Class 9 English WBBSE - Chapter 1 - Tales of Bhola Grandpa – Q&A & Grammar

West Bengal Board Class 9 English – Chapter 1

Tales of Bhola Grandpa – Manoj Das

About the Author – Manoj Das

Manoj Das (1934-2021) was a famous Indian writer who wrote in Odia and English. He was known for his simple and humorous storytelling. His stories often talk about village life, Indian culture, and interesting characters. He received many awards for his writing.

In Tales of Bhola Grandpa, Manoj Das brings a fun and lighthearted story about an old man’s adventures and forgetfulness. The story is full of humor and teaches us about life, memory, and the joy of simple things.

 

Explanation of the Chapter

The story is about Bhola Grandpa, an old man who is loved by everyone in his village. He is kind and cheerful, but also very forgetful, which often leads to funny situations.

One night, Bhola Grandpa was returning home from a village festival with others. He was holding his grandson’s fingers while walking. But after some time, he forgot he was holding a child’s hand! The boy had slipped away, and Bhola Grandpa did not realize it. When someone asked what he was holding, he suddenly remembered and cried out loud in panic. The villagers helped him find the boy, who was safely sleeping under a cow.

Another time, Bhola Grandpa told the villagers that he had seen pirates burying a treasure chest under a sand dune. Everyone got excited and started digging for the hidden treasure. They spent the whole night searching, but later, Bhola Grandpa admitted that he had only seen it in a dream!

The most exciting story is when Bhola Grandpa meets a Royal Bengal tiger in the Sundarbans. One evening, while coming home from the market, he hears a tiger growling behind him. Scared, he climbs a tree to save himself. The tiger circles the tree for a long time before lying down nearby. Bhola Grandpa forgets about the tiger and climbs down the tree the next morning.

A villager is shocked and asks him how he escaped. Only then does Bhola Grandpa remember the tiger! He gets so scared that he runs all the way home.

Bhola Grandpa lived a long life and passed away at the age of 95. His 80-year-old wife mourned him, but she also said something funny:
“The old man must have forgotten to breathe.”

This final line makes us smile and reminds us how forgetful Bhola Grandpa was throughout his life.

 

Bengali Explanation (বাংলায় ব্যাখ্যা)

"Tales of Bhola Grandpa" একটি মজার এবং হৃদয়স্পর্শী গল্প, যা ভোলা দাদু নামে এক বয়সী ব্যক্তি সম্পর্কে। তিনি ছিলেন সবার প্রিয়, কিন্তু তার ভুলে যাওয়ার স্বভাব বহু মজার ঘটনার জন্ম দিয়েছে। গল্পটি একটি ছোট ছেলের দৃষ্টিকোণ থেকে বলা হয়েছে, যে ভোলা দাদুর কীর্তিকলাপ মনে করে হাসে।

একদিন রাতে, ভোলা দাদু একটি উৎসব থেকে ফেরার সময় নাতির আঙুল ধরে হাঁটছিলেন। কিন্তু খেয়াল না করেই নাতিকে হারিয়ে ফেলেন! পরে যখন তাকে জিজ্ঞেস করা হয়, তখন তিনি বুঝতে পারেন এবং জোরে কান্না জুড়ে দেন। পরে, লোকেরা নাতিকে একটি গরুর নিচে ঘুমিয়ে থাকতে দেখে।

আরেকবার, ভোলা দাদু গ্রামবাসীদের বলেন যে তিনি সামুদ্রিক ডাকাতদের গুপ্তধন লুকাতে দেখেছেন। সবাই রাতভর ধন খোঁজে, কিন্তু পরে তিনি বলেন এটি কেবল তার স্বপ্ন ছিল!

সবচেয়ে রোমাঞ্চকর ঘটনা ঘটে সুন্দরবনে, যখন ভোলা দাদুর সামনে একটি রয়্যাল বেঙ্গল টাইগার আসে। তিনি ভয় পেয়ে একটি গাছে উঠে যান। বাঘটি সারারাত গাছের নিচে বসে থাকে। কিন্তু সকালে, ভোলা দাদু বাঘের কথা ভুলে গিয়ে নিচে নেমে আসেন।

একজন লোক অবাক হয়ে তাকে জিজ্ঞেস করেন, "আপনি বাঘের সামনে দিয়ে হেঁটে গেলেন, আর কিছু হলো না?" তখনই ভোলা দাদু বাঘের কথা মনে করেন এবং আতঙ্কে দৌড়ে বাড়ি ফিরে যান!

শেষে, ভোলা দাদু ৯৫ বছর বয়সে মারা যান। তাঁর স্ত্রী হাস্যকরভাবে বলেন:
"বুড়ো মানুষটা শ্বাস নিতে ভুলে গেছে!"

 

Summary of the Chapter (সংক্ষিপ্ত সারসংক্ষেপ)

"Tales of Bhola Grandpa" একটি হাস্যকর গল্প, যেখানে ভোলা দাদুর ভুলে যাওয়া এবং মজার অভিজ্ঞতা তুলে ধরা হয়েছে। তিনি সরল এবং ভালো মানুষ, কিন্তু তার ভুলোমন স্বভাব সবসময় তাকে মজার বিপদে ফেলে।

গল্পের তিনটি গুরুত্বপূর্ণ ঘটনা হল:

1. নাতিকে হারানো – উৎসব থেকে ফেরার পথে ভোলা দাদু বুঝতেই পারেননি যে তিনি নাতিকে হারিয়েছেন।
2. গুপ্তধনের স্বপ্ন – তিনি গ্রামের লোকদের বলেন সৈকতে গুপ্তধন আছে, কিন্তু পরে জানান এটি ছিল তার স্বপ্ন!
3. সুন্দরবনের বাঘ – তিনি একটি বাঘের সামনে পড়ে যান, গাছে উঠে যান, কিন্তু পরের দিন ভুলে গিয়ে নিচে নেমে আসেন।

ভোলা দাদুর সরলতা, ভুলে যাওয়া এবং হাস্যকর ঘটনা গল্পটিকে আকর্ষণীয় ও শিক্ষণীয় করে তোলে।

 

Important Words & Meanings (গুরুত্বপূর্ণ শব্দ ও অর্থ)

Word	Meaning (English)	Meaning (Bengali)
Forgetfulness	Failing to remember	ভুলে যাওয়া
Adventure	Exciting experience	রোমাঞ্চকর অভিজ্ঞতা
Treasure	Hidden valuable things	গুপ্তধন
Pirates	Sea robbers	সমুদ্রের ডাকাত
Hilarious	Very funny	খুবই হাস্যকর
Wander	Move aimlessly	উদ্দেশ্যহীনভাবে ঘোরা

Questions & Answers

Exercise 1: MCQs (Tick the correct answer)

1. In the bokal tree there lived –
   (b) monkeys
2. On the way back from the festival, Bhola Grandpa tightly held on to the two fingers of his –
   (c) grandson
3. A gang of pirates was burying a –
   (a) large box
4. Bhola Grandpa was returning from the –
   (d) weekly market
5. Bhola Grandpa died at the age of –
   (b) ninety-five

 

Exercise 2: Answer within fifteen words

(a) When did Bhola Grandpa let out a loud wail?
👉 Bhola Grandpa wailed loudly when he realized that his grandson was missing from his hand.

(b) Where had the grandson found a cosy shelter?
👉 The grandson had taken shelter under a cow’s belly.

(c) What request did Bhola Grandpa make to the first man he saw on the mound?
👉 Bhola Grandpa asked the man for some water to drink.

(d) How old was Bhola Grandpa’s wife when he died?
👉 Bhola Grandpa’s wife was eighty years old when he died.

 

Exercise 3: Answer within twenty-five words

(a) Why was no real treasure found under the sand dunes?
👉 There was no real treasure because Bhola Grandpa had only seen it in his dream during his midday nap.

(b) What did the tiger do after Bhola Grandpa had climbed up the banyan tree?
👉 The tiger circled the tree many times, then sat under a bush, watching him all night.

(c) What was the reason of Bhola Grandpa’s death according to his wife?
👉 His wife said that Bhola Grandpa must have forgotten to breathe, just like he used to forget other things.

 Exercise 4: Change the mode of narration

(a) Bulbuli said to his friend, "Will you come tomorrow?"
👉 Bulbuli asked his friend if he would come the next day.

(b) Paulami says, "I am fine."
👉 Paulami says that she is fine.

(c) The teacher said to the students, "Keep quiet."
👉 The teacher told the students to keep quiet.

(d) My mother said to me, "May your dreams come true."
👉 My mother wished that my dreams would come true.

(e) The students said, "Sir, please allow us to play in the field."
👉 The students requested the teacher to allow them to play in the field.

 

Exercise 5: Correcting articles and prepositions

Incorrect sentence:
On an winter night I was aboard a boat. It was a moonlit night full on stars. The boat was anchored up a great river. I was thrilled to see a beauty of nature.

Corrected sentence:
On a winter night, I was aboard a boat. It was a moonlit night full of stars. The boat was anchored on a great river. I was thrilled to see the beauty of nature.

 

Exercise 6: Dialogue Writing (100 words on banning animals in circuses)

A Dialogue on Banning the Use of Animals in Circuses

Riya: Have you noticed how fewer wild animals are seen nowadays? I think it is because of human cruelty.

Amit: Yes, especially in circuses. Animals like lions and tigers are forced to perform tricks. It is so cruel.

Riya: Exactly! They are often beaten and kept in small cages. This should be stopped.

Amit: I agree. Using animals in circuses should be banned. There are already laws against animal cruelty.

Riya: Right! We must spread awareness and support such laws.

Amit: Yes, entertainment should never come at the cost of an animal’s suffering.

 

Exercise 7: Story Writing (100 words based on the given hints)

Title: A Frightening Night Journey

We were returning from an educational excursion by bus. It was a dark and silent night. Suddenly, our bus stopped. The driver checked and found that the tyres were punctured. We had to wait at a lonely place for almost two hours. It was scary because there were no people around, only the sound of insects. Finally, the driver and conductor fixed the tyres, and we continued our journey. Everyone sighed in relief. We reached home safely, but the frightening experience remained in our minds.

  

Conclusion

"Tales of Bhola Grandpa" by Manoj Das is a fun and heartwarming story from West Bengal Board Class 9 English syllabus. Bhola Grandpa’s funny and forgetful nature makes us laugh and teaches us about simplicity and joy in life.