CBSE Class 9 English Chapter 7 ‘Carrier of Words’, Line by Line Explanation along with Difficult Word Meanings from Kaveri Book
Chapter 7 of Class 9 Kaveri book opens with the comparison between the now Internet age and the postal system. The anonymous writer asks the reader to imagine the world which was before the Internet became the norm. Then we are introduced to Gramin Dak Sewaks, a modern postal service that is active and vital even in the age of computers and internet connection.
Question: What are the key points of Carrier of Words Chapter 7 Class 9?
Ans. The key points of Class 9 Kaveri Chapter 7 “Carrier of Words” are as follows:
- Value of Communication: We see the value of communication. Receiving information and expressing information are the essence of communication. Khetaram delivers information from the outside world, reads the letters and even formulates the replies, making him valuable in the world of communication.
- Human Connection: Human communication is essential for us because humans are social beings. People residing in remote places have a hard time establishing or maintaining human connections with their friends and family members outside. GDS helps bring remote areas into the network of communication so they can be connected to the outside world.
- Dedication to one’s Occupation: Khetaram shows dedication to his occupation by journeying through the harsh conditions of the Thar Desert while carrying postal mail to the remote Rajasthani villages.
- Importance of Development: The British or the Colonial postal system only focused on the administrative centres of India. With development came the Gramin Dak Sewaks, bringing rural and remote areas in the mailing ambit.
Carrier of Words Quick Overview
| Detail | Information |
| Story Title | Carrier of Words |
| Author | Anonymous |
| Book | Kaveri (CBSE Class 9 English) |
| Chapter | 7 |
| Narrator | Writer |
| Setting | India, Somarad Post Office, Thar Desert |
| Theme | Value of communication, human connection, dedication to one’s occupation, importance of development |
- Carrier of Words Summary
- Carrier of Words Theme based Questions
- Carrier of Words Explanation
- Carrier of Words Summary in Hindi
Related:
Question: What is the summary of Carrier of Words from Class 9 English Kaveri book?
Ans. Even in the age of Internet, postal service especially GDS is still vital and increases mailing ambit. GDS or Gramin Dak Sevak are postmen who deliver mail to remote areas which are inaccessible by roads, railways, and even the internet connection. We are presented with a character named Khetaram who is a gramin dak sevak posted at the Somarad Post Office and delivered the mail to hamlets or dhaanis in the remote area just 2.5 km away from the Indo-Pakistan border. He has to travel across the Thar Desert even during harsh sandstorms and scorching summer heat. He conserves water by not using it to wash off the sand. The villagers trust Khetaram and entrust him to speak the contents of a letter out loud. If it is good news, he gets a piece of jaggery for his hard work. If it is bad news, he rips apart the letter to banish the bad news. The GDS constitute the modern postal system which, in contrast to the British postal system, not only brings human connection to administrative areas but remote rural areas as well. Therefore, the GDS are essential to the postal system of India.
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Questions Based on the Themes of ‘Carrier of Words’
Question: In the lesson Carrier of Words, how does the Gramin Dak Sewak show the importance of communication in connecting people?
Ans. In the lesson Carrier of Words, the Gramin Dak Sevak or GDS shows the importance of communication in connecting people by personally carrying letters, newspapers, and parcels to remote villages. He visits scattered homes and villages on foot or bicycle, making sure even isolated families receive news from their loved ones, relatives, or the outside world. Through this daily “carrier of words”, villagers stay emotionally connected, informed, and reassured, which highlights how simple postal communication can bridge distance and loneliness.
Question: How can we say that Khetaram showed true dedication?
Ans. Khetaram was the sole postman at the Somarad Post Office and ventured out to the Rajasthani villages 2.5 km away from the Indo-Pakistani border. He delivered mail for years traveling through the harsh Thar desert, even in extreme heat and difficult conditions, so that people in remote hamlets stayed connected. He walked long distances across sand dunes where bicycles, roads, and railways could not go. He continued working for about 15 years as a trusted postman in a very remote area. He carried a heavy bag on his shoulder while enduring scorching heat, lack of water, and sandstorms. Not only delivering mail, but he also showed care and compassion for the people by reading and writing letters for the unlettered villagers. Therefore, we can say that Khetaram showed true dedication by bravely carrying mail across the hot desert every day, despite great difficulty, to keep villagers connected with their families.
Question: Trace the development of India’s postal system from the British era to the Gramin Dak Sevak system as highlighted in the chapter Carrier of Words.
Ans. During the British period, the post office was a strong, centrally controlled system used mainly for official and urban communication, with post offices and mail routes planned to serve the colonial administration and growing towns. After Independence, India Post continued the network and introduced a new system to bring remote areas in the mailing ambit. The Gramin Dak Sevak (GDS) is a village postman who works within his own community. The GDS is the “carrier of words” who personally brings letters, money orders, and news to scattered homes. Therefore, the development of India’s postal system is shown moving from a formal, government‑run British‑era post to a people‑centred, village‑level service through the Gramin Dak Sevak system.
Question: What does the title of the chapter “Carrier of Words” tell us about the value of communication in the lives of people in remote villages?
Ans. The title of the chapter is “Carrier of Words”. It means that words, or communication, are being carried from one place to another. In this chapter, we see that a man named Khetaram worked as the sole postman of the Somarad Post Office and connected the dhaanis in Rajasthan with the outside world as a Gramin Dak Sewak. He personally brings “words” in letters, money orders, and messages to far‑off homes where there is no phone or internet, putting dedication in his job and getting trust from the villagers in return. He shares news and lets villagers stay linked to relatives and the outside world, which shows how vital communication is for reducing isolation and keeping emotional bonds alive in remote areas. The title thus highlights that even simple “words on paper” can carry deep value of connection and emotion.
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Carrier of Words Lesson Explanation
I
Question: What is meant by Gramin Dak Sewak?
Passage: Though we are just a click away from sending mail at present, can you imagine how it was before the internet became the way of life? The mail was dropped in the post box, then through the postal system finally it was delivered by the postman in our letter box. The areas beyond the last railhead and after the road crumbles into sand, Gramin Dak Sewaks still serve as the sole link between the oases of humanity in India’s extremes and their faraway families.
Word-meanings:
sole: only
oases: plural form of oasis, fertile areas found in vast arid regions
Explanation/Answer: Gramin Dak Sewaks are the postal employees who deliver mail in the letter box, which was the preferred and common mode of long-distance communication before the internet. Even now, Gramin Dak Sewaks are still active and important when delivering mail in areas inaccessible by railway and roadway systems. They remain the vital mode of communication in remote areas.
Question: Who is Khetaram?
Passage: Khetaram is a Gramin Dak Sewak. His left shoulder slumped from years of carrying a mailbag, he is the sole postman of Somarad Branch Post Office. For the last 15 years, he has been a trusted link between the people attached to this Rajasthani village post office and their families. Defying all elements of the harshest desert of India, the Thar, he is the lone face of the state who reaches the far-flung hamlets, or dhaanis, of this remote area just 2.5 km short of the Indo-Pakistan border.
Word-meanings:
hamlets: settlements
Explanation/Answer: Khetaram is a Gramin Dak Sewak working at the Somarad Branch Post Office. For fifteen years, he has been the only postman delivering mail to Somarad, the Rajasthani village and keeping them connected to their families despite the harsh desert area. He faces the Thar desert alone and travels to the faraway settlements with a bag on his left shoulder.
Question: What does Somarad’s location tell us?
Passage: Some 120 km beyond the last railhead at Barmer, 50 km beyond the last phone and 10 km beyond where the Barmer–Chohtan road directionlessly crumbles into sand so soft that even bicycles can’t ply, that’s where Khetaram’s footprints appear along sand beds and dunes. It is his bodily effort that ensures that the mail transferred from the mail train onto buses before being hefted onto his shoulders is delivered at the border, within 24 hours of dispatch from Jodhpur, around 330 km away.
Word-meanings:
railhead: the point where the railway track starts or ends
ply: move
hefted: lifted
Explanation/ Answer – Somarad is located 120 km from the last railhead at Barmer, 50 km beyond the range of phone network and 10 km beyond where the Barmer-Chohtan road ends. Khetaram has to lift the mail transferred from the mail trains and buses displaced 24 hours earlier from Jodhpur, which is 330 km away. This shows us the geographic location of Somarad. With the rough estimation of the distances, we learn that Somarad is a remote location. This shows that railway lines, roadways, and even the phone coverage cannot reach the remote Rajasthani village.
Question: Why is it so difficult for Khetaram to deliver mail in summer?
Passage: Often, the impression of his footprints reveals the weight of his mailbag. Regulations stipulate that his load cannot exceed 28 kilos. But in the summers, when the sands sizzle under his mojri-clad feet, Khetaram says, “Even a single delivery is tiring, as I have to cover 20 km for it.”
He delivers even on days when his body sends blazing signals that the temperature has crossed 50 degrees celsius, but is recorded as 49.9 degrees celsius, since 50 degrees celsius would mean a state holiday. Sometimes severe heat forces him to postpone deliveries till after sundown.
Word-meanings:
stipulate: specify
mojri: traditional footwear of Rajasthan
Explanation/Answer: The regulations stated that Khetaram could not carry more than 28 kilos of mail for his own health. However, during summers, crossing the Thar desert with traditional footwear and so much load on one shoulder is still difficult. If the temperature is 50 degrees and above, he gets the day off, but if it is even 49.9 degree celsius, he has to work that day. Moreover, he gets to postpone the delivery only on days of severe heat. But the Thar desert is so incredibly scorching that even a normal summer day is torturous. Therefore, it is difficult to deliver mail in summer.
Question: Why is water precious to waste on washing according to Khetaram?
Passage: On other days, his khaki turban and uniform are his only protection against the desert’s furies, the scorching summer winds and swirling sandstorms which turn him into a walking sandman. “Water is too precious to waste on washing, so I can only wipe my body. When I finish, there is a sand dune at my feet every evening,” he says.
Word-meaning:
fury: wild and violent anger
Explanation/Answer: During harsh summer winds and furious sandstorms, his khaki turban and uniform get covered with sand, giving him the appearance of a walking sandman. He does not use water to wash himself because, in the Thar Desert, water is hard to come by. He needs to use water wisely and so he wipes off the sand instead of washing it off with water. Therefore, water is too precious to waste on washing according to Khetaram.
Question: What was Khetaram called before 2001?
Passage: Till 2001, Khetaram was known as a ‘delivery agent’, operating in rural areas devoid of schools and primary healthcare centres. Since then, India’s three lakh plus delivery agents like Khetaram were accepted as Gramin Dak Sewaks (GDS), who constitute more than 50 per cent of the total workforce.
Word-meanings:
devoid: to be lacking in something
Explanation/Answer: Before 2001, Khetaram was known as a ‘delivery agent’ who worked in rural areas that did not have schools and primary healthcare centres.
Question: What did the Postmaster-General of Rajasthan Western Region say about the GDS?
Passage: The frozen desert of Ladakh, the isles of Lakshadweep, and the riverine communities of the northeast are all GDS territories. “The role of GDS is invaluable, since they deliver in interior areas that are often inaccessible by any means besides foot,” explains the Postmaster-General of Rajasthan Western Region.
Word-meanings:
operating: working
riverine: situated on river bank
inaccessible: unreachable
Explanation/Answer: The Postmaster-General of Rajasthan Western Region said that the GDS is invaluable because of one major feature. The feature is that the GDS can manually deliver in interior areas that are often inaccessible except by foot.
Question: What is the advantage of Gramin Dak Sewak over the British postal system?
Passage: Unlike the British postal system set up in India to relay company dak between administrative centres, after independence, the mandate of India Post was to bring the entire population within the mailing ambit. Compared to 25,000 post offices in 1947, today we have about more than a lakh and a half post offices throughout the country.
Through the GDS, India Post has also been able to reach rural depositors, who entrust their monthly savings to the post office in their area. Every post office in the country has many operational accounts of the people which reflects their trust in the postal system.
Word-meanings:
ambit: range
Explanation/Answer: The British postal system was set up in colonial India and aimed at joining only the administrative centres. In contrast, the GDS is modern and inclusive of rural areas. This generated trust in depositors in the rural population, and now their monthly savings are entrusted to the post office. This has brought not just the administrative centres but the entire country into the mailing range.
II
Question: What is the essential criterion for GDS selection?
Passage: The essential criterion for GDS selection is access to another means of livelihood. They are required to work only five hours in a day and are also allowed to serve after the age of 60, till the age of 65. All this is so that they can be paid a salary to enable them to have an assured income. The salary of regular postmen gets revised as the other government employees. “Only by applying such different conditions could we retain a large workforce of Gramin Dak Sewaks to serve remote outposts,” explains a postmaster.
Word-meanings:
access: opportunity
Explanation/Answer: The essential criterion for GDS selection is access to another means of livelihood so that the employees can serve remote outposts comfortably with an assured income.
Question: How did the GDS help Khetaram maintain his livelihood?
Passage: Khetaram’s appointment more than a decade ago gave him a new lease of life. “Akaal or famine is a way of life here. In a good year, I get one crop of bajra. That cannot feed my family of five. We would starve without this job,” he says. And for each family which resides in this arid land, survival is partly dependent on money orders remitted by a relative.
Word-meanings:
remitted: sent as gift
Explanation/Answer: Khetaram was primarily a farmer. Due to conventional agricultural practices, famines are really harmful as the main source of irrigation is rainfall. He could barely get one crop of bajra which could not feed his family nor give him income. Therefore, GDS helped Khetaram maintain his livelihood.
Question: What does Mulk Raj Anand say about GDS in “The Story of the Indian Post Office?”
Passage: When writing about the social significance of the money order in his book, Story of the Indian Post Office, Mulk Raj Anand says, “In no other country a person in remote villages is so dependent on the post office for transmission of small sums of money … It reflects the absolute confidence which most Indians place in the post office.” In fact, a few years ago, a scheme to scrap the GDS and transfer the job to patwaris (village record keepers) was proposed and summarily rejected. “We knew they would not be able to do the job,” says Budh Singh, a village elder.
Word-meanings:
scrap: remove
Explanation/Answer: Mulk Raj Anand wrote about the significance of post offices in his book, Story of the Indian Post Office. He said that in India, people in remote villages are dependent on the post office for money orders and trust the GDS with their money orders fully.
Question: “Everyone feels comfortable asking him to read the letters and draft the replies.” What does this say about Khetaram?
Passage: Such aspects of trust make Khetaram a warmly received man. He can dwell on any threshold, read out letters and write replies in his slightly shaky hand.
Everyone feels comfortable asking him to read the letters and draft the replies.
Word-meanings:
dwell: to stay on for sometime
threshold: entrance to a home
Explanation/Answer: The line “Everyone feels comfortable asking him to read the letters and draft the replies” shows that Khetaram is trusted, patient, and approachable, and that he plays a much bigger role than just a postman. Villagers allow him into their private lives, share personal letters, and depend on him to read sensitive news, which shows they see him as honest and reliable. Since many villagers cannot read or write, Khetaram helps them understand letters and even writes replies, acting like a family helper and guide in communication. The fact that everyone feels comfortable with him suggests he is calm, respectful, and treats people with dignity, especially the less‑educated or elderly.
Question: When did Khetaram get a piece of jaggery?
Passage: “People are kind to me; the BSF always gives me a lift. Since their camp came here last year, when I distribute their dak, I get a cup of tea.” In the village, a piece of jaggery is all that can be offered when he brings news of a birth or weddings.
Word-meanings:
BSF: Border Security Force
Explanation/Answer: In the chapter Carrier of Words, Khetaram is given a piece of jaggery when someone from the village gets good news from a letter, such as a wedding news, job offer or promotion. The villagers feel grateful for the role he plays in bringing that happy news, so they offer him simple gifts like a piece of jaggery as a token of their happiness and respect.
Question: How does Khetaram deliver “Ashubh Samachar”?
Passage:There is one letter delivery he dreads. The envelope with the right corner torn off, which signifies that the missive bears news of death. “Ashubh Samachar cannot be carried into the house,” says Khetaram. So, he stands outside, reads out the letter twice, then tears it to bits. “Bad news must be destroyed,” he mutters philosophically.
Word-meanings:
dreads: fears
missive: letter
Explanation/Answer: Khetaram delivers “Ashubh Samachar” or bad news, with great care and sensitivity, following village belief and tradition. He does not take the letter inside the house, because the belief is that “Ashubh Samachar cannot be carried into the house.” He stands outside, on the threshold, reads the letter carefully, and then tears the letter into pieces there itself, symbolising that the bad news stops at the doorstep and does not carry any further into the home. This way, Khetaram shows deep respect for the villagers’ customs and also handles one of the most painful duties of his job with patience and compassion.
Question: “People like Khetaram are a part and parcel of our social fabric”. Justify the statement.
Passage: Today, after more than a decade and a half of bearing words across this desolate geography, Khetaram says his spine is strong. “I am grateful that as a Gramin Dak Sewak, I can serve the people even after 60.” He is waiting for the arrival of phone lines, now only 50 km away, for then he might become Gramin Sanchar Sewak, when his duty will entail carrying a cell phone and the post, from home to home. “Main tayyar hoon” (I’m ready), he says, before striding off with his sack on his shoulder to deliver Panna Devi’s dak before sundown.
People like Khetaram are a part and parcel of our social fabric, and are a great support! Our salute to all the people like Khetaram!
Word-meanings:
entail: involve
striding: walking with long steps
Explanation/Answer: People like Khetaram are a part and parcel of our social fabric because they quietly hold together the everyday life of ordinary communities, especially in villages. Khetaram is not a powerful official or a rich man, yet he is the one who brings letters, money orders, and news that connect families, announce marriages, jobs, or even deaths. He performs small‑looking but essential duties, like delivering letters and communication with care and following the village’s belief so that people feel respected and supported. His work and dedication builds trust and belonging, as villagers comfortably ask Khetaram to read letters and draft replies, showing that he is seen as a helper, guide, and friend. He represents humility and service, not fame or money, yet their presence strengthens the social network by keeping people emotionally and practically connected. In this way, people like Khetaram are not just postmen or “delivery agents”, but they are living threads in the social fabric, holding communities together through simple, honest, and faithful work.
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Carrier of Words FAQs
Question: What is the theme of NCERT Class 9 English Kaveri Book Chapter 7 “Carrier of Words”?
Ans. The chapter “Carrier of Words” is themed around value of communication, human connection, dedication to one’s occupation, and the importance of development.
Question: Where does “Carrier of Words” take place?
Ans. The chapter “Carrier of Words” discusses about Gramin Dak Sewak all over the country. The character Khetaram particularly is set around Somarad Post Office and the Thar Desert.
Question: Name the character in the Class 9 Chapter 7 “Carrier of Words”.
Ans. The name of the character is Khetaram.
Question: What is the occupation of Khetaram?
Ans. Khetaram’s occupation is Gramin Dak Sewak and the sole postman in the Somarad Post Office.
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Summary of the Lesson Carrier of Words in Hindi
Ans. इंटरनेट के युग में भी, डाक सेवा, विशेषकर ग्रामीण डाक सेवक (जीडीएस), आज भी महत्वपूर्ण है और डाक वितरण के दायरे को बढ़ाती है। ग्रामीण डाक सेवक (जीडीएस) वे डाकिया होते हैं जो उन दूरदराज के इलाकों में डाक पहुंचाते हैं जहां सड़क, रेल या इंटरनेट कनेक्शन भी नहीं होता। कहानी में हमें खेतराम नाम के एक पात्र से मिलवाया जाता है, जो सोमरद डाकघर में तैनात एक ग्रामीण डाक सेवक है और भारत-पाकिस्तान सीमा से मात्र 2.5 किलोमीटर दूर स्थित दूरदराज के गांवों में डाक पहुंचाता है। उसे भीषण रेतीले तूफानों और चिलचिलाती गर्मी में भी थार रेगिस्तान पार करना पड़ता है। वह रेत धोने के लिए पानी का उपयोग न करके जल संरक्षण करता है। ग्रामीण खेतराम पर भरोसा करते हैं और उसे पत्र की बातें ज़ोर से पढ़कर सुनाने का काम सौंपते हैं। यदि कोई अच्छी खबर होती है, तो उसे उसकी मेहनत के बदले गुड़ का एक टुकड़ा मिलता है। यदि कोई बुरी खबर होती है, तो वह बुरी खबर को दूर भगाने के लिए पत्र को फाड़ देता है। जीडीएस आधुनिक डाक प्रणाली का हिस्सा हैं, जो ब्रिटिश डाक प्रणाली के विपरीत, न केवल प्रशासनिक क्षेत्रों बल्कि दूरदराज के ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों में भी मानवीय संपर्क स्थापित करती है। इसलिए, जीडीएस भारत की डाक प्रणाली के लिए अत्यंत महत्वपूर्ण हैं।
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