DS type Questions and Answers:
Each Question mark – 5
KARMA
Khushwant Singh
Important questions and answers:
1) “Lachmi chatted away merrily.“- Who was Lachmi? Write in brief why Lachmi chatted away merrily?
Ans- Lachmi was Sir Mohan’s wife. She was short and fatty in appearance. She was in her middle of forties. She was an ordinary Indian housewife. She was fond of jewelleries. She wore a dirty white sari with a red border.
Lachmi chatted away merrily with the coolie. She was always fond of a little gossip. But she had none at home to talk to. Her relatives were not allowed to her. They were poor and illiterate. Her husband Sir Mohan did not like them. So, Lachmi was cruelly companionless at home. She used to stay in the upstairs. Sir Mohan stayed in the ground floor. He visited Lachmi in the upstairs at night. It was occasionally and for physical environment only. So Lachmi became happy to have the coolie with her in the platform. She addressed the coolie as brother. The coolie also became her companion for the time being. This is why she merrily chatted away with him.
2) “She obeyed passively” – Who is she referred to here? Describe in brief her passive obedience.
Ans- The word She refers to Lachmi.
Lachmi is a typical Indian housewife. She is a simple hearted woman. She is not educated. Even she cannot understand English. sir Mohan is a vizier and a barrister. He is Lachmi’s husband. He is a blind follower of British ways and culture. He hates his countrymen. He even hates his wife. Lachmi is a mere property to him. She has no freedom in in life. Still she is very obedient to her husband. This is the culture in a patriarchal society. Here the male person sits at the top. He conducts as per his whims and pleasure. Sir Mohan is its glaring example. His relation with Lachmi is devoid of friendship. She worships her husband. This is why Lachmi addresses him as her master. He occasionally visits her at night during physical environment. This is in brief Lachmi’s passive obedience to Sir Mohan.
Also read: “KARMA” by Khushwant Singh | Broad Q&A Class – 11
3) ” Yes, old fellow, you are a bit of all right.” – Who is the old fellow referred to here? Is the old fellow really all right? Give suitable arguments.
Ans- Sir Mohan is the old fellow referred to here.
Sir Mohan speaks the above line about himself. He is before a mirror in the first class waiting room. He looks at himself and murmurs the above line. He is neatly dresses with Balliol tie. He wears the suit from Saville Row. He gives out a sweet smell from eau- de- Cologne, talcum powder and scented soap used by him. He appears handsome with his neatly-trimmed moustache. He is distinguished and efficient. He has beautified himself by costumes and fineries, but is unable to hide his age. That’s why he speaks himself old fellow and a bit of all right.
4) “Lady Lal hurriedly finished off her meal.” – Describe in brief how Lachmi finished off her meal before the train arrived in the platform.
Ans- Lady Lal was waiting in the railway platform. The train was yet to arrive. There were cramped chapatties and some mango pickle with her. She carried them in a brass container. Lachmi opened the brass container and took out a bundle of chapatties. Then she took some mango pickle and began to eat. When she ate, the coolie sat opposite her on his haunches. The coolie carried her luggage. While eating, Lachmi chatted away merrily with him. When the meal was over, she still began licking the stone of the pickled mango. Then she emitted a long, loud belch. At last she went to the public tap and washed her hands and mouth. In the meantime rang the bell of the approaching train.
5) Write in brief the conversation between Sir Mohan and two British soldiers?
Ans- Sir Mohan was sitting alone in the first- class compartment. He expected some British offices with him in the train. In the meantime, there appeared two British soldiers. They were Jim and Bill. They came close to the first class compartment. Sir Mohan’s face lit up to see them. They were entitled to travel only the second class. But they were searching for an empty compartment. They got hilarious to see Mohan’s compartment almost empty. Jim asked Bill to kick out the black Indian. He addressed Sir Mohan as a nigger. They entered into the compartment. Bill shouted that the compartment was a reserved one. But Jim was very adamant and furious. He asked Sir Mohan – ” Ek- Dum- Jao- get out”! Sir Mohan protested in his Oxford accent. He shouted for the guard to arrest them. All his efforts went to vain. Bill and Jim threw away his belongings. And finally they flung out Sir Mohan from the train.
6) “Sir Mohan decided to welcome them.” – When did Sir Mohan decided to welcome? What were the consequences of the welcome?
Ans- Sir Mohan was alone in his compartment. He wondered if he would travel alone. He expected some British offices with him in the train. He wished to have an impressive conversation with them. But he became hopeless to see his compartment empty. None but sir Mohan was there. By chance there came down two British soldiers. They were entitled to travel only the second class. But it was first class. Sir Mohan’s face lit up to see them. He would speak to the guard if necessary. So he decided to welcome them.
Sir Mohan’s intention to welcome them brought trouble to himself. Two British soldiers did not like the presence of a black Indian. They called him a nigger. They asked sir Mohan to get out from the compartment. Sir Mohan tried to resist with his Oxford accent. But all the efforts went in vain. They threw away his belongings from the train. Finally they flung Sir Mohan out of the train. The train sped up leaving sir Mohan on the compartment.
7) Briefly discuss the theme in Khushwant Singh’s Short story “Karma“.
Ans- Khushwant Singh’s short story story Karma is about an Indian, Sir Mohan Lal. He was educated at the Oxford University. He was fond of the British culture. In every manner he tried to imitate them. He was culturally enslaved by the British ways of life. He traveled in the first class, looked forward to talk to the English in Oxford accent. He wore their clothes, spokes their language, read their newspaper and used their products. The author ridicules all who underestimate their own culture and imitate English one. Eventually Sir Mohan was thoroughly disillusioned. He suffered an acute identity crisis. He became a rootless entity. The story warns us against our false belief in foreign excellence. It teaches us not to tear our roots with our own soil, men and civilization.