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The bus was now going along the bank of a canal. The road was very narrow. On one side there was the canal and, beyond it, palm trees, grassland, distant mountains, and the blue, blue sky. On the other side was a deep ditch and then acres and acres of green fields — green, green, green, as far as the eye could see.
Oh, it was all so wonderful!
Suddenly she was startled by a voice. “Listen, child,” said the voice, “you shouldn’t stand like that. Sit down.”
Sitting down, she looked to see who had spoken. It was an elderly man who had honestly been concerned for her, but she was annoyed by his attention.
“There’s nobody here who’s a child,” she said haughtily. “I’ve paid my thirty paise like everyone else.”
Explanation:
There is a difference between one standing in one spot and enjoying green fields, sunset and rivers and watching it in a movement. The air brushes off one's face and gives a pleasant feeling. Valli had her first experience of such a moment when she stood up on the seat. Outside, the bus was passing a canal. A canal always has water and is already in movement, which is all the more beautiful when one sees it from a bus. On top of that, the road was very narrow. This makes it more interesting since it makes it appear as though everything is very near.
She saw palm trees and green lands as villages are mostly covered with them. Although it was afternoon, the weather had been good, and therefore she could see the clear blue skies as the vehicle kept moving. On one side, she had the canal, and on the other side, there was a deep ditch which meant the surface was low, and she could see the far away green spaces filled with trees. It was green as far as she could see. In today's world, one does not enjoy a bus ride because there is smoke from pollution and buildings that cover up everything. But Valli really enjoyed the scenic beauty.
Valli being a young girl, is only bothered about having fun and does not know the risks of standing on a bus. She could fall down and hurt herself. Generally, it is difficult to stand on a bus without holding on to the bar above. Any vehicle, when it picks up speed, has a different momentum that might put the people who are standing off balance. Even adults are susceptible to this danger. Seeing this, an elderly gentleman cites this as a reason and asks Valli to sit down. He addresses her as a child when he asks her to sit for her own safety. Valli does not like being called a child as she gets into the bus to enjoy the ride like the other passengers. She did not want to be treated separately. In order to make her seem equal, she says she has also taken a ticket just like the others. This was her only way to make herself seem mature.
Indian coins
Words with difficult meanings:
| S.No |
Words
|
Meaning
|
|
1
|
Canal | A passage that lets water for irrigation purposes |
|
2
|
Ditch | A narrow path dug at the sides of the road for water to flow |
|
3
|
Concerned | Worried, and anxious |
|
4
|
Annoyed | Being irritated and angry |
|
5
|
Acre | A large extent of something |
|
6
|
Grassland | A large area in the countryside filled with grass for grazing |
Reference:
National Council of Educational Research and Training (2006). Beehive. Madam Rides the Bus - Vallikannan (pp. 116-128). Published at the Publication Division by the Secretary, National Council of Educational Research and Training, Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi.
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