Strong Roots Long Question Answer..

Strong Roots

Q. Why Does APJ Abdul Kalam feel that he had a secure childhood?
OR
Describe Kalam's Childhood in "Strong Roots" as described by APJ Abdul Kalam.
Ans :- From APJ Abdul Kalam's "Strong Roots" we come to know that APJ Abdul Kalam was born in a
middle class Tamil family. His father, Jainulabdeen,had neither much formal education nor much wealth
but he had a great innate wisdom. His mother, Asiamma, was busy with the household services. Overall
his parents were an ideal couple. Kalam was short boy with rather undistinguished looks. He lived in
their ancestral house which was large pucca house, made by limestone and brick. He was provided with
all essential comforts like food, medicine and clothing in his childhood. He was brought up in happiness.
That is why Kalam says that he had a secure childhood without any hardship or difficulties.
Q. What was Kalam's father's response to his son's query about prayer and spirituality?
Ans:- Kalam's father was a religious person. Naturally Kalam was brought up in a religious atmosphere.
One day when Kalam asked his father about the relevance of prayer his father explained it very clearly.
He told that there was nothing mysterious about prayer. In fact prayer made possible a communion of
spirit between people. He further told that when a person prayed he transcended his body and became a
part of the cosmos. He becomes a part of the cosmos without any division of wealth, age, caste or
creed. As for spirituality Kalam's father told that every human being is a specific part within the whole of
the manifest divine being. So we should not be afraid of our sufferings. When we are in trouble we
should try to understand the relevance of our trouble because adversity always presents opportunities
for introspection.
Q.What was Kalam’s father’s advice about dealing with adversity?
Ans:-Kalam’s father could convey complex spiritual concepts in a very simple down to earth Tamil. He
once told Kalam that in his own place, in own time – every human being is a specific element within the
whole of the manifest divine Being. So one should not be afraid of difficulties, sufferings and problems.
When troubles come, one should try to understand the relevance of those sufferings. He always told
Kalam that adversity always presents opportunities for introspection.
Q. How did his father's attitude to adversity influence young Kalam?
Ans:- Kalam was immensely inspired by his father's advice from his childhood. His father once told him
that people should always try to understand the relevance of their sufferings if they are in trouble
because adversity always presents opportunities for introspection. Kalam throughout his life followed
his father's words in his world of science and technology. He always tried to understand the
fundamental truths revealed to him by his father. He felt convinced that there existed divine power. This
divine power could lift one up from confusion, misery etc. He even realised that it could guide a person
to his true place. Once an individual could free himself from his emotional and physical bond he would
achieve freedom, happiness and mental peace.
Q. “Why don’t you say this to the people who come to you…?”
Who says this and to whom? What is referred to by the word ‘this’? Why do the people come to the
person spoken to?
Ans:- In his autobiography APJ Abdul Kalam says this to his father Jainulabdeen.
According to Jainulabdeen, “every human being is a specific element withing the whole of the
manifest divine being. So, why be afraid of difficulties, sufferings and problems? When troubles come,
try to understand the relevance of your sufferings. Adversity always presents opportunities for
introspection”. This fact is referred to by the word ‘this’.
People come to the person spoken to because they are in trouble and in distress condition. They
come to Kalam’s father for help and advice to get rid of their problems.
Q. “I have endeavoured to understand the fundamental truths” – who is ‘I’ referred to here? What are the
fundamental truths? Who revealed them to the speaker?
Ans:-Here ‘I’ referred to A.P.J Abdul Kalam, the author of the piece ‘Strong Roots’.
The Fundamental truths referred to here are that there exists a divine power that can lift one up
from confusion, misery, melancholy and failure, and guide one to one’s true place. And once an individual
severs his emotional and physical bond, he is on the road to freedom, happiness and peace of mind.
A.P.J.Abdul Kalam's father Jainulabdeen revealed them to his son A.P.J Abdul Kalam.
Q. Who was a very close friend of Jainulabdeen? What did they discuss? What did Kalam’s father say
about prayer?
Ans:- The high priest of the Rameswarm temple, Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry, was a very close friend of
Jainulabdeen.
They used to discuss spiritual matters.
According to Kalam’s father, there is nothing mysterious about prayer. Rather, prayer makes
possible a communion of the spirit between people. When we pray, we transcend our body and become
a part of the cosmos, which knows no division of wealth, age, caste or creed.
Q. Describe Kalam's father's daily routine.

OR
What kind of life would Kalam's father lead?
Ans:- Kalam's father Jainulabedeen was a religious person. So he would lead an austere and simple life
leaving all inessential comforts and luxuries. He would start his day by reading the Namaz before dawn.
After Namaz he would walk down to a small coconut grove they possessed. The coconut grove was
about four miles away from their house. He would return home with about a dozen coconuts tied
together thrown over his shoulder. Only then he would have his breakfast. This maintained this routine
even when he was in his sixties.
Q.Give a brief account of Kalam's locality.
Ans:-We come to know from APJ Abdul Kalam's "Strong Roots" that APJ Abdul Kalam was born in a
middle class Tamil family. He was born in the island town of Rameswaram in erstwhile Madras state. He
lived in their ancestral house which was on the mosque street. The locality was predominantly Muslim,
but a lot of Hindu families lived there. There was an amicable atmosphere between these two different
religions. They lived in harmony and peace. He also mentions that the high priest of the temple was a
very close friend of his father. They discussed their religious beliefs peacefully.

Strong Roots Long Question Answer..

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Strong Roots Long Question Answer..

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Strong Roots

Q. Describe Kalam's father's daily routine.

You might also like