IN LONDON

Short Answer Questions:-

1 )“I wasted ten minutes everyday before a huge mirror.” What does Gandhi mean by this?

A:-While Gandhi was a student in London, his hair was by no means soft and everyday it requires a regular struggle with the brush(comb) to keep it in position. Hence he had to spend ten minutes everyday before a huge mirror to arrange his tie and part his hair in the correct fashion.

2)What does Gandhi says, “The recluse in the fable kept a cat to keep off the rats, and then cow to feed the cat with milk, and a man to keep the cow and so on”?

A:-In order to become an English gentleman, Gandhi makes every attempt, tries to follow lot many accomplishments. For the sake of learning something it is again required Gandhi to learn some other things. For  becoming an English gentleman Gandhi wants to learn the art of dancing. While this very skill of dancing also pursues Gandhi to learn another art of playing the violin. That is why Gandhi mentions  this fable at that context.

3 )“But hence forward I became a student.” What does Gandhi before? Why does he says so?

A:- In order to mould himself as an English gentleman, Gandhi not only wastes a lot of money but also valuable time, which he needs to spend on books. His acquired habit of wasting time by standing himself before mirror to arrange his hair to adjust his hair, his taking lessons in dancing, French, elocution and the violin makes Gandhi to keep away from serious reading of his subjects of study. When he gets realization by undergoing introspection, Gandhi notices that he is not even doing the basic chores of a law student. When he ables to come out from all these, focusing on his studies, Gandhi thinks hence forward he has become a (real) student.

4)What is Gandhi wants every youth to learn from him about saving money?

A:- Gandhi wants that every youth should  make an account of money that comes into and goes out of one’s pocket, so that he/she is surely be a gainer in the end. Gandhi expects that every youth should lessen their expenditure and should save every coin here and there that is possible. The money, in Gandhi’s perception, they saves will be more beneficial for them in due course of time.

5)What made Gandhi think that he had to economize?

A:- As soon as he gets realized by undergoing introspection, Gandhi notices that he has wasted a lot of money at the cost of purchasing lot many luxurious things, and for taking lessons in various fields. He then keeps a strict watch over his way of living and decides to minimize his expenses by half. That is why he thinks that it is necessary for him to economize.

6)What effort did Gandhi make to economize?

A:- In order to economize his way of living, he decides to reduce his expenses by half. As his living with a family of friends required the payment of regular weekly bills of dinners and parties and conveyences(travelling expenses), he decided to take two rooms on his own account, instead of living in a family of friends. As  Gandhi’s accounts showed numerous items on fares, he also decided to move from place to place by walk. For  this, he also selectsed rooms that are near to his place of business. In this way he could economize his life.

7)Why did Gandhi decide to learn Latin and what did he do to learn it?

A;- During the period of Gandhi’s studying in London, French was not only the language of France, but also the lingua franca of the Europe. Gandhi was also told by one of his friends that the knowledge of Latin was very useful in comprehending law books and knowledge of Latin means greater command over the  English language. Hence Gandhi acquired a taste for Latin, though it was very difficult, wanted to acquire proficiency in it by undertaking literature degree, in which Latin was compulsory subject. Though he ploughed in Latin in his first attempt, he didn’t lose heart, and kept his serious attention to that course.

8) Why did Gandhi feel that he had to simplify his life further?

A:- Gandhi felt that his way of living didn’t befit/suit the modest/plain living of his family. The thought of his struggling brother, who nobly responded to his regular calls for monetary help, deeply pained him. Gandhi noticed some students, who could spend from eight to fifteen pounds per month, had the advantage of scholarship, observed a student who was staying in the slums at two shillings a week. All these made Gandhi feel that he had to simplify his life further.

                          

An essay on In London by M.K.Gandhi

 

In London is an extract taken from the autobiography of Gandhi titled “My Experiments With Truth” being translated into English by Mahadev Desai. He went to England to pursue his law degree. He proceeded to South Africa to protest against racial discrimination by practicing Satyagraha.He actively involved in various movements such as Champaran Satyagraha,Non-Cooperation Movement,Dandi March, Civil Disobedience Movement etc. He was called the ‘Father of Nation’ and the ‘Mahatma’.This lesson gives us an insight into the mind of young Gandhi, when he was a student in London.

                             When the lesson begins, he decides that he should not trouble others. He is a vegetarian and wants to cultivate a few accomplishments which makes one a decent gentleman in London. As he decides that Bombay clothes are unsuitable for English society, he purchases new clothes at the Army and Navy Stores. He purchases a chimney-pot hat, asks his brother to send him a “double watch chain of gold”. He also learns the art of tying himself. He watches himself before a huge mirror to part/put his hair in the correct fashion.

                                    As if it were not enough, he further takes coaching for dancing, French language, Elocution. He wastes 3 pounds for purchasing a Violin too in order to cultivate an ear for western  music. But he utterly fails to learn all these things.

                                 Gandhi, however, gets realization by undergoing introspection while he is reading the speech of Pitt from the book, “Bell’s Standard Elocutionist”. He thinks that he is not going to spend his life time in England. This thought makes him realize that he is wasting money. From that time onwards he struggles for austerity and frugality. He exercises strict economy in all aspects.

                                   As his living with a family involves him in a lot of unnecessary expenditure, he decides to take a couple of rooms on his own account. The rooms he selects are low in price and also very close to the place of business which he can reach on foot in half an hour. This also keeps him physically healthy. Gandhi knows that the Bar examinations did not require great study. On a friend’s advice Gandhi decides to pass the London Matriculation, thought it is very difficult to clear. He acquires a taste for Latin, French, appears in Matriculation though he fails in the first attempt.

                                     Gandhi feels that his way of living doesn’t fit to the modest means of his family. So he adjusts himself with one room instead of two and cooks food at home and manages to live on a shilling and three pence per a day. That is a period of intensive study too. Plain living saves him plenty of time and he passes his examination. Gandhi says at the end that he found lot of joy by leading this modest life which by no means a dreary one.                                             

Meanings:-

→extract                                  =  a short passage from a book

→pursue                                  =  study

→insight                                  =  clear understanding of a situation

→cultivate                               =  (here) adapt oneself  to the situation

→accomplishments               =  the abilities that have to acquire by training

→introspection                       =  the contemplation of one’s own thoughts, desires and behavior

→elocution                              =  the art of effective speaking

→frugality                                =  careful in avoiding waste of money

→austerity                               =  plain living

→acquires a taste                  =  improves interest

→modest life                          = plain living

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                Vali Basha Shaik

 

An Essay on The Knowledge Society

                                The Knowledge Society

                                                                                                      A.P.J.Abdul Kalam

The recipient of Bharat Ratna, Dr A.P.J.Abdul Kalam is the former president of India.”The Knowledge Society” is an extract taken from his popular and famous book “Ignited Minds”. He received many honorary awards like Bharat Ratna, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan.”Wings of Fire and India 2020”,”A Vision For The New Millennium” are some of his works. In this lesson, Kalam emphasizes that poverty can be rooted out only by striking a balance between the past heritage and present day knowledge. Kalam opines that India can reach the pinnacles of prosperity and glory by scrupulously following certain principles and applying modern technology.

                        Kalam opines that India is essentially a land of knowledge and it must rediscover itself its past legacy. No doubt, the foreign invasions and the colonial rule weakened India considerably. Knowledge has many forms and it is available at many places. It is available in academic institutions, at work places, from learning skills such as from artists, craftsmen, hakims, philosophers and saints and it is available from our heritage and history epics too.

                      Kalam says that Knowledge has always been the prime mover of prosperity and power. In India we had the tradition of transforming knowledge from guru to shishya and from the writings of the foreign travelers who visited Ancient Indian Universities like Nalanda. During the last century the world has changed from being an agricultural society to an industrial society. Thus technology played a vital role in the development of the society. While, in the 21^st century, knowledge has become the primary production resource instead of capital and labour. Education, health-care and agriculture are taken ahead in the knowledge society. It promotes high productivity and rural prosperity. It helps even to create new avenues for employment..

                       The multiple technologies and appropriate management structures must work together to generate a knowledge society. India has left its impression in Information Technology and it will be much more developed in the years to come. Thus it adds a new feather to knowledge society. As a second component, young and dynamic leaders are required for establishing knowledge society. The most important mission for the knowledge society is India should become a super power by the year 2010.

                       If societal transformation and wealth generation are the two important parameters to make India as knowledge society, a third dimension has come to transform India itself into a super power. Kalam says that our communication network and information generators must be protected from electronic attacks. It involves a tremendous responsibility. It is very important that our knowledge and culture too help us this great task of making India a super power.

Meanings:-

emphasize                    = stress something as important

heritage                       = practices that are handed down from the past by tradition

pinnacle                        = the highest level or degree

prosperity                    = an economic state of growth with rising profits and full

                                        employment

glory                             = a state of high honor

scrupulously                  = with extreme care

legacy                           = money or something that one receive from after someone dies

invasion                         = stepping into a place/region/country in a forceful way

epic                               = a long narrative poem telling of a hero’s deeds

hakim                            = a Muslim physician(medical practitioner)

colonial rule                  = the rule of a country which exploitates, imposes its authority

                                        towards a weaker country

transformation             = change in form, appearance, or nature of something

avenues                         = a line of approach; sources

adding a new feather    = adding a new advantage (to something)

parameter                     = any factor that defines a system and determines its

                                         performance

tremendous                   = extreme in degree or extent or impact

                                        

                                        

                                                                                                           Vali Basha Shaik