Iswaran the Storyteller Class 9 Question Answer
Textbook Questions:
Think about it
Question 1.
In what way is Iswaran an asset to Mahendra?
ईश्वरण महेन्द्र के लिए किस प्रकार एक सम्पत्ति था?
Or
What was Mahendra’s most valued asset?
महेन्द्र का सबसे बहुमूल्य खजाना क्या था?
Answer:
Iswaran was Mahendra’s servant and quite devoted to him, wherever Mahendra was transferred, he accompanied him without any complaint. He cooked food for Mahendra, washed his clothes, cleaned his tent and entertained him.
Iswaran was a wonderful cook. He could prepare tasty food from fresh vegetable which he could procure even from a desolate place. He was a very good storyteller and entertained Mahendra so well that he never felt the need of a Iswaran had so many qualities that he was an asset to Mahendra. Without him it was not possible for him to settle comfortably at desolate places with few facilities.
Question 2.
How does Iswaran describe the uprooted tree on the highway? What effect does he want to create in his listeners?
ईश्वरण सड़क पर पड़े एक उखड़े वृक्ष का कैसे वर्णन करता है? वह अपने सुनने वालों पर क्या प्रभाव उत्पन्न करना चाहता है?
Or
How did Iswaran manage to make even the simplest incident interesting? Give an example.
ईश्वरण ने साधरणतम घटना को भी रोचक कैसे बनाया, उदाहरण
Answer:
Once Iswaran saw an uprooted tree on the highway. With arched eyebrows and stretched hands he said, “The road was deserted and I was all alone. Suddenly I spotted something that looked like an enormous bushy beast lying sprawled across the road. I was half inclined to turn and go back but I came closer. I saw that it was a failen tree with its dry branches spread out.” Iswaran described even a simple incident in such an interesting dramatic way with gestures that it created suspense and surprise in his listeners.
Question 3.
How does he narrate the story of the tusker? Does it appear to be plausible?
वह हाथी की कहानी कैसे सुनाता है? क्या यह सम्भव लगता है?
Answer:
Iswaran came from a place famous for timber where many elephants were engaged in carrying logs of woods. Once a tusker became mad, escaped the timber yard and reached the outskirts of Iswaran’s town. It started smashing fruit-stalls, mud pots and fences. People ran helter-skelter in panic. The tusker then entered a school ground. Children stopped playing, panicked and took shelter in the classrooms. The elephant pulled the football goal-post, tore volleyball net, kicked and flattened the water drum. Teachers climbed the terrace of the school and watched the ravaging scene from there.
Iswaran was studying in the junior class then. He snatched a cane from the teachers hand, went straight to the elephant. The elephant tried to terrify him and was ready to attack him but he gathered all courage and quickly hit the third toenail of the elephant who got paralysed at once.
The story seems to be unlikely. Iswaran was a small child at that time and could not have the courage to face a mad elephant. Moreover, he could not have known how to malte an elephant paralysed.
Question 4.
Why does the author say that Iswaran seemed to more than make up for the absence of- a TV in Mah&ndra’s living quarters?
लेखक क्यों कहता है कि महेन्द्र के घर में ईश्वरण टी.वी. की कमी की पूर्ति बहुत अच्छी तरह से करता था?
Answer:
The function of a TV is to provide information and to entertain people. Specially when a person is all alone, the need of TV becomes all the more for the sake of company and get rid of loneliness.
Now, most of the time Mahendra was posted in lonely, desolate places, sometimes even without electricity. Luckily he had a devoted servant Iswaran who accompanied him wherever, he was transferred. Iswaran had the wonderful art of (making up/ cooking) and narrating stories. Every night, after dinner Iswaran used to narrate an
interesting event or story to Mahendra everyday after dinner. His style of narrating used to be very interesting, full of suspense and dramatic. His gestures and hand movements added colour to his narration.
In fact Mahendra had a living TV in Iswaran. That was why he never felt the need of an electronic TV. Iswaran seemed to more than make up the absence of TV in Mahendra’s house.
Question 5.
Mahendra calls ghosts or spirits a figment of imagination. What happens to him on a full-moon night?
महेन्द्र भूत व प्रेतात्माओं का काल्पनिक/मनगढ़न्त मानता है। उसे पर्णिमा की रात क्या होता है ?
Or
Describe the horrible experience of Mahendra during the full moon night.
पूर्णिमा की रात को महेन्द्र के साथ हुए भयंकर हादसे का वर्णन करो।
Or
Mahendra who did not believe in ghosts began to sweat with fear on a full moon night.
महेन्द्र जो भूतों में विश्वास नहीं करता था, पूर्णिमा की रात को डर से पसीना आने लगा। उसे क्या हुआ था?
Answer:
Mahendra calls ghosts or spirits a figment of imagination, a product of weak mind or upset tummy, when Iswaran told him about seeing a real ghost of a woman with shrivelled, skeleton face and matted hair holding a foetus, he told him that he was talking nonsense. There was no such things as ghosts. They were only imaginations and that he should get his digestive system checked. But from that day fear crept unconsciously in his mind. He could no longer enjoy watching the landscape on full-moon nights.
One full-moon night he was woken up from his sleep. He heard a low moan close to his window. He did not want to see what was there. But out of curiosity he looked out and was shocked to see the ghost of a woman a little away from his window. He was frightened. He broke into cold sweat and fell on his bed. He was panting heavily.
Question 6.
Can you think of another ending for the story?
क्या आप कहानी का कोई दूसरा अंत सोच सकते हो?
Answer:
The other end of the story could be as follows :
One night, Mahendra was woken up from his sleep. He heard a low moan close to his window. Mahendra looked out and saw someone holding a bundle in his or her arms. He called out : “Who are you?” The ghost did not speak but moaned. Mahendra called out for Iswaran but there was no reply. Then Mahendra went out of the room and ran towards the ghost. The ghost ran away. The bundle fell off his arms. Then Mahendra could see that it was Iswaran. He ran faster and caught Iswaran who was panting. He fell to Mahendra’s feet and begged to be forgiven.
IV. Very Important Examination Questions:
I. Extract-based Objective Type Questions
Read the extracts given below carefully and answer the questions with the help of the given options :
Question 1.
Mahendra shivered at the description and interrupted rather sharply, “You are crazy, Iswaran. There are no such things as ghosts or spirits. It is all a figment of your imagination. Get your digestive system examined and may be your head as well. You are talking nonsense.”
(i) What was Mahendra’s reaction to the description?
(a) Frightened
(b) Relaxed
(c) Annoyed
(d) None of the above
Answer:
(a) Frightened
(ii) What was a figment of his imagination?
(a) Iswaran’s story
(b) Digestive system
(c) Ghosts and spirits
(d) Iswaran’s talks
Answer:
(c) Ghosts and spirits
(iii) By telling stories to his master, Iswaran ________.
(a) frightened him
(b) irritated him
(c) relaxed him
(d) entertained him
Answer:
(d) entertained him
(iv)What did Mahendra call Iswaran after listening to his story?
(a) imaginative
(b) crazy
(c) intelligent
(d) a good narrator
Answer:
(b) crazy
(v) What was Mahendra’s reaction to the description?
Answer:
Mahendra shivered with fright at the description.
(vi) What was a figment of his imagination?
Answer:
According to Mahendra, the appearance of ghosts, especially that of a woman on fullmoon nights was a figment of his imagination.
(vii) What sets Iswaran apart from other domestic helps?
Answer:
Iswaran not only served his master but also entertained him with his romantic and interesting stories and anecdotes which no other domestic help could do.
(viii) Did Mahendra believe in Iswaran’s description?
Answer:
No, Mahendra did not believe in his descrip¬tion. He called him crazy and called it a figment of his imagination.
Question 2.
From that day on Mahendra, for all his brave talk, went to bed with a certain unease. Every night he peered into the darkness outside through the window next to his bed, trying to make sure that there was no movement of dark shapes in the vicinity. But he could only see a sea of darkness with the twinkling lights of the factory miles away.
(i) After listening to the story, Mahendra started feeling ________.
(a) uneasy
(b) frightened
(c) sleepy
(d) both (a) and (6)
Answer:
(d) both (a) and (6)
(ii) He made sure that there was no movement of dark shapes in the ________.
(a) house
(b) shelter
(c) surrounding
(d) office
Answer:
(c) surrounding
(iii) Mahendra felt . after listening to the story ________.
(a) scared
(b) moved
(c) alerted
(d) relaxed
Answer:
(a) scared
(iv) Who was Iswaran?
(a) Mahendra’s boss
(b) Mahendra’s servant
(c) The narrator
(d) the author
Answer:
(b) Mahendra’s servant
(v) What change did take place in Mahendra?
Answer:
Mahendra tried to show himself brave but he was uneasy sifter listening to Iswaran’s story.
(vi) What did he ensure every night?
Answer:
He tried to make sure that there was no movement of dark shapes in the vicinity.
(vii) How did Mahendra react to the story of the female ghost narrated by Iswaran?
Answer:
Mahendra shivered at the description and told him that it was a figment of his imagination but in fact, he was much scared and resolved to leave that haunted place.
(viii) Who was Iswaran?
Answer:
Iswaran was Mahendra’s cook and servant.
Question 3.
“It has something to do with a Japanese art, I think,-sir. Karate or ju-jitsu, it is called. I had read about it somewhere. It temporarily paralyses the nervous system, you see.”
(i) Who said this to whom?
(a) The narrator to Iswaran
(b) Iswaran to Mahendra
(c) Mahendra to Iswaran
(d) Iswaran to narrator
Answer:
(b) Iswaran to Mahendra
(ii) These words show that the speaker is quite ________.
(a) Knowledgeable
(b) Ignorant
(c) Interesting
(d) A good storyteller
Answer:
(a) Knowledgeable
(iii) Which country’s art does the speaker refer to here?
(a) Chinese
(b) Indian
(c) European
(d) Japanese
Answer:
(d) Japanese
(iv) According to the speaker, the art the nervous system ________.
(a) kills
(b) improves
(c) numbs
(d) destroys
Answer:
(c) numbs
(v) The speaker seems quite knowledgeable. Explain.
Answer:
The speaker seems quite knowledgeable because he knows about the Japanese art i.e. Karate and ju-jitsu as well as his knowledge of nervous system is also good.
(vi) Why do you think Iswaran knew Karate?
Answer:
Iswaran claimed that he brought down the beast with a Japanese art, Karate or ju-jitsu.
(vii) How did Iswaran know about it?
Answer:
Iswaran had read about it-somewhere.
Question 4.
“But I moved slowly towards it, stick in hand. People were watching the scene hypnotised from nearby housetops. The elephant looked at me red¬eyed, ready to rush towards me. It lifted its trunk and trumpeted loudly. At that moment I moved forward and, mustering all my force, whacked its third toenail on the quick.”
(i) Identify ‘I’.
(a) the author
(b) Mahendra
(c) the narrator
(d) Iswaran
Answer:
(d) Iswaran
(ii) What had happened to the elephant?
(a) It had attacked people
(b) It had gone mad
(c) It was attacked by Iswaran
(d) None of the above
Answer:
(b) It had gone mad
(iii) How did Iswaran control the tusker?
(а) He tied it to a pole
(b) He drove it away
(c) He hit its toenail
(d) He patted it
Answer:
(c) He hit its toenail
(iv) What did the elephant do?
(a) looked angrily
(b) Trumpeted loudly
(c) Lifted its trunk
(d) All of these
Answer:
(d) All of these
(v) Why did ‘I’ muster all his force?
Answer:
‘I’ mustered all his force to fight with the elephant cleverly.
(vi) How did Iswaran control the tusker?
Answer:
Iswaran snatched a cane from a teacher and went straight to the elephant. The elephant tried to terrify him and was ready to attack him but then he hit the third toenail of the elephant who got paralysed and collapsed.
(vii) What was the scenario?
Answer:
An elephant had come at the workplace and was ready to rush towards Mahendra. It lifted its trunk and trumpeted loudly.
Question 5.
Iswaran also had an amazing capacity to produce vegetables and cooking ingredients, seemingly cut of nowhere, in the middle of a desolate landscape with no shops visible for miles around. He would miraculously conjure up the most delicious dishes made with fresh vegetables within an hour of arriving at the zinc-sheet shelter at the new workplace.
(i) Which ability of Iswaran is being described in this passage?
(a) his story telling
(b) his cooking
(c) his magical power
(d) his working
Answer:
(b) his cooking
(ii) What would he ‘miraculously conjure up’ ?
(a) magic
(b) vegetables
(c) dishes
(d) cooking ingredients
Answer:
(c) dishes
(iii) What did Iswaran do for Mahendra?
(a) Cook and wash
(b) clean his place
(c) tell stories
(d) all of these
Answer:
(d) all of these
(iv) Where were they staying?
(a) At the zinc sheet shelter
(b) At the office
(c) At Mahendra’s house
(d) At a bachelor’s lodge
Answer:
(a) At the zinc sheet shelter
(v) What does the extract tell us about Iswaran?
Answer:
It shows that Iswaran is a very resourceful person. He can make things available in a desolate landscape.
(vi) What would he ‘miraculously conjure up’?
Answer:
He would miraculously conjure up the most delicious dishes made with fresh vegetables.
(vii) What did Iswaran do for Mahendra?
Answer:
Iswaran was Mahendra’s cook and servant. He not only cooked delicious food, washed clothes, cleaned the place but also entertained his master with romantic and interesting stories and anecdotes.
(viii) Where were they living?
Answer:
Iswaran had come with his master, Mahendra to the zinc-sheet shelter at the new workplace of Mahendra.
Question 6.
But the wailing became louder and less feline. He could not resist the temptation any more. Lowering himself to the level of the windowsill he looked out at the white sheet of moonlight outside. There, not too far away, was a dark cloudy form clutching a bundle. Mahendra broke into a cold sweat and fell back on the pillow, panting.
(i) What did Mahendra see outside?
(a) A dark cloud
(b) The moonlight
(c) A dark form
(d) Iswaran
Answer:
(c) A dark form
(ii) What was the effect of the sight on Mahendra?
(а) He started wailing
(b) He panted and went cold
(c) His face became white
(d) He got tempted
Answer:
(b) He panted and went cold
(iii) What did Mahendra thought the dark form to be?
(a) A ghost
(b) Iswaran
(c) A female
(d) A dark cloud
Answer:
(a) A ghost
(iv) Why was Mahendra panting?
(a) He felt sleepy
(b) He was excited
(c) He got tempted
(d) He got scared
Answer:
(d) He got scared
(v) What did Mahendra see?
Answer:
Mahendra saw a dark cloudy form clutching a bundle.
(vi) What was the effect of the sight on Mahendra?
Answer:
Mahendra broke into a cold sweat and fell back on the pillow.
(vii) Do you think Mahendra believed in ghosts in the light of fullmoon night experience?
Answer:
Although, Mahendra calls ghosts or spirits a figment of imagination, but, at full moon night, he was frightened. He broke into cold sweat and fell on his bed.
(viii) Why was Mahendra panting?
Answer:
Mahendra got scared to see a dark cloudy form outside the window.
Short Answer Type Questions
II. Answer the following questions in about 30-40 words :
Question 1.
How did Iswaran show his usefulness to the narrator?
ईश्वरण ने लेखक को अपनी उपयोगिता कैसे प्रदर्शित की?
Answer:
Iswaran showed his usefulness to the narrator by being an excellent cook to him, washing his clothes and chatting away with his master at night. He had an amazing capacity to produce vegetables and cooking ingredients in the middle of a desolate landscape with no shops visible for miles around. He would miraculously conjure up the most delicious dishes made up with fresh vegetables within an hour of arriving at the zinc-sheet shelter at the new workplace.
Question 2.
What was the condition of Mahendra when Iswaran told him the ghost story? How did he react?
जब ईश्वरण ने भूतों की कहानी सुनाई तो महेन्द्र की क्या दशा हुई? उसने कैसी प्रतिक्रिया की?
Or
How did Mahendra behave when Iswaran described ghost scene at midnight during the full moon night?
जब चाँदनी रात में मध्य रात्रि ईश्वरण ने भूत के दृश्य का वणेन किया, तो महेन्द्र ने किस प्रकार व्यवहार किया?
Answer:
Mahendra grew restless. He pretended to be bold but every night he peered into the darkness outside trying to make sure that there was no such creature in the vicinity on the full moon night. He avoided looking out of his window. He decided to leave the haunted place as soon as possible.
Question 3.
Describe Mahendra in 30-40 words.
महेन्द्र का वर्णन कीजिए (30-40 शब्दों में)।
Answer:
Mahendra was a junior supervisor in a firm. His job was to keep an eye on the activities at the work site. He has to move from place to place. His only asset was Iswaran. Mahendra passed his time by hearing the stories told by Iswaran. He pretends to be a bold person but he is very fearful person. That is why, he decided to leave the haunted place as soon as possible.
Question 4.
What was Iswaran’s amazing capacity?
ईश्वरण की दिलचस्प योग्यता क्या थी?
Answer:
Iswaran’s amazing capacity was that he could produce vegetables and cooking ingredients seemingly out of nowhere even in a deserted place where no shop is visible for miles around. He could cook delicious dishes within an hour.
Question 5.
Who was the only asset of Mahendra? How?
महेन्द्र का एकमात्र वरदान कौन था? कैसे?
Answer:
Iswaran was the only asset of Mahendra. He acted as a cook, as a washerman, as a cleaner and moreover, as an entertainer for Mahendra. He was a good story-teller and a good time pass for Mahendra. He could produce fresh vegetables in the middle of a desolate landscape.
Question 6.
What would be your reaction if you were in Mahendra’s place and saw a ghost?
अगर आप महेन्द्र की जगह होते और भूत देखते तो क्या करते?
Answer:
If I had seen a ghost, I would have been shocked and dumbstruck. But after a while, I will collect all my senses and go out of the house to find the truth. It may be some lady beggar searching food and shelter in the cold midnight and under the impression of Iswaran’s story I was taking her as a ghost.
Question 7.
What qualities of a good story-teller did Iswaran possess?
ईश्वरण के पास एक अच्छी कहानीकार होने के क्या गुण थे?
Answer:
No doubt, Iswaran was a good story-teller. He could create suspense and surprise even in the smallest incident. He could make people curious. Very occasionally, he would leave the story unfinished to make other people more curious and eager.
Long Answer Type Question
III. Answer the following questions in 100-150 words :
Question 1.
Do you agree that Iswaran was a great cook as well as a good entertainer ? Justify with examples. (Character based)
क्या आप समझते हैं कि ईश्वरण एक महान रसोइया होने के साथ-साथ एक अच्छा मनोरंजन करने वाला भी था? उदाहरणों से कथन की पुष्टि करें।
Answer:
Yes, I do agree that Iswaran was a great cook. He had an amazing capacity to produce vegetables and cooking ingredients, seemingly out of nowhere, in the middle of a desolate landscape with no shops visible for miles around. He would miraculously conjure up the most delicious vegetables with in no time. He was often complimented by his master for his excellent culinary skills. Apart from being an excellent cook, he was a great storyteller. When he was narrating even the smallest of incidents, he would try to work in suspense and a surprise ending into the account.
He kept his master busy and entertained by chatting away with him at night. He could weave out endless stories and anecdotes on various subjects. Iswaran had an amazing gift of narrating the stories to his master in the most amusing and entertaining way. His style of narration was exceptional rendering his narrations look quite real and keep the listener glued to it. His exciting manner, acting and gestures all made the scenes alive and him, greatest of entertainers.
Question 2.
Who was Mahendra? How was Iswaran helpful to him? What values of Mahendra’s character impressed you most?
महेन्द्र कौन था? ईश्वरण कैसे उसके लिए मददगार था? महेन्द्र के चरित्र की कौन-सी विशेषताओं ने आपको सर्वाधिक प्रभावित किया?
Answer:
Mahendra was a junior supervisor in a firm which offered on hire supervisors at various types of construction sites : factories, bridges, dams, and so on. Mahendra’s job was to keep an eye on the activities at the work site. He had to keep moving from place to place every now and then as ordered by his head office. Iswaran was Mahendra’s cook and was an asset to him. The cook was quite attached to Mahencfra and followed him uncomplainingly wherever he was posted. He cooked for Mahendra, washed his clothes, chatted away with his master at night. He had excellent culinary skills and would miraculously conjure up the most delicious dishes with fresh vegetables quite quickly. The qualities in Mahendra that impressed me the most were his simple nature and his ability to adjust himself to all kinds of odd conditions. Mahendra was a bachelor and his needs, were simple. He was not greedy at all to have more and more. He seemed quite content with his life.
Question 3.
Who made it possible for Mahendra to live in the more lonely and remote places having little facilities? How did he do it?
दूर, एकान्त के स्थानों पर जहाँ सुविधा के नाम पर कुछ भी न हो, महेन्द्र का रहना कौन संभव बनाता था? वह ऐसा कैसे करता था?
Answer:
Mahendra had one asset, his cook and servant – Iswaran who followed him ungrudgingly wherever he was posted. He was a very resourceful cook and could procure fresh vegetables even at a desolate and remote place like a conjurer. He not only cooked delicious food, washed clothes, cleaned the place but also entertained his master with his romantic, interesting stories and anecdotes. He did not let him feel the deficiency of TV. As a matter of fact it was Iswaran who made it possible for Mahendra to live anywhere. He knew he would get good food and entertainment if Iswaran was with him.
Question 4.
How was the wild elephant brought under control by Iswaran?
ईश्वरण द्वारा जंगली हाथी को काबू में कैसे लाया गया?
Answer:
Iswaran was in school when the mad wild elephants entered the school. Children stopped playing, got panicked and ran to their classrooms and shut the doors tight. The elephant pulled the football goal-post, tore volleyball net, kicked and flattened the water-drum. Teachers climbed the terrace of the school and watched the ravaging scene from there.
Iswaran was studying in the junior class then. He snatched a cane from a teacher’s hand and went straight to the elephant. The elephant tried to terrify him and was ready to attack him but he gathered courage and quickly hit the third toenail of the elephant who got paralysed at once and collapsed.
Question 5.
How did Mahendra react on seeing the vision of the female ghost?
औरत के भूत को देखकर महेन्द्र ने कैसे व्यवहार किया?
Answer:
One full moon night Mahendra was woken from his sleep by a low moan near his window. At first he thought it must be a cat prowling but when the sound became louder and more guttural, out of curiosity he peeped out. He saw a dark cloudy form clutching a bundle. He believed that it must be the ghost of the woman Iswaran had told him about.
He was mortally afraid. He broke into cold sweat and fell back on his pillow panting. Gradually he retained his cool and dismissed the cloudy form that they had seen as a figment of his imagination, but when Iswaran also mentioned about hearing the moans, a chill went down his spine. It confirmed that the cloudy form was a ghost. He was much scared and resolved to leave that haunted place. So, he went to his office and submitted his resignation.
Question 6.
Who was Ishwaran ? What sets him apart from other domestic helps?
ईश्वरण कौन था? क्या चीज उसे दूसरे घरेलू नौकरों से अलग करती है?
Answer:
Iswaran was Mahendra’s cook and servant. He cooked his food, washed clothes and cleaned the place as any other domestic help would do. He was different from other domestic helps as he had two extraordinary qualities. He was not only an excellent cook but also a resourceful one. He could procure fresh vegetables even at remote and desolate places just like a conjurer.
Iswaran’s second special quality was his art of narrating a story, an anecdote or an ordinary incident. He was a superb storyteller and had a wonderful style of narrating them. He made his stories look real. He thus not only served his master and looked . after his daily needs, but also entertained him with his romantic, interesting stories and anecdotes which no other domestic help could do.
Question 7.
After listening to the story of the ghosts Mahendra went to bed with a fear in his heart.
भूतों की कहानी सुनने के बाद महेन्द्र अपने बिस्तर पर मन में डर लेकर गया। उसके डर को 100-120 शब्दों में बताओ।
Or
How did Mahendra react to the story of the female ghost narrated by Iswaran the story teller?
ईश्वरण कथावाचक द्वारा सुनाई गई महिला भूत की कहानी पर महेन्द्र ने कैसी प्रतिक्रिया की?
Answer:
Iswaran told Mahendra that the factory area where they were working was once a burial ground. He had come across many skulls and bones on the path and that he sometimes saw ghosts at night. He was not normally scared of ghosts but one horrible ghost of a shrivelled ugly woman with matted hair carrying a foetus was specially dreadful. It was off and on seen on a full-moon night.
Mahendra shivered at the description and told him that it was a figment of his imagination or his bad digestion. But from that day on Mahendra, for all his brave talk, went to bed with a certain unease. Every night he peered through darkness trying to make sure that there was no movement of dark shapes. He even avoided looking out of his window altogether on a full moon night.
Question 8.
Draw the character sketch of Ishwaran as a story teller.
ईश्वरण का, एक कहानी वक्ता के तौर पर चरिंत्र-चित्रण करो।
Or
Iswaran had all the qualities of a good storyteller. Justify.
ईश्वरण में एक अच्छे कहानी-वक्ता की सारी खूबियाँ थीं। व्याख्या करो।
Answer:
Iswaran was a superb storyteller. He had mastered the art of narrating a story, an anecdote pr an incident. He made his stories look real. His prologue or introduction to the story prepared ground of his story. To it he added convincing details. Before telling the ghost story he told Mahendra that factory area was once a burial ground and added convincing details that he had found many skulls in the area.
Again his style of narration and involving way made his stories all the more interesting. His exciting manner, acting and gestures—all made the scenes alive and the story more engrossing, interesting and realistic.
I. Summary In English:
Mahendra’s job : Mahendra was a junior supervisor in a firm which offered the services of its supervisors on hire. Mahendra had to move from one place to another to supervise the construction work. He was a bachelor and his needs were simple. He also had the ability to adjust himself to all kinds of situations. He did not mind staying in a tent, or in an ill-equipped rest house.
Mahendra’s servant – Iswaran : Mahendra had a-servant named Iswaran. He was devoted to Mahendra and looked to all his needs and comforts. Iswaran was a grand cook. He had the art of cooking delicious dishes. Like a conjuror he could somehow manage to get fresh vegetables from somewhere in no time. Mahendra went to his office early in the morning. Iswaran served him his breakfast and gave him packed lunch. He washed Mahendra’s clothes and kept the tent or shed tidy and clean.
Iswaran – a good storyteller : Iswaran read Tamil thrillers in his spare time. These thrillers had left a deep influence on the style of his story telling. Iswaran was a good storyteller and his story telling was always full of suspense, and had a surprise ending. Iswaran could invent any number of stories, and Mahendra listened to his stories without finding loopholes in them because his stories were remarkably amusing.
Iswaran told story about a mad elephant : Iswaran often started his stories related to his native place, and involving an elephant. For example, he told a story about how he paralysed a mad elephant that had gone berserk. He said that there were rich forests around his native place. Timber logs were loaded on trucks. This was done by well-fed elephants. But if an elephant went mad no mahout could control it. Once a tusker went mad. It went about causing destruction to huts and stalls, trees and bushes. It broke into a school playground. Children and teachers ran helter-skelter to save their lives. Everyone stood on the roof of the building watching the rogue elephant. Iswaran was a student of a junior class at that time. He got hold of a rod and went to the elephant. The elephant looked threateningly at Iswaran but before it could attack Iswaran, he hit hard on the elephant’s third toenail.
The elephant was stunned and fell down to the ground. The secret of his success was his knowledge that the elephant’s nervous system is paralysed when it is hit on that particular place.
The story was most unlikely and incredible. But Mahendra did not find fault with it. He was simply amused.
The day to propitiate (शान्त / सन्तुष्ट करना) spirits: One evening Iswaran told Mahendra that the following day was very auspicious. It was a day to propitiate the spirits of the ancestors. So he prepared delicacies which Mahendra had never tasted before. He admired Iswaran’s culinary skill
The ghost story and the ghost of a woman : Talking of the spirits of the ancestors, Iswaran began to talk of ghosts. He said that the place where they had their shed, was once a large burial ground. Iswaran went on to say that several times he had found human skulls and bones on his way. He also had come across ghosts but he was brave enough. He was not scared of them. But then he added the description of the ghost of a woman.
It was indeed something terrifying. He said he had seen the woman’s ghost only on full-moon nights. The woman was shrivelled and had matted hair. She moaned and carried a foetus in her arms. The description was so frightening that Mahendra was horrified. But he shouted at Iswaran. He said there were no ghosts. They were the inventions of his imagination. Then Mahendra went to his room to sleep.
Mahendra became wary of ghosts : From that day on, Mahendra was wary of ghosts. He always looked about if there were any shadowy creatures anywhere nearby. But he never came across a ghost. Mahendra used to admire the landscape on a full-moon night. But now he dared not peep through his window on a beautiful moonlit night.
Mahendra saw the ghost of the woman : It was a full-moon night and Mahendra lay asleep in his room. About midnight he heard a low moan outside his window. He was awakened but thought it was a cat. But it was clearly a human voice. Mahendra had a strong curiosity to look outside. But he was afraid of the presence of a ghost. The moan continued and Mahendra could no longer resist his curiosity. He sat down under the window and peeped through it. At a little distance away from his window stood the ghost of the woman. She was carrying a bundle in her arms. Mahendra’s heart beat loud and fast. He was breathing heavily. He flung himself on his bed. After quite some time he was able to regain his poise. He reasoned with himself and came to the conclusion that it was nothing but the projection of his own fear.
Iswaran reminded Mahendra seeing the ghost of the woman : In the morning, Mahendra had almost forgotten the whole incident. He was ready to leave for office. Iswaran handed him his bag and lunch packet. Then he grinned and said, “Sir, you were angry with me the other day when I told you about the ghost of that ghastly woman. Didn’t you see her yourself last night? I had heard the moans coming from your room and I had rushed to you”.
Mahendra resigned job, decided to leave the haunted place : Mahendra did not hear out what Iswaran was telling him. He went straight to his office. He had made up his mind to leave that cursed haunted place the very next day. He resigned his job at once.
II. Complete Text With Hindi Translation:
Text (Page 12): One night Mahendra woke up from his sleep and saw ‘a dark cloudy form’. He broke out into a cold sweat. Was it a ghost ?
Vocabulary:cloudy (क्लाउडी) not clear धुंधली; form (फाम) shape शक्ल; sweat (स्वैट) perspiration पत्तीना।
अनुवाद : एक रात महेन्द्र नींद से जागा तो उसने एक धुंधली सी शक्ल देखी। उसे ठण्डा पसीना आ गया। क्या वह एक भूत था?
Text (Page 12): The story was narrated to Ganesh by a young man, Mahendra by name. He was a junior supervisor in a firm which offered on hire supervisors at various types of construction sites : factories, bridges, dams, and so on. Mahendra’s job was to keep an eye on the activities at the work site. He had to keep moving from place to place every now and then as ordered by his head office : from a coal mining area to a railway bridge construction site, from there after a few months to a chemical plant which was coming up somewhere.
Vocabulary : supervisor (सुपरवाइज़र) inspector निरीक्षक; construction (कन्स्ट्रक्शन) building इमारत बनाना; site (साइट) place of building इमारत बनाने का स्थल; coal
mining (कोल माइनिंग) of coal mine कोयले की खान का; plant (प्लॉट) machinery संयंत्र।
अनुवाद : यह कहानी गणेश को महेन्द्र नाम के नवयुवक ने सुनाई थी। महेन्द्र एक कम्पनी में कनिष्ट निरीक्षक था। वह कम्पनी विभिन्न प्रकार के निर्माण स्थलों के लिए अपने निरीक्षकों की सेवाएँ भाड़े पर उपलब्ध कराती श्री-जैसे उद्योगों, पुलों, बांधों आदि
निर्माण स्थलों के लिए। महेन्द्र का काम कार्य स्थलों की गतिविधियों पर दृष्टि रखना था। उसे अपने मुख्य कार्यालय के निर्देशानुसार एक स्थान से दूसरे स्थान पर घूमते रहना पड़ता था। कोयले की खान के क्षेत्र से किसी रेलवे पुल के निर्माण स्थल को, वहाँ से कुछ मास के पश्चात् किसी रसायन संयंत्र आदि पर।
Text (Page 13): He was a bachelor. His needs were simple and he was able to adjust himself to all kinds of odd conditions, whether it was an illequipped circuit house or a makeshift canvas tent in the middle of a stone quarry. But one asset he had was his cook, Iswaran. The cook was quite attached to Mahendra and followed him uncomplainingly wherever he was posted. He cooked for Mahendra, washed his clothes and chatted away with his master at night. He could weave out endless stories and anecdotes on varied subjects.
Vocabulary: bachelor (वैचलर) unmarried अविवाहित; adjust (एडजस्ट) settle according to conditions अनुकूल बनाना; ill-equipped (इल-इक्यूप्ड) unfurnished साधन-रहित; circuithouse (सर्किट हाउस) guest house विश्राम-गृह; makeshift (मेकशिफ्ट) temporary arrangement काम चलाऊ; quarry (क्वायरी) a place where excavations are made for stone वह स्थान जहाँ पत्थर निकालने के लिए खुदाई होती है; chatted (चैटिड) talked बातें की; weave out (वीव ऑउट) create गड़ना; anecdotes (एनेक्डोट्स) small stories किस्से, कहानी; varied (वरीड) different विभिन्न।
अनुवाद : वह अविवाहित था। उसकी आवश्यकताएँ साधारण थीं। वह हर प्रकार की परिस्थितियों के अनुसार अपने आप को ढाल लेता था। चाहे कोई घटिया सा विश्राम गृह हो और चाहे पत्थरों के खदान के बीच कोई काम-चलाऊ टॅट, परन्तु उसका रसोइया ईश्वरण उसके लिए बड़े काम का आदमी था। ईश्वरण को महेन्द्र से बड़ा लगाव था और जहाँ कहीं भी महेन्द्र की नियुक्ति होती वह उसके साथ खुशी से चला जाता था। वह महेन्द्र के लिए भोजन पकाता, उसके कपड़े धोता, और रात को उसके साथ गप-शप करता था। वह अनगिनत कहानियाँ-किस्से गढ़ सकता था।
Text (Page 13) : Iswaran also had an amazing capacity to produce vegetables and cooking ingredients, seemingly out of nowhere, in the middle of a desolate landscape with no shops visible for miles around. He would miraculously conjure up the most delicious dishes made with fresh vegetables within an hour or arriving at the zinc-sheet shelter at the new workplace.
Vocabulary : amazing (अमेजिंग) surprising आश्चर्यजनक; capacity (कैपेसिटी) ability योग्यता; ingredients (इनग्रेडिएन्ट्स) components सामग्री; desolate (डेज़ोलेट) lonely सुनसान; miraculously (मिरेक्यूलसली) like a magic चमत्कार रूप से; conjure up (कन्जर अप) create magically जादू से पैदा करना; delicious (डेलिशियस) tasty स्वादिष्ट।
अनुवाद : ईश्वरण में एक गुण यह भी था कि वह सब्जियों व अन्य पकाने की वस्तुएँ न जाने कहाँ से पैदा कर देता था, उन निर्जन स्थानों में भी जहाँ कोई दुकान आदि दिखाई न देती थी। वह दोनों के छप्पर के नीचे नये कार्य स्थल पर आने के कुछ ही घंटों में ताजी सब्जियों से बने स्वादिष्ट भोजन जादू की भांति तैयार कर देता था।
Text (Page 13): Mahendra would be up early in the morning and leave for work after breakfast, carrying some prepared food with him. Meanwhile Iswaran would tidy up the shed, wash the clothes and have a leisurely bath, pouring several buckets of water over his head, muttering a prayer all the while. It would be lunchtime by then. After eating, he would read for a while before dozing off. The book was usually some popular Tame thriller running to hundreds of pages. Its imaginative descriptions and narrative flourishes would hold Iswaran in thrall.
Vocabulary : leisurely it in relaxed manner आराम से, बिना तनाव के; muttering (मटरिंग) murmuring बुदबुदाते हुए, doxing off (डोजिंग ऑफ) to go for light sleep झपकी लेते हुए: thriller (दिलर) suspense story रोमांचक कहानी; imaginative (इमैजीनेटिव) unrealistic काल्पनिक; hold in thrall (होल्ड इन पाल) to enslave दास बनाना; narrative flourishes (नरेटिव फलारिशिस) descriptive prosperity वर्णन की शोभा।
अनुवाद : महेन्द्र सबेरै उठकर नाश्ता खाकर अपने काम पर चला जाता था। वह साथ में पकाया हुआ कुछ भोजन भी ले जाता था। पीछे से ईश्वरण छप्पर को ठीक करता, कपड़े धोता और फिर पानी की कई बाल्टियाँ से मजे से नहाता था और नहाते समय कोई प्रार्थना भी गुनगुनाता रहता था। इतने में दोपहर के भोजन का समय हो जाता था। खाना खाकर सोने से पहले वह कुछ देर पड़ता था। प्रायः वह कई सौ पृष्ठों की तमिल भाषा में रोमांचक पुस्तक पढ़ता था। उसमें दिए गए काल्पनिक वर्णन व वृतांत ईश्वरण के मन पर छा जाते थे।
Text (Page 13): His own descriptions were greatly influenced by the Tamil authors that he read. When he was narrating even the smallest of incidents, he would try to work in suspense and a surprise ending into the account. For example, instead of saying that he had come across an uprooted tree on the highway, he would say, with eyebrows suitably arched and hands held out in a dramatic gesture, “The road was deserted and I was all alone. Suddenly I spotted something that looked like an enormous bushy beast lying sprawled across the road. I was half inclined to turn and go back. But as I came closer, I saw that it was a fallen tree, with its dry branches spread out.” Mahendra would stretch himself back in his canvas chair and listen to Iswaran’s tales uncritically.
Vocabulary : influenced (इनफ्लूएन्ड) affected प्रभावित बी; suspense (सस्पेन्स) uncertainty अनिश्चितता, रोमांच भरी; arched (आर्चड) shaping an arch चाप के आकर की, गोलाकार: gesture (जैस्वर) expression भाव-भंगिमा; bushy (दुशी) full like bushes झाड़ीदार, बना; sprawling (स्पासिंग) spread in irregular manner टेढ़ा-मेढ़ा होकर फैलना; uneritically
(अनक्रिटिकली) without fault finding बिना समालोचना के inelined (इनक्लाइन्ड) be disposed इच्छा होना।
अनुवाद : उसके अपने वर्णन भी उन तमिल लेखकों से प्रभावित होते थे। जब वह कोई साधारण सी घटना का वर्णन भी करता था तो उसमें भी रोमांच पैदा करने का प्रयास करता था। उदाहरण के लिए जब ठसे यह बताना होता कि उसने सड़क पर गिरा हुआ पेड़ देखा तो वह भौहों को चढ़ाकर और हाथों को नाटकीय बंग से हिलाकर कहता था-सड़क सुनसान था और मैं अकेला। अचानक मैंने सड़क पर कोई वस्तु देखी जो लगता था जैसे कोई बड़ा भारी झाड़ीदार पशु सहक के आर-पार लेटा हुआ है। मेरे मन में आया लौट च। परन्तु जब मैं समीप आया तो देखा कि गिरा हुआ पेड़ था। उसकी सूखी रहनियाँ फैली पड़ी थी। महेन्द्र अपनी टाट की कुर्सी पर लेटा हुआ ईश्वरण की कहानियों को बिना अलोचना किए सुनता रहता था।
Text (Page 14) : “The place I come from is famous for timber,” Iswaran would begin. “There is a richly wooded forest all around. The logs are hauled on to the lorries by elephants. They are huge well-fed beasts. When they turn wild even the most experienced mahout is not able to control them. After this prologue Iswaran would launch into an elaborate anecdote involving an elephant.
Vocabulary : timber (टिम्बर) wood used for buildings इमारती लकड़ी: hauled (हॉल्ड) pulled with force, lifted खींचना, उठाना; prologue (प्रोलॉग) introduction भूमिका, प्रस्तावना; launch (लाँच) start आरम्भ करना; elaborate (इलैबोरेट) detailed विस्तृत।
अनुवाद : ईश्वरण अपनी कहाना सुनाना शुरू करता-जहाँ का मैं रहने वाला हूँ वह स्थान इमारती लकड़ी के लिए प्रसिद्ध है। वहाँ बड़ा समृद्ध जंगल है। लकड़ी के लठे हाथियों द्वारा ट्रकों पर लादे जाते हैं। वे बड़े-बड़े पाले हुए हाथी हैं। जब वे मस्त हो जाते हैं तो बड़े-बड़े अनुभवी महावत भी उन पर काबू नहीं पा सकते। इस भूमिका के पश्चात् ईश्वरण हाथी से सम्बन्धित कोई किस्सा सुनाने में लग जाता।
Text (Page 14). “One day a tusker escaped from the timber yard and began to roam about, stamping on bushes, tearing up wild creepers and breaking branches at will. You know, sir, how an elephant behaves when it goes mad.” Iswaran would get so caught up in the excitement of his own story that he would get up from the floor and jump about, stamping his feet in emulation of the mad elephant.
Vocabulary stusker (टस्कर) male elephant नर हाथी, yard (याड) enclosed area adjoining a building ऑगन; stamping (स्टेम्पिंग) toput foot down पर पटकना; emulation (एम्बूलेशन) ambition to rival another प्रतिस्पर्धा।
अनुवाद : एक दिन एक नर हाथी लकड़ियों के प्रांगण से भाग निकला और इधर-उधर झाड़ियों को रौंदता, जंगली बेलों को उखाड़ता और टहनियों को मन-मर्जी से तोड़ता हुआ घूमने लगा। अपनी ही कहानी से उत्तेजित होकर ईश्वरण मस्त हाथी की नकल करता हुआ फर्श पर उछल-कूद करने लग जाता था।
Text (Page 14): “The elephant reached the outskirts of our town; breaking the fences down like matchsticks,” he would continue. It came into the main road and smashed all the stalls selling fruits, mud pots and clothes. People ran helter-skelter in panic! The elephant now entered a school ground where children were playing, breaking through the brick wall. All the boys ran into the classrooms and shut the doors tight. The beast grunted and wandered about, pulling out the football goal-post, tearing down the volleyball net, kicking and flattening the drum kept for water, and uprooting the shrubs. Meanwhile all the teachers had climbed up to the terrace of the school building, from there they helplessly watched the depredations of the clephant. There was not a soul below on the ground. The streets were empty as if the inhabitants of the entire town had suddenly disappeared.
Vocabulary : outskirts (आउटस्कर्टस) suburbs of town नगर के आस-पास का क्षेत्र; smashed (स्मैश्ड) broke into pieces टुकड़े कर दिया; helter-skelter हिल्टर स्केल्टर) in hurry _and in confusion अफरा-तफरी; terrace (दस) flat roof of a house घर की समतल छत।
अनुवाद : ईश्वरण अपनी कहानी को आगे बढ़ाता हुआ कहता-हाथी हमारे नगर के बाहर किनारे पर आ गया। वह चार दीवारी को ऐसे तोड़ रहा था जैसे माचिस की तीलियाँ हों। फिर वह मुख्य सड़क पर आ गया। फल, मिट्टी के बर्तन व कपड़े की सब दुकानों को उसने तोड़ डाला। लोग घबरा कर इधर-उधर भागने लगे। फिर हाथी ईटों को चार-दीवारी तोड़ कर स्कूल के खेल के मैदान में आ गया जहाँ पर बच्चे खेल रहे थे। सब बच्चे दौड़ कर कमरों में घुस गए और दरवाजे कस कर बन्द कर लिए। हाथी चिंघाड़ता हुआ घूम रहा था। फुटबाल के गोल के खम्भे, वालीबाला का नेट उखाइ दिए, और पानी का ड्रम ठोकर मारकर चपटा बना दिया और सब शाड़ियाँ उखाड़ डाली। सभी अध्यापक स्कूल की छत पर चढ़ गए। वहाँ से वे हाथी की लूटपाट का दृश्य बेबस खड़े देख रहे थे। नीचे मैदान में एक भी व्यक्ति न था। गलियाँ ऐसे खाली पड़ी थी जैसे वहाँ के वासी अचानक लुप्त हो गए हों।
Text (Pages 14-15) : “I was studying in the junior class at the time, and was watching the whole drama from the rooftop. I don’t know what came over me suddenly, I grabbed a cane from the hands of one of the teachers and ran down the stairs and into the open. The elephant grunted and menacingly swung a branch of a tree which it held in its trunk. It stamped its feet, kicking up a lot of mud and dust. It looked frightening. But I moved slowly towards it, stick in hand. People went watching the scene hypnotized from nearby housetops. The elephant looked at me red-eyed, ready to rush towards me. He lifted its trunk and trumpeted loudly. At that moment I moved forward and, mustering all my force, whacked its third toenail on the quick. The beast looked stunned for a moment; then it shivered from head to foot and collapsed.”
Vocabulary grabbed ) snatching suddenly अचानक छीन ली; grunted (ग्रन्टिड) low guttural animal sound गुर्राया; menacingly (मेनसिंगली) threateningly प्रमकाते हुए: hypnotized (हिपोंटाइन्ड) induced artificial sleep सम्मोहित; mustering (मस्टरिंग) gathering एकत्रित करते हुए; stunned (स्टन्ड) made senseless with blow मूर्छित कर दिया; whacked (केकड) hit hard with a rod जोर से इंडा मारा; collapsed (कोलपड) lost energy शक्तिहीन हो गया।
अनुवाद : मैं उस समय छोटी कक्षा में पढ़ता था और छत १५ खड़ा यह दृश्य देख रहा था। न जाने मुझे अचानक क्या सूझी। एक अध्यापक के हाथ से छहौ लेकर मैं सीढ़ियों से नीचे उतर कर आंगन में आ गया। हाथी चिंघाड़ा और मुझे डराने के लिए यहनी हिलाई जो उसने अपनी सुंड में पकड़ रखी थी। उसने जोर से पांव धरती पर मारा जिससे धूल-मिट्टी उड़ी। उसे देख कर डर लगता था। परन्तु मैं हाथ में हंडा पकड़े धीरे-धीरे उसकी ओर बढ़ा। लोग सम्मोहित हुए आस-पास की छतों से यह दृश्य देख रहे थे। हाथी ने क्रोध से मुझे देखा और वह मुझ पर टूट पड़ने को तत्पर था। वह अपनी सूंड उठा कर जोर से चिंघाड़ा। उसी क्षण मैं उसकी ओर बड़ा और अपनी पूरी शक्ति बटोर कर उसके तीसरे नाखून पर जोर से डंडा मारा। क्षण भर के लिए तो लगा कि हाथी को मूर्ण आ गई थी। फिर उसे कंपकंपी आई और वह लुढ़क गया।
Text (Page 15) : At this point Iswaran would leave the story unfinished and get up mumbling. “I will be back after lighting the gas and warming up the dinner.” Mahendra who had been listening with rapt attention would be left hanging. When he returned, Iswaran would not pick up the thread of the story right away. Mahendra would have to remind him that the conclusion was pending. “Well, veterinary doctor was summoned to revive the animal”, Iswaran would shrug casually. “Two days later it was led away by its mahout to the jungle.”
Vocabulary : rapt attention (रप्ट अटेवान) intently पूरी दिलचस्पी से; pending (पेन्डिंग) waiting to be finished खत्म होने की प्रतीक्षा में; revive (रिवाइव) bring back to life पूर्व रूप में जीवित करना; shrug (अग) to move shoulders up and down implying the idea of I don’t care कन्ये झटकाना, बेपरवाही से; summoned (सम्मन्ड) called बुलाया गया।
अनुवाद यहाँ पहुँचकर कहानी को अधूरा छोड़ ईश्वरण खड़ा हो जाता और भुनभुनाता हुआ कहता-मैं गैस जलाकर और खाना गर्म करके अभी आया। महेन्द्र जो कहानी को बड़े धयान से सुन रहा होता, वह अपर में रह जाता। जब ईश्वरण लौटता तो वह कहानी को आने ही फिर शुरून करता। महेन्द्र उसे याद कराता कि कहानी अभी समाप्त नहीं हुई थी। तब ईश्वरण कहता-हाँ, हाथी का उपचार करने एक पशुचिकित्सक को बुलाया गया था और दो दिन पश्चात् उसका महावत उसे जंगल में ले गया था।
Text (Page 15): “Well, how did you manage to do it, Iswaran – how did you bring down the beast?” It has something to do with a Japanese art, I think, sir. Karate or ju-jitsu it is called. I had read about it somewhere. It temporarily paralyses the nervous system, you see.”
Vocabulary: beast (वीस्ट) wild animal जंगली जानवर; paralyses (पैरालाइसिस) loses sensation, inability to contract muscles पक्षाघात, लकवा।
अनुवाद : महेन्द्र ने पूछा, “अच्छा, ईश्वरण, तुम यह बताओ किंतुमने हाथी को कैसे गिरा दिया था।” ईश्वरण ने उत्तर दिया, इसका सम्बन्ध जापानी कला कराटे या जु-जित्सु से था जिसके बारे में मैंने कहीं पढ़ा था। इससे नाड़ी तंत्र अस्थाई रूप से शिथिल हो जाता है।
Text (Page 15) : Not a day passed without Iswaran recounting some story packed with adventure, horror and suspense. Whether the story was credible or not, Mahendra enjoyed listening to it because of the inimitable way in which it was told. Iswaran seemed to more than make up for the absence of a TV in Mahendra’s living quarters.
Vocabulary : credible (कंडीबल) believable विश्वास योग्य; inimitable (इनीमिटेबल) that which cannot be copied अद्वितीय।
अनुबाद : कोई भी दिन ऐसा न बीतता था जिस दिन ईश्वरण कोई रोमांचक कहानी न सुनाए। चाहे कहानी विश्वास करने योग्य हो या नहीं, महेन्द्र को कहानी सुनने में आनन्द आता था क्योंकि ईश्वरण का सुनाने का डंग निराला था। ईश्वरण के कारण महेन्द्र को अपने कमरे में टीवी की कमी अनुभव न होती थी।
Text (Page 15) : One morning when Mahendra was having breakfast Iswaran asked. “Can I make something special for dinner tonight, sir ? After all today is an auspicious day – according to tradition we prepare various delicacies to feed the spirits of our ancestors today, sir.”
That night Mahendra enjoyed the most delicious dinner and complimented Iswaran on his culinary skills. He seemed very pleased but, unexpectedly, launched into a most garish account involving supernatural.
Vocabulary : auspicious (ऑसपीशियस) favourable शुभ: delicacies (डैलीकेसीज) delicious dishes स्वाविष्ट व्यंजन; culinary (क्यूलिनअरि) pertaining to cookery पाक सम्बन्धी; ancestors (एनसैस्टर्स) forefathers पूर्वज: garish (गैरिश) showy भड़कीला; involving (इनबाल्विंग) having शामिल होना; supernatural (सुपरनैचुरल) beyond the law of nature अलौकिक।
अनुवाद : एक दिन जब महेन्द्र नाश्ता कर रहा था तो ईश्वरण ने पूछा क्या आज रात मैं कोई विशेष पकवान बनाऊँ? आज का दिन बड़ा शुभ है। परम्परा के अनुसार आज हम अपने पूर्वजों की आत्माओं को तृप्त करने के लिए स्वादिष्ट पकवान पकाते हैं।”
उस रात महेन्द्र ने अति स्वादिष्ट व्यञ्जनों का आनन्द लिया और ईश्वरण की पाककला की प्रशंसा की। ईश्वरण बड़ा प्रसन्न दिख रहा था परन्तु अचानक उसने भूत-प्रेतों की कहानी सुनानी आरम्भ कर दी।
Text (Page 15) : “You know, sir, this entire factory area we are occupying was once a burial ground,” he started. Mahendra was jerked out of the pleasant reverie he had drifted into after the satisfying meal.
“I knew on the first day itself when I saw a
human skull lying on he path. Even now I come across a number of skulls and bones,” Iswaran continued.
Vocabulary : burial (बरियल) where dead bodies are burried कब्रिस्तान; reverie (रेवरी) day dreaming दिन में सपने देखना; drifted (शिफ्टिड) swayed by दिशों से बहा ले जाया
अनुवाद : उसने कड़ना शुरू किया आप जानते हो कि इस उद्योग का सारा क्षेत्र किसी समय कब्रिस्तान था। महेन्द्र इतना बढ़िया भोजन करने के पश्चात् दिन के सपनों में डूब गया था। यह सुनकर उसे एकदम एक झटका-सा लगा। ईश्वरण कहता गया-मैं तो उसी दिन से यह जानता था जब मुझे रास्ते में पड़ी खोपड़ी मिली थी। अब भी कभी-कभी मुझे खोपड़ियाँ य हड्डियाँ पड़ी मिल जाती हैं।
Text (Page 16): He went on to narrate how he sometimes saw ghosts at night. “I am not easily frightened by these things, sir. I am a brave fellow. But one horrible ghost of a woman which appears off and on at midnight during the full moon… It is an ugly creature with matted hair and a shrivelled face, like a skeleton holding a foetus in its arms.”
Vocabulary : horrible (fan) creating horror खौफनाक, भय उत्पन्न करने वाला, डरावना; ugly (अग्ली) opposite of beautiful बदसूरत; creature (क्रीचर) being प्राणी; matted (मैटिड) entangled उलझी लटों वाले; shrivelled (शिवल्ड) wrinkled झुर्रियों वाला; foetus (फीट्स) developed embryo भ्रूण।
अनुवाद : वह खुनाता गया कि मुझे कभी-कभी रात को भूल भी दिखाई देते हैं, परन्तु मैं इनसे नहीं डरता क्योंकि मैं साहसी व्यकिा हूँ। परन्तु एक स्त्री का भयानक भूत पूर्णिमा की आधी रात को दिखाई देता है। वह यही कुरूप स्त्री है, उसके उलझे वाल हैं और चेहरे पर झुर्रियां पड़ी हैं। यह कंकाल के समान है और अपनी गोद में धूण उठाए हुए होती है।
Text (Page 16): Mahendra shivered at the description and interrupted rather sharply, “You are crazy, Iswaran. There are no such things as ghosts or spirits. It is all a figment of your imagination. Get your digestive system examined – and may be your head as well. You are talking nonsense.”
Vocabulary:figment (फिगमेन्ट) imagination मनगदत digestive (डायजेस्टिव) which digests/assimilates food पाचनक्रिया।
अनुवाद : महेन्द्र यह वर्णन सुनकर कांप उठा और उसने आवेश में आकर ईश्वरण को टोक दिया-“तुम पागल हो। भूत-प्रेत नाम की कोई चीज नहीं होती। यह सब तुम्हारी कल्पना मात्र है। तुम्हारा हाजमा ठीक नहीं है शायद तुम्हारा मस्तिष्क भौ। तुम बकवास कर रहे हो।”
Text (Pages 16-17): He left the room and retired for the night, expecting Iswaran to sulk for a couple of days. But the next morning he was surprised to find the cook as cheerful and talkative as ever.
From that day on Mahendra, for all his brave talk, went to bed with a certain unease. Every night he peered into the darkness outside through the window next to his bed, trying to make sure that there was no movement of dark shapes in vicinity. But he could only see sen of darkness with the twinkling lights of the factory miles away.
Vocabulary : sulk (सल्क) to be sullen उदासीन होना peered (पीयर्ड) peeped in darkness अन्धेरे में झांका; vieinity (विसिनिटी) neighbourhood अड़ोस-पड़ोस।।
अनुवाद : वह सोने के लिए चला गया। वह सोच रहा था कि ईश्वरण दो-तीन दिन तक दुःखी रहेगा। परन्तु अगले दिन ही उसने देखा कि वह तो पहले की भांति प्रसन्न व बातूनी था।
उस दिन से महेन्द्र को सोते समय कुछ बेचैनी रहने लगी। हर रात वह अपने कमरे के समीप वाली खिड़की में से बाहर अंधेरे में झांकता था यह देखने के लिए कि आस-पास कोई छाया तो नहीं घूम रही है। परन्तु उसे अंधेरा हो अंधेरा दिखाई देता था और दूर फैक्ट्री की टिमटिमाती रोशनियाँ।
Text (Page 17): He had always liked to admire the milk-white landscape on full-moon nights. But after hearing Iswaran’s story of the female ghost he avoided looking out of his window altogether when the moon was full.
Vocabulary:landscape (लैन्डस्केप) portion of land with its environs viewed in a single glance जितना स्थान एक दृष्टि में देख सकें avoid (एव्याड) try to escape वचना।
अनुवाद : महेन्द्र को पूर्णिमा की रात में चान्दनी में घुला सफेद भू-दृश्य बहुत सुन्दर लगता था। परन्तु ईश्वरण की उस भूत-स्त्री की कहानी सुनने के पश्चात् पूर्णिमा की रात को खिड़की से बाहर झांकने का उसमें साहस न रह गया था।
Text (Page 17) : One night, Mahendraa was woken up from his sleep by a low moan close to his window. At first he put it down to a cat prowling around for mice. But the sound was too guttural for a cat. He resisted the curiosity to look out lest he should behold a sight which would stop his heart. But the wailing became louder and less feline. He could not resist the temptation any more. Lowering himself to the level of the windowsill he looked out at the white sheet of moonlight outside. There, not too far away, was a dark cloudy form clutching a bundle. Mahendra broke into a cold sweat and fell back on the pillow, panting. As he gradually recovered from the ghastly experience he began to reason with himself, and finally concluded that it must have been some sort of auto suggestion, some trick that his subconscious had played on him.
Vocabulary : prowling (प्राउलिंग) wander about stealthily in search of prey चोरी छिपे घूमना शिकार की खोज में; feline (फिलाइन) pertaining to cat बिल्ली सम्बन्धी; clutching (क्लचिंग) holding tightly clinging to body छाती से चिपकाये; panting (पन्टिंग) breathlessly हांफते हुए, gradually ग्रिजुयली) slowly धीरे-धीरे ghastly (गास्टली) horrible इरावना, भयानक।
अनुवाद : एक रात अपनी खिड़की के समीप कराहने की ध्वनि सुनकर महेन्द्र की नींद खुली। पहले तो उसने यह समझा कि कोई बिल्ली चूहे के शिकार के लिए घूम रही है, परन्तु ध्वनि मानव कण्ठ से आती हुई लगती थी। उसे बाहर देखने की जिज्ञासा हुई, पर उसे डर लग रहा था कि कोई भयानक दृश्य न हो। परन्तु प्वनि ऊंची होती गई और स्पष्ट रूप से वह बिल्ली की नहीं थी। वह अपनी जिज्ञासा को रोक न सका। खिड़की के समीप बैठकर उसने बाहर चान्दनी रात में झांका। थोड़ी दूरी पर ही एक छाया गठरी-सी उठाए खड़ी थी। महेन्द्र को ठंडा पसीना आ गया और हांफते हुए वह अपने तकिए पर जा गिरा। धीरे-धीरे जब वह इस भयानक दृश्य के प्रभाव से उबरा तो उसने अपने मन को समझाया कि यह उसके मन का प्रम ही था।
Text (Page 17): By the time he had got up in the morning, had a bath and come out to have his breakfast, the horror of the previous night had faded from his memory. Iswaran greeted him at the door with his lunch packet and his bag. Just as Mahendra was stepping out Iswaran grinned and said, “Sir, remember the other day when I was telling you about the female ghost with a foetus in its arms, you were so angry with me for imagining things ? Well, you saw her yourself last night. I came running hearing the sound of moaning that was coming from your room…”
Vocabulary: grinned (ग्रिन्ड) broad smileshowing teeth बाँत दिखाते हुए मुस्कराना; moaning (मोनिंग) low ery of pain कराहना।
अनुवाद : सवेरे जब वह उठा, नहाया और नाश्ता करने अपने कमरे से बाहर आया तो रात वाली भयानक घटना उसके मन से निकल चुकी थी। ईश्वरण ने दरवाजे पर उसका दोपहर के खाने का पैकट व बैला थमाया। फिर हंस कर कहा-जब मैंने आपको उस स्त्री भूत की बात सुनाई थी तो आप मुझसे नाराज हो गए थे। अब तो आपने भी कल रात उसे देख लिया है। जब मैंने आपके कमरे से ध्वनि आती सुनी तो मैं दौड़कर आया था …….
Text (Page 18): A chill went down Mahendra’s spine. He did not wait for Iswaran to complete his sentence. He hurried away to his office and handed in his papers, resolving to leave the haunted place the very next day !
Vocabulary : spines (स्पाइन्स) backbone पीठ की रीढ़, papers (पेपज) resignation त्यागपत्र; resolving (रिजात्विंग) determining संकल्प किए हुए: haunted (हान्टिड) visited by ghosts भुतहा।
अनुवाद : महेन्द्र को कंपकंपी सी हुई। उसने ईश्वरण का वाक्य पूरा न सुना। यह सीधा अपने कार्यालय में गया और अपना त्याग-पत्र दे दिया। उसने उस भूतों वाले स्थान को अगले दिन ही छोड़ कर जाने का निश्चय कर लिया था।