Comprehension Questions I. Answer the following questions in one or two sentences each. Each question carries 2 marks. : . Why did‘the narrator go Moodigere Bee-keepers’ Cooperative society? Whom did he meet?: - Ans: The narrator went to Moodigere:Beée- -keeper’ Ss Cooperative cence to buy honey bottles for Fseventy Tupees and there he met ~“Mandanna: > 2. Mandanna and Lakshmana worked i in “Ans: Mandanna and Lakshmana\ worked in Bee Cooperative Spacty 3. _ How much did the bottle of honey cost? ‘Ans: It cost Rs. 78). 4. Thenarrator bought the best of honey from the area. 5 “Ans; Ther narrator bought the best of honey from the Gutti area.~ 5, Why did the jeep stop and who hélped the narratoy, — — +. Ans: On the way back from the bee shop, the narrator's jeepys, ‘ made a few strange noisesand then stopped. Two met one f motor bicycles helpad thé narrator. lav “6. Whois Pyara? What was he doing in the ara shou ‘Ans: Pyara is a Muslim boy, working as a kitchen assistantingy. narrator's. house: 7.-.The honey was whitish fluid very much like ‘Ans: The hioney was whitish very much like coconut oi. 8. Mandanna asked the narrator to buy honey. =. _ Ans: Mandannaasked the riarrator to buy Gutti honey. ’ 9. Why did Mandanna visit the narrator at Moodigere? ‘Ans“As thea minister who was also the chairman of the Ktiadi Board was coming to Moodigere and Mandanna wanted to write ah application urging the minister to appoint Mandanna as bee-keepet } of the society. For that purpose, Mandanna handed over the * Application form anda blank sheet of white paper tothe nara tohelp him to fill it. “f 10. Who is Carvalho? How did Mandanna look up to him? ‘Ans: Carvalho‘ great botanist, an entomologist of gréatreno¥™ _-* Mandana was Carvalho’s disciple.) Mandanna considers him# ,, -hisGuru. 5 11. What happened when Arrititaniia and his sot ten their bugles and beat drums? 4 Ans: This commotion disturbed the humble-bees in theit ie Taluk Office and they, gettingangry, buzzed and flew’ around. 9 hit against the flag, stung the stocky Hon. Minister: cana here and the bigwigs and the drum-beating Mandanna and oysa girls and the women-folk and leisy maantene peel lter-skelter, :12.Why did the narrator meet Carvalho2, Ans: The narrator's paddy fields were plagued by a strange variety of pests and he had suffered losses, He wanted to discuss this problem -with Carvalho and he went tohis Research Centre, 13:Name the bee which attacks without provocation in South Africa. Ans: Mau Mau bee 14.What did Mandanna bring ina big gunny bag to'the narrator’s house? ‘Ans: Mandanna brought pork in a gunny bag to the narrator’s house. ‘15. What did Pyara see in an overturned earthen pot? Ans: Bees had built their hives in the pat. “16.Kiwi was a spaniel: + Ans: Kiwi was a white spaniel. : 17.Who is the father-in-law of Mandanna? Why did he refuse to give his daughter in marriage to Mandanna? Ans: Rami s the father in-law of Mandanna. Norvey Ramaiah refuses to give his daughter in marriage to Mandanna on account of his » joblessness. Mandanna has no permanent job and is worried. 18.Whois Prabhakara? Ans: Prabhakaran is a radio mechanic in Chickkamangalore and student cumassistant of Carvalho. . 19.In Mandanna’s marriage —_~ acted as the father of the bridegroom. ee ee Ans: Lakshmanna - 20.4 | pandal was raised in Mandanna’s marriage. © Ans: ‘small “ i + é21. Why did the police arrest Mandanna? ~ Ans: A few days after Mandanna’s marriage, he is beat arrested by the police for illicit-brewing. ang 22,How was Kiwi lying on the floor? Ans: Kiwimade straige painful sounds. Kiwi had hidden a bigy of bone, with rotten flesh: The bone looked like that of oy, _ anoxand no mortal could bear the smell. Kiwi had treasure chewitat leisure, unseen: This may have caused some infty ~ 23.Whio bails out Mandanna? : _ Ans: NarratorbailsMandanna © 24, Name thé lawyer arguies intelligently and wins the casey favour of Mandanna? Ans: Cyril Gonsalves “25.Yenkta has come for in the jungle. “ Ans: the Snake catcher, hunting 26.Biriyani is kriown for his“ skills. “Ans Biryani Kariappais known forhis cooking skills. > 27.1n this novella, officially which species is declared extinct! Ans: flying lizard 28.Carvalho shows the narrator the glow worms, which cat and them. if "Ans: the bees, swallow 29.What did Mandanna find in the forests of Norvey?: ‘Ans: rarebird, the flying lizard 30.Did Carvatho and his teain members catch the flying it alive? Ans: No.I. Answer the following questionsin a Page ‘each. Each question : carries 5 marks, F 1. Write short notes on a. "Kariappa b. Yenkta ¢. Lakshmana 4. Mandanna e. Pyara £. Kiwi a. Kariappa vee " Ans! Biriyani Kariappais an interesting character in the novella. Heis known for his culinary skills in preparing. excellent birivani. He. accompanies Carvalho’s scientific expedition as their cart man. He is bothered about shooting the Birds and animals on the way while others are busy searching for the flying lizard b. Yenkta - : ‘Ans: Yenkta, the snake catcher, has come for hunting in the jungle. ‘Another facet of Yenkta’s personality isthe compromise thathe has with the exigencies of his life. © er Lakshmana, : © Ans: Lakshmana works with lleditnd a Meodiiae Bes Reo Co-Operative Society. Here they sell honey. Lakshmana accepts the request of Mandana to play the role of his father and take care everything during his marriage. Lakshamana is so kind that he goes * around to collect money for Mandanna’s marriage: Even herequests thenarratorto help in this regard. He ised of Ramiah’s demands, Mandannia's father-in-law. Itappears that Lakshmana has made hisbrid'speople cry eringean flat et ings wedding d. Mandanna 2 Ans; Mandsmais abet pofesion ad asec ered :a Ny ‘asa vagabond by the local commoners and friends. Binoy the scientist with an international reputation, describes Mandy i as ‘a bom naturalist’, a man with the keen ‘art of Observations 2 ‘an extraordinary natural scientist’. : -* InMandanna’s life, emotional and the economic Problem, » interrelated. Norvey Ramiaiah refuses to give his dayoy marriage to Mandanna on account of his joblessness, Man hasno permanent oband is worried. He refuses to meet Cag bg as Carvalho did not give hima job of an atterider in his g BR Mandanae therefore, requests the narrator to put Ramajah in his favour. ButMandanna can get a job only ifhe gets married. The therefore, requests Carvalho to give a job to Mandanna inhis Research Centre. But Carvalho expresses his inability to dos, Buthe speaks toNorvey Ramaiah to give his daughter in mariage ‘oMandanna. Finally, Manidanna’s wedding with Rami takes Place.” ‘ : A few days ater Mandanna’sinarriage, he's beaten up and ares by the police for illicit-brewing. t Moodigere, the narrate obsérves Mandanria’s plight atthe Police Station. On humanitarian grounds, he bails Mandanna out: by standing surety to him.Finally, Mandanna is released from thepolice custody. The narrator knows: ~Mandanna as an ordinaryservant, Carvalho.understands Mandan’ ross. inacompletely new light, He Reeds Mandanna’s service inthe ~ adventurous discovery of the ‘mysterious dream world. Atlastthey are disappointed for not Catching the flyihg lizard, butare ver! ae iby otaveienableto discover sucirare inne Stel | : pauiaibsttee with he be ofa literse peso ie Manda. e: Pyara case Ton a ‘Ans: Pyarais a muslim boy and a Kitchen assistant in the narratot® house. He helps the narrator to search his dog Kiwi in the fores! ina Word| + Hemocks Mandanna even after his marriage saying ithe: becomes hig.cast man , Mandanna can marry four times. Pydra helps to pack the bée box. He also joins the narfatot’s expedition in the jungle. eee £, Kiwi nS _ Ans: Inthis novella, non-human beings also play an interesting role. For example, the narrator's dog, Kiwi is an interesting companion. Here Tejaswi’s photographic and microscopic observation of the animal behavior is in display. Kiwi, with its extraordinary olfactory organ, helps the narrator in many ways. When the narrator is discussing the possible sale of his land to a buyer, Pyara tells him that Kiwi has been absconding. The narrator and Pyara goin search of the dog in the nearby forest by wading through the thick * shrubbery. Finally, they find out their dog barking at an earthen pot full of bees. Thus, Kiwi helps them have interesting and disconéerting experiences, : Narrate how the bees attacked when the Minister addressed - “the public at Moodigere. % Py ‘Ans:Mandanna eould not present hs petition forob to the minister in person. When he came to know that the minister’s address was scheduled in the vast open ground in Moodigere on 15* August “occasion, he decided to go there and took part in the scout movement group. The scout group was carrying with drums, bugles, and cyinbals. They all shouted in unison, ’Namskara, sir’ and marched towards the field. The flag was unfurled by the minister. “The very instant Mandanna and hs scou-riends blew their bugles, \ beat their drums gnd crushed their cymbals, the walls and the Windows of the Taluk Office shook under the impact of the terrible din he was creating, The hills arid the forests around echoed and ~ sent back waves of reverberating noise, The murderous commotion disturbed the humble bees in their hives at the Taluk Office and : Ba as :Pe they, getting angry, buzzed and flew around, They hit againgy flag, stig the stocky minister and the police andthe bigwis ang drum beating Mandanna and boys and girls and the women fy: and lookers on. Frightened they ran helter-skelter. Manda, stumbled and fell and rolled down the road along with his, making a hideous noise A few randy bulls raising ther als high | ~ the air chased the people and added to the din and confusion, 3. Describe Mandanna’s role in illicit brewing? ‘Ans: lice wrested Mandanna and put him in the lock-up. They rid Norvey Ramiah’s liouse and heard of illicit distillation. They to away Mandanna’s honey-pot saying it contained country-liguy According to the constable, while hioneymooning at his fatherin law’s house, he was making country liquor and he had keptit ina ~honey-pot. Then he admitted it: The police filed a case and the ‘court had issued summons. He would be fined Rs. 600 and putin jail fora year. q 4. The narrator’s paddy field was plagued by the strange variety of pests. Did Carvalho solve this? If so how? Ans: The narrator’s paddy fields were plagued by a strange variety of © Pests and he had suffered losses. At first the paddy grew tot uousal height, bore big ears but was full of chaff. When he winnowed, even the sound grains flew with the wind and he did not even make enogh money to pay the harvest hands, This year his toubles began with transplanting the seedlings. There were not enough and some clever fellow had palmed off pair of truant bullocks on him. The motnent they came under the yoke, they would lie down in the filed as ff dead, No amount of beating and ~ tail-twisting was ofany use. Somehow he could control them. But ~ he was unable to solve the pests issue. He could not see them and. the ears of the paddy would disappear overnight. None of the insecticides sprayed gave him relief: People around it said that i 4200was the work of some evil spirit. But before. giving it to this superstition, he wanted to meet Carvalho and discuss the problem. One day he went to his Research Centre, He listened his problem with patience andhe said that Hie would like to see before he could say anything . The narrator Was suggested to bring some samples onnext visit, At present he was told to drain away water from the . fields. Possibly these pests live close o the stem, and under water, and therefore the insecticide has bee of little use. From that they myst be army-Worms according to Carvalho. 5, Discuss the relationship between the narrator and his dog Kiwi. ; ji __Ans:Inthis novella, non-human beings also play an interesting role. Forexample, the narrator’s dog, Kiwi is an interesting companion. Here Tejaswi’s photographic and microscopi¢ observation of the animal behaviors in display. Kiwi, with its extraordinary olfactory “organ, helps the narrator in many ways. When the narrator is ~ discussing the possible sale of his land to a buyer, Pyara tells him that Kiwi has been absconding. The narrator and Pyara go in search of the dog in the nearby forest by wading through the thick ~ shrubbery. Finally, they find out their dog barking at an earthen «pot full of bees. Thus, Kiwi helps them have intresting and «disconcerting experiences. 6.. Write the role of Prabhakarain finding the flying lizard. Ans: Prabhakaran is a radiomechanic in Chickkamangalore. Now he isa student of Carvalho who works as a photographer, enlarging slides, film etc. He has set up his lab in Carvalho’s research centre. Prabhakar joined Carvalho’s expedition to jungle along with others. © ‘He was using chiromometer and compass to know the right direction, Prabhakara’s culinary skills‘ were appreciated: Prabhakara’s transistor radio, hung on the roof of the cart by a * nail, was blaring some Hindi love songs. On seeing the flying lizard 1~ by the narrator, everyone got alert. Prabhakara used binoeyy with tele-lens and started to take few’snaps. He was told toby, _ movie camera and put the tele-lens to focus onthe green Pate moss.He gave binoculars to the narrator and focused on He was like an astronomer getting ready.to see a new planet Swing across in the sky. His movie camera'was mking a ‘Kr? Sound, Without taking his eye off the camera-hole Prabhakara pressed button. The flying lizard crossed the green patch and got: Merged ‘with the colour ofthe bark of the tree. This is how Prabhakara’s skills played an important role in finding the flying lizard. 2 7. How did the lawyer release Mandanna from the illicit brewing i,” case? : Ans: Police arrested Mandanna and put him in the lock-up. They raided ‘Norvey Ramiah’s house and heard of illicit distillation. They took away Mandanna’s honey-pot saying it contained country-liquor ~ ‘According to the constable, while honeymooning at his father-in- law’s house, he was making country liquor and he had keptitina honeypot. Then he admitted it.The police filed a case and the court had issued summons. He vould be fined Rs. 600 and putin jail fora year. 4 hor The narrator gives surety for Mandanna. Carvalho appoinisa criminal lawyer to fight the case of Mandanna. As directed by Carvalho, the narrator meets the critnifal lawyer Cyril Gonsalves _ explains the case of Mandanna, The narrator, Carvalho and others attend the Magistrate’s court: In the court the public prosecullt 5 argued that whatever the pot contained was indisputably bast material for the manufacture of liquor. Even Gonsalved aj tobe ina tight spot there, But then he asked the rosie would agree that what was originally in the pot was honey. He iteould be and that was enough for Gonsalves. He argued that cost ofa! bottle of liquor was 60 paisa whereas the cost one of a ol 2honey was Rs. 10 and no sensible man would want to lose ten rupees on every bottle of liquor he made, Hence, Lawyer Gonsalves intelligently wins the case in favour of Mandanna. 8. Who is Yenkta? Why did he come to the jungle? ‘Ans: Yenkta, the snake catcher, has come for hunting in the jungle. _ Another facet of Yenkta’s personality is the compromise that he has with the exigencies ofhis life. Yenkta came,to jungle to collect skins of mongoose, otter and snakes. There is not enough money “insnake catching or medicine so an ofter skin fetches hima hundred ; nupees and snake’s thirteen . This helps him to buy clothes. 9, Write briefly about therole of Carvalho. Ans: Carvalho who is ‘ari Officer at the Paddy Research Centre” and ‘a great botanist, an entomologist of great renown’ and most importantly the Guru of Mandanna, Carvalho, the scientist with an intemational reputation, describes Mandanna as ‘a bom naturalist’, * aman with the keen ‘art of observation’ and ‘an extraordinary natural scientist’. When Mandana is arrested by the police for illicit liquor case, the narrator gives surety for Mandanna. Carvalho appoints a criminal lawyer to fight the case of Mandanna. As directed by Carvalho, the narrator meets the criminal lawyer Cyril Gonsalves,explains the case of Maridanna. The narrator, Carvalho and others attend the Magistrate’s court.. The narrator’s paddy fields were plagued by a strange variety of pests and he had suffered losses. He wanted to discuss this problem with Carvalho and he Went to his Research Centre and Carvalho gave some solution for _ Carvalho is interested in finding the lizard, previously thought to hhave been extinct. Carvalhio is now on a mission to find this creature: Heasks the narrator to join his team, his fellow student Mandanna, ‘camera man and the cook Biryani Kariappa. The narrator begins __, the joumey into the thick forest of Norvey, in search ofan ancient > Creature which no human eyes has ever seen. 3 » 2Ba. e Atlastthey are disappointed fornot catching the lying liar, are very happy to have been able to discover such a rare big the Sahyadri Mountain range with the help of an illiterate like Mandanna. Carvalho's and the narratot’s curiosity fop scientific truth is fulfilled. Their sense of fulfillmentis almost to yogic trance or mystic ecstasy. All the troubles and risks ‘ . have taken in treading through the thick jungle and thq. inconveniences faced on the way are forgotten in the Joy of Aiscovering and sighting the rare bird, reminding them of the his + afevolution of species in the world. d 10.The narrator plays an important role in the novella Carvalhg? Discuss. 4 the Ans: The novella opens with the narrator going to Moodigere Bee. Keepers Co-Operative Society. Here Mandanna and Lakshmana work as servants. The narrator buys a pot of honey from Gut area for Rs. 78. After returning home he examines the honey,. which looks white in colour and looks like coconut oil. Heis® disappointed about its colour and thinks that he is perhaps cheated. Next day he goes to the Co-Operative Society to clarify his doubt. Heis quite happy to learn that the honey from Gutti area is of te bestquality, i a j Later, the narrator encounters Carvalho who is ‘an Officer at the” Paddy Research Centre’ and ‘a great botanist, an entomologist great renown’ and most importantly the Guru of Mandainna: ~~ + The narrator’s paddy fields are plagued by a strange variety Pests and he has suffered losses. He wants to discuss this problet™ “with Carvalho and he goes to his Research Centre and Carvall®. gives some solution for this. The narrator requests Carvalho! give ajob to Mandanna in his Research Centre. ‘The narrator Caryalho attend the wedding and L-akshmana becomes the fathet “ofthe bridegroom, The narrator and Carvalho are pledsed 0% that Mandanna has settled down happily in life, a* afew days after Mandanna’s marriage, he is beaten up and arrested by the police for illicit-brewing. At Moodigere, the narrator observes Mandanna’s plight at the Police Station. On humanitarian grounds, he bails Mandanna out by standing sufety tohim. Finally, ” Mandanna is released from the police custody. A’few days later the narrator receives a court summons about Mandanna. He féels irritated and curses himself for standing surety to Mandanna. He explains his difficulty to Lakshmana and “Carvalho. ‘Carvalho is interested in finding the lizard, previously thought to have been extinct. Carvalho is now on amission to find this creature. Heasks the narrator to join his team, his fellow student Mandanna, acamera man and the cook Biryani Kariappa. The narrator begins the joumey into the thick forest of Norvey, in search of an ancient creatisre which no human eyes has ever seen.. = Ill Answer the following questions i 2-3, pages each. Each question-carries 10 marks. L. The flying. lizard plays a significant role ini the novella Carvalho? Substantiate _ Ans: In an important sense Carvalho appears to be'a continuation of Kubiand Jyala: the tale explores, ona larger scale and in greater depth, the paradoxical and puzzlingly interrelatedness that is there "among man, society, belies and superstitious and natural and man- nade environmental aspects. The writer becomes, here both _ Participant ‘and narrator who are gifted with extraordinary power _ of observation and insightful perceptions well as an envidble sense : Carvatho egiris on a most innocuous note in the sense that we are Auledinto inking that itis, by and large, a humourous tale: The ‘T Harrator goes tp buy honey for his father from.a Bee Keepers. t Cooperative Society and on his way back: is caught ina heavy hike~ rain; he stops: so does his jeep and he comes to know that % » petrol tank js empty! The smell of honey attracts a large nurpy bumbie bees and two young travellers who accidentally, cobeg! the same road, try to help him but get badly bitten by the bees they have swollen faces and lips! Through the act of buying the nairator comes to know Mandanna, the Bee- Keeper, w looks, and is, from a point of view, an idiot; but rightly, inthe ye .of the great botanist and entomologist Carvalho, a born natura anextraordinary natural scientist. But he has a personal probley, He: does nothaye a proper job but wants to desperately get married to Raami of whom he is enamoured largely because of hq + enormously big breasts! His father-in-law, Noryéy Ramaiahang others, get drunk on the wedding day on illicit liquor and they including Mandanna, get arrested. 4 The narrator who on grounds of humanity stand surety for Mandanna has now all sorts of legal'problems in addition to te +. © ‘problem of pests which are eating up his standing paddy crop. i Carvalho needs Mandanna who alone, stiangely, is naturally if in his understanding of beetles, insects, glowworms and beesdl 4° y _ Narious kinds. He has to be rescued from the clutches of law, atl “so with the narrator we enter the world of legality, of lawyersaml law courts, of police Decrality and the puzzling nature of castea™ political rivalry: ‘ “The fiarrator, trapped in this maze, wants to say good oyetot little world he has been made to inhabit because of his ¢ _ Vocation as an agriculturist. But then comes the startling ners ‘the flying lizard which Mandanna has séen within the deeP. Of Norvey, To Carvalho, the flying lizard is related to the T of Newzealand, and is an ambassador of ancient periods Pt pte-history. The flying lizard does not have wings and th “cannot fly but when in danger, its ribs become extended We ase * i rainovewneess MeyerAnd from now oh} with the narrator; we move into a world of forests, of chronometers, compasses, tele lenses and movie cameras, What began or looked an amusingly comic story, develops various dimensions ofa strange adventure which is simultaneously. scientific and spiritual. Besides these worlds we have the a-moral, world ofthe highly-skilled Cowherd Yenkta who can skin a snake alive and who without qualms can accept the fact ofhis wife sleeping with forest officials: _ Carvalho presents many worlds: the dream world, the world of ‘science and mystery and the workaday world of normal simple human beings. And, all these are yoked together to the animal world through Kiwi, the narrator's Golden Spaniel, and through the born- climber of trees, Biriyani Kariappa, the world of vegetation * _ becomes an integral part of the story. *. 2, Narrate the first encounter between the.narrator and Mandanna and Lakshmiana. ‘Anis: In the opening chapter of the novella, we find that the narrator, {g0es to the Moodigere Bee-Keeper’s Co-operative Society, the - tainy season had set in for quite some time in Malna, The whole town was covered with mud and slush, and wore a bedraggled look. The narrator’s trousers wére wet, his feet sore. His father asked him to get some honey from Moodigere as it wiis likely to be cheaper there than at Mysore. An Ayurvedic physician has advised him to take a spoonful of honey with water every ‘moming- which worked to a half-a-bottle a'month and about a seven bottles year and calculating at ten rupees a bottle, So he. had taken seventy rupees with him. The narrator: peeped in the office room and saw two Bae man ~ scribbling away something. One of them raised his head and asked_ What he wanted. When the narrator told that he had come to buy” honey, first he was denied and later when they recognized him, 27Deseribe the circumstances how Mandanna got mal asa vagabond by the local commoners and friends. But Carvalh < “the scientist with an intemati reputation, describes and introduced each other. Both Lakshmant and Mandanna yen working there to be a bee-keepet: Mandanna told that a full boyy of ‘moriey would cost rupees ten. The pot honey would be less expensive compare to bottle ‘of honey. Mandanna distinguisheg. “the pot honey and bottle honey. He told that bottled honey jg machine extracted and potted — honey is hand extracted; The potted-honey would be dull in'colour which could easily by identified. Mandanina was explained likea student explainingtog. teacher.” . The narrator was not particular about the sheen or the tint; nor was his father an expert $6 he asked for potted-honey. He told * ‘Lakshmana thathe had seventy rupees, But Lakshamna pricedit for: Seventy-eight rupees per tin. ‘Whien the narrator saw kerosene * tins stocked in the room, he was shocked and that these tins contained kerosene oil: But Mandana said that it was not kerosene” < oil. It was pure honey. He also assured the narrator that he wont ” be cheated as it was Co-operative Society. If they indulge in such : things; they would-be behind the bars. The narrator asked “Mandanna how they mandged to sel the honey so cheap. Mandannia begin givirig.adiscourse'on the ecoriomics of selling and buying honey. He spoke as if he were tendering evidence in a court of Taw. The narrator had only. seventy Tupees hd ‘he told that he would, i ~ pay reinaing rupees eight the'next day. Then Mandana gave the narrator the best quality of honey i.e: honey from Gutti area. finally the narrator got tinof honey: and it did feel heavy, | ligirot Heleft. : ed: : Mandan sa bee-Keeperby profession ard has been consde=tas ‘abomn naturalist’ a man with the keen ‘; at Cocke e and - | ‘anextraordinary natural scientist’. . ‘InMandanna’s life, emotional and the econotnic problems are interrelated. Norvey Ramaiah refuses to give his daughter in ‘marriage to Mandanna on account of his joblessness, Mandanna has no permanent job and is worried. He refuses to meet Carvalho as Carvalho did nof give him a job of an attender in his office. Mandanna, therefore, requests the narrator to put in a word to Ramaiah in his favour. ButMandanna can get a job only ifhe gets married. The narrator, "therefore, requests Carvalho to give a job to Mandanna in his“ Research Centre. But Carvalho expresses his inability to do so. Bathe speaks to Norvey Ramaiah to give his daughter in marriage toMandanna. Finally, Mandanna’s wedding with Raami takes place. re < Wedding scene ; Mandanna’s wedding was fixed and he went to meet Lakshmanna, and requested to take up all the responsibility like his father. Lakshmannd agreed and busied himself with the wedding | Preparation, Mandanna’s money was all spent. So Lakshmanna as going round asking for help and he was tired of meeting one demand after another. He commented why Mandanna’s caste has ‘more rituals than the Brahmins. It appears that Lakshmann had made bis bride's people cry, cringe and fall athis feet during his - Wedding, Tillthe wedding was over, Manidanna walked round the ‘own displaying all his thirty-two teeth. All the villagers were talking __ About his marriage: There was a small pandal raised. Carvalho _ id Prabhakara were already there. Prabhakara was explaining *therites and rituals to Carvalho, TWwo harijans started warming the ~” drums over grass-fre and stood up and siarted beating up. the head of the procession was Lakshimana, witha towel fora, oe em niieatietsininsto ba ee{ * _ costume. Itseems Mandanna wanted him to look an elderly r and had insisted that he should dress like this Right behing Shiny was Mandanna. He wore a turban form whose top was suspen asmall bouquet of glass beads. In his hand he held a club ™ade op Paper and cork. Someone held umbrella overhis head. The wore, were carrying.on their heads pots and plates with various dhingte in them. Prabhakara had brought camera as also the newly acquire flash-equipment, Mandanina walked slowly measuring every sg, nervously expecting camera to click away every moment, Mandanna begged Prabhakar to take pictures. Liquor was served ~ topeople in the party and they started to fight: Step by step ritials ‘were gone through. Mandan tied the tali around the bride’s neck and Prabhakara flashed another bulb, The wedding was over. When _ the click click of the camera stopped, people stopped to takea look- it was all over, Mandanna had tied the tali ! ~ 4. The role of Carvalho in the novella is unique and different, Discuss. 4 Ans: The novella isnamed after the eponymous hero, Carvalho. Its set in malenad (hilly land) of mid-Karnataka and is full of the diverse geographical details and it enhances the beauty of the narrative. Itis written in the first person narrative mode. ~The novella opens with the narrator going to Moodigere Bee « Keepers Co-Operative Society. Here Mandanna‘and Lakshmat -Workas servants. The narrator buys a pot of honey’ from Gut ‘area for Rs. 78. After returning home he examines the hone} which looks white in colour and looks like coconut oil. He#® 1 disappointed about its colourand thinks that he is perhaps cheated Next day he goes to the Co-Operative Society o clarify his doubt Heis quitéhappy to lear that the honey from Guttiarea is of ti bestquality., 5 * Later, the narrator encounters Carvalho who is ‘an Officer at t®- Mandanna is released from the police custody. 5 a court summons about __'Mandanina, He explains his di great renown’ and rhost importantly the Guru of Mandanna. Mandanna isa bee-keeper by profession and huis been considered sa vagabond by the local commoners ard friends, But Carvalho, the scientist with an international repittation, describes Mandanna as‘abom naturalist’, a man With the keen ‘art of observation’ and ‘an extfaordinary natural scientist’. s i InMaidanna’s life, emotional and the economic problems are interrelated. Norvey Ramaiah refuses to give his daughter in + marriage to Mandanna of account of his joblessness. Mandanna has no permanent job and is worried. He refuses to’ meet Caryalho as Carvalho did not give him a job of an attender in his office. _ Manilanna, therefore, requests the narrator to put ina word to -Ramaiah in his favour. But Mandanna can getajob only ifhe gets married. Th therefore, requests Carvalho to give a job to Mandanna in his Research Centre, But Carvalho expresses his inability to do so.” Buthe speaks to Norvey Ramaiah to give his daughter in’ marriage foMandanna. Finally; Mandanna’s wedding with Rami takes je narrator, ~ ‘place, Prabhiakara (the photographer) snaps the ‘wedding rituals. The narrator and Carvalho attend the wedding and Lakshmana becomes the father of the bridegroom. ‘The narrator and Carvalho: * are pleased to see that Mandanna has seitled down bappily in life. and arrested “Afew days after Mandanna’s marriage, he isbeaten up e narrator by the police for illicit-brewing. At Moodigere, the observes Mandanna’s plightat the Polic® Station. On humanitarian grounds, he bails Mandanna out by standing surety to him. Finally, A few days later the narrator receives : He feels irritated and curses himself forstanding surety fficulty to Lakshmana and wits ae paddy Research Centre’ and ‘a great botanist;an entomologistof -.”' 4 i * Mandarina. Asdirected by Carvalho, the rarrator meets the criming » Mandanna. ’ this extinct speciesthatis the flying lizard, as Carvalho tries “ Ghats. * Atlastthey are like Mardanna, Carvalho’s "Scientific truth is fulfilled, Carvalho, Carvalho appoints a criminal lawyertofight the case gp lawyer Gonsalves, explains the case of Mandanna. The nara, Catvalho and’ others attend the Magistrate’s court, Lawye Gonsalves argues intelligently and wins the case in favouy oi Thenarrator knows Mandanna as in ordinary servant, Carvathy understands Mandanna in a completely new light. He Needs Mandanna’s service in hie adventurous discovery of the mysteriong dream world. The story revolves around this mystical search fy perceive and record anew evolutionary order in nature. One day © Carvalhio reveals that the endarigered flying Lizard Mandannahad seen, capable of gliding from tree to tree found in the Western ‘Carvalho is interested in finding the lizard, Previously thoughtto have been extinict. Carvalho is néw on a mission to find this creature. ~ Heasks the narrator tojoin his team, his fellow student Maddanna, the joumey into the thick forest of Norvey, in search of an ancient ‘reature which no human eyes has everseen, | -Acameraman.and the cook Biryani Kariappa. The narrator begins | a te disappointed for notcatching the flying lizard, but are very happy to have been able to discover such a rare bird in the Sahyadri Mountain Fangé with the help ofan illiterate person and the narrator’s curiosity forth 4 Their sense of fulfillment isialmost paral‘Théreaders find out thatthe larger issue does not lie in the materiality of finding the flying lizard rather it was a quest for Truth about the, perpettial evolutionary process throughout thenovella, the author tries to re-establish the pre-eminence of Nature over human control nd tries fo question the anthropocentric nature of the world. There isan attempt on the part of the writer to blend the evolutionary. _ history ofhuman civilization withthe contemporary socio-political power structure by drawing extensively from the knowledge created. bymodem science as Well as close observation of rural characters. The novella opens up a discussion about the existence of God. A. believer of God thinks abot the rising suih; stars and wonders of natures and takes them to be the proofs for the existence of God. Contrastingly, these are the same set of examples that make a non- believer think that there is no stich thing as God and all these things work on their own. zl : Other important characters of the novella are cook-cum-expert- tree-climber, bird catcher, bow-legged, bent and curved Biryani Kariappa , Prabhakara, the official movie cameraman, Yenkta, the snake-catcher, Pyara, the servant, Kiwi, the narrator’s dog and the rest. 2 : 3 Biriyani Kariappavis an interesting character in the novella. He is known for his culinary skills in preparing excellent birivani. He accompanies Carvalho’s scientific expedition as their cart man. Hes bothered about shooting the birds and animals orrthe way: While others are busy searching for the flying lizard. Yenkta, the snake catcher, has come for hunting in the jungle. Another facet of Yenkta’s personality is the compromise that he has with the exigencies ofhis life. . “eit Inthis novella, non-human beings also play an interesting role. For. example, the narrator's dog, Kiwiis an interesting companion. Here TTejaswi’s photographic and microscopic observation ofthe animal + Z 33 she :. behaviors in display. Kiwi, with its extraordinary olfactory on -__ helps the narrator in many ways. When the narrator is discyse. bios the possible sale of his land to g buyer, Pyara tells him that, hasbeen absconding. The narrator and Pyara go in search dog in the nearby forest by wading through the thick shrub Finally, they find out their dog barking at an earthen bees. Thus, Kiwi helps them have interesting and dis, experiences. ‘ia fhe 2 fe Pot full | cOncering | sey Like the dog, the bees asa class also form an interesting Characi inthe novella, They connect different people in different way, Thebeesare, obviously, connected with bee-keeping, be-k hhoney and sting, When a Minister is to address the public behing the Taluk Development Office at Moodigere, Mandanna is ong among others to give a guard of honour to the Minister. Whileithe Minister hoists the tricolour national flag, Mandanna beats his drum like mad to show his respect to the Minister. Consequently, te once comic and pathetic and reveals Tejaswi’s keen observation and sense of humour. 4 Justas bees area threat to human beings Sometimes, they arealsd Rot free from threat by other creatu: t ator Wonders at the mystery fedbyMandama, 9. 2 the behaviour of bees from the nartat® _ Perience, Once he shifts ajug from the pile of firewood int ‘ {uber rob toan ouside spot and hen rings it roksan i : change of place creates nach b " ng themsel . Nature, which was detec -Weleam something about big confusion for the bees and they! Hes thereby killing and dying in large: Importantthat they provide a link between people and contribute to the interrelatedness of things in the world. Carvalho is an interesting novella. We find multifaceted personality of Tejaswi in display that ofa philosopher and a scientist; that i§ the quality of the photographer trying to capture the minute details tries to penetrate the hidden spirit behind the visible things likea scientist. 4 5, The final moments of spotting the lizard was Feally enchanting. Elucidate. Ans: Then we woke. up thenext morning, there was thick mist, so was thick I couldn’t sée the palm of my outstretched hand. We waited for Yenkta. He didn’t come, nor did the mist clear. Since he had told us where he was staying we thought we ould as well go to him. Slowly we moved on. ° The mist cleared in a while and theré was bright sunshine. Yenkta’s inakeshift hut stood on the banks ofa small stream. We went near the hut and saw a child asleep, and’a nondescript roadside dog lying on the mud. It stood up and growled when it saw Kiwi; but when Kiwi displayed his fine sharp teeth and moved nonchalantly forward, Yenkta’s dog simply surrendered, tticked its tail between its hind Jegs and lay down, putting its feet up in the-air. Kiwi * graciously accepted this act of surrender, went near it, smelled its , Senitals, came to knowit was'a male like him; and with supreme "indifference tured its attention to the fresh skin Yenkta had, put _ there to dry. 2 “Then Yenkta came running: big kraitin hishand and the krait, in raging fury, viciously swung its tail and sometimes wound itself round his arms. “Hey, Yenkta, when did you catch this?” asked Mandanna. ‘Isaw’it yesterday but it gave me the slip, you see.’ He drew a frombis waist-band and withhis eth pulled open the blade. — | eae 35 nae ee ir, sir, he: cara allup.’Hehelda,, .~© theylive here and, therefore, 3 a Pits the road: i =Fillock> > Cart, Often'the roots oF; Was a challenge to the bu! “A wi its head tight in his left hand, he made ain. 4."* fae Fea oot dropped the knife, and drew tp, oie + rrmwvarde, There was asdundas oF snapping finger, Aad ? icici ourarm from the shirt-sleeve, he Pulled, Een rightto the tip of its tail. The snake’s ted, fleshy © fellto the ground, and its painful peitines raised a: small cloud dust, Yenkta tumed the skin inside out, rubbed it with Salt a Kicked away the dying snake. Ihad heard of Venkt's kil uth never been a witness to it. Carvalho was amazed to See the stake being skinnédalive. ‘ : ‘ ‘Hey, Yenkta, why didn’t you come in the moming?” Mandannaasked. “My wife ad gone to the forest officers lodge sit and tere was no one to look after the child.”“Why, dota _ forest officers trouble you?”, Lasked. ‘No, no, I don’t care for thesé officers They allow big people like Yyouto illegally cut down timber and sell, and they know Iknowit, *. What, then, can they do tome? But they have to be kept pleased, -_ Yousee. Isupply them with honey etc. And away ffom their wives the natural craving for women hasto be satisfied. See, each has to be ‘Kept pleased in his own way. Ha, haha Youknow all that, don't you, sir’ ‘Rascal, even in jungles yen carry on your profession, don’t you?” said Mandanna __ Saxeasteally.‘Our women have this habit, you see. And if creae Scenes and make a rumpus, she Says she vill walk out on me u And you know nobody's... gets broken or tom! aon the problems T have. accept and cary fae i Alltiph ste you going with us o astm join you in the evening.” ‘O.K. + the skin in, The snake was slowly losing . i fonbutour path became rough. Fullof the trees'made the bullocks aut 36 ¢ ba-Mandanna cautioned Kariappa: *Be-cateful, Katiappa, the shopkeeper‘has told me a hundred times to be carefill with the cart.’ Again and again we had to move the cart, pushing it from ~ behind. Once Kariappa tried to cross a water-logged field dnd the cartand the bullocks got stuck. We had fo literally iftboth and we - got dog- tired by the time we were on hard ground again. | Atlast we reached a small pond and there unyoked the bullocks. Carvalho and Prabhakara went to have a bath, Mandanha too was aboutto go but Kariappa asked him to get some firewood. and so he went into the forest with an axe, Prabhakara’s transistor radio, hung on to the roof of the cart by a nail, was blaring out some Hindi love song. A noisy orchestra, as background music, was being interrupted by a chorus of voices shouting every few seconds “Zindabad”. Kariappa in his tom clothes dnd dishevelled hair looked an authentic savage. ‘ Before me lay the trunks of huge trees, like Time in concrete shape; >+ _ allalong the back of the pond were vast boulders, one over another, and stretching for a long distance, the sun fell from the heights of great trees, and coloured hundreds of dreams about the mystery of creation in my head-al] these doubled the confusion that was already there'in me, My senses became dulled and dazed. As ifhe anilerstood the state of stupor I was in, Kiwi came near me and licked my cheek. asked him to be quiet, and reminded him that only a little while ago he had smelled the genitals of Yenkta’s dog. Disapproving of my fastidiousness Kiwi darted off, and lay down > in the shade ofa tree. sacs . Akind ofstiliness surrounded me. Not that there wasn’ tany sound “Or movement, There was. But somehow even-that seemed to Accentuate the indescribable stillness. eee : simply sat, unmoving, Suddenly there was acontinuous tap, tap, Atrip, drip sound, as of raindrops falling on dry leaves. Colild it be “the dew, I wondered. No, it wasn’t that: I couldn't even see from Be anual where the sound came, Since I didn'thave anythingtodg, 1). round. Kiwi also became alert and using his eats as radar 1 2 the direction from which the sound was coming. A few amin “away from where I was sitting, hundreds of red ants were py. ‘onthe fallen dry leaves. Then [knew: it was ants falling off. leaves. { looked up. On the branch ofa tree there was a bigany. hill, but so were there’on other branches too. Themhow ig it from one particular ant-hill ants are falling so fast? | looked, again, screwing up my eyes. Some creature had entered theang hilland was gobbling up the ants thatran out like a stream. ogg quite make out whether the creature was a monitor ora Squire stood and watched. Slowly ants poured out from different opening, Now they camein thousands and the quantity exceeded the eat capacity of the creature. The leaves and the branches nearby ge Covered by the ants and the whole branch turned red. They evey efiveloped the animal which was eating them up. Overpoweredig ~ would take to its legs, I thought. But the creature neither stopped devouring nor ran away. Whetit could no longer stand the‘onrush ofthe ants, it leapt, floated inte air, and landed on the trunk of a big tree and then started moving ep. a It was clear to me by now that it was the brown-coloured flying lizard. This was the reptile which had evoked in us numbers thoughts and dreams. My agitated spirit made my limbs immobil. Tsat under the tree; like a man crucified. Open- eyed I saw til representative of the great reptiles which once ruled the ~ last stage of our expedition cme upon me like bright blue lightil from the womb of dark skies, Itwasa huge tree and the lizard, therefore, looked small. It still busy eating the ants thathad got stuck to its body. Its which looked like white blown-up foam became invisible 38”‘moment it landed, Its form and features were exactly like the one drawn according to the description Mandanpa had given to ~Carvalho. Its colour was indistinguishable from the colourof the bark of the tree. It started going up, but I did not take my eyes off i. And I shouted, “Hey, ‘adaniag O Prabhakara, come, come, it’sclimbing up the tree. Comehere.” My ears heard Carvalho shouting from somewhere behirid me. “What, what's it?” I fixed my eyes, like nails in the wall, on the lizard, “Please come, sit. The flying lizard is here!” My eyes could , see nothing else, There was oniy amedley of voices in my eat. In themeantime the flying lizard, with meastired speed, was climbing up the tree. Since I had seen it land, and sinice it was of a piece with the bark of the tree, it was only:I who could see it. I couldn’t take my eyes offitt even fora second, for if did knew I wouldn't beable to locate it again. What if it escapes my eyes! This -was the one thought which agitated me and made me increasingly feverish. © Behind me and around me were noises and movements, but without batting my eyelids looked on at the flying lizard, I was determined .notto lose that glimpse of the timeless which a divine momient had allowed me to fiave in time. Ando, I held on tothe flying lizard with my eyes. From behind someone asked, ‘What? Where?* It sounded like Kariappa’s voice. s *See, Kariappa, can you climb the tree I am looking at?” “Which one, sir? Is it the one near me or the one next to it?” ‘Idiot! Don’t ask me which. It is the tree 1am looking at. Ican’t tatemy eyes offit-If! do, that’s the end. And we shall see itonly in our next birth. See, see, can anyone of you see? Look, itis erases eek itis too huge. Look atits girth! Ten pairs of arms cani’t encircle ip. there reisaladder or arope, ee: sau- concentration. * e “Allright. Youcan’t. That's enough. Is Madanna here ’ the péople spoke, the angrier I was getting. It istutteg a “Listen to me: My eyes have got to stay fixed on it. See, Manda it entered the ant-hill and was eating away the ants, When toy many ofthem surrounded it, it moved overhere” 1 “Wait, waitaminute”/said Carvalho’s voice, He must havegdil what I said. He spoke to Prabhakara, ‘You see, we know, ‘ove litte about its food habits, Wonderful. I'ILtéll you why. One of ~ ancestors ofthis particular type ofant has been found to have live a hundred million years ago, in New Jersey. It was found in ati ofgum. Well, go on.” “Ina lump of gum! How do you mean, sir?” 1 “This is a tree-ant, you see. It must have got stuck to the gum, When the lump of gum was seen under the X-ray, this antwa found. Now, you continue.” “Mandanna, you look at the branch thatis immediately overme.” : “Yes : a. ‘Its bark is scaly,” £ : ives Sis “To the left, there is 4 Patch of sunlight.” “you see clearly? *Yes,’ Nes Neo c, 4 “Twofingersaboveit” 2 “a ‘Do yousee anything? What?” He paused, and he musthavé tried hard. “No, {éan't F ee anything.” Carvalho asked “Ishall ask: you qu“Does it go up to the tail?” No, only up to the back.” “epight. Do you see its legs?” yes” «are the feet shaped like the horse's? Or, are they spli No,sir, looks like ithas nails.” *O.K, Does itput out its tongue?” “Yes. “What isit like?” “How do you mean? It looks like a tongue, ‘No, no. Is it split like the snake's?” “No, sir. It looks ordinary, like ours.” Youare right. Itis a fact you are looking ata flying lizard.” “What do you mean, sir? Do you think Iwas lying?” *No,no, But this is quite possible, you see. You have thought so much about it that there is a possibility of self- hypnosis, of fancying that you fare seeingit. From here we can’t see: anything.” When [heard him I felt I was sending messages from another world. te eee Prabliakara said ‘I can’t see anything even with the binoculars, ~ sit?*You puta tele-lens and take a few saps. We shall see fater.” | Theatd Prabhakara assembling his instruments. My eyes had been «captured by the flying lizard and because of the effort Iimade in holding it my eyes began to ache: Buit continued 10 lookatitas if Under a spell. The flying lizard began going up. In the direction in Which it was moving, I saw a green patch of moss. Suddenly it stnick ie, Japan ‘Sir, Ishouted., ; | "Nes? said Prabhakaraand Carvalho) fh of green moss on th ‘Please look. Do you see that big pate! ; atlizard isnearingit. Ifyou keep looking youwill be abletoge. itagainst that green patch, Otherwise it surely means [ am mad “Prabhakara, get your movie camera ready. Put the telé-leng fg ~-onthat part of the moss. Quick!” “Sir, shall [have a pot shot at it? It was Kariappa. ‘Shuit up, yoy are an idiot. Get back to codking, get back.” Prabhakara, give me the binoculars. You focus the camera, the sill “camera. Haye you checked the shutter speed arid set the aperture? Like astronomers getting ready to see a new planet swim across in the sky, they were getting ready. -“It’s nearing... just an elbow-length away... now some six inches away. Itis licking its tail and the movement is rather slow. Now + one ineli away. See, the patch of moss is sharp at one end, rather like the map of Gujarat, It’s come, its nose has touched the edge of the green patch, ithas entered the patch.” ~ Icouldno longerstand:the strain and closed my eyes. The flying lizard moved onto the patch. Prabhakara’s movie camera continued to make a ‘Krir’sound. Carvalho shouted: “PrabhaKara, pleas: = forheaven’ssake, don’t shake thé camera too much.” Mandant cried: ‘Sir, yes yes, itis the he flying lizard, It has no wings, but flies.’ > ‘Really! But I Gan’t see anything, Where are its wings 80% “>>. Prabhakara and Carvalho were Ineredible!’, exclaimed Carvalho. The still cameramade ‘k ‘Ket sound, Without takinghis eyes off the cainera-hole Prabhaks ~ pressed its button. The flying lizard crossed the green patch got merged with the colour of the bark of the tree. We all bent down and fassaged the backs.of, out net IL peiig x in their wet linlo®jv Sem-B.Com.,/B.B.A.-Generie English [NEP-BU] _ Evershine: as they had come straight from their bath in the pond: Carvalho shook my hand and congratulated me. ‘No, we must work according -to a schedule, We shall dress ourselves and be back. Mandanna, even if you can’t see the flying lizard, keep.watching that tree, and observe anything: that falls, ~ even ifitis only a leaf” : ‘Mandan, it is extremely... I don’t know how much we have ‘seen and how muich we’ve missed.” At that moment Yenktacame ~ with his wife and dog. : rf Te * KO ie"