THE PASSING AWAY OF BAPU (Nayantara Sehgal)
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) 1 Mark
- When the writer received the urgent phone call, she was – a. having dinner b. having coffee c. having lunch d. having tea
Answer : d. having tea
- Gandhiji was shot when he was going to – a. meet the Prime Minister b. meet people c. prayer meeting d. political meeting
Answer : c. prayer meeting
- The writer went to the Birla House – a. in a car b. by bus c. on foot d. by train
Answer : a. in a car
- When one is faced with the shock of a loved one’s death – a. whimpers b. cries d. wails c. moans
Answer : a. whimpers
- Gandhiji’s body was kept in – a. his own house b . The Birla House c. The Tata House d. at Shanti Kunj
Answer : b. The Birla House
- The news of Gandhiji’s death spread through Delhi like – a. wind b. flame c. water d. storm
Answer : b. flame
- People who gathered round Bapu’s body were his – a. followers b. relatives c. followers and relatives d. students
Answer : c. followers and relatives
- The faces out of every window had – a. brown blur b. black blur c. blue blur d. red blur
Answer : a. brown blur
- It seemed to the writer that stood still. – a. minutes b. seconds c. time d. times
Answer : c. time
- The people were too – to speak initially. – a. shocked b. stunned c. surprised d. confused
Answer : b. stunned
- People wanted to the house. – a. break intob. run into c. walk into d. rush into
Answer : a. break into
- People looked like – a. lost orphans b. lost boys c. lost children d. lost souls
Answer : c. lost children
- When public viewing was confirmed, people were – a. tense b. stressed c. angry d. calmed
Answer : d. calmed
- People calmed when they were allowed to see Gandhiji – a. at the funeral b. after the funeral c. from a distance d. before the funeral
Answer : d. before the funeral
- Gandhiji’s death news spread across India – a. through television b. through internet c. through telephone calls d. through radio
Answer : d. through radio
- Gandhiji’s funeral took place – a. immediately after his death b. long after his death c. one day after his death d. on the day of his death
Answer : c. one day after his death
- The proposal of walking along with Bapu came from – a. Padmasi b. Padamsi c. Mr Naidu d. Mrs Naidu
Answer : a. Padmasi
- Padmasi suggested that – a. they would run b. they would sit c. they would walk d. they would sing bhajans
Answer : c. they would walk
- The writer and other shall be walking with Bapu for the – a. first time b. last time c. second time d. none of these
Answer : b. last time
- The walk with Gandhiji’s body was a – a. solemn one b. sad one c. shocking one d. painful one
Answer : d. painful one
- As the funeral procession started, thousands – a. watched it b. cried c. became angry d. shouted
Answer : a. watched it
- Bapu’s body lay on an open truck covered with – a. roses b. flowers c. boughs d. garlands
Answer : b. flowers
- In the funeral procession, the writer moved – a. slowly b. tiredly c. fast d. gingerly
Answer : a. slowly
- In the prose-piece, Gandhi has been described as – a. a respectable leader b. a beloved father c. a beloved leader d. a respectable philosopher
Answer : c. beloved leader
- The writer had walked over India’s history which was – a. high and low b. rough and smooth c. rough and tough d. high and dry
Answer : b. rough and smooth
- Gandhiji was a man who had a – a. fat figure b. short height c. slim figure d. none of these
Answer : c. slim figure
- According to the passage, to walk is to – a. make a steady progress b. make a fast progress c. make a regress d. make a slow progress
Answer : d. make a slow progress
- As one walks, one can closely look at – a. insects and horizon b. insects and birds c. horizon and flowers d. horizon and animals
Answer : a. insects and horizon
- Walking is the only way open to the – a. average Indian b. rich Indian c. poor Indian d .common Indian
Answer : a. average Indian
- Gandhiji transformed walking into a – a. joyful science b. joyful effort c. joyful experience d. joyful episode
Answer : b. joyful effort
- Gandhi’s ashes were taken to Allahabad by – a. a luxury train b. a goods wagon c. a special train d. an aeroplane
Answer : c. a special train
- People on the train with Gandhiji’s body, sang – a. ghazals b. folk song c. classical songs d. bhajans
Answer : d. bhajans
- People could feel the presence of Gandhiji amid – a. the songs b. the flowers c. the flowers and the songs d. themselves
Answer : c. the flowers and the songs
- The ashes were immersed in the Ganges and there were many people – a. on the bank b. along the bank c at the bank d. over the bank
Answer : c. at the bank
- Back in Delhi, the writer felt – a. at sea b. at ocean c. at river d. at lake
Answer : a. at sea
- From the prose-piece we come to know that the writer had – a. a brother and a sister b. a sister c. sisters d. brothers
Answer : c. sisters
- ‘On lookers’ in the prose-piece means those people who – a. look on things b. try very hard c. relax d. wait and watch
Answer : d. wait and watch
- With Bapu’s death, the magic circle had – a. become bigger b. become smaller c. vanished d. evaporated
Answer : c. vanished
- ‘My values were not so weak’ – by the word ‘values’, the writer means – a. principles b. prices c. goodness d. principals
Answer : a. principles
- ‘Many people would be ordinary folk but for Bapu’ the expression ‘but for Bapu’ means – a. without Bapu b. with Bapu c. other than Bapu d.only for Bapu
Answer : a. without Bapu
- Gandhi’s main contribution was that he – a. united people b. fought for them c. awakened their fellow feelings d. drove the British away
Answer : c. awakened their fellow feelings
- According to the narrator, people to bear Gandhi’s legacy should be – a. very wise b. young, strong and proud c. very strong d. young, strong
Answer : b. young, strong and proud
- After Bapu, India would continue to live in – a. her sons b. her daughters c. her brothers and sisters d. her children
Answer : d. her children
- Padmasi was Mrs. Naidu’s – a. sister b. daughter c. friend d. mother
Answer : b. daughter
- A huge crowd gathered by the – a. Yamuna b. Kaberi c. Ganges d. Kansabati
Answer : c. Ganges
Very Short Answer Questions (VSAQ)(1 Mark)
- What news came to the writer on 30th January, 1948?
Answer : On 30th January, 1948 the writer was informed that Gandhiji had been shot.
- What happened at the Birla House?
Answer : At the Birla House, Gandhi’s followers and relatives gathered round the mortal body of Gandhiji.
- How did the words of Bapuji’s death spread through Delhi?
Answer : The news of Bapuji’s death spread through Delhi like a flame that was fanned by wind.
- What kind of atmosphere was there in the Birla House?
Answer : People at Birla House were silenced by the shock of Gandhiji’s sudden death.
- Why did people start jostling?
Answer : People started jostling with one another to break into the house where Gandhiji’s body was lying,
- What helped people to calm down a little?
Answer : The announcement that they would be permitted to see Gandhiji’s dead body helped people to calm down a little.
- What question came first to the mind of the aggrieved people?
Answer : The question that came first to the mind of the aggrieved people was what would happen to them a death.
- What major news was broadcast on 30th January, 1948?
Answer : On 30th January, 1948 the news of Gandhiji’s death was being broadcast.
- When was Gandhiji’s funeral to take place?
Answer : Gandhiji’s funeral was to take place the day after he had died.
- On whose proposal everyone in the funeral procession of Gandhiji walked?
Answer : It was on Mrs Naidu’s daughter, Padmasi’s proposal that people walked in the funeral procession of Gandhiji.
- What was the realization of the writer as she walked in the funeral procession?
Answer : While walking in the funeral procession, the writer realized that she was among the people for whom walking with Bapu had a special meaning.
- What does the writer mean by ‘rough and smooth of India’s recent history?
Answer : By “rough and smooth of India’s recent history”, the writer hints at the Indian struggle for freedom.
- What could the writer not accept?
Answer : The writer could not accept that Gandhiji would not walk with them again.
- What is the most important advantage of walking?
Answer : The most important advantage of walking is that it gives the chance to think clearly and look closely at all the things nearby.
- What is the most important thing about walking?
Answer : The most important thing about walking is that it is the only option for most IndiAnswer :
- What new dimension did Gandhiji add to walking?
Answer : Walking is a very ordinary activity but Gandhiji transformed it into a cheerful effort.
- Where were Gandhiji’s ashes taken for immersion?
Answer : Gandhiji’s ashes were taken to Allahabad for immersion.
- Why didn’t people weep anymore?
Answer : People didn’t weep anymore because they could feel the presence of Gandhiji amid the flowers and songs.
- Who gathered at the bank when the ashes were immersed?
Answer : A huge crowd gathered when the ashes were immersed.
- What does the writer mean by the expression, ‘I felt at sea’?
Answer : By the expression ‘I felt at sea’, the writer means that she felt helpless.
- What does the writer’ mean by the expression people like me had been merely onlookers’.
Answer : By the expression, people like me had been merely on lookers’ the writer wants to mean that she and other young people only watched others participating in freedom struggle.
- What was immediate effect of Gandhiji’s passing away on the writer?
Answer : The writer felt that the magic circle that she had grown up within had vanished with Bapuji’s death.
- What questions did the writer ask herself after Gandhiji’s death?
Answer : The questions that the writer asked herself were if Gandhiji had died for nothing and if in Gandhiji s absence she should lose courage very easily.
- What was Gandhiji’s major contribution to India’s freedom movement?
Answer : Gandhiji’s major contribution was that he brought the people of India out of indifference and developed fellow feeling among them.
- What was the final realization of the writer?
Answer : The final realization of the writer was that they were young, powerful and they would proudly carry on the legacy of Gandhiji’s idealism.
Complete the following sentences with information from the text.(1 Mark)
- The writer received the information of Gandhiji’s death on ________.
Answer : 30th January,1948
- As the writer got into the car, she felt ________.
Answer : numb with shock
- The news of Gandhiji’s death spread like a ________.
Answer : flame fanned by wind
- Sad faces could be seen out of ________.
Answer : every house
- It seemed to the writer that time ________.
Answer : stood still
- There was an ________ in the room where Gandhiji’s body was laid.
Answer : unnatural silence
- There was a lot of jostling because people wanted to________.
Answer : break into the house
- People after Gandhiji’s death looked like________.
Answer : lost children
- People lined the route of the ________.
Answer : funeral procession
- It was the ________ the writer and others will be walking with Bapu.
Answer : last time
- The vehicle that Bapu’s body was being carried on was an ________.
Answer : open truck
- Gandhiji walked across India with a ________ in his hand.
Answer : staff
- Walking allows us to look ________ at things around us.
Answer : closely
- If one thinks, one can see a lot of things from ________ to the ________.
Answer : insects, the horizon
- While walking, one requires only one’s________.
Answer : energy
- Gandhiji’s transformed the things that were________.
Answer : commonplace
- The railway carriage that was carrying Gandhiji’s body was decorated with ________.
Answer : flowers
- The ashes were immersed in the presence of a________.
Answer : huge crowd
- After the last rites in Allahabad, the write went back to________.
Answer : Delhi
- Like many other young people, the writer and her sister were only________.
Answer : on-lookers
- With Bapu’s death, the thing that disappeared was the________.
Answer : magic circle
- Gandhi’s death left the writer ________.
Answer : unprotected
- The writer was very strong in her ________.
Answer : values
- Bapuji brought ________ people out of ordinariness.
Answer : millions of
- Before he died, Bapu had given a ________ to the writer and others.
Answer : banner
Short Answer Questions (SAQ)(2 Marks)
- Describe the atmosphere in and around the Birla House immediately after Gandhiji’s death.
- Why had it to be announced that everyone would be allowed to see Gandhiji?
- What question was uppermost in the mind of the people and why so?
- Why was it decided that everyone in Gandhiji’s funeral procession should walk?
- Describe the funeral procession of Bapu in brief?
- What significance does walking have in our life?
- Describe the immersion of Gandhiji’s ashes in the Ganges.
- How was the writer affected by Gandhiji’s death?
- How did the writer gather herself after she had broken down?
- Why did the author feel sad?
State whether the following statements are True or False. Write T’ for True and ‘F’ for False. Write words/ phrases/sentences from the text to support answer.(2 Marks)
- When the news of Gandhiji’s death came, the writer was eating lunch.
- The news of Gandhiji’s death spread very quickly.
- People could not speak because they were crying.
- People had a look of helplessness on their faces.
- People had joined Gandhiji’s funeral procession immediately before it started.
- Padmasi spoke for a section of people present there.
- It was a rather painful walk.
- Walking is very expensive.
- The railway compartment was decorated with flowers.
- People kept coming wherever the train stopped
- When the writer came back to Delhi, the she felt very helpless.
- Before Gandhiji, people were indifferent to one another.
Fill in the chart with information from the text.(2 Marks)
| Statement | Reason |
| 1. The writer got into a car. | 1. |
| 2. There was silence in the room. | 2. |
| 3. | 3. People calmed a little. |
| 4. | 4. A person whimpers. |
| 5. People lined the route, | 5. |
| 6. It was impossible to move in the thick crowd. | 6. |
| 7. | 7. People could feel Gandhiji’s presence. |
| 8. Huge crowd gathered at the river bank. | 8. |
| 9. The writer felt at sea. | 9. |