Chapter 13
A Lesson for My Teacher
1. Where did Kalam live and why is the place important?
Answer: Kalam lived on Mosque Street in Rameswaram. Rameswaram is a famous religious city known for its ancient Shiva temple. It is a place where people of different religions live together, showing unity and harmony.
2. Why did Kalam stop near the temple every evening?
Answer: Kalam stopped near the temple every evening because he loved listening to the rhythmic chanting of the mantras. Although he did not understand the words, he felt a strange magic in them.
3. How did the temple goers react to Kalam?
Answer: The temple goers stared at Kalam suspiciously because he was a Muslim boy standing near a Hindu temple. They did not understand his interest and doubted his presence there.
4. Why did Kalam feel like a stranger near the temple?
Answer: Kalam felt like a stranger because people looked at him with doubt and suspicion. They probably questioned why a Muslim boy was standing outside the temple.
5. Who was Ramanadha Sastry?
Answer: Ramanadha Sastry was Kalam’s best friend. He was the son of the head priest of the Shiva temple and recited hymns with his father every evening.
6. What kind of relationship did Kalam and Ram share?
Answer: Kalam and Ram shared a deep friendship. They were like brothers, always sitting together in class and supporting each other despite their different religious backgrounds.
7. How were Kalam and Ram’s religious identities shown?
Answer: Ram wore a sacred thread as he was the son of a Hindu priest, while Kalam wore a white cap that marked him as a Muslim.
8. What happened when the new teacher entered the class?
Answer: The new teacher looked strict and walked around the class tapping his cane. He noticed Kalam sitting beside Ram and became angry.
9. Why did the teacher scold Kalam?
Answer: The teacher scolded Kalam because he believed a Muslim boy should not sit beside the son of a Hindu priest. This showed his narrow-minded thinking.
10. What punishment was given to Kalam?
Answer: Kalam was ordered to leave the first bench and sit on the last bench of the classroom.
11. How did Kalam feel after being punished?
Answer: Kalam felt deeply hurt and humiliated. Tears filled his eyes as he silently moved to the last bench.
12. How did Ram react to the incident?
Answer: Ram was equally hurt. After school, both boys wept silently, fearing that they would no longer be allowed to remain friends.
13. What fear troubled Kalam and Ram?
Answer: They feared that their friendship would be broken because of religious differences imposed by the teacher.
14. How did Kalam’s father respond to his sadness?
Answer: Kalam’s father noticed his tears and calmly asked him what had happened. Kalam then explained the entire incident in detail.
15. What action did Ram’s family take?
Answer: Ram told the story to his father, the head priest, who decided to take immediate action.
16. Why was Kalam afraid when Ram called him the next morning?
Answer: Kalam was terrified because he thought he would face more trouble or punishment.
17. Who was present at Ram’s house?
Answer: Kalam was shocked to see the new teacher standing in Ram’s house.
18. What did the head priest ask the teacher to do?
Answer: The head priest asked the teacher to apologize to Kalam for his wrong behaviour.
19. Why was Kalam surprised?
Answer: Kalam could not believe that the head priest was supporting him and asking the teacher to apologize.
20. What important statement did the head priest make?
Answer: He said, “No child is less than another in God’s eyes.”
21. What lesson did the head priest teach the teacher?
Answer: He taught the teacher that it is his duty to promote harmony and respect among students despite differences in religion or background.
22. What punishment did the head priest initially give the teacher?
Answer: He told the teacher that he could no longer teach in the school.
23. How did the teacher react to his mistake?
Answer: The teacher sincerely apologized to Kalam and asked for forgiveness.
24. What did the teacher say to Kalam?
Answer: He hugged Kalam and said that he had learnt an important lesson in life.
25. Why was the teacher forgiven?
Answer: The head priest saw that the teacher truly regretted his actions and allowed him to continue teaching.
26. What change occurred after the incident?
Answer: From that day onward, Kalam and Ram sat together proudly on the first bench.
27. How did the incident strengthen their friendship?
Answer: Their friendship grew stronger as they realized that true friendship rises above religious differences.
28. What does the story say about religious tolerance?
Answer: The story teaches that all religions deserve equal respect and no one should be discriminated against.
29. Why is the head priest an ideal character?
Answer: He was fair, wise, and courageous. He stood for justice and equality without bias.
30. How is the teacher’s character transformed?
Answer: The teacher changed from being narrow-minded to understanding the value of equality and harmony.
31. What values did Kalam learn from this incident?
Answer: Kalam learned the values of peace, harmony, equality, and forgiveness.
32. How does the story promote peace and harmony?
Answer: It shows that understanding and respect among different communities can create a peaceful society.
33. Why is the title “Peace and Harmony” suitable?
Answer: The story highlights unity beyond religious differences and teaches peaceful coexistence.
34. What role did parents play in resolving the issue?
Answer: Both Kalam’s father and Ram’s father handled the issue calmly and wisely, guiding the children and teacher.
35. What message does the story give to teachers?
Answer: Teachers must treat all students equally and promote unity and moral values.
36. How does the story reflect Kalam’s childhood values?
Answer: It shows that Kalam grew up in an environment of tolerance, respect, and mutual understanding.
37. Why did Kalam continue to admire the temple chants?
Answer: He appreciated the spiritual beauty of the chants beyond religious boundaries.
38. What would have happened if the head priest had not intervened?
Answer: The injustice might have continued, and the children’s friendship could have been broken.
39. What is the central theme of the lesson?
Answer: The central theme is religious harmony and equality among all human beings.
40. What is the moral of the story?
Answer: The moral of the story is that no one is superior or inferior because of religion, and peace and harmony must be practiced in daily life.
Answer by Mrinmoee
