Karnataka 1st PUC English Textbook Answers Reflections Chapter 8 Watchman of the Lake
1. Answer the following questions in a word, a phrase or a sentence each:
Watchman Of The Lake Notes 1st PUC Question 1.
Why was the headman in a hurry to complete the road work?
Answer:
Because the King was due to arrive at the village, the next day.
Watchman Of The Lake 1st PUC Question 2.
The village headman asked Mara to keep away from the road workers because…
Answer:
He was disturbing the workers.
The Watchman Of The Lake Notes Question 3.
How did Mara manage to draw the attention of the King? Why?
Answer:
Mara jumped down from the tree and drew? the attention of the King. He wanted to inform him about the Goddess’ command to build a tank for ‘Veda’ the river.
Watchman Of The Lake Questions And Answers 1st PUC Question 4.
The Goddess’ command to Mara was to
Answer:
Build a tank for ‘Veda’.
Watchman Of The Lake Summary 1st PUC Question 5.
How does the King respond to Mara’s information about the tank?
Answer:
The King asked Mara to accompany him the next day to his capital.
Watchman Of The Lake Summary Class 11 Question 6.
What did Mara advise his son for saving the lake and the creatures?
Answer:
Mara advised his son to guard the lake when he would be gone. He also advised him not to allow- any hunters or fishermen to pollute the lake.
Question 7.
Why did the visitor approach Mara?
Answer:
The visitor approached Mara to ask water for the parched fields of his village.
Question 8.
Mara rushed to the King because he wanted to save
(a) his own life.
(b) the King.
(c) the lake.
Answer:
(c) the lake.
Question 9.
Mara was trembling at the KING’S palace because
(a) he was afraid of the King.
(b) he was drenched in the rain.
(c) he was worried about the lake.
Answer:
(c) he was worried about the lake.
Question 10.
On what condition did Mara make the Goddess wait for him?
Answer:
To wait until his return after informing the King about the impending calamity.
Watchman of the Lake Additional Question and Answer
Question 11.
Why did the head man scold Mara?
Answer:
He was scolded by the headman as he was sharing his vision with his neighbours.
Question 12.
What was the capital of the King?
Answer:
Sakkarepatna.
Question 13.
After hearing the dream, how did the headman react?
Answer:
The headman ordered Mara not to repeat it again and he felt like kicking him.
II. Answer the following questions in a paragraph each:
Question 1.
What was the significance of Mara’s dream?
Answer:
Mara’s dream focuses on the development of village people to get water the whole year from river Veda. It says to build a tank to hold the waters of river Veda.
Question 2.
What instructions did Mara give his son about the lake and the creatures? What light do these instructions throw on Mara’s character?
Answer:
Mara advised his son to take care of the lake and not to allow any fishermen to the tank. The creatures should not be killed in that sacred place. This advice to his son reflects the helping nature of Mara. Mara never thought of himself even for a day. He always thought of others. So he advised his son to protect the tank for the sake of the village. He also advised his son to dedicate his descendents to protect the tank.
Question 3.
Bring out the significance of the sacred spot that Mara describes to the King.
Answer:
The place was very sacred. Water had flowed on since the day Hanuman took the Sanjeevini. Its birth was in the fleeting mists of the mountain top. and on its w ax’ through rare flow ers and forests, it has come down to their village. River Veda carried nectar in its bosom which revived Gods and nourished mortals. But, in summer Veda stops flowing and villagers die of drought. To get water the whole year, they need to build a tank for Veda. That was the significance of . that place. It was the place where sanjeevini grew.
Question 4.
How did-Mara react to the Goddess when she appeared before him for
(a) the first time?
(b) the second time?
Answer:
(a) The first time when the Goddess appeared before him, he was very content and happy as she w as very beautiful and peaceful and she gave a command to him to build a tank for Veda. Her appearance was a great pleasure for him and he saw her as a peaceful mother.
(b) When the Goddess appeared for the second time, it was terrible and Veda was thundering down from the mountain. The Goddess’ eyes were wild and gleamed with a strange light. She carried a sword in her hand and she had splashed her forehead with vermilion. She was aggressive and Mara was afraid of her and prayed to appease her.
III. Answer the following questions :
Question 1.
Was the headman justified in calling Mara a lunatic? Give reasons.
Answer:
The headman thought that Mara was a lunatic as he was wandering around without any work and also disturbing other workmen who were busy laying a road. He had shared with some of the workers and the headman his dream about the Goddess and the Tank.
The headman was not convinced and thought that Mara was only fooling around. Even though Mara’s dream about the Goddess’ instructions to build a tank to hold the waters of river Veda would have been for the benefit of the village, he was not taken seriously.
In fact, to avoid Mara meeting the King with his story about the Goddess, the headman made Bhima one of his workmen to keep Mara captive under his care till the King’s passing their village. But Mara managed to outwit Bhima and landed in front of the King from a tree and spoke to the King about his dream.
The headman was prejudiced against Mara in calling him a lunatic and definitely not justified in his conclusion.
Question 2.
“Nature is both productive and destructive”. How does the play bring out this idea?
Answer:
Basically nature is goodness personified. It showers its blessings on people in abundance. People must respect what nature provides them and reciprocate by not destroying nature. When people take care of the nature and environment, it protects them. Rivers, trees, hills are all part of nature and they are all for the benefit of mankind. When man cuts down the trees, blasts the hills etc., nature’s imbalance causes floods, land slides and other calamities.
Water flows in a river, and if used wisely serves for drinking, irrigation and other uses. In dry season there may not be enough water, so excess water coming in torrents during monsoon should be stored by constructing tanks for the waters of the rivers. When the rivers are over polluted, it results in overflow and floods causing loss of livers, lands and properties. Nature that way, is both productive and destructive.
Question 3.
How differently did Mara treat the fisherman and the visitor?
Answer:
Mara treated the fisherman in a harsh way because he had violated the command of the Goddess and the orders of the King that the place was sacred and no life was to be taken there. The fisherman was catching fish there. Mara warned him not to repeat the same crime again there. Mara’s duty was to look after the tank in a peaceful manner ensuring that no harm befalls any living creature there and the tank does not get polluted by man or beast.
To the visitor from the farthest part of the kingdom, he spoke softly with kind words and offered him some food also. The visitor’s village was facing a water scarcity the crops were parching and cattle dying. He wanted some water to be let from the tank. Maraassured him that by the King’s orders, water was there for everybody to share and that he will do the needful. It shows that Mara was strict while enforcing the rules but was fair and humane with people’s problems and ready to help those is need.
Question 4.
Why do you think Mara asked the King to make his son, son’s son and so on, the watchman of the lake?
Answer:
Mara was instrumental in getting a tank constructed at the village for the waters of river Veda. His dream about the Goddess insisting on the tank was the reason for the King to build the tank and the King rightfully appointed Mara to take care of the tank. Mara felt that it was the noblest job to provide water to the village and to the other parts of the kingdom and ensuring that the tank does not get polluted by man or beast. Also, as it was a sacred place, no harm should befall any living being there.
After some years, when the Goddess again appeared in Mara’s dream and threatened to destroy the tank, he pleaded with the Goddess for permission to go to inform the King and to wait for his return before destroying the tank.
But Mara in an act of supreme sacrifice persuaded the King to kill him in order to prevent his return and thereby save the tank. He loved his noble work so much, that he requested the King to appoint his descendents as caretakers of the lake after his death.
Question 5.
In what way do you think Mara’s sacrifice saved the lake? What sacrifices need to be made to save the lakes today?
Answer:
Mara’s sacrifice remains eternal in the history of men who saved lakes. He was the man who didn’t think about himself even for a single day .but always about others. In other words, his social service is unforgettable to the society, he is the great environmentalist whom the modem materialists must follow and adore to protect the nature. Mara’s sacrifice of (leaving his body) taking his last breath is ultimate.
Of course, today’s people cannot do that much but have to sacrifice a little of their wants and needs to protect nature. People should not pollute rivers in the name of ‘yatras’ and funerals. All superstitious beliefs and must be stopped now.
Man must live according to his needs and not for his wants. For this, he has to follow the examples of tribals who live a contented life with whatever they get. They do not torture the nature for coal or gold and live in a simple w ay. If men leam to lead a simple life that is the greatest sacrifice to protect the nature from calamities.