Get notes, summary, questions and answers, workbook solutions (Beeta Publication/Morning Star), critical analysis, word meanings, extras, and pdf of Rabindranath Tagore’s story Atithi: ISC Class 12 English (Prism). However, the notes should only be treated for references and changes should be made according to the needs of the students. The title means “Guest” in English.
If you notice any errors in the notes, please mention them in the comments
Summary
The story begins when a 15-16 year old fair-skinned, handsome teenage boy named Tarapada approaches Motilal Babu to request a lift on his boat. Motilal Babu is a wealthy landlord travelling on the boat with his wife Annapurna and 9-year old daughter Charushashi to his village Kanthalia where he is the zamindar.
Tarapada wants a lift to Nandigram. Motilal gladly allows him on board and even offers him lunch. On the journey, Annapurna questions Tarapada about his background. He reveals that despite being the darling of his family and villagers, he left home at a young age. He has a restless spirit and has joined and left various groups like a theatre troupe, panchali singers and acrobatic troupe, not staying at one place for long.
On the boat, Tarapada easily befriends the boatmen and helps with chores like cooking, rowing and steering the boat. One evening he impresses Motilal and Annapurna by enacting the story of Kush and Lav with songs on his flute. However, their temperamental daughter Charushashi feels jealous seeing her parent’s affection for Tarapada.
The boat reaches Kanthalia where Motilal is welcomed by the villagers. Tarapada charms them too, except Charushashi. She feels jealous when she learns her friend Sonamoni is already familiar with Tarapada. In anger, she destroys Tarapada’s flute but he remains unperturbed by her tantrums.
Impressed by Tarapada, Motilal and Annapurna decide to marry him to Charushashi to temper her wild nature. As wedding preparations begin, Tarapada starts learning English using Motilal’s books. Charushashi disturbs his studies and they share a love-hate relationship. Finally, on the wedding day, just as Tarapada’s family arrives, he mysteriously disappears, giving in to his eternal wanderlust once again.
In summary, the conflict between domesticity and quest for freedom is depicted through the charming yet detached Tarapada, who remains an elusive guest, leaving just before he is tied down by marriage. His restless spirit and wanderlust prevail despite people’s affection.
Workbook answers
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. Why did Motilal Babu get his boat moored near a riverside market?
(a) To buy new clothes
(b) To get his retinue’s meal prepared
(c) To buy English language books
(d) All of the above
Answer: (b) To get his retinue’s meal prepared
2. Where did Tarapada want to go by boat?
(a) Kathaliya
(b) Charushila
(c) Nandigram
(d) Sonpur
Answer: (c) Nandigram
3. Which of following groups Tarapada did not join?
(a) Jatra-troupe
(b) Panchali-singers
(c) Gymnastics troupe
(d) Chariot-festival troupe
Answer: (d) Chariot-festival troupe
4. Why did Motilal Babu consent to Tarapada’s request of allowing him to sail with them in the boat?
(a) He would help them to prepare their meals
(b) He would entertain them on the way
(c) He was impressed by the pure and natural innocence in Tarapada’s expression
(d) His wife like him.
Answer: (c) He was impressed by the pure and natural innocence in Tarapada’s expression
5. Which of the following statement about Tarapada is NOT correct?
(a) He had voracious appetite
(b) He did everything according to his own wishes
(c) His family members doted on him
(d) He was wary of ties.
Answer: (a) He had voracious appetite
6. Why did Tarapada run away from his home?
(a) He was compelled by his poverty
(b) He was scolded by his brother
(c) He was annoyed with his mother
(d) He did so of his own free will.
Answer: (d) He did so of his own free will.
7. What was the reason that made Tarapada a wander lust?
(a) To travel with the jatra-groups
(b) A longing to be free
(c) To explore the outside world
(d) Both (b) and (c)
Answer: (d) Both (b) and (c)
8. Which figure of speech is used in the sentence given below?
Tarapada was as wary of ties as a young fawn.
(a) Metaphor
(b) Simile
(c) Personification
(d) Allusion
Answer: (b) Simile
18. What was Annapurna’s thought when she heard Tarapada sing about Lav and Kush?
(a) Charu will soften on hearing it
(b) Charu would be annoyed
(c) Charu would give up her temperament
(d) All of the above
Answer: (a) Charu will soften on hearing it
19. How could Tarapada ‘get to know’ people with amazing ease and speed?
(a) He knew many languages
(b) He was engaging and appeared divine
(c) He could read their minds
(d) He could lure people with his peptalk
Answer: (b) He was engaging and appeared divine
20. Which figure of speech is used in the line given below?
Poor Sonamani fumbled for false explanations.
(a) Simile
(b) Metaphor
(c) Personification
(d) Alliteration
Answer: (d) Alliteration
Complete the sentences
1. Motilal Babu moored his boat near a riverside market because ______
Answer: he wanted his retinue to get down and prepare the midday meal.
2. Motilal Babu consented to Tarapada’s request of giving him lift in the boat till Nandigram because ______
Answer: he was impressed by the pure and natural innocence in Tarapada’s expression, his pleasant looks, and his charming smile.
3. Tarapada ran away from his home because ______
Answer: he had an inborn urge to be free, explore the outside world, and break free from all ties, even those of love and affection.
4. Tarapada left the jatra-troupe because ______
Answer: the master of the troupe began to treat him like a son, and Tarapada, being wary of all ties, left as soon as he felt the bonds of affection forming.
5. Tarapada joined a group of panchali singers because ______
Answer: it was another step in his constant journey to explore the world and satisfy his wanderlust after he had left the jatra-troupe.
6. Tarapada’s family gave up searching for him because ______
Answer: he ran away repeatedly, and they eventually understood that they could not restrain his free spirit or tie him down.
7. Tarapada decided to give up gymnastics troupe and go to Nandigram because ______
Answer: he heard that an amateur jatra-group was being set up there, and his unquenchable thirst for new experiences impelled him to go.
8. Tarapada, despite having any connections with various groups remained unbound and uncorrupted because ______
Answer: he had a pure and detached nature, like a swan that can swim in murky waters without its wings getting soiled, and he remained unaffected by any habit or custom.
9. In contrast to his previous experiences Tarapada stayed in Motilal Babu’s house for almost two years because ______
Answer: it was perhaps his newfound thirst for knowledge in learning English, the comfort of a stable home, or his growing fondness for his study companion, Charushashi.
10. After initial reluctance, Motilal Babu decided to marry his daughter to Tarapada because ______
Answer: his daughter refused to meet another suitor, making him realize her interest in Tarapada, and he believed Tarapada would be a suitable husband for his defiant daughter, which would also prevent her from leaving home after marriage.
Short Answer Questions
1. Briefly describe the physical appearance of Tarapada.
Answer: Tarapada was a fair-skinned boy who was beautiful to look at, with large eyes and a smile that exuberated the grace of youth. His body looked as if it had been carved by a sculptor, and his calm, composed expression gave the impression that in a previous life he must have been a young sage whose pure devotion had removed all coarseness. He had long hair that came down to his neck and wore a sacred thread on his trunk. When he used to take a bath in the swollen river, he would look like a water-God.
2. Why did Tarapada run away from his house? Which troupes did he join and why did he leave them?
Answer: Tarapada ran away from his home because he had an inborn urge to break out of bonds, even the bonds of affection. He was a free-spirited person who was wary of ties, and his stars had made him a wanderer. He was intrigued whenever he saw strange boats on the river, a sannyasi from a distant region, or gypsies making mats and baskets by the river. This would increase his longing to be free and to explore the outside world, compelling him to run away of his own free will.
After running away from home, he joined a number of groups like a jatra-troupe, then a group of panchali-singers, and finally a troupe of gymnasts. He left these groups for the same reason he left his home: he was wary of all ties, including ties of love, and could not be bound in the labyrinth of close relationships. When the master of the jatra-troupe developed an affinity towards him and treated him like a son, Tarapada left. Similarly, when the leader of the panchali-singers began to consider him as his own, he disappeared from there.
3. Where did Tarapada meet Motilal Babu? What request did he make? Why did Motilal Babu accept his request?
Answer: Tarapada met Motilal Babu near a riverside market where Motilal Babu, a wealthy zamindar, had moored his boat. Tarapada made a request to Motilal Babu, asking if the latter could drop him at Nandigram, as the boat was passing that way. Motilal Babu accepted the request because he was attracted by Tarapada’s looks, his smile, and his large eyes that had the grace of youth. Furthermore, Nandigram was on his way to his own village of Kathaliya.
4. Explain Charushashi’s feelings for Tarapada initially.
Answer: Initially, Charushashi’s feelings for Tarapada were of immense jealousy and hostility. As the only child, she was used to getting all the love and attention from her parents and could not tolerate sharing it. She developed a sharp and forceful antipathy towards Tarapada and was particularly agonised by her parents’ affection for him, which made her more hostile. She was so envious of Tarapada that she could never accept his accomplishments and virtues. This envy manifested in her behavior, as she would shout, shriek, complain about the cooking, and object to everything.
5. Briefly describe the scene at the ghat on the moonlit evening which made Tarapada break all shackles and go away.
Answer: On a moonlit evening, Tarapada went to the river bank and saw a festival-like atmosphere on the swift flood-tide. There were numerous boats with merry-go-rounds and jatra troupes, as well as cargo boats, all rapidly making for the fair at Kurulkata. This excitement was suddenly interrupted when clouds from the east covered the moon with huge black sails. An east wind began to blow sharply, the river gushed and swelled, and darkness thickened in the swaying riverside trees. Frogs croaked and crickets rasped like wood saws. To Tarapada, the entire world seemed like a chariot-festival, with wheels turning and songs rising. The scene was completed by rumbles of thunder, slashes of lightning, and the smell of approaching torrential rain. This experience rejuvenated his subdued urge to explore the unknown and prompted him to break all bonds and disappear.
6. What all did Charushashi do to get Tarapada’s attention?
Answer: Charushashi did many things to get Tarapada’s attention as her feelings for him grew. She insisted on learning English with the same tutor, which was a ploy to remain close to him. She became very possessive, threatening to tell their teacher that he was not working on his lessons if he went to visit her friend Sonamani. When he went anyway, she locked him in a room and only opened it at mealtime. When he was about to leave without eating, she first begged him and then began to wail, forcing him to stay and eat. In a fit of jealousy, she smashed the bamboo flute Tarapada had made for Sonamani. She would also secretly pour ink on his exercise book and steal his pen. Finally, when prospective grooms came to see her, she shut herself in her room and refused to come out, an act that suggested her deep interest in Tarapada.
7. Describe briefly in your own words, the boat journey to Kathaliya.
Answer: The boat journey to Kathaliya lasted for about ten days on a houseboat. During this time, Tarapada actively participated in all the activities on the boat, from helping the retinue with cooking and shopping to sailing the boat. When not busy with chores, he would entertain Motilal Babu’s family by singing and playing the flute. Throughout the journey, he remained detached but always busy, taking a great interest in everything he saw.
The journey was set against a beautiful natural backdrop. The sights included sloping pastures, flooded jute-fields, green and rippling late-autumn paddy, and narrow paths leading from the river ghats into villages shaded by foliage. Tarapada felt an intimate connection to this natural world of water, earth, and sky. He was so absorbed in the journey that he did not even notice when the boat passed Nandigram, his original destination.
8. How was Tarapada influenced by his travels? Why?
Answer: Tarapada’s travels influenced him by allowing him to pick up a number of skills, but they did not change his fundamental nature. Through his association with groups like the jatra-troupe, panchali singers, and the gymnastics troupe, he learned to sing, play the flute, and perform. However, these connections and experiences could not corrupt him. He remained simple, detached, and unbound by any kind of habit or custom.
This was because his true nature could not be corrupted. The foul language he heard or the dreadful sights he saw during his travels could never taint his mind. The story describes him as swimming through the murky waters of the world with pure white wings, like a swan. His unconventionality was not an external affectation but was essential, internal, and spontaneous, which is why his core innocence and purity remained untouched despite his varied experiences.
Long Answer Questions
1. Why did Tarapada join different groups before coming to Kathaliya village? Why did he leave them? Which characteristic trait of Tarapada is revealed by his act of first joining and then leaving these groups?
Answer: Tarapada had an inborn urge to break out of bonds and a strong longing to be free to explore the outside world. This zeal compelled him to repeatedly run away from home and join a number of groups like the jatra-troupe, the panchali singers, and the gymnastics troupe. He was on his way to join an amateur jatra-group at Nandigram when he met Motilal Babu.
Tarapada was wary of all ties, even the ties of love. He could not be bound in the labyrinth of close relationships. He left the jatra-troupe without any prior intimation when the master of the company developed an affinity towards him and began treating him like a son. Similarly, he joined a group of panchali-singers, whose leader taught him songs and trained him. But when Tarapada found that his teacher had begun to consider him as his own, he disappeared from there. He left these groups out of a fear of the emotional bonds that were tying him down.
This act of first joining and then leaving these groups reveals that Tarapada was a free-spirited person who would not accept ties. His stars had made him a wanderer. He was an individualistic, separate, and strong person who was constantly on the move to explore the unexplored. He remained detached and unbound by any kind of habit, custom, or relationship.
2. “But he would not accept ties, even ties of love: his stars had made him a wanderer.” Substantiate the viewpoint portrayed through these lines with reference to Tarapada’s journey from his running away from his home to vanishing from Motilal Babu’s house and village.
Answer: The statement that Tarapada would not accept ties, even ties of love, because his stars had made him a wanderer is clearly demonstrated throughout his journey. From a young age, despite being a well-loved child in his family and neighbourhood, he ran away from home to join a touring jatra-troupe. Although he was brought back, he ran away again and again until his family and neighbours gave up on him.
His aversion to bonds continued with the groups he joined. He left a jatra-troupe as soon as its owner became fond of him. He then joined a group of travelling minstrels, but when the leader came to regard him as his own, Tarapada disappeared again. He could not be held by any encumbrance and remained simple and detached.
Even at Motilal Babu’s house, he initially remained indifferent to the maternal affection shown by Annapurna. While he stayed there for two years, captivated by his studies and his growing fondness for Charushashi, the prospect of a permanent bond through marriage proved to be too much. On a moonlit monsoon night, the sight of boats heading to a festival and the call of nature reawakened his subdued urge to uncover the unknown. The day before the wedding, before the bonds of love, affection, and domestic life could completely encircle him, Tarapada broke the shackles of love, security, and attachment and disappeared forever, proving that he was a true wanderer who could not be tied down.
3. Describe the character of Charushashi and her relationship with Tarapada.
Answer: Charushashi, the nine-year-old daughter of Motilal Babu, was an overindulged child. Being the only child and the sole claimant of her parents’ affection, she was quite wilful and obstinate, with her own opinions about food, clothes, and hairstyles. She could throw tantrums over a dress or her hair, but when in a good mood, she could also be receptive and show excessive love for her mother.
Charushashi was also jealous and envious. She was used to getting all the love and attention and could not tolerate it when her parents, especially her mother, displayed affection for Tarapada. She would complain about the cooking, slap the maid, and object to everything. She was so envious of Tarapada that she could not accept his accomplishments. This jealousy extended to her friend Sonamani; Charushashi was furious to learn that Tarapada had visited Sonamani and made a flute for her, and in a fit of rage, she smashed Tarapada’s flute.
Her relationship with Tarapada evolved from dislike to a possessive liking. Initially, she was hostile, but Tarapada was intrigued and amused by her. Gradually, her dislike changed to liking and admiration, and she wanted to be the sole claimant of his attention. She insisted on learning English with him to remain close to him. She even locked him in a room to prevent him from visiting Sonamani, and when he threatened to go without food, she wailed and forced him to eat. Her refusal to meet a prospective groom was a clear indication that she had fallen for Tarapada and agreed to her mother’s proposal of marrying him.
4. Describe the appropriateness of the title of the story, ‘Atithi’.
Answer: The title ‘Atithi/Guest’ is appropriate for the story. It justifies the literal meaning of the title and reflects the deeper meaning associated with the story’s theme. A ‘guest’ is a person who spends some time at another person’s house on their invitation. Tarapada, the protagonist, was definitely a guest of Motilal Babu. He requested a lift and was invited to join the family on their boat.
During his two-year stay, Tarapada was treated like a family member, yet he never fully shed his guest-like status. He endeared himself to Motilal Babu and his wife, but he remained an outsider who had come for a temporary stay. His final departure confirms this. On the eve of his wedding to Charushashi, a permanent bond that would have made him a part of the family, he disappeared. He untangled himself from the bondage of relationships and faded into oblivion, proving that he was just an ‘Atithi’, a guest who was there to stay for some time and not forever.
The title also has a symbolic meaning. It can be read as the eternal journey of the human soul, which stays for some time on earth as a guest and then moves on towards liberation. All human beings are mortals, and their stay on earth is for a limited period. When the physical body dies, the soul, which is the essence of human beings, lives on. Tarapada’s journey represents this spiritual quest of the soul, making the title ‘Atithi’ fitting on both a literal and a symbolic level.
5. Suppose you were in Tarapada’s place. What would you have done after staying for about two years in Motilal Babu’s house—remained a guest or had become a family member?
Answer: If I were in Tarapada’s place, after staying for two years in Motilal Babu’s house, I would have chosen to become a family member rather than remain a guest. While the idea of a life of complete freedom and exploring the unknown like Tarapada is appealing, the stability, love, and security offered by Motilal Babu’s family would be far more valuable to me.
Motilal Babu and his wife Annapurna offered me a home and treated me with great affection, filling the void of a family. They provided for my education by engaging a tutor, which opened up a new world of knowledge for me. This was a great opportunity for a better future, which a life of wandering could not guarantee.
Furthermore, I would have developed feelings for Charushashi. Despite her initial jealousy and tantrums, her actions showed a deep, possessive liking for me. The prospect of marrying her and building a life together would represent a chance for companionship and emotional connection. The bonds of love and the security of a home are, for me, more fulfilling than a life of constant uncertainty. Therefore, I would have accepted the marriage proposal and embraced the opportunity to become a part of their family, leaving the life of a wanderer behind.
6. Suppose you were Tarapada, describe how you felt about Charushashi and her antics. What did you do to pacify her?
Answer: As Tarapada, I was initially intrigued and amused by Charushashi. This bright-eyed girl was a riddle to me. Her natural fierceness and her erratic behaviour and tantrums fascinated me. While her jealousy and hostility were directed at me, I saw it as a mystery to be solved. Her possessiveness, like when she was furious that I knew Sonamani, was something I had not encountered before.
As time went on, my feelings for her changed. Her actions, like smashing my flute or pouring ink on my books, were met with amused tolerance. When she locked me in a room, I felt an electrifying thrill. I began to feel a subtle change in myself, a feeling of being bound and attached, which was like a new dream. It never occurred to me to laugh at her or beat her when she pestered me. This growing fondness for my unruly classmate was one of the main reasons I stayed in one place for so long.
To pacify her, I tried to win her over by telling her stories, singing her songs, and playing the flute for her. When she smashed my flute, I simply picked up the broken pieces and laughed. When she spoiled my exercise book, I just sat silent and sad, which proved to be a very effective punishment, as she later wrote an apology. When she locked me in the room and I threatened to leave without eating, her wild weeping forced me to give in and eat. I mostly tolerated her antics, but the story mentions that I would sometimes hit her when I could not bear it any more. Ultimately, I did not pacify her in a way that would lead to a life together; instead, I fled from the very bond she represented.
Extra MCQs
1. How old was Tarapada when he first met Motilal Babu?
A. About 12
B. About 15 or 16
C. About 18
D. About 20
Answer: B. About 15 or 16
29. About Tarapada Charushashi’s attitude was:
A. infatuation
B. possessiveness
C. hatred
D. envy
Answer: D. envy
Extra questions and answers
1. Where was Motilal Babu travelling to?
Answer: Motilal Babu was travelling along the river with his family to Kanthalia, a place in rural Bengal of which he was the zamindar or landlord.
45. Does the restlessness of the youth convey any significance? Do you think Tarapada is doing right by not staying long at one place.
Answer: The restlessness and wanderlust depicted in Tarapada’s character conveys the significance of the eternal human yearning for freedom, exploration and experience. His inability to settle in one place for long shows his quest for meaning and adventure in life.
On one hand, Tarapada’s detachment allows him to experience life fully and not be tied down by mundane responsibilities. However, it also prevents him from forming deep relationships and commitments. Moderation between responsibilities and freedom is perhaps ideal. So while Tarapada’s restless spirit is understandable, staying a little longer in positive situations could have brought more enrichment too. But ultimately, Tarapada follows his unique calling, which cannot be judged as fully right or wrong. His life choices reflect an intrinsic human paradox.
Get notes of other classes and subjects
why does Tarapada choose to run away from home again at the end of the story ? What does it reveal about his character ?
Tarapada chooses to run away again at the end of the story, because he had become restless after months of staying in one place. Not only was this due to his detached nature, but it was also due to the new and overwhelming feelings that he was experiencing. This perhaps prompted him to leave, before any real ties or connections could be made between him and other people.
It shows that Tarapada will always choose freedom and yearning to travel over anything material in the world, and paints him as a carefree, wanderlust spirit tied only to mother earth.
logic based questions part 7, its not mawligram, its Nandigram
How does Rabindranath Tagore use Tarapada’s character to critique societal norms, especially regarding the expectations of marriage and stability?
could u elaborate the relationship between trapada and motilal babu as well as trapada and annapurna?
Tarapada’s parents were: high caste and poor
This is the right answer
Editor’s response
Thank you. We have updated the answer.
Please..Analyse the theme of story atithi
Please tell about critical appreciation of the story
The story “Atithi” by Rabindranath Tagore, with its English title ‘Runaway’ is so famous and gripping that many films and TV shows by different names have been made, with much success, as is the reading of the story is so interesting and gripping In the story, the famous writer employs the poetic prose to bring to life the major characters and the situations. It is the story of an amiable teenage boy Tarapada who is consumed by his wanderlust and cannot help but severe relations and contacts in order to move on with his mission to explore the vastness of the universe. Remaining detached but not alienated, he wishes to quench his thirst for the knowledge and meaning of life. Therefore, all his jatras are aimed at getting the real beauty and truth of life. Thus in the words of the celebrated author D.H. Lawrence: ‘Atithi is an astonishing narrative of the eternal journey of a human soul resting for a while and taking a strike to the road at the next probable opportunity.
Tarapada is portrayed as a spirit who is endowed with the spirit of self- actualisation and often transcendental. He somewhere appears to be a narcissist engrossed in his own self.
The style and language are inimitable. Tagore is like an artist-painter wielding his pen to paint life-like sketches as seen in the characterisation of sweet- natured, ever-moving Tarapada, loving and impressive Motilal Babu, affectionate and caring Annapurna, and wilful, obstinate, black-eyed Charushashi with all the tantrums and unpredictable, whimsical behaviour.
‘Describe briefly in your own words the boat journey toh kathaliya.’
Please give and to this question.
i am unable to download the notes
please help
Editor’s response
There was a technical issue. It has been fixed. Please try now.
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