Maya Angelou’s problems with the society and its people ran
deeper than it appeared on the outside.

Furthermore, the poet’s consummate use of the first-person narrative is most effective
towards the end of the poem when she compares herself to a “black ocean” stating that
she “bear’s” the “tides”. In the previous stanza, the poet similarly compares herself to
the “moons” and “the suns” and mentions the “certainty” of their “tide”. These two
stanzas and comparison’s, when juxtaposed together, could possibly allude towards the
same meaning: “the tides” referring to the disputes, obstacles and tyrannical
oppression of the society. The “black ocean” and the “moons” and “the suns” referring
towards the poet’s constant adherence and resilience; as the cycle of the sun and the
moon rotates in an on-going perpetuity; similarly, the “ocean”, no matter the raging
tides, still flows whilst adhering to the magnitude of the tides formulating within it.

Through this, the readers are able to comprehend and perceive the layers of symbolism
and allegories endowed within the poem by the poet for the readers and the world to
discern.

Section 3-‘Rise’:

The third word in the title of the poem is perhaps the most influential and critical in
accordance with the poem and the message which it is striving to convey.

The definition of ‘rise’ in the English Language is: “An upward movement; an instance
of rising”. Throughout the poem, the readers witness the various patterns in which the
poet urges those who are stifled within the shackles of oppression to ‘rise’ and take
action. As an example, the poet ridicules the society and their customs – as discussed
above – and rubs her success into their faces. Hence, she rises from within the
persecution and the harassment and urges others to do so too.

Towards the beginning, the poet enumerates the society’s oppression and then, in the
likes of a fatal incursion, she defiantly states that: “like dust, I’ll rise”, “like air, I’ll rise”.
Amongst those various reasons of comparing herself to “dust”, one could be the fact
that dust consists of small particles, yet it is fully capable of causing harm, for example,
blinding someone’s vision. Likewise, by comparing herself to “dust”, one could suggest
and allude that she was in fact warning the members of the society; warning them not
to think of her as a child; warning them not to think of her as dirt because “like dust”
she may be small but she is fully capable of causing them – and anyone else with such
intentions – harm; something which is clearly evident and portrayed in the fifth and the
sixth stanza of the poem, while also relevant throughout.

Moreover, ‘rise’ generally refers to an action. For example, a man was sitting down and
then he ‘rose’ up. Which forces the readers to ponder, from where or what does the
poet talk about rising from? The answer to this particular question can be obtained
from the last few stanzas of the poem: “History’s shame…”, “Past that’s rooted in
pain…”, “Nights of fear…” and “daybreak…wondrously clear”.

The poet talks about rising from within these oppressive and smothering situations
towards a better and brighter future that is “wondrously clear”. Her final repetition of
the sentence “I rise” three times explains the whirlwind of emotions blowing inside of
her and her dream of being treated as equal and with just.

Conclusion

Hence, in these ways, the very title of the poem surmises the message and allegories
running throughout the poem for the readers to contemplate. I would also like to
mention that these analyses are based upon my own perspectives and opinions. They
may be wrong but according to my understanding, they are corrected and accounted
for.

Questions and Answers

Q. What is the subject of the poem?

Ans. The writer’s angry protest against racial discrimination. The speaker speaks out
against the racial
prejudice and intolerance that she sees around her before making an appeal for black
pride and
dignity.

Q. Who is speaking?
Ans. 1st person narrative: “I”. A black woman.

Q. What is the location/setting of the poem?

Ans. This poem is written against the backdrop of invasive racism, racial
separation/isolation and prejudice in America during the 1950s and 1960s.
Q. What is the theme and message of the poem:
Ans. The message of the poem is that black people should rise and defeat all forms of
discrimination based on race.

Q. What are the attitudes and feelings in the poem?

Ans. The speaker is angry and bold, courageous, daring and determined.

Q. What is the tone of the poem?

Ans. 1. Anger and open defiance.
2. Speaker’s tone of boldness, courage & daring is evident in lines 5, 17, 25.
3. Speaker expresses her determination in lines 13-14.

Q. Why has the title “Still I Rise” been repeated many times in the poem
Ans. The title is repeated 10 times throughout the poem. This creates an atmosphere,
enables the harmony of the rhyme scheme & states & makes clear the theme of the
poem.

Q. Comment on how ‘Still I Rise’ celebrates the spirit of blacks.

Ans. Angelou’s most popular poem refers to the indomitable spirit of black people.
Despite adversity and racism, Angelou expresses her faith that she, the speaker, and the
whole of the black people will overcome their hardships and triumph.

Q. Explain the central idea or theme of the poem ‘Still I Rise’.

Ans. “Still I Rise” is primarily about self-respect and confidence. In the poem, Angelou
reveals how she will overcome anything through her self-esteem. She shows how
nothing can get her down. She will rise to any occasion and nothing, not even her skin
colour, will hold her back.

Q. Explain the hopeful end of the poem ‘Still I Rise’.

Ans. The poem ends with the repetition of phrase ‘I rise’ which encapsulates the idea
that now she has the firm belief over herself. She will rise to any occasion and nothing,
not even her skin colour, will hold her back.

Q. What is the structure of Still I Rise?

Ans. ‘Still I Rise’ is a nine stanza poem that’s separated into uneven sets of lines. The
first seven stanzas contain four lines, known as quatrains, stanzas eight has six lines
and the ninth has nine. The first seven stanzas follow a rhyme scheme of ABCB, the
eighth: ABABCC and the ninth: ABABCCBBB.

Q. What is the symbolism in Still I Rise?

Ans. In “Still I Rise,” Maya Angelou uses gold mines and oil wells as symbols of wealth
and confidence. She also uses natural imagery, including the sun, the moon, the tides,
and the air, to symbolize the inevitability of her continued rise beyond the reach of
oppression.
Q. What does the poem’s speaker mean by the phrase”I’ll rise”?
Ans. The speaker means that she as a female and women all around will rise up to the
occasion and defeat anything that is in their way. No one can stop them.

Q. Who is the audience of Still I Rise?

Ans. The audience of the poem is the people who have been oppressing the speaker for
most of her life. These people are the whites who believe they are superior to African
Americans and should possess more rights than they can.

Q. How does the repetition of the phrase, “I rise, “affect the tone and overall
impact of the poem?
Ans. The various forms of this refrain (“I’ll rise,” “I rise”) give the poem a determined
and triumphant tone. The repetition of a phrase gives it emphasis, and that is exactly
what the poet/speaker is doing here.

‘I am not that Woman’

Kishwar Naheed

Comprehension Questions (Answer in a sentence or two)

1. Who is “that” woman?

Ans. ‘That woman’ is a woman, who is exploited by society.She is crushed by the weight
of customs and traditions.

2. What is “that” woman doing?

Ans. She is selling socks and shoes using the allure of her nudity, being hid in walls of
stone, being crushed with the weight of custom and tradition and being bought and
sold.

3. Who is the ‘you’ mentioned in the poem?

Ans.It could be her father, her brother, her mother- in- law or male dominated society
that suppressed her.

4. What do the “walls of stone” signify?

Ans.The “walls of stone” signify the weight of customs and traditions that bind the
woman within domesticity.
 5.Who is crushed by the weight of customs and tradition in “I am not that
Woman”?
Ans.She wants to remind and caution the exploiter that even though she has been
hidden behind the walls, her voice cannot be smothered. She is aware that the
oppressor roams free as the breeze, but she is crushed by the weight of customs and
traditions.

6.What do custom and tradition do to a woman?

Ans. The woman is crushed by the weight of customs and traditions.

7.Is there any note of warning from the speaker?

Ans:She wants to remind and caution the exploiter that even though she has been
hidden behind the walls, her voice cannot be smothered.

8.In what name was the woman bought and sold?

Ans.The woman was bought and sold in the name of her own chastity.

9.What is the speaker’s take on marriage?

Ans.According to the speaker, even the parents consider her a burden, which resulted
in early marriage.

10.What does the speaker imply when she says that a nation of captive minds
can’t be free?

Ans.She states that a nation of captive minds can’t be free because true freedom arises
from freedom of thought . When women’s ideas are smothered, it vitiates the freedom of
the nation as a whole.

1. Who is referred to as the commodity?

Ans.The woman is referred to as the commodity because she is bought and sold in
the name of her own chastity.

2. What is the speaker capable of?/What are the abilities that the speaker
possesses?

Ans. The woman can walk on water when she is drowning. She can flower free.

3. What does the refrain “I am not that woman” signify?

Ans. The refrain “I am not that Woman” suggests both the explicit and discreet ways in
which women are oppressed in society.

14.What is the theme of the poem “I am not that Woman”?

Ans.“I am not that Woman” is an empowering poem reminding the world that women
deserve respect, and more importantly, women should appreciate their own power and
confidently respect themselves.
Answer the following in 80-100 words.
1. Analyse the tone of the poem.
Ans. The speaker is very bold and rebellious in expressing her consciousness of her
exploitation. She does not want to identify herself with the woman on the poster, who
sells socks and shoes. She is against the concept of woman being treated as a
commodity in the male dominated society. She wants to remind and caution the
exploiter that even though she has been hidden behind the walls, her voice cannot be
smothered. She is aware that the oppressor roams free as the breeze, but she is crushed
by the weight of customs and traditions. She asserts that light cannot be hidden in
darkness. The overall tone of the poem is strident .
2. Comment on the images “walls of stone” and “free as the breeze.”

Ans. The “walls of stone” signify the weight of customs and traditions that bind the
woman within domesticity. The woman is imprisoned within the walls of stone when
while men are free to enjoy all the freedom possible. She wants to remind and caution
the exploiter that even though she has been hidden behind the walls, her voice cannot
be smothered. She is aware that the oppressor roams free as the breeze, but she is
crushed by patriarchy. She is strongly against the idea of woman being treated as a
commodity in the male dominated society.

3. Write a short note on the figures of speech/ poetic devices used in the poem
Ans. The narrator uses first person narration to refer to the universal sufferings of
women all over the world. The poem uses refrain to stress the generic nature of
woman’s oppression, which was in prevalence from time immemorial in all nations.
The poet uses the technique of affirmation and denial, and a dialectical method to
arrive at the complex truth of women’s oppression within patriarchal societies.
Contrasts such as light and darkness, stone and breee, bought and sold are also
employed.

4. Explain the lines “Not knowing- That I can walk on water-When I am

drowning.”

Ans.The speaker is very bold and rebellious in expressing her consciousness of her
exploitation. She does not want to identify herself with the woman on the poster, who
sells socks and shoes. She is against the concept of woman being treated as a
commodity in the male dominated society. She wants to remind and caution the
exploiter that even though she has been hidden behind the walls, her voice cannot be
smothered. Even when women are subdued they somehow overcome their oppression
and rise to their fore. No power on earth can quell her strident voice.

5. What are the two different images of women contrasted in the poem?

Ans. The speaker presents women who have been crushed by customs and
traditions for generations. She is hidden away within walls. She is bought and sold in
the name of her own chastity. She is treated as mere commodity. She is married off
because she is seen as a burden by her own parents. Women are treated as a
commodity in the male dominated society. On the other hand she also presents an
alternative image of the woman who rises above her oppression, challenges her
oppressors, breaks off the shackles of domination and reveals a strong awareness of
her chastity, her motherhood and loyalty.

Essay Question (Answer in not more than 200-250 words)

Discuss the thematic concerns of the poem

“I am not that woman” is a poem written by Kishwar Naheed, an Indian born poet who
migrated to Pakistan. This poem shows the stereotyping of women in a patriarchal
society. The phrase ‘that woman’ in the title of the poem mocks at the general
conception of women in a male- chauvinistic society.

‘I am not that woman’ presents the picture of a woman, who is exploited by society. It
could be her father, her brother, or even her mother- in- law who suppressed her. She is
confined to the four walls of the house. Her activities are restricted only to domestic
work. Nobody pays any attention to her voice. She is crushed in the name of
meaningless custom and tradition. The speaker says that, people took advantage of her
by picking flowers and instead planted thorns and embers. The speaker gives the image
of a flower which is chained. She is bought and sold in the name of chastity. She is
treated worse than an animal. Even the parents consider her a burden, which resulted
in early marriage. The woman is considered more as a commodity to be traded in than
a human being, putting chastity, motherhood, and loyalty at stake. Thus the poem very
minutely brings out several aspects of woman’s submission and suppression.The
speaker is very conscious of her exploitation. She does not want to identify herself with
the woman on the poster, who sells socks and shoes. She is against the concept of
woman being treated as a commodity in the male dominated society. She wants to
remind and caution the exploiter that even though she has been hidden behind the
walls, her voice cannot be smothered. She is aware that the oppressor roams free as the
breeze, but she is crushed by the weight of customs and traditions. She asserts that
light cannot be hidden in darkness. The speaker talks about her motherhood. The
exploiter has picked flowers from her lap but planted thorns and embers. She rebels by
saying that chains cannot smother her fragrance. The society treated her as commodity,
bought and sold her in the name of her own chastity. Yet she can walk on water while
drowning. She is married off to get rid of a burden. She states that the nation of captive
minds can’t be free. She doesn’t want to be treated only in the name of chastity,
motherhood and loyalty. She wants to assert herself and prove that she has her own
identity and existence. Thus the poem brings out the hidden potential and rebellion
spirit of the speaker, who was once made to submit herself to the will and wish of her
oppressor. “I am not that Woman” is a poem directed towards the empowerment of
women. Through examining the treatment many eastern cultures uphold towards the
female race, Naheed boldly concludes that women are being oppressed and deserve to
be respected. “I am not that Woman” contrasts both the explicit and discreet ways in
which women are oppressed in society. Through a partially feminist lens, Naheed
makes the point that women deserve respect and they are not commodities. In a large
part of the east, women are oppressed explicitly by being locked behind doors and
being told that they can not become anything in life . This explicit oppression may be
absent in the west but Naheed states that women are being discreetly oppressed in
western cultures, by having their worth tied to their bodies. The beauty of women is
more often than naught used in advertisements to sell a variety of products, Naheed
makes a very valid point that this, too, is a form of oppression. Linking a women’s value
and self-worth to her body is a form of oppression in and of itself. “I am not that
Woman” is an empowering poem reminding the world that women deserve respect,
and more importantly, women should appreciate their own power and confidently
respect themselves.

The author opposes the control of men over women. She says that her
reputation is not limited to selling socks and shoes i.e., as a half naked model on the
poster. The woman too possesses an intellect and individuality which was not
recognized by the men. The speaker tries to explain how the women are discriminated
against by men. She complains that the man tries to conceal her identity in the walls of
stone, while he wanders around free as the breeze. But she says that her voice cannot
be smothered or stifled by stone walls.

The speaker highlights how the women have been crushed by the customs and
traditions for generations. She says that light cannot be hidden in darkness. The Man
takes flowers from her only to leave her thorns. However, Man is ignorant to the fact
that chains cannot smother her fragrance.The poet also refers to how a woman’s life is
ruined with the dowry system. Due to this, she becomes a liability for her parents. The
parents regard themselves as free after ridding themselves of the burden.Her chastity
is not regarded, her motherhood is not respected and her loyalty is not reciprocated. It
is now high time for her to be flower-free: to fully blossom realizing herself. The poet
finally ends saying that the nation can be called free when the women are given liberty.

Structural violence and the Trans Struggle for Dignity

 Gee Imaan Semmalar

Comprehension Questions (Answer in a sentence or two)

1.How do structures of oppression function?

Ans.Structures of oppressionlike caste, class, patriarchy and racism function through

creating inequalities that are maintained and perpetrated through institutional
support.

2.What happens when structural violence is carried on for a long time?

Ans.Structural violence often, is carried on for so long that it invisibilises and often
legitimizes itself and its operations to even the very people on whom the violence is
inflicted. Rather than an individual acting out an oppressive behaviour, it then takes on the
form of an entire edifice of oppression operating in subtle as well as direct ways to
violently exclude, oppress and dominate.

3.Comment on existing scholarship or popular culture on transgender people

in the Indian subcontinent .

Ans. Existing scholarship or popular culture on transgender people in the Indian

subcontinent move between depicting them as phantasmagoric beings who don’t
belong to either gender (linked to myths and monsters in Hindu epics), or freezing
them in narratives of victimhood.

4.What do relative protections and vulnerabilities depend on ?

Ans.Relative protections and vulnerabilities depend on factors like caste, class, whether
you were disowned when you were young, which region you live in, whether you have
transitioned into manhood or womanhood, whether you can ‘pass’ (be socially recognised
as binary gender) etc.

5.What is the reason for the high dropout rate of trans people from school?

Ans. The reasons may be many, including constant ridicule, discrimination in

marking systems, sexual harassment from fellow students and teachers, punishments
for gender non conformity etc.

6.Why are a lot of trans people disowned by their natal families?

Ans. A lot of trans people disowned by their natal families due to the notion of shame
which originates from caste patriarchy.
7.Why are trans women or gender non conforming youth raised as boys disowned
at a higher rate than trans men?

Ans.Trans women or gender non conforming youth raised as boys are disowned at a
higher rate than trans men, partly because femininity is culturally seen as a sign of
weakness rather than masculinity which is seen as a sign of strength or courage.

8.What are the reasons for most trans women across caste engaging in street based
labour like sex trade or begging?

Ans.The lack of education and homelessness at a young age are partly reasons for most
trans women across caste engaging in street based labour like sex trade or begging. The
other major factor being brutal and deliberate exclusions in employment which close off all
other options.

9.Who said begging and sex trade have almost come to be like fixed caste
occupations for trans women/hijras?

Ans. Living Smile Vidya in a conversation titled “Transphobia as a type of brahmanism”

talks about how begging and sex trade have almost come to be like fixed caste occupations
for trans women/hijras.

10.What are the employment options for trans people apart from sex trade/begging
and traditional roles like badhai?

Ans. The only employment options for trans people apart from sex trade/begging and
traditional roles like badhai are the lower rung positions in NGOs that receive HIV
funding.

4. Why are trans women identified as high risk groups?

Ans. Since trans women/hijras are engaged in sex trade, they were identified as a ‘high
risk’ groups and subsumed forcibly under the category of MSM (men having sex with
men) under HIV intervention work.

12.What is the result of the exclusion faced by trans people?

Ans.The exclusions faced by trans people in employment result in a high rate of

vulnerability.

13.How does the author describe the laws/legal provisions used to criminalise
trans people?

Ans. The laws used to criminalize trans people are informed by a caste based morality
of keeping public spaces free of the ‘polluting presence’ of all people engaged in
begging, including hijras.

14.Describe the discrimination shown to hijra beggars by the Karnataka

government.
Ans.On November 26th, 2014, more than 47 members of the transgender community
were picked up from various places across the city of Bangalore and illegally detained
at the Beggars’ Colony, an infamous ‘rehabilitation centre’ for people engaged in
begging. They were detained under the Karnataka Prohibition of Beggary Act, 1975.The
Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act, the public nuisance and indecency provisions are
also routinely used to criminalize trans women occupying public spaces. The Karnataka
Government in April 2011 amended section 36A of the Karnataka Police Act to
criminalize the hijra community, giving police stations the authority to keep a register
of hijras and their details like place of residence etc.

8. What are the issues faced by trans people regarading residential rights?

Ans.Caste morality is in play when trans women are denied housing in all residential
areas except the slums. The residents of the slums, mostly from lower caste and
working class backgrounds, along with trans people across castes, face issues of
access to water, right to food and nutrition, healthcare, sanitation etc.

16.In which areas do trans people face exclusions?

Ans.Structurally, trans people face exclusions in language, history writing, medical

care, housing, employment, legal system and education.

17.When would the struggle for social democracy and justice have made a
serious headway?

Ans.The author believes that when the lowered caste trans woman engaged in street
based labour receives full citizenship rights under a welfare state without
discrimination, the struggle for social democracy and justice would have made a
serious headway.

18. What is the attitude of groups engaged in transformative, democratic

struggles to the issues faced by trans people?

Ans.Currently, the issues of trans people are yet to be taken seriously by groups
engaged in transformative, democratic struggles.

19. Are there attempts to keep public places puritanical? How?

Ans. In order to keep public spaces caste puritanical, religious mendicants are
exempted from being criminalized under the Beggary Act. While begging and sex work
are fixed occupations for the hijra community, similar to imposed caste occupations,
they are highly stigmatized, offer no dignity and are criminalized.

20. Comment on the exclusions faced by trans people in the field of health
care.

Ans.Trans people across castes face difficulty accessing health care. Medical practice
categorizes trans people as having a ‘gender identity disorder’. So, to access trans
specific health care like hormone replacement therapy or gender affirming surgeries, it
 is mandatory for the person to get a certificate after psychiatric counselling stating that
they have a “gender identity disorder” . The process of medical transitioning is a long
and arduous one with the struggle to identify the few hospitals that provide the service,
navigating a difficult and insensitive bureaucratic process, lack of medical knowledge in
medical community about trans specific health needs, poor quality of services provided
etc.

21. What was the judgment/ rule made by the Supreme court on April 15,
2014?

Ans. The Supreme Court on April 15,2014 ruled that trans people could change their
legal gender markers without surgery or hormonal interventions.

22. What is understood by ‘caste morality’?

Ans.Caste based morality is based on keeping public spaces free of the ‘polluting
presence’ of all people engaged in begging, including hijras.

Paragraph questions ( 80-100 words)

1.Analyse the work of trans women in NGOs.

Ans.Though the top down structure of NGOs retains feudal power relations, a section of
trans women/hijras for the first time, managed to get jobs as community mobilisers to
distribute condoms and encourage people to undergo screening and treatment for HIV.
Later, when some of the HIV intervention networks expanded to include a rights based
discourse, some of them were promoted as spokespersons of the NGOs in media
advocacy. Though the NGOs give a semblance of dignity during work to this section of
trans people, the pay scale remains low and their decision making power, negligible.

2. Describe violence against trans people.

Ans. It is a well known fact that violence during sex trade is faced by all women engaged in
it. Police violence is also very high against trans communities with almost no recourse to
legal protections available to trans people in case of crimes against them. In fact, there is a
high rate of hate crimes, rapes and murders against trans communities. Even when cases
are registered, they are done with great difficulty following which no investigations, let
alone convictions take place. For instance, there was a concerted effort led by trans women
in Hyderabad recently, demanding one trans murder case to be investigated after almost
30 non lethal physical assaults went unheeded by police despite FIRs being filed.

3. How does the police intimidate trans people? Answer citing specific
incidents .

Ans . On November 26th, 2014, more than 47 members of the transgender community
were picked up from various places across the city of Bangalore and illegally detained
at the Beggars’ Colony, an infamous ‘rehabilitation centre’ for people engaged in
begging. They were detained under the Karnataka Prohibition of Beggary Act, 1975
although any trans woman who was in a public place was randomly picked up
regardless of whether she was begging or not. The Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act,
the public nuisance and indecency provisions are also routinely used to criminalize
trans women occupying public spaces. The Karnataka Government in April 2011
amended section 36A of the Karnataka Police Act to criminalize the hijra community,
giving police stations the authority to keep a register of hijras and their details like
place of residence etc.

5.What happens when people are denied basic identity documents?

Ans.When persons are denied basic identity documents that match who they are, what
is in fact denied to them, is a whole gamut of citizenship rights. Without identity
documents , everything from accessing the Public Distribution System or the
educational system to get employment becomes tedious, if not
impossible.Unemployment even among the few trans people who have accessed formal
education is often due to the fact that gender markers on school pass certificates and
educational degrees cannot be changed. The violence is enacted by the very act of
erasure of the selfhood and allied citizenship rights of trans people.

4. Comment on the implications of the word ‘eunuch.’

Ans.Trans women/hijras are often referred to as ‘eunuch’ by state policies, judiciary

and media. The word ‘eunuch’ finds mention in The Hyderabad Eunuchs Act, which is
based on the Criminal Tribes Act Amendment of 1871. The British, in 1871, included
‘eunuchs’ among other tribes, castes and social groups considered criminal at birth. In
2005, the central government introduced an E category in passport application forms
where E stood for ‘eunuch’. There were protests from the trans community at the use of
the word and it was later revoked. The linguistic violence/erasure runs deep. It is
symptomatic of, and leads to further structural exclusions/violence against our
communities.

5. How are trans people excluded socially?

Ans. A lot of trans people are also disowned by their natal families due to the notion of
shame which originates from caste patriarchy. Trans women or gender non conforming
youth raised as boys are disowned at a higher rate than trans men, partly because
femininity is culturally seen as a sign of weakness rather than masculinity which is seen
as a sign of strength or courage.The lack of education and homelessness at a young age
are partly reasons for most trans women across caste engaging in street based labour
like sex trade or begging. The other major factor being brutal and deliberate exclusions
in employment which close off all other options.

6. What do you mean by cisgender?Compare and contrast a cis woman and a

trans woman.
 Ans. Cisgender denotes or relates to a person whose sense of personal identity and
gender corresponds with their birth sex.Cisgender (sometimes cissexual, or shortened
to cis) describes a person whose gender identity is the same as their sex assigned at
birth. The word cisgender is the antonym of transgender. The prefix cis- is not an
acronym or abbreviation of another word; it is derived from Latin meaning on this side
of.A transgender woman had male genitals at birth but identifies as female.
.
7. “There is no doubt that all subaltern communities hear the brunt of brutal
state violence.” Explain.

Ans.There is no doubt that all subaltern communities bear the brunt of brutal state
violence. The author suggests that people who are disempowered, poor and under
privileged due to class or caste or gender very often experience terrible state violence.
But most subaltern communities often, work towards accessing full citizenship rights
under an imagined welfare state with its attendant protections and benefits.Police
violence is also very high against trans communities with almost no recourse to legal
protections available.

9.What is the kind of antagonism that the trans people have to face from the legal
system?

Ans.The Supreme Court on April 15,2014 ruled that trans people could change their
legal gender markers without surgery or hormonal interventions. In spite of what was
widely celebrated as a progressive judgment, there has been no implementation of the
judgment and trans people are still routinely being denied the right to change their
legal gender on identity documents without fulfilling some arbitrary criteria of surgical
interventions.Trans women/hijras are often referred to as ‘eunuch’ by state policies,
judiciary and media.

8. To which social category do the trans people belong? What are their
everyday struggles?

Ans. Since trans women/hijras are engaged in sex trade, they were identified as a ‘high
risk’ groups and subsumed forcibly under the category of MSM (men having sex with
men) under HIV intervention work. Medical practice categorizes trans people as having
a ‘gender identity disorder’. The private clinics have begun to identify this population
as a vulnerable one.Trans women across caste engage in street based labour like sex
trade or begging.The only employment options for trans people apart from sex
trade/begging and traditional roles like badhai are the lower rung positions in NGOs
that receive HIV funding. They are the victims of state violence.The lack of education
and homelessness at a young age are partly reasons for most trans women across caste
engaging in street based labour like sex trade or begging. The other major factor being
brutal and deliberate exclusions in employment which close off all other options.In fact,
there is a high rate of hate crimes, rapes and murders against trans communities.

9. The trans people are denied basic citizenship rights. Comment.

Ans. The Supreme Court on April 15,2014 ruled that trans people could change their
legal gender markers without surgery or hormonal interventions. In spite of this
progressive judgment, there has been no implementation of the judgment and trans
people are still routinely being denied the right to change their legal gender on identity
documents without fulfilling some arbitrary criteria of surgical interventions. When
persons are denied basic identity documents what is in fact denied to them, is a whole
gamut of citizenship rights. Without documents everything from accessing the Public
Distribution System or the educational system to get employment becomes tedious and
impossible. Unemployment even among the few trans people who have received formal
education is often due to the fact that gender markers on school pass certificates and
educational degrees cannot be changed. The violence is enacted by the very act of
erasure of the selfhood and allied citizenship rights of trans people.

Essay Question ( Answer in not more than 250 words)

1.Comment on the exclusions faced by trans people in the field of health care.

The exclusions in the field of health care, are stark when it comes to low income
families from dalit, Adivasi and Muslim backgrounds. Trans people across castes face
difficulty accessing health care. Medical practice categorizes trans people as having a
‘gender identity disorder’. Though the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association replaced the
diagnostic term ‘Gender Identity Disorder’ with the term ‘Gender Dysphoria,’ it is still
listed as a “disorder” in the International Classification of Diseases of the WHO. So, to
access trans specific health care like hormone replacement therapy or gender affirming
surgeries, it is mandatory for the person to get a certificate after psychiatric counselling
stating that they have a “gender identity disorder” (most Indian government hospitals
follow the ICD of the WHO). The process of medical transitioning is a long and arduous
one with the struggle to identify the few hospitals that provide the service, navigating a
difficult and insensitive bureaucratic process, lack of medical knowledge in medical
community about trans specific health needs, poor quality of services provided etc. Due
to the fact that breast augmentation is a procedure perfected for cis women under
patriarchal medical practice, trans women are also able to access only this particular
surgery with relative ease.

But as a whole, since the trans community is not a socially powerful group, no
funds are sanctioned for new research on trans specific health care which results in no
improvement to the poor quality of health care provided. The private clinics have
begun to identify this population as a vulnerable one that is in desperate need of
 accessible services and have begun catering to a growing clientele at a prohibitive
price. The poor quality of surgical interventions in private as well as government
medical practice show an apathy to the trans community which is enabled to a great
extent by the impunity from legal action for medical malpractice. The inaccessibility of
the justice system to trans people greatly reduces the possibility of medical negligence
cases being filed.

The recent death of a 25 year old trans woman, Alisha, in Peshawar, after
receiving delayed treatment as the doctors were determining her gender during
emergency treatment, shows that accessing general medical support which is not trans
specific health care is also impossible. The situation is the same in many parts of the
world including in India. Last year, we lost a 22 year old trans man in a private hospital
in Delhi due to a problem related to the administering of anesthesia before a
hysterectomy. The hospital had no records of his admission and refused to provide
even a death summary.

The Supreme Court on April 15,2014 ruled that trans people could change their legal
gender markers without surgery or hormonal interventions. In spite of what was
widely celebrated as a progressive judgment, there has been no implementation of the
judgment and trans people are still routinely being denied the right to change their
legal gender on identity documents without fulfilling some arbitrary criteria of surgical
interventions.

1. Comment on the multiple exclusions faced by the trans people.

Ans.Trans people experience multiple exclusions. It is a known fact that there is a high
dropout rate of trans people from school. The reasons may be many, including constant
ridicule, discrimination in marking systems, sexual harassment from fellow students and
teachers, punishments for gender non conformity etc. A lot of trans people are also
disowned by their natal families due to the notion of shame which originates from caste
patriarchy. Trans women or gender non conforming youth raised as boys are disowned at
a higher rate than trans men, partly because femininity is culturally seen as a sign of
weakness rather than masculinity which is seen as a sign of strength or courage.

The lack of education and homelessness at a young age are partly reasons for most trans
women across caste engaging in street based labour like sex trade or begging. The other
major factor being brutal and deliberate exclusions in employment which close off all other
options.The only employment options for trans people apart from sex trade/begging and
traditional roles like badhai are the lower rung positions in NGOs that receive HIV funding.
Since trans women/hijras are engaged in sex trade, they were identified as a ‘high risk’
groups and subsumed forcibly under the category of MSM (men having sex with men)
under HIV intervention work.The exclusions faced by trans people in employment result in
a high rate of vulnerability. It is a well known fact that violence during sex trade is faced by
all women engaged in it. Police violence is also very high against trans communities with
almost no recourse to legal protections available.The laws used to criminalize trans people
are informed by a caste based morality of keeping public spaces free of the ‘polluting
presence’ of all people engaged in begging, including hijras.
Trans people across castes face difficulty accessing health care. Medical practice
categorizes trans people as having a ‘gender identity disorder’. The process of medical
transitioning is a long and arduous one with the struggle to identify the few hospitals that
provide the service, navigating a difficult and insensitive bureaucratic process, lack of
medical knowledge in medical community about trans specific health needs, poor quality
of services provided etc.

Gender Justice and the Media

Ammu Joseph

Comprehension Questions (Answer in two to three sentences)

3. How are men and women portrayed in the media? Are they linked?

Ans.Gender, whether in the media or otherwise, is not exclusively a women’s

issue. The construction of femininity and masculinity – in society and in the media –
are closely linked. Some ways in which men are portrayed in the media place
expectations and limitations on them that adversely affect their lives and those of the
women and children in their lives, as well as other people and society in
general. Stereotypical portrayals of men are as incompatible with gender equality as
stereotypical representations of women.

4. What is masculinity?

Ans.“Masculinity” refers to the behaviors, social roles, and relations of men within a
given society as well as the meanings attributed to them. The term masculinity stresses
gender, unlike male, which stresses biological sex. Thus studies of masculinities need
not be confined to biological males.

5. What is femininity?

Ans. Femininity (also called womanliness or girlishness) is a set of attributes,

behaviors, and roles generally associated with women and girls. It is distinct from the
definition of the biological female sex, as both males and females can exhibit feminine
traits.

6. What is meant by stereotypical representation?

Ans.A gender stereotype is a generalized view or preconception about attributes or

characteristics, or the roles that are or ought to be possessed by, or performed by,
women and men. Whether overtly hostile (such as “women are irrational”) or
seemingly benign (“women are nurturing”), harmful stereotypes perpetuate
inequalities. Gender stereotyping refers to the practice of ascribing to an individual
woman or man specific attributes, characteristics, or roles by reason only of her or his
 membership in the social group of women or men. Gender stereotyping is wrongful
when it results in a violation or violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
5.The mass media today are omnipresent and omnipotent.How?

Ans.The fact is that the mass media today are omnipresent and omnipotent, if not
omniscient. They are increasingly playing the role once played by family, community,
religion and formal education: not only disseminating information and knowledge, but
also shaping values and norms, moulding attitudes and behaviour, and influencing the
very process of living.

6.Who is George Gerbner?What does he comment on the role of the media in our
lives?

Ans.George Gerbner was a late American academic. He pointed out time and again,
that the stories the media tell – “weave the seamless web of the cultural environment
that cultivates most of what we think, what we do, and how we conduct our affairs.”

7.The media have traditionally played a key role in democracy.How?

Ans. The news media especially have traditionally played a key role in democracy by
creating what is known as the “public sphere,” where issues of importance to the public
are discussed and debated, and where information essential to citizen participation in
national and community life is presented.

8.What is meant by “public sphere?”

Ans. “Public sphere,” is a space created by the media where issues of importance to the
public are discussed and debated, and where information essential to citizen
participation in national and community life is presented.

9.How does increased commercialisation affect the media?

Ans.The increased commercialisation that is now perceptible in the media make them
less able and willing to cultivate and nurture the public sphere, which is indispensable
to democratic society because democracy critically depends upon an informed
populace making political choices.

10.The media have the power to maintain the status quo or challege the
dominant order.Why?

Ans.Journalism sets the context for national debates on important current events
and thereby affects public perception of issues across the socio-economic and political
continuum. By determining who has a voice in these debates and who is silenced, which
issues are discussed and how they are framed, media have the power to maintain the
status quo or challenge the dominant order.

11.What happens to the election manifestos that highlight “women

empowerment?”

Ans.Although most parties now routinely list “women’s empowerment” in their

election manifestoes, they are seldom quizzed about what exactly they mean by that
term, let alone what they have done or at least plan to do about it. Nor are they
asked about their policies or plans regarding current gender-related issues, such as
the skewed sex ratio, violence against women, scandalously high maternal mortality
rates, water supply and sanitation.

1. Why is it important to recognise that women do not constitute a

homogenous group?

Ans. It is important to recognise that “women” do not constitute a homogenous

group. While seeking to use a gender lens we need to be conscious of the need to
include the experiences and perspectives of women belonging to a variety of social,
cultural, economic backgrounds, reflecting the complex composition of society (e.g.,
class, race/castes/ethnicity, religions, age groups, location [rural/urban,
metro/small town, north/south/east/west/north-east, etc.], educational levels,
health status [ability/disability], etc.).

Answer the following in 80-100 words.

1. How are gender justice and media inter-related?

Ans.There are several, inter-related aspects to the topic, gender justice and the
media: The first and most commonly discussed aspect concerns media content: the
representation of women and men, and coverage of events/issues of particular concern
and relevance to both, in media content. The second relates to people’s access to the
media as media professionals – including and especially, in the current context, their
access to decision-making within media organisations. Then there’s the issue of
people’s access to and relationship with the media as citizens and audiences – which
includes their right to information and communication. And, finally, possibly the most
neglected aspect of the subject: the impact on women and men of laws and policies
relating to the media and communication.It is, of course, important to recognise at the
outset that gender, whether in the media or otherwise, is not exclusively a women’s
issue. The construction of femininity and masculinity – in society and in the media –
are closely linked.

2. Are gender issues exclusively women’s issues? Give reasons for your
answer.
 Ans.It is, of course, important to recognise at the outset that gender, whether in the
media or otherwise, is not exclusively a women’s issue. The construction of
femininity and masculinity – in society and in the media – are closely linked. Some
ways in which men are portrayed in the media place expectations and limitations on
them that adversely affect their lives and those of the women and children in their
lives, as well as other people and society in general. Stereotypical portrayals of men
are as incompatible with gender equality as stereotypical representations of women.

3.Why is it important to keep a watch on media?

Ans.The mass media today are omnipresent and omnipotent, if not

omniscient. They are increasingly playing the role once played by family,
community, religion and formal education: not only disseminating information and
knowledge, but also shaping values and norms, moulding attitudes and behaviour,
and influencing the very process of living.The news media especially have
traditionally played a key role in democracy by creating what is known as the “public
sphere,” where issues of importance to the public are discussed and debated, and
where information essential to citizen participation in national and community life is
presented. For people to make informed political choices, it is clearly important that
a wide range of political viewpoints, as well as the interests and concerns of all
sections of society – including the least powerful – be represented in the media.

4.What is GMMP? What are the key findings of the GMMP 2010?

Ans.The GMMP is the The Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP), the world’s
longest-running and most extensive research on gender in news media.Among the
key findings of the GMMP 2010 are the following:Globally less than a quarter (24%)
of the people heard or read about in the news is female; three quarters (76%) is
male. In India women constitute only 22% of the news subjects across all topic
categories. Women seem better represented as news subjects in stories on the
environment, nature and pollution (33%); poverty, housing and social welfare
(34%); education (38%), violent crime (43%); and medicine, health and hygiene
(51%). News in all Indian media is dominated by male subjects. Many news reports
continue to use language and images that reinforce gender stereotypes. But nearly
two thirds (63%) of the news stories from the Indian media that were analysed
reinforced gender stereotypes.

7. How is gender and budget linked? Has gender -budgeting got proper attention
in budget analyses?

Ans. The Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, introduced the concept of "gender-

budgeting" in Parliament during his presentation of the Union Budget 2005-06. Even
now, more than five years since gender-budgets entered the Parliamentary lexicon,
budget analyses rarely highlight the possibly different impact on women and men of
policies and programmes outlined and provided for in official budgets.According to
feminist economist Vibhuti Patel, “Most policies and programmes outlined and
provided for in official budgets – at the national, state and panchayat levels – impact
women in particular ways. These range from the increasing privatisation of healthcare
services to the huge outlays for defence expenditure, from the interest rates on small
savings to the number of families covered by anti-poverty schemes, from the prices of
agricultural inputs and produce to the incentives and disincentives operating in various
industrial sectors.”

8. Who is Vibhuti Patel? How does she evaluate the union budget of 2007-2008?

Ans.Vibhuti Patel is a feminist economist. Analysing the union budget 2007-08 from a
gender perspective, she expressed disappointment over the relatively small amount
allocated for ‘Social Security for Unorganised Sector,’ pointing out that 94 per cent of
women workers in India toil in that sector of labour. She also decried the non-inclusion
of women in the budgetary allocation for “Water Supply and Sanitation” in view of the
fact that water critically affects women’s lives, especially in rural areas and among the
urban poor. Another gap she pointed out was the absence of any specific allocation for
women from minority communities in the sub-plan for minorities drawn up by the
Ministry of Minority Affairs. Clearly the price of cooking oil is not the only aspect of the
budget likely to affect women, and it is important to consider the impact on women of
the broader spectrum of issues dealt with in the budget.

9. How does the author elaborate on the issue on gender while concluding the
essay?

Ans.The author believes that it is important to make sure that women’s voices are
heard on a wide range of topics by seeking to include women as sources of
information/opinion in news and current affairs content relating to all kinds of subject
areas, including politics and government, economics and business, conflicts and
disasters, science and technology, sports and culture.
She believes that unless gender is acknowledged as one of several factors that affect
people’s experience of almost everything, and accepted as one of the “angles” to be
explored while covering anything, the media will continue to tell only part of the story –
whatever that story may be.

Essay Question: Answer the following in 200-250 words

1.Attempt a critical summary of the essay “Gender Justice and the Media”

Ans. Ammu Joseph points out that there are several, inter-related aspects to the topic,
gender justice and the media:
The first and most commonly discussed aspect concerns media content: The second
relates to people’s access to the media as media professionals – including and
especially, in the current context, their access to decision-making within media
organisations
Then there’s the issue of people’s access to and relationship with the media as citizens
and audiences – which includes their right to information and communication. And,
finally, possibly the most neglected aspect of the subject: the impact on women and
men of laws and policies relating to the media and communication.It is, of course,
important to recognise at the outset that gender, whether in the media or otherwise, is
not exclusively a women’s issue. The construction of femininity and masculinity – in
society and in the media – are closely linked.

Some ways in which men are portrayed in the media place expectations and limitations
on them that adversely affect their lives and those of the women and children in their
lives, as well as other people and society in general. Stereotypical portrayals of men are
as incompatible with gender equality as stereotypical representations of women. The
fact is that the mass media today are omnipresent and omnipotent, if not
omniscient. They are increasingly playing the role once played by family, community,
religion and formal education: not only disseminating information and knowledge, but
also shaping values and norms, moulding attitudes and behaviour, and influencing the
very process of living.

For people to make informed political choices, it is clearly important that a wide range
of political viewpoints, as well as the interests and concerns of all sections of society –
including the least powerful – be represented in the media.Journalism sets the context
for national debates on important current events and thereby affects public perception
of issues across the socio-economic and political continuum. By determining who has a
voice in these debates and who is silenced, which issues are discussed and how they are
framed, media have the power to maintain the status quo or challenge the dominant
order.

The GMMP provides a useful snapshot – nothing more, nothing less – of women’s
presence and role in the news media. The latest round reveals that the world reported
in the news is still primarily male, with women still significantly under-represented and
misrepresented in the media across the globe, although there has been some positive
change since the project began 15 years ago.

Is This Desirable?

Clothing Matters:Visiting the Melmundu Samaram in Keralam

Comprehension Questions (Answer in two to three sentences)

1. Clothing signifies social locations. Comment.

Ans.What people wear gets determined as a matter of social sanction and acceptance.
In Kerala, the way in which the lower garment mundu is worn and the manner in which
it is draped differs across religious communities and castes. Clothing very often
signifies the caste status of the person.

2. Who are chanars?What were their living conditions?

Ans. The chanars were a caste who lived mostly in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil
Nadu and in Kanyakumari of erstwhile Thiruvithamkoor. They were mostly toddy
tappers or sellers or palm jaggery and were included among the untouchables. In
southern Travancore they worked largely in the lands of the Nair landowners and
experienced severe caste oppression which made them vulnerable to conversion by the
Christian missionaries.

3. What affected the superior position claimed by Nairs?How did they react?

Ans.Uneasy with their social status, a large number of Nadar climbers embraced
Christianity, and started to wear "long cloths," strengthened by their new belief system,
which offered equal rights to all men (and women). This was considered an affront to
the superior position claimed by the Nairs. They responded with violence.

4. What was the attitude of the missionaries towards the clothing of chanar
women?

Ans. The missionaries believed tht draping was a necessity for any Christian believer.
The wives of missionaries designed jackets to help the Chanar women conform to the
respectability of European women in the matter of attire.

5. What were the events in the Melmundu Samaram?

Ans.The Channar Lahala or Channar revolt, also called Maru Marakkal Samaram, refers
to the fight from 1813 to 1859 of Nadar women in Travancore kingdom of India for the
right to wear upper-body clothes to cover their breasts.In 1822, two women Yesu
Adiyal and Neethi Adiyal were abused in public and their jackets torn off. Churches
were attacked and books ripped apart.Court cases were filed against the Chanars by
the Nairs in 1823 alleging the crime of non-payment of toddy tax and of covering their
bodies with the melmundu.

6. What restricted Chanar men from participating in Sunday service at church?

Ans. The Chanars who were preparing to attend church on a Sunday were asked to
carry palm leaves for elephants at the Padmanabhaswamy Temple.The demand was
designed to create obstacles for the Chanar men participating in Sunday service at the
church.
Paragraph questions ( 80-100 words)

1. What notable incident of 1828 is mentioned in the essay?

Ans. A notable incident occurred in 1828. The Chanars who were preparing to attend
church on a Sunday were asked to carry palm leaves for elephants at the
Padmanabhaswamy Temple.The demand was designed to create obstacles for the
Chanar men participating in Sunday service at the church. The men carrying the
palmleaves were stopped midway by other Chanars who then forced the Nairs to
themselves carry it to the temple. This incident created ripples in an already crisis-
ridden social atmosphere. Immediately after, in February 1829, a royal Order was
issued releasing the Chanars from the practice of forced labour (oozhiyamvela) that
the oppressed castes had to undergo on Sundays.

2. Trace the history of the various ordinances for and against using the
melmundu

Ans. In February 1829, a royal Order was issued releasing the Chanars from the
practice of forced labour (oozhiyamvela) that the oppressed castes had to undergo on
Sundays. In 1829 the Thiruvatamkoor Regent Gouri Parvathibai issued a proclamation
to the effect that there was no reason for the Chanar women to don the melmundu and
that the practice be stopped. Instead they could continue to wear kuppayams to cover
their bodies. The proclamation only added fuel to the fire and fights between the Nairs
and the Chanars continued in around three hundred and fifty locations of the region.
The British Governor of Madras Presidency George Harris sought an explanation on the
clashes from the Resident General of Thiruvatamkoor William Cullen. In response to
his query, Cullen received a letter from the Diwan Madhava Rao stating that contrary to
the Proclamation of 1829, the Chanar women, especially the converts, were imitating
the Brahmans and Pandi Sudras in wearing a chela and contesting this was thought of
as the duty of the Sudras. In spite of this justification of the violent acts of retaliation
against the Chanars, the British pressures could not be ignored. Consequently Uthram
Thirunal Marthanda Varma declared the Royal Proclamation of 1859, stating that the
Royal Proclamation of 1829 was not pragmatic. Since all people had to live in equality
both the converted Chanars as well as the Hindu Chanars may wear kuppayams or like
the mukkuvattis, all Chanar women may drape the katti seela or in whichever way
cover their breasts.

3. What social conditions of Chanar women are reflected in the essay?

Ans. Higher-class women covered both breasts and shoulders with a piece of material
known as the upper-cloth unless in the presence of people of a still higher-ranked
community,whereas Nadar climber women were not allowed to cover their bosoms, as
most of the non-Brahmin women , to punctuate their low status. Uneasy with their
social status, a large number of Nadar climbers embraced Christianity, and started to
wear "long cloths," strengthened by their new belief system, which offered equal rights
to all men (and women). When many more Nadars turned to Christianity, many Nadar
women started to wear the Nair breast cloth.In 1822, two women Yesu Adiyal and
Neethi Adiyal were abused in public and their jackets torn off. All these events reflect
the totally oppressive conditions endured by the Chanar women .

4. Clothing became instrumental in a struggle that was fought on multiple

alignments. Discuss.

Ans.The Melmundu Samaram displays the agency of women despite the fact that they
were abused and suffered physical harm. Though wearing the jackets fulfilled the
missionary requirements for a covered breast, the agitations went on ahead to imitate
the Nair women by draping the melmundu. This became the prime cause for continued
violence and retaliation from the Nairs. The issue of covering the breast was raised as
a civilising action by the missionaries. However, beyond the demand to merely cover
the breast, the agitations entered the arena of anti-caste and class struggles. The
Chanars were the tillers of the soil who fought their Nair landlords. Thus they forged
the movement into the intersections of caste,class and gender struggles. Thus, clothing
became instrumental in a struggle that was fought on multiple alignments.
Disobedience to caste injunctions, refusal to pay tax, declining demands to forced
labour, taking up the fight themselves rather than relying solely on missionary
patronage amd mobilising on their ownhorizontally were some of the notable features
of the movement.

5.What are the lessons that the Melmundu Samaram leaves behind?

Ans. Some lessons that the Melmundu Samaram leaves behind historically would be
that (a).Women’s bodies and clothing became prime symbols of status and
respectability - whether it be that of the caste, religion, family, institutions or even the
nation and could be employed in waging struggles over them.(b) Upkeep of the status
quo of the social order cotinues to provide justification and sanction to act out violence
over women’s bodies.© Fullest covering of women’s bodies emerged as the most
desirable and civilised form of dressing, breaking which rules could invite the ire of
everyone and they could be validated for doing so.

Essay Question ( Answer in not more than 250 words)

Trace the history of the Melmundu Samaram, considering the socio political
conditions of Kerala during its time. Do you think the Chanar revolt is the
forerunner to the numerous struggles against caste disabilities that followed at
the turn of the 20th century in Kerala?
Ans. The Channar Lahala or Channar revolt, also called Maru Marakkal
Samaram, refers to the fight from 1813 to 1859 of Nadar women
in Travancore kingdom of India for the right to wear upper-body clothes to cover their
breasts.In 19th century Travancore, baring of one's chest to higher status people was
considered a sign of respect by both males and females. Thus, those of the lower
status castes, such as the Nadar climbers and Ezhavas, had to bare their chest in the
presence of members of the higher-ranked Nair caste, who in turn had to do so in the
presence of the still higher ranked Nambudiri Brahmins.

The Brahmins, being at the pinnacle of the Hindu ritual ranking system known as varna,
bared their chest only in the presence of a deity.Higher-class women covered both
breasts and shoulders with a piece of material known as the upper-cloth unless in the
presence of people of a still higher-ranked community,whereas Nadar climber women
were not allowed to cover their bosoms, as most of the non-Brahmin women , to
punctuate their low status. Uneasy with their social status, a large number of Nadar
climbers embraced Christianity, and started to wear "long cloths," strengthened by
their new belief system, which offered equal rights to all men (and women). When
many more Nadars turned to Christianity, many Nadar women started to wear the Nair
breast cloth.

The Nadar women successfully campaigned to be allowed to cover their breasts.

In 1813, Colonel John Munro, British dewan in the Travancore court, issued an order
granting permission to women converted to Christianity to wear upper cloth. The order
was withdrawn when pindakars, members of the Raja's council, complained about this,
arguing that this right would obliterate caste-differences, and lead to widespread
pollution in the state. Nadar women were forbidden to wear the Nair sharf, and instead
were allowed to wear the kuppayam, a type of jacket worn by Syrian Christians,
Shonagas, and Mappilas. The women were not satisfied, continuing to fight for the right
to wear upper cloth "like any other woman in the higher castes," and preferring breast-
clothing in the Nair-style. This led to increasing violence in the 1820s against Nadar
women, and also the burning of schools and churches. In 1828 the Travancore
government again forbade Nadar-women the Nair-style breast-clothes, but permitted
the wearing of the jacket. In 1829, the Travancore queen issued yet another
proclamation, which denied the right of Nadar women to wear upper cloths.
In 1858, new violence broke out in several places in Travancore. On 26 July
1859, under pressure from Charles Trevelyan, the Madras Governor, the king of
Travancore issued a proclamation proclaiming the right for all Nadar women to cover
their breasts, either by wearing jackets, like the Christian Nadars, or tie coarse-cloth
around their upper-body, like the Mukkavattigal (fisher-women). Yet they were still not
allowed to cover their breasts in the style of the higher-class Nair women.
This solution was not satisfactory to the missionaries, who regarded all men and
women to be equal. Nadar women continued to ignore the restrictions, developing an
upper-wear style that resembled the style of the higher class Hindu women However
this offended some Hindus who saw this as a provocation by the missionaries.The code
was still discriminatory until 1915–1916, and the challenge was supported
by Ayyankali.
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