BSEB Class 12 English Rainbow Book Lesson 3 A Pinch of Snuff Question Answers
A Pinch of Snuff Question Answers: Looking for A Pinch of Snuff important questions and answers for BSEB Class 12 English Rainbow Book? Look no further! Our comprehensive compilation of important questions will help you brush up on your subject knowledge. Practicing BSEB Class 12 English question answers can significantly improve your performance in the board exam. Improve your chances of scoring high marks by exploring A Pinch of Snuff question answers now. The questions listed below are based on the latest BSEB exam pattern. All the exercises and Questions Answers given at the back of the lesson have also been covered.
- A Pinch of Snuff Textbook Question and Answers
- A Pinch of Snuff Multiple Choice Questions
- A Pinch of Snuff Extract Based Questions
- A Pinch of Snuff Class 12 Summary, Explanation Notes
BSEB Class 12 English Chapter 3 A Pinch of Snuff Textbook Question and Answers
A. Answer the following questions orally:
- Do guests visit your house frequently? How do you respond to them?
Answer-
Yes, guests visit my home quite frequently. We respond to them respectfully and in a very welcoming manner.
- Do you like all of them equally? How often do you entertain your guests gladly?
Answer-
No, I do not like all of the guests equally. However, I still entertain them all gladly and with respect.
- At times you may have to welcome a guest whom you don’t like much. How do you do this?
Answer-
Indeed, there are times when I have to welcome a guest I don’t like very much. I try not to let my disliking towards them come in the way of my hospitality and I take good care of them.
B.1.1. Complete the following sentences on the basis of what you have studied :
a) …….. was coming to visit the narrator’s family.
b) The narrator was………..on probation.
c) Nanukaka was to stay for …………
d) Nanukaka was coming to Delhi to ………………
e) ……….informed the under Secretary about Nanukaka’s visit?
f) The Under Secretary had to put a charpoy for himself in the back verandah because ……….
g) Nanukaka was related to the narrator as he was his ………….
Answer-
a) Nanukaka was coming to visit the narrator’s family.
b) The narrator was an Under-Secretary on probation.
c) Nanukaka was to stay for two or three days.
d) Nanukaka was coming to Delhi to see a Minister.
e) His mother informed the under Secretary about Nanukaka’s visit?
f) The Under Secretary had to put a charpoy for himself in the back verandah because his mother had installed Nanukaka in his bedroom.
g) Nanukaka was related to the narrator as he was his mother’s brother.
B.1. 2. Answer the following questions briefly :
1) The news that made the mother happy disturbed her son. Why were their responses so different?
Answer-
The news of Nanukaka visiting made mother really happy as she is very loyal to her side of the family and after all, Nanukaka is her brother. However, on the other hand, for the narrator, it meant being on his toes for Nanukaka during his stay. Hence, it distrubed him a bit.
2) Do you have a similar experience? Has your response to the news of the arrival of any guest ever been different from that of other members of the family?
Answer-
Yes, I have similar experiences. There are situations when I don’t like the news of a cousin visiting as much as my brother does. This is because they play video games together all day which means I do not get to watch television at all.
3) ‘Had to travel second on a third class ticket? But it was all arranged quite amicably?’ What ‘arrangement’ Nanukaka is referring to? How can such arrangement be ‘amicable’?
Answer-
Nanukaka ‘had to travel second on a third class ticket’ because there were no seats in the third class coach of the train and the second class coach ticket requires it to be booked prior. ‘It was all arranged amicably’ by the Ticket Collector who even escorted Nanukaka till outside in order to avoid any issues. Not only this, it was because of him that even the kitten’s ticket did not have to be bought. This arrangement by the T.C. can be referred to as ‘amicable’ because the T.C. helped Nanukaka when he was in need and he did it politely without causing Nanukaka any inconvenience.
B.2. 1. Write T for true and F for false statements :
a) It was very easy for the narrator to get sent on a foreign assignment.
b) Ratiram was the son of Sohanlal Ratiram.
c) Sohanlal Ratiram was the Party boss in Delhi.
d) Nanukaka went to Lala Sohanlal because they both were Zamindars.
e) Nanukaka visited Lala Sohanlal in the guise of an astrologer.
f) Nanukaka’s meeting with Sohanlal Ratiram was very successful.
Answer-
a) It was very easy for the narrator to get sent on a foreign assignment. – False
b) Ratiram was the son of Sohanlal Ratiram. – True
c) Sohanlal Ratiram was the Party boss in Delhi. – True
d) Nanukaka went to Lala Sohanlal because they both were Zamindars. – False
e) Nanukaka visited Lala Sohanlal in the guise of an astrologer. – False
f) Nanukaka’s meeting with Sohanlal Ratiram was very successful. – True
B.2. 2. Answer the following questions briefly :
1) The Under-Secretary always obeyed Nanukaka, although he was never willing to do so. Why?
Answer-
The Under-Secretary always obeyed Nanukaka even though he was never willing to do so because of his mother’s insistence. It is also the reason why he had taken two days’ leave from the office, to take care of Nanukaka during his stay.
2) “This tie-and-collar business is no good these days.” What did Nanukaka mean to say?
Answer-
Nanukaka thinks that closed collar Jodhpuri coats with turban go a long way over the tie and collar that are trending these days. According to him, we should stick to our traditional turbans because ‘this tie-and-collar business is no good these days”.
3) How did the Under-Secretary change his appearance to accompany Nanukaka?
Answer-
The Under-Secretary changed his appearance to accompany Nanukaka. He changed into a Jodhpuri coat and a huge orange turban that was tied on his head by Uncle Nanukaka.
4) Who is a Zamindar? Do you know any Zamindar in your locality? What do the people in your locality think about him?
Answer-
A Zamindar is a landowner, especially one who leases his land to tenant farmers. Yes, there are a few zamindars near our locality and they are considered to be very rich and powerful by the people around us.
5) How did Nanukaka impress Sohanlal Ratiram?
Answer-
Lala Sohanlal Raitram planned on sending his son as Trade Commissioner to Hajrat Barkat Ali, the Ambassador but the plans were called off as someone poisoned H.B.’s mind about Lalaji’s son involved in some transaction concerning evacuee-property. Nanukaka, on the other hand, knew about it which is why he mentioned how close he was with H.B.. This made Sohanlal Ratiram come waddling out of the inner room and from here on, everything was smothered in the saccharine courtesy of the seasoned political campaigner.
6) What important information did he collect at Ratiram’s place?
Answer-
During his visit to Ratiram’s place, Nanukaka got to know the reason behind the rivalry between Lala Sohanlal and the Welfare Minister. The Welfare Minister had refused to consider Lalaji’s son for his daughter’s marriage and instead, wanted his daughter to marry the Prince of Ninnore whom they were yet to exchange horoscopes with. It was an important piece of information for Nanukaka as he wanted to see the Minister due to some urgent piece of work.
7) Who is a Prince? Do we have any prince now? If yes, do they enjoy the same privileges which they used to do?
Answer-
A Prince is the son of a monarch of an Indian princely state. No, we do not have a prince now.
B.3. Answer the following questions briefly :
- Who was the second important person Nanukaka had planned to meet?
Answer-
The second person that Nanukaka had planned to meet was the Welfare Minister.
- What preparation did he make to meet him?
Answer-
In order to meet the Welfare Minister, Nanukaka thought it would be a great idea to go in a private car driven by a liveried chauffeur. Hence, they went to Sikka Auto Dealers to try out the car they had in mind. Moreover, the Under-Secretary dressed up in white Jodhpuri coat with and orange turban while Nanukaka sat regally like the hereditary pandit from a princely state.
- What new role did Nanukaka give the Under-Secretary to play?
Answer-
Nanukaka asked the Under-Secretary to dress up in a white Jodhpuri along with an orange turban. Hence, he played the role of a liveried chauffeur that drove Nanukaka to the Welfare Minister.
- How did he manage to impress the Sikka Auto Dealers?
Answer-
Since the motor car touts can smell a rich man from a mile away, Nanukaka curated a small plan to impress the Sikka Auto Dealers. He wrote a bearer’s cheque worth a thousand rupees and kept it in an old coat of his’. He handed over the coat to the dhobi who later came running in front of everyone waving that cheque, making it look like Nanukaka had been careless enough to leave a bearer’s cheque of such a huge amount. Nanukaka even rewarded the dhobi with money. This made him look rich and wealthy enough to be able to buy that outlandish car they were eyeing on.
- What did he do at the minister’s residence?
Answer-
At the minister’s residence, Nanukaka merely called for the visitors’ book as the secretary fussed about not being able to know the state of business he had come for. Nanukaka clarified that he was not there to disturb the minister but was at the location to make a formal call. He mentioned that he was there simply to fulfill a formality they follow in the old princely states. Upon getting the visitors’ book, Nanukaka specified himself as the “Hereditary Astrologer to the Maharaja of Ninnore” and gave his sister’s address of residence in Delhi.
- How did he impress the minister?
Answer-
Nanukaka managed to impress the minister with the entire act that he staged. From being driven to the location in an outlandish car by a liveried chauffeur, dressing up like a hereditary pandit of the princely states and introducing himself as the “Hereditary Astrologer to the Maharaja of Ninnore’, Nanukaka surely made an impression. If this was not enough, he loudly announced to his chauffeur to take him to Maharaja Sutkatta’s palace as he needed to return all the horoscopes entrusted to him, showing that he had contacts with a lot of aristocrats.
- Is the Under-Secretary impressed with Nanukaka at any point? When and why? Find out the evidence from the story.
Answer-
Nanukaka’s wise use of his wit and intelligence impressed the Under-Secretary in many ways. As per the knowledge of the Under-Secretary, it takes weeks or even months to get an interview with the minister but Nanukaka managed to get a Minister to visit him in two days. The Under-Secretary’s admiration of Nanukaka was quite evident in the end when he thought about what would happen if the Minister got to know that his uncle has never been within a hundred miles of Ninnore. He was convinced that Nanukaka would deal with the situation without allowing a single fold of his angocha to fall of place.
C. 1. Long Answer Questions
- Nanukaka tells lots of lies. Why does he do so? Does he succeed in his pursuit?
Answer-
It is true that Nanukaka told a lot of lies. However, all of them were said in order to get things done in his favor. It is believed that it takes weeks or even months to get an interview with the Minister but the act that he displayed got the Minister to come see Nanukaka himself within two days. It would never have been possible if Nanukaka hadn’t gone in an outlandish car with a liveried chauffeur, introduced himself as the “Hereditary Astrologer to the Maharaja of Ninnore” or showed off his contacts with many aristocrats. Thus, his lies helped him succeed in his pursuit.
- What impression does Nanukaka make on you? Do you like him? Attempt a character sketch of Nanukaka.
Answer-
Nanukaka seems to have quite an impressive personality. He looks like a loving brother from the way the narrator’s mother got all excited to see him that she even asked her son, the Under-Secretary to take two days’ leave. He has a friendly nature which is evident with the way he got the Ticket Collector to help him. He is a man who likes to stick to traditions rather than following western trends which can be seen from his fondness of a closed collar Jodhpuri coat and turban. He managed to portray himself as a wealthy man in order to get the lavish car which makes him spontaneous. He succeeded in his pursuit of seeing the minister by displaying an act which shows that he is clever and witty. On the other hand, it can also be seen as a trait that can be used to deceive people as not even once, did he hesitate to tell lies to get things done in his favor. Yes, I like Nanukaka as he seems to be a man who can handle any situation that he faces and can make lemonade with the lemons that life throws at him. He has quite an impressionable persona.
- Suppose you have Nanukaka as your uncle. How would you behave with him? Explain in detail.
Answer-
If I had an uncle like Nanukaka, I would surely fuss around at first on the news of him visiting, just like the narrator because of all the hassle I would have to go through for him. This does not mean that I would act with hateful intent with him. I will display complete respect and fulfill all my duties whole-heartedly. I would try to learn from him as much as possible. His powers of persuasion would impress me the most. I would obey all his orders and fulfill all his wishes. I would make sure that his stay is comfortable and memorable.
- Nanukaka made a big promise to Sohanlal Ratiram. Did he ever fulfil his promise?
Answer-
Nanukaka made a big promise to Sohanlal Ratiram to convince Hajrat Barkat Ali to take Lalaji’s son as Trade Commissioner on a foreign assignment after someone had poisoned his mind against it. Nanukaka told Lala Sohnalal that he went to school together with H.B.. and displayed that H.B. regarded him so highly. However, he did not fulfill the promise because the whole story was fabricated. Nanukaka did not know the Ambassador at all.
- Can a person like Nanukaka be more successful in the present society? Give reasons.
Answer-
Nanukaka is polite, outspoken and confident. He never hesitated to use his wit to turn the circumstances in his own favor even if it meant making up lies. He knew how to get others to do things for his own benefit. In the present society, where everyone is selfish, a person like Nanukaka would be more successful who wouldn’t think twice before deceiving someone. He managed to get the Minister to come to his location of choice for an interview in two or three days whereas it takes many weeks or even months to get an appointment. Thus, he would be more successful in today’s world.
- ‘I wonder what is going to happen when the Minister discovers that my uncle has never been within hundred miles of a place called Ninnore… Only, when it happens, I want to be somewhere far out of range.’ What light does it throw on the motive of • the writer in the story? – Does he want to glorify manipulation? Warn us of the consequences which its discovery leads to? Expose the reality we are living in?
Answer-
After the first incident of manipulation at Lala Sohanlal’s house, the narrator was quite reluctant on being involved the next day to go to visit the Minister. This shows that the narrator was somehow uninterested in being involved in deceitful activities. It was all new for him. One thing he learnt after spending two days with his Uncle was that Nanukaka knew his way of making things work and turn circumstances in his favor. So when Nanukaka portrayed himself as the Hereditary pandit to the Maharaja of Ninnore, the narrator wondered what would happen if the Minister discovers that Nanukaka has never even been near a place called Ninnore. But he was confident that whatever may be the case, Nanukaka would handle the circumstances. He is not trying to glorify manipulation but he sure did see the power of it . He has very subtly attempted to warn the readers to think about the consequences of their actions.
- What is ‘linguistic emergency’? Do we all face it? How does it affect our speech?
Answer-
Linguistic emergency refers to situations where one is hyper and overwhelmed with the emotions of anger, happiness, sadness or excitement and tries to express it using words. We all face it during a lot of situations. It also happens when a lot is going on in our minds and we try to articulate it. It makes our speech very fast, hurried and also at times, loud.
- Discuss the significance of the title? How is it related to the theme of the story?
Answer-
The title “A Pinch of Snuff” is symbolic. Snuff is an addictive stuff just like tobacco. It is quite a thing among aristocrats to keep their snuff in silver boxes and keep sniffing a small quantity of it every once in a while. Nanukaka, a man who knew that “the bigger, the better”, understood that a person’s way of living and habits make a huge impression on others. He knew that snuff made him look like one of the aristocrats of the princely states. Hence, to give a dramatic pause, he used to snort a pinch of it. Since everything in Nanukaka’s personality is designed to make impressions on powerful people, this pinch of snuff is also calculated to make others understand his superior status. Hence, the title is apt.
D. WORD STUDY
D.1. Dictionary Use
Ex. 1. Correct the spelling of the following words:
| mustach | assinment | ambasador | secretry | campainer |
| cautiond | genuine | casualy | leiger | hearditary |
Answer-
Mustach- Mustache
Assinment- Assignment
Ambasador- Ambassador
Secretry- Secretary
Campainer- Campaigner
Cautiond- Cautioned
Genuine- Genuine
Casualy- Casually
Leiger- Leisure
Hearditary- Hereditary
Ex. 2. Look up a dictionary and write two meanings of each of the following words — the one in which it is used in the lesson and the other which is more common:
| interview | transfer | blast | trade | course |
| touch | surprise | match | snort |
Answer-
Interview
As per the lesson- a meeting of people face to face, especially for consultation
Other meaning- a structured conversation where one participant asks questions, and the other provides answers
Transfer
As per the lesson- send a person from one place to another
Other meaning- exchange of large files or data between systems or organizations
Blast
As per the lesson- make a loud noise, be very loud
Other meaning- blow up or break apart (something solid) with explosives
Trade
As per the lesson- the action of buying and selling goods and services
Other meaning- exchange (something) for something else, typically as a commercial transaction
Course
As per the lesson- (of course) used to introduce an idea or action as being obvious or to be expected
Other meaning- a set of classes or a plan of study on a particular subject, usually leading to an exam
Touch
As per the lesson- arousing feelings of sympathy or gratitude
Other meaning- come into or be in contact with
Surprise
As per the lesson- cause (someone) to feel mild astonishment or shock
Other meaning- an unexpected or astonishing event, fact, etc
Match
As per the lesson- a person considered a good equivalent to another for the purpose of marriage
Other meaning- a contest in which people or teams compete against each other in a particular sport
Snort
As per the lesson- an explosive sound made by the sudden forcing of breath through one’s nose, used to express indignation, derision
Other meaning- to express scorn, anger or surprise by a snort
D.2. Word-formation
Read the following sentences carefully:
a) Mother’s announcement shook me.
b) He seldom sees, er. visitors without a previous appointment.
In the first sentence ‘announcement’, which is a noun, is derived from ‘announce’ which is a verb. Similarly, in the second sentence ‘appointment’ is derived from ‘appoint’. Nouns can be derived by adding different suffixes such as ‘-ment’, ‘-ion’, ‘-ance’ etc.
Use suffixes to the verbs given below to make them noun:
| impress | arrange | transact | explain |
| acquaint | manage | demonstrate | marry |
Answer-
Impress- Impression
Arrange- Arrangement
Transact- Transaction
Explain- Explanation
Acquaint- Acquaintance
Manage- Management
Demonstrate- Demonstration
Marry- Marriage
D.3. word-meaning
Ex. 1. Find from the lesson words the meanings of which have been given on the left hand side. The last part of each word is given on the right hand side:
| in a friendly manner and without argument: | ……………ably |
| large in size or quantity | …………..mous |
| attracting your interes: or attention : | ……………king |
| small nail with a flat top | …………….cks |
| correct according to law: | ……………mate |
| extremely strange and unusual: | ……………dish |
Answer-
in a friendly manner and without argument: Comfortably
large in size or quantity enormous
attracting your interes: or attention : breathtaking
small nail with a flat top tracks
correct according to law: legitimate
extremely strange and unusual: outlandish
D. 4. Phrases
Ex.1. Read the lesson carefully and find out the sentences in which the following phrases have been used. Use these phrases in sentences of your own:
| at daggers drawn | drop in | as soon as |
| turn out | of course | try out |
Answer-
At daggers drawn -You know that two people are at daggers drawn when they make a direct statement claiming to be united
Drop in – You can just drop in without making a prior appointment
As soon as – As soon as the sun is shining, you don’t need an umbrella.
Turn out – The cake turned out to be pretty great
Of course – Of course! I will come to visit you when you move to Chennai.
Try out – I would like to try out as many cuisines as possible at the buffet tonight.
E. GRAMMAR
E.1. Read the following sentences carefully:
You’ve got a close-collar Jodhpur coat, haven’t you?
(It is) Amazing, isn’t it?
In the above examples ‘haven’t you ?’ and ‘isn’t it?’ are tag-questions.
Write tag-questions for the following sentences:
- Amod was speaking in an unusually loud voice,………..
- That should be quite simple, …………..
- Nanukaka chuckled his tongue several times, ……….
- You will do the work, …………..
- Gulu is eating a mango, ………………
Answer-
- Amod was speaking in an unusually loud voice, wasn’t he?
- That should be quite simple, shouldn’t it?
- Nanukaka chuckled his tongue several times, didn’t he?
- You will do the work, won’t you?
- Gulu is eating a mango, isn’t he?
BSEB Class 12 English Chapter 3 A Pinch of Snuff Extra Question and Answers
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
- What news does the narrator’s mother share at the beginning?
A) They are going on a vacation
B) Nanukaka is coming to visit
C) The narrator is getting a promotion
D) A minister is visiting their house
Ans: B. Nanukaka is coming to visit
- Why does the narrator panic about Nanukaka’s visit?
A) He dislikes guests
B) He is busy with office work
C) He knows Nanukaka plans to meet a Minister, which could take weeks
D) Nanukaka often causes trouble
Ans: C. He knows Nanukaka plans to meet a Minister, which could take weeks
- What job does the narrator hold?
A) Deputy Secretary
B) Ministerial aide
C) Under-Secretary on probation
D) Personal Secretary to the Minister
Ans: C. Under-Secretary on probation
- What impression does the narrator have of Ministers?
A) They are hard to approach and powerful
B) They are friendly and approachable
C) They frequently meet with everyone
D) They are incompetent
Ans: A. They are hard to approach and powerful
- How does Nanukaka arrive at the station?
A) In a first-class compartment
B) In a second-class carriage with a third-class ticket
C) In a third-class compartment
D) By road, not by train
Ans: B. In a second-class carriage with a third-class ticket
- What is inside the basket Nanukaka gives the narrator?
A) A puppy
B) A kitten
C) Some fruits
D) Important documents
Ans: B. A kitten
- How does Nanukaka justify his traveling in second class on a third-class ticket?
A) He bribed the TC
B) The train was full
C) The Ticket Collector was kind and helpful
D) He bought the wrong ticket by mistake
Ans: C. The Ticket Collector was kind and helpful
- How does the narrator react to Nanukaka’s intention to meet a Minister?
A) He is eager to help
B) He is annoyed and nervous
C) He refuses outright
D) He suggests postponing the visit
Ans: B. He is annoyed and nervous
- What language does Nanukaka resort to when he is upset?
A) Hindi
B) Urdu
C) English
D) Marathi
Ans: D. Marathi
- How long does Nanukaka spend at the North Block for his first attempt to meet the Minister?
A) One hour
B) Two hours
C) Three hours
D) Half an hour
Ans: B. Two hours
- Who is Ratiram?
A) A Minister
B) An Under-Secretary like the narrator
C) A colleague of the narrator, the son of a Party Boss
D) The Welfare Minister’s assistant
Ans: C. A colleague of the narrator, the son of a Party Boss
- What disguise does Nanukaka plan for the narrator?
A) As a Minister
B) As a zamindar
C) As his A.D.C. in a Jodhpur coat and turban
D) As his assistant in formal attire
Ans: C. As his A.D.C. in a Jodhpur coat and turban
- Whose house does Nanukaka visit after hearing about Ratiram’s father?
A) The Welfare Minister
B) Lala Sohanlal Ratiram
C) The Maharaja of Ninnore
D) The Prime Minister
Ans: B. Lala Sohanlal Ratiram
- How does Nanukaka impress the secretary at Sohanlal’s house?
A) By mentioning his connections with high-ranking officials
B) By discussing political issues
C) By showing wealth and status
D) By offering bribes
Ans: A. By mentioning his connections with high-ranking officials
- Which princely state is falsely mentioned during Nanukaka’s plan?
A) Ninnore
B) Hyderabad
C) Gwalior
D) Sutkatta
Ans: A Ninnore
- What vehicle does Nanukaka insist on using to visit the Minister?
A) A taxi
B) A large private car
C) A government vehicle
D) The narrator’s small car
Ans: B. A large private car
- How does Nanukaka convince the car dealer to let him use the car?
A) By promising to buy it
B) By borrowing it for a day
C) By bribing the dealer
D) By showing a cheque and pretending to be wealthy
Ans: D. By showing a cheque and pretending to be wealthy
- What does Nanukaka write in the Minister’s visitors’ book?
A) His real identity
B) A false title as hereditary astrologer to the Maharaja of Ninnore
C) His complaints against the Minister
D) A request for a meeting
Ans: B. A false title as hereditary astrologer to the Maharaja of Ninnore
- Why does the Welfare Minister visit the narrator’s house?
A) To confront Nanukaka
B) To seek his astrological advice
C) To discuss political matters
D) To meet Sohanlal Ratiram
Ans: B. To seek his astrological advice
- What is the narrator most worried about at the end of the visit?
A) Losing his job
B) The Minister discovering Nanukaka’s false identity
C) Sohanlal’s revenge
D) His mother being upset
Ans: B. The Minister discovering Nanukaka’s false identity
Extract Based Questions
A. Mother has always been very loyal to her side of the family, and, after all, Nanukaka is her brother. I, on the other hand, may have something of a complex about Ministers. I am an Under-Secretary, on probation, and as such trained to regard Ministers as being two steps higher than God; the Secretaries being just one step higher.
I was waiting on the platform when the train came in. Nanukaka stood in the doorway of a second-class carriage; a striking figure, white haired, with an impressive moustache. He still wears the old-fashioned knee-length black coat and the red silk pugree of the Deccani brahmin, and drapes a white angocha round his shoulders.
As I went up, he handed me a basket. “Take this out, quick,” he whispered. “I’ll join you outside the station.”
- What is the narrator’s profession?
Ans: The narrator is an Under-Secretary on probation
- Describe Nanukaka’s appearance as he arrived at the train station.
Ans: Nanukaka is a striking figure with white hair, an impressive moustache, wearing an old-fashioned knee-length black coat, a red silk pugree (turban), and a white angocha draped around his shoulders.
- What item does Nanukaka hand to the narrator at the station?
Ans: Nanukaka hands the narrator a basket and instructs him to take it out quickly.
- What does the narrator reveal about his mother’s attitude towards her family?
Ans: The narrator states that his mother is very loyal to her side of the family, which explains her warm reception of Nanukaka, as he is her brother.
- What impression does the narrator have of Nanukaka’s demeanor?
Ans: The narrator finds Nanukaka to be confident and commanding, as evident from his dignified attire and the authoritative way he handles situations, even at the station.
B. At mother’s insistence, I had taken two days’ leave from the office, and in the afternoon, I drove Nanukaka to the north Block. He went in to see the Minister and I waited in the car park. It was two hours before he returned mumbling colourful Marathi swearwords. I didn’t dare ask him what had happened, and drove without saying a word. He cooled down in a little while, though, and said:
“Two hours, I spent, being transferred from one chaprasi to another, tramping through the corridors, and in the end, succeeded in getting a Deputy-Secretary to give me an appointment – three days from now! Shameful! Shameful! And there was another series of Marathi expletives. In a linguistic emergency my uncle always turned to his mother tongue.
- Why did the narrator take two days’ leave from the office?
Ans: The narrator took two days’ leave at his mother’s insistence to assist Nanukaka.
- Where did the narrator drive Nanukaka in the afternoon?
Ans: The narrator drove Nanukaka to the North Block to meet a Minister.
- How long did Nanukaka spend inside the Minister’s office?
Ans: Nanukaka spent two hours inside, tramping through the corridors.
- What was the outcome of Nanukaka’s visit to the North Block?
Ans: Nanukaka managed to get an appointment with a Deputy-Secretary for three days later.
- What language did Nanukaka use to express his frustration, and why?
Ans: Nanukaka used Marathi to express his frustration, as he often reverted to his mother tongue in moments of anger.
C. A secretary in spotless white clothes received us and showed us into a cool white room before he asked our business, very politely.
“Just dropped in,” Nanukaka said casually. “I had come to Delhi for the Zamindars’ Convention, a rather unofficial gathering you know, since we zamindars are not, not exactly, popular, these days … V.P. has also sent a cable, he wants to see me, but he is not coming from Washington until tomorrow. I thought I might as well see Lalaji and tell him what arrangements we, the zamindars, have made for the agricultural vote…”
Nanukaka sort of trailed off and I could see that he was not really making an impression on the secretary who was just being polite, and playing it safe. “I’ll have to see whether Lalaji is free,” the secretary said. “He seldom sees, er, visitors without a previous appointment.”
Lalaji must have been free, because from the adjoining room we could just hear the unhurried gurgle of the hookah, and then we could hear the haughty secretary talking to him.
“What day is it, today?” Nanukaka asked me.
I thought he was speaking in an unusually loud voice. “Tuesday,” I told him.
“Ooh, only Tuesday, and to think that on Sunday I was in Beirut. Amazing, isn’t it?
- Who received Nanukaka and the narrator upon their arrival?
Ans: A secretary in spotless white clothes received them.
- What reason did Nanukaka give for coming to Delhi?
Ans: He claimed to have come for the Zamindars’ Convention and mentioned a cable from Vice President in Washington.
- How did the secretary respond to Nanukaka’s request to meet Lalaji?
Ans: The secretary said he would check if Lalaji was free. He also mentioned that Lalaji rarely sees anyone without prior appointment
- What sound could be heard from the adjoining room?
Ans: They could hear the bubbling sounds coming out of consuming a hookah.
- What did Nanukaka claim about his recent travel?
Ans: He claimed he was in Beirut on Sunday, emphasizing it as “amazing.”
D. He took out his cheque-book and wrote a cheque for a thousand rupees. He folded it neatly and put it into the inner pocket of an old coat of his. “Now call your dhobi,” he told me.
I called the dhobi, and Uncle gave him the coat and took him outside and had a talk with him. Then we drove over to the Sikka Auto Dealers and Nanukaka asked if he could try out the car we had in mind.
We had barely got talking to the manager when the dhobi rushed into shop, holding Nanukaka’s old coat in one hand and brandishing the cheque with the other. “Oh, there you are!” he panted. “Look what you had left in this coat of yours!”
Nanukaka held out the cheque at the arm’s length, and clucked his tongue several times. “How careless of me!” he said. “I am always doing this sort of thing. Bearer cheque too; anyone could have cashed it. Here, my good man,” he said to the dhobi, “here is a reward for you. There is nothing like honesty,” and he gave him a two- rupee note and a pat on the back.
- What did Nanukaka do after writing a cheque for a thousand rupees?
Ans: He folded it neatly and put it into the inner pocket of an old coat.
- Who did Nanukaka ask the narrator to call after writing the cheque?
Ans: He asked the narrator to call the dhobi.
- Where did Nanukaka and the narrator go after handing the coat to the dhobi?
Ans: They went to Sikka Auto Dealers.
- What did the dhobi do upon finding the cheque in Nanukaka’s coat?
Ans: He rushed into the shop holding the coat and the cheque, showing it to Nanukaka.
- How did Nanukaka reward the dhobi for his honesty?
Ans: He gave the dhobi a two-rupee note and a pat on the back.
E. Nanukaka who refused to state his business but merely called for the visitors’ book.
“I have just come to make a formal call,” he announced. “I have no wish to disturb the Minister. It is just a formality that we in the old princely states still observe. His Highness is a great stickler for these courtesies.” They brought the visitors’ book, and I watched Nanukaka in admiration as he wrote his name with flourish and added, “Hereditary Astrologer to the Maharaja of Ninnore.” At the end he gave his Delhi address: my address.
Without another word, and as though he were in a tearing hurry, he got into the car and said loudly:
“Take me to the Maharaja Sutkatta’s palace. I have to return all those horoscopes entrusted to me.” As the car turned out of the gate, I glanced backwards and saw a huge dark, khaddar-clad figure peering at us from an upper-story window.
We had just finished tea, and we were trying to house-break the new kitten which had just made a puddle on the floor when the car with the white triangle stopped in front of the house, and Nanukaka went out with folded hands to receive the Welfare Minister who had come to see him.
- What formality did Nanukaka claim to be observing during his visit?
Ans: He claimed to be making a formal call, a courtesy observed in the old princely states.
- What title did Nanukaka write in the visitors’ book?
Ans: “Hereditary Astrologer to the Maharaja of Ninnore.”
- What address did Nanukaka provide in the visitors’ book?
Ans: He gave the narrator’s Delhi address.
- What excuse did Nanukaka give for leaving in a hurry after signing the visitors’ book?
Ans: He said he needed to return horoscopes entrusted to him at the Maharaja Sutkatta’s palace.
- Who arrived at the narrator’s house shortly after tea, and how did Nanukaka receive him?
Ans: The Welfare Minister arrived, and Nanukaka went out with folded hands to receive him.