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The Flood 9th Grade, English
Background Information • Amaravathi (Telugu: అమరావతి) is a small town situated on the banks of the River Krishna in the Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is famous for its Amareswara temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is one of the famous Pancharamas. Amaravati, also known as Dhanyakataka/Dharanikota was the site of a great Buddhist Stupa built in pre-Mauryan times. It was also the capital of Satavahanas, the first great Andhra kings who ruled from the 2nd century BCE to the 3rd century CE, after the downfall of Maurya empire. • The Amareswara (Shiva) temple walls have lot of inscriptions that give information about the kings who ruled over the area. This pilgrimage is a holy place because here you can see the 5 forms of the Lord Shiva, such as Agasteswara, Parthiveswara, Pranaveswara, Someswara and Kosaleswara. • The town was the site of a great Buddhist stupa originally built during the reign of emperor Ashoka. It was completed in 200 CE and is decorated with carved panels which tell the story of Buddha's life. The stupa was then adorned with limestone reliefs and free standing Buddha figures
About the Story • Satyam Sankaramanchi is a native of Amaravathi, an ancient flourishing town on the banks of the Krishna. He has captured the glory of this town through a series of anecdotal stories surrounding the temple of Amareswara, the varying moods of the Krishna and its influence on the life of the people. • Translated from Satyam Sankaramanchi's Telugu original "Vadara" by JayashreeMohanraj, edited by Mini Krishnan. • The flood is a short-story that narrates a flood in the River Krishna and its effects on the life of the people of Amaravati. It brings into light, the social issue of discrimination based on caste in the village.
The Story • Amaravati has lostits former glory. • It’sruincanbefeltwhen the current conditions are comparedwith the past.
The Story…continued • One day there was a sudden flood in River Krishna. It was so high that the shore of the river could not be seen. • Few Villagers, Cows, street dogs, logs and planks were swept off by the sudden flood, the current overpowering them. • In the village, various tales of how Sangayya escaped and how Subbayya was bit by a snake were being talked about with fear. • Some women offered vermilion, turmeric and coconut to the river goddess in hopes of calming the river down. • With half the village submerged in the floods, the villagers gathered at the tree at Malakshma in the center of the village. • Finally at around 10’o clock, the flood water began to reduce in the river.
The Story…continued • Everyone gathered decided to cook. • fire was lit; • rice, groceries and vessels were collected; • vegetables were chopped; • Dosakayapappu, pulusu and rice were cooked. • People belonging to different castes cooked together in peace. • Rows of leaf were laid and people belonging to different castes sat down to eat harmoniously. • Shastri also sat down to eat and performed Sandhyavandanam and Auposana. He then stretched out his palm for Ghee. Dosakayapappu pulusu
The Story…continued • Ghee was being served by Sanganna, who belongs to Mala caste; fearing that his caste may upset Shastri, he didn’t want to serve Shastri and rushed away • Shastri then called after Sanganna and told him that he was hungry just like Sanganna was. He also added that the ghee is the same, if it was served by him or any one else; thus conveying that the caste didn’t matter. • Sangadu, then served the ghee happily . • All the people there uttered the slogan “namahparvathipathaye” together . We may be of different religion, or caste or colour, but we are all Humans first and We are One
Comprehension In the first paragraph, you find the following names. What are they? 1)Vaikhuntapuram - a hill with a popular temple. 2)Dhanyakatakam - capital city of the Sathavahanas 3)Krishna – Third longest river , originates from Mahabaleshwar and meets Bay of Bengal at Hamasaladeevi at Andhra Pradesh. 4)Amaravati- is a small town situated on the banks of the River Krishna in the Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh, India. 2) In the second paragraph, you find a comparative description of Amaravati as it was seen in the olden days and as it is seen now. B.Fill in the blanks choosing details from the lesson.
The Comprehension 3) Who do the words Krishnaveni and Krishnamma refer to? They refer to River Krishna. 4)Read the fourth paragraph carefully. There are two words which describe a woman’s hair. Which are they? What do they refer to here? -Tress -Plait They refer to the thin nature of the streams of the river Krishna by these words. 5)Pick out two words from the lesson which mean the same as flood. -deluge -spate
Exercises Given Below are some lines taken from the lesson. Read them carefully and answer the questions that follow. • ‘The other bank was not visible’ • What does the word bank here refer to? – the shore of the river • Why was it not visible? – the height of river was so high • Which river is the author talking about? -River Krishna 2) “Oh God,save me” – a heart-rendering cry • Who said this? – Some one who lived in Amaravati • When was it said? – when he was swept away by flood • Why is it called a ‘heart-rendering cry’? -It saddened the people of Amaravati who felt helpless to save that drowning person. 3) ‘Everyone watched the terrifying scene from the bank’ • Who does the word ‘everyone’ refer to? – Surviving people of Amaravati • What did they do? – They did nothing. • Give two examples to prove that the scene was terrifying. • Moaning cows and howling dogs were being swept away along with logs and plans . • A human voice screamed ‘O God save me’ and the voice became distant and can be seen no more.
Exercises • ‘Take care of these people’s hunger first’ • Who does the phrase these people refer to? – the surviving people of the Amaravati • Where did they gather? – They gathered at the tree at Malakshma in the centre of the village. • What is the meaning of this statement? – This statement means that the it is decided to prepare food for the survivors. • ‘It is the same ghee where you serve it or someone else does’ • Who made this statement? - Shastri • When did he say so? – When Mala Sanganna didn’t want to serve ghee to Shastri and rushed away. • Why did he say so? - Shastri wanted to convey that the caste of the person who serves should not matter and that everything is the same.
Answer the following in two or three sentences each • How did Sanjayya come to know that the river was in spate? What happened to his house? What did he do? Sanjayya woke up in the middle of the night because his child was wet and was crying . It was then that he realized the danger and came out of the house. Thus he escaped the flood with his wife and children. • Who did the women offer vermillion, turmeric and coconuts to? Why did they do so? The women offered vermillion, turmeric and coconuts to the river Goddess .They prayed to calm the river. 3) How did the flood affect Subbayya and Venkataswami? Subbaya got bitten by a snake that was swept into his house by the flood. Venkataswami watched as his sheep were swept away. 4) How did the people take care of small babies? The people made makeshift cradles for the infants in the branches of the trees
Answer the following in two or three sentences each • Describe briefly how the flood affected people of Amaravathi help themselves to prepare food. Ten young men made a hole and helped light a fire. Some people carried sacks to collect rice . Other people collected groceries and cooking vessels. Some people chopped the vegetables. And so, dosakayapappu, pulusu and rice were cooked. • Where was the food served? How did Setti help them? Setti donated leaf plates . The food was served in the market place, on leaf plates laid row after row. • What did the people and Shastri do before taking food.? All the people chanted the name of the Lord. Shastri performed Sandhyavandanam and Auposana.
Composition 1)Imagine you are a resident of one of the following towns: a)Srirangapatna b)Nanjangud c)Banavasi d)Bijapur e)Hampi You are very unhappy with the way your town is being maintained . Write a letter to the editor of a popular English newspaper giving a clear picture of your badly maintained town and the glory it once enjoyed.
Rewrite the following sentences in PASSIVE VOICE. • Soldiers on horseback patrolled the streets. The streets were patrolled by the soldiers on horseback. • People used to cart heaps of gems and pearls along the streets. Heaps of gems and pearls were carted along the streets by the people. • Who would sweep and clean the wide road? The wide road would be swept and cleaned by who?
Rewrite the following sentences in passive voice. • Everyone sweeps the garbage and throws it in to the middle of the street Garbage is swept and thrown into the middle of the street by everyone. • You hear swear words as you pass near the huge banyan tree Swear words are heard as you pass near the huge banyan tree.
Rewrite the following sentences in passive voice. • Some women offered vermillion, turmeric and coconut to the river goddess. vermillion, turmeric and cococunt was offered to the river goddess by some women. • The swirling waters swept away moaning cows Moaning cows were swept away by the swirling waters • They made makeshift cradles for the infants on the branches of trees. Makeshift cradles were made for the infants on the branches of the trees.
Rewrite the following sentences in ACTIVE VOICE. • Many more terrible tales were being told. They told many more terrible tales. • A course of action was jointly planned by the village heads. The village heads jointly planned a course of action • A trench to light a fire was made using spades by ten young men. Ten young men made a trench to light a fire using spades.
Rewrite the following sentences in Active voice. • Rice was collected from houses by another group. Another group collected rice from houses. • Cooking vessels and groceries were brought by yet another group. Yet another group brought cooking vessels and groceries. • DosakayaPappu, pulusu and rice were cooked by Venkamma and Subbamma. Venkamma and Subbamma cooked DosakayaPappu, pulusu and rice.
