The Passing Away of Bapu – AAtoons Study

The Passing Away of Bapu notes, questions and answers

Content Structure

1. About author – (Nayantara Sehgal)
2. Summary
3. Word meanings
4. Comprehension exercises
- Unit – 1
- Unit – 2
- Unit – 3
5.Grammar in use
6. Writing activities

1. About author – (Nayantara Sehgal)

Nayantara Pandit Sahgal, also known as Nayantara Sahgal, was born in Allahabad on 10^th May 1927. She was one of the first Indian women to write in English and also worked as a journalist. In 1954, she published her first book, Prison and Chocolate Cake. Her fiction explores India’s response to the crises brought about by political change. In 1986, she won the Sahitya Academy Award for her novel Rich Like Us.

2. Summary

Nayantara was having tea on the evening of 30 January 1948 when she received an urgent call that Gandhiji had been shot during his prayer meeting. She rushed to Birla House where relatives and others had gathered around his body. The news spread across Delhi like a flame fanned by the wind and people began gathering at Birla House. They were too shocked to speak and it felt like time had stopped while some wept quietly as they tried to enter the room where his body lay. An announcement was made that everyone would be happy to get a chance to see Gandhiji’s body. People looked like lost children with no direction, wondering what they would do now that he was gone, and Nayantara listened to a radio broadcast that confirmed to the nation that Gandhiji was no more. The funeral took place the next day, and thousands followed the procession in silence where Padmasi, the daughter of Mr. Naidu, said they would walk with Bapu for the last time. Gandhiji’s body was carried on an open truck decorated with flowers and many people tried to touch Bapu’s feet in that moment the author felt the deep meaning of Gandhiji’s journey as she and others had walked with him through India’s struggles, its freedom movement, and its hopes, and they couldn’t accept that he would never walk with them again. Gandhiji had traveled all over India with only a walking stick covering long distances to think clearly and connect with the people, walking was not just a necessity for him it was a way to stay close to the common man, and he turned it into a meaningful and joyful act. After the funeral, his ashes were taken to Allahabad by a special train. The compartment was decorated with flowers and people sang bhajans to feel Gandhiji’s presence among them. At every station crowds gathered in sorrow in that way the train reached Allahabad where his ashes were immersed in the Ganges in front of a huge crowd gathered at the riverbank. After returning to Delhi, the author was deeply troubled by the thought that she had never walked with Gandhiji gone to prison or made sacrifices like others had. She felt she had been protected by his “magic circle,” which now seemed to have vanished but she reassured herself that her values remained strong even in his absence. Many people might have remained indifferent and ordinary if Bapu had not been there but after his death his ideals lived on. She believed that those who remained young, strong, and proud must carry his banner forward because Gandhiji had passed away but his India would continue to live in his children.

3. Word meanings

Word	English meaning	Hindi meaning
Unit-1
Recognition	Validation	मान्यता
Fiction	literature in the form of prose that describes imaginary events and people.	कथा
Response	a reaction to something, feedback	प्रतिक्रिया
Crisis	a time of intense difficulty or danger, trouble	संकट
Brought	take or go with (someone or something) to a place	लाया
Political	relating to the government or public affairs of a country	राजनीतिक
Change	make (someone or something) different; alter or modify	परिवर्तन
Extract	remove or take out	निकालना
Memoir	a historical account or biography written from personal knowledge	जीवनी
Recount	details, recount, particularity	ब्योरा, पुनर्गणना
Incident	an instance of something happening; an event or occurrence	घटना
Vividly	Fresh, recent	ताजा
Describe	Explain	वर्णन करना
Collective	Bulk, mass, aggregated	सामूहिक
Grief	Sorrow, sad	दुख
Entire	Whole, full	संपूर्ण
Away	Far	दूर
Prayer	expression of thanks addressed to God or another deity	प्रार्थना
Numb	deprived of the power of physical sensation	सुन्न
Shock	Trauma	सदमा
Followers	Adherents	अनुयायियों
Gathered	Assembled	इकट्ठा
Silence	Mute	मौन
Spread	Spread	फैलना, प्रसार
Flame	Blaze	ज्वाला, लौ
Fanned	Increase the strength by blowing on it	हवा में उड़ गया
Blur	Unclear	धुंधला
Unnatural	uncharacteristic	अस्वाभाविक
Stunned	Surprised, amazed	हैरान,
Clamoured	Demanded loudly	शोर मचाना
Shouting	Screaming, speaking very loudly	चिल्लाना
Jostled	Forced one’s way by pushing	धक्का-मुक्की
Another	Other	दूसरा
Stampede	Getaway, rampage	भगदड़
Calmed	Quiet	शांत
Announced	Declared	घोषित, घोषणा
Allowed	permission	अनुमति
Funeral	A ceremony or service held shortly after a person’s death	अंतिम संस्कार
Whimpers	Makes low, crying noise	फुसफुसाहट
Become	Begin to be, develop into	बनना
Uppermost	Highest in place	सर्वोच्च
Mourning	Grief	शोक
Lost	lose	खो गया
Unbelieving	Not believing someone or something	अविश्वासी
Listened	Heard	बात सुनी
Broadcast	Broadcast	प्रसारित
Unit-2
Advance	Prior	पहले
Route	Way, path	मार्ग
Procession	Marches	जुलूस
Agonizing	Causing great physical or mental pain	पीड़ा हो रही
Lay	Keep	रखना
Covered	Covered	ढका हुआ
Impossible	Unthinkable	नामुमकिन
Thick	Fat	मोटा
Crowd	Rush	भीड़
Forward	Forth	आगे
Understand	Make sense	समझना
Merely	Only, just	केवल
Midst	Between	बीच
Beloved	Dear	प्रिय
Leader	Leader	नेता
Rough	Uneasy	असहज
Smooth	Smooth	चिकना
Recent	Latest	हाल में
Accept	Admit	स्वीकार करना
Led	Headed	नेतृत्व
Difficult	Tough, hard	कठिन
Slight	Little	थोड़ा
Staff	Walking-stick	छड़ी
Progress	Headway	प्रगति
Clarity	Ability to clearly think about or understand something	स्पष्टता
Horizon	Skyline	क्षितिज
Distance	Away	दूरी
Required	Necessary	आवश्यक
Vehicle	Carriage, automobile	वाहन
Except	Apart	अलावा
Necessity	Required	आवश्यकता
Commonplace	Ordinary	आम, साधारण
Transformed	Changed, converted	रूपांतरण
Joyful	Delightful	हर्षित
Effort	Attempt	प्रयास
Unit-3
Compartment	Coaches	डिब्बा, कम्पार्टमेंट
Decked	Decorated	सजाया
Presence	Appearance	उपस्थिति
Amid	Between	के बीच
Sorrowful	Deeply sad	उदास
Immersed	Sink	डूब
Bank	Bank	तट
Afterwards	Later	बाद में
Prison	Jail	कारागार
Sacrifice	Give up for the sake of other considerations	बलिदान
Onlookers	Watcher, eyewitness	दर्शक
Magic	Spell, charm	जादू
Vanished	Disappear	गायब हो गई
Unprotected	Unsafe	असुरक्षित
Roused	Make angry or excited	जगी
Lose	Lose, lost	खोना
Courage	Daring, boldness	साहस
Values	Value, price	मान, मूल्यों
Ordinary	Simple, normal	साधारण
Folk	Public	लोग
Brought	Brought	लाया
Indifference	Lack of interest	मतभेद
Awakened	Aroused	जागा, जगाया
Suffering	the state of undergoing pain	पीड़ा
Proud	Pride, proud	गर्व
Bear	carry the weight of, support	सह, रखिए
Banner	Banner	पताका
Continue	persist in an activity or process	जारी रखना

4. Comprehension exercises

Unit – 1

1. Choose the correct alternative to complete the following sentences:

(a) Gandhi had been shot on his way to
(i) The Birla House
(ii) the author’s house
(iii) a prayer meeting
(iv) a family gathering

Ans: (iii) a prayer meeting

(b) The author came to know of Gandhiji’s death by
(i) A letter
(ii) A telephone call
(iii) A telegram
(iv) A public broadcast

Ans: (iii) A telegram

(c) When one is faced with the shock of a loved one’s death, one
(i) Whimpers
(ii) Laughs
(iii) Claps
(iv) Shouts

Ans: (i) Whimpers

2. Fill in the chart with information from the text:

(a) The date on which Gandhiji was shot dead	30^th January 1948
(b) Place where Gandhiji breathed his last	Birla house
(c) Information is given by the broadcast	Bapu was no more

3. State whether the following statements are True or False. Provide sentences/phrases/words in support of your answer:

(a) The author received an urgent telephone call in the morning. (False)
S/S: “When I was called to Birla House by an urgent telephone.”

(b) People attempted to break into the Birla House. (True)
S/S: “They jostled one another in a stampede to break into the house.”

(c) The news of Gandhiji’s death did not shock the people. (False)
S/S: “We sat still shocked and unbelieving.”

Unit – 2

4. Choose the correct alternative to complete the following sentences:

(a) Gandhiji’s funeral was to take place
(i) on the day of his death
(ii) two days after his death
(iii) one day after his death
(iv) a week after his death

Ans: (iii) one day after his death

(b) Padmasi was Mrs. Naidu’s
(i) niece
(ii) sister
(iii) friend
(iv) daughter

Ans: (iv) daughter

(c) While walking, Bapu used to carry in his hand a/an
(i) flag
(ii) staff
(iii) umbrella
(iv) cane

Ans: (ii) staff

5. Complete the following sentences with information from the next:

(a) Thousands of people wept, trying to touch Gandhiji’s feet.
(b) The author was among people for whom walking with Gandhiji had a special meaning.
(c) To walk is to make slow progress.

6. Fill in the chart with information from the text:

Statement	Reason
(a) It was impossible to move.	Because the crowd was very thick.
(b) Padmasi declared that they would walk with Gandhiji in the funeral procession.	Because It was the last time they would be walking with Bapu.
(c) To walk was often the only way open to the average Indian.	Because it is to think with clarity and closely look at all that is around you.

Unit – 3

7. Choose the correct alternative to complete the following sentences:

(a) Gandhiji’s ashes were taken to
(i) Ahmedabad
(ii) Allahabad
(iii) Delhi
(iv) Benaras

Ans: (ii) Allahabad

(b) A huge crowd had gathered by the
(i) Ganges
(ii) Yamuna
(iii) Brahmaputra
(iv) Narmada

Ans: (i) Ganges

(c) Gandhiji awakened people to one another’s
(i) indifference
(ii) jealousy
(iii) suffering
(iv) greed

Ans: (iii) suffering

8. Complete the following sentences with information from the text:

(a) People on the special train sang bhajans.
(b) The author felt she had grown up within a magical circle.
(c) Bapu had passed away but his India would continue to live in his children.

9. Fill in the chart with information from the text:

Cause	Effect
(a) They could feel the presence of Gandhiji in flowers and songs.	People did not weep anymore.
(b) The magic circle vanished.	The author felt unprotected
(c) Her values were not so weak.	The author felt that she wouldn’t lose courage so easily.

5. Grammar in Use

10. Join the following pairs of sentences into single sentences as directed:

(a) I saw a snake. I ran away. (use participle)
Ans: Seeing a snake, I ran away.

(b) He learns music. He listens to the chords. (use a preposition with gerund)
Ans: He learns music by listening to the chords.

(c) Gold is a precious metal. It is used to make ornaments. (use the noun in apposition)
Ans: Gold, a precious metal, is used to make ornaments.

(d) Ramu has some money. He can buy books. (use infinitive)
Ans: Ramu has some money to buy books.

(e) The sky was cloudy. We postponed our journey. (use nominative absolute)
Ans: The sky being cloudy, we postponed our journey.

(f) The boy wrote the answer. The answer was incorrect. (use adverbial phrase)
Ans: The boy wrote the answer incorrectly.

11. Join the following pairs of sentences into single compound sentences as directed:

(a) The old man is unwell. He cannot go out. (use Illative conjunction)
Ans: The old man is unwell so he cannot go out.
Or
The old man cannot go out because he is unwell.

(b) He is honest. He is humble. (use cumulative conjunction)
Ans: He is honest and humble.
Or
He is not only honest but also humble.

(c) Sonali cannot write poetry. She keeps on trying. (use adversative conjunction)
Ans: Sonali cannot write poetry, yet she keeps on trying.
Or
Sonali cannot write poetry, but she keeps on trying.

(d) Study hard. You will not pass the examination. (use alternative conjunction)
Ans: Study hard or you will not pass the examination.

12. Join the following pairs of sentences into single complex sentences as directed:

(a) Rabindranath Tagore is a famous poet. He won the Nobel Prize. (use adjective clause)
Ans: Rabindranath Tagore who is a famous poet won the Nobel Prize.

(b) He returned home. Everyone in the family had fallen asleep. (use adverb clause)
Ans: When he returned home, everyone in the family had fallen asleep.

(c) The sun rises in the east. Everyone knows it. (use noun clause)
Ans: The sun rises in the east, which is known to everyone.
Or
Everyone knows that the sun rises in the east.

13. Join the following pairs of sentences into single sentences as directed:

(a) It rained hard. The roads were not flooded. (compound sentence)
Ans: It rained hard but the roads were not flooded.

(b) He completed his work. He took rest. (simple sentence)
Ans: Completing his work, he took a rest.

(c) Rahul is a great singer. He can sing different kinds of songs. (complex sentence)
Ans: Rahul, who is a great singer, can sing different kinds of songs.

(d) The time of departure of the train has changed. Alia knew it. (complex sentence)
Ans: Alia knew that the time of departure of the train had changed.

(e) I do not watch television. I do not listen to the radio. (compound sentence)
Ans: I neither watch television nor listen to the radio.

(f) The child was short. The child could not pick the guava from the tree. (simple sentence)
Ans: The child being short could not pick the guava from the tree.

14. Split the following into two sentences:

(a) It rained and I could not leave my room.
Ans: It rained. I could not leave my room.

(b) He thought that he could win the race.
Ans: He could win the race. He thought.

(c) Having been informed of the trouble, the principal left for home.
Ans: The principal was informed of the trouble. He left home.

(d) Nasir, who was the captain of the team, scored a century.
Ans: Nasir was the captain of the team. He scored a century.

6. Writing activities

15. Write a biography of Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad (within 100 words) based on the hints given below:

born on 11 November 1888 – composed poetry in Urdu – worked as a journalist, protested against British Raj – enthusiastic supporter of Gandhiji’s ideas – wrote many books – like ‘India wins freedom’, ‘Ghubar-e-Khatir’ etc. – first Education Minister of Independent India – birthday celebrated as National Education Day – died on 22 February 1958.

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad

Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad was born on November 11, 1888. He was a great leader and knew many languages, like Arabic, Urdu, and English. He composed poetry in Urdu. He worked as a journalist and protested against the British Raj. He believed in unity between Hindus and Muslims and wanted everyone to live together in peace. He was an enthusiastic supporter of Gandhiji’s ideas and followed the path of his non-violent work. He wrote many books, like ‘India Wins Freedom’, ‘Ghubar-e-Khatir’, etc. After India got its freedom in 1947, he became the first Education Minister of India. He worked very hard for girls’ education and also built many schools and colleges. His birthday, November 11, is celebrated as National Education Day. He died on 22 February 1958.

16. Use the following flow chart to write a paragraph (within 100 words) on how a building is constructed:

drawing a plan of the building by the architect – getting the plan sanctioned by the corporation or municipal authorities – engaging, masons and labourere – starting the construction with bricks, cement, and sand – fitting doors and windows – plastering of a walls – wiring – electric and water constructions – painting – building completed – fix for living.

Making a Building Step by Step

A building is built up following many steps. At first, choose a good place to construct a building, and then draw a sketch of the building with the help of an architect. Then, after completing the whole plan and getting it sanctioned by the corporation or municipal authorities, start the construction work and engage masons and laborers, who play an important role in constructing the structure. Construction starts with bricks, cement, and sand to build the building. Once the structure is ready, fix the doors and windows in the correct place, and then start the next work: plaster the walls. After that, find a good electrician and complete the wiring, electrical, and water connections. All work is finished safely and properly. Lastly, the building is painted as you like, and now the building is completed and fit for living.