Comprehension

A. State whether these statements are True or False.

Q1. Bhupen Hazarika had brought his Rolleiflex from home.
Answer: This statement is False. Bhupen Hazarika bought the Rolleiflex camera at the port of Aden.

Q2. The sight of the Egyptian pyramids enthralled Bhupen Hazarika.
Answer: This statement is False. He was unable to visit the pyramids due to time constraints.

Q3. Bhupen Hazarika’s companion on the flight from Guwahati to Dumdum was Bhaben Das.
Answer: This statement is False. He was accompanied by Syed Abdul Malik, Saila Barua, and his family, while Bhaben Das received him at the Calcutta Airport.

Q4. Bhupen Hazarika had a weakness for Kalmou saak.
Answer: This statement is True. While in Colombo, he recalled his grandmother’s cooking and his fondness for Kalmou saak.

B. Answer in one or two words.

Q1. What was the name of the airport situated in Guwahati in 1949?
Answer: Kanhikuchi Airport.

Q2. Who was the Governor of Assam during the inauguration of the airport in Guwahati?
Answer: Sir Akbar Hydari.

Q3. How much was the air fare from Guwahati to Dumdum in 1949?
Answer: 55 rupees.

Q4. In which country is the ‘Temple of the Tooth Relic’ located?
Answer: Sri Lanka.

Q5. What type of leave did the French sailor avail when he came to the shore?
Answer: Shore leave.

C. Answer in a few words each.

Q1. Name the two locations that Bhupen Hazarika reminisces about in The Voyage.
Answer: Assam and Bharalumukh in Guwahati.

Q2. What did Hazarika consider to be his only aim?
Answer: To “keep going, charaiveti, charaiveti” — to move forward endlessly.

Q3. The ship set sail later than the scheduled time. How late was the ship?
Answer: One and a half days late.

Q4. Name the two places associated with Buddhism mentioned by Bhupen Hazarika in The Voyage.
Answer: Sarnath and Bodh Gaya.

Q5. Which two Indian states associated with dances, other than Assam, are mentioned by Bhupen Hazarika in The Voyage?
Answer: Gujarat (Garba) and Manipur (Raas).

D. Answer briefly in your own words.

Q1. Write a brief account of Hazarika’s stopover in Sri Lanka.
Answer: During his stopover in Sri Lanka, Hazarika visited Colombo and Kandy. In Kandy, he saw the Temple of the Tooth Relic, which reminded him of Sarnath and Bodh Gaya. He also witnessed the traditional Yakuma Natum dance, which reminded him of Assam’s deodhani dance. The visit filled him with both fascination and nostalgia.

Q2. Briefly present your view about Hazarika’s experience of visiting a Sri Lankan family home.
Answer: Hazarika found the Sri Lankan home to be highly Westernized, with a piano, European paintings, and children singing English songs. It reminded him of Shillong rather than traditional Lanka, and he felt disappointed that the “real Lanka” seemed to have faded under Western influence.

Q3. Present your views on the food and flavours mentioned by Hazarika in The Voyage.
Answer: Hazarika fondly recalls Assamese dishes like Kalmou saak, khar, and tenga, which evoke his grandmother’s cooking and deep nostalgia. These memories connect him emotionally to home and highlight his longing for his native flavors during the voyage.

Q4. How does Bhupen Hazarika recount his feeling about being an Indian as he moves forward in his journey?
Answer: As Hazarika travels farther, his sense of belonging grows from regional to national. In Calcutta, he thinks of Assam, but as he crosses India’s borders, he feels love for the entire nation, realizing his identity as an Indian first and foremost.

E. Answer in detail.

Q1. Present an overview of Bhupen Hazarika’s experience during the course of his journey abroad from your reading of The Voyage.
Answer: Bhupen Hazarika’s 1949 journey to America was filled with discovery, nostalgia, and self-reflection. Starting from Guwahati’s Kanhikuchi Airport, he traveled via Colombo and embarked on a thirteen-day sea voyage to Marseille. His travels included stopovers at Aden, Djibouti, and Cairo. In Sri Lanka, he observed the blend of ancient culture and modern Western influence. In Djibouti, he was struck by the backwardness left by Italian rule. During the voyage, he witnessed captivating sights, such as a star beside a crescent moon and a glowing shoal of phosphorus fish. Through these experiences, his identity evolved from Assamese to Indian, and he embraced the mantra “charaiveti” — to keep moving forward in the quest for knowledge and understanding.

Q2. ‘Bhupen Hazarika’s representation is not merely an account of a journey; it is also a narrative about the convergence of cultures in different locations.’ Comment on the statement based on your reading of The Voyage.
Answer: The statement aptly captures the essence of The Voyage. Hazarika’s narrative goes beyond travel; it’s a study of cultural connections. He observes similarities between Sri Lankan Yakuma Natum and Assam’s deodhani dance, showing shared cultural rhythms. He hears Hindi music and Tamil speech in Colombo, reflecting multicultural coexistence. His visit to a modern Sri Lankan home exposes Western cultural dominance, contrasting with his longing for authentic tradition. Most importantly, his growing realization of Indian identity symbolizes internal cultural unity. Through these experiences, Hazarika portrays the blending of cultures and the universal human spirit that transcends borders — a theme that resonates deeply throughout The Voyage.