Bina Kutir
A. State whether these sentences are True or False.
1. Bina
Kutir is an RCC building.
Ans: False.
2. Rehana
is the name of the daughter.
Ans: False.
3. The
narrator sips Coca-Cola.
Ans: True.
4. The
young man is preparing for an Economics exam.
Ans: True. The text explicitly states: "he
looked up on sensing me and closed the book (a 'note' on Economics, I noticed”)
B.
Answer these questions in one or two words.
1. Which
car brand is mentioned in the story?
Ans: Ford car.
2. Mr
Mehta’s office is located in which city?
Ans: Calcutta.
3. Which
alternative location was offered to the narrator regarding a rented
accommodation?
Ans: Early on, he mentions a building "way
beyond Fatasil. But at the very end of the story, he mentions Lachit
Nagar".
4.
Where does the younger son go to pursue medical studies?
Ans: Dibrugarh.
4. Who
is Brajen Kalita?
Ans: Brajen Kalita is PWD overseer.
C.
Answer these questions in a few words each.
1. Name the places from Arunachal Pradesh
and Mizoram mentioned in the story.
Ans: The place are Pasighat and Aizawl
respectively.
2. What is name of the younger son’s wife
and in which part of the house are they seen to be engaged in
conversation?
Ans: Rehana is the name of the younger
son’s wife and they are seen to be engaged in conversation on the backyard of
the Bina Kutir.
3. Who enquired about the monthly shipment
of a product and what was that product?
Ans: A couple enquired about the monthly
shipment of a product and the product was Glaxo.
4. To which school were classes shifted
for six months, and why?
Ans: For six months the classes were shifted
to Bishnuram High School because the school was taken over by military.
5. What did the girl go to watch when it
passed by the gate?
Ans: The girl went to watch the band
party.
D.
Answer these questions briefly in your own words.
1. What is your impression of the
neighbourhood where Bina Kutir is located?
Ans: In Assam, people used to build Assam
type house because it is earthquake resistant. Traditionally, people live in
Assam type house but with the advent of modernism building are have been
constructed everywhere. Bina Kutir was also an Assam type house in the midst of
the large concrete buildings. Around the house there was very little space for
the house itself to claim its own.
2. What does the presence of trade and
commercial establishments signify regarding the growth pattern of city life
depicted in ‘Bina Kutir’?
Ans: Change is a part of our life; the
same thing is mentioned in the story. The author also depicted the changes
found in the city where Bina Kutir was located. He describes how with the
advent of modernisation the city was totally changed. The serenity and peace of
the house has totally gone. Now the house is fully surrounded with commercial
godowns, crowd and the honking of the vehicles.
3. How does the narrator use the CocaCola
bottle to facilitate the flight of the narrator’s imagination in the
story?
Ans: The narrator uses the remaining
liquid at the bottom of the Coca-Cola bottle almost like a crystal ball or a
cinematic lens. By placing the bottle at a slant and looking through the straw
hole, the red dregs of the liquid act as a screen for his imagination. Prompted
by the snippets of information he gets from the shopkeeper, he visualizes
vivid, cinematic scenes inside the bottle—such as Bina and Bhabananda's
romantic conversation under the starry sky, or the intense, dramatic argument
between the doctor and his wife Rehana in the backyard.
4. What plans do the two sons have regarding
commercial growth mentioned towards the end of the story?
Ans:
According to the
author, the elder brother is a professor and writes book so he is planning to
have a publication house in his own home. While the younger one is a doctor, he
wants to construct a huge RCC building and give it on rent with his own chamber
in the ground floor.
E.
Answer these questions in detail.
1:
Comment on the significance of the title of the story ‘Bina Kutir’.
Ans:
Literally,
the title refers to the old, single-storey Assam-type house that stands in the
middle of a rapidly developing commercial neighborhood. The narrator assumes it
is named after the original owner's daughter, Bina, which is beautifully
mirrored by the presence of a bina
flowering plant growing at the front of the house.
Symbolically, "Bina Kutir"
represents the old-world values of heritage, scholarly pursuit, peace, and
cherished family memories. It stands as a reminder of a bygone era when homes
were built with open grassy frontages for fresh air and peaceful living, rather
than just for maximizing square-foot utility.
Throughout the story, the title acts as a
stark contrast to the modern "cash-all mentality". We see this
quaint, innocent house being physically suffocated and cramped by towering,
tasteless RCC buildings, noisy diesel trucks, and busy commercial godowns.
Ultimately, the title captures the core theme
of the story by posing a poignant question about urbanization. It highlights
the tragedy that in our blind rush for commercial profit and the building of
concrete jungles, we are losing the serene, emotionally grounded, and
culturally rich "Bina Kutirs" of our past.
2.
How much of the narrator’s speculation do you think is responsible for the
characterisation in the story? Give a well-reasoned answer.
The
characterisation in "Bina Kutir" is almost entirely a product of the
narrator's rich speculation and vivid imagination. Throughout the story, the
narrator never actually meets or interacts with any of the original inhabitants
of the house.
Instead of direct
observation, the narrator relies on fragmented pieces of gossip gathered from
the young shopkeeper. He learns only the bare facts: the father was a strict
Sanskrit scholar, the elder son became a professor, the younger son became a
doctor who married against his father's wishes, and the daughter married a man
who drove a Ford car.
Using only these
basic details, the narrator's speculative mind fleshes out complete,
three-dimensional characters. He vividly visualizes the scholarly father
immersed in his ancient manuscripts, and he imagines a deeply romantic,
nostalgic conversation between Bina and her husband Bhabananda standing on the
veranda under the starry sky.
Most notably, the
narrator constructs a highly dramatic, cinematic scene in the backyard between
the rebellious younger doctor and his wife Rehana. He completely fabricates
their dialogue, giving them distinct voices, emotional depth, and strong
motivations regarding the inheritance of the house, all based purely on his own
empathetic imagination.
Therefore, the
characters we "meet" and understand in the story are not presented
through factual reality. They are actually born from the narrator's
speculative, cinematic daydreams triggered by looking through the remaining red
liquid of an empty Coca-Cola bottle.
Very Short Answer Questions (1
Mark Each)
1. What architectural style is Bina Kutir
built in?
Ans: Bina Kutir is a traditional, single-storey
Assam-type house.
2. In which city is the story ‘Bina Kutir’
set?
Ans: The story is set in Guwahati city.
3. What does the word 'Kutir' imply?
Ans: The word 'Kutir' implies a small house or a
cottage.
4. After whom is the house "Bina
Kutir" named?
Ans: The house is named after the original
owner's daughter, Bina.
5. What specific plant is seen growing at the
front of the house?
Ans: A bina flower plant is
seen growing at the front.
6. What subject was the original owner (the
father) a scholar of?
Ans: The original owner was a studious Sanskrit
scholar.
7. What profession does the elder son of the
house owner practice?
Ans: The elder son is a professor and writes
books.
8. What does the elder son want to establish
inside the house?
Ans: He wants to establish a commercial
publication house.
9. What is the profession of the younger son?
Ans: The younger son is a doctor.
10. Where did the younger son go to pursue his
medical studies?
Ans: He went to Dibrugarh to pursue his medical
studies.
11. What is the name of the younger son’s
wife?
Ans: The younger son's wife is named Rehana.
12. What does the younger son want to build in
place of the old house?
Ans: He wants to demolish it and build a huge RCC
rented building with his medical chamber on the ground floor.
13. What is the name of Bina’s husband?
Ans: Bina's husband is named Bhabananda.
14. Which specific brand of car does Bina's
husband own?
Ans: He owns a Ford car.
15. What drink does the narrator sip while
listening to the shopkeeper's gossip?
Ans: The narrator sips Coca-Cola.
16. What subject is the young shopboy studying
for his B.A. examination?
Ans: He is studying from an Economics 'note'.
17. How is the shopboy planning to appear for
his B.A. exams?
Ans: He is planning to appear as a private
candidate.
18. What did the narrator advise the shopboy
to keep in his shop?
Ans: The narrator advised him to keep a
refrigerator to increase the demand for cold drinks.
19. Who were the two men drinking Coca-Cola
that the narrator saw on his next visit?
Ans: He saw two Punjabi men drinking Coca-Cola.
20. Name the two alternative locations for
rented accommodation offered to the narrator.
Ans: The locations offered were Fatasil and
Lachit Nagar.
21. Who is Brajen Kalita in the story?
Ans: Brajen Kalita is a PWD overseer.
22. Where is Mr. Mehta’s office located?
Ans: Mr. Mehta's office is located in Calcutta.
23. What product’s monthly shipment did a
couple enquire about at the shop?
Ans: They enquired about the monthly shipment of
Glaxo.
24. Name a place from Arunachal Pradesh
mentioned in the story.
Ans: Pasighat is mentioned in the story.
25. Name a place from Mizoram mentioned in the
story.
Ans: Aizawl is mentioned in the story.
26. Why were the classes at Bishnuram High
School shifted for six months?
Ans: The classes were shifted because the school
building was taken over by the military.
27. What did the girl go to watch when it
passed by the gate?
Ans: The girl went out to watch a band party
passing by.
28. Through what object does the narrator look
to imagine the scenes of the house?
Ans: He looks through the red liquid dregs at the
bottom of an empty Coca-Cola bottle.
29. Where does the narrator imagine the doctor
and Rehana arguing?
Ans: He imagines them arguing in the backyard of
Bina Kutir.
30. What kind of heavy vehicles are mentioned
creating noise around the house?
Ans: Honking diesel trucks (Tata-Mercedes) are
mentioned creating noise.
Short
Answer Questions (2 Marks Each)
1. What physical feature at the front of the
house visually connects to its name, "Bina Kutir"?
Ans: The name "Bina Kutir" is visually
mirrored by the presence of a bina flowering plant growing at the
front of the house, which honors the daughter it was named after.
2. What are the elder son's future plans
regarding the house?
Ans: The elder son, being a professor and a
writer, plans to establish a commercial publication house within his own home
to print and sell his books.
3. What are the younger son's ambitions for
the property?
Ans: The younger son, who is a doctor, wants to
demolish the peaceful old Assam-type house, construct a huge multi-storey RCC
building to give out on rent, and keep his own medical chamber on the ground
floor.
4. How does the narrator use the Coca-Cola
bottle to aid his imagination?
Ans: The narrator uses the red dregs at the
bottom of the empty Coca-Cola bottle almost like a cinematic lens. By looking
through the straw hole, he visualizes vivid, dramatic scenes involving the
unseen inhabitants of the house.
5. What details do we learn about the original
owner (the father) of Bina Kutir?
Ans: We learn that the father was a strict
teacher and a studious Sanskrit scholar who upheld old-world values of peace,
heritage, and scholarly pursuit, contrasting sharply with the commercial
ambitions of his sons.
6. How does the narrator visualize the
interaction between the doctor and his wife, Rehana?
Ans: Prompted by the shopkeeper's gossip, the
narrator's imagination constructs a highly dramatic, cinematic argument between
the doctor and Rehana in the backyard, giving them strong, clashing motivations
regarding the inheritance and demolition of the house.
7. Describe the physical contrast between Bina
Kutir and its immediate surroundings.
Ans: Bina Kutir is a quiet, single-storey
Assam-type house that is struggling to claim its own space. In stark contrast,
its surroundings have transformed into a noisy, commercialized concrete jungle
filled with towering RCC buildings, commercial godowns, and honking diesel
trucks.
8. What core conflict of values is highlighted
in the story?
Ans: The story highlights the tragic conflict
between the eternal, peaceful, scholarly values of the older generation
(represented by the father and the house itself) and the modern, city-centric
"cash-all mentality" of the younger generation (represented by the
sons).
9. How does the narrator visualize the
interaction between Bina and Bhabananda?
Ans: Using his rich speculation, the narrator
imagines a deeply romantic and nostalgic conversation between Bina and her
husband Bhabananda, picturing them standing close together on the veranda under
a starry sky.
10. Why is the narrator's speculation crucial to
the characterisation in the story?
Ans: The narrator never actually meets the
inhabitants of Bina Kutir. Therefore, the characterisation is entirely born
from his empathetic imagination, fleshing out three-dimensional personalities
and cinematic dialogues purely from the fragmented gossip he hears at the
pan-shop.
11. Why were the classes of Bishnuram High
School temporarily shifted?
Ans: The classes of Bishnuram High School had to
be shifted for six months because the military had taken over the school building
during a time of regional disturbance or emergency.
12. How does the shopboy describe his
preparation for his B.A. examination?
Ans: The young shopboy is a hardworking
individual who is planning to appear for his B.A. examination as a
"private candidate." He prepares by reading an Economics 'note' book
while simultaneously managing the customers at his shop.
13. What does the heavy presence of trade and
commercial establishments signify in the story?
Ans: The presence of godowns, diesel trucks, and
RCC buildings signifies the rapid, unchecked urbanization of Guwahati city. It
highlights the loss of serenity and the shift towards a highly profit-driven,
commercial lifestyle.
14. What role does the young shopkeeper play
in the narrative structure of the story?
Ans: The young shopkeeper acts as the crucial
catalyst for the story. He provides the factual fragments and neighborhood
gossip about the family, which act as the foundation upon which the narrator
builds his elaborate, imaginative daydreams about the characters.
15. How does the story end regarding the
narrator's search for a rented house?
Ans: At the very end of the story, the narrator's
imaginative daydreaming is broken by the shopboy, who finally gives him a
concrete lead: he has found information about an available rented accommodation
in Lachit Nagar.
2024
1.
Who translated the Assamese story 'Bina Kutir' into English? (1 Mark)
Ans: The Assamese story
'Bina Kutir', originally written by Saurav Kumar Chaliha, was translated into
English by Bibhash Choudhury.
2.
For which exam was the young man in 'Bina Kutir' preparing? (1 Mark)
Ans: The young man in the
pan-shop was preparing to appear for his B.A. examination as a private
candidate.
3.
Who enquired about the monthly shipment of a product? What was the product? (2
Marks)
Ans: A couple who visited the
shop enquired about the monthly shipment. The product they were specifically
asking about was Glaxo.
4. Present your impression of the
neighbourhood where Bina Kutir is located.
Ans: Already answered, page no 1 and question no 1 under D section.
5. How does the narrator use the Cola-Cola
bottle to facilitate the flight of his imagination in the story 'Bina Kutir'?
Ans: Already answered, page no 2 and question no 3.
6. Comment on the significance of the title of
the story, Bina Kutir'.
Ans: Already answered, page no 2 and question no 1.
7. Words meaning-
Fanciful: Highly imaginative or unrealistic.
Dilapidated: In a state of ruin or disrepair.
Mesmerizing: Extremely fascinating or hypnotic.
2025
1.
What type of house is "Bina Kutir"?
Ans: "Bina
Kutir" is an old, traditional, single-storey Assam-type house.
2.
Which car brand is mentioned in the story "Bina Kutir"?
Ans:
A Ford car is mentioned in the
story.
3.
How does 'Bina Kutir' differ from its surroundings?
Ans: Bina Kutir is a
quiet, quaint, and peaceful Assam-type house that represents old-world charm
and heritage. It differs drastically from its surroundings, which have been
rapidly commercialized into a noisy, suffocating concrete jungle. While the
house is small and serene, the surrounding area is packed with towering
multi-storey RCC buildings, massive commercial godowns, and loud, honking heavy
diesel trucks.
4.
Why do you think the speaker imagined the daughter's name as Bina?
Ans: The speaker imagined
the daughter's name was Bina because he noticed a bina flowering plant growing at the front of the
house. Using his highly speculative and romantic imagination, he assumed the
house was named "Bina Kutir" after the original owner's daughter, and
that the plant was a living tribute to her.
5.
Reference to the context:
'I drew the remaining drink with my
last sip, and keeping the bottle at the counter, answerless, I kept looking
within its emptiness for a long time'.
Reference: These lines are
extracted from the short story "Bina Kutir", written by
the eminent Assamese author Saurav Kumar Chaliha and translated into English by
Bibhash Choudhury.
Context: This statement
appears at the very conclusion of the story. The narrator, who has been
standing at a pan-shop listening to the young shopkeeper's fragmented gossip
while drinking a Coca-Cola, reaches the end of his drink and his vivid
daydream.
Explanation:
Throughout the
narrative, the narrator uses the red liquid at the bottom of his Coca-Cola
bottle almost like a crystal ball or a cinematic lens. Looking through it, he
vividly imagines the lives, romances, and bitter conflicts of the unseen family
that owns 'Bina Kutir'. As he takes his final sip, the physical drink is
finished, and simultaneously, his elaborate imaginative reverie comes to an
abrupt halt. The young shopkeeper suddenly breaks the silence, pulling the narrator
back to reality by informing him about a rented accommodation available in
Lachit Nagar. Left "answerless" by the sudden return to the real
world, the narrator stares into the empty bottle, his mind still lingering on
the intense, tragic scenes he had just visualized.
7. Words meaning-
Clamour: A loud, continuous
noise or confused shouting.
Aisle: A passage between
rows of seats (like in a church or theatre).
Cavern: A very large and deep
cave.
Dusk: The time of evening
just before it gets completely dark (twilight).
2026
1.
Where does the younger son go to pursue medical studies?
Ans: The younger son goes
to Dibrugarh to pursue his medical studies.
2.
Which letter of the alphabet resembled the shape of Bina Kutir?
Ans: The shape of Bina
Kutir resembled the English letter 'L'.
3.
Briefly describe Bina Kutir as the narrator looked at it for the first time.
Ans: When the narrator
looked at Bina Kutir for the first time, he saw a dilapidated, single-storey
Assam-type house shaped like the letter 'L' with a tin roof. It stood cramped
between newly constructed tall concrete buildings. It had an old wooden gate
gnawed by termites, broken window panes, a grassy frontage littered with
debris, and a rare bina
flowering plant creeping up a wooden scaffold.
4. Give a brief description of the young man
at the counter.
Ans:
The young man at the counter was around 27 or 28 years old, wearing a chequered
half-shirt, and had a mildly sprinkled beard.
5.
How did the young man reply when the narrator asked him about a refrigerator?
Ans:
When the narrator suggested that keeping a large refrigerator would help meet
the increasing summer demand for Coca-Cola, the young man simply replied that
the shop wasn't his, and he was only a salesman there.
6. Based on the multiple speculative
scenes that the narrator sees inside Cocacola bottles, draw a pen picture of
the family that supposedly lived in the Bina Kutir.
Ans: In 'Bina Kutir', the
narrator paints a vivid pen-picture of a family fractured by generational
conflict and shifting values, entirely through his "fanciful"
speculation.
At the head of the
family is the Father, a strict
Sanskrit scholar representing old-world heritage and academic discipline. His
daughter, Bina, and her
husband, Bhabananda,
represent the family’s romantic and nostalgic past, visualized by the narrator
in tender, cinematic moments on the veranda.
The sons, however,
embody the modern "cash-all mentality." The Elder Son, a
professor, views the home as a commercial opportunity to establish a
publication house. The Younger Son, a doctor who eloped
with Rehana, represents
the most aggressive shift toward materialism. In the narrator's imagination,
the doctor is eager to demolish the traditional Assam-type house to construct a
massive concrete RCC building for rental income.
Ultimately, this
"pen-picture" reveals a tragic transition: the scholarly, peaceful legacy
of the patriarch is being systematically dismantled by the ambitious,
profit-driven motives of his children. The family becomes a microcosm of a
changing society where emotional heritage is sacrificed for commercial gain.
7. Words meaning-
Fascinating:
Extremely interesting or charming.
Predecessor: A person who held a
position or office before the current one.
Antique: An object that has
high value because of its considerable age.
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