Questions and Answers from "Strong Roots". Class-XII (WBCHSE)

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'STRONG ROOTS' is taken from "Wings Of Fire", the autobiography sketch of APJ Abdul Kalam. It is one of the most important chapters for the students of Class-XII of West Bengal.

STRONG ROOTS BAQ

WBCHSE-XII

 1. What does Kalam tell about his childhood in his autobiography 'Strong Roots'?

   Ans- Abul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam popularly known as APJ Abdul Kalam, was born in a middle-class Tamil family in the island town of Rameswaram in the erstwhile Madras state. He was one of the many children. He was a short boy. Although he was born to handsome parents. He lived in their ancestral house with his family. He was provided all the basic necessaries of life in terms of food, medicine, clothing, etc, although his father avoided all inessential luxuries and comfort. His father's thoughts help him to think positively. He would visit a very old mosque in their locality with his father for evening prayers. In all Kalam had a very secure childhood, materially and emotionally. 

2. Write about Dr. Kalam''s mother and his father. 

    Ans- APJ Abdul Kalam remembers his mother to be a very pious and generous lady. She was an ideal helpmate of his father. His mother came from a distinguished family. One of her ancestors had been bestowed the title of 'Bahadur' by the British. She would feed more outsiders than her own family members every day. She was very caring. She also cooked very well. Kalam used to take his lunch with his mother regularly sitting on the floor of their kitchen. She would place a banana leaf before him and serve rice, aromatic sambar, homemade pickle, and fresh coconut chutney, a typical Tamil food. APJ Abdul Kalam depicts his father, Jainulabdeen, as a wise and generous person in his autobiography 'Strong Roots'. Kalam loved his father very much and he had a deep admiration for his father. In the biography, he describes that his father had neither formal education nor much wealth, But he had an inner wisdom and spirit of true generosity. He would start his day at 4 am by reading the namaz. Before dawn, he would have a walk to their small coconut grove regularly. He would visit a very old mosque in their locality with Kalam for evening prayer. He was a spiritual person by heart. He could convey complex spiritual matters in simple Tamil. He discussed spiritual matters with his close friend, Pakhshi Lakshmana Sashtri, the high priest of Rameswaram Shiva Temple. Dr. Kalam was greatly influenced by the spiritual teaching of his father. His father revealed all the fundamental truths about life and the universe to Kalam. Kalam always followed his father's principles and thoughts in his own world of science and technology. 

3. What picture of communal Harmony prevailed in Rameswaram when Kalam was a child.?

    Ans- From the autobiography sketch of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, we come to know that Rameswaram was a locality dominated by Muslims. But a lot of Hindu families lived happily there amicably with their Muslim neighbors. They had a peaceful co-existence. There existed The famous Shiva Temple and an old Mosque in the same area of Rameswaram. People of different religions offered bowls of water to his father who made the waters holy by saying sacred prayers for invalids. Pakhshi Lakshmana Sashtri, the high priest of Rameswaram Shiva Temple, was the close friend of Kalam's father. Wearing their traditional attire, they had a long discussion on spiritual matters regularly with an open mind. There prevailed a unity in diversity. The people of all religions lived there at peace.

 

 4. What was Kalam's father's response to his son's query about prayer and spirituality? 

    Ans:- In the autobiography " Strong Roots" Kalam says that his father was a religious person. He had great innate wisdom. In the ‘Strong Roots,’ he depicts his father’s spirituality and belief which influenced him very much in his life. One day when Kalam asked his father about the relevance of prayer his father explained it very clearly in simple down-to-earth Tamil. He told that there was nothing mysterious about prayer. In fact, prayer made possible a communion of spirit between people. He further also added that when a person prayed he transcended his body and became a part of the cosmos. He becomes a part of the cosmos without any division of wealth, age, caste, or creed. As for spirituality, Kalam's father told that every human being is a specific part within the whole of the manifest divine being. So we should not be afraid of our sufferings. When we are in trouble we should try to understand the relevance of our trouble because adversity always presents opportunities for introspection.

 5. What was Kalam’s father’s advice about how to deal with adversity? 

     Ans:-In the autobiography sketch of APJ Abdul Kalam, he says that his father could convey complex spiritual concepts in a very simple down-to-earth Tamil. He once told Kalam that in his own place, in his own time – every human being is a specific element within the whole of the manifest divine Being. So one should not be afraid of difficulties, suffering and problems. When troubles come, one should try to understand the relevance of those sufferings. He always told Kalam that adversity always presents opportunities for introspection. His father advises him that in adversity, one can be able to judge himself. One can realize what he really is, what his faults are. He can analyze his present condition. He tells Kalam that every human being is manifested as a part of the whole of the universal divine power. So he advises not always to be afraid of facing troubles or sufferings in life. Problems are to be faced boldly. In adversity, man analyses himself through introspection. It gives the best chance to insight and has experience about life. 

 

6. “Why don’t you say this to the people who come to you…? -----Who says this and to whom? What is referred to by the word ‘this’? Why do the people come to the listener? 

     Ans:- In the autobiography "Strong Roots", APJ Abdul Kalam says this to his father Jainulabdeen. 

    According to Jainulabdeen, “every human being is a specific element within the whole of the manifest divine being. So, why be afraid of difficulties, suffering and problems? When troubles come, try to understand the relevance of your sufferings. Adversity always presents opportunities for introspection”. This fact is referred to by the word ‘this’. People come to the person spoken to because they are in trouble and in distress condition. They come to Kalam’s father for help and advice to get rid of their problems.

7. “I have endeavored to understand the fundamental truths” – who is ‘I’ referred to here? What are the fundamental truths? Who revealed them to the speaker? 

    Ans:-Here ‘I’ referred to A.P.J Abdul Kalam, the author of the piece ‘Strong Roots’. Dr. Kalam was greatly influenced by the spiritual teaching of his father. His father revealed all the fundamental truths about life and the universe to Kalam. The Fundamental truths referred to here are that there exists a divine power that can lift one up from confusion, misery, melancholy and failure, and guide one to one’s true place. And once an individual severs his emotional and physical bond, he is on the road to freedom, happiness and peace of mind. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam's father Jainulabdeen revealed the fundamental truths to the mind of his son, A.P.J Abdul Kalam.

8. Who was a very close friend of Jainulabdeen? What did they discuss? What did Kalam’s father say about prayer?

    Ans:- The high priest of the Rameswaram Shiva Temple, Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry, was a very close friend of Jainulabdeen. 

    They used to discuss spiritual matters wearing their traditional attire. It was a great example of communal harmony that prevailed in their locality when Dr. Kalam was a little boy.

   According to Kalam’s father, there is nothing mysterious about prayer. Rather, prayer makes possible a communion of the spirit between people. When we pray, we transcend our body and become a part of the cosmos, which knows no division of wealth, age, caste or creed.

9. Describe Kalam's father's daily routine. 

     Ans:- In the autobiography "Strong Roots'", Kalam says that his father was a religious person. So he would lead a simple life. He would always try to avoid inessential comforts and luxuries of life. He would start his day by reading the Namaz before dawn. After Namaz, he would walk down to their small coconut grove. The coconut grove was about four miles away from their house. He would return home with about a dozen coconuts tied together thrown over his shoulder. Only then he would have his breakfast. He maintained this routine even when he was in his late sixties. 

 10. One must understand the difference between a fear-ridden vision of destiny and the vision that enables us to seek the enemy of fulfillment within ourselves." ---Explain the meaning of the statement. 

   Ans- Kalam's father Jainulabdeen explained to his son the reason behind problems and sufferings in human life. He emphasized on two-fold vision of destiny. The 'Fear-ridden vision of destiny' created a feeling of fear within the soul that the problems and sorrows of our life were the acts of demonic forces. The other vision was described as man's own desire for fulfillment that was the reason for his suffering. He desired something to happen as per his own wishes. This wishful thinking turned to be his own enemy and the reason for his suffering. According to Kalam's father, one should find out the enemy of fulfillment within himself through introspection so that he could overcome his sufferings and made his own fortune.