The Gardner

              The Gardner

                                                                              -P. Lankesh

Add caption

Summary:

The narrator met an old man standing in coconut farm near Channarayapatna. The old man was tall, had a long beak-like nose and strong arms. He had to tend coconut trees. He carried a news paper. The narrator saw in him a laborer, philosopher and overseer.

         There was a big farm. For his farm came the old man from far. He got a job to work. He knew all about agriculture. He maintained the farm as his own. The result of his hard work was that, the Owner's life-style changed. He became lazy and didn't work but the income, from the garden improved a lot. The owner's wife fell in dilemma whether it was due to the arrival of the old man or something else. The life of the owner became colorful. His prestige improved. He became a known figure. The owner's wife was happy to see expansion of their farm but at the same time worried about her husband. The old man understood all this. So he came to her and a story.

                 There lived in a far-off place a man named Tammanna. He had everything. He commanded all the respect. But he had a rival called Basavaiah who envied Tammanna always. He couldn't see Tammanna up in life. He envied his prosperity. He did whatever Tammanna did in the village. At the first instance it appeared as healthy competition but later it took a difference turn. Basavaiah couldn't tolerate Tammanna possessing. One thousand acres of land because he had only hundred acres. One day he went with his me and acquired 200 acres of Tammanna's land forcibly. He put a fence around. The onlookers advised Tammanna to go to court, some suggested to contact police, some told they had people to punish Basavaiah but Tammanna didn't pay any attention to all this because he had a different plan. He had in his mind to annihilate Basavaiah.

He composed all his experiences in the form of ballads and sang them. The songs contained information about Basavaiah's cruelty and manners. Many scholars came and analyzed the songs. The reputation of Tammanna increased and Basavaiah feel uncomfortable. He organized many things He called people to practice him. He accumulated wealth. He possessed everything. The only problem was that Tammanna’s books were not there in his palatial building. Basavaiah came to know Tammanna was ill. He was happy Tammanna’s disease was Basavaiah’s health.

       Tammanna knew that a nation is capable of withstanding strains but human temperament doesn’t allow this. So he refers to Russia and America. But a man can’t live without a rival.. He thought that his death alone could destroy Basavaiah . So he gave up everything and started oil He made her clear that he was Tammanna. The people thought that Tarnmanna died. When Basavaiah learnt this, he didn't feel like living. He found no meaning in his existence. So he passed away. When Tammanna came to know this, he forgot all his songs and ballads. He told all this to her and her husband is not amenable to any advice because he is rich now. He talks of all these and tells her not think of otherwise and goes out to pay a visit to the workers.

Comprehension 1:

1.What qualities of the old man impressed narrator?

Ans: The old man was tall, had a long beak like nose and muscular arms. The narrator observed that he was a laborer, overseer and philosopher. He found all this in the old man.

2.Is it a significant factor that the old man came to the garden after walking hundreds of miles?

Ans: The old man had come to this farm after walking hundreds of miles to avenge him and he succeeded in it. So this is a significant factor.

3. The owner of the garden became lethargic because

a) The income of the garden improved dramatically.

b) He had become dependent upon the gardener.

c) There was nothing much left for the owner to do.

Ans: (a) The income of the garden improved dramatically.

4. Why did the owner's wife start worrying about the strange ways of her husband?

Ans: The income from the garden increased but it affected the owner in a strange way. He became lethargic and shied away from hard work. His life became crowded with colorful events. So the owner's wife became apprehensive about his adultery and umpteen other vices.

5. When did the old man decide to narrate his story?

Ans: When the old man noticed the plight or the apprehension of the owner's wife about her husband, he started narrating his story in the evening.

6. Tammanna considers his rival, Sangoji/ Basavaiah, an important possession because

a) Competition helps in the development of an individual.

b) Sangoji/Basavaiah leads a more colorful life.

c) Rivalry offers new possibilities of life for him.

Ans: (c) rivalry offers new possibilities of life for him.

7. "No, his name was not Sangoil, but Basavaiah” told the old man because

a) he had really forgotten the name",

b) he wanted to keep the identity of his rival a secret

c) he was fictionalizing his past_

Ans: (c) he was fictionalizing his past.

 8. What unique strategy was evolved by Tammanna to annihilate Basavaiah completely?

Ans: He composed all his experiences in the form of ballads and sang them. All his poems described the enmity, jealousy and meanness of Basavaiah. This was the unique strategy.

9. Why does Basavaiah start inviting scholar’s musicians to his place? Ans: He wanted to invest his home with meaning, so he started inviting scholars, poet and musicians to his place.

10. What was Basavaiah's ray of hope in his attempt to outwit Tammanna?

Ans: When Tammanna fell ill, he felt happy. It was a ray of hope for him. Tammanna's disease was his health.

11. Tammanna decides to give up everything and leave the place because

a) he sees no Purpose in living there.

b) he wants to create an impression that he is dead.

c) he wants to put an end to the rivalry.  

Ans: (b) he wants to create an impression that he is dead.

 12. Tammanna forgets his sons and ballads because

a) He finds them futile.

b) He doesn't need them anymore.

c) He avenges himself.

Ans: (c) he avenges himself.

Comprehension II:

1. How did the owner's life change after the arrival of the old man?

Ans: There was a owner of a farm. He had ten acres of land. He was in need of a man who could look after his farm. As desired, an old came to the farm. He was well-versed in agriculture. He knew all about the farms and about the workers also. He looked after everything neatly. After his arrival, the petty thefts in the garden came to an end. The income from the garden increased in leaps and bounds. The plantation expanded. The ten acres farm grew beyond their imagination. Equally, there was a drastic change in the life of the owner. He became lethargic and didn't do any work. He developed contacts with new friends and his life became crowded with colorful events. The owner’s wife became apprehensive about her husband's adultery and other umpteen vices because he was gradually getting out of hand.

2. What advice did the supporters to Tammanna give for getting his land back?

 Ans: Basavaiah was not happy about Tammanna who had one thousand acres of land. This was because he had only 800 acres of land. He asked Tammanna to sell 200 acres but he didn't. This enraged Basavaiah. So he went to Tammanna with his people and took 200 acres of land forcibly and had protection by putting a fence. This was known to all. Tammanna had a lot of followers. They suggested various ways to Tammanna of getting his land back. Some suggested him to approach court of law. Others informed him to file a complaint to the police. Some also suggested to man handle Basavaiah and snatch all the property. But Tammanna didn't go for any of these measures and planned a different trick.

3. How did Tammanna react to Basavaiah's encroachment of his land?

Ans:  When Basavaiah took 200 acres land of Tammanna, forcibly Tammanna didn’t lose his temper. He kept mum and pondered over. Tammanna’s followers suggested him various ways to be followed in order to get the land back. For these things, also, Tammanna did not pay any importance. He had different plan. He composed all his experiences in the form of ballads and highlighted the cruelty, and meanness of Basavaiah. He sang them. Many critics came there. They analyzed the poem and Tammanna was regarded as the best poet. This again made Basavaiah jealous.

4. How did Basavaiah try to overcome his humiliation?

Ans: Basavaiah, never looked the prosperity of Tammanna. So he went on doing one or the other things. He was shrunk in humiliation. So he tried to overcome his humiliation by doing following things:

(1) He started filling his life with all kinds of material wealth.

(2) He got a palatial mansion built for himself.

(3) He appointed a number of persons just to praise him.

(4) He bedecked himself with gold, diamonds and other precious stones.

(5) His visitors told him that his house looked dull and empty because Tammanna's books were not there. So he started inviting scholars, poets and musicians to his place.

Comprehension III: 

1.    The rivalry between Tammanna and Basavaiah keeps moving from the visible domain to the invisible. Comment.

Ans: Tammanna was a rich farmer. He had comfortable house and all that he wanted. Thousand were at his bidding command. He was totally happy. There was another farmer named Basavaiah. He saw all the prosperity of Tammanna. Instead of feeling happy, he felt sad and envied. He followed to do whatever Tammanna did. Ultimately Tammanna had one thousand acres of land and Basavaiah had only eight hundred acres. He couldn't tolerate this. So he asked Tammanna to sell his 200 acres of land but Tammanna didn't agree. Then Basavaiah went there with his people and took 200 acres of land forcibly. Then he put a fence. 'Tammanna tolerated all this at first. His followers suggested various measures to get his land back from Basavaiah. All came to know this. It was visible for all. Tammanna made plan to annihilate Basavaiah. He wrote poems in the form of ballads and expressed his experiences and also about the cruelty and meanness of Basavaiah. He sang all those songs. So the rivalry moved from the visible to the invisible. Many critics came there and analyzed the poems and Tammanna was felicitated as the best poet of all times.

2. How does Tammanna adopt counter strategy to challenge the material wealth of Basavaiah?

Ans: Tammanna wrote poems and sang them. Many people came to know all about the rivalry. The poems defamed Basavaiah. But Basavaiah went on collecting money and appointed people to praise him but didn't succeed. At this time Tammanna adopted counter strategy to challenge the material wealth of Basavaiah.

Tammanna thought that if he continued his rivalry at the level of body, Basavaiah would go on offering a stiff competition. So he wanted separate his song from his body. He knew the human nature. He thought that his death would give him solace and his death alone could destroy Basavaiah. So he gave up everything and started off. All thought that Tammanna passed away. Basavaiah was happy for a short time. Then he didn't find any reason to live. So he passed away. Without vengeance, mar; can't find any reason to live and Tammanna also forgot all its songs.

2.    A manipulator like Tammanna turns reflective towards the end of his life. What does this tell us about human nature?

Ans: Man is never satisfied with his lot. He craves for more. He becomes greedy. He doesn't tolerate other's prosperity. He longs for what he doesn't get. Yet he pines for it. If we come out of this we become Gods. But we don't think that it is our goal. Instead we live for some kind of unbearable vengefulness. Without it, there would be no reason for his existence. Tammanna knows this human temperament. Yet he succeeds in his manipulation. Basavaiah passes away when he learns that Tammanna is no more, because he doesn't find any reason to live. Tammanna becomes reflective in the end, because he forget all his songs and ballads. He becomes non-entity. He says that after a particular age, man loses his name because his age becomes important and his name vanishes into thin air. He says that man is so complicated that till the day of his death, he goes on living for some revenge or the other, confronting one challenge or the other.

3.    How does the reference to Russia and America provide another dimension to the story

Ans: Russia told America "I am not your enemy. I shall not wage a war against you". Russia declared that it is his friend. America being the sworn enemy of Russia went in agony and boredom. America did not think of waging the war, because it did not find any reason to fight because of Russia's declaration. Tammanna went on manipulating without exposing his enmity openly. Basavaiah also didn't take drastic steps but only went on collecting material wealth. At last Tammanna came to the conclusion that his death alone could destroy Basavaiah. So he left the place. But Basavaiah didn't find any reason to live. So he passed away. So the story takes this dimension.

5. Observe how the story employs multiple narratives. How does this technique unveil the mystery of human relationship?

Ans: At first we notice P. Lankesh meeting an old man and narrates about him. Through his narration we understand the character of the old man. When the owner's wife becomes apprehensive Tammanna narrates a story about himself and basavaiah bringing to light. Many facts of human personality. He goes on unveiling the mystery of human relationships, i.e. taking vengeance, manipulation, living with supporters grabbing forcibly, imitating without any gain undergoing humiliation. So we notice multiple narrations. Towards the end, Tammanna becomes reflective and tells the end of enmity or rivalry between himself and Basavaiah.

Vocabulary:

1. Antonyms:

Ans: 1 Impoverish x enrich

        2. Elaborate x concise

         3. Petty     x grand

       4. Suffused x removed

       5. Lethargic x active

       6. Annihilate x preserve

       7. Vengeful x benevolent

        8. Agony x ecstasy

       9. Flourish x languish

      10. Wealth x poverty

      11. Famous x obscure

      12. Cruelty x kindness

      13. Best x worst

      14. Enemy x friend

      15. Stiff x flexible

2. What do the following expression from the lesson mean?

Ans: 1. in a flash - suddenly, immediately

        2. Flesh and - the berry soul, kith and kin

        3. Out of hand - beyond control, going out of reach

        4. Vanish into thin air- disappear.