question_answer

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:

The Child Sati

This is perhaps one or me most poignant description by Bernier.

At Lahore I saw a most beautiful young widow sacrificed who could not, I think have been more than twelve years of age. The poor little creature appeared more dead than alive when she approached the dreadful pit: the agony of her mind cannot be described; she trembled and wept bitterly; but three or tour of the Brahmanas, assisted by an old woman who held her under the arm, forced the unwilling victim towards the fatal spot, seated her on the wood, tied her hands and feet, lest she should run away, and in that situation the innocent creature was burnt alive. I found it difficult to repress my feelings and to prevent their bursting forth into clamorous and unavailing rage........

(i) How has Bernier described the 'practice of sati'

(ii) Describe the feelings of Bernier that he has expressed in the passage.

(iii) Explain how Bernier has highlighted the treatment of women as a crucial marker of difference between Western and Eastern societies.

Or

Colin. Mackenzie

Born in 1754, Colin Mackenize became famous as an engineer, surveyor and cartographers. In 1815 he was appointed the first Surveyor General of India, a post he held till his death in 1821. He embarked on collecting local histories and surveying historic sites in order to better understand India?s past and make governance of the coolly easier. He says that "it struggled long under the miseries of bad management...before the South came under the benign influence of the British government.? By studying Vijayanagara, Mackenzie believed that the East India Company could gain ?much useful information on many of these institutions, laws and customs whose influence still prevails among the various Tribes of Natives forming the general mass of the population to this day.?

(i) Who was the first Surveyor General of India? What was his mission in India?

(ii) What was the purpose behind Colin Mackenzie studying the Vijayanagara Empire? Explain.

(iii) Explain how Mackenzie has described the British government as a benign influence on the Vijayanagara Empire.

 

Answer:

(i)         (a) A beautiful young widow, not more than 12 years of age, was being sacrificed.

(b) The poor little creature appeared more dead than alive when she approached the dreadful pit.

(c) The young widow was trembling and weeping bitterly and was being held by 3 or 4 Brahmanas assisted by an old woman. They forced her towards the fatal spot and made her seated on the wood. Her hands and feet were tied. She was burnt alive in the horrible situations.

(ii)        (a) It was a terrible scene that moved Bernier?s feelings.

(b) It was an inhuman system in which as innocent young widow was being burnt alive.

(c) Bernier found it difficult to repress his feelings.

(iii) In the western societies sad system is not found. However, this system was in vogue in the eastern societies till 20th century.

Or

(i) Colin Machenzie was first Surveyor general of India from 1815 to 1821.

His mission was to study the past of India so as to know better the country which would make it easier to govern. He studied various archeological sites and histories.

(ii) Colin Mackenzie studied Vijayanagara empire because it was a great empire during 1500s in southern India and thus wanted to learn about the customs and norms of the south Indian society by studying the history of this great empire, which he believed still existed among the native tribes. He believed that this would help the East India Company in better governance and prolonging its colonial rule.

(iii) He said that after the fall of Vijayanagara empire, south India was under bad management under various rulers and thus people of Vijayanagara empire suffered. He said that now since British were ruling this area, he was hopeful of better management and thus better political stability and life for native people.