OPENING VOCABULARY
1. Infer the meanings of the following expressions from the context.
(a) Unconventional traveller
Answer: A traveller who observes and experiences a place in an unusual or non-traditional way.
(b) Dubious privilege
Answer: An ironic expression referring to an experience that is presented as a privilege but is actually uncertain or unpleasant.
(c) Struck by
Answer: Deeply impressed or strongly affected by something.
(d) Buck up
Answer: To improve, strengthen, encourage or support.
(e) Conceit
Answer: An exaggerated opinion of one’s own importance or ability.
(f) Scintillating
Answer: Brilliant, lively, sparkling or highly impressive.
(g) Discerning
Answer: Able to judge things carefully and recognise fine differences.
UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT
1. What does Verrier Elwin say about the tradition of courtesy and hospitality in the modern world? What advice does he give to the people of Assam on this point?
Answer: Verrier Elwin says that courtesy, friendliness and hospitality have become rare qualities in the modern world of competition, rivalry and hurry.
He had travelled to many places, but he was deeply impressed by the warmth and friendliness shown by ordinary people in Assam.
He therefore advises the people of Assam to preserve this valuable tradition and never allow it to disappear.
2. What difference does Verrier Elwin draw between the Game Sanctuaries of Kenya and Kaziranga?
Answer: Verrier Elwin observes a clear difference between the game sanctuaries of East Africa and Kaziranga.
In Kenya and Tanganyika, people generally cooperated in protecting wildlife. Poaching was discouraged, money was spent on maintaining the sanctuaries, and wild animals moved near the roads without much fear of human beings.
In Kaziranga, however, Elwin felt that animals were less confident about their safety and did not appear as freely.
His comparison suggests that wildlife protection becomes more successful when the public actively cooperates with conservation efforts.
3. What appeal does the author make to the scholars of Assam concerning the songs and poems of the state? Why does he make this appeal?
Answer: Verrier Elwin appeals to the scholars of Assam to collect, record and preserve the traditional songs, poems, folk tales and myths of the countryside and hill communities.
He makes this appeal because he believes that these oral traditions are rapidly disappearing.
He fears that modern forms of entertainment and changing tastes may gradually replace local songs and cultural traditions.
Therefore, he urges scholars to preserve them before they are lost forever.
4. Why, according to Verrier Elwin, should wood carving be taught and encouraged in our educational centres?
Answer: Verrier Elwin was greatly impressed by the rich tradition of wood carving among various hill communities.
He admired the artistic work seen in houses, morungs, village gates, images, pipes, drinking mugs and toys.
He feared that such beautiful traditional craftsmanship might disappear with time.
Therefore, he believed that wood carving should be taught and encouraged in educational institutions so that the skill could be preserved and passed on to future generations.
5. “You have a great treasure there.” What treasure is Verrier Elwin referring to and what is his suggestion about the treasure?
Answer: Verrier Elwin is referring to the rich traditional culture and artistic heritage of Assam as a “great treasure”.
This treasure includes a refined sense of colour and form, love of beauty, rhythm in music, traditional songs, crafts, weaving and other cultural practices.
He advises the people of Assam not to feel ashamed of their old culture or abandon it carelessly.
According to him, such traditions grow naturally out of ancient culture, and once they are lost, they may be impossible to recover.
ADDITIONAL QUESTION–ANSWERS
1. What does Verrier Elwin say about India?
Answer: Verrier Elwin says that India had become his home and the object of his deep affection.
Although he had lived in India for about twenty-five years, he humorously admits that he still felt he knew very little about the country.
2. What does the writer say about the rhinos he saw in Assam?
Answer: Verrier Elwin says that within a short time in Assam he saw about a dozen rhinos.
Some appeared dangerous or angry, while one seemed calm enough for him to get down from the elephant and take its photograph.
The experience greatly impressed him, especially because he had failed to see a single rhino during a much longer visit to East Africa.
3. Why did Verrier Elwin say that he was an unconventional visitor?
Answer: Verrier Elwin called himself an unconventional visitor because he had not come to Assam merely as an ordinary tourist.
He came in connection with his responsibilities and observed the people, culture, wildlife and traditions of the region closely during his stay.
His impressions were therefore based on personal contact and observation rather than on a conventional sightseeing tour.
4. Who was Dr Verrier Elwin?
Answer: Dr Verrier Elwin was a British-born writer and anthropologist who spent many years in India and wrote extensively about tribal communities and their cultures.
He developed a deep interest in the people and traditions of North-East India.
5. Why did Elwin say that he felt like a man under an enchantment in Assam?
Answer: Elwin felt enchanted by Assam because of its natural beauty, its wildlife, its artistic traditions and the friendliness of its people.
The charm of the landscape and the warmth shown by ordinary people made a deep impression on him.
6. What example did Elwin give of Assam’s rich musical tradition?
Answer: Elwin referred to a traditional death chant sung by young men in a village as an example of the region’s rich musical heritage.
The setting, the traditional dress and the old melody deeply impressed him.
7. What concern did Elwin express about Assam’s songs and poems?
Answer: Elwin feared that traditional songs and poems were gradually disappearing under the influence of changing tastes and modern popular music.
He therefore urged scholars to collect and preserve them.
TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT
1. “There is something to be proud of; it is a grand thing to see creatures of the wild feeling safe even in civilization.” Discuss.
Answer: The statement emphasises the importance of creating a peaceful relationship between human beings and wildlife.
A successful sanctuary is one where wild animals do not constantly fear people.
This can happen only when hunting and poaching are controlled, habitats are protected and the public cooperates with conservation efforts.
True civilisation should not destroy wildlife but should allow animals to live safely in their natural surroundings.
Therefore, seeing wild animals move freely without fear is indeed something to be proud of.
2. “The schoolboy prefers jazz music from Hollywood.” Discuss.
Answer: This statement reflects Elwin’s concern that younger generations may become more attracted to foreign popular culture and gradually lose interest in their own traditional music.
There is nothing wrong with enjoying music from other cultures, but local songs and melodies should not be forgotten.
Traditional music carries the history, emotions and identity of a community.
Therefore, young people should be encouraged to appreciate both modern music and their own cultural heritage.
3. “The maidens of lovely Assam weave poems on the handlooms.” Discuss.
Answer: The statement is a poetic appreciation of Assam’s handloom tradition.
The designs woven by Assamese women often show a fine sense of colour, pattern, balance and beauty.
Just as a poet creates beauty through words, a skilled weaver creates beauty through thread, colour and design.
Thus, the expression “weave poems” suggests that weaving is not merely a practical activity but also a highly creative art form.
THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE
1. Explain the paradoxes in the examples used by Verrier Elwin.
Answer: Verrier Elwin often uses paradox and contrast to make his language lively and humorous.
For example:
- He says that after living in India for twenty-five years he knows very little about it, but after only a few months in Assam he jokingly claims to know everything about it.
- He spent two months in East Africa without seeing a rhino, yet saw several rhinos within a few hours in Assam.
- He contrasts the tradition of non-violence in India with the insecurity apparently felt by some wild animals.
- He points out that tribal art treasures from Assam could sometimes be seen more easily in institutions abroad than locally.
These contrasts make his style witty, memorable and thought-provoking.
2. What other features of Verrier Elwin’s language are distinctive?
Answer: Verrier Elwin’s style has several noticeable features:
- first-person narration,
- direct address to the audience,
- humorous and ironic remarks,
- rhetorical questions,
- vivid descriptions,
- colloquial expressions,
- frequent contrasts, and
- warm personal observations.
These features make his writing informal, engaging and conversational.
WORKING WITH WORDS
1. Match the different meanings of the word ‘art’ with its uses in the lesson.
(a) “There is the art of work, the art of music.”
Answer: The making or expression of what is beautiful or meaningful.
(b) “The plastic and graphic art of a country.”
Answer: Creative visual arts such as painting, sculpture and design.
(c) “The art of personal decoration.”
Answer: A skilful way or method of doing something.
(d) “Art, of course, is a big word.”
Answer: Creative activity or a work produced to express beauty.
2. What does ‘intoxicated’ mean in the context of the lesson?
Answer: In the lesson, ‘intoxicated’ does not refer to alcohol.
It means being filled with intense excitement, delight or emotional pleasure.
Elwin uses it to describe how deeply he was affected by the beauty and charm of Assam.
3. Explain the following colloquial expressions.
(a) “The chap you ask the way on the road”
Answer: ‘Chap’ is an informal word meaning a man or person.
(b) “A charming old fellow”
Answer: ‘Old fellow’ is an informal and affectionate way of referring to the rhino.
(c) “Buck up the Game Sanctuaries”
Answer: It means to improve, strengthen or support the game sanctuaries.
(d) “Do not throw it away too readily”
Answer: It means not to abandon or reject traditional culture too quickly.
THINGS TO DO
1. Collect folk songs and folk tales of your region and paraphrase or translate them into English.
Answer: This is an activity-based question and may have different answers.
A suitable response should include:
- the title of the folk song or tale,
- the place or community from which it was collected,
- the name of the person or book from which it was obtained,
- a brief English paraphrase or translation, and
- an explanation of important cultural words or ideas.
IMPORTANT QUESTION AND ANSWER
1. What difference did Elwin observe between East African and Indian Game Sanctuaries?
Answer: Elwin observed that East African sanctuaries received greater public cooperation and the animals appeared less afraid of people.
In Kaziranga, he felt that animals were less confident of their safety.
He therefore stressed the importance of public cooperation in wildlife protection.
2. Why was Elwin impressed by the people of Assam?
Answer: Elwin was impressed by their courtesy, friendliness, hospitality and cultural refinement.
He found these qualities especially valuable because he felt that they were becoming rare in the modern world.
3. Why did Elwin want Assam’s traditional culture to be preserved?
Answer: Elwin believed that Assam possessed a rich cultural heritage in the form of songs, crafts, weaving, music, colour, design and traditional customs.
He feared that once these traditions disappeared, they might never be fully restored.
Therefore, he urged the people to preserve them.
4. What did Elwin think about Assam’s wood carving tradition?
Answer: Elwin considered Assam’s wood carving tradition powerful, beautiful and highly artistic.
He believed that the craft deserved to be taught and encouraged so that it could survive for future generations.
5. What role can scholars play in preserving Assam’s culture?
Answer: Scholars can collect, record, study and publish traditional songs, poems, folk tales, myths and artistic practices.
By documenting them carefully, they can help prevent valuable cultural knowledge from disappearing.
FILL IN THE BLANKS
1. Dr Verrier Elwin was a __________ author and anthropologist.
Answer: British
2. Verrier Elwin made __________ India an important area of his work and study.
Answer: North-East
3. The Kaziranga Game Reserve is located in __________.
Answer: Assam
4. Gandhiji said that the maidens of Assam weave __________ on their handlooms.
Answer: poems
5. The __________ of Manipur were known for splendid wood carving and house decoration.
Answer: Tangkhuls
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. What was Dr Verrier Elwin’s nationality?
(a) Indian
(b) African
(c) British
(d) American
Answer: (c) British
2. About how many months had Elwin spent in Assam at various times?
(a) Two
(b) Four
(c) Six
(d) Ten
Answer: (b) Four
3. Which place deeply impressed Elwin with its beauty and people?
(a) Kerala
(b) Kashmir
(c) Assam
(d) Gujarat
Answer: (c) Assam
4. In which sanctuary did Elwin see several rhinos?
(a) Kaziranga
(b) Manas
(c) Jim Corbett
(d) Sundarbans
Answer: (a) Kaziranga
5. Where did Elwin fail to see a rhino during a long visit?
(a) America
(b) East Africa
(c) Australia
(d) Japan
Answer: (b) East Africa
6. Which animal chased Elwin in East Africa?
(a) Rhino
(b) Lion
(c) Hippopotamus
(d) Zebra
Answer: (c) Hippopotamus
7. What kind of traditional musical performance impressed Elwin?
(a) Wedding song
(b) Harvest song
(c) Death chant
(d) Dance music
Answer: (c) Death chant
8. What did Elwin appeal to the public to support?
(a) Road construction
(b) Game sanctuaries
(c) Industries
(d) Foreign tourism
Answer: (b) Game sanctuaries
9. Where did Elwin say many tribal art treasures could be seen?
(a) Shillong and Guwahati
(b) Oxford and Cambridge
(c) Delhi and Mumbai
(d) London and Paris only
Answer: (b) Oxford and Cambridge
10. The Angamis were known for making beautifully carved __________.
(a) village gates
(b) boats
(c) musical instruments
(d) jewellery
Answer: (a) village gates
11. The Konyaks decorated their __________.
(a) schools
(b) morungs
(c) markets
(d) offices
Answer: (b) morungs
12. According to Gandhiji, the maidens of Assam weave __________.
(a) stories
(b) songs
(c) poems
(d) flowers
Answer: (c) poems
13. Which community is mentioned in connection with decorated drinking mugs?
(a) Maos
(b) Marams
(c) Phoms
(d) Angamis
Answer: (c) Phoms
14. Which community is mentioned for splendid decoration of houses?
(a) Tangkhuls
(b) Konyaks
(c) Angamis
(d) Phoms
Answer: (a) Tangkhuls
15. How does Elwin describe the people of East Africa in one of his paradoxical contrasts?
(a) Quiet and withdrawn
(b) Carnivorous and violent
(c) Completely non-violent
(d) Mainly traders
Answer: (b) Carnivorous and violent
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