HORNBILL

Lesson-1

The Portrait of a Lady

By Khushwant Singh

The Portrait of a Lady Introduction

The author's story is told in The Portrait of a Lady. He describes his grandmother's relationship with him over the years. He keeps track of her daily activities and how she changed as a character over time. He describes her appearance, which aids in forming an image in the reader's mind.

The Portrait of a Lady Summary

The author and his grandmother are the subjects of the chapter 'The Portrait of a Lady.' The grandmother was a frail old lady with wrinkled face. For the past twenty years, the author had seen her in this manner. She appeared to be so old that he couldn't imagine her as 'young and pretty, with a husband.' She was short, chubby, and slightly bowed. The author had seen his grandfather's portrait, which depicted an elderly man wearing a turban and having a long white beard that covered his chest. To the author, his grandfather did not appear to be a man who could have a wife and children, but rather a man who could have a lot of grandchildren. His grandmother used to walk around the house in 'Spotless White,' one hand on her waist, the other counting the beads on her rosary.

The author and his grandmother had a good relationship in the beginning. She used to get him up and ready for school. She used to pack his belongings for the day and walk him to school every day. She used to go to the temple attached to the school. She had a habit of reading the scriptures. The author sat on the verandah with other children, singing alphabets and morning prayers. They used to return home together, surrounded by stray dogs as his grandmother carried stale chapattis to feed them. Soon after, the author's parents arrived in the city to settle in and called them. His relationship with his grandmother weakened as they reached the city. Despite the fact that they shared a room, their relationship degraded. He began attending an English medium school, she no longer accompanied him to his school, and there were no longer stray dogs roaming around them as they walked home. She, on the other hand, used to ask about his day and what he had learned. She couldn't understand anything because everything was in another language she didn't understand. She didn't agree with the new curriculum he was studying because she believed it didn't teach him about God and the scriptures. They saw each other less frequently.

He grew older as the days passed and eventually went to university. He had his own room, which strained their relationship. She stopped talking to everyone and spent the entire day at her spinning wheel, reciting prayers and moving rosary beads with one hand. She did, however, enjoy feeding sparrows on the verandah at dawn. Her daily routine consisted of breaking bread into pieces and feeding it to the birds. The birds would sit on her legs, head, and even her shoulders. Soon after, the author decided to pursue further education in another country. She arrived at the train station to drop him off. She was not sentimental; she recited her prayers continuously, her mind lost in the prayers, and kissed him on the forehead. When he returned home after five years, she was still there, came to pick him up at the station, and was exactly the same as she had been five years before. She cradled him in her arms and didn't say anything. She was still feeding her sparrows.

She didn't recite her prayers one day, but instead gathered the women of the neighbourhood, got a drum, and began singing. She awoke the next morning with a mild fever. The doctor assured her that there was nothing to be concerned about, but she was sure that her end was near. She didn't want to waste her time talking to anyone in the family anymore, so she spent her final hours laying on the bed reciting her prayers. She died, and her lifeless body lay on the bed. As they prepared for her funeral, they noticed all the sparrows gathered on the verandah, mourning her death.

The Portrait of a Lady Lesson Explanation

My grandmother, like everybody’s grandmother, was an old woman. She had been old and wrinkled for the twenty years that I had known her. People said that she had once been young and pretty and had even had a husband, but that was hard to believe. My grandfather’s portrait hung above the mantelpiece in the drawing-room. He wore a big turban and loose-fitting clothes. His long, white beard covered the best part of his chest and he looked at least a hundred years old. He did not look the sort of person who would have a wife or children. He looked as if he could only have lots and lots of grandchildren. As for my grandmother being young and pretty, the thought was almost revolting. She often told us of the games she used to play as a child. That seemed quite absurd and undignified on her part and we treated it like the fables of the Prophets she used to tell us.

• Wrinkled- having lines or folds
• Portrait- painting or picture
• Mantelpiece- a structure of wood, marble, or stone above and around a fireplace.
• the thought was almost revolting- it was very hard for the author to believe
• Revolting – unpleasant
• Absurd – Illogical
• Undignified- disrespectful
• Fables- fictitious stories with a moral teaching
• Prophets- saints

The author discusses his grandmother. He'd known her for over a decade, and she'd always been old and wrinkled. He was told that she was once young and beautiful, and that she had a husband. His grandfather's portrait hung on the wall, depicting him in loose-fitting clothes, a turban, and a long, white beard that reached his chest. He also appeared to be very old, and the author assumed that he could have many grandchildren but no wife or children. The author could never have imagined that his grandmother was once young and attractive. He was unable to connect with this idea. She used to tell him and his cousins about her childhood memories, such as the games she used to play. They thought these stories were illogical and disrespectful because it was beyond their imagination to believe that grandmother was once a child who played such games. They assumed that her life stories were similar to the moral stories she used to tell them.

She had always been short and fat and slightly bent. Her face was a criss-cross of wrinkles running from everywhere to everywhere. No, we were certain she had always been as we had known her. Old, so terribly old that she could not have grown older, and had stayed at the same age for twenty years. She could never have been pretty; but she was always beautiful. She hobbled about the house in spotless white with one hand resting on her waist to balance her stoop and the other telling the beads of her rosary. Her silver locks were scattered untidily over her pale, puckered face, and her lips constantly moved in inaudible prayer. Yes, she was beautiful. She was like the winter landscape in the mountains, an expanse of pure white serenity breathing peace and contentment.

• Criss- cross – a pattern of intersecting straight lines
• Hobbled – walked in an awkward way
• spotless white – she wore clean, white coloured dresses
• Stoop – bend one’s body forward
• Rosary- a string of beads for keeping count of number of chants made of a religious prayer
• Locks- hair
• Scattered – disorganized
• Untidily – not neat
• Puckered – a face contract into wrinkles
• Inaudible- unable to be heard
• Serenity – the state of being peaceful and calm
• an expanse of pure white serenity – refers to the calm, relaxed and peaceful character of the author’s grandmother
• Contentment – a state of happiness and satisfaction

His grandmother was short, fat, with a slightly bent posture and a wrinkled face. She appeared to be very old, and she had remained the same for the past twenty years. She was beautiful but not pretty, according to the author. She walked around the house awkwardly, dressed in spotless white, with rosary beads hanging from one hand and the other hand resting on her back for support. She had silver-colored hair that was uncombed and disorganised. She was always reciting prayers. He compares her to the peaceful and calm winter landscape of the mountains. She was a living example of a pure, white, peace-emitting entity.

My grandmother and I were good friends. My parents left me with her when they went to live in the city and we were constantly together. She used to wake me up in the morning and get me ready for school. She said her morning prayer in a monotonous sing-song while she bathed and dressed me in the hope that I would listen and get to know it by heart; I listened because I loved her voice but never bothered to learn it. Then she would fetch my wooden slate which she had already washed and plastered with yellow chalk, a tiny earthen ink-pot and a red pen, tie them all in a bundle and hand it to me.

After a breakfast of a thick, stale chapatti with a little butter and sugar spread on it, we went to school. She carried several stale chapattis with her for the village dogs.

• Monotonous – dull and boring
• Bothered- to be concerned
• Fetch – go for and then bring back something for someone
• Slate- a flat plate of slate formerly used for writing on in schools
• Plastered- covered with a layer of plaster
• Earthen- made of baked or fired clay
• Stale-  no longer fresh and pleasant to eat; hard, musty, or dry.

In the village, the author shared a room with her. They were good friends. His parents abandoned him to live with her in the city. Every morning, the author's grandmother would wake him up and get him ready for school. She would recite her morning prayers while bathing and dressing him, and he loved her voice but would not try to remember a word she said. She would prepare his things, such as a wooden slate, a tiny earthen inkpot, and a red pen. He'd eat a thick stale chapatti spread with butter and sugar. They used to walk to school together, and his grandmother would bring stale chapattis to feed the village dogs.

My grandmother always went to school with me because the school was attached to the temple. The priest taught us the alphabet and morning prayer. While the children sat in rows on either side of the verandah singing the alphabet or the prayer in a chorus, my grandmother sat inside reading the scriptures. When we had both finished, we would walk back together. This time the village dogs would meet us at the temple door. They followed us to our home growling and fighting with each other for the chapattis we threw to them. When my parents were comfortably settled in the city, they sent for us.

That was a turning-point in our friendship. Although we shared the same room, my grandmother no longer came to school with me. I used to go to an English school in a motor bus. There were no dogs in the streets and she took to feeding sparrows in the courtyard of our city house.

• Scriptures – the sacred writings of a religion
• Growling – making a low guttural sound in the throat
• Courtyard- verandah

His grandmother would accompany him to school because the temple was attached to the school and she used to go there on a daily basis. On one side, he would sit with other children on the verandah and sing the alphabet and prayers in chorus. She, on the other hand, would go to the temple and read the scriptures. They would walk back home together after finishing.

The village dogs greeted them at the door. They would follow them home, growling and fighting over the stale chapatis she fed them. When his parents moved to the city, they contacted them. That was the turning point in his relationship with his grandmother. They shared a room, but she would no longer accompany him to his school. He began attending an English medium school, and a motor bus would come to pick him up and drop him off. There were no dogs in the streets for her to feed like there were in the village. As a result, she began feeding sparrows on their verandah.

As the years rolled by we saw less of each other. For some time she continued to wake me up and get me ready for school. When I came back she would ask me what the teacher had taught me. I would tell her English words and little things of western science and learning, the law of gravity, Archimedes’ Principle, the world being round, etc. This made her unhappy. She could not help me with my lessons. She did not believe in the things they taught at the English school and was distressed that there was no teaching about God and the scriptures. One day I announced that we were being given music lessons. She was very disturbed. To her music had lewd associations. It was the monopoly of harlots and beggars and not meant for gentlefolk. She said nothing but her silence meant disapproval.

She rarely talked to me after that.

• Years rolled by- time passed
• Distressed – suffer from extremely sorrow, anxiety or pain
• Lewd Association – Indecent or Obscene
• Harlots – Prostitutes
• Gentlefolk – People of noble birth

Their interaction steadily declined as the years passed in the city. For a while, she would wake him up and get him ready for school. She'd ask him what he'd learned that day at school. She was irritated by the scientific terminology and English words. She couldn't help him with the lessons because she didn't speak the language. This made her sad because his new school never taught him about God or religious scriptures. She was opposed to such an education. She was disturbed to learn that he was taking music lessons. Music, she said, was indecent, and it was an art for beggars and prostitutes, not for those from respectable families. She didn't like the fact that he was learning music, so she stopped talking to him.

When I went up to University, I was given a room of my own. The common link of friendship was snapped. My grandmother accepted her seclusion with resignation. She rarely left her spinning-wheel to talk to anyone. From sunrise to sunset she sat by her wheel spinning and reciting prayers. Only in the afternoon she relaxed for a while to feed the sparrows. While she sat in the verandah breaking the bread into little bits, hundreds of little birds collected round her creating a veritable bedlam of chirrupings. Some came and perched on her legs, others on her shoulders. Some even sat on her head. She smiled but never shooed them away. It used to be the happiest half-hour of the day for her.

• Snapped-  break suddenly and completely
• Seclusion – the state of being private and away from the people
• accepted her seclusion with resignation- the grandmother accepted a lonely life as she accepted the separation from her grandson without objection
• Spinning-wheel  – a household machine with a wheel attached to it for spinning yarn
• A veritable bedlam of chirrupings – refers to the noise and confusion caused by the chirrupings of the sparrows
• Veritable – use to describe something which is very interesting or unusual
• Bedlam – confusion
• Chirrupings – the noise of a small bird
• Perched – alight or rest on something
• Shooed – make a person or animal go away by shouting or saying ‘shoo’

When the author went to university, he had his own room. The common link of his friendship with his grandmother that they had when they shared the same room had now been broken, and thus his friendship with her had come to an end. She became more private, spending the entire day spinning the wheel. She would sit and silently recite her prayers from sunrise to sunset. She used to feed the sparrows on the verandah in the afternoon. She would feed hundreds of birds by breaking the bread into small pieces. The birds would gather around her, some on her legs, some on her shoulders, and a few on her head. She never pushed them away and always smiled. She was the happiest she had been all day in that half-hour.

When I decided to go abroad for further studies, I was sure my grandmother would be upset. I would be away for five years, and at her age one could never tell. But my grandmother could. She was not even sentimental. She came to leave me at the railway station but did not talk or show any emotion. Her lips moved in prayer, her mind was lost in prayer. Her fingers were busy telling the beads of her rosary. Silently she kissed my forehead, and when I left I cherished the moist imprint as perhaps the last sign of physical contact between us. But that was not so. After five years I came back home and was met by her at the station. She did not look a day older. She still had no time for words, and while she clasped me in her arms I could hear her reciting her prayers. Even on the first day of my arrival, her happiest moments were with her sparrows whom she fed longer and with frivolous rebukes.

• Sentimental – a feeling of nostaglia, sadness or tenderness; an emotional feeling
• Beads – a small piece of glass or stone threaded with others to make a rosary or necklace
• Cherished – hold something dear
• Moist- wet
• Imprint – impression or stamp
• Clasped – hold tightly
• Frivolous – not having any serious purpose, light-hearted
• Rebuke – disapproval of something or someone
• frivolous rebukes – light hearted scoldings

When the author decided to study abroad, he thought it would be the last time he saw her because he would be gone for five years. As they reached the station, she clutched him tightly and kissed his head. He assumed it was his final physical contact with her. He treasured the wet impression of her hand. She was not sentimental in the least. She came to meet him at the station when he returned after five years. She didn't look a day older than she did five years ago. She cradled him in her arms once more, reciting her prayers. On the first day of his arrival, he noticed that only sparrows made her happy.

In the evening a change came over her. She did not pray. She collected the women of the neighbourhood, got an old drum and started to sing. For several hours she thumped the sagging skins of the dilapidated drum and sang of the home-coming of warriors. We had to persuade her to stop to avoid overstraining. That was the first time since I had known her that she did not pray. The next morning she was taken ill. It was a mild fever and the doctor told us that it would go. But my grandmother thought differently. She told us that her end was near. She said that, since only a few hours before the close of the last chapter of her life she had omitted to pray, she was not going to waste any more time talking to us.

• Thumped- hit
• Sagging – sinking downwards
• Dilapidated – in a state of despair or ruin
• the sagging skins of the dilapidated drum- The loose surface of the worn out drum
• Persuade – to talk someone into doing something, requeste
• Overstraining- overdoing something
• Omitted – leave out or exclude something

She did not pray as she usually does one evening. She gathered a group of women from the neighbourhood, grabbed a drum, and began singing with them. She sang along as she thumped the shattered part of the drum. The entire family persuaded her to stop because she might become ill from exhaustion. She became ill the next morning. It was a low-grade fever. The doctors told them it would go away, but she didn't believe them. She predicted that she would die soon because her end was near. She began chanting prayers because she didn't want to waste her final hours talking to anyone.

We protested. But she ignored our protests. She lay peacefully in bed praying and telling her beads. Even before we could suspect, her lips stopped moving and the rosary fell from her lifeless fingers. A peaceful pallor spread on her face and we knew that she was dead.

• Protested – express an objection against something or someone
• Pallor – an unhealthy pale appearance

The family objected and tried to stop her, but she sat peacefully on her bed, chanting prayers and doing her beads. She came to a halt, and the rosary fell from her lifeless fingers. She died with a calm, pale expression on her face.

We lifted her off the bed and, as is customary, laid her on the ground and covered her with a red shroud. After a few hours of mourning we left her alone to make arrangements for her funeral. In the evening we went to her room with a crude stretcher to take her to be cremated. The sun was setting and had lit her room and verandah with a blaze of golden light. We stopped half-way in the courtyard.

All over the verandah and in her room right up to where she lay dead and stiff wrapped in the red shroud, thousands of sparrows sat scattered on the floor. There was no chirruping. We felt sorry for the birds and my mother fetched some bread for them. She broke it into little crumbs, the way my grandmother used to, and threw it to them. The sparrows took no notice of the bread. When we carried my grandmother’s corpse off, they flew away quietly. Next morning the sweeper swept the bread crumbs into the dustbin.

• Customary – traditional
• Crude – in a natural state, roughly made
• Cremated – dispose of or burn a body after it is dead
• Blaze – a very large burning fire
• Shroud – a piece of cloth used to wrap a dead person
• Corpse- dead body

Her family lifted her from her bed, placed her on the ground, and wrapped her in a red cloth. Thousands of sparrows sat quietly around her. The author's mother went out to get some bread for the birds, but they didn't eat any of it. Later, as the family carried the dead body, they flew away. The crumbs were picked up by the sweeper the next morning. The birds were extremely sensitive. They didn't want to eat bread because they were grieving the death of the one who had fed them for so long.

About the Author

Khushwant Singh (February 2, 1915 – March 20, 2014) was an Indian author, lawyer, diplomat, journalist, and politician. His experiences during India's 1947 partition inspired him to write Train to Pakistan in 1956 (which was adapted into a film in 1998), which became his most well-known novel.

Lesson-2

We’re Not Afraid to Die...If We Can All Be Together

By Gordon Cook and Alan East

We’re Not Afraid to Die... If We Can All Be Together Introduction

We are not Afraid to Die The story, written by Gordan Cook and Alan East, is about a 37-year-old businessman who serves as the narrator. He has a wife named Mary and two children, Jonathan, who is six, and Suzanne, who is seven. He and his wife both dream of sailing around the world on their ship, the 'Wave walker,' a 23-meter-long, 30-ton wooden-hulled replica of Captain James Cook's. In July 1976, the entire family sailed from Plymouth, England. The three-year journey began with a journey from Africa to Cape Town. It was enjoyable. Strong waves hit them as they were heading east with two newly hired crewmen, and their survival became a question. The story describes how they fought each day and made it to the end.

We’re Not Afraid to Die... If We Can All Be Together Summary

The narrator and his wife plan to sail around the world in the footsteps of famous Captain James Cook. For the past 16 years, they have been preparing and perfecting their seafaring skills. They are given the Wave Walker, a 23-meter-long wooden-hulled ship weighing 30 tonnes. For months, they put it through rigorous testing in poor weather. They all set out from Plymouth, England, in July 1976. They sailed from Africa to Cape Town, which was an enjoyable journey. Before heading east, the narrator hired two crewmen, Larry Vigil and Herb Seigler, to assist them in navigating one of the world's most treacherous seas – the Southern Indian Ocean.

During the second day, they are confronted with powerful and frightening waves. They all make it to 35,000 kilometres east of Cape Town by December 25. Despite the bad weather, the family manages to celebrate Christmas together. The weather changes for the worse, and on January 2, they are hit by big waves. They try to slow down the ship by dropping the storm jib and hitting a heavy mooring rope in a loop across the stern, but it doesn't help much. They carry their life-raft drill, attach lifelines, and put on life jackets and oilskins.

Later that evening, a vertical and massive wave strikes the ship, and the narrator is thrown overboard. He accepts his 'impending death' and begins to lose consciousness. When the ship is about to overturn, a massive wave hits it again and turns it around. He sustains rib and mouth injuries. He grabs the guard rail and sails into the main boom of the ship. As he realises the ship has water in the lower parts, he instructed his wife Mary to guard the wheel. His crewman begins pumping the water out. The narrator visits his children's cabin to see how they are. Sue, his daughter, informs him of a bump on her head, which he ignores because his main concern is saving the ship.

The narrator fills the gaping holes with water-proofing. This causes the water to deviate to the right. The hand pump becomes clogged due to debris, and the electric pump short-circuits. He later discovers a spare electric pump and connects it to drain the water. They all continue to pump water all night. Because they are in the most remote part of the world, their Mayday calls go unanswered. Sue, on the other hand, is suffering from a swollen black eye and a deep cut in her arm. When her father asks about her injuries, she tells him she didn't want him to be concerned because he was trying to save them. The situation is under control after 15 hours. The narrator decides to work in shifts and takes breaks. The water levels were kept under control, but the leaks were still present below the waterline. The ship is currently in poor condition. It is unable to reach Australia, so they decide to travel to the nearest island, lle Amsterdam, a French Scientific base. Because their supporting engines were also damaged, the ship's chances of reaching its destination are low.

They breathed a sigh of relief after pumping the water out continuously for 36 hours. Only a few centimetres of water remained in the boat to be pumped out. As the mainmast was destroyed, they hoisted the storm jib. They ate corned beef and crackers for the first time in two days. The weather quickly began to change, and by the morning of January 5, the black clouds had returned. His son, Jonathan, told him that as long as they were all together, he didn't fear death. This fueled his determination to fight the sea. The struggle continued, and the narrator did everything he could to protect the weakened starboard side. The same evening, the narrator and his wife sat together holding hands, convinced that their time was coming to an end. His children were always there for him, which gave him the moral support he needed to keep going. The Wavewalker sailed through the storm and arrived safely. The narrator then used the wind speed to calculate their exact location. Sue gave him a card she had made expressing her love and gratitude to the family while he was brainstorming.

He instructed Larry to steer the ship to 185 degrees. He told them that if they were lucky, they might be able to find an island by 5 p.m. He fell asleep and awoke around 6 p.m. He was disappointed because he thought they didn't make it. His son arrived and informed him of how they arrived at the lle Amsterdam Island, and he referred to him as "best daddy" and "best captain." They arrived on the island with little difficulty and with the assistance of locals. The entire team, including the family and two crew members, never gave up. Their perseverance and hard work eventually paid off.

We’re Not Afraid to Die... If We Can All Be Together Lesson Explanation

IN July 1976, my wife Mary, son Jonathan, 6, daughter Suzanne, 7, and I set sail from Plymouth, England, to duplicate the round-the-world voyage made 200 years earlier by Captain James Cook. For the longest time, Mary and I — a 37-year-old businessman — had dreamt of sailing in the wake of the famous explorer, and for the past 16 years, we had spent all our leisure time honing our seafaring skills in British waters. Our boat Wavewalker, a 23 meter, 30-ton wooden-hulled beauty, had been professionally built, and we had spent months fitting it out and testing it in the roughest weather we could find.

• Voyage – a long journey by sea or space
• Leisure – free time
• Honing – sharpen, improving
• Seafaring – regularly traveling by sea
• Honing our seafaring skills – improving the skills required to travel by sea
• Wooden-hulled – a watertight body of a ship

In July 1976, the narrator, a 37-year-old businessman, set sail on their ship with his wife Mary and two children, Jonathan (age 6) and Suzanne (age 7). They began in Plymouth, England. They wanted to complete the world's first round-the-world voyage, which was completed 200 years ago by the famous Captain James Cook. The narrator and his wife spent 16 years improving their sailing abilities. They hired a professional shipbuilder to construct the 'Wavewalker,' a 23-meter-long, 30-ton-heavy wooden-hulled vessel. It took them several months to put it through its paces in the toughest of conditions.

The first leg of our planned three-year, 105,000 kilometre journey passed pleasantly as we sailed down the west coast of Africa to Cape Town. There, before heading east, we took on two crewmen — American Larry Vigil and Swiss Herb Seigler — to help us tackle one of the world’s roughest seas, the southern Indian Ocean.

On our second day out of Cape Town, we began to encounter strong gales. For the next few weeks, they blew continuously. Gales did not worry me; but the size of the waves was alarming — up to 15 metres, as high as our main mast.

• Gales – A very strong wind
• Mast – a tall upright structure on a boat or ship

The first 105,000 kilometres of the three-year journey went perfectly. They sailed down Africa's west coast to Cape Town. Before heading east to tackle the roughest sea—the southern Indian Ocean—the narrator hired two crewmen. Larry Vigil, an American, and Herb Seigler, a Swiss, were their names. They encountered a strong wind on the second day in Cape Town, which lasted for several weeks. A strong wind was not a problem, but the narrator was concerned about 15-metre-high waves, which were the height of the mast.

December 25 found us 3,500 kilometres east of Cape Town. Despite atrocious weather, we had a wonderful holiday complete with a Christmas tree. New Year’s Day saw no improvement in the weather, but we reasoned that it had to change soon. And it did change — for the worse.
At dawn on January 2, the waves were gigantic. We were sailing with only a small storm jib and were still making eight knots. As the ship rose to the top of each wave we could see endless enormous seas rolling towards us, and the screaming of the wind and spray was painful to the ears. To slow the boat down, we dropped the storm jib and lashed a heavy mooring rope in a loop across the stern. Then we double-lashed everything, went through our life-raft drill, attached lifelines, donned oilskins and life jackets — and waited.

• Atrocious – bad; of a very poor quality
• Gigantic – huge; of a big size
• Jib – a triangular staysail set forward the mast in a ship
• Knots – a unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour, used especially of ships, aircraft, or winds
• Enormous – a very large size
• Lashed – to hit with a lot of force
• Mooring – the ropes, chains, or anchors by or to which a boat, ship, or buoy is moored
• Loop – a shape produced that bends round and crosses; bent
• Stern – the back part of a ship or a boat
• Donned – put on, wore
• Oilskins – heavy cotton cloth waterproofed with oil

They had travelled 3,500 kilometres east of Cape Town by December 25. Despite the bad weather, they spent Christmas together. The weather remained unchanged until New Year's Day, but they hoped it would change soon. The weather conditions worsened. The waves were huge in the early hours of January 2nd. They were sailing at eight knots with a small storm jib. They could see the vast sea in front of them as the ship sailed through the massive waves. The noise of the waves and strong winds hurt my ears. They dropped the storm jib to slow the ship down and hit a heavy mooring rope in a loop across the back of the ship. They slashed everything with double force. They put on their oilskins and life jackets, attached lifelines, and practised the life raft drills while waiting.

The first indication of impending disaster came at about 6 p.m., with an ominous silence. The wind dropped, and the sky immediately grew dark. Then came a growing roar, and an enormous cloud towered aft of the ship. With horror, I realised that it was not a cloud, but a wave like no other I had ever seen. It appeared perfectly vertical and almost twice the height of the other waves, with a frightful breaking crest.

• Impending – about to happen
• Ominous silence – unpleasant or threatening silence
• Aft – near the stern of the ship
• Frightful – very unpleasant or shocking
• Crest – reach the top of a wave

Around 6 p.m., an unsettling silence landed, foreshadowing a disaster that was about to happen. The wind dropped away, and the sky darkened with heavy clouds. A massive cloud was approaching the stern of the ship, but the narrator soon realised it was a massive wave. The wave was perfectly vertical and twice as tall as the previous waves they had seen, with the top of the wave looking unpleasant due to its height.

The roar increased to a thunder as the stern moved up the face of the wave, and for a moment I thought we might ride over it. But then a tremendous explosion shook the deck. A torrent of green and white water broke over the ship, my head smashed into the wheel and I was aware of flying overboard and sinking below the waves. I accepted my approaching death, and as I was losing consciousness, I felt quite peaceful.

• Tremendous – very great in amount
• Shook – past tense of shake (vibrate)
• Deck – a floor of a ship
• Torrent – a fast moving stream of water
• Smashed – shattered or violently broken

The thunder got stronger, and the waves pushed the stern up. They assumed it would cause no harm, but a massive explosion shook the deck. A powerful stream of green and white water washed over the ship. The narrator's head smashed into the ship's wheel, causing him to fly overboard and sink beneath the waves. He realised he was going to die and began to lose consciousness. He was in a pleasant spirit.

Unexpectedly, my head popped out of the water. A few metres away, Wavewalker was near capsizing, her masts almost horizontal. Then a wave hurled her upright, my lifeline jerked taut, I grabbed the guard rails and sailed through the air into Wavewalker’s main boom. Subsequent waves tossed me around the deck like a rag doll. My left ribs cracked; my mouth filled with blood and broken teeth. Somehow, I found the wheel, lined up the stern for the next wave and hung on.

Water, Water, Everywhere. I could feel that the ship had water below, but I dared not abandon the wheel to investigate. Suddenly, the front hatch was thrown open and Mary appeared. “We’re sinking!” she screamed. “The decks are smashed; we’re full of water.” “Take the wheel”, I shouted as I scrambled for the hatch.

• Capsizing – be overturned in the water
• Hurled – throw with a great force
• Taut – stretched or pulled tightly
• Boom – pole that controls the angle and shape of the sail
• Scrambled – climb; claw one’s way
• Hatch – door

The narrator's head popped up from the water. The ship was about to capsize when a wave turned her over. He stretched his lifeline jacket, grabbed the guard rails, and sailed to the ship's main pole. He was tossed around the deck by the waves. He was hurt because his left ribs were cracked, his mouth was bloody, and he had a broken tooth. He found the wheel, positioned the stern for the next wave, and waited. Water was all over the place. The narrator could feel water beneath the ship, but he can't leave the wheel. The front door opened, and his wife, Mary, ran in, screaming that they were sinking. 'The decks are smashed; we're full of water,' she said. The narrator handed her the wheel and climbed to the door.

Larry and Herb were pumping like madmen. Broken timbers hung at crazy angles, the whole starboard side bulged inwards; clothes, crockery, charts, tins and toys sloshed about in deep water. I half-swam, half-crawled into the children’s cabin. “Are you all right?” I asked. “Yes,” they answered from an upper bunk. “But my head hurts a bit,” said Sue, pointing to a big bump above her eyes. I had no time to worry about bumped heads. After finding a hammer, screws and canvas, I struggled back on deck. With the starboard side bashed open, we were taking water with each wave that broke over us. If I couldn’t make some repairs, we would surely sink.

• Timbers – wood board used in building of a ship
• Starboard – side of a ship which is on the right side when one is facing forward
• Bulged – swell
• Sloshed – move through liquid with a splashing sound.
• Bashed – strike hard; hit

Larry and Herb, the crew members, were pumping the water at rapid speed. The ship's timbers were broken and hanging dangerously. The ship's starboard side had sunk, and clothes, crockery, charts, tins, and toys were floating in the water. The narrator swam and crawled to the children's cabin and asked about their well-being. 'Yes,' the children said. Sue, his daughter, complained about a big bump on the back of her head. The narrator didn't pay much attention because his main concern was saving them. When the narrator found screws, a hammer, and canvas, he returned to the deck. The broken starboard side was allowing so much water in that if the narrator couldn't fix it, they'd all sink in the sea.

Somehow I managed to stretch canvas and secure waterproof hatch covers across the gaping holes. Some water continued to stream below, but most of it was now being deflected over the side.

More problems arose when our hand pumps started to block up with the debris floating around the cabins and the electric pump short-circuited. The water level rose threateningly. Back on deck I found that our two spare hand pumps had been wrenched overboard — along with the forestay sail, the jib, the dinghies and the main anchor.

Then I remembered we had another electric pump under the chartroom floor. I connected it to an out-pipe, and was thankful to find that it worked.

• Deflected: turned aside
• Canvas – a strong unbleached cloth
• Debris – rubbish
• Wrenched – pull suddenly, removed
• Forestay – a rope to support ship’s foremast
• Dinghies – a small boat for recreation with mast or sail

The narrator stretched the canvas cloth and secured the waterproof hatch over the gaping holes. Some water flowed below, while others were now deflected over the side. Because trash was floating around the cabins and entering the handpump, the electric pump short-circuited. As the water level rose, the narrator found two hand pumps removed, as well as a rope, jib, a small boat, and the main anchor. He found another electric pump beneath the chartroom. He connected it to an out pipe, and it began to work.

The night dragged on with an endless, bitterly cold routine of pumping, steering and working the radio. We were getting no replies to our Mayday calls — which was not surprising in this remote corner of the world.

Sue’s head had swollen alarmingly; she had two enormous black eyes, and now she showed us a deep cut on her arm. When I asked why she hadn’t made more of her injuries before this, she replied, “I didn’t want to worry you when you were trying to save us all.”

• Mayday calls –words used to signal ships stuck in a disastrous situation through radio

The entire night was spent pumping out the water, steering the wheel, and listening to the radio. Because they were in the most remote part of the world, there were no responses to their radio signals. Sue's head had swollen even more, and she had two back eyes as well as a deep cut in her arm. When asked why she hadn't told him about her injuries earlier, she explained that she didn't want to worry him because he was trying to save everyone.

By morning on January 3, the pumps had the water level sufficiently under control for us to take two hours’ rest in rotation. But we still had a tremendous leak somewhere below the waterline and, on checking, I found that nearly all the boat’s main rib frames were smashed down to the keel. In fact, there was nothing holding up a whole section of the starboard hull except a few cupboard partitions.

We had survived for 15 hours since the wave hit, but Wavewalker wouldn’t hold together long enough for us to reach Australia. I checked our charts and calculated that there were two small islands a few hundred kilometres to the east. One of them, Ile Amsterdam, was a French scientific base. Our only hope was to reach these pinpricks in the vast ocean. But unless the wind and seas abated so we could hoist sail, our chances would be slim indeed. The great wave had put our auxilliary engine out of action.

• Smashed – badly broken
• Keel – steel structure along the base of the ship
• Pinpricks – a prick caused by a pin
• Pinpricks in the vast ocean – the two small islands in the vast ocean were very tiny like the prick caused by a pin
• Abated – something unpleasant to become less intense
• Auxiliary engine – small secondary engine used to board ships to operate a windlass in the ship

By the morning of January 3, the water level had been brought under control, so they all took two hours of rest in rotation. However, there was still a leak somewhere below the waterline. Upon inspection, the boat's rib structure was severely weakened all the way to the ship's stern. A few cupboard partitions held the entire section of starboard together.

The ship's condition was such that it would not make it all the way to Australia. The narrator examined the charts and calculated that there were two small islands a few kilometres to the east, one of which was lle Amsterdam, a French Scientific base. Their only chance was to find and reach the island. But only if the wind and sea do not cause additional damage; otherwise, their chances were low. The ship's auxiliary engine had been destroyed by the wave.

On January 4, after 36 hours of continuous pumping, we reached the last few centimetres of water. Now, we had only to keep pace with the water still coming in. We could not set any sail on the main mast. Pressure on the rigging would simply pull the damaged section of the hull apart, so we hoisted the storm jib and headed for where I thought the two islands were. Mary found some corned beef and cracker biscuits, and we ate our first meal in almost two days.

But our respite was short-lived. At 4 p.m. black clouds began building up behind us; within the hour the wind was back to 40 knots and the seas were getting higher. The weather continued to deteriorate throughout the night, and by dawn on January 5, our situation was again desperate.

• Rigging – the ropes and wires supporting the structure of the ship
• Hull – the framework of the vessel
• Respite – a short period of rest
• Deteriorate – get worse

On January 4, after 36 hours of continuous pumping, there were only a few centimetres of water left to be pumped out. However, they still had to pump out the inflowing water. They were unable to set sail on the main mast. They raised the storm jib and set sail for the two small islands. They ate their first meal in two days, corned beef and cracker biscuits found by Mary.

The respite was short-lived, as dark clouds gathered around 4 p.m. The wind had increased to 40 knots, and the sea was rising. The weather worsened, and by the early morning of January 5, the situation had worsened.

When I went in to comfort the children, Jon asked, “Daddy, are we going to die?” I tried to assure him that we could make it. “But, Daddy,” he went on, “we aren’t afraid of dying if we can all be together — you and Mummy, Sue and I.”

I could find no words with which to respond, but I left the children’s cabin determined to fight the sea with everything I had. To protect the weakened starboard side, I decided to heave to — with the undamaged port hull facing the oncoming waves, using an improvised sea anchor of heavy nylon rope and two 22 litre plastic barrels of paraffin.

That evening, Mary and I sat together holding hands, as the motion of the ship brought more and more water in through the broken planks. We both felt the end was very near.

• Heave to – to raise or lift with effort
• Paraffin – colorless flammable oil liquid

When the narrator went to comfort his children, his son asked if they would die. He made an attempt to reassure him that they would make it. His son responded that they were not afraid to die as long as they were all together. This instilled in the narrator a desire to fight back. He worked hard to protect the starboard side, which was vulnerable. He made an improvised sea anchor out of heavy nylon rope and two 22-liter plastic kerosene barrels. That same evening, the narrator and his wife sat holding hands, believed that their time was coming to an end.

But Wavewalker rode out the storm and by the morning of January 6, with the wind easing, I tried to get a reading on the sextant. Back in the chartroom, I worked on wind speeds, changes of course, drift and current in an effort to calculate our position. The best I could determine was that we were somewhere in 150,000 kilometres of ocean looking for a 65 kilometre-wide island.

While I was thinking, Sue, moving painfully, joined me. The left side of her head was now very swollen and her blackened eyes narrowed to slits. She gave me a card she had made.

On the front she had drawn caricatures of Mary and me with the words: “Here are some funny people. Did they make you laugh? I laughed a lot as well.” Inside was a message: “Oh, how I love you both. So this card is to say thank you and let’s hope for the best.” Somehow we had to make it.

• Sextant – an instrument with graduated arc of 60 degrees for taking altitudes and navigation
• Caricatures – picture of a person; cartoon

The ship made it through the storm, and on January 6, the narrator tried to get a reading on the sextant. He calculated their position using wind speeds, drift, and current. They were looking for a 65-kilometer-wide island in a 150,000-kilometer-wide ocean. Sue, the narrator's daughter, joined him while he was still thinking, and she was in pain. Her left ear was swollen, and her blackened eyes had narrowed to slits. She presented him with a handmade card. On the front of the card was a cartoon image of her parents, along with words about how funny they were and how they made her laugh. On the inside of the card, she expressed her love for them both and thanked them. This made the narrator realise that they needed to get to the island as soon as possible.

I checked and rechecked my calculations. We had lost our main compass and I was using a spare which had not been corrected for magnetic variation. I made an allowance for this and another estimate of the influence of the westerly currents which flow through this part of the Indian Ocean.

About 2 p.m., I went on deck and asked Larry to steer a course of 185 degrees. If we were lucky, I told him with a conviction I did not feel, he could expect to see the island at about 5 p.m.

Then with a heavy heart, I went below, climbed on my bunk and amazingly, dozed off. When I woke it was 6 p.m. and growing dark. I knew we must have missed the island, and with the sail, we had left, we couldn’t hope to beat back into the westerly winds.

At that moment, a tousled head appeared by my bunk. “Can I have a hug?” Jonathan asked. Sue was right behind him.

• Tousled head – disarranged hair of the narrator’s son, Jonathan
• Bunk – bed
• Dozed off – went off to sleep

The narrator re-checked his calculations. They had lost their primary compass and were relying on a spare that had not been corrected for magnetic variations. He calculated the impact of the westerly currents that flow through the Indian Ocean. He went on deck around 2 p.m. and asked Larry to steer the wheel to 185 degrees. He believed that if they were lucky, they would arrive at the island by 5 p.m. Then he went downstairs to sleep. He awoke around 6 p.m., when it was dark outside. He suspected that they had missed the island. He began to worry about how they would deal with the westerly wind now that the ship couldn't sail any further. His son approached him and asked for a hug, and his daughter followed.

“Why am I getting a hug now?” I asked.
“Because you are the best daddy in the whole world — and the best captain,” my son replied.
“Not today, Jon, I’m afraid.”
“Why, you must be,” said Sue in a matter-of-fact voice. “You found the island.”
“What!” I shouted.
“It’s out there in front of us,” they chorused, “as big as a battleship.”

I rushed on deck and gazed with relief at the stark outline of Ile Amsterdam. It was only a bleak piece of volcanic rock, with little vegetation — the most beautiful island in the world!

• Bleak – an area of land lacking vegetation
• Stark – sharply defined

He asked as to why he was getting a hug. His son responded that he was the best father in the world, as well as the best captain. The narrator responded that he was terrified. Sue informed him that they had found the island, which was the size of a battleship.

The narrator ran to the deck, exhaling a sigh of relief. They could see the entire outline of Amsterdam. In front of them was a barren swath of volcanic rock. It had a small amount of vegetation. It was the world's most beautiful island.

We anchored offshore for the night, and the next morning all 28 inhabitants of the island cheered as they helped us ashore.
With land under my feet again, my thoughts were full of Larry and Herbie, cheerful and optimistic under the direst stress, and of Mary, who stayed at the wheel for all those crucial hours. Most of all, I thought of a seven-year-old girl, who did not want us to worry about a head injury (which subsequently took six minor operations to remove a recurring blood clot between skin and skull), and of a six-year-old boy who was not afraid to die.

• Anchored – moor a ship to the sea bottom
• Offshore – situated at the sea some distance from the shore
• Ashore – on the shore of the land
• Optimistic – hopeful and confident

They moored the ship some distance from the shore, and the next morning, 28 Amsterdam island inhabitants assisted them in moving onto the land's shore. As he felt the ground beneath his feet again, he remembered his crew and his wife. He also considered his seven-year-old daughter, who had been severely injured. Six minor operations were required to remove the blood clot in her brain. His son, who never gave up and was unafraid of dying.

About the Author

Gordon Cook (born December 3, 1978 in Toronto) is a two-time Olympic sailor from Canada. He is a member of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club. He is Stephen Cook's and Linda Cook's son. He, too, had a strong desire to write stories. Cook graduated from Queen's University's Engineering Physics programme. He met his 2008 Olympic teammate Ben Remocker at Queen's University, where they were both members of the university sailing team. Cook and Remocker were the first Canadians to sail a 49er in an Olympic regatta, finishing 14th in Beijing in 2008.

Alan was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in 2003 and has worked as a litigator, manager, and legal trainer. He co-founded and managed a niche legal practise specialising in Criminal Litigation and Prison Law in 2004, gaining increased audience rights in criminal proceedings and working as a Duty Solicitor. He joined the Crown Prosecution Service as a Senior Crown Prosecutor in 2007.

Lesson-3

Discovering Tut: the Saga Continues

By A.R.Williams

Discovering Tut: the Saga Continues Introduction

This chapter, written by A.R. Williams, is about Tutankhamun, the last heir of the powerful Pharaoh Dynasty, who died as a teenager after ruling for nine years. He died in a mysterious way, and this chapter sheds light on all of the possible mysteries – the curse, the place of his tomb, his life, and, ultimately, death. Egyptians believe that there is life after death, which is why the Pharaohs were buried with wealth and everyday items.

Discovering Tut: the Saga Continues Summary

Discovering Tut: The Saga Continues is a chapter that gives insight into the life of Tutankhamun, the last ruler of Egypt's powerful Pharaoh Dynasty. He was a teenager when he died, and the cause of his death was unknown. Some speculated that he was murdered. For centuries, he ruled Egypt and its empire. Howard Carter, a British archaeologist, discovered his tomb in 1922. He was taken from his resting place after 80 years to undergo a CT scan, which promises to solve the mystery of his life and death by creating a forensic reconstruction.

Amenhotep III, Tut's father or grandfather, was a powerful Pharaoh who ruled for forty years. His son, Amenhotep IV, succeeded him and began the strangest period in Egyptian history. He promoted Aten worship (the sun disk). He changed his name to Akhenaten, which means "servant of Atens." He also relocated the religious capital from Thebes to Akhenaten's new city of Amarna. He also attacked Amun, a god, smashing his images and closing his temples. He was succeeded by another mysterious ruler, who died soon after. Tutankhamun, also known as Tut, then ascended to the throne and ruled for nine years. He worshipped Amun in the traditional manner. He did, however, die mysteriously.

Tut's mummified body was discovered with a large amount of gold, wealth, and everyday items such as a bronze razor, games, clothes, and cases of food and wine. Carter discovered him after years of searching. He decided to investigate his three nested coffins after researching the treasures. Some of Tut's treasures in the tomb have already been looted. His tomb was 26 feet underground and rock-cut, with wall paintings. Tut's face was gilded on the outer coffin. He found garlands of olives, lotus petals, and cornflowers in the first coffin. It indicated that he was buried in March or April. Carter got into trouble with the third and final coffin. The resins used to cement Tut to the bottom of the solid gold coffin had hardened to the point where it could not be moved. He left the coffin in the sun for several hours in the hopes of loosening the resins, but it didn't work. Finally, he used a chisel and hammer to remove the resins.

Carter felt he had no choice because thieves would have looted the gold if he hadn't cut the mummy from head to toe. His men removed his head first, then cut off every joint. After removing the body parts, they placed them in a wooden box on a layer of sand and restored them to their original place. An anatomy professor X-rayed the mummy in 1968, revealing only a few facts – his breast bone and front ribs were missing. Tut was later taken for a CT (Computed Tomography) scan on January 5, 2009, which takes hundreds of X-Rays and creates a three-dimensional image. Workmen carried his body from the tomb in a box the night of the scan. They climbed a ramp and stairs before lifting it onto a hydraulic trailer containing the scanner. The procedure was halted when the scanner stopped working. The scan was finally completed after a pair of spare fans were used. After three hours, his body was taken back to his tomb, where he now rests in peace

Discovering Tut: the Saga Continues Lesson Explanation

He was just a teenager when he died. The last heir of a powerful family that had ruled Egypt and its empire for centuries, he was laid to rest laden with gold and eventually forgotten. Since the discovery of his tomb in 1922, the modern world has speculated about what happened to him, with murder being the most extreme possibility. Now, leaving his tomb for the first time in almost 80 years, Tut has undergone a CT scan that offers new clues about his life and death — and provides precise data for an accurate forensic reconstruction of the boyish pharaoh.

• Heir – Inheritor, successor
• Laden – loaded
• Speculated- form a theory without evidence
• Tomb- an enclosure to bury the dead
• Forensic Reconstruction – the process of recreating the face of an individual
• Pharaoh- a ruler in ancient Egypt

Tutankhamun, also known as Tut, died as a teenager. He was the last descendant of Egypt's powerful Pharaoh Dynasty, which ruled Egypt and its empire for centuries. He was laid to rest, his body heavily laden with gold. When his tomb was discovered in 1922, the world began to wonder what had happened to him and whether he had been murdered. His body was about to undergo a CT scan after nearly 80 years, which would provide new information and clues about his life and death. His face would be recreated using a technique known as forensic reconstruction.

AN angry wind stirred up ghostly dust devils as King Tut was taken from his resting place in the ancient Egyptian cemetery known as the Valley of the Kings*. Dark-bellied clouds had scudded across the desert sky all day and now were veiling the stars in casket grey. It was 6 p.m. on 5 January 2005. The world’s most famous mummy glided head first into a CT scanner brought here to probe the lingering medical mysteries of this little understood young ruler who died more than 3,300 years ago.

• Stirred – move or cause to move slightly
• Ghostly – eerie and unnatural; unreal
• Resting place- here, the grave
• Cemetery- a large burial ground
• Dark-bellied – dark in colour
• Scudded across – moving quickly; it refers to the movement of the dark-bellied clouds
• Veiling – to cover something
• Casket- a small ornamental box or chest for holding jewels, letters, or other valued objects.
• Casket grey – It means that the grey clouds were like a grey coloured casket which contained the stars. The stars are like jewels which are kept in a casket.
• Glided – quite, continuous motion
• Probe – to investigate, find out
• Lingering – long-lasting

As King Tut's body was being removed from his grave in the 'Valleys of the Kings,' an ancient Egyptian cemetery, a fast, strange, and unnatural wind blew (The location of the Valley of the KIngs is given in the image). Throughout the day, dark clouds moved quickly across the desert, eventually covering the stars. On January 5, 2005, at 6 p.m., King Tut's mummy, the world's most famous mummy, was placed in a CT scanner to investigate the mystery surrounding his death more than 3300 years ago.

All afternoon the usual line of tourists from around the world had descended into the cramped, rock-cut tomb some 26 feet underground to pay their respects. They gazed at the murals on the walls of the burial chamber and peered at Tut’s gilded face, the most striking feature of his mummy-shaped outer coffin lid. Some visitors read from guidebooks in a whisper. Others stood silently, perhaps pondering Tut’s untimely death in his late teens, or wondering with a shiver if the pharaoh’s curse — death or misfortune falling upon those who disturbed him — was really true.

• Descended – moved or gathered
• Cramped – very small to fit into
• Rock-cut – made in a rock by cutting it
• Gazed – to look in surprise or in admiration
• Murals – a painting or other artwork executed directly on the wall
• Gilded – covered with a thin sheet or coating of gold
• Striking- prominent
• Whisper- to speak in a low voice
• Pondering – think about something carefully

Tourists paid their respects to the king by visiting the underground rock-cut tomb, which was 26 feet deep. Many people crammed into the small tomb, admiring the murals on the chamber's walls and peering at Tut's gold-painted face. Some stood silently, wondering about his untimely death in his teen years, as visitors read the guidebooks in hushed tones. They may also be wondering if the pharaoh's curse, which causes misfortune to descend on those who disturb him, is true.

“The mummy is in very bad condition because of what Carter did in the 1920s,” said Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, as he leaned over the body for a long first look. Carter—Howard Carter, that is — was the British archaeologist who in 1922 discovered Tut’s tomb after years of futile searching. Its contents, though hastily ransacked in antiquity, were surprisingly complete. They remain the richest royal collection ever found and have become part of the pharaoh’s legend. Stunning artefacts in gold, their eternal brilliance meant to guarantee resurrection, caused a sensation at the time of the discovery — and still get the most attention. But Tut was also buried with everyday things he’d want in the afterlife: board games, a bronze razor, linen undergarments, cases of food and wine.

• Futile – pointless; incapable of producing the result of something
• Hastily – fast; swiftly
• Ransacked – raid; go through a place to steal or damage something
• Antiquity – age, oldness
• Resurrection – restoration to life
• Afterlife-  life after death, based on the belief that the essential part of an individual’s identity  continues to the next life after the death of the physical body

As Egypt's Secretary General, Zahi Hawass, leaned over the body to inspect it, he stated that the mummy was in very bad condition due to what British archaeologist Howard Carter did to it in the 1920s. After a long search, he discovered King Tut's tomb in 1922. Tut's valuable treasures had also been explored previously, but surprisingly, they were complete. The treasure found at Tut's tomb is the richest ever discovered and has become known as the Pharaoh's legend. It has gold artefacts that are eternally beautiful and as good as new. Such artefacts continue to grab people's interest. Tut was buried with items of daily use such as a bronze razor, games, linen undergarments, and boxes of food and wine that he could use in the afterlife.

After months of carefully recording the pharaoh’s funerary treasures, Carter began investigating his three nested coffins. Opening the first, he found a shroud adorned with garlands of willow and olive leaves, wild celery, lotus petals, and cornflowers, the faded evidence of a burial in March or April. When he finally reached the mummy, though, he ran into trouble. The ritual resins had hardened, cementing Tut to the bottom of his solid gold coffin. “No amount of legitimate force could move them,” Carter wrote later. “What was to be done?”

• Funerary Treasures – the valuable things with which the king was buried
  three nested coffin- three cofins placed one in another in order of decreasing size. The innermost coffin houses the body of the deceased.
• Shroud – a length of cloth in which a dead person is wrapped
• Adorned – decorated
• Garlands of willow – a wreath of flowers and leaves
• Mummy-  a body of a human being or animal that has been ceremonially preserved by removal of the internal organs, treatment with natron and resin, and wrapping in bandages.
• Ritual – here, the resins used in the ceremony of mummification
• Resins – a sticky flammable substance that is insoluble in water
• Legitimate – reasonable

Carter spent several months documenting the treasures found in Tut's tomb. Then he started looking into his three coffins, which were nested one inside the other. He found a piece of cloth with garlands of willow, olive leaves, wild celery, lotus petals, and cornflower in the first coffin, indicating that he was buried in March or April. He was in big trouble when he got to the third coffin. The body had hardened due to the resins that had cemented it, and it had stuck to the bottom of the gold-plated coffin. Carter was at a loss for what to do next because no amount of force could separate them.

The sun can beat down like a hammer this far south in Egypt, and Carter tried to use it to loosen the resins. For several hours he set the mummy outside in blazing sunshine that heated it to 149 degrees Fahrenheit. Nothing budged. He reported with scientific detachment that “the consolidated material had to be chiselled away from beneath the limbs and trunk before it was possible to raise the king’s remains.”

• Blazing – very hot
• Budged – moved or shifted; a slight movement
• Chiselled away – to cut something with a chisel

Carter tried to loosen the resins by exposing the body to direct sunlight. He kept the mummy in 149-degree heat for several hours, but it remained stuck. He claimed that a chisel could be used to cut the mummy from the limbs and trunk, allowing Tut's body to be taken out from the coffin.

In his defence, Carter really had little choice. If he hadn’t cut the mummy free, thieves most certainly would have circumvented the guards and ripped it apart to remove the gold. In Tut’s time the royals were fabulously wealthy, and they thought — or hoped — they could take their riches with them. For his journey to the great beyond, King Tut was lavished with glittering goods: precious collars, inlaid necklaces and bracelets, rings, amulets, a ceremonial apron, sandals, sheaths for his fingers and toes, and the now iconic inner coffin and mask — all of pure gold. To separate Tut from his adornments, Carter’s men removed the mummy’s head and severed nearly every major joint. Once they had finished, they reassembled the remains on a layer of sand in a wooden box with padding that concealed the damage, the bed where Tut now rests.

• Circumvented – find a way around; thieves would have found a way to tackle the guards and remove the gold from the tomb
• Inlaid – a decorative pattern on a surface
• Amulet – an ornament or small piece of jewellery thought to give protection against evil, danger, or disease.
• Apron – a protective garment worn over the front of one’s clothes and tied at the back.
• Sheaths – a close-fitting cover
• Iconic – something or someone who is a symbol or it represents some other thing
• Adornments – ornaments
• Concealed- hid

Carter stated that he had no choice but to cut the mummy. He was convinced that if he hadn't done so, thieves would have removed the gold from the tomb and looted it. The royal people were very wealthy during Tut's time, and they believed that after death, they could take their wealth with them. He was given precious collars, necklaces with decorative patterns, bracelets, rings, amulets, ceremonial aprons, sandals, sheaths for fingers and toes, and now, an iconic inner coffin and a mask for his life after death. His men removed his head as well as every joint in his body. After that, they reassembled the remains in a wooden box with padding and a layer of sand to hide the damage. It had become his new resting place.

Archaeology has changed substantially in the intervening decades, focusing less on treasure and more on the fascinating details of life and intriguing mysteries of death. It also uses more sophisticated tools, including medical technology. In 1968, more than 40 years after Carter’s discovery, an anatomy professor X-rayed the mummy and revealed a startling fact: beneath the resin that cakes his chest, his breast-bone and front ribs are missing.

• Intervening – occur in the time between events
• Intriguing – to arouse one’s curiosity
• Startling – unexpected or surprising

Archaeology has changed over the last few decades, with a greater emphasis on the finer details of life and the mysteries of death. Previously, it was all about focusing on the treasure. It now conducts research with more advanced medical technologies and tools. An anatomy professor X-rayed King Tut's mummy in 1968 and found that the front limbs and breast bone were missing.

Today diagnostic imaging can be done with computed tomography, or CT, by which hundreds of X-rays in cross section are put together like slices of bread to create a three-dimensional virtual body. What more would a CT scan reveal of Tut than the X-ray? And could it answer two of the biggest questions still lingering about him — how did he die, and how old was he at the time of his death?
King Tut’s demise was a big event, even by royal standards. He was the last of his family’s line, and his funeral was the death rattle of a dynasty. But the particulars of his passing aay and its aftermath are unclear.

• Computed Tomography – Also called a CT scan, it is a three-dimensional scan of a body with the help of hundreds of X-Rays in cross-section together
• Demise – death
• death rattle – the gurgling sound produced in the throat of a person who is about to die
• Aftermath – after-effects of an unpleasant event

With technological advancements, CT scans or Computed Tomography can now provide a virtual image of the entire body. This technology would be used to scan King Tut's body in order to answer two questions: how he died and how old he was at the time of his death. His death came as a surprise to the royals as well, as he was the last member of his family to die, and his funeral led to the end of his dynasty. What happened after his death, however, is still unknown.

Amenhotep III — Tut’s father or grandfather — was a powerful pharaoh who ruled for almost four decades at the height of the eighteenth dynasty’s golden age. His son Amenhotep IV succeeded him and initiated one of the strangest periods in the history of ancient Egypt. The new pharaoh promoted the worship of the Aten, the sun disk, changed his name to Akhenaten, or ‘servant of the Aten,’ and moved the religious capital from the old city of Thebes to the new city of Akhetaten, known now as Amarna. He further shocked the country by attacking Amun, a major god, smashing his images and closing his temples. “It must have been a horrific time,” said Ray Johnson, director of the University of Chicago’s research centre in Luxor, the site of ancient Thebes. “The family that had ruled for centuries was coming to an end, and then Akhenaten went a little wacky.”

• Wacky –amusing in a slightly odd way

 

Amenhotep III, Tut's father or grandfather, was a powerful Pharaoh who ruled for forty years. Amenhotep IV, his son, succeeded him and began the strangest period in Egyptian history. He promoted Aten worship (the sun disk). He changed his name to Akhenaten, which means "servant of Atens." He also relocated the religious capital from Thebes to Akhenaten's new city of Amarna. He also attacked Amun, a god, destroying his images and closing his temples. According to Ray Johnson, director of the University of Chicago, it must have been a difficult time for the empire as the family that had ruled for centuries came to an end and Akhenaten took an unexpected turn.

After Akhenaten’s death, a mysterious ruler named Smenkhkare appeared briefly and exited with hardly a trace. And then a very young Tutankhaten took the throne — King Tut as he’s widely known today. The boy king soon changed his name to Tutankhamun, ‘living image of Amun,’ and oversaw a restoration of the old ways. He reigned for about nine years — and then died unexpectedly.
Regardless of his fame and the speculations about his fate, Tut is one mummy among many in Egypt. How many? No one knows. The Egyptian Mummy Project, which began an inventory in late 2003, has recorded almost 600 so far and is still counting. The next phase: scanning the mummies with a portable CT machine donated by the National Geographic Society and Siemens, its manufacturer. King Tut is one of the first mummies to be scanned — in death, as in life, moving regally ahead of his countrymen.

Smenkhhare, another mysterious ruler, succeeded him and died soon after. Tutankhamun, also known as Tut, then ascended to the throne and ruled for nine years. He worshipped Amun in the traditional manner. He did, however, die mysteriously.

Tut is one of Egypt's mummies. Until now, nearly 600 mummies have been recorded with the help of the Egyptian Mummy Project, which began in 2003. The next phase of scanning the mummies with the machine donated by the National Geographic Society and Siemens began with King Tut's mummy being scanned by CT.

A CT machine scanned the mummy head to toe, creating 1,700 digital X-ray images in cross-section. Tut’s head, scanned in 0.62-millimetre slices to register its intricate structures, takes on eerie detail in the resulting image. With Tut’s entire body similarly recorded, a team of specialists in radiology, forensics, and anatomy began to probe the secrets that the winged goddesses of a gilded burial shrine protected for so long.

• Eerie detail – strange image of Tut’s head as visible with the help of CT scan
• Forensics – the application of the scientific method to investigate a crime
• Anatomy – the branch of science which deals with the bodily structure of humans, animals or other living beings
• Burial – burying the dead
• Shrine – holy place

The CT scanner scanned the body by producing 1700 digital X-ray cross-sections. Tut's head was scanned in 0.62 mm slices to capture the littlest of details. The resulting image was strange. A team of Radiology, Forensics, and Anatomy experts began investigating the secrets of the grave, which had been guarded for a long time by flying goddesses.

The night of the scan, workmen carried Tut from the tomb in his box. Like pallbearers they climbed a ramp and a flight of stairs into the swirling sand outside, then rose on a hydraulic lift into the trailer that held the scanner. Twenty minutes later two men emerged, sprinted for an office nearby, and returned with a pair of white plastic fans. The million-dollar scanner had quit because of sand in a cooler fan. “Curse of the pharaoh,” joked a guard nervously.

Eventually the substitute fans worked well enough to finish the procedure. After checking that no data had been lost, the technicians turned Tut over to the workmen, who carried him back to his tomb. Less than three hours after he was removed from his coffin, the pharaoh again rested in peace where the funerary priests had laid him so long ago.

• Pallbearers – a person who helps to escort a coffin at a funeral
• Swirling – to spin or twist
• Hydraulic lift – a lift that uses a machine to lift or move heavy objects with a pressure
• Sprinted – ran at a high speed

Throughout the night, workers climbed the ramp and the flight of stairs to carry the body from the tomb to the spinning sand outside. They hoisted the body onto a hydraulic lift, then into a trailer containing the scanner. After twenty minutes, two men dashed to a nearby office to bring two fans. The scanner was not working because sand had gotten into a cooler fan. The guard joked that it was because of the pharaoh's curse that they had removed his body.

The procedure was completed once the fans started working. The data was checked for errors, and the body was returned to the pallbearers, who carried him back to his tomb. He was resting in less than three hours at the same spot where the priests had laid him many years before.

Back in the trailer a technician pulled up astonishing images of Tut on a computer screen. A grey head took shape from a scattering of pixels, and the technician spun and tilted it in every direction. Neck vertebrae appeared as clearly as in an anatomy class. Other images revealed a hand, several views of the rib cage, and a transection of the skull. But for now the pressure was off. Sitting back in his chair, Zahi Hawass smiled, visibly relieved that nothing had gone seriously wrong. “I didn’t sleep last night, not for a second,” he said. “I was so worried. But now I think I will go and sleep.”

By the time we left the trailer, descending metal stairs to the sandy ground, the wind had stopped. The winter air lay cold and still, like death itself, in this valley of the departed. Just above the entrance to Tut’s tomb

• stood Orion — the constellation that the ancient Egyptians knew as the soul of Osiris, the
• god of the afterlife — watching over the boy king.
• Astonishing – amazing
• Pixels – a pixel is a single point in a graphic image
• Spun – to turn around
• Vertebrae – series of small bones which form a backbone

The technician in the trailer displayed a beautiful image of Tut on a computer screen. He showed the grey head, which was pixelated, and spun it around. The vertebrae, hand, rib cage, and transection of his skull were then displayed. As soon as the work was completed, Zahi Hawass's shoulders were relieved of the burden. He smiled and said, while sitting in his chair, that he was relieved that nothing went wrong. He hadn't slept the night before, and now that the work was done, he was going to sleep.

The wind had stopped away by the time they left the trailer, and the winter air was as death itself. The Orion constellation shone in the night sky just above the tomb, keeping watch over the boy king.

About the Author

A.R. Williams developed a love of reading at a young age, and when assigned to write their own works of fiction in fourth grade, it occurred to him that he, too, could craft tales for others to enjoy. Although A.R. did not immediately pursue this desire, he continued to have a voracious appetite for reading, from the amazing comics of Spider-Man, The X-Men, and Elf Quest to the fantasy stories of Weiss and Hickman in "Dragonlance." A.R. was writing more at this point, but he wasn't submitting his work to markets. A.R. entered the field in a serious attempt to become a published author with the advancement of the internet and the ability to find new markets from sites such as Ralan's and Duotrope's Digest.

Lesson-4

Landscape of the Soul

By Nathalie Trouveroy

Landscape of the Soul Introduction

Landscape of the Soul, the chapter, written by Nathalie Trouveroy, discusses how Chinese art differs from European art. To make a point, the author compares and contrasts two stories. European art is concerned with reproducing an actual view, whereas Chinese art is concerned with not creating a real landscape.

Landscape of the Soul Summary

By using two different stories, the author contrasts two types of art – Chinese art and European art – in this chapter. The Tang emperor Xuanzong of China commissioned a painter named Wu Daozi to decorate a wall in the palace during the eighth century. When the Emperor first saw the wall painting, he was drawn to its outer appearance, but the painter directed his attention to a cave at the foot of the mountain. The painter told the Emperor that he would accompany him inside. The painter entered the cave, and the entrance closed behind him. The painting on the wall, as well as the painter, vanished as soon as the painter clapped his hand.

In another story, a painter refused to draw a dragon's eye because he was afraid the dragon would fly out of the painting. A master blacksmith falls in love with the daughter of a painter in another story to represent a European art form. Because of his profession, his father disapproved of him. The blacksmith sneaked into his painter's studio and painted a fly on the latest panel. The fly appeared to be so real that the painter attempted to hit it before realising it was in the painting. He was accepted as a trainee in the painter's studio. The blacksmith married the painter's daughter and went on to become one of the most well-known painters of his time.

These stories revealed how art is believed to be practised in two different parts of the world. In Europe, an artist wants the viewer to see the world through his eyes. The art must be perfect and resemble an illusion. In China, however, the artist does not paint a real one, but instead uses his inner and spiritual voice to create an abstract piece. The viewer can enter the painting from any point and travel as far as his imagination will take him. The artist wants for the viewer to enter his mind and create their own path. This is known as 'Shanshui,' which translates to'mountain water.' When they are combined, they form the word 'landscape.'

Landscape of the Soul Lesson Explanation

A WONDERFUL old tale is told about the painter Wu Daozi, who lived in the eighth century. His last painting was a landscape commissioned by the Tang Emperor Xuanzong, to decorate a palace wall. The master had hidden his work behind a screen, so only the Emperor would see it.
For a long while, the Emperor admired the wonderful scene, discovering forests, high mountains, waterfalls, clouds floating in an immense sky, men on hilly paths, birds in flight. “Look, Sire”, said the painter, “in this cave, at the foot of the mountain, dwells a spirit.”
The painter clapped his hands, and the entrance to the cave opened. “The inside is splendid, beyond anything words can convey. Please let me show Your Majesty the way.” The painter entered the cave; but the entrance closed behind him, and before the astonished Emperor could move or utter a word, the painting had vanished from the wall. Not a trace of Wu Daozi’s brush was left — and the artist was never seen again in this world.

• Dwells – live; stay
• Splendid – very impressive; superb
• Astonished – greatly surprised or impressed

Tang Emperor Xuanzong appointed a painter named Wu Daozi from the eighth century to decorate a Palace wall. It was his final work. The painter hidden his work behind a screen so that only the emperor could see it. The Emperor admired many aspects of the painting, including the discovery of forests, high mountains, waterfalls, floating clouds, men on hilly paths, and birds in flight. The painter then made him look at a cave at the bottom of the mountain in the painting and compare it to a living spirit. The entrance to the cave opened as the painter clapped his hands, and he told the emperor how beautiful the inside of the cave was, and he asked him to show it to him. The painter entered the cave, and the entrance closed behind him. The Emperor was unable to enter the cave because the painting had vanished from the wall. The painter was never seen again after that.

Such stories played an important part in China’s classical education. The books of Confucius and Zhuangzi are full of them; they helped the master to guide his disciple in the right direction. Beyond the anecdote, they are deeply revealing of the spirit in which art was considered. Contrast this story — or another famous one about a painter who wouldn’t draw the eye of a dragon he had painted, for fear it would fly out of the painting — with an old story from my native Flanders that I find most representative of Western painting.

• Disciple – a follower or a pupil of a leader, teacher
• Anecdote – a short interesting story of a real person
• Flanders – a medieval country in Western Europe

These stories played an important role in Chinese classical education. Similarly, the books of Confucius and Zhuangzi are full of such stories, which aid the master in guiding and assisting his followers. These stories, like the art, were thought to be deeply revealing of the spirit. In contrast to the previous story, there was another famous story about a painter who refused to paint a dragon's eye. He was afraid the dragon would fly out of the painting. It was one of many stories that came from a mediaeval country in Western Europe.

In fifteenth-century Antwerp, a master blacksmith called Quinten Metsys fell in love with a painter’s daughter. The father would not accept a son-in-law in such a profession. So Quinten sneaked into the painter’s studio and painted a fly on his latest panel, with such delicate realism that the master tried to swat it away before he realised what had happened. Quinten was immediately admitted as an apprentice into his studio. He married his beloved and went on to become one of the most famous painters of his age. These two stories illustrate what each form of art is trying to achieve: a perfect, illusionistic likeness in Europe, the essence of inner life and spirit in Asia.

• Antwerp – a city of northern Belgium
• Delicate Realism – the quality of art that makes it seem real
• Swat – hit or crush something
• Apprentice – trainee; learner
• Illusionistic Likeness – an illusion created which resembles something

Quinten Metsys, a master blacksmith in Antwerp during the fifteenth century, falls in love with a painter's daughter. Because the father was not accepting of their relationship due to his profession, the blacksmith sneaked into the painter's studio and painted a fly on his most recent panel. The painting was so lifelike that the master tried to hit the fly away before realising it was only a painting. The blacksmith was accepted as a trainee at the studio. He married the painter's daughter and went on to become one of the most famous painters of his generation. The two stories told above attempt to depict the form of art in two distinct regions. In Europe, art is perfect and resembles something; in Asia, art conveys the essence of one's inner life and spirit.

In the Chinese story, the Emperor commissions a painting and appreciates its outer appearance. But the artist reveals to him the true meaning of his work. The Emperor may rule over the territory he has conquered, but only the artist knows the way within. “Let me show the Way”, the ‘Dao’, a word that means both the path or the method, and the mysterious works of the Universe. The painting is gone, but the artist has reached his goal — beyond any material appearance.

As in the Chinese story, the artist reveals the true meaning of his work to the Emperor, who rules over his territory but is unaware of the path within. The Emperor only saw the painting's outer appearance. The artist created a work that was mysterious and 'Dao,' which means something that has both paths. As soon as the artist arrived at the caves, the painting vanished, proving that some work is more than actually meet the soul.

A classical Chinese landscape is not meant to reproduce an actual view, as would a Western figurative painting. Whereas the European painter wants you to borrow his eyes and look at a particular landscape exactly as he saw it, from a specific angle, the Chinese painter does not choose a single viewpoint. His landscape is not a ‘real’ one, and you can enter it from any point, then travel in it; the artist creates a path for your eyes to travel up and down, then back again, in a leisurely movement. This is even more true in the case of the horizontal scroll, in which the action of slowly opening one section of the painting, then rolling it up to move on to the other, adds a dimension of time which is unknown in any other form of painting. It also requires the active participation of the viewer, who decides at what pace he will travel through the painting — a participation which is physical as well as mental. The Chinese painter does not want you to borrow his eyes; he wants you to enter his mind.

The landscape is an inner one, a spiritual and conceptual space.

• Figurative painting – metaphoric representation of an art
• Leisurely – unhurried or relaxed
• Conceptual Space – relation with an abstract representation

The Chinese landscape painting is a representation of the artist's thoughts rather than a representation of a real viewpoint. Western painting is a figurative art form in Europe. The European painter paints a landscape to depict a specific scene in the landscape, whereas the Chinese painter does not select a specific viewpoint. You can enter the painting at any point and travel as far as your thoughts and imagination will take you. The Chinese artist wishes for you to travel by creating your own path and then emerge in a relaxed manner. This method of viewing a painting is more enjoyable in China. A horizontal scroll is a type of painting in which one section of the painting is opened one at a time by rolling it up to move to the other side. It adds a dimension that is not found in any other form of art. It necessitates the viewer's mental and physical participation. The Chinese painter wishes for you to enter his mind and see the painting through his eyes. Chinese artists' landscapes are spiritual, inner, and conceptual or abstract in nature.

This concept is expressed as shanshui, literally ‘mountain water which used together represent the word ‘landscape’. More than two elements of an image, these represent two complementary poles, reflecting the Daoist view of the universe. The mountain is Yang — reaching vertically towards Heaven, stable, warm, and dry in the sun, while the water is Yin — horizontal and resting on the earth, fluid, moist and cool. The interaction of Yin, the receptive, feminine aspect of universal energy, and its counterpart Yang, active and masculine, is of course a fundamental notion of Daoism.

What is often overlooked is an essential third element, the Middle Void where their interaction takes place. This can be compared with the yogic practice of pranayama; breathe in, retain, breathe out — the suspension of breath is the Void where meditation occurs. The Middle Void is essential — nothing can happen without it; hence the importance of the white, unpainted space in Chinese landscape.

• Daoism – a Chinese philosophy based on the writings of Lao-Tzu
• Void – empty; vacant

The Chinese concept of art is also known as 'Shanshui,' which translates as mountain water. It is used in combination to represent the word 'landscape.' The Daoist viewpoint is reflected in an image's two complementary poles. Yang, the mountain in the landscape, means to reach vertically towards heaven, to be stable, warm, and dry in the sun. Water, on the other hand, represents Yin, the receptive and feminine aspect of universal energy. Yang is active and masculine, and it is the opposite of Yin. There is a third essential element, a Middle Void, which is where they interact. This middle void is comparable to Pranayama, which means to breathe in, retain, and exhale. The void in this meditation process is represented by the suspension of the breath. It is a necessary component because without it, nothing can happen. As a result, the white unpainted space in Chinese landscapes is just as important.

This is also where Man finds a fundamental role. In that space between Heaven and Earth, he becomes the conduit of communication between both poles of the Universe. His presence is essential, even if it’s only suggested; far from being lost or oppressed by the lofty peaks, he is, in Francois Cheng’s wonderful expression, “the eye of the landscape”.

• Conduit – channel; tube
• Oppressed – burdened; worried
• Lofty – tall or high

A man's important role is found in the middle void. Man acts as a channel of communication between the universe's two poles, Heaven and Earth. The presence of man is required. It is not being lost or suppressed as a result of high peaks, but he is the landscape's eye (Francois Cheng's expression).

About the Author

Nathalie Trouveroy is a cultural historian. She was born on the 2nd of February, 1975. She is the wife of a Belgian ambassador in India, and she has travelled extensively with her husband. She and her friend Agnes Montanari recently illustrated William Dalrymple's masterpiece, 'City of Djinns.'

Lesson-5

The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement’s Role

By Nani Palkhivala

The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement’s Role Introduction

This chapter focuses on the factors that are causing the earth's health to deteriorate. The chapter began as an article written by Nani Palkhivala and published on November 23, 1994, in the newspaper 'The Indian Express.' The author discusses the Green Movement, as well as how a zoo in Zambia declared humans to be the "world's most dangerous animals." The author also discusses overpopulation, deforestation, and our responsibilities to the environment.

The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement’s Role Summary

In this chapter, the author brings up the issue of the earth's deteriorating health. Humans have been exploiting natural resources for decades, and the current situation has made the environment critical. The Green Movement assisted environmentalists in raising awareness about the earth's harmful condition in 1972, and there has been no looking back since as the movement has successfully educated people about environmental conservation. Earth is like a patient whose health is deteriorating, and it is our responsibility to improve it. The World Commission on Environment and Development coined the term "Sustainable Development" in 1987. A zoo in Lukasa, Zambia, has a cage labelled 'The World's Most Dangerous Animal,' with a mirror inside. It sends the message that humans are the most dangerous animals on the planet. "Are we to leave our successors a scorched planet of advancing deserts, impoverished landscapes, and ailing environment?" asked the Brandt Commission.

Fisheries, grasslands, forests, and croplands are the four major biological systems that form the foundation of the global economic system. Except for minerals and synthetics, these four systems also provide food and raw materials to industries. Fisheries will collapse as these systems become unsustainable, the forest will slowly disappear, grasslands will become a barren wasteland, and croplands will deteriorate. Forests are being cut down in poor countries for fuelwood, which is used for cooking. In some areas, the cost of fuelwood is higher than the cost of food. It is causing an alarming rate of deforestation.

The increasing population is one of the causes of environmental exploitation. Every four days, approximately one million people are added to the population. This is not a good sign. The world urgently needs to control overpopulation. Development is the most effective contraceptive for this problem because it reduces fertility, increases education and income, and improves health. We must see the world as a whole, rather than as separate parts. It is a comprehensive and ecological viewpoint. Lester Brown says that we did not inherit the earth from our forefathers, but rather borrowed it from future generations.

The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement’s Role Lesson Explanation

The following article was written by Nani Palkhivala and published in The Indian Express on 24 November 1994. The issues that he raised regarding the declining health of the earth continue to have relevance.

ONE cannot recall any movement in world history which has gripped the imagination of the entire human race so completely and so rapidly as the Green Movement which started nearly twenty-five years ago. In 1972 the world’s first nationwide Green party was founded in New Zealand. Since then, the movement has not looked back.

• Gripped – clutch; hold
• Green Movement – It is a movement which stresses people to follow environmentally friendly practices.

The chapter 'The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement's Role' was written by Nani Palkhivala and published in the newspaper 'The Indian Express' on November 24, 1994. He wrote about the Earth's deteriorating health.

In world history, the Green Movement, which began nearly twenty-five years ago in 1994, spread so quickly. In 1972, New Zealand established the world's first nationwide Green party.

We have shifted — one hopes, irrevocably — from the mechanistic view to a holistic and ecological view of the world. It is a shift in human perceptions as revolutionary as that introduced by Copernicus who taught mankind in the sixteenth century that the earth and the other planets revolved around the sun. For the first time in human history, there is a growing worldwide consciousness that the earth itself is a living organism — an enormous being of which we are parts. It has its own metabolic needs and vital processes which need to be respected and preserved.

• Irrevocably – in a way that cannot be changed or reversed
• Holistic and Ecological View – It means a view for the preservation of the environment. It also refers to the understanding of importance of earth’s resources for the use of future generations
• Revolutionary – evolving a complete change
• Metabolic needs – needs of a living organism that enables them to have a chemical process that causes food to be used for growth and energy

Our perspectives have shifted from seeing the earth and its resources as irreversible to the total opposite. We now recognise that our resources must converse for future generations. Copernicus taught mankind how the earth and other planets revolve around the sun, which resulted in a complete shift in human perception. The earth is now viewed as a living organism, of which we are a part. Humans must respect and preserve the Earth's metabolism and vital needs.

The earth’s vital signs reveal a patient in declining health. We have begun to realise our ethical obligations to be good stewards of the planet and responsible trustees of the legacy to future generations.
The concept of sustainable development was popularised in 1987 by the World Commission on Environment and Development. In its report it defined the idea as “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs”, i.e., without stripping the natural world of resources future generations would need.

• Ethical Obligation – when someone is required to do something based on a righteous standard of rules
• Stewards – manage or to look after
• Sustainable Development – economic development without depletion of natural resources

Earth is now like a sick patient whose condition is deteriorating. We, as humans, are now realising that it is our responsibility to be good planet managers and responsible trustees of the environment in order to leave a legacy to future generations. The World Commission on Environment and Development popularised the term "sustainable development" in 1987. According to the reports, sustainable development is defined as "development that meets the needs of the current generation without wasting or compromising natural resources in order for future generations to meet their needs."

In the zoo at Lusaka, Zambia, there is a cage where the notice reads, ‘The world’s most dangerous animal’. Inside the cage there is no animal but a mirror where you see yourself. Thanks to the efforts of a number of agencies in different countries, a new awareness has now dawned upon the most dangerous animal in the world. He has realised the wisdom of shifting from a system based on domination to one based on partnership.

Scientists have catalogued about 1.4 million living species with which mankind shares the earth. Estimates vary widely as regards the still-uncatalogued living species — biologists reckon that about three to a hundred million other living species still languish unnamed in ignominious darkness.

• Dawned – begin
• Catalogued – classify; characterise
• Reckon – calculate
• Languish – lose or lack of vitality of a person or plant or animal; grow weak
• Ignominious darkness – disgraced as no one has knowledge about them

A notice in a cage in a zoo in Lusaka, Zambia reads, 'The world's most dangerous animal,' and inside the cage is a mirror depicting humans as the world's most dangerous animals. Humans are now regarded as the most dangerous animals in the world, thanks to the efforts of new organisations around the world. They have recognised the significance of transitioning to a new partnership-based system. According to scientific classification, humans coexist with approximately 1.4 million other living species on the planet. According to biologists, there are millions of other species that have yet to be classified due to their weakness or a lack of knowledge about them.

One of the early international commissions which dealt, inter alia, with the question of ecology and environment was the Brandt Commission which had a distinguished Indian as one of its members — Mr

L.K. Jha. The First Brandt Report raised the question — “Are we to leave our successors a scorched planet of advancing deserts, impoverished landscapes and ailing environment?”

• Inter Alia – among other things
• Scorched – burn the surface with heat of fire
• Impoverished – made poor
• Ailing – in poor health

The Brandt Commission was one of the first international commissions to address issues of ecology and the environment. Mr. L.K. Jha, an Indian citizen, was appointed as one of their commission members. Its first report posed the question, "Are we going to leave a burned planet with aided deserts, poor landscapes, and a poor environment for our future generations?"

Mr. Lester R. Brown in his thoughtful book, The Global Economic Prospect, points out that the earth’s principal biological systems are four — fisheries, forests, grasslands, and croplands — and they form the foundation of the global economic system. In addition to supplying our food, these four systems provide virtually all the raw materials for industry except minerals and petroleum-derived synthetics. In large areas of the world, human claims on these systems are reaching an unsustainable level, a point where their productivity is being impaired. When this happens, fisheries collapse, forests disappear, grasslands are converted into barren wastelands, and croplands deteriorate. In a protein-conscious and protein hungry world, over-fishing is common every day. In poor countries, local forests are being decimated in order to procure firewood for cooking. In some places, firewood has become so expensive that “what goes under the pot now costs more than what goes inside it”. Since the tropical forest is, in the words of Dr Myers, “the powerhouse of evolution”, several species of life face extinction as a result of its destruction.

• Synthetics – artificial substance
• Impaired – weakened or damaged
• Barren wastelands – barely inhabitable piece of land
• Deteriorate – become progressively worse; decline
• Decimated – to reduce in number
• Procure – obtain with care or effort

According to Leslie R. Brown's book 'The Global Economic Prospect,' there are four major biological systems that form the foundation of the global economic system: fisheries, grasslands, forests, and croplands. Except for minerals and synthetics, these four systems provide food and raw materials for industry. These systems have reached an unsustainable point, and their productivity has suffered as a result. Fisheries will collapse, the forest will gradually disappear, grasslands will become barren wastelands, and croplands will deteriorate. Overfishing is becoming more common as people become more protein-conscious. Forests are being cut down on a large scale in poor countries to provide wood for cooking. In some places, firewood is more expensive than food. Many species are under destruction in tropical forests.

It has been well said that forests precede mankind; deserts follow. The world’s ancient patrimony of tropical forests is now eroding at the rate of forty to fifty million acres a year, and the growing use of dung for burning deprives the soil of an important natural fertiliser. The World Bank estimates that a five-fold increase in the rate of forest planting is needed to cope with the expected fuelwood demand in the year 2000.

James Speth, the President of the World Resources Institute, said the other day, “We were saying that we are losing the forests at an acre a second, but it is much closer to an acre-and-a-half to a second”.

• Precede – come before in order or position
• Patrimony – property inherited from father or ancestor
• Deprives – prevent a person from using something

In comparison to humans, forests and deserts come first. The ancient legacy of tropical forests is eroding at a rate of forty to fifty million acres per year. Furthermore, the burning of dung prevents the soil from becoming natural fertiliser. To meet the demand for fuelwood, the rate of forest plantation must be increased by fivefold by 2020. According to James Speth, President of the World Resources Institute, we are losing forests at a rate of about an acre and a half per second.

Article 48A of the Constitution of India provides that “the State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country”. But what causes endless anguish is the fact that laws are never respected nor enforced in India. (For instance, the Constitution says that casteism, untouchability and bonded labour shall be abolished, but they flourish shamelessly even after forty-four years of the operation of the Constitution.) A recent report of our Parliament’s Estimates Committee has highlighted the near catastrophic depletion of India’s forests over the last four decades. India, according to reliable data, is losing its forests at the rate of 3.7 million acres a year. Large areas, officially designated as forest land, “are already virtually treeless”. The actual loss of forests is estimated to be about eight times the rate indicated by government statistics.

• Endeavor – trying hard to achieve something
• Anguish – pain; suffering
• Casteism – discrimination on the grounds of caste
• Catastrophic Depletion – a harmful reduction in a number of something

According to Article 48A of the Indian Constitution, the state must try to protect and improve the environment, as well as protect the country's forest and wildlife. However, the painful reality is that laws, such as casteism, untouchability, and bonded labour, are not followed in India. They've been abolished, but they're still being shamelessly followed. According to a report by Parliament's Estimates Committee, India has lost 3.7 million acres of forest per year over the last four decades. A large area of forestland is now absence of trees, and the actual loss is estimated to be eight times that of government statistics.

A three-year study using satellites and aerial photography conducted by the United Nations, warns that the environment has deteriorated so badly that it is ‘critical’ in many of the eighty-eight countries investigated.

There can be no doubt that the growth of world population is one of the strongest factors distorting the future of human society. It took mankind more than a million years to reach the first billion. That was the world population around the year 1800. By the year 1900, a second billion was added, and the twentieth century has added another 3.7 billion. The present world population is estimated at 5.7 billion. Every four days the world population increases by one million.

• Distorting – deform; disfigure

According to a three-year study conducted by the United Nations using satellites and aerial photography, our environment has deteriorated to the point where it has reached critical position in 88 countries. One of the most powerful reasons for the distortion of humanity's future is the rapid growth of the world population. When it took more than a million years to reach the first billion people, the population increased by the next billion in the next 100 years. The population peaked at 3.7 billion in the twentieth century, and it now stands at 5.7 billion. At the moment, the population is growing by one million every four days.

Fertility falls as incomes rise, education spreads, and health improves. Thus development is the best contraceptive. But development itself may not be possible if the present increase in numbers continues.
The rich get richer, and the poor beget children which condemns them to remain poor. More children does not mean more workers, merely more people without work. It is not suggested that human beings be treated like cattle and compulsorily sterilised. But there is no alternative to voluntary family planning without introducing an element of coercion. The choice is really between control of population and perpetuation of poverty.

• Beget – give life to
• Condemns – find guilty of something
• Sterilised – make free from bacteria or other micro organisms
• Voluntary – done or given of one’s free will
• Coercion – force
• Perpetuation – keep going

Development is the most effective way to combat overpopulation. It can aid in the reduction of fertility, the increase of income, the spread of more education, and the improvement of health. However, if the population continues to grow, it may be difficult to achieve any kind of development. As the rich get richer, the poor have children who are destined to be poorer. More population means more unemployment. Humans should not be treated in the same way that cattle are sterilised by force. However, in order to control the population, some form of force must be used in family planning. Humans must now choose between population control and poverty alleviation.

The population of India is estimated to be 920 million today — more than the entire populations of Africa and South America put together. No one familiar with the conditions in India would doubt that the hope of the people would die in their hungry hutments unless population control is given topmost priority.

For the first time in human history we see a transcending concern — the survival not just of the people but of the planet. We have begun to take a holistic view of the very basis of our existence. The environmental problem does not necessarily signal our demise, it is our passport for the future. The emerging new world vision has ushered in the Era of Responsibility. It is a holistic view, an ecological view, seeing the world as an integrated whole rather than a dissociated collection of parts.

• Hutments – collection of huts
• Transcending Concern – a concern that existed for a very long time and has passed down from one generation to another
• Demise – death
• Ushered – guide someone somewhere

India has a population of 920 million people, which is larger than the combined populations of Africa and South America. If the population is not controlled, the majority of the people will die in their huts, with only a chance of survival. However, as time passes, people are becoming concerned about the planet's survival. We have now begun to see our existence from a broader perspective. Solving environmental problems is a passport to the future, not a remark of our death. We should see the world as a whole, not as individual parts.

Industry has a most crucial role to play in this new Era of Responsibility. What a transformation would be affected if more businessmen shared the view of the Chairman of Du Pont, Mr Edgar S. Woolard who, five years ago, declared himself to be the Company’s “Chief Environmental Officer”. He said, “Our continued existence as a leading manufacturer requires that we excel in environmental performance.”

Of all the statements made by Margaret Thatcher during the years of her Prime Ministership, none has passed so decisively into the current coin of English usage as her felicitous words: “No generation has a freehold on this earth. All we have is a life tenancy — with a full repairing lease”. In the words of Mr. Lester Brown, “We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children.”

• Decisively – clear and definitive
• Felicitous – well-chosen
• Freehold – permanent tenure of land or property
• Tenancy – possession of the land

In this day and age of environmental responsibility, industry plays a critical role. Mr. Woolard, Chairman of Du Pont, declared himself "Chief Environmental Officer," and such attitude in other businessmen can have a significant impact on the transformation.

When Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister, she made a well-chosen statement: "No human on this planet has a permanent tenure; we all have life possession and a full repairing lease." We have borrowed the earth from our children, according to Mr. Lester Brown.

About the Author

Nanabhoy Ardeshir Palkhivala was born in Bombay in 1920. Palkhivala received a master's degree in English from St Xaviers' College. He received his law degree from the Government Law College in Bombay. Palkhivala began practising law in Bombay in 1946. His initial background was in commercial and tax law. In 1950, he co-wrote the influential The Law and Practice of Income Tax with Sir Jamhedji, which is still used as a reference guide today. The IMF also used the book as a draft guide for tax laws.

Lesson-6

The Browning Version

By Terence Rattigan

The Browning Version Introduction

This chapter is a brief excerpt from Terence Rattigan's play "The Browning Version." It is a one-act play set in a school with three characters: Taplow, Frank, and Mr. Crocker – Harris. Mr. Crocker-Harris is a middle-aged schoolmaster, Taplow is a sixteen-year-old student, Frank is a young teacher. Taplow has arrived at school to assist Mr. Crocker Harris with some extra work. While Taplow waits for Mr. Harris, he meets Frank and they have a conversation. Later, Millie, Mrs.Crocker-Harris, enters and talks with Taplow.

The Browning Version Summary

The scene takes place in a school, where Taplow arrives to do extra work for Mr. Crocker-Harris on the last day because he was absent the day before. He comes across Frank, a science teacher at the school. Frank asked him his name and the reason for his visit that day. Taplow is in the lower fifth grade and is about to receive his report card from his teacher, Mr. Harris. Mr. Crocker-Harris usually announces the results on the last day of school, and unlike every other teacher, he strictly adheres to the rules and regulations.

They began a conversation in which Frank asked him several questions. We don't see Mr. Crocker-Harris throughout the chapter, but we learn a lot about him. Taplow wants to study science as a hobby because he finds the subject fascinating. Frank, on the other hand, is dissatisfied with what he teaches at school. Mr. Croker-Harris is "barely human" because he never shrivels up. Taplow was told that he would get what he deserved. He is tense because there is nothing less or more. Taplow impersonates Mr. Harris twice more in front of Frank. Franks admits that he envies Mr. Crocker-Harris's influence over them. Taplow told him that unlike other teachers, he never shows his emotions and never beats them up like other masters. He is not a sadist.

Millie walks in, carrying a shopping bag, and interrupts their conversation. She asked Taplow to go out and return in a quarter-hour because Mr. Crocker-Harris would be late. If her husband arrives earlier, she will be held accountable. She also gives him a prescription and instructs him to go to the chemist and get her medications. Taplow follows and goes away to complete the task.

The Browning Version Lesson Explanation

This is an excerpt from The Browning Version*. The scene is set in a school. Frank is young and Crocker-Harris, middle-aged. Both are masters. Taplow is a boy of sixteen who has come in to do extra work for Crocker-Harris. But the latter has not yet arrived, and Frank finds Taplow waiting.

FRANK: Do I know you?

TAPLOW: No, sir.

FRANK: What’s your name?

TAPLOW: Taplow.

FRANK: Taplow! No, I don’t. You’re not a scientist I gather?

TAPLOW: No, sir, I’m still in the lower fifth. I can’t specialise until next term — that’s to say, if I’ve got my remove all right.

FRANK: Don’t you know if you’ve got your remove?

TAPLOW: No sir, Mr Crocker-Harris doesn’t tell us the results like the other masters.

• Excerpt – a short extract from writing, movie or music
• Latter – denoting the second-mentioned person of the two people
• Remove – a division in British schools

The scene is a brief excerpt from the play 'The Browning Version.' Taplow, a sixteen-year-old boy, arrives at school to do extra work for his teacher, Mr. Crocker-Harris. While waiting for Mr. Harris, he meets another teacher, Frank, and strikes up a conversation with him. Frank is yet another young teacher at that school. Mr. Crocker Harris is in his middle age.

Frank met Taplow and asked about his name and the class he is enrolled in. Taplow responds, telling that he is in the lower fifth standard and that he cannot specialise until he gets his division (remove). When Frank asked whether he had received the removal, Taplow replied that his master (Mr. Crocker – Harris) does not reveal such information like other masters.

FRANK: Why not?

TAPLOW: Well, you know what he’s like, sir.

FRANK: I believe there is a rule that form results should only be announced by the headmaster on the last day of term.

TAPLOW: Yes — but who else pays attention to it — except Mr Crocker-Harris?

FRANK: I don’t, I admit — but that’s no criterion. So you’ve got to wait until tomorrow to know your fate, have you?

TAPLOW: Yes, sir.

• Criterion – a standard by which something is judged

Frank asked as to why Mr. Crocker-Harris does not reveal the remove earlier, as other masters do. Taplow tells him that he is already aware of Mr. Harris's characteristic. Frank believes there is a rule requiring the form result to be revealed on the last day of the term. Taplow agrees and tells him that Mr. Harris takes it very seriously. Frank admits that he doesn't follow it, but Taplow agrees that he should wait until tomorrow to know his results.

FRANK: Supposing the answer is favorable — what then?

TAPLOW: Oh — science, sir, of course.

FRANK: (sadly) Yes. We get all the slackers.

TAPLOW: (protestingly) I’m extremely interested in science, sir.

FRANK: Are you? I’m not. Not, at least, in the science I have to teach.

TAPLOW: Well, anyway, sir, it’s a good deal more exciting than this muck (indicating his book).

FRANK: What is this muck?

TAPLOW: Aeschylus, sir. The Agamemnon.

FRANK: And your considered view is that the Agamemnon is muck?

TAPLOW: Well, no, sir. I don’t think the play is muck — exactly. I suppose, in a way, it’s rather a good plot, really, a wife murdering her husband and all that. I only meant the way it’s taught to us — just a lot of Greek words strung together and fifty lines if you get them wrong.

• Slackers – lazy students who are not motivated
• Muck – useless; which is of no good or use
• Aeschylus – he was an ancient Greek tragedian who is referred to as ‘Father of Tragedy’
• Agamemnon – he was the king of Mycenae in Greek mythology
• Strung together – to combine two different things into something useful

Frank inquires of Taplow as to which removal he wishes to pursue further, and he responds, "Science." Frank tells him that they have some lazy science students, to which Taplow responds that he is interested in the subject, which is why he wants to take it. Frank tells him that he is uninterested in Science, which he is required to teach at school. Taplow believes that the subject Frank teaches is still superior to the book he is currently reading. When Taplow is asked about the book, he tells him about the author and the title – Aeschylus (Author) and The Agamemnon (Book). Taplow expands on his thoughts on 'The Agamemnon.' He thinks the plot is good, but the way those Greek words are taught to them in combination is useless.

FRANK: You sound a little bitter, Taplow.

TAPLOW: I am rather, sir.

FRANK: Kept in, eh?

TAPLOW: No, sir. Extra work.

FRANK: Extra work — on the last day of school?

TAPLOW: Yes, sir, and I might be playing golf. You’d think he’d have enough to do anyway himself, considering he’s leaving tomorrow for good — but oh no, I missed a day last week when I was ill — so here I am — and look at the weather, sir.

FRANK: Bad luck. Still there’s one comfort. You’re pretty well certain to get your remove tomorrow for being a good boy in taking extra work.

TAPLOW: Well, I’m not so sure, sir. That would be true of the ordinary masters, all right. They just wouldn’t dare not to give a chap a remove after his taking extra work. But those sort of rules don’t apply to the Crock — Mr Crocker-Harris. I asked him yesterday outright if he’d given me a remove and do you know what he said, sir?

• Kept in – to make someone stay in a place, especially in school as a punishment
• Chap – a man who you know and like

When Frank hears him criticising the book, he tells him, "You sound a little bitter about Mr. Crocker – Harris." Frank then asks Taplow if he is staying at school as a punishment, to which Taplow responds that he is there on the last day of the term due to extra work. He was sick last week, so he missed a day of work, which he is now making up for by doing extra work. He goes on to say that he believes Mr. Harris has extra work because he is leaving for good tomorrow. Harris didn't have any extra work, but he had to come to school despite the beautiful weather. He also mentions that he wished to play golf at the moment.

Frank consoles him by telling him that he will be remove tomorrow as a result of the extra work he is doing for Mr. Harris. Taplow is unsure and tells him that while this may work for other teachers, Mr. Harris is different. He does not give a student a remove for doing extra work. Taplow also asked about Mr. Harris's removal, to which the master responded in an astonishing way.

FRANK: No. What?

TAPLOW: (imitating a very gentle, rather throaty voice) “My dear Taplow, I have given you exactly what you deserve. No less; and certainly no more.” Do you know sir, I think he may have marked me down, rather than up, for taking extra work. I mean, the man’s hardly human. (He breaks off quickly.) Sorry, sir. Have I gone too far?

FRANK: Yes. Much too far.

TAPLOW: Sorry, sir. I got carried away.

FRANK: Evidently. (He picks up a newspaper and opens it) — Er Taplow.

TAPLOW: Yes, sir?

FRANK: What was that Crocker-Harris said to you? Just — er — repeat it, would you?

TAPLOW: (imitating again) “My dear Taplow, I have given you exactly what you deserve. No less; and certainly no more.”

FRANK: (looking severe) Not in the least like him. Read your nice Aeschylus and be quiet.

TAPLOW: (with dislike) Aeschylus.

• Got carried away – to become overly excited or to take things too far
• Imitating – copying

Frank asks him what Mr. Harris told him about his removal when he was questioned about it. Taplow imitates Mr. Crocker-Harris and tells him exactly how his master responded. Mr. Harris assured him that he would receive exactly what he deserved, nothing less and nothing more. Taplow believes he may have marked him down for doing extra work because he lacks human feelings. Then he realises he has said too much and apologises to Frank. When Frank asked him to repeat what he had just said about Mr. Harris, he began imitating him once more. Frank tells him that his imitation does not come close to Mr. Harris's way of saying things and that he should read his book.

FRANK: Look, what time did Mr Crocker-Harris tell you to be here?

TAPLOW: Six-thirty, sir.

FRANK: Well, he’s ten minutes late. Why don’t you cut? You could still play golf before lock-up. TAPLOW: (really shocked) Oh, no, I couldn’t cut. Cut the Crock — Mr Crocker-Harris? I shouldn’t think it’s ever been done in the whole time he’s been here. God knows what would happen if I did. He’d probably follow me home, or something …

FRANK: I must admit I envy him the effect he seems to have on you boys in the form. You all seem scared to death of him. What does he do — beat you all, or something?

TAPLOW: Good Lord, no. He’s not a sadist, like one or two of the others.

FRANK: I beg your pardon?

TAPLOW: A sadist, sir, is someone who gets pleasure out of giving pain.

FRANK: Indeed? But I think you went on to say that some other masters …

• Cut – stop doing something undesirable
• Envy – Jealousy
• Sadist – a person who derives pleasure by giving pain or humiliation to others
• Pardon – the action of being forgiven for error or offense; forgiveness
• Indeed – Truly

Frank asks as to what time Mr. Harris summoned him to school. Taplow gave him a six-thirty. Frank suggests that he go play golf for a few minutes because he will be ten minutes late. Taplow refuses because he is afraid of what will happen if he appears in his absence and follows him home. Frank admits that he is envious of Mr. Harris because of the effect he has on all of the boys in the form. He asks Taplow if Harris has ever beaten students, to which Taplow responds that no, he is not someone who derives pleasure from hurting others, and that there are only one or two other teachers like him. Frank asks him to be more specific, and he explains what a sadist is. Frank asked as to what he was saying about the other masters.

TAPLOW: Well, of course, they are, sir. I won’t mention names, but you know them as well as I do. Of course I know most masters think we boys don’t understand a thing — but, sir, you’re different. You’re young — well, comparatively, anyway — and you’re science. You must know what sadism is.

FRANK: (after a pause) Good Lord! What are our schools coming to?

TAPLOW: Anyway, the Crock isn’t a sadist. That’s what I’m saying. He wouldn’t be so frightening if he were — because at least it would show he had some feelings. But he hasn’t. He’s all shrivelled up inside like a nut and he seems to hate people to like him. It’s funny, that. I don’t know any other master who doesn’t like being liked —

FRANK: And I don’t know any boy who doesn’t use that for his own purposes.

TAPLOW: Well, it’s natural sir. But not with the Crock —

FRANK: Mr Crocker-Harris.

TAPLOW: Mr Crocker-Harris. The funny thing is that in spite of everything, I do rather like him. I can’t help it. And sometimes I think he sees it and that seems to shrivel him up even more —

FRANK: I’m sure you’re exaggerating.

• Shrivelled up – having no feelings
• Exaggerating – represent something as being worse than it really is

Taplow explains to him that there are many teachers in the school whose names he will not take because they are sadists. They believe that the boys don't understand a thing. But Frank is different from them in that he is young, comes from a scientific background, and must be familiar with sadism.

Frank, in an unexpected tone, exclaims about the condition of schools. Taplow continues to rant about Mr. Harris. Mr. Crocker- Harris, he says, is not a sadist, but he has no feelings. He is the type of person who may dislike it when others like him. He goes on to say that he is unaware of any master there who does not enjoy being liked. Frank mocks him, saying that he has never seen a student use this quality for his own benefit. Taplow agrees and refers to Mr. Harris as 'Crock,' which Frank corrects by saying his full name.

Taplow corrects himself and admits that he still likes him and can't stop himself. When Mr. Harris notices it, he wrinkles even more, to which Frank responds that he must be exaggerating.

TAPLOW: No, sir. I’m not. In form the other day he made one of his classical jokes. Of course nobody laughed because nobody understood it, myself included. Still, I knew he’d meant it as funny, so I laughed. Out of ordinary common politeness, and feeling a bit sorry for him for having made a poor joke. Now I can’t remember what the joke was, but suppose I make it. Now you laugh, sir. (Frank laughs.)

TAPLOW: (in a gentle, throaty voice) “Taplow — you laughed at my little joke, I noticed. I must confess that I am pleased at the advance your Latin has made since you so readily have understood what the rest of the form did not. Perhaps, now, you would be good enough to explain it to them, so that they too can share your pleasure”.

The door up right is pushed open and Millie Crocker-Harris enters. She is a thin woman in her late thirties, rather more smartly dressed than the general run of schoolmasters’ wives. She is wearing a cape and carries a shopping basket. She closes the door and then stands by the screen watching Taplow and Frank. It is a few seconds before they notice her.

Taplow goes on to say that one day, Mr. Crocker- Harris told one of his classic jokes and no one laughed. He knew the joke was meant to be funny, but he laughed anyway because he wanted to be polite and feel sorry for him for making such bad jokes. He can't remember what the joke was, so he asked Frank to imagine he told him a joke right away and asked him to laugh.

He imitated his teacher once more and told Frank how he reacted when he laughed at his joke. Mr. Crocker-Harris asked him to explain the joke to the rest of the class because he was the only one who laughed in class.

As he was saying this, the door to the classroom opened and Millie, Mr. Crocker-Harris's wife, entered. She was a slim woman who dressed better than the rest of the Schoolmaster's wives. She was dressed in a cape and carrying a shopping basket. She walked in, shut the door, and stood next to the screen, watching both of them talk. After a few seconds, they noticed her.

FRANK: Come along, Taplow (moves slowly above the desk). Do not be so selfish as to keep a good joke to yourself. Tell the others… (He breaks off suddenly, noticing Millie.) Oh Lord!

Frank turns quickly, and seems infinitely relieved at seeing Millie.

FRANK: Oh, hullo.

MILLIE: (without expression) Hullo. (She comes down to the sideboard and puts her basket on it.)

TAPLOW: (moving up to left of Frank; whispering frantically) Do you think she heard?

FRANK: (shakes his head comfortingly. Millie takes off her cape and hangs it on the hall-stand.) I think she did. She was standing there quite a time.

TAPLOW: If she did and she tells him, there goes my remove.

FRANK: Nonsense. (He crosses to the fireplace.)

• Infinitely – to a great extent
• Frantically – desperately

Frank was joking about telling the joke to others when he noticed Millie and abruptly stopped talking. He turned around, relieved to see her there, and greeted her. She said hello without looking up and placed her basket on the sideboard. Taplow, in a desperate tone, asked Frank if she had heared any of their conversation. Frank assumed she did because she had been standing there for quite some time. Millie removed her cape and hung it on the hall-stand. Taplow says in a worried tone that if she did hear them, he will not get his removal, and Frank tells him not to think too hard about it. Frank walks across the fireplace.

Millie takes the basket from the sideboard, moves above the table and puts the basket on it.

MILLIE: (to Taplow) Waiting for my husband?

TAPLOW: (moving down left of the table) Er-yes.

MILLIE: He’s at the Bursar’s and might be there quite a time. If I were you I’d go.

TAPLOW: (doubtfully) He said most particularly I was to come.

MILLIE: Well, why don’t you run away for a quarter of an hour and come back? (She unpacks some things from the basket.)

TAPLOW: Supposing he gets here before me?

MILLIE: (smiling) I’ll take the blame. (She takes a prescription out of the basket.) I tell you what — you can do a job for him. Take this prescription to the chemist and get it made up.

TAPLOW: All right, Mrs Crocker-Harris. (He crosses towards the door up right.)

Millie takes the basket off the sideboard and places it on the table. Taplow responds yes when she asks if he is waiting for his husband. She tells him that he is at the Bursar's and that it may take some time. If she had been in his place, she might have left. Taplow responds that he promised to come. As Millie unpacks the items of the basket, she suggests that he go for a quarter-hour and then return to check on him. Taplow asks her what will happen if Mr. Harris returns before him. Millie assures him that she will accept responsibility for this and pulls a prescription from the basket. She hands it over to him and asks him to bring her medicines from the chemist. He agrees and walks straight through the door.

About the Author

Terence Mervyn Rattigan was born on June 10, 1911, in London, the son of a career diplomat and serial philanderer whose indiscretions resulted in his cashiered by the Foreign Office. Rattigan received a first-rate education at Harrow and Trinity College, Oxford as a member of the lower upper-middle class during the inter-war period. His privileged, intellectual upbringing is reflected in his plays. He was one of England's leading playwrights for a decade after WWII, but the emergence of the "kitchen-sink" school of English drama in the mid-1950s ruined his critical reputation.

Lesson-7

The Adventure

By Jayant Narlikar

The Adventure Introduction

The chapter 'The Adventure' tells the story of Professor Gangadharpant Gaitonde, who finds himself in a strange world. He knows it's Pune, but the facts contradict what he believes. He decided to take the 'Jijamata Express' train to Bombay. Things had changed by the time he arrived in Bombay. When he decides to look into the history, he finds some surprising facts. The East India Company was still in power, and the Marathas had won the Battle of Panipat. It was unlike anything he had ever known or studied. The East India Company was taken aback by the events of 1857 and the Mughal victory at the Battle of Panipat.

The Adventure Summary

Professor Gaitonde was taking the Jijamata Express from Pune to Bombay, which was faster than the Deccan Queen. As he passed through towns and villages, he met a man named 'Khan Sahib,' who talked about his business and other topics. They arrived at the Victoria Terminus station, which was neat and clean. It was surrounded by British officers, Parsees, and Anglo-Indian staff. He was confused as to how the East India Company was ruling the country, as they had fled after the events of 1857, according to his facts.

When he arrived at Hornby Road, he noticed that the shops were different. He entered the Forbes building and inquired about Mr. Vinay Gaitonde, but the receptionist informed him that no such man had ever worked there. He went to the Town Hall and sat in the library. He took five history books and decided to go through them one by one to see how the facts had changed. He began his investigation during the reign of Asoka and continued until the third battle of Panipat. According to the fifth volume of 'Bhausahebanchi Bakhar,' he found that the Marathas had won the Battle of Panipat and had since spread their influence throughout India. He was confused because it was unlike anything he had learned previously. Following the victory, India acted on the path of democracy. There were no longer any kings in power, and democratic parties had emerged. As he read more about India, the professor grew to like it. It was not the one he thought he had seen. This country knew how to stand on its own feet, and it was no longer a slave to the white man.

The librarian told him to finish the book as he was reading it because the library was closing. It was eight o'clock in the morning. He asked about carrying the books with him as he planned to return the following morning and slipped the Bakhar book into his left pocket. He checked into a hotel and ate his dinner. He made the decision to walk towards Azad Maidan. He noticed a large crowd gathering in front of a pandal. He was listening to a lecture when he noticed something unusual. The president's seat was empty. The speaker was speaking, and the audience was constantly moving inside and outside. He couldn't help himself and moved towards the stage, where he sat on a chair. The audience was taken aback and began to ask him to stand up and leave. He tried to talk with them, but they began throwing various objects at him, such as tomatoes, eggs, and so on. Soon, the crowd moved towards him, pushing him away, and he was no longer appear.

He then awoke in a hospital bed, with Rajendra in front of him. He narrated the entire sequence of events, and Rajendra sat in awe as he listened. The professor was unsure where he was and whether he had been in a coma for the previous two days. Was the experience he just had real or fictitious? Rajendra explained that it occurred as a result of two theories: Catastrophe theory and the lack of determinism in Quantum theory. According to catastrophe theory, a small change in any situation can result in a change in behaviour. In reality, the Marathas were defeated because they lost their leaders, Bhausaheb and Vishwarao. But Professor noticed that the bullet had missed Vishwarao and that he was still alive. Professor then showed him a torn page from the Bakhar book he was carrying in his pocket. Rajendra carefully read it and told him that people's realities differed. What he thought had happened was a catastrophic experience.

Rajendra explained that in the case of electrons, it is impossible to predict which path the electron will take at any given time. He explained to him that it was due to the lack of determinism in quantum theory. The electron may be found here in one world and elsewhere in another, but only in the third world. It could be in several locations. Once the observer understands the correct placement of electrons in each world, it is possible that an alternate world exists at the same time. As a result, the professor was in two different worlds at the same time. He had real-life experience in an alternate reality and returned from there. Both worlds had distinct histories and chronologies of events. The professor was curious as to why he was the one who made the transition. Rajendra told him that the professor was thinking about the catastrophe theory and its role in the war at the time of the collision with the truck. He was also thinking about the Battle of Panipat at the time, so the neurons in his brain triggered the transition. The professor had spent the previous two days in that alternative world.

The Adventure Lesson Explanation

THE Jijamata Express sped along the Pune-Bombay* route considerably faster than the Deccan Queen. There were no industrial townships outside Pune. The first stop, Lonavala, came in 40 minutes.

The ghat section that followed was no different from what he knew. The train stopped at Karjat only briefly and went on at an even greater speed. It roared through Kalyan.
Meanwhile, the racing mind of Professor Gaitonde had arrived at a plan of action in Bombay. Indeed, as a historian, he felt he should have thought of it sooner. He would go to a big library and browse through history books. That was the surest way of finding out how the present state of affairs was reached. He also planned eventually to return to Pune and have a long talk with Rajendra Deshpande, who would surely help him understand what had happened.

That is, assuming that in this world there existed someone called Rajendra Deshpande!

The train stopped beyond the long tunnel. It was a small station called Sarhad. An Anglo-Indian in uniform went through the train checking permits.

• Townships – Towns or villages
• Roared – to move at a high speed while making a loud noise
• Permits – authorize to do something

Professor Gaitonde was travelling by the Jijamata Express train, which was faster than the Deccan Queen and ran along the Pune-Bombay route. The train's first stop was Lonavala, which arrived in 40 minutes. Outside of Pune, the professor noticed that there were no industrial towns. The next stop was the ghat section, which was familiar to the professor. The train continued on to the next city, Karjat, and began to accelerate faster than before. When the train arrived in Kalyan, it was moving quickly.

The professor created a strategy to be implemented once he arrived in Bombay. He was a historian who felt he should have made a plan to go to the big library and look through the history books there sooner. He wanted to learn about India's current situation by studying various events. He also intended to return to Pune after his work was completed and meet with Rajendra Deshpande to discuss current events.

He pondered it and wondered if a person named Rajendra Deshpande existed in this world. He was deep in thought when the train came to a halt beyond a long tunnel in a place called 'Sarhad.' He noticed an Anglo-Indian in uniform walking through the train, checking the permit.

“This is where the British Raj begins. You are going for the first time, I presume?” Khan Sahib asked.

“Yes.” The reply was factually correct. Gangadharpant had not been to this Bombay before. He ventured a question: “And, Khan Sahib, how will you go to Peshawar?”

“This train goes to the Victoria Terminus*. I will take the Frontier Mail tonight out of Central.”

“How far does it go? By what route?”

“Bombay to Delhi, then to Lahore and then Peshawar. A long journey. I will reach Peshawar the day after tomorrow.”

Thereafter, Khan Sahib spoke a lot about his business and Gangadharpant was a willing listener. For, in that way, he was able to get some flavour of life in this India that was so different. The train now passed through the suburban rail traffic. The blue carriages carried the letters, GBMR, on the side.

• Ventured – to say something that might be considered as an apology
• Suburban – residential area

During the incident, a man named 'Khan Sahib' asked Gaitonde if he was going to Bombay for the first time, to which he replied in the yes. He asked Khan Sahib as to how he would get to Peshawar. He told him the entire route – the train would first go to Victoria Terminus, and then he would change trains to the 'Frontier Mail' from the central station. The train will then travel to Delhi, Lahore, and finally Peshawar. It was going to be a two-day journey.

Khan Sahib continued to discuss his business with Gangadharpant Gaitonde (Professor), who was attentively listening to him. He got to sample a different flavour of the country than what he had seen and known. The train then passed through residential rail traffic, and he noticed a blue carriage with the letters GBMR on the side.

“Greater Bombay Metropolitan Railway,” explained Khan Sahib. “See the tiny Union Jack painted on each carriage? A gentle reminder that we are in British territory.”

The train began to slow down beyond Dadar and stopped only at its destination, Victoria Terminus. The station looked remarkably neat and clean. The staff was mostly made up of Anglo-Indians and Parsees along with a handful of British officers.

As he emerged from the station, Gangadharpant found himself facing an imposing building. The letters on it proclaimed its identity to those who did not know this Bombay landmark:

EAST INDIA HOUSE HEADQUARTERS OF

THE EAST INDIA COMPANY

Prepared as he was for many shocks, Professor Gaitonde had not expected this. The East India Company had been wound up shortly after the events of 1857 — at least, that is what history books said. Yet, here it was, not only alive but flourishing. So, history had taken a different turn, perhaps before 1857. How and when had happened? He had to find out.

• Emerged – developed; begin
• Imposing – Impressive
• Proclaimed – to announce something officially
• Flourishing – to grow successfully

Khan Sahib explained the full name of the GBMR, which stands for Greater Bombay Metropolitan Railway. He also showed him the tiny Union Jack painted on the carriages, which served as a reminder that they were on British soil. As the train passed through Dadar, it came to a stop at the destination – Victoria Terminus. The station was neat and clean, and the staff was mostly Anglo-Indians and Parsees, with a few British officers.

As the professor exited the station, he noticed a large sign that read 'East India House Headquarters of the East India Company,' which piqued his interest because he didn't expect to see this in Bombay. According to his knowledge of history, the East India Company was shut down following the events of 1857. However, the company was still standing and prospering. He was confused by how history had changed. He needed to know what had happened.

As he walked along Hornby Road, as it was called, he found a different set of shops and office buildings. There was no Handloom House building. Instead, there were Boots and Woolworth departmental stores, imposing offices of Lloyds, Barclays and other British banks, as in a typical high street of a town in England.

He turned right along Home Street and entered Forbes building.

“I wish to meet Mr Vinay Gaitonde, please,” he said to the English receptionist.

She searched through the telephone list, the staff list and then through the directory of employees of all the branches of the firm. She shook her head and said, “I am afraid I can’t find anyone of that name either here or in any of our branches. Are you sure he works here?”

This was a blow, not totally unexpected. If he himself were dead in this world, what guarantee had he that his son would be alive? Indeed, he may not even have been born!

He thanked the girl politely and came out. It was characteristic of him not to worry about where he would stay. His main concern was to make his way to the library of the Asiatic Society to solve the riddle of history. Grabbing a quick lunch at a restaurant, he made his way to the Town Hall.

• Riddle – mystery or puzzle

As the professor walked down Hornby Road in Bombay, he noticed a different set of shops. Handloom House Building had been replaced by Boots and Woolworth department stores, as well as offices of Lloyds, Barclays, and other British-based banks. It looked exactly like a high street in England.

He walked into the Forbes building on Home Street. He inquired about Mr. Vinay Gaitonde with the receptionist. She looked through the phone book and the staff directory for quite some time but couldn't find anything. She told him that there is no such person working in any of the company's branches. He was taken aback and had not expected this. He was considering what would happen if he were no longer alive in this world. He left the building and went to a restaurant for lunch. He then went to 'Town Hall.'

Yes, to his relief, the Town Hall was there, and it did house the library. He entered the reading room and asked for a list of history books including his own.

His five volumes duly arrived on his table. He started from the beginning. Volume one took the history up to the period of Ashoka, volume two up to Samudragupta, volume three up to Mohammad Ghori and volume four up to the death of Aurangzeb. Up to this period history was as he knew it. The change evidently had occurred in the last volume.

Reading volume five from both ends inwards, Gangadharpant finally converged on the precise moment where history had taken a different turn.

• Converged – met
• Precise – exact; accurate

He arrived at the Town Hall, which housed a library. He entered the reading room and went straight for the history books. He grabbed five volumes and began reading from the beginning. Volume one covered the period of Ashoka, Volume two covered Samudragupta, Volume three covered Mohammad Ghori, and Volume four covered Aurangzeb's death. He noticed some changes in the previous volume. After reading volume five, he was able to pinpoint the precise point in history when things began to change.

That page in the book described the Battle of Panipat, and it mentioned that the Marathas won it handsomely. Abdali was routed and he was chased back to Kabul by the triumphant Maratha army led by Sadashivrao Bhau and his nephew, the young Vishwasrao.

The book did not go into a blow-by-blow account of the battle itself. Rather, it elaborated in detail its consequences for the power struggle in India. Gangadharpant read through the account avidly. The style of writing was unmistakably his, yet he was reading the account for the first time!

Their victory in the battle was not only a great morale booster to the Marathas but it also established their supremacy in northern India. The East India Company, which had been watching these developments from the sidelines, got the message and temporarily shelved its expansionist programme.

• Triumphant – Successful
• Blow – by – blow account – a detailed account
• Avidly – with great interest
• Morale booster – anything which boosts self- confidence
• Supremacy – the condition of being superior to others
• Expansionist – a follower of the policy of territorial or economic expansion

He came to know that the Marathas had won the Battle of Panipat. The successful Maratha army led by Sadashivrao Bhau and his nephew pursued Abdali to Kabul. The book did not go into detail about the war, but it did go into detail about the power struggles in India. The account piqued the professor's interest. Although he recognised the writing style as his, he had no recollection of writing it. Following the war, the Marathas established superiority in the northern Indian region, which boosted their confidence greatly. The East India Company was sidelined and its expansionist programme was abandoned.

For the Peshwas the immediate result was an increase in the influence of Bhausaheb and Vishwasrao who eventually succeeded his father in 1780 A.D. The trouble-maker, Dadasaheb, was relegated to the background and he eventually retired from state politics.

To its dismay, the East India Company met its match in the new Maratha ruler, Vishwasrao. He and his brother, Madhavrao, combined political acumen with valour and systematically expanded their influence all over India. The Company was reduced to pockets of influence near Bombay, Calcutta* and Madras@, just like its European rivals, the Portuguese and the French.

For political reasons, the Peshwas kept the puppet Mughal regime alive in Delhi. In the nineteenth century, these de facto rulers from Pune were astute enough to recognize the importance of the technological age dawning in Europe. They set up their own centers for science and technology. Here, the East India Company saw another opportunity to extend its influence. It offered aid and experts.

They were accepted only to make the local centers self-sufficient.

• Relegated to – assigned to a lower rank
• Dismay – shock
• Political acumen – political smartness
• Valour – great courage in battle
• De facto – existing in fact with or without any lawful authority
• Astute – smartness; quick-witted

The influence of Bhausaheb and Vishwarao grew for the Maratha ruler. In 1780 AD, Vishwarao succeeded his father. Dadasaheb was demoted and forced to resign from state politics. Vishwarao was the East India Company's match. With their political skills and battlefield courage, Vishwarao and his brother, Madhavrao, expanded their influence throughout India. Like Europeans, Portuguese, and French, the company was left with influence in only a few cities in India, including Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras.

For political reasons, the Marathas kept the Mughal government alive. In the nineteenth century, rulers were smart enough to recognise the growing importance of technology in Europe. The East India Company, on the other hand, expanded its influence by providing aid and experts in a region where they were only accepted as local centres.

The twentieth century brought about further changes inspired by the West. India moved towards a democracy. By then, the Peshwas had lost their enterprise and they were gradually replaced by democratically elected bodies. The Sultanate at Delhi survived even this transition, largely because it wielded no real influence. The Shahenshah of Delhi was no more than a figurehead to rubber-stamp the ‘recommendations’ made by the central parliament.

As he read on, Gangadharpant began to appreciate the India he had seen. It was a country that had not been subjected to slavery for the white man; it had learnt to stand on its feet and knew what self-respect was. From a position of strength and for purely commercial reasons, it had allowed the British to retain Bombay as the sole outpost on the subcontinent. That lease was to expire in the year 2001, according to a treaty of 1908. Gangadharpant could not help comparing the country he knew what he was witnessing around him.

But, at the same time, he felt that his investigations were incomplete. How did the Marathas win the battle? To find the answer he must look for accounts of the battle itself.

• Figurehead – a carving; image
• Outpost – a small military camp used as a guard

During the twentieth century, India was a democratic country inspired by the West. Marathas' Peshwas lost their empire, and democratic bodies took their place. Because they had no influence, the Mughal Sultanate in Delhi survived the transitions. Mughal rulers were no longer carved on rubber stamps. As he read more about India, the professor grew to like it. It was not the one he thought he had seen. This country knew how to stand on its own feet and was no longer a slave to the white man. The British established Bombay as an outpost on the subcontinent. According to a treaty signed in 1908, it would expire in 2001. The professor was comparing the country he was currently visiting. However, he felt that his investigation was incomplete and that he needed more information about the Maratha battle.

He went through the books and journals before him. At last, among the books he found one that gave him the clue. It was Bhausahebanchi Bakhar.

Although he seldom relied on the Bakhars for historical evidence, he found them entertaining to read. Sometimes, buried in the graphic but doctored accounts, he could spot the germ of truth. He found one now in a three-line account of how close Vishwasrao had come to being killed:

And then Vishwasrao guided his horse to the melee where the elite troops were fighting and he attacked them. And God was merciful. A shot brushed past his ear. Even the difference of a til (sesame) would have led to his death.

At eight o’clock the librarian politely reminded the professor that the library was closing for the day. Gangadharpant emerged from his thoughts. Looking around he noticed that he was the only reader left in that magnificent hall.

“I beg your pardon, sir! May I request you to keep these books here for my use tomorrow morning? By the way, when do you open?”

“At eight o’clock, sir.” The librarian smiled. Here was a user and researcher right after his heart.

As the professor left the table he shoved some notes into his right pocket. Absent-mindedly, he also shoved the Bakhar into his left pocket.

• Seldom – not often
• Doctored accounts – manipulated accounts related to history
• Melee – a confused fight
• Shoved – to push someone roughly

As he flipped through the books in front of him, he found the clues in one of them, Bhausahebanchi Bakhar. He never relied on Bakhar for historical evidence, but he always found them amusing. He found the three-line account about Vishwarao and how he was killed among the manipulated accounts. Vishwarao was shot, and the bullet brushed past his ear as he ran on his horse in a furious fight. According to the book, even a sesame seed could have been the cause of his death.

The librarian asked him to finish because the library was about to close at 8:00 p.m. He became aware that he was the only person left in the reading room. He asked the librarian if he could keep the books with him and about the library's opening times. The professor left the table after the librarian told him that it opens at eight o'clock in the morning. He placed the notes in his right pocket and the Bakhar book in his left.

He found a guest house to stay in and had a frugal meal. He then set out for a stroll towards the Azad Maidan.

In the maidan he found a throng moving towards a pandal. So, a lecture was to take place. Force of habit took Professor Gaitonde towards the pandal. The lecture was in progress, although people kept coming and going. But Professor Gaitonde was not looking at the audience. He was staring at the platform as if mesmerised. There was a table and a chair but the latter was unoccupied. The presidential chair unoccupied!

The sight stirred him to the depths. Like a piece of iron attracted to a magnet, he swiftly moved towards the chair.

The speaker stopped in mid-sentence, too shocked to continue. But the audience soon found voice.

“Vacate the chair!”

“This lecture series has no chairperson…”

“Away from the platform, mister!”

“The chair is symbolic, don’t you know?”

What nonsense! Whoever heard of a public lecture without a presiding dignitary? Professor Gaitonde went to the mike and gave vent to his views. “Ladies and gentlemen, an unchaired lecture is like Shakespeare’s Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark. Let me tell you…”

• Frugal – less costly and simple
• Stroll – to wander
• Throng – a large pack of crowd
• Gave vent to – to express one’s feelings

He found a guest house where he could stay and eat cheap meat for dinner. He decided to walk towards Azad Maidan, where he found a large crowd moving towards the pandal. The professor approached the pandal. There was a lecture going on, and people were going and coming from it. His gaze was fixed on the stage. There was a chair and a table that were both empty. The presidential chair was also empty. He was motivated and walked over to the chair. The speaker came to a halt when he noticed the professor sitting in that empty chair. The speaker yelled at him to get out of chair. He replied that there is no chairperson for the lecture, but the speaker asked him to move away and said that the chair was iconic. The Professor ignored his instructions and went to the microphone to express himself. He began by comparing the vacant chair lecture to Shakespeare's Hamlet, without the Prince of Denmark.

But the audience was in no mood to listen. “Tell us nothing. We are sick of remarks from the chair, of vote of thanks, of long introductions.”

“We only want to listen to the speaker…”

“We abolished the old customs long ago…”

“Keep the platform empty, please…”

But Gangadharpant had the experience of speaking at 999 meetings and had faced the Pune audience at its most hostile. He kept on talking.

He soon became a target for a shower of tomatoes, eggs and other objects. But he kept on trying valiantly to correct this sacrilege. Finally, the audience swarmed to the stage to eject him bodily.
And, in the crowd Gangadharpant was nowhere to be seen.

• Hostile – unfriendly
• Valiantly – bravely
• Sacrilege – disrespect
• Swarmed – move somewhere in a large number

The audience was not in the mood to listen anything. Clearly, old customs had changed. They no longer trusted the chaired individual and his empty promises. They asked him to step aside so they could hear the speaker. However, the professor continued to speak because he believed he could control the hostile audience. They soon began throwing tomatoes, eggs, and other objects at him. He continued to try bravely, but the audience began to move towards him, attempting to physically remove him from the platform. The professor was nowhere to be found in the crowd.

“That is all I have to tell, Rajendra. All I know is that I was found in the Azad Maidan in the morning. But I was back in the world I am familiar with. Now, where exactly did I spend those two days when I was absent from here?”

Rajendra was dumbfounded by the narrative. It took him a while to reply.

“Professor, before, just prior to your collision with the truck, what were you doing?” Rajendra asked.

“I was thinking of the catastrophe theory and its implications for history.”

“Right! I thought so!” Rajendra smiled.

“Don’t smile smugly. In case you think that it was just my mind playing tricks and my imagination running amok, look at this.”

And, triumphantly, Professor Gaitonde produced his vital piece of evidence: a page torn out of a book.

Rajendra read the text on the printed page and his face underwent a change. Gone was the smile and in its place came a grave expression. He was visibly moved.

• Dumbfounded – amazed
• Catastrophe theory – it is a branch of mathematics concerned with systems displaying discontinuous changes
• Smugly – to show excess satisfaction
• Amok – to behave uncontrollably
• Triumphantly – to win a battle

The professor was talking with Rajendra. He told him everything he saw and experienced during those few days. He stated that the next morning he was found in the Azad Maidan and that he is now back in the real world with which he is familiar. He was curious as to where he had spent the two days he had been unconscious.

Rajendra was taken aback by the story and responded after a while. He inquired of the professor as to what he was thinking just prior to his collision with the truck. Professor responded that he was considering Catastrophe theory. He went on to tell Rajendra not to smile too broadly. It's not as if my mind was playing tricks on me. To win the argument, the professor took out the printed page, which surprised Rajendra.

Gangadharpant pressed home his advantage. “I had inadvertently slipped the Bakhar in my pocket as I left the library. I discovered my error when I was paying for my meal. I had intended to return it the next morning. But it seems that in the melee of Azad Maidan, the book was lost; only this torn-off page remained. And, luckily for me, the page contains vital evidence.” Rajendra again read the page. It described how Vishwasrao narrowly missed the bullet; and how that event, taken as an omen by the Maratha army, turned the tide in their favour.

“Now look at this.” Gangadharpant produced his own copy of Bhausahebanchi Bakhar, opened at the relevant page. The account ran thus:

… And then Vishwasrao guided his horse to the melee where the elite troops were fighting, and he attacked them. And God expressed His displeasure. He was hit by the bullet.
“Professor Gaitonde, you have given me food for thought. Until I saw this material evidence, I had simply put your experience down to fantasy. But facts can be stranger than fantasies, as I am beginning to realise.”

“Facts? What are the facts? I am dying to know!” Professor Gaitonde said.

• Inadvertently – unintentionally

Professor told Rajendra that he had unintentionally placed the Bakhar in his left pocket and intended to return it the following morning. However, the book was torn and lost in the Azad Maidan's large crowd. This page from the book proves that I stole it. Rajendra read the page again, and this time it described how Vishwarao missed the bullet. He then showed him his own copy of Bakhar, which had different texts. According to the document, Vishwarao was hit by the bullet.

Rajendra told the professor that after reading the evidence, he realised it wasn't a fantasy. He wanted the professor to be aware of certain facts.

Rajendra motioned him to silence and started pacing the room, obviously under great mental strain. Finally, he turned around and said, “Professor Gaitonde, I will try to rationalize your experience on the basis of two scientific theories as known today. Whether I succeed or not in convincing you of the facts, only you can judge — for you have indeed passed through a fantastic experience: or, more correctly, a catastrophic experience!”

“Please continue, Rajendra! I am all ears,” Professor Gaitonde replied. Rajendra continued pacing as he talked.

“You have heard a lot about the catastrophe theory at that seminar. Let us apply it to the Battle of Panipat. Wars fought face to face on open grounds offer excellent examples of this theory. The Maratha army was facing Abdali’s troops on the field of Panipat. There was no great disparity between the latter’s troops and the opposing forces. Their armour was comparable. So, a lot depended on the leadership and the morale of the troops. The juncture at which Vishwasrao, the son of and heir to the Peshwa, was killed proved to be the turning point. As history has it, his uncle, Bhausaheb, rushed into the melee and was never seen again. Whether he was killed in battle or survived is not known. But for the troops at that particular moment, that blow of losing their leaders was crucial. They lost their morale and fighting spirit. There followed an utter rout.

• Disparity – difference
• Armour – shell
• Rout – a defeat

Rajendra explained to him that he had just had a catastrophic experience. Professor told him to keep going. He told the professor to use the Catastrophe theory to analyse the Battle of Panipat. In terms of troops and forces, the Abdali and Maratha armies were equal. Their shell was comparable, but victory was dependent on leadership and troop morale.

The point at which the Marathas were killed proved to be a watershed moment in the battle. Vishwarao's uncle dashed into the crowd and was never seen again. Nobody knows if he lived or died. The troops' morale and fighting spirit were lost, and they were defeated.

“Exactly, Professor! And what you have shown me on that torn page is the course taken by the battle, when the bullet missed Vishwasrao. A crucial event gone the other way. And its effect on the troops was also the opposite. It boosted their morale and provided just that extra impetus that made all the difference,” Rajendra said.

“Maybe so. Similar statements are made about the Battle of Waterloo, which Napoleon could have won. But we live in a unique world which has a unique history. This idea of ‘it might have been’ is okay for the sake of speculation but not for reality,” Gangadharpant said.

“I take issue with you there. In fact, that brings me to my second point which you may find strange; but please hear me out,” Rajendra said.

Gangadharpant listened expectantly as Rajendra continued. “What do we mean by reality? We experience it directly with our senses or indirectly via instruments. But is it limited to what we see? Does it have other manifestations?

• Impetus – the force with which body moves
• Manifestation – the action of showing something; demonstration

Rajendra went on to say that the torn page he read was about how events took a different turn and everything happened differently than they expected. Similar statements are made about the Battle of Waterloo, where several texts discuss 'it might have been.' Rajendra then moved on to his second point, which was about how we perceive reality. It is done through our senses or with the assistance of instruments. Is reality, however, limited to what we see, or is it merely a demonstration?

“That reality may not be unique has been found from experiments on very small systems — of atoms and their constituent particles. When dealing with such systems the physicist discovered something startling. The behaviour of these systems cannot be predicted definitively even if all the physical laws governing those systems are known.

“Take an example. I fire an electron from a source. Where will it go? If I fire a bullet from a gun in a given direction at a given speed, I know where it will be at a later time. But I cannot make such an assertion for the electron. It may be here, there, anywhere. I can at best quote odds for it being found in a specified location at a specified time.”
“The lack of determinism in quantum theory! Even an ignoramus historian like me has heard of it,” Professor Gaitonde said.

• Startling – surprising
• Assertion – a confident statement of a fact
• Determinism – a doctrine that all the events are caused by the external will
• Quantum theory – a theory of matter and energy based on quantum mechanics.
• Ignoramus – an ignorant person

Rajendra explained that reality is not the same as it has been founded through experiments with small atoms and their particles. The physicists investigated such a system and discovered something unexpected. They found that such systems' behaviour cannot be predicted.

He used an electron as an example. If he shot a bullet from a gun. He would know where it would go, but the electron cannot be predicted. We can calculate the probability of where it could be at a given time and position. Professor added 'the lack of determinism,' which means the absence of a doctrine as a result of external will. He also mentioned that he had heard of it.

“So, imagine many world pictures. In one world the electron is found here, in another it is over there. In yet another it is in a still different location. Once the observer finds where it is, we know which world we are talking about. But all those alternative worlds could exist just the same.” Rajendra paused to marshall his thoughts.

“But is there any contact between those many worlds?” Professor Gaitonde asked.

“Yes and no! Imagine two worlds, for example. In both an electron is orbiting the nucleus of an atom…”

“Like planets around the sun…” Gangadharpant interjected. “Not quite. We know the precise trajectory of the planet. The electron could be orbiting in any of a large number of specified states. These states may be used to identify the world. In state no.1 we have the electron in a state of higher energy. In state no.2 it is in a state of lower energy. It can make a jump from high to low energy and send out a pulse of radiation. Or a pulse of radiation can knock it out of state no.2 into state no.1. Such transitions are common in microscopic systems. What if it happened on a macroscopic level?” Rajendra said.

• Marshall – to gather something
• Precise – error-free; correct
• Trajectory – the path followed by a projectile flying

While gathering his thoughts, Rajendra told the professor that in one world, the electron might be found here, and in another, it might be found somewhere else, but in the third world. It could be in several locations. When the observer understands the correct placement of electrons in each world, it is possible that an alternate world exists at the same time. The Professor inquired as to whether there were any connections between these various worlds. Rajendra warned him that it might not happen. He stated that the electron orbits the nucleus of an atom in both worlds.

The Professor added an example of planets and the sun. Rajendra replied, "Not quite, because in the case of the planets, we know about the path that the planets take." However, in the case of electrons, this is not the case. An electron in state 1 has a higher energy level. It is in lower energy in state 2. It is possible that the electron will jump from a higher to a lower position. These transitions occur at the microscopic level, but what if they occurred at the macroscopic level?

“I get you! You are suggesting that I made a transition from one world to another and back again?” Gangadharpant asked.

“Fantastic though it seems, this is the only explanation I can offer. My theory is that catastrophic situations offer radically different alternatives for the world to proceed. It seems that so far as reality is concerned all alternatives are viable but the observer can experience only one of them at a time.

“By making a transition, you were able to experience two worlds although one at a time. The one you live in now and the one where you spent two days. One has the history we know, the other a different history. The separation or bifurcation took place in the Battle of Panipat. You neither travelled to the past nor to the future. You were in the present but experiencing a different world. Of course, by the same token there must be many more different worlds arising out of bifurcations at different points of time.”

As Rajendra concluded, Gangadharpant asked the question that was beginning to bother him most. “But why did I make the transition?”

• Viable – practical
• Bifurcation – division

Professor told him that he had travelled to another world and returned. Rajendra stated that it is the only explanation he has at the moment. According to him, different alternatives can exist in catastrophic situations, and the observer can experience one reality at a time.

Rajendra went on to say that the professor went through a transition and experienced two worlds at the same time, one in which he lives and another in which he spent his last two days. This world has the history they are familiar with, while another has different facts. The Battle of Panipat caused factual divisions in both worlds. He stated that the professor did not travel in the past or future, but was instead in the present and experiencing various worlds. More worlds may arise out of division at different points in time. Professor asked as to why he was the only one who made the transition.

“If I knew the answer I would solve a great problem. Unfortunately, there are many unsolved questions in science and this is one of them. But that does not stop me from guessing.” Rajendra smiled and proceeded, “You need some interaction to cause a transition. Perhaps, at the time of the collision you were thinking about the catastrophe theory and its role in wars. Maybe you were wondering about the Battle of Panipat. Perhaps, the neurons in your brain acted as a trigger.”

“A good guess. I was indeed wondering what course history would have taken if the result of the battle had gone the other way,” Professor Gaitonde said. “That was going to be the topic of my thousandth presidential address.”

“Now you are in the happy position of recounting your real-life experience rather than just speculating,” Rajendra laughed. But Gangadharpant was grave.
“No, Rajendra, my thousandth address was made on the Azad Maidan when I was so rudely interrupted. No. The Professor Gaitonde who disappeared while defending his chair on the platform will now never be seen presiding at another meeting — I have conveyed my regrets to the organizers of the Panipat seminar.”

• Speculating – wondering
• Grave – serious

Rajendra replied that he didn't know why he transitioned, but he could guess. The professor was thinking about catastrophe theory and its role in the war at the time of the collision. Perhaps he was thinking about the Battle of Panipat at the time, and the neurons in his brain triggered the transition.

The Professor admitted that he was considering what would have happened if the battle had ended differently, and that he planned to address this in his thousandth presidential address. Rajendra laughed and stated that he can now happily recount his real-life experience rather than just pondering it. The Professor was serious when he told him that during his thousandth presidential address at Azad Maidan, he was rudely interrupted by the audience and the speaker. Professor Gaitonde, who was defending his chair on stage, had to leave and would never be seen again at another meeting. He also expressed his regrets to the seminar's organisers.

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