Get here the summary, questions, answers, textbook solutions, extras, and pdf of Lesson 3 “The Passing Away of Bapu” by Nayantara Sehgal of the West Bengal Board (WBBSE) Class 10 (Madhyamik) English (second language) textbook “Bliss”. However, the given notes/solutions should only be used for references and should be modified/changed according to needs.
Unit 1
U1: Summary
Nayantara Sehgal was having tea at home on the evening of 30th January 1948 when she received an urgent phone call informing her that Gandhiji had been shot on his way to a prayer meeting. Shocked, she went to Birla House where Gandhiji’s relatives and followers had gathered around his body. News of his death spread throughout Delhi, and groups of mourners assembled outside Birla House in a sombre silence. Initially, the crowd was too stunned to speak, but later they clamoured and cried, attempting to break into the house to see Gandhiji. The crowd calmed somewhat when they were told they would be allowed to see him before the funeral. The mourners, feeling lost and uncertain about the future without their beloved Bapu, listened to the broadcast announcing the tragic news to the people of India.
U1: Textual questions and answers
Comprehension exercises
1. Choose the correct alternative to complete the following sentences:
(a) Gandhiji had been shot on his way to
(i) the Birla House
(ii) the author’s house
(iii) a prayer meeting
(iv) a family gathering
Answer: (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
Answer: (ii) a telephone call
(c) When one is faced with the shock of a loved one’s death, one
(i) whimpers
(ii) laughs
(iii) claps
(iv) shouts
Answer: (i) whimpers
2. Fill in the chart with information from the text:
| (a) date on which Gandhiji was shot dead | |
| (b) place where Gandhiji breathed his last | |
| (c) information given by the broadcast |
Answer:
| (a) date on which Gandhiji was shot dead | January 30, 1948 |
| (b) place where Gandhiji breathed his last | Birla House |
| (c) information given by the broadcast | Announcement of Gandhiji’s death to the people of India |
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. [____]
Supporting statement: __________
Answer: False. “I was having tea at home on the evening of 30th January, 1948, when I was called to Birla house by an urgent telephone.”
(b) People attempted to break into the Birla House. [____]
Supporting statement: __________
Answer: True. “They jostled one another in a stampede to break into the house.”
(c) The news of Gandhiji’s death did not shock the people. [____]
Supporting statement: __________
Answer: False. “The people were too stunned to speak.”
U1: Extra/additional questions and answers
1: On which date was the author called to Birla House due to the shooting of Gandhiji?
Answer: The author was called to Birla House on the evening of 30th January, 1948, when Gandhiji was shot.
2: Where was Gandhiji shot?
Answer: Gandhiji was shot on his way to a prayer meeting.
3: How did the author feel upon hearing the news about Gandhiji?
Answer: The author was numb with shock upon hearing the news about Gandhiji.
4: Who had gathered around Gandhiji’s body at Birla House?
Answer: Gandhiji’s relatives and followers had gathered around his body at Birla House.
5: How did the news of Gandhiji’s death spread through Delhi?
Answer: The news of Gandhiji’s death spread through Delhi like a flame fanned by wind.
15: Why did the people clamour wildly and attempt to break into Birla House after their initial shock?
Answer: The people clamoured wildly and attempted to break into Birla House after their initial shock because they wanted to see Gandhiji’s body and pay their respects, driven by their overwhelming emotions and the need for closure.
U1: Extra/additional MCQs
1. What was the author doing when they received the urgent telephone call?
(i) Reading a book (ii) Eating dinner (iii) Having tea (iv) Taking a walk
Answer: (iii) Having tea
9. What question was likely uppermost in the mind of the mourning people?
(i) “Why did this happen?” (ii) “What will become of me now that he has left me?” (iii) “Who is responsible for this?” (iv) “How can we avenge his death?”
Answer: (ii) “What will become of me now that he has left me?”
U1: Extra/additional fill in the blanks
1. The author was having tea at home on the evening of ______, when they were called to Birla house by an urgent telephone.
Answer: 30th January, 1948
10. The author and others listened to the ______ telling the people of India that their Bapu was no more.
Answer: broadcast
U1: Extra/additional True/False/Supporting statement
1. Nayantara Sehgal was having tea when she received the urgent call about Gandhiji. [____]
Supporting statement: __________
Answer: True. “I was having tea at home on the evening of 30th January, 1948, when I was called to Birla house by an urgent telephone.”
10. The crowd tried to break into Birla House to see Gandhiji. [____]
Supporting statement: __________
Answer: True. “They jostled one another in a stampede to break into the house.”
Unit 2
U2: Summary
Gandhiji’s funeral took place the day after his death, with people lining the procession route hours in advance. Padmasi, Mrs Naidu’s daughter, spoke for all when she said they would walk with Bapu for the last time. The agonizing walk saw thousands silently watching and weeping, trying to touch Bapu’s feet. The procession was more than just a funeral; it represented the significance of walking with Bapu throughout India’s recent history. Gandhiji’s walks symbolized slow progress, clarity, and close observation, turning a common necessity into a joyful effort for the average Indian.
U2: Textual questions and answers
Comprehension exercises
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
Answer: (iii) one day after his death
(b) Padmasi was Mrs. Naidu’s
(i) niece
(ii) sister
(iii) friend
(iv) daughter
Answer: (iv) daughter
(c) While walking, Bapu used to carry in his hand a/an
(i) flag
(ii) staff
(iii) umbrella
(iv) cane
Answer: (ii) staff
5. Complete the following sentences with information from the text:
(a) Thousands of people wept, trying __________
Answer: to touch Bapu’s feet.
(b) The author was among people for whom walking __________
Answer: with Bapu had a special meaning.
(c) To walk is to __________
Answer: make slow progress, think with clarity, and closely look at all that is around you.
6. Fill in the chart with information from the text:
| Statement | Reason |
| (a) It was impossible to move. | |
| (b) Padmasi declared that they would walk with Gandhiji in the funeral procession. | |
| (c) To walk was often the only way open to the average Indian. |
Answer:
| Statement | Reason |
| (a) It was impossible to move. | The thick crowd of people trying to touch Bapu’s feet during the funeral procession made it impossible to move. |
| (b) Padmasi declared that they would walk with Gandhiji in the funeral procession. | Walking with Bapu for the last time was important to her and others who had walked with him throughout India’s recent history. |
| (c) To walk was often the only way open to the average Indian. | Walking required no vehicle except one’s own body and cost nothing but energy, making it accessible to most Indians. |
U2: Extra/additional questions and answers
1. When was Gandhiji’s funeral to take place?
Answer: The funeral was to take place the day after his death.
2. What did Padmasi, Mrs. Naidu’s daughter, say about walking in the funeral procession?
Answer: Padmasi said that they would walk, as it was the last time they would be walking with Bapu.
3. How did the people show their grief during the funeral procession?
Answer: Thousands of people silently watched the procession, wept, and tried to touch Bapu’s feet.
4. Why was it impossible to move in the thick crowd during the funeral procession?
Answer: It was impossible to move because thousands of people were trying to touch Bapu’s feet, creating a very dense crowd.
5. What did the author realize as they moved forward in the procession?
Answer: The author realized they were among people for whom walking with Bapu had a special meaning, as they had walked with him over the rough and smooth of India’s recent history.
6. How is walking described in the text?
Answer: Walking is described as making slow progress, thinking with clarity, and closely looking at all that is around you, from small insects to the horizon in the distance.
7. Why was walking often the only way open to the average Indian?
Answer: Walking was often the only way open to the average Indian because it required no vehicle except their own body and cost them nothing but their energy.
8. How did Gandhiji transform the necessity of walking for the average Indian?
Answer: Gandhiji took the necessity of walking and transformed it into a joyful effort, making it an essential part of his life and leadership.
U2: Extra/additional MCQs
1. When was Gandhiji’s funeral to take place?
(i) On the day of his death (ii) One day after his death (iii) Two days after his death (iv) A week after his death
Answer: (ii) One day after his death
2. What did Padmasi, Mrs. Naidu’s daughter, say about participating in the funeral procession?
(i) We will drive (ii) We will walk (iii) We will run (iv) We will watch from a distance
Answer: (ii) We will walk
3. How did the crowd show their grief during the funeral procession?
(i) By chanting slogans (ii) By trying to touch Bapu’s feet (iii) By dancing (iv) By singing songs
Answer: (ii) By trying to touch Bapu’s feet
4. What made it impossible to move during the funeral procession?
(i) Heavy rain (ii) Police barriers (iii) The thick crowd (iv) Roadblocks
Answer: (iii) The thick crowd
5. What did the author realize about the people walking in the funeral procession?
(i) They were all family members (ii) They were all politicians (iii) They had a special meaning for walking with Bapu (iv) They were all from the same village
Answer: (iii) They had a special meaning for walking with Bapu
6. What did Bapu carry in his hand while walking?
(i) A flag (ii) A staff (iii) An umbrella (iv) A cane
Answer: (ii) A staff
7. Why was walking often the only way open to the average Indian?
(i) It was the fastest mode of transport (ii) It required no vehicle and cost nothing but energy (iii) It was the most comfortable option (iv) It was the most fashionable option
Answer: (ii) It required no vehicle and cost nothing but energy
8. How did Gandhiji transform the necessity of walking for the average Indian?
(i) By making it a competition (ii) By making it a joyful effort (iii) By making it a punishment (iv) By making it mandatory
Answer: (ii) By making it a joyful effort
U2: Extra/additional Fill in the Blanks
1. Gandhiji’s funeral was to take place the day after his _______, and people lined the route the funeral procession was to follow.
Answer: death
2. Padmasi, Mrs. Naidu’s _______, spoke for everyone when she said they would walk in the funeral procession.
Answer: daughter
3. Bapu lay on an open truck covered with _______, as thousands silently watched the procession.
Answer: flowers
4. The author was among people for whom walking with Bapu had a _______ meaning.
Answer: special
5. Bapu’s slight figure had walked, _______ in hand, over a large part of India.
Answer: staff
6. To walk is to make slow progress, think with _______, and closely look at all that is around you.
Answer: clarity
7. Gandhiji transformed the necessity of walking for the average Indian into a _______ effort.
Answer: joyful
U2: Extra/additional True/False/Supportive statement
1. People gathered hours before the funeral procession to pay their respects to Gandhiji. [____]
Supporting statement: __________
Answer: True. Hours in advance, people lined the route the funeral procession was to follow.
2. Padmasi expressed her desire to walk during Gandhiji’s funeral procession. [____]
Supporting statement: __________
Answer: True. Padmasi, Mrs Naidu’s daughter, spoke for us all when she said simply: we will walk.
3. The funeral procession was an emotional and difficult experience for the attendees. [____]
Supporting statement: __________
Answer: True. It was an agonising walk. Thousands silently watched the procession. Bapu lay on an open truck covered with flowers. Thousands of people wept, trying to touch Bapu’s feet.
4. The crowd was so dense that it was challenging to move forward. [____]
Supporting statement: __________
Answer: True. It was impossible to move in the thick crowd.
5. Walking with Bapu had deep significance for the people of India. [____]
Supporting statement: __________
Answer: True. I was among people for whom walking with Bapu had a special meaning.
6. Bapu’s walks were known for their slow progress and thoughtful nature. [____]
Supporting statement: __________
Answer: True. To walk is to make slow progress. It is to think with clarity and closely look at all that is around you, from small insects to the horizon in the distance.
7. Gandhiji turned the simple act of walking into a powerful effort for the average Indian. [____]
Supporting statement: __________
Answer: True. Gandhiji took this necessity, as he took much that was commonplace and transformed it into a joyful effort.
Unit 3
U3: Summary
After Gandhiji’s funeral, his ashes were taken by a special train to Allahabad, where they were immersed in the Ganges. The train’s journey was filled with songs, prayers, and flowers. The narrator, feeling lost after Gandhiji’s passing, questioned the purpose of his life and death. They realized that despite his absence, the values and lessons Gandhiji instilled in millions of people would live on. As the younger generation, they still had the responsibility to carry forward his legacy and continue to work for a better India.
U3: Textual questions and answers
Comprehension exercises
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
Answer: (ii) Allahabad
(b) A huge crowd had gathered by the
(i) Ganges
(ii) Yamuna
(iii) Brahmaputra
(iv) Narmada
Answer: (i) Ganges
(c) Gandhiji awakened people to one another’s
(i) indifference
(ii) jealousy
(iii) suffering
(iv) greed
Answer: (iii) suffering
8. Complete the following sentences with information from the text:
(a) People on the special train __________
Answer: sang bhajans
(b) The author felt she had grown up within __________
Answer: a magic circle
(c) Bapu had passed away but __________
Answer: his India would continue to live in his children.
9. Fill in the chart with information from the text:
| Cause | Effect |
| (a) | People did not weep anymore. |
| (b) The magic circle vanished. | |
| (c) | The author felt that she wouldn’t lose courage so easily. |
Answer:
| Cause | Effect |
| (a) Gandhiji’s presence was felt amid the flowers and the songs. | People did not weep anymore. |
| (b) The magic circle vanished. | Bapu’s passing away. |
| (c) The author’s realization of Bapu’s legacy. | The author felt that she wouldn’t lose courage so easily. |
U3: Extra/additional questions and answers
1. What happened some days after Gandhiji’s funeral?
Answer: Some days after the funeral, a special train took Gandhiji’s ashes to Allahabad. The compartment was decked with flowers, and people on the train sang bhajans.
10. What did the narrator and other young people decide to do after Bapu’s passing away?
Answer: They decided to bear Bapu’s banner before them, as they were still young, strong, and proud.
U3: Extra/additional MCQs
1. Where did the special train take Gandhiji’s ashes?
(i) Allahabad (ii) Delhi (iii) Mumbai (iv) Kolkata
Answer: (i) Allahabad
10. What were the narrator and other young people determined to do after Bapu’s passing?
(i) Forget about Bapu’s teachings (ii) Bear Bapu’s banner before them (iii) Pursue their own goals (iv) Move to another country
Answer: (ii) Bear Bapu’s banner before them
U3: Extra/additional fill in the blanks
1. Some days after the funeral, a special train took Gandhiji’s ashes to _______.
Answer: Allahabad
10. The narrator and other young people were still there, young, strong and proud to bear Bapu’s _______ before them.
Answer: banner
U3: Extra/additional True/False/Supportive statement
1. The special train carrying Gandhiji’s ashes was filled with weeping people. [____]
Supporting statement: __________
Answer: False. People on the train sang bhajans and did not weep anymore.
10. The narrator and their sisters were active in Gandhiji’s movement. [____]
Supporting statement: __________
Answer: False. The narrator and their sisters, along with other young people, had been merely onlookers.
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)
Answer: Seeing a snake, I ran away.
(b) He learns music. He listens to the chords. (use preposition with gerund)
Answer: He learns music by listening to the chords.
(c) Gold is a precious metal. It is used to make ornaments. (use noun in apposition)
Answer: Gold, a precious metal, is used to make ornaments.
(d) Ramu has some money. He can buy books. (use infinitive)
Answer: Ramu has some money to buy books.
(e) The sky was cloudy. We postponed our journey. (use nominative absolute)
Answer: The sky being cloudy, we postponed our journey.
(f) The boy wrote the answer. The answer was incorrect. (use adverbial phrase)
Answer: 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)
Answer: The old man is unwell, so he cannot go out.
(b) He is honest. He is humble. (use cumulative conjunction)
Answer: He is honest and he is humble.
(c) Sonali cannot write poetry. She keeps on trying. (use adversative conjunction)
Answer: Sonali cannot write poetry, but she keeps on trying.
(d) Study hard. You will not pass the examination. (use alternative conjunction)
Answer: 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)
Answer: 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)
Answer: He returned home when everyone in the family had fallen asleep.
(c) The sun rises in the east. Everyone knows it. (use noun clause)
Answer: 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)
Answer: It rained hard, but the roads were not flooded.
(b) He completed his work. He took rest. (simple sentence)
Answer: He completed his work and took rest.
(c) Rahul is a great singer. He can sing different kinds of songs. (complex sentence)
Answer: Rahul is a great singer who can sing different kinds of songs.
(d) The time of departure of the train has changed. Alia knew it. (complex sentence)
Answer: 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)
Answer: I do not watch television, nor do I listen to the radio.
(f) The child was short. The child could not pick the guava from the tree. (simple sentence)
Answer: The child was too short to pick the guava from the tree.
14. Split the following into two sentences:
(a) It rained and I could not leave my room.
Answer: It rained. I could not leave my room.
(b) He thought that he could win the race.
Answer: He thought. He could win the race.
(c) Having been informed of the trouble, the Principal left for home.
Answer: The Principal was informed of the trouble. He left for home.
(d) Nasir, who was the captain of the team, scored a century.
Answer: Nasir was the captain of the team. He scored a century.
Writing activities
15. Write a biography of Maulana Abul 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
Answer: Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was born on November 11, 1888. He was a prolific poet who composed poetry in Urdu and worked as a journalist, actively protesting against the British Raj. A staunch supporter of Gandhiji’s ideas, he went on to author several books, including ‘India Wins Freedom’ and ‘Ghubar-e-Khatir’. As the first Education Minister of independent India, he played a significant role in shaping the country’s educational policies. His birthday is celebrated as National Education Day to honor his contributions. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad passed away on February 22, 1958.
16. Use the following flow-chart to write a paragraph (within 100 words) on how a building is constructed:
drawing of a plan of the building by the architect-getting the plan sanctioned by the corporation or municipal authorities-engaging masons and labourers-starting the construction with bricks, cement and sand-fitting doors and windows-plastering of walls-wiring-electric and water connections-painting-building completed-fit for living.
Answer: The construction of a building begins with the architect drawing a plan, which must be sanctioned by the corporation or municipal authorities. Once approved, masons and labourers are engaged to start the construction using bricks, cement, and sand. Doors and windows are fitted, followed by the plastering of walls. Wiring is installed for electricity, and water connections are established. After painting the building, it is considered complete and fit for living, marking the end of the construction process.
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