Atithi by Rabindranath Tagore : Short Answer Questions
Question 1 : What Jatra troupes had Tarapada left before meeting Motilal Babu ?
Answer : Before meeting Motilal Babu, Tarapada impelled by his curiosity to know life to its fullest, he first left his village and then joined and left several troupes. Initially he joined a jatra troupe but when the master of the troupe began to treat him almost as a son, and the members of the troupe all had fallen for him – he disappeared and could not bee found.
Impelled by his passion for music, he then joined a group of Panchali – singers, but like a pet cage bird, Tarapada learnt a few songs, and then one morning flew away.
After that he joined a group of gymnasts. It was from this gymnastic group that he had escaped and was on his way to Nandigram when he met Motilal Babu.
Question 2 : Inspite of being a darling of his family and his neighbourhood, why had Tarapada left them ?
Answer : The young, adorable and intelligent boy like Tarapada who was the darling of his family and neighbours, he left them because of his deep seated wanderlust. His heart would stir with the longing to be free to explore the outside world. He was a restless soul, consumed with a desire to be free and to explore the outside world. Tarapada wished to be see life in its fullest beauty and to understand the meaning of existance. But he would not accept ties, even ties of love ; his stars had made him a wanderer.
Question 3: How did Tarapada make the most of his time on the boat ?
Answer : Tarapad made the most of his time on the boat by being actively helpful and engaging his artistic talents. He was always ready to take up any job, such as helping the boatman, steering the boat, rowing or getting provisions. his sight, his hands,his mind were ever active ; like nature herself he was always “serene” and “detached”, yet always busy.
Once Tarapada offered Motilal Babu to enact the story of Kush and Lav with songs on his flute. His sweet voice mesmerised the boatmen and others who were passing by.
Question 4: How did Motilal Babu and his wife treat Tarapada ? What did Annapurna want to learn about Tarapada ?
Answer : Motilal Babu and Annpurna both treated Tarapada with great affection and care from the moment they met him. Motilal Babu readily accepted Tarapada’s request for a lift to Nandigram, and offered him lunch. On the boat he happily took the boy’s help in cooking food or steering the boat. Annapurna was also sweet natured, caring and accommodating lady. She at once agreed to Motilal Babu’s offer to give lift to Tarapada on whom she began to shower her affection as if he were her own son. The couple became so fond of because of his genial nature that even they considered of keeping him as their son in compensation of the lack of their own son.
Annapurna was very curious about Tarapada’s background. After lunch, she asked him many searching questions about his family and his reason for leaving his home. Annapurna became annoyed to learn that such a loving boy would run away from home to join different troupes.
Question 5 : Why did Tarapada seek a lift on the boat in which Motilal Babu was going to his village ?
Answer : Tarapada sought a lift on Motilal Babu’s boat because he wanted to get to Nandigram. The zamindars at Nandigram had founded on a lavish scale, an amateur jatra group, Tarapada wanted to join the group. he had just escaped from a group of gymnasts and was on his way to Nandigram when he saw Motilal Babu’s boat moored near a riverside market. He approached Motilal Babu and requested a lift, which was readily granted.
Question 6: What kind of girl was Charushashi ? What kind of feelings had she about Tarapada ?
Answer : Charushashi was a whimsical, wilful and obstinate girl whose behaviour was very unpredictable. She had her own opinions about food, clothes and hair – styles, but there is hardly any consistency in them. She used to throw tantrums over trifler and must have her own way. At times when she remained in a good mood, she could be agreeable at anything, she showed excessive love for her mother, hugging her, kissing her, laughing in an unbalanced way.
Charushashi was a big puzzle, an enigma. She was burning with envy and jealousy. She was the only child of her parents and the sole claimant on their affection. It was beyond her tolerance to notice her parents showing affection to Tarapada or appreciating his accomplishments. She can not admit any virtue in Tarapada because he was stealing her sole right of affection from her parents. In order not to upset her, her parents avoided praising Tarapada in her presence.
Question 7: Why did Charushashi smash Tarapada’s flute ? What were her feelings afterward ?
Answer: Charushasi smashed Tarapada’s flute out of jealousy and anger. This jealousy was sparked when she discovered that Tarapada was already intimate with the family of her friend Sonamani.
Charushashinhad thought of Tarapada as their Tarapada – guarded closely, sonthat ordinary people might glimpse him yet never be able to grasp him. Their intimacy with Tarapada created jealousy in Charushahi’s mind. She would pick up quarrel with Sonamani over flimsy grounds. One day anger overpowered so much after a quarrel with Sonamani that she picked up Tarapada’s flute and smashed it badly. This did not upset Tarapada who remained unperturbed. Rather he engaged himself in studies more. After smashing the flute, Charushashi felt remorseful and guilty. She wanted to seek Tarapada’s forgiveness for her actions. But she could not do so openly because of fear of hurting her pride and self respect.
Question 8 : What kind of girl was Sonamani ? What kind of relation did she have with charushashi and Tarapada ?
Answer: Sonamani was Bamunthakrun’s daughter who had been widowed at the age of five, Sonamani was Charushashi’s friend and her playmate. Since Sonamani had been ill for a while, she had not been able to visit her after her arrival from vacation.
When Sonamani came to Charushashi’s house, Charumwas very eager to talk to her about Tarapada without knowing that Tarapada had already visited their house and was intimate with her family. This created jealousy in Charushashi’s mind. She would pick up quarrel with Sonamani over flimsy grounds. This way their friendship became strained due to jealousy.
Sonamani shared very pleasant relation with Tarapadaas she called him “dada” and Tarapada called Bamunthakrun “masi”. Tarapada used to treat them to kirtan – tune on his flute and made Sonamani a bamboo flute on her request. He would also picked her fruits from high branches and flowers from thorny bushes.
Question 9 : Why did Motilal Babu and his wife think of marrying their daughter to Tarapada ?
Answer: Motilal Babu and his wife Annapurna both were lured by the helping and adorable nature of Tarapada from their first meeting. Initially, they considered adopting him as a son to compensate for not having one. But later they decided of marrying their daughter to Tarapada because they believed he was the most suitable person to manage her difficult nature. They felt that Tarapada was the fittest person to keep Charushashi’s whims under check and o rein in her waywardness.
Question 10 : What impelled Tarapada to make his disappearance amidst the marriage festivities ?
Answer :Tarapada was impelled to disappear amidst the marriage festivities by his ever consuming wanderlust and his inability to bound by any earthly ties. His love for wandering excelled all bonds of earthly relations and nothing could keep him fettered in one place. Tarapada does not stick to one place, profession or bound by ties of love. Therefore he remains a free bird, takes to its flight when life is going to deny him the opportunities of experiencing it in fullest form. Nothing can check his ever consuming wanderlust.
Question 11: Discuss the love hate relationship of Charushashi and Tarapada.
Answer : Charushashi’s relation with Tarapada was lend of intense jealousy, hatred and a powerful though acknowledged attraction. Initially she views Tarapada as an intruder who steals her parents’ attention. Her envy manifests in active malice, she refuses to admit his virtues, sabotages his studies and even smashes his flute in a fit of rage. She actively tries to keep him away from others, especially her friend Sonamani, showing extreme possessiveness. However beneath this hostility lies a secret fascination. She covertly watches him when he swims, drawn by his grace. As time passes, her antics become a desperate way to seek his attention.
Tarapada initially amused by her, begins to feel a strange stirring and a new dream towards her, indicating a complex, magnetic bond. despite her attempts to bind him, her passionate and erratic nature ultimately clashes with his need for freedom, though she remains deeply attached to him.