Question 5 - Chapter 4 - The Adventure - Hornbill - Chapters (Literature) - English Class 11

Read the extract and answer the following questions.

Extract:

Gangadharpant pressed home his advantage. “I had inadvertently slipped the Bakhar in my pocket as I left the library. I discovered my error when I was paying for my meal. I had intended to return it the next morning. But it seems that in the melee of Azad Maidan, the book was lost; only this torn-off page remained. And, luckily for me, the page contains vital evidence.” 

(The Adventure)

Question (i)

What is a Bakhar and why is it important for Gangadharpant?

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

 A Bakhar is a historical chronicle or record written in Marathi language . It is important for Gangadharpant because it contains information about the history of the Maratha Empire and its rulers.

 Step-by-step explanation of the answer: 📜

•    To answer this question, we need to use our knowledge of Indian history and literature and the context of the extract.
•    Indian history and literature tell us that a Bakhar is a historical chronicle or record written in Marathi language. It is a genre of historical writing that emerged in the 17th century and continued till the 19th century. It covers various aspects of the history of the Maratha Empire and its rulers such as wars, politics, administration, culture, religion, etc. Some of the famous Bakhars are Sabhasad Bakhar, Chitnis Bakhar, Bhaskar Ramchandra Bakhar, etc.
•    The context of the extract tells us that Gangadharpant is a historian who has accidentally travelled back in time from 1977 to 1857 due to a solar eclipse. He finds himself in a different India that is still under British rule and has not yet witnessed the rebellion or its aftermath. He wants to go to the library of the Asiatic Society to solve the riddle of history. He had borrowed a Bakhar from the library and had inadvertently slipped it in his pocket. He had lost it in the chaos of Azad Maidan, where he had witnessed a protest against British rule. He had only managed to retain a torn-off page from the Bakhar.
•    Therefore, we can infer that a Bakhar is a historical chronicle or record written in Marathi language. It is important for Gangadharpant because it contains information about the history of the Maratha Empire and its rulers.

Question (ii)

 What does the word "melee" mean in the context of the extract?

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

The word "melee" means a noisy or confused fight or struggle in the context of the extract.

 Step-by-step explanation of the answer: 🥊

•    To answer this question, we need to use our knowledge of vocabulary and synonyms.
•    Vocabulary tells us that the word "melee" has more than one meaning depending on how it is used. It can mean a noisy or confused fight or struggle, a large or enthusiastic crowd or gathering, a sudden or unexpected change or event, or a friendly or cooperative relationship or interaction.
•    Synonyms are words that have similar meanings to other words. For example, big and large are synonyms. We can use synonyms to replace words in a sentence without changing its meaning.
•    The context of the extract tells us that Gangadharpant had lost his Bakhar in the melee of Azad Maidan. This means that he had dropped or misplaced his book in the midst of a violent or disorderly situation at Azad Maidan. Azad Maidan was a public ground in Bombay where many protests and rallies against British rule took place. Therefore, he used the word "melee" to mean a noisy or confused fight or struggle in this sentence.
•    We can check if this meaning is correct by replacing "melee" with a synonym such as "scuffle" or "fracas". The sentence would still make sense and convey the same idea.

Question (iii)

 What is the vital evidence that the page contains and how does it help Gangadharpant?

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

The vital evidence that the page contains is a reference to an eclipse that occurred on 11 August 1762. It helps Gangadharpant to confirm his theory that he has travelled back in time due to an eclipse and to calculate when he can return to his own time.

 Step-by-step explanation of the answer: 🌑

•    To answer this question, we need to understand the theme and plot of the story.
•    The theme of the story is adventure and time travel. Gangadharpant is a historian who accidentally travels back in time from 1977 to 1857 due to a solar eclipse. He finds himself in a different India that is still under British rule and has not yet witnessed the rebellion or its aftermath.
•    The plot of the story follows Gangadharpant's journey as he tries to find his way back to his own time and place. He meets Rajendra Deshpande, who is a journalist and a freedom fighter, on a train from Delhi to Calcutta. Rajendra Deshpande helps him with money and clothes and tells him about his plans to overthrow British rule.
•    Therefore, we can infer that the vital evidence that the page contains is a reference to an eclipse that occurred on 11 August 1762. It helps Gangadharpant to confirm his theory that he has travelled back in time due to an eclipse and to calculate when he can return to his own time. He realizes that he has to wait for another eclipse that will occur on 18 August 1857 to go back to his own time.

Question (iv)

 How does the author create a sense of irony and luck in the extract?

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

The author creates a sense of irony and luck in the extract by using words such as "inadvertently", "error", "lost", "remained", and "vital".

 Step-by-step explanation of the answer: 🍀

•    To answer this question, we need to analyse how the author uses language and word choice to create a sense of irony and luck in the extract.
•     Irony is a literary device that shows how something is different or opposite from what is expected or intended. It can be used to create humor, sarcasm, or criticism in the story. Luck is a literary device that shows how something happens by chance or fortune. It can be used to create surprise, relief, or gratitude in the story.
•   The author creates a sense of irony and luck in the extract by using words such as "inadvertently", "error", "lost", "remained", and "vital". For example:
•      Inadvertently and error: The author uses these words to describe how Gangadharpant had slipped the Bakhar in his pocket as he left the library. These words imply that he had done something unintentionally or mistakenly. He had not meant to take the book with him, but he had done so by accident. This creates a sense of irony and luck by making readers wonder how this mistake will affect his situation and by making readers realize that this mistake will actually help him later.
•      Lost and remained: The author uses these words to describe how Gangadharpant had lost the Bakhar in the melee of Azad Maidan, but only a torn-off page remained. These words imply that he had suffered a loss or misfortune, but he had also retained something valuable or useful. He had dropped or misplaced his book, but he had managed to keep a page from it. This creates a sense of irony and luck by making readers feel sorry for his loss and by making readers feel happy for his gain.
•       Vital: The author uses this word to describe how the page contains vital evidence for Gangadharpant's theory and plan. This word implies that the page is very important or essential for his situation. It contains information that can help him solve his problem and achieve his goal. This creates a sense of irony and luck by making readers amazed at how a small piece of paper can have such a big impact and by making readers thankful for his good fortune.