Lesson 3

The Passing Away of Bapu

Nayantara Sehgal

✍️ The Author and the Text:

Nayantara Sehgal (1927-) is one of the first female Indian writers in English to receive wide recognition. Her fiction deals with India's response to the crisis brought about by political changes. She won the Sahitya Academy award in 1986 for her novel Rich like Us.

The text, an extract from Nayantara Sehgal's memoir Prison and Chocolate cake, recounts the incidents following the death of Gandhiji. It vividly describes not only the author's personal sense of loss, but also the collective grief of the entire nation at the passing away of Mahatma Gandhi.

Read the following:

Unit 1

I was having tea at home on the evening of 30th January, 1948, when I was called to Birla House by an urgent telephone. Gandhiji had been shot on his way to a prayer meeting. I was numb with shock as I got into the car.

At the Birla House, Gandhiji's relatives and followers had gathered round his body. There was silence in the room as Gandhiji breathed his last. Words of Bapuji's death had spread through Delhi like a flame fanned by wind. Sad groups of men and women had collected around Birla House. Out of every window one could see a brown blur of faces. They did not make a sound. There was an unnatural silence. It was as if time stood still for those few minutes.

The people were too stunned to speak in the beginning. Later they clamoured wildly, shouting and crying. They jostled one another in a stampede to break into the house. They calmed a little when it was announced that they would be allowed to see Gandhiji before the funeral.

When one is faced with the shock of a loved one's death, one whimpers: "What will become of me now that he has left me?" This was surely the question uppermost in the mind of the mourning people. They looked like lost children. It was the question in many of our hearts as we sat, still shocked and unbelieving. We listened to the broadcast telling the people of India that their Bapu was no more.

📖 Word Nest

• clamoured: demanded loudly
• jostled: forced one's way by pushing
• whimpers: makes low, crying noises

🧠 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 (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 (c) When one is faced with the shock of a loved one's death, one (i) whimpers (ii) laughs (iii) claps (iv) shouts

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

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: (b) People attempted to break into the Birla House. Supporting statement: (c) The news of Gandhiji's death did not shock the people. Supporting statement:

Read the following:

Unit 2

Gandhiji's funeral was to take place the day after his death. Hours in advance, people lined the route the funeral procession was to follow. Padmasi, Mrs Naidu's daughter, spoke for us all when she said simply:

"we will walk. It is the last time we shall be walking with Bapu."

It was an agonizing 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. It was impossible to move in the thick crowd.

As I moved forward slowly I understood I was not merely in the midst of grieving people. This was even more than the funeral procession of India's beloved leader. I was among people for whom walking with Bapu had a special meaning. We had walked with Bapu over the rough and smooth of India's recent history. We could not now accept the fact that the man who had led us over many difficult paths, was never going to walk with us again. Bapu's slight figure had walked, staff in hand, over a large part of India. 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. Moreover, to walk was often the only way open to the average Indian. It required no vehicle except his own body and cost him nothing but his energy. Gandhiji took this necessity, as he took much that was commonplace and transformed it into a joyful effort.

📖 Word Nest

• staff: walking-stick
• clarity: ability to clearly think about or understand something
• commonplace: ordinary

🧠 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 (b) Padmasi was Mrs. Naidu's (i) niece (ii) sister (iii) friend (iv) daughter (c) While walking, Bapu used to carry in his hand a/an (i) flag (ii) staff (iii) umbrella (iv) cane

5. Complete the following sentences with information from the text: (a) Thousands of people wept, trying _______________ (b) The author was among people for whom walking _______________ (c) To walk is to _______________

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.

Read the following:

Unit 3

Some days after the funeral, a special train took Gandhiji's ashes to Allahabad. The compartment was decked with flowers. People on the train sang bhajans. People did not weep anymore for they could feel Gandhiji's presence amid the flowers and the songs. At every station sorrowful crowds filled the platform. Amid song and prayer the train reached Allahabad. The ashes were immersed in the Ganges where a huge crowd had gathered at the bank. Afterwards we all went back to Delhi.

Back in Delhi, I felt at sea. I had not directly walked with Gandhiji, gone to prison at his call or made any sacrifice for my country. My sisters and I, and other young people like me, had been merely onlookers. But still I felt at sea. I felt I had grown up within a magic circle. With Bapu's passing away, I felt the magic circle had vanished, leaving me unprotected.

With an effort I roused myself. I asked myself—had Bapu lived and died for nothing? How could I so easily lose courage when he was no longer there? My values were not so weak. Millions of people would have been ordinary folk but for Bapu. He brought them out of indifference and awakened them to one another's suffering. What if now Bapu is gone? We were still there, young, strong and proud to bear his banner before us.

Bapu had passed away but his India would continue to live in his children.

📖 Word Nest

• decked: decorated
• indifference: lack of interest

🧠 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 (b) A huge crowd had gathered by the (i) Ganges (ii) Yamuna (iii) Brahmaputra (iv) Narmada (c) Gandhiji awakened people to one another's (i) indifference (ii) jealousy (iii) suffering (iv) greed

8. Complete the following sentences with information from the text: (a) People on the special train _______________ (b) The author felt she had grown up within _______________ (c) Bapu had passed away but _______________

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.

✍️ Grammar in Use

Read the following pairs of sentences:

1. Men and women were sad. They collected around Birla House.
2. Gandhiji is a great leader. He is known as the Father of the Nation.
3. The people were stunned. They could not speak in the beginning.
4. The funeral was over. The narrator returned to Delhi.
5. The ashes were immersed in the Ganges. Then the sun set.
6. We listened to the broadcast. We realized that Bapu was no more.

Now, read the following sentences:

1. Being sad, men and women collected around Birla House. (participle)
2. Gandhiji, Father of the nation, is a great leader. (phrase in apposition)
3. The people were too stunned to speak in the beginning. (infinitive)
4. The funeral over, the narrator returned to Delhi. (nominative absolute)
5. The ashes were immersed in the Ganges by sunset. (adverbial phrase)
6. On listening to the broadcast, we realized that Bapu was no more. (preposition with a gerund)

Here we see that two or more simple sentences can be joined into a single simple sentence by using a participle, noun or phrase in apposition, infinitive, nominative absolute, adverb or adverbial phrase and preposition with a gerund.

10. Join the following pairs of sentences into single sentences as directed: (a) I saw a snake. I ran away. (use participle) (b) He learns music. He listens to the chords. (use preposition with gerund) (c) Gold is a precious metal. It is used to make ornaments. (use noun in apposition) (d) Ramu has some money. He can buy books. (use infinitive) (e) The sky was cloudy. We postponed our journey. (use nominative absolute) (f) The boy wrote the answer. The answer was incorrect. (use adverbial phrase)

Read the following pairs of sentences:

1. I was filled with sadness. I was numb with shock.
2. We heard of Bapu's death. We could not accept the fact.
3. They did not make a sound. They did not stir.
4. People did not weep anymore. They could feel Gandhiji's presence amid the flowers and the songs.

Now, read the following sentences:

1. I was not only filled with sadness but also numb with shock. (cumulative conjunction)
2. We heard of Bapu's death but could not accept the fact. (adversative conjunction)
3. Neither did they make a sound nor did they stir. (alternative conjunction)
4. People did not weep anymore for they could feel Gandhiji's presence amid the flowers and the songs. (Illative conjunction)

Here we see that two or more simple sentences can be joined into a single compound sentence by using cumulative conjunctions (adding one statement to the other), adversative conjunctions (express contrast), alternative conjunction (express a choice between two alternatives) and Illative conjunction (based upon drawing inferences from two or more statements).

Note: 'Both', 'and', 'not only... but also' are Cumulative Conjunctions. 'But', 'still', 'yet', 'nevertheless', 'however', are Adversative Conjunctions. 'Or, 'either...or, 'neither...nor' are Alternative Conjunctions. 'Therefore', 'for', 'so', 'as', are Illative Conjunctions.

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) (b) He is honest. He is humble. (use cumulative conjunction) (c) Sonali cannot write poetry. She keeps on trying. (use adversative conjunction) (d) Study hard. You will not pass the examination. (use alternative conjunction)

Read the following pairs of sentences:

1. I was not merely in the midst of grieving people. I understood this.
2. It was a walk. It was agonizing.
3. I was having tea at home. It was evening.

Now, read the following sentences:

1. I understand that I was not merely in the midst of grieving people. (noun clause)
2. It was a walk which was agonizing. (adjective clause)
3. I was having tea at home when it was evening. (adverb clause)

Here we see that two or more simple sentences are joined into a single complex sentence by using noun, adjective or adverb clauses. Note that these clauses act as dependent clauses in the joined sentences.

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) (b) He returned home. Everyone in the family had fallen asleep. (use adverb clause) (c) The sun rises in the east. Everyone knows it. (use noun clause)

13. Join the following pairs of sentences into single sentences as directed: (a) It rained hard. The roads were not flooded. (compound sentence) (b) He completed his work. He took rest. (simple sentence) (c) Rahul is a great singer. He can sing different kinds of songs. (complex sentence) (d) The time of departure of the train has changed. Alia knew it. (complex sentence) (e) I do not watch television. I do not listen to the radio. (compound sentence) (f) The child was short. The child could not pick the guava from the tree. (simple sentence)

Read the following pairs of sentences:

1. I was numb with shock as I got into the car.
2. Bapu had passed away but his India would continue to live in his children.

Sentence 1 carries two ideas: 'I was numb with shock' and 'I got into the car'. It can be split into simple sentences:

• I was numb with shock.
• I got into the car.

Sentence 2 carries two ideas: 'Bapu had passed away' and 'his India would continue to live in his children'. It can be split into simple sentences:

• Bapu had passed away.
• His India would continue to live in his children.

Sentences are split according to the ideas present in the sentences.

Now, read the following sentences:

1. It was the question in many of our hearts as we sat, still shocked.
2. There was silence in the room as Gandhiji breathed his last.

Sentence 1 carries two ideas. The first idea is ‘It was the question in many of our hearts' and the second idea is 'we sat, still shocked'. So the sentence can be split in this way:

• It was the question in many of our hearts.
• We sat, still shocked.

Sentence 2 carries two ideas. The first idea is 'There was silence in the room' and the second idea is 'Gandhiji breathed his last'. So the sentence can be split in this way:

• Gandhiji breathed his last.
• There was silence in the room.

Sentences are split according to the sequence of ideas.

Read the following sentences:

1. Words of Bapuji's death had spread through Delhi like a flame fanned by wind.
2. Back in Delhi, I felt at sea.

Sentence 1 can be split into two sentences:

• Words of Bapuji's death had spread through Delhi.
• Words spread like a flame fanned by wind.

Sentence 2 can be split into two sentences:

• I was back in Delhi.
• I felt at sea.

The subject 'It' and the subject 'I' are provided while splitting the sentences.

Thus, sentences are split according to— (i) the number of ideas, (ii) the sequence of ideas, (iii) the subject implied in the sentence.

14. Split the following into two sentences: (a) It rained and I could not leave my room. (b) He thought that he could win the race. (c) Having been informed of the trouble, the Principal left for home. (d) Nasir, who was the captain of the team, 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

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