Glimpses of India — NCERT Solutions

Answer: There are two theories about the descent of the Kodavu (Coorg) people:

1. Greek origin: One theory suggests that the Kodavus are possibly of Greek descent. It is believed that a part of Alexander the Great's army, while moving south along the coast, settled in Coorg. Over time, they married local people and settled there permanently. The long coat with an embroidered waist-belt (kuppia) worn by the Kodavus resembles the dress worn by the Greeks and the Arabs, which lends support to this theory.

2. Arab origin: Another theory suggests that the Kodavus may be of Arab descent. The kuppia they wear is similar to the kuffia worn by the Arabs and the Kurds.

The Kodavus are fiercely independent and brave, and are the only people in India permitted to carry firearms without a licence — a testimony to their martial tradition.

(i) The people of Coorg:

• The Kodavu people are fiercely independent and have a martial tradition.
• They are possibly of Greek or Arab descent.
• They are the only people in India permitted to carry firearms without a licence.
• They are very hospitable and are always ready to tell stories of their sons' and fathers' valour.
• The Coorg regiment is one of the most decorated in the Indian Army.
• General Cariappa, one of India's first Army Chiefs, was a Coorgi.

(ii) The main crop of Coorg:
Coffee is the main crop of Coorg. The region is famous for its coffee plantations, and the air in Coorg is heavy with the fragrance of coffee.

(iii) The sports it offers to tourists:
Coorg offers a variety of adventure sports and outdoor activities:

• River rafting
• Canoeing
• Rappelling
• Rock climbing
• Mountain biking
• Trekking (numerous walking trails)

(iv) The animals you are likely to see in Coorg:

• Macaques
• Malabar squirrels
• Langurs
• Slender loris
• Wild elephants
• A variety of birds, bees, and butterflies

(v) Distance from Bangalore and how to get there:

• Coorg is approximately 250–260 km from Bangalore.
• By Air: The nearest airports are Mangalore (135 km) and Bangalore (260 km).
• By Rail: The nearest railheads are at Mysore, Mangalore, and Hassan.
• By Road: There are two routes from Bangalore — one via Mysore (most frequented) and another via Neelamangal, Kunigal, and Chanrayanapatna.

(i) 'it rains so heavily that tourists do not visit Coorg'
Phrase from text: 'the monsoons hit Coorg' / the region is 'drenched in rain' making it 'not the most comfortable of places to visit'

(ii) 'Some people say that Alexander's army moved south along the coast and settled there'
Phrase from text: 'A section of Alexander's army moved south along the coast and settled here' — introduced by 'one story goes'

(iii) 'The Coorg people are always ready to tell stories of their sons' and fathers' valour'
Phrase from text: 'Coorgi homes have a tradition of hospitality' and 'they are more than willing to recount numerous tales of valour'

(iv) 'Even people who normally lead an easy and slow life get smitten by the high-energy adventure sports of Coorg'
Phrase from text: 'The most laidback individuals become converts to the life of high-energy adventure'

(v) 'The theory of the Arab origin is supported by the long coat with embroidered waist-belt they wear'
Phrase from text: 'The theory of Arab origin gains credence from the long, black coat with an embroidered waist-belt worn by the Kodavus'

(vi) 'Macaques, Malabar squirrels observe you carefully from the tree canopy'
Phrase from text: 'Macaques, Malabar squirrels, langurs and slender loris keep a watchful eye from the tree canopy'

Collocations:

(i) culture: unique culture, ancient culture, wide culture

(ii) monks: serious monks, ancient monks

(iii) surprise: sudden surprise, terrible surprise, unforgettable surprise

(iv) experience: unique experience, unforgettable experience, terrible experience

(v) weather: terrible weather, unforgettable weather

(vi) tradition: unique tradition, ancient tradition, serious tradition

Note: The most natural/common collocations are:

• unique culture, ancient culture
• sudden surprise, terrible surprise
• unforgettable experience, unique experience
• terrible weather
• ancient tradition, unique tradition

(i) tales of ___

• From text: tales of valour
• Other word: tales of adventure / bravery / courage

(iii) a piece of ___

• From text: a piece of heaven (referring to Coorg)
• Other word: a piece of land / cake / advice

(v) ___ plantations

• From text: coffee plantations
• Other word: tea / rubber / sugarcane plantations

(vi) ___ bridge

• From text: rope bridge
• Other word: suspension / wooden / stone bridge

(vii) wild ___

• From text: wild elephants
• Other word: wild animals / flowers / boar

(i) A heavy downpour has been forecast due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal.
(downpour = a heavy fall of rain)

(ii) Rakesh will undergo major surgery tomorrow morning.
(undergo = to experience something, especially something unpleasant)

(iii) My brother is responsible for the upkeep of our family property.
(upkeep = the process of keeping something in good condition)

(iv) The dropout rate for this accountancy course is very high.
(dropout = a person who leaves school/course before completing it)

(v) She went to the Enterprise Company to attend a walk-in interview.
(walk-in = an interview where you can go without a prior appointment)

(i) The Army attempted unsuccessfully to overthrow the Government.
(overthrow = to remove from power by force)

(ii) Scientists are on the brink of a major breakthrough in cancer research.
(breakthrough = an important discovery or development)

(iii) The State Government plans to build a bypass for Bhubaneswar to speed up traffic on the main highway.
(bypass = a road that goes around a town)

(iv) Gautama's outlook on life changed when he realised that the world is full of sorrow.
(outlook = a person's point of view or attitude)

(v) Rakesh seemed unusually downcast after the game.
(downcast = feeling sad and without hope)

Concept: -ing adjectives describe the quality of a thing (it causes a feeling); -ed adjectives describe the mental/emotional state of a person (how they feel).

(i) A good detective serial on television?
→ gripping / exciting / thrilling / interesting
(The serial causes excitement — so -ing adjective is used.)

(ii) A debate on your favourite topic 'Homework Should Be Banned'?
→ stimulating / exciting / engaging
(The debate stimulates interest.)

(iii) How you feel when you stay indoors due to incessant rain?
→ bored / frustrated / restless
(You feel bored — so -ed adjective is used.)

(iv) How you feel when you open a present?
→ excited / thrilled / delighted
(You feel excited — so -ed adjective.)

(v) How you feel when you watch your favourite programme on television?
→ entertained / pleased / excited
(You feel entertained.)

(vi) The look on your mother's face as you waited in a queue?
→ worried / anxious / concerned
(She looks worried.)

(vii) How you feel when tracking a tiger in a tiger reserve forest?
→ thrilled / terrified / excited / nervous
(You feel thrilled and nervous.)

(viii) The story you have recently read, or a film you have seen?
→ interesting / gripping / moving / entertaining
(The story/film causes interest or emotion.)

Paragraph about Coorg using -ing and -ed adjectives:

A visit to Coorg is a truly thrilling and unforgettable experience. The misty hills and lush coffee plantations create a breathtaking landscape that leaves every visitor enchanted. Adventure lovers will find the river rafting and rock climbing exciting and stimulating, while those who prefer a quieter pace will be delighted by the peaceful walking trails through the forests. Spotting a wild elephant on the trail can be both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. The Kodavu people are warm and welcoming, and their stories of valour are fascinating. Even the most bored city-dweller will find himself energised and refreshed after a few days in Coorg. The Buddhist monks at Bylakuppe, in their colourful robes, are a surprising and moving sight. In short, Coorg is an amazing destination that will leave you inspired and longing to return.

(i) Three things that cannot happen in a treeless forest:

In the first stanza, the poet describes what is impossible in a forest without trees:

1. The insects cannot come to rest on the leaves.
2. The small birds cannot hide in the leaves.
3. The sun cannot bury its feet in shadow (i.e., the sun's rays cannot be filtered and create shadows on the ground).

(ii) Picture created by '...sun bury its feet in shadow...':

This image creates a picture of sunlight filtering through the dense canopy of leaves and branches of a tree, with the lower part of the sun's rays (its 'feet') disappearing into the cool, dark shadow cast by the tree on the ground.

The poet uses a metaphor here — the sun's 'feet' refers to the lower rays of sunlight, the part that touches the earth. Just as a person buries their feet in soft ground, the sun's rays sink into and are absorbed by the shadow beneath the tree. It suggests the interplay of light and darkness that only a tree can create.

(i) Where are the trees?
At the beginning of the poem, the trees are inside the poet's house. They have been kept indoors, perhaps as potted plants or as part of interior decoration.

What do their roots, leaves, and twigs do?

• Roots: The roots work all night to disengage themselves from the cracks in the veranda floor. They are trying to free themselves from the confined space.
• Leaves: The leaves strain toward the glass (windows), trying to move out into the open air and forest.
• Twigs: The small twigs are stiff with exertion, trying hard to push their way out through the doors and windows.

All parts of the tree are working together to break free from the house and return to the forest.

(ii) What does the poet compare their branches to?
The poet compares the long branches of the trees to the newly discharged patients from a hospital — half-dazed, moving out into the open air after being confined indoors for a long time. Just as patients emerge weakly but with relief from a hospital, the branches move out of the house towards freedom.

(i) Description of the moon:

(a) At the beginning of the third stanza:
The moon is described as whole — it is seen as a full, complete moon shining in the night sky.

(b) At the end of the third stanza:
The moon is described as broken like a mirror, with its pieces flashing in the crown of the tallest oak tree.

What causes this change?
As the trees move out of the house and into the forest, their branches and leaves break up the reflection/image of the moon. The moonlight, seen through the dense branches and leaves of the tall oak, appears fragmented — like a broken mirror with pieces of light scattered among the leaves. The movement of the trees causes this visual transformation of the moon.

(ii) What happens to the house when the trees move out?
When the trees move out of the house, the house becomes empty and silent. The poet says she is sitting inside the house, and the smell of leaves and lichen still reaches her like a voice. The glass in the windows is breaking (as the trees push through), and the house is left without the presence of the trees — bare and hollow.

(iii) Why does the poet not mention 'the departure of the forest from the house' in her letters?
The poet does not mention this departure in her letters because it is a deeply personal and significant event that is difficult to put into words. It could also be that the departure is so unexpected and overwhelming that she is at a loss to explain it.

On a deeper level, this could symbolise that we are often silent about the most important changes in our lives — especially when nature reclaims its freedom from human control. The poet may feel a sense of guilt or embarrassment that she had confined the trees indoors in the first place, and their departure is a quiet but powerful statement that she cannot easily articulate.

(i) Conflict between man and nature:

Yes, the poem clearly presents a conflict between man and nature. The trees, which represent nature, have been brought inside the house (a human space) for decoration, while the forests outside are being cut down. The trees are 'imprisoned' indoors — their roots cracking the floor, their leaves straining at the glass, their twigs stiff with effort to escape.

Compared to A Tiger in the Zoo, where the tiger is confined in a cage while it should be free in the wild, the trees in this poem are similarly imprisoned. Both poems suggest that nature cannot be truly contained by human beings — it will always strive to break free. The poet seems to be saying that using plants for 'interior decoration' while destroying forests is a form of imprisonment, and nature will ultimately reclaim its freedom.

(ii) Trees as a metaphor for human beings:

If the trees are taken as a metaphor for human beings (particularly women, given that Adrienne Rich is a feminist poet), the poem takes on a new meaning:

• The house represents the domestic space or social structures that confine women.
• The trees straining to get out represent women (or any oppressed group) struggling to break free from the constraints imposed on them by society.
• The roots disengaging from the cracks suggest the slow, painful process of freeing oneself from deep-rooted social norms.
• The trees finally moving into the forest represents liberation and the return to one's natural, free state.

Other possible interpretations:

• The poem could be about the loss of one's roots and identity when one is uprooted from one's natural environment.
• It could also be a meditation on freedom vs. confinement in a broader sense — applicable to any being or idea that is suppressed and eventually breaks free.

Comparison of 'Trees' by Adrienne Rich and 'On Killing a Tree' by Gieve Patel:

Contrast: While Rich's poem ends on a note of hope and liberation (the trees escape), Patel's poem ends on a note of destruction and death (the tree is killed). Both, however, celebrate the strength and resilience of nature in the face of human interference.

These sentences contain homographs — words that are spelt the same but have different meanings and sometimes different pronunciations.

(i) refuse / refuse:

• refuse (verb, stress on second syllable: ri-FYOOZ) = to decline, to say no
• refuse (noun, stress on first syllable: REF-yoos) = waste material, garbage
• 'The dump was so full that it had to refuse (verb) more refuse (noun).'

(ii) dove / dove:

• dove (noun, rhymes with 'love') = a type of bird
• dove (verb, rhymes with 'stove') = past tense of 'dive' (American English)
• 'When shot at, the dove (noun) dove (verb) into the bushes.'

(iii) invalid / invalid:

• invalid (adjective, stress on second syllable: in-VAL-id) = not valid, not legally acceptable
• invalid (noun, stress on first syllable: IN-va-lid) = a person who is ill or disabled
• 'The insurance was invalid (adjective) for the invalid (noun).'

Conclusion: These words are called homographs — they are spelt the same but differ in meaning and sometimes in pronunciation depending on their use as different parts of speech.