4.3 Sant Gadge Maharaj A1.

Social problems Around us there are so many social problems that uneducated people face. Discuss with our friends and complete the following web by mentioning the problems. Also you can brain-storm on the possible solutions. Web Problems of illiterate people A2. Saints of Maharashtra Discuss with your partner about the different saints that you know and complete the following table. Wherever needed ask for your teachers help. Name of a Saint Period and area Contribution Message

A3. Superstitious Belief You come across many people who have superstitious beliefs. That is they have blind faith. Make comfortable groups of four partners each and discussion on the following lines: 1. Superstitious belief 2. Reasons for such belief 3. Effect of such thinking 4. Examples 5. Add your own thoughts 6. Need to change 7. Ways to liberate from it 8. Reasons to eradicate it A4. Read and fill Go through the passage and tick the correct options for the statements given below: 1. Wherever possible Baba availed ________ journey. a. Bus b. rail c. taxi d. plane 2. People often took him to be a _________ a. Beggar b. passenger c. vagabond d. orphan

3. Ticket-checkers would sometimes search him for ______ a. Food b. valuables c. money d. ticket 4. Many a time Baba would be driven out of the _______ a. Door b. gate c. train d. window compartment 5. In a train Sant Gadge Maharaj used to sit ______ a. On a comfortable seat b. near the lavatory c. near the door d. window Part 1 Baba wandered barefooted. But wherever possible he availed rail journey. Of course the railway ticket was out of the question. With no definite destination in mind he would entrain, squat near the lavatory, knees drawn to the chest resting the elbows, meeting palms suggesting a namaskar. Any request to seat would be quietly but firmly refused. Taking him to be a beggar, passengers sullied and scowled at him. He would quietly contain it. Suddenly a ticket-checker would appear. In turn when he confronted Baba, with no word he would slowly stand up, palms folded. Baba would be asked. You ___ where are you going? No answer. Where are you from? No answer. Some of them would be kind and leave him at that. But some other, blunt and rough, would rattle him, rap hire, pull him by ears, search him for the money, which of course would never be there. On the next halt he would be driven out of the compartment and pushed out through the gate. Glossary Blunt: Rattle: Rap hire:

saying exactly what you think without trying to be polite. make somebody nervous or frightened tell somebody to do a trifle work in an angry way

A5, Now read Part I again and after discussing with your partner, answer the following questions: 1. How would Baba move from place to place? 2. Where would Baba sit in a railway coach? 3. How would Baba react when confronted by others? 4. Describe how Baba travelled by a train. 5. How was Baba treated by the ticket checker? 6. What impressions have you gathered about Baba as a saint?

7. Why, according to you, would Baba never accept a seat in the train? A6. Find the following sentences in the passage and answer the questions. Take help of your partner in deciding the response. 1. Baba wandered barefooted. How did Baba wander? 2. Any request to seat would be quietly but firmly refused. Why would Baba firmly refuse a request? 3. Taking him to be a beggar, passengers sullied and scowled at him. Why did people take Baba as a beggar? 4. He would quietly contain it. What would Baba quietly contain? 5. ..... which of course would never be there. What would never be there? A7. Finding on appropriate word. Pick out the appropriate word for the following meanings from Part II and write it down in the space provided: 1. Asking a question _____ 2. Area behind a house _____ 3. Wild plants growing where it is not wanted _______ 4. Physically strong and healthy __________ 5. Dressed in a strange way ___________ 6. A garden tool _____ 7. Living or growing in natural conditions ____ Part II Once out Baba would be seen at someones door begging for a bhakari. The matter of the house would ask, you look sturdy any way. Why dont you work? please do give me some work. All right. Take this hoe and clean up the back yard. With the hoe the master hand would be at work. Soon the backyard would be clear of weeds, overgrown grass cut, the wild creepers scraped. The backyard would be clean. Satisfied, the master in return would give him a bhakari and a few coins. Baba would take the bhakari but not the money. The master wondered. In the evenings, Baba would manage a broom stick and sweep the area surrounding the village temple. A casual query ensued. Why are you doing all this?

Keertan. Some Haridas is on a visit to this village. He asked me. This news was enough. People gathered. Bhajan Mandali of the village collected their mridanga, tal. A lighted lamp appeared. Through the darkness of the night Baba would suddenly make an entry on the scene with his string instrument. The villagers asked, Where is the Keertankar? Baba would answer. He is not coming. He has sent me instead. His funny attire would draw a ripple of laughter from the crowd. Oh ! so he picked you up. Is it? Leaving his friends in the lunatic asylum how could he escape, and the only one to be picked up by the visiting Keertankar? Glossary Hoe: garden tool with a long handle and ablade Ensued: happened after an event Lunatic asylaum: institution where mentally ill people live. A8. Now read Part II again and after discussing with your partners answer the following questions: 1. How would Baba satisfy his hunger during his visits to various villages? 2. What was Babas evening chore? 3. Name the musical instrument that the Bhajan Mandali brought with them to the temple. 4. Why did the crowd laugh at Baba? 5. How did Baba manage to lure the villagers towards the temple? 6. Why would Baba never accept money for the work he did? A9. Action words Read Part II again and list down all the action words: ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ A10. Find a proper word. Look at the following expressions and find out one word for the same. One is done for you. 1. Plant that grows along the ground or up the walls creeper 2. Get rid of = 3. Not showing much care or thought = 4. Follow immediately =

5. To produce a reaction or response = 6. A type of brush on a long handle = A11. Guess: Glance through Part II again and guess what do the followings words mean Master hand would be at work = Manage a broom stick = Casual query = Draw a ripple of laughter = Part III Gathering retreated. The lighted lamp was gone. Baba would never mind all this. Taking up an Abhang he would begin his bhajan at the feet of the Lord of the temple. Struck by the chaste voice, the melody, the captivating tune the lingerers would retrace their steps. Baba would continue his bhajan singing. The lamp would be back, bhajan Mandali could hardly wait to join him. All steps retraced towards the temple. And then Baba would begin. I am rustic villager ignorant and illiterate. Forgive my Bhajan singing. I am a dhobi. I work and clean clothes, thus earn my bhakri of the day. But you all are saintly people. Sandal tree gives away its fragrance even to a prickly plant. You have dutifully served your parents. And it was you and your blessings which evoked the Bhajan singing in me. The shower of praise enlivened their spirits. They felt better. They would then be favourably disposed to listen to him. Thus wangling his way, taking care not to be too harsh or unpalatable, little by little he would dwell on their shortcomings. The one who created this universe, the roof of a beautiful blue sky, the lustrous starts hung from it. The one who offers to shower rains for us, isnt all this the creation of one and the same God? Or are there Two? The listeners would then be in a dilemma. There was no escape. One had to answer. Some would dare to murmur, One. Baba would smile and say, Why should your consent be half-hearted? Why not say it aloud? And then all would join in one voice. One. Are you sure? Think again, how many Gods?

One. Yes! Now calculate. Your village has a temple of Khandoba, doesnt it? Yes. How many Gods then? Two. Isnt there Mhasoba on the boundary wall of your compound? Yes there is. So, how many Gods now? Three. Dont you have Marimaya at the outskirts of your village? Yes, we have. How many Gods then? Four/ Dont you worship Matamai? Yes. Count again, how many? Five. Baba would thus enumerate the whole list of ghosts, spirits and the deities. He would establish such n engaging rapport with the listeners that the assembly would collectively participate as one unit, one man, a reward of his unique question-answer method of his Keertan. And when the gathering was thus amused he would suddenly descend on them. Baba would further ask, Dont you propitiate these deities for a vow? Yes. Dont you vow the sacrifice of a goat in return for a cure to your ailing child? Yes. You offer a quadruped to spare a biped? Yes. Do you mean that your deity has no fancy to relish a biped? The creator of this universe, is He that greedy that he could be enticed into a temptation a bribe? Glossary: Retrace: Disposed to: Enumerate: Rapport:

return back willing or prepare to do something name things on a list. friendly relationship in which people understand each other

Propitiate: Quadruped: Biped: Enticed:

stop as from being angry by trying to please them. any creature with four feet. any creature with two feet. persuade somebody/something to go somewhere or do something

A.12. Now read Part III again and after discussing with your friends answer the following questions: 1. How did Baba raise the spirits of the people? 2. What does Baba call himself? 3. Which method was used by Baba to establish rapport with his listeners? 4. How did Baba explain to the villagers the futility of animal sacrifice? 5. Why did Baba shower praise on the villagers? 6. Through Keertan, Baba is trying to convey a message. What is it? 7. What can you say about the style of Babas way of involving the people? A13. Speech Get a newspaper of today and you will come across several social problems that we are all confronted with. Now develop a small paragraph using the following stages and steps. 1. State the Social problems 2. What was in the past days? 3. What is there in the present days? 4. What can be there in the future? A14. Keertan Here is a project for you. Collect information about the following and develop a portfolio about Keertan. Special features of Keertan Nature of a Keertan Famous keertankars (those who present Keertan) Effect of Keertan A15. Find evidence: Find out the evidences that prove the following: Web Sant Gadge Maharaj Was simple in appearance Believed in work / labour Professed that cleanliness is next to God

Was mischievous in nature Believed in one God. Had the knack of involving the people in decision Against corruption A16. Framing questions Look at the following sentences. Complete them. Discuss with your partner and note your observations and responses. a) Haridas is on a visit to this village. b) Is Haridas on a visit to this village? c) Who is on a visit to this village? Discuss: Difference in the three sentences Beginning of sentence b Expected answer to it. Known as ______ question or _____ question Beginning of the sentence c Expected answer to it. Use and place of the verbs in the sentences Ending of the sentences Find out: 1. Pick out a few statements from any text of your choice. 2. First convert them into yes/no type of questions. 3. Later convert them into wh-questions of as many types as possible. Now look at the following table. Working in pairs write in what situation the following wh-words are used: Wh-word When Where What Who Why How Tune Information Meaning Words used While, until .. Here, there

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 Put appropriate wh-words in the boxes and form meaningful questions: [ ] is the weather like today? [ ] dont you like Keertan? [ ] about a walk through the forest? [ ] does your father go to work? [ ] do you like giving sermons? [ ] does a sandal tree give even to a prickly plant? [ ] would beg for a bhakri? A.17. Personal Response: Make a list of all the questions that Sant Gadge Maharaj put to the people. Discuss with your partner and think about your possible response. Write down your responses. A.18. Motivator Sant Gadge Maharaj has shown the exceptional quality of being motivator. Glance through all the three parts and find out all those qualities that made him a true motivator. A19. Further reading Get hold of the book Shri Gadge Maharaj written by Go. Ni. Dandekar in Marathi. It is translated by P.J. Godbole into English. Read to know more about the life and contribution of Shri Gadge Maharaj. A.20. Loud reading Frame comfortable groups of four partners each. Turn by turn read aloud about ten sentences from any part of the text. Others will silently observe loud reading of their partner. Later on discuss within a group the following points: Whose reading was effective? Reasons why it was more effective: Some of the impressive points of his/her reading that you liked: Listen to the best reading again and practice accordingly: How you can be an effective reader. Check whether your partner and you following the following points while reading aloud Clear sound Pronunciation Stress Intonation

 Reading with comfortable chunks Pauses Add some more points ********