The conductor asked the passengers to get down and they all put their strength together to push the bus. Having gained this initial momentum, the bus started. Passengers clambered jostling one another. The conductor rang the bell and the bus gradually took on speed.
It entered the village reluctantly like a truant child being dragged to school. As it wound its way through the curves on the outskirts, it groaned and croaked like a hen about to lay eggs, and stopped with a bang in front of Bhujaba Patil's residence.
As it halted, it gave a big lurch, sending the passengers helter - skelter, churned like water in a pitcher when the carrier stumbles. All the passengers got down. The coolie put his hand on a huge wooden box and shouted, 'Whose box is this? Bayaji, who was brushing away the dust from his body, answered, "Oh, It's mine, please lower it down."
From the above passage, what do you understand by the expression "please lower it down"?
Class:- 10th
Lesson:- The Storeyed House (Part - 1)
Answers
The expression "please lower it down".
The expression "please lower it down" refers to the lowering of the box from the luggage rack to Bayaji to whom it belonged.
Explanation:
When the bus halted in front of Bhujaba's house, all the passengers were getting down including Bayaji. While emptying the bus of its passengers, boxes and bags, the coolie found a huge wooden box on the luggage rack and asked the passengers regarding its ownership. Bayaji claimed its ownership and requested the coolie to lower the box to him giving rise to the expression "please lower it down".
The Storeyed House - Summary
The Storeyed House is a brilliant story that gives a complete picture to the discrimination faced by the lower castes of Indian society through the marking of them as "untouchables".
The story revolves around the life a retired coolie named Bayaji. He had worked hard for thirty five years to earn money to build a storeyed house for his large family. He was met with criticism and threatening from all the well-to-do upper-caste members but he decided to build a proper storeyed house. While starting the construction of the house, the only man in the whole village to own a storeyed house threatened Bayaji about the consequences he will have to face if he, who was a mere untouchable, builds a storeyed house. Bayaji had to let go of his plans and build a normal three-portion house.
Even though Bayaji had to change his plans, the upper-caste members were highly jealous of him as he was constructing a new house with the wealth he amassed through sheer hard work.
The construction got over and a brilliant house-warming ceremony was taking place where Bayaji invited many people even though some upper-caste members were reluctant to be part of it. Suddenly, the house got fire and completely burnt down leaving Bayaji in a highly critical condition with innumerable burns. While his children and other family members were mourning over his condition, Bayaji spelled out his last wish to have a storeyed house constructed.
Later on, after the funeral services are over, Bayaji's sons start digging for a foundation to build a new storeyed house as they believed that he will not get peace until it is done.
As the summary suggests, the story highlights the hardships and other humiliations the members of the lower-caste society have to suffer from the prestigious members of the society. Taboos prevail and they highly affect the striving of these members to move out from the net of discriminations, poverty, hunger and other factors.
Explanation:
the curves on the outskirts, it groaned and croaked like a hen about to lay eggs, and stopped with a bang in front of Bhujaba Patil's residence.
As it halted, it gave a big lurch, sending the passengers helter - skelter, churned like water in a pitcher when the carrier stumbles. All the passengers got down. The coolie put his hand on a huge wooden box and shouted, 'Whose box is this? Bayaji, who was brushing away the dust from his body, answered, "Oh, It's mine, please lower it down."
From the above passage, what do