Read the article about Strong Roots long question answer for class 12 for complete preparation of the final English examination. Long questions are answered here with simple language and complex style suitable for good marks.
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STRONG ROOTS- LONG QUESTION ANSWER
Strong Roots long question answer
A. Give a brief account of Kalam’s childhood, as presented in his ‘Strong Roots’.
Or, What does APJ Abdul Kalam say about his childhood?
Or, What did APJ Abdul Kalam say of his childhood in ‘Strong Roots’?
In the autobiographical essay “Strong Roots”, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam has described his childhood as secured and well organized. He was born and brought up in a middle class Tamil family in the island town of Rameswaram. They lived in their ancestral house built in the middle of the nineteenth century. His parents were an ideal couple. Although Kalam’s family was not affluent and his father had not much wealth, Kalam got every essential thing he needed. His austere father used to avoid all the inessential comforts and luxuries. But the necessities in terms of food, medicine and clothing were provided for Kalam in his childhood.
B. How had APJ Abdul Kalam tried to follow his father’s teaching in his life?
In “Strong Roots”, Dr. Kalam has accepted that his life got much influence from his father. He tried emulate his father in his own world of science and technology.
The spiritual teachings of his father moulded his chracter greatly. Dr. Kalam endeavoured to assimilate all the fundamental truths regarding spirituality This also convinced him about the existence of a divine power which can lift a person up from confusion, misery, melancholy and failure and guide one to one’s true place. By way of severance of all physical and mental bonds, one could get the right way of freedom and happiness and peace within himself.
C. Write a short character sketch of A PJ Abdul Kalam’s father, as perceived by the author himself?
We can assess the character of Jainulabdeen, Dr. Kalam’s father from the description given in his autobiograhical essay “Strong Roots”. APJ Abdul Kalam’s father, Jainulabdeen was a devout Muslim living a simple life. He did not have much formal education and was not an wealthy person but he was free from all sorts of material desire and transitory pleasures and inessential luxuries.. He was humble, hardworking and a well known person in his locality due to his spirituality.
People of different religions used to believe that their illness could be cured with the prayer and he used to dip his fingertips into water to sanctify it with magical power which could work in the recovery of the invalids. From the speech, learnt from his father, Kalam felt convinced about the existence of a super power that could lift up a person from all sorts of confusion, misery and failure. He also learnt that one could obtain freedom, happiness, peace and tranquility of mind by severing own mental and
physical bonds.
D. What was the correct approach?// “One must understand the difference between a fear ridden vision of destiny and the vision that enables us to seek the enemy of fulfilment within ourselves.”- Explain the meaning of the statement.
Ans- Dr. Kalam’s father explained his act of help to the people in distress by prayers and offerings. But that, according to him was not a correct approach. The right approach was to understand the difference between a fear ridden vision of destiny and the vision that enables us to seek the enemy of fulfilment within ourselves.
Here he emphasized on two fold vision of destiny. The Fear ridden vision of destiny’ created a feeling of fear within the soul that the problems and sorrows of our
life were the acts of demonic forces. The other vision was described as man’s own desire of fulfilment that was the reason of his suffering. He desired something
to happen as per his own wishes. This wishful thinking turned to be his own enemy and the reason of his suffering. According to Kalam’s father, one should find
out the enemy of fulfilment within himself.
STRONG ROOTS- DR. KALAM (CLASS 12)
E. What did A PJ Abdul Kalam see, when his father came out of the mosque, after evening prayer?
Dr. A PJ Abdul Kalam has stated in “Strong Roots” that his father had a religious personality. There was a very old mosque where Kalam was taken for evening prayer though Kalam could not understand the meaning of the Arabic prayers, chanted there. After the prayer, when his father came out, people of different religious waited for him with a bowl of water and his father used to dip his fingertips in the water and say a prayer. Then they carried the water for the invalid people in their home.
The enchanted water was thought to cure those people and when those people came to their house to thank his father, he smiled and told them to thank Allah, the almighty.
F. “In fact I would say mine was a very secure child- hood-materially and emotionally”-Whose childhood is referred to here? How was his childhood secured? Describe the people who secured his childhood?
In the above statement extracted from “Strong Roots”, the childhood of Dr. A PJ Abdul Kalam is referred to here.
Kalam’s family belonged to middle class Tamil family and his father had not much wealth, but Kalam got all the necessary items like food, medicine and clothing as
per his requirement. Kalam’s father used to live a very simple life and used to avoid all inessential comforts and Luxuries. Kalam’s childhood days were full of happiness
and he did not face emotional disturbances or material want at his house this time. So he considered his childhood secured.
Kalam’s father Jainulabdeen and his mother Ashiamma secured his childhood to a great extent.
G. “His answer filled me with strange energy with strange energy and enthusiasm.”-What was the question? What was the answer? Why did it fill Dr. Kalam with energy and enthusiasm?
Kalam asked his father why he would not explain to the common people that every human being is a part of divine power and so they should not afraid of difficulties, sufferings and problems. Then his father took time to realise his power of understanding his explanation and answered that life is a mixture of joy and sorrow. In time of distress and trouble, a person looks for someone to help and stand beside him to fight against the troubles. If anyone gets into a problem, he or she wants someone to show the way out. Kalam’s father also said that he had to go between those people in distress to propitiate demonic forces through prayers and offerings. But this, according to him was not a correct approach.
Jainulabdeen explained that there were two fold vision of destiny, one the fear ridden vision of destiny and the other one was the vision of searching out the enemy of fulfilment within the body. This explanation of his father filled Dr. Kalam with energy and enthusiasm.
H. Who was Pakshi Lakshmana Shastry? How was he related to Kalam’s father? What vision of his father and Pakshi Lakshmana Shastry lingered in his memory? Why does Kalam mention his name?
Pakshi Lakshmana Shastry was the high priest of famous Hindu temple of Rameswaram temple.
He was a very intimate friend of Kalam’s father Jainulabdeen.
Both Pakshi Lakshmana Shastry and Jainulabdeen used to wear their own traditional attires. They were of two different religions. They discussed a lot about spiritual matters. That was the vision lingered in his childhood memories.
Kalam mentions the name of Pakshi Lakshmana Shastry in order to bring the message of tolerance, love and communal harmony.
I. What is the relevance of prayer according to Jainulabdeen?
In his childhood, Kalam went to the nearest mosque for evening prayer with his father but could not understand the Arabic chanting of the prayers. At that time he was totally convinced that this prayer directly reached to God. However, when he became old enough to ask the relevance of prayer to his father, his father replied that there was no mystery in prayer. He said that prayer was a communion of the inner spirit. Through prayer one could become a part of the universe transcending his body. Prayer enables the man to go beyond the age, wealth, earthly possessions, caste or creed everything.
J. Comment of the atmosphere of communal harmony that A PJ Abdul Kalam grew up in.
Dr. Kalam has opined that their locality was predominantly Muslim, but Hindus were living there amicably with their Muslim neighbours. In Rameswaram, there was
the famous Shiva temple as well as the old mosque in the same locality. The high priest of the Shiva temple, Pakshmi Lakshmana Sastry was the close friend of Kalam’s father. They used to be in traditional attire and they were found discussing spiritual matters.
Another important thing was that people of different religions came to the father of Kalam for help in distress.. They offered bowls of water to him and he used to dip his fingertips in it to make water sanctified for curing the invalids.In this way Dr. Kalam has presented A picture of communal harmony.
K. What was Jainulabdeen’s daily routine even when he was in his late sixties?
A P J Abdul Kalam has highlighted a story of encouragement, inspiration and motivation in ‘Strong Roots’. He remembered the early days when his father everyday started his day at 4 in the morning by reading the namaz before the dawn. After that he walked to their small coconut grove, about four miles away from their house. He returned home with a dozen coconuts, carrying on his shoulder. Only then he took his breakfast. (Strong Roots long question answer)
L. “Why don’t you say this to the people…” Who is the speaker? Whom is he speaking to? What explanation was provided to the speaker?
The speaker of this sentence is Abdul Kalam, in his autobiographical writing ‘Strong Roots’.
He is speaking to his father Jainulabdeen who had not enough formal education but could explain complex spiritual thoughts into simple colloquial Tamil.
Putting his hand on Kalam’s shoulders his father looked straight into his eyes judging Kalam’s capacity to understand his explanation. He explained that trouble human beings became alone and naturally looked for someone to help them. They tried to get rid of this situation. So who came to him in distress, he prayed for them and provided them strength and energy to overcome the trouble. Kalam’s father acted as a medium to ‘propitiate demonic forces with prayers and offerings’.
M. How did Kalam’s father influence his beliefs?
Dr Kalam’s father Jainulabdeen could express complex spiritual concepts in simple down to earth Tamil. Dr Kalam was much influenced by his father’s religious attitude. He was convinced that there was the existence of divine power which could help to overcome everyone from all ‘confusion, misery, melancholy and failure’ and
this belief gives guidance to everyone to the true path of life. This divine power is eternal. (Strong Roots long question answer)
Kalam’s father explained him that prayer makes possible of communion of spirits between people. When one prays one transcends his body and becomes a part of cosmos which knows no division of age caste creed and wealth. If anyone can uplift oneself from the physical and emotional bondage of this material world, he can achieve the path of freedom, reach the world of happiness and inevitably get the peace of mind. Abdul Kalam tried to realise this truth throughout his whole life. Even in his world of science and technology, Kalam tried to follow his father’s beliefs, in the divine power. In this way Kalm got influence from his father.
