Childhood Summer - RK Narayan | BOSEM Class IX English Literature Reader

Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BOSEM)

Class - 9
English Literature Reader (Prose)
Chapter - 4

Childhood Summer

R.K. Narayan

Summary

"Childhood Summer" is an excerpt from R.K. Narayan's book "My Days," where he recounts his own childhood experiences. As a young boy, Narayan resided in Madras with his maternal grandmother and uncle, while his parents lived in the small town of Chennapatna. In "Childhood Summer," Narayan vividly portrays his grandmother as a resourceful and kind-hearted woman.

Every summer, the residents of Madras sought refuge from the sweltering heat by retreating to the hill stations. During this period, Narayan accompanied his grandmother to the lesser-known town of Chennapatna, where his parents resided. His grandmother engaged a team of assistants to prepare sun-dried delicacies for various family members, including his ailing mother. The meticulous process involved pounding, sifting, grinding, mixing, and kneading the rice and edibles, resulting in a variety of shapes and sizes. The grandmother was determined not to arrive empty-handed at her daughter's home, as she sought to support her daughter, who was weakened by multiple childbirths. This extensive preparation for the journey consumed nearly three weeks of the author's vacation. Despite her bustling schedule, the grandmother struggled to disengage from her responsibilities to accompany Narayan to Chennapatna. She had hoped to find an escort for him, but since the town was seldom visited, she ultimately took on the responsibility herself.

Narayan portrays his grandmother as a versatile and benevolent individual. In her spare moments, she would be found tending to the garden, pruning unwanted branches, while engaging in profound discussions with her friends. Additionally, she played the role of a matchmaker for individuals whose horoscopes aligned, and provided aid to those afflicted with ailments such as scorpion bites, whooping cough, paralysis, or convulsions. Her days were filled from morning till night with a multitude of responsibilities.

Solved Textual Exercises

I. Answer the following questions in a sentence each.

1. How was Shiva Ratri festival relevant to the author's going to his hometown?

Ans.: - The author's journey to his hometown had some relevance with the Shiva Ratri festival, as the preparations for the trip were set to commence approximately ten days following the festival.

2. What time did the author's grandmother select to visit the store?

Ans.: - The author's grandmother chose a peaceful afternoon to visit the store from where she could buy the things she would require.

3. How did the author scare away the crows?

Ans.: - The author scared away the crows by screaming at them.

4. The author's grandmother was often busy trimming off unwanted branches in the garden. What other activity did she carry on at the same time?

Ans.: - While pruning unwanted branches in the garden, the author's grandmother would engage in important discussions with her friends.

5. What was the grandmother's opinion about the curing ability of the sanjivini?

Ans.: - The author's grandmother stated that Sanjivini has the power to rescue a person from even the venom of the deadliest cobra.

II. Answer the following questions briefly.

1. Why did the author's uncle dislike his mother's (author's grandmother's) certain activity?

Ans.: - When the author's uncle came back home from office after a tiring day at work, he would find the floor strewn with gunny bags and paper parcels of the grandmother's indent bought from the co-operative consumer store. This is the reason why the author's uncle disliked certain activity of his mother.

2. "She needs more help than anyone else. She's helpless if I don't help." Why did grandmother say so about Gnana?

Ans.: - Grandmother mentioned that her daughter, Gnana, was extremely frail and unwell due to multiple childbirths, which left her unable to care for herself.

3. In what sense was the author's grandmother a matchmaker?

Ans.: - The author's grandmother played the role of a matchmaker by carefully studying the horoscopes of individuals, offering guidance, and utilising her connections to help arrange marriages.

4. Why did grandmother keep an exercise book?

Ans.: - The author's grandmother maintained a notebook where she recorded specific remedies for conditions like whooping cough or paralysis, which could be referred to at a later time.

5. Why had the author no one to escort him to Chennapatna other than his grandmother?

Ans.: - The author's grandmother was the only person available to accompany him to Chennapatna, as it was an obscure place that few people knew about or typically visited.

III. Answer the following questions in about 80 words.

1. Describe the grandmother's activity prior to her leaving for Chennapatna?

Ans.: - Before heading to Chennapatna, the author's grandmother meticulously prepared a variety of sun-dried food items using rice and pulses, which would be stored and utilized throughout the year. Around ten days after the Shiva Ratri festival, she obtained supplies from the co-operative consumer store. Subsequently, she would have a team of helpers at the house, engaging in activities such as pounding, sifting, grinding, mixing, and kneading the ingredients on a large scale. Using small brass hand-pressers, she would create differently shaped edibles, which were then placed on mats and left on the roof to dry in the intense sunlight. Finally, jars and containers were filled and stored for later distribution to family members living both near and far when the time was right.

2. "She was versatile and helpful." How was the grandmother versatile and helpful?

Ans.: - The author's grandmother was a multi-talented and supportive individual. She prepared sun-dried food items using rice and pulses, preserved them in containers, and distributed them among various family members. She played a significant role in the lives of many. Some viewed her as a matchmaker who meticulously studied horoscopes, offered advice, and used her influence to facilitate marriages. During her free time, she tended to the garden by trimming unwanted branches while engaging in important discussions with her friends. Additionally, people sought her advice when dealing with issues such as scorpion bites, whooping cough, paralysis, or convulsions, as she possessed remedies for these ailments.