Class 9- English -Beehive – Chapter 2
Chapter-2
I. Tick the right answer.
1. The (shehnai, pungi ) was a ‘reeded noisemaker.’
2. (Bismillah Khan, A barber, Ali Bux) transformed the pungi into a shehnai.
3. Bismillah Khan’s paternal ancestors were (barbers, professional musicians).
4. Bismillah Khan learnt to play the shehnai from (Ali Bux, Paigambar Bux,Ustad Faiyaaz Khan).
5. Bismillah Khan’s first trip abroad was to (Afghanistan, U.S.A., Canada).
- The pungi was a ‘reeded noisemaker.’
- Bismillah Khan, a barber, transformed the pungi into a shehnai.
- Bismillah Khan’s paternal ancestors were professional musicians.
- Bismillah khan learnt to play the shehnai from Ali Bux.
- Bismillah Khan’s first trip abroad was to Afghanistan.
II. Find the words in the text which show Ustad Bismillah Khan’s feelings about the items listed below. Then mark a tick (✓) in the correct column. Discuss your answers in class.
| Bismillah Khan’s feelings about | Positive | Negative | Neutral |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. teaching children music | correct | ||
| 2. the film world | correct | ||
| 3. migrating to the U.S.A. | correct | ||
| 4. playing at temples | correct | ||
| 5. getting the Bharat Ratna | correct | ||
| 6. the banks of the Ganga | correct | ||
| 7. leaving Benaras and Dumraon | correct |
III. Answer each of these questions in 30-40 words.
Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?
Aurangzeb banned the playing of pungi because it had a very shrill and unpleasant sound. It was considered as noisemaker.
How is a shehnai different from a pungi?
Shehnai has a better tonal quality than pungi. It is a natural hollow stem pipe with holes on its body and is longer and broader than the pungi.
Where was the shehnai played traditionally? How did Bismillah Khan change this?
The shehnai was traditionally played in royal courts, temples and weddings. Ustaad Bismillah khan changed the tradition by bringing this instrument onto the classical stage.
When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break?
He got encouraged and worked hard and got a big break from the All India Radio in 1938.
Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on 15 August 1947? Why was the event historic?
The event was historic because the audience included Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who gave the famous speech ‘Tryst with Destiny’.
Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A.?
Bismillah Khan refused one of his student’s request to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A. due to his inextricable attachment with Hindustan.
Find at least two instances in the text which tell you that Bismillah Khan loves India and Benaras.
The first example is when he denied his students to start a shehnai instrument school in U.S.A. The second example is when khansaab was told by shekhar gupta about going to Pakistan during the partition but he said that he would never leave Banaras.