Maharashtra Board Class 12 English Yuvakbharati Solutions Chapter 2.2 Indian Weavers

Balbharti Yuvakbharati English 12th Digest Chapter 2.2 Indian Weavers Notes, Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board Class 12 English Yuvakbharati Solutions Chapter 2.2 Indian Weavers

12th English Digest Chapter 2.2 Indian Weavers Textbook Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Artisans are also called craftsmen. They are creators of diverse goods and use their hands to create unique, functional and also decorative items using traditional techniques. Now complete the web given below:

Answer:

Question 2.
Discuss with your partner the seasons/ occasions when we need:
Answer:
(a) Woollen clothes – in winter
(b) Casual clothes – when at home
(c) Rich silk clothes – festivals, weddings
(d) Colourful, comfortable clothes – travel, socializing

Question 3.
Let’s play a game. The teacher will ask the students some questions. Students will understand that there are some exceptions to the general rules. Let’s start:
Answer:
(a) One who weaves is a – weaver
(b) One who plays a game is a – sportsman
(c) One who sings is a – singer
(d) One who dances is a – dancer
(e) One who teaches is a – teacher
(f) One who cooks is a – cook/chef

Question 4.
We have often seen the picture of Gandhiji spinning on his charkha. Discuss the reasons behind this.
(a) To give rural people an opportunity to earn their livelihood.
(b) To give the message to wear hand-spun clothes.
(c) To convey the message of simple living.
(d) To be self-reliant.

Question 5.
Name some tools used by the weavers.
(a) Loom
(b) Shuttle
(c) Bobbin
(d) Scissors

Question 6.
Name some types of yarns used by the weavers.
(a) Linen
(b) Cotton
(c) Jute
(d) Flax
(e) Silk

(A1)

Question 1.
Discuss with your partner the following vocations:
(a) Weaving:
[Points:
India has rich heritage of weaving.

• Handloom weaving the second most widespread occupation next to agriculture.
• Each region of India has its typical yarn, style and fabric.
• India is tropical – people like to wear cotton
• Silks from different regions of India are prized by women worldwide.]

(b) Tailoring:
[Points:

• A tailor can make someone a star with style and fitting.
• Can have own machines, and stitch clothes according to client’s needs.
• Could be under a designer creating high fashion garments.
• Could be under a fashion-house label, working at computerized machines.
• hey create the trending fashions world- wide.]

(c) Knitting:
[Points:

• Knitting is weaving with two needles with woollen yarn.
• Many women are skilled.
• Women in cold regions do knitting to make warm clothes for the family.
• Knitting is done on machines too.]

(d) Embroidering:
[Points:

• Embroidery needs skilful fingers and patience.
• From hankies to wall-hangings are laboriously made with silk threads and tiny needles.
• Many other beautiful things like tablecloths, dress-collars, sari-edges, bedcovers and cushion sleeves.
• Machine embroidery also is done.]

(A2)

Question (i)
Discuss the various products made by the weavers in the poem.
Answer:
The poet asks the weavers what they are weaving at daybreak. It is a brightly coloured cloth and she asks the reason. The weavers reply that the robes, in the gay colour of the wild kingfisher, are for a newborn.

The poet next asks the weavers at dusk, for what they are weaving that bright cloth. The purple and green shaded fabric is for a queen’s wedding veil, reply the weavers. The poet asks what they are making in the chill night in the moonlight. The weavers are weaving a cloth as white as a feather, as a cloud. They say they are weaving a shroud for a dead man’s funeral.

Question (ii)
The words in the three stanzas of the poem mention different times of a day. Complete the table.
Answer:

Time of the day	Words/ phrases	Weaver’s work
Early morning	break of day	Weavers weave robes for the newborn child
Late in the evening	fall of night	Weavers weave a wedding veil for a queen
Night	Moonlight chill	Weavers weave a shroud for a dead man’s funeral

Question (iii)
The poem reveals three phases of life. Fill in the blanks with feelings and colours appropriate to the phase of life.
Answer:

	Newborn/ Childhood	Youth/ Adulthood	Old age/ Death
Colour	Blue	Peacock colours of purple-green	White as a feather or cloud
Feeling	Hopes and expectations	Expectations, responsibilities, romance, energy	Frailness, peace, wisdom

Question (iv)
Complete the sentence:
The weavers weave in the chill moonlight ……………….. .
Answer:
The weavers weave in the chill moonlight a cloth as white as a feather, as a cloud, a shroud, for a dead man’s funeral.

Question (v)
Pick out two words used to describe the weavers in the last stanza. Also state their importance.
Answer:
‘Solemn’ and ‘still’ are the two words used in the last stanza to describe the weavers. The words describe the occasion for which the craftsmen are working. A shroud is being woven for a funeral. The workers’ mood is also serious and unsmiling because of the occasion.

Question (vi)
Express your views about the present conditions of weavers.
Answer:
Weaving has existed for thousands of years in India. It was second only to agriculture. The weaves and fabrics from various regions were known around the world. From the Bengal muslin, to Kashmiri, Banarasi and Kancheevaram silks the cloth from India was renowned for the quality and fineness, the designs and richness.

Industrialization then brought problems for them. Power-looms are faster and manufacture large quantities in short time, Fashion-houses buy fabric from the weavers, put their labels and sell off the cloth at a very high price compared to the price paid to the craftsmen.

The craftsmen remain unknown, their craft under-valued and their life is in poverty. Ancient skills are lost and some take loans to somehow struggle. When debts are too much they commit suicide. Master weavers send away sons to cities to take up jobs.

They do not want the sons to struggle. Parents will not give girls in marriage to weavers. They lack facilities like lighting and water supply. Though the government has given subsidies for weavers most of it is lost to bribes and the weavers receive negligible sums.

Question (vii)
Describe in your own words the steps or measures that can be taken to solve the problems of the weavers.
Answer:
Weavers are unorganized. Buyers offer very low prices and if one weaver refuses, they go to another weaver. So the prices are at lowest. The government allocates crores for Handloom Promotion Council, but the weavers get nothing. Weavers’ organization can help the situation.

The weavers are forced to sell their creations to designers at low rates. No one helps to update weavers of the latest fashions trends. Also their creations are not commercially advertised. Handloom industry is eco-friendly in every way. It should be promoted by the Government, designers and supported by the public.

Subsidies for buying yarns and dyes should be given to the craftsmen. Clean water and proper lighting facilities are needed for the craftsmen. Some designers and activists for the weaver communities have begun working for the upliftment of the community and marketing the product.

The buyer can buy directly from the weavers and cut out corrupt middlemen. Exhibitions for selling wares to the public will bring the craftsmen and buyer closer. We can hope that soon the craftsmen of handloom will regain the lost glory which they deserve.

Question (viii)
Express your own views and opinions from the weavers point of view and complete the following table:
Answer:

Stanza	Activity	Views/Opinion
First stanza	Robes for a new- born child	The weavers feel happy because they are enthusiastic to weave the bright blue robes for the newborn.
Second stanza	A purple- green veil for the wedding of a queen	The weavers are joyous to dress the royalty on the happiest and most important day of her life
Third stanza	Shroud for the funeral of a dead man	The weavers are solemn and quiet as the cycle has closed for a person and it is true for everyone.

(A3)

Question (i)
Pick out the rhyming words from the poem.
Answer:
1st stanza: day – gaywild – child
2nd stanza: night – bright; green – queen
3rd stanza: still – chill; cloud – shroud

Question (ii)
Give antonyms and synonyms of the following and make sentences –
Answer:

Word	Antonym/ Synonym	Sentence
New	Antonym: old Synonym: fresh	Everyone must grow old. We begin every morning with fresh life.
Bright	Antonym: dull Synonym: shining	One feels dull without a shower after leaving bed. Children look at shining things with bright and curious eyes.
Dead	Antonym: alive Synonym: lifeless	The last time we met, he brought the room alive with laughter and cheer. The children were malnourished and their eyes were lifeless.
Still	Antonym: lively Synonym: unmoving	The crowd was lively and cheering the players. The lake was covered with oil and lay dirty and unmoving.
Wild	Antonym: civilized Synonym: untamed	After many years of instruction they finally changed him into a civilized city-dweller. Though we think of elephants as gentle giants, untamed ones are dangerous.
Fall	Antonym: rise Synonym: drop	The rise of the new star of Indian tennis is stunning. When prices rise suddenly, everyone hopes it will drop soon.
Child	Antonym: adult Synonym: young one	An adult has a fully developed immune system till about 60 years of age. Young ones are innocent till they start imitating grown-ups.

Question (iii)
Make a word register for clothes/attire/ dress:
Answer:
garments, togs, outfit, wardrobe, raiment, apparel, get-up, gear.

(A4)

Question (i)
Complete the following table:
Answer:

Figures of speech	Line
Simile	3rd – Blue as the wing of halcyon wild. 7th – like the plumes of peacock, purple and green 11th – white as a feather and white as a cloud
Imagery	1st – break of day, gay, blue (beginning of life) 4th – newborn child 5th – fall of night, green-purple royal (marriage and family) 8th – marriage-veil 9th – solemn and still, (Moonlight in the night, chillness of death, gloom, end) Colourless, cold white.
Metaphor	1st – break of day – day is born, a newborn child (day) for 1st stage of life 5th – fall of night – twilight, the romantic half-light, beginning of wedded bliss, for 2nd stage of life 8th – marriage-veils 10th – chill indicating death, moon indicating night and darkness. For the last stage of life.
Alliteration	Each line of the poem has the ‘w’ in the words ‘we’, ‘weave’, ‘why’ ‘weaver’, wild’, ‘wing’, ‘what’, ‘white’. The words ‘we’, ‘weaver’, ‘weave’, ‘why’ occur in each stanza multiple times adding to the musical quality of the poem.

Question (ii)
The rhyme scheme in the first stanza is ‘aabb’. Find rhyme schemes in the second and third stanzas:
Answer:
The rhyme scheme in the second stanza is – aabb.
The rhyme scheme for the third stanza is – aabb.

(A5)

Question (i)
The poet has asked a question at the beginning of every stanza. Explain the effect it creates on the reader.
Answer:
Each stanza of the poem begins with a question to the weaver. The first is at dawn as the poet asks why they are working so early. The second question asks why they make the bright coloured garment at dusk. The third stanza begins asking them why they are working so late, in the cold darkness.

In the question the reader knows about the time of day, the colour of the cloth. The reply gives information about the purpose of the new cloth and why that colour is chosen. The poem is like a conversation between the poet and craftsmen. It conveys the metaphor using time of day and stage of life, the colour and cloth suited for that stage. The mood of the weavers matches the time and purpose of their work. The poem thus flows easily.

Question (ii)
Write an appreciation of the poem with the help of following points:

• About the poem/poet and the title
• The theme
• Poetic style
• The language/poetic devices used in the poem
• Special features
• Message, values, morals in the poem
• Your opinion about the poem

Answer:
The poet Sarojini Naidu’s poem ‘Indian Weavers’ tells about the work of India’s famous handloom craftsmen. The three stanzas mark the three stages of life itself. The weavers reply to questions about why they are weaving that particular piece of cloth, of a certain colour at that time of day.

The theme is cycle of life. The weavers use colours associated with birth, marriage and death through weaving cloths for a newborn, a queen- bride and a dead man. Three stanzas of four line each in the form of questions & answers. The conversational tone gives a flow like life, one stage moving into the next.

The poem is a metaphor for the cycle of life: new life-dawn, marriage-dusk, and death-night. Simile compares the woven garments to objects in colours apt for that stage of life. The sound of ‘w’ occurs a total of 20 times, at least once in all lines except one. This alliteration gives a musical quality.

The poem is dedicated to the talented weavers and the fabrics of India which were world famous. It shows the hard work of craftsmen and how we use their products in every occasion of our life. This poem is a beautiful way of the poet to salute the weavers of India. I find that the weavers are not only skillful but also talented. They combine colours and create patterns that are eye-catching. They know which colours are apt for occasions. The poet brings out their talent as well their hard-working nature.

Question (iii)
Compose four lines on ‘Importance of clothes’.
Answer:
The attire indicates the man he is
His coat brings him confidence and protects too
The colour indicates her mood and occasion The weaver makes the christening, wedding and celebration.

Question (iv)
Write an appeal to use handloom products in our daily life.
Answer:
An Appeal

THREADS -The Handloom Research And Development Society, Maharashtra is proud to present to you the wonderful creations of THREADS for the first-time.
The weaves come directly from the craftsmen to you, the customer.
The range of products includes Pure silk Silk-cotton Cotton Linen Jute
Come and see, appreciate the skills and support the craftsmen who practice our ancient art.
There are wedding saris and Punjabi suits in pure silk, casual wear in all the materials, bed linen, towels, door mats, carpets, hand towels, handkerchiefs, scarves to suit every budget.
Come support our artisans and appreciate the fine quality of our finest Indian weaves!!
Come. Support us. You will Love our Indian fabrics. We need your support.

Contact: Incharge Mrs. Das.
99123 xxxx Email: MrsDas@xxx.

Question (v)
Visit a handloom factory near your locality and write a report of it.
Answer:
Weavers Of Dreams
– by Team A, SYJC -Com. 25/02/2020. The SYJC students of the S.K.Nayak Junior College went on an educational tour to Moinbad village to take a tour of the handloom factory there.

The students viewed many of the processes involved in the weaving of a saree. The students were taken on a guided tour by a local who is a family member of one of the weaver – households of the village. In the first stage the bundles of white yarn were strung on iron frames. The frames held by two men were dipped into hot iron vats of boiling dye.

The yarn is dipped several times, thoroughly drenched for the colour to coat the yarn evenly. After several minutes the men transfer each bundle on to short thick wooden rods. They twist the sticks to wring the bundle dry. A third man takes the hot bundle on another stick and lays the bundles to dry.

The next stage the students saw was coloured yarn stretched on frames several metres long. This was outside in the open. The guide told us it was for a sari. It was a blue yarn in the middle with purple yarn on both sides lengthwise, for borders. Each yarn is stretched, the number of threads for each colour counted.

There were long buildings which are the workshops. Here are frames, looms and the weavers seated before each loom. Each weaver was working on a saree. The guide told us that one saree averagely takes four to seven days. If the design is complicated and in different colours it takes longer.

The finished products are folded and packaged for the market. The tour ended with the students speaking to the weavers at the looms and craftsmen dyeing the yarns. The craftsmen spoke to the visitors giving interesting details about the popular colour combinations. They told us about auspicious colours for special occasions. The artisans also spoke about a different place where traditional nine-yard long are woven. Those are mostly for weddings. The students took photographs of the various processes and the artisans happily posed for them.

Question (vi)
A handicraft exhibition is being organized in your college. You are given the task to compere the inaugural function. Write the script for compering.
Answer:
1. Introduction: A very Good evening and warm welcome to all. This is for a very special kind of occasion we have gathered here this morning. We want to bring the spotlight on that section of our nation’s citizenry who are carrying thousands of years of our heritage on their shoulders! No in their skilful fingers!! Yes our very talented craftsmen. We have our craftsmen with their various talents to showcase their beautiful creations.

We have the weavers of the rich Paithani silks, the Warli painters, the makers of the famous Kolhapur Leather – Footwear, the intricate Bidri brassware, the Dhurrie Weavers, Banjara Embroidery…. all these from Maharashtra. We have men and women with magic in their hands from other states too. Craftsmen have come from distant Meghalaya and Nagaland, from neighbouring Gujarat. We have the makers of the amazing Kashmiri embroidery to the wooden toymakers from Andhra. And so any more.

2. Welcome speech: Our Respected Principal, Sri. Harsh Nayak, our beloved teachers, staff and all my friends join me in welcoming the Honourable Chief Guest, the textile Minister, Shrimati Mandakini Gadge, to this exciting and colourful programme. A very warm welcome to you Madam! It is a great pleasure and an honour to have you here. And a warm welcome to all the parents and all guests.

3. Inaugural Ceremony – Lighting of the Lamp: I request our Chief Guest Shrimati Mandakini Gadge and our Principal to kindly come to the dais. We request you to light the ceremonial lamp, in the traditional Indian way, to declare the exhibition open.

4. Prayer song: And now kindly take your seats for a short programme before we go around viewing the exhibition. Music is such a positive influence. So starting on a note of gratitude we have the prayer song by the stars of our music-club, Nandini, Sonia, Bhaskar, Jay and Kavita. Manjeet is accompanying them on the violin.

5. Welcome Programme: Thank you for that lovely song to begin the programme my friends. Now for a unique performance! We have a Fashion-show!! It is unique because the students of our college and our participating craftsmen-guests worked together for the last few days. This is a first! A big round of applause for our models on the catwalk!

6. Concluding Remarks: Thank you for your encouragement! Wasn’t that wonderful? You may have noticed for yourself, but let me clarify. The stylish saris, salwar suits, elegant kurtas, those shawls, the stunning neck-pieces, the baskets on the ladies’ arms, the wooden screens in the backdrop, the lampshades on the stage, the carpet on the catwalk… and all the decor you can see on the stage are all creations of the masters who are displaying their creations in the exhibition! You now have an idea of what is in store for dressing stylishly, or doing up your home elegantly. That was only starters! The main course is still waiting for you. And there is dessert as well…!!

1. I now request our Chief Guest Shrimati Gadge to address the audience.
2. Thank you, for those words of praise and appreciation of the craftsmen Madam. They richly deserve them.
3. This is the first time a college is hosting such an exhibition. We welcome you all to go around and view the stunning collection of handicraft products. There are master workers who will show you how some of their handicraft is created. They will happily demonstrate their ancient skills. You can watch how the lovely designs we wear are made at the loom.

There are demos to show the yarn being dyed and informative presentations showing the stages in the process. The beadwork artists can help guests to select stones and make them into elegant neck-pieces. There are stalls selling numerous stunning products. Apparel, Decor pieces for your homes, gifts for the festival season.

I invite our Honourable Chief Guest to formally declare the exhibition open and take a leisurely round of the displays.
4. Thank you all for making this festival of crafts a resounding success.

(A6)

Question 1.
Go to your college library and collect and read the poems written by Sarojini Naidu.

Question 2.
Find various career opportunities in Small Scale Industries like Handloom, Art and Craft, Block Printing, etc.

Question 3.
Find out information about the Mahavastra of Maharashtra – Paithani

Yuvakbharati English 12th Digest Chapter 2.2 Indian Weavers Additional Important Questions and Answers

Read the poem and complete the activities given below:

Global Understanding:

Question 1.
The weavers reply to the poet’s questions in each stanza. What is the common factor? What do you understand from that?
1st stanza: ‘Blue as the wing of a halcyon wild’
2nd stanza: ‘Like the plumes of a peacock, purple and green,’
3rd stanza: ‘White as a feather ..’
Answer:
We find reference to a bird in all the three comparisons. In all of them the weavers refer to the colour of the birds’ feathers. We could take it not only refers to the brightness but also to the lightness of the cloth. The fabric is as soft and light as feathers for the tender newborn, or for the transparent veil of the queen. The pure white shroud for the dead is soft too.