81. Reading Skills Comprehension: SOUTH INDIA

SOUTH INDIA

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

1. South India is known for its music and for its arts and rich literature. Madras or Chennai can be called the cultural capital and the soul of Mother India. The city is built low in pleasant contrast to the ghoulish tall structures of Mumbai and Kolkata. It has vast open spaces and ample greenery. The majestic spacious Mount Road looks like a river, wide and deep. A stroll on the Marina beach in the evening with the sea glistening in your face is refreshing. The breeze soothes the body, it refreshes the mind, sharpens the tongue and brightens the intellect.

2. One can never feel dull in Chennai. The intellectual and cultural life of the city is something of a marvel. Every street corner of Chennai has a forum, a debating society and music, dance and dramatic club. The intelligent arguments, the sparkling wit and dashing irony enliven both the political and the literary meetings. There is a young men’s association which attracts brilliant speakers and equally brilliant listeners to its meetings. It is a treat to watch the speakers use their oratorical weapons. Chennai speakers are by and large sweet and urbane, though the cantankerous, fire-eating variety is quite often witnessed in political campaigning. The more urbane speakers weave their arguments slowly like the unfolding of a leisurely Karnataka raga.

3. Music concerts and dance performances draw packed houses. There is hardly any cultural family in Chennai that does not learn and patronize music and dance in its pristine purity. Rukmani Devi Arundale’sKalakshetra’ is a renowned international centre. It has turned out hundreds of celebrated maestros and dancers who have. brought name and glory to our country. Karnataka music has a peculiar charm of its own. It has the moon’s soft beauty and moon’s soft pace. Thousands of people flock to the temple ‘maidens’ to get drunk with the mellifluous melodies of their favourite singers. They sit out all night in the gruelling heat, swaying to the rhythm of `nadaswaram’ and rollicking with the measured beats of `mridangam’. M.S Subbulakshmi is considered to be the nightingale of the South.

4. The Gods might descend from heaven to see a South Indian damsel dancing. There are several varieties of South Indian dance — Bharat Natyam, MohiniAttam, Odissi, Kathakali etc. age cannot wither nor custom stale its beautiful variety. Bharat Natyam is the most graceful and enchanting dance form whereas Kathakali is most masculine and virile. South Indian dances combine voluptuousness with purity. Here every muscle and fibre of the body vibrates into life, and as the tempo increases, a divine flame-like passion bodies forth as if making an assault on heaven.

5. South Indian dress, particularly of the males, is puritanically simple. There you cannot distinguish a judge from an ‘ardali by their dress. South Indian lathes too look charming and graceful in their colourful Kanjeevaram and Mysore silk saris.

6. South Indian cuisine, especially ‘dosa’, ‘idli‘ and `vada’ are so delicious that now we can enjoy them almost everywhere in India as well as in some foreign countries. The Madras, which was a favourite of Gandhiji is served with `sambhar’ and coconut ‘chutney’.

On the basis of your understanding of the above passage answer each of the questions given below with the help of options that follow:

(a) South India is known mainly for its

(i) tasty food

 (ii) traditional art, music and literature

 (iii) scenic beauty

(iv) delicate and precise ways

 (b) South Indian dances are special because

(i) Gods come from heaven to see them

(ii) There aren’t many varieties of dance

(iii) They are pure as well as sensuous

(iv) They make an assault on heaven

(c) From the dressing style of the male members, one can conclude that

 (i) it fosters a sense of equality

(ii) it fosters simplicity in people

 (iii) it highlights the discrimination that exists in society

(iv) it complements the sarees worn by the ladies

(d) Madras is called the soul of Mother India because

 (i) it does not have tall buildings like Mumbai

(ii) the weather is refreshing

(iii) people give a lot of importance to cultural and intellectual activities

(iv) it has green open spaces

Answer the following questions briefly in your own words:

(e) How does the breeze on Marina beach affect the author?

(f) How do we know that music is very important for the people of South India?

 (g) What is the common connection between language, music and dance of South India?

 (h) What makes Karnataka music charming?

(i) What are the main features of Kathakali?

 (j) What is Kalakshetra famous for?

(k) Find words from the passage which mean the same as each of the following:

(i) ill-tempered/quarrelsome (para 2)

 (ii) smooth flowing/melodious (para 3)

ANSWERS:-

 (a) (ii);            (b) (iii);

(c) (i);              (d) (iii)

 (e) The cool breeze refreshes the author.

(f) We know this as musical concerts draw packed houses, and most cultural families patronize music. Many people also spend all night enjoying musical programs in temple maidens.

(g) They are all parts of the cultural life of South India.

(h) Its special characteristics are its soft pace and melody.

(i) Kathakali is a very virile and masculine dance.

 (f) It is a famous international centre for dance, which was set up by Rukmini Devi Arundale. It has trained many great dancers.

 (k) (i) Cantankerous;              (ii) Mellifluous

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