CLASS 7

Subject: English
Title of the book: Oxford New Pathways (Literature Reader)
Topic: In the Bazaars of Hyderabad
By: Sarojini Naidu

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Read the poem carefully.

2. Refer to the dictionary to comprehend difficult words.
3. Question/Answers to be written neatly in the English Notebooks.

ABOUT THE POET- SAROJINI NAIDU

Sarojini Naidu, known as ‘The Nightingale of India’, was a celebrated poetess, playwright and
Indian independence activist. She was the first woman to become the President of the Indian
National Congress and the first woman to achieve the post of Governor of Uttar Pradesh state.

She was born on 13 February, 1879. Her family at that time lived in Hyderabad, India. Dr.
Aghomath Chattopadaya, her father was a scientist and philosopher. Varada Sunderi Devi, her
mother, was a poetess. Sarojini was an extremely intelligent child, becoming fluent in five
languages and wrote poems from a young age. Her father wanted her to follow his footsteps in
the world of science and mathematics but when she composed a poem which she titled ‘The
Lady of the Lake’ which was thirteen hundred lines long she impressed him with her mastery of
words and so he began to encourage her.
When, a several months later she wrote a play, ‘Maher Muneer’ he sent it to the Nizam (ruler) of
Hyderabad. This resulted in her being granted a well-deserved scholarship so that she could
study at King’s College in England. Here she expanded her writing to produce articles featuring
themes such as the great temples and mountains of India and the complex details of Indian social
life.
She joined the Indian freedom struggle after the 1905 partition of Bengal and met noted figures
such as Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Nehru. Her political activities did not, however, dampen her
enthusiasm for writing. It was said that her poetry was so beautiful it could also be sung. From
1905 to 1912 she wrote three collections of poems. ‘The Golden Threshold’ (1905) brought her
recognition as – The Nightingale of India.

INTRODUCTION

In The Bazaars of Hyderabad’ by Sarojini Naidu is a five stanza poem that is separated into sets
of six lines, or sestets. It was published for the first time in 1912 in Naidu’s volume, The Bird of
Time. The poem details social life in the city of Hyderabad, India, where Naidu was from. The
lines are structured as conversation between vendors and their prospective buyers in a “bazaar”
or a market place.
These lines are often in the forms of questions. There is at least one question in each stanza and
the first line is a refrain of one particular question. While the objects and vendors change, the
question does not. Each stanza begins with the speaker asking the “merchant” what they sell. It is
this back and forth conversation that gives the poem a musical quality. The relatively straight
forward questioning, as well as the vibrant images, make it seem as though the reader is active
within the marketplace itself. One is able to imagine the lives of those who are buying and
selling and project onto the poem possible reasons for their sales and purchases.

POEM (SIMPLIFIED)

What do you sell, O ye merchants? What do you sell Oh!you merchants?

Richly your wares are displayed. The goods for sell are displayed nicely to
attract the buyers.
Turbans of crimson and silver, Turbans of deep red colour and silver.
Tunics of purple brocade, Long, loose-fitting garments worn by men and
women of heavy fabric interwoven with a rich,
raised design.
Mirror with panels of amber, Antique looking mirrors having orange/yellow-
colour edges.

Daggers with handles of jade. Dagger that have handles studded with the
green coloured precious stone called jade.

What do you weigh, O ye vendors? What do you weigh, Oh!you vendors

Saffron and lentil and rice a spice with a strong fragrance and distinctive colour,
a high-protein pulse and rice.
What do you grind, O ye maidens? What do you grind, Oh! you young girls?
Sandalwood, henna, and spice a widely cultivated Indian tree that yields
fragrant timber and oil, a reddish-brown dye
made from the powdered leaves of a tropical
shrub and spice to flavour food.
What do you call, O ye peddlers? What do you call, oh you travelling salesmen?

Chessmen and ivory dice. solid figures used as a chess piece and ivory
dice

What do you make, O ye goldsmiths? What do you make, oh you goldsmiths ?

Wristlet and anklet and ring, a bracelet, an anklet and ring.
Bells for the feet of blue pigeons, Bells to be tied to the feet of blue pigeons.
Frail as a dragonfly’s wing, Delicate as a dragonfly’s wing
Girdles of gold for the dancers, Belts of gold for the dancers.
Scabbards of gold for the king. sheath of gold for the king.

What do you cry, O ye fruit-men? What do you sell/call, oh you fruit sellers?
Citron, pomegranate and plum Citron (a fruit like a lemon), pomegranate and
 plum.
What do you play, O musicians? What do you play, oh you musicians?
Cithar, sarangi and drum. Cithar, sarangi (Indian musical instruments)
and drum.

What do you chant, O magicians? Which magical words do you repeat, Oh! You
magicians?
Spells for the aeons to come. Magic words for an indefinitely long period of
time.

What do you weave, O ye flower-girls What do you weave, oh you flower-girls with
With tassels of azure and red? threads of bright blue and red colour?

Crown for the brow of a bridegroom, Crown/wreath for the forehead of a bridegroom

Chaplets to garland his bed, small garlands to decorate his bed.

Sheets of white blossoms new-garnered Sheets of white flowers which have been
freshly gathered.
To perfume the sleep of the dead. To be used on the dead man’s grave for
fragrance.

THEME

The poem “In the Bazaars of Hyderabad” was written by Sarojini Naidu in the appreciation of
her country during the time of freedom struggle of India. Sarojini Naidu was the first woman
President of Indian National Congress and hence most of her poems reflect the theme of
nationalism.

In the poem “In the Bazaars of Hyderabad“, which is in the form of questions and answers, the
poet visits a number of sellers and asks them what they are selling and they, in turn, tell her
about their products. Following are the main themes in this poem:

India is a Rich Country

The poet visits a number of shops and tells the readers how rich India and her culture is. From
decoration items to the shroud, everything is available in India. Thus Indians should respect the
richness of their country and feel proud of it. There is no such thing that they lack.

Boycott the Use of Foreign Goods

Another prominent theme in the poem is the emphasis on the use of native things and stop using
foreign goods. During the phase of Indian Struggle against the British, the National Leaders
encouraged the Indians to give up all types of foreign products so that the Indian economy may
not depend on the British. Sarojini Naidu used poetry as a medium to convey and spread this
message.
EXPLANATION

Sarojini Chattopadhay (later Naidu) was born and brought up in Hyderabad. That gave her a
good insight to the sight and sound of this bustling city. The markets overflowed with
merchandize, and buyers and sellers. Frenzied yelling, bargaining, and haggling rent the air
round the day. For a quiet, non-commercial visitor, the market provided amusement, intrigue,
imagination, and food for thought. Sarojini Naidu was, no doubt, a discerning watcher of the
market place. Her simple narrative style cast in a question-answer format characterizes this
poem.

What do you sell O ye merchants?

Richly your wares are displayed.
Turbans of crimson and silver,
Tunics of purple brocade,
Mirrors with panels of amber,
Daggers with handles of jade.

As a curious onlooker, the author marvels at the wide array of items offered for sale in the
market. With eyes gaping with wonder, she asks the merchants about the many items they
display, such as the crimson and sliver coloured turbans, tunics with purple brocades, amber-
paneled mirrors and the dreadful daggers with handles beautifully studded with jade.

What do you weigh, O ye vendors?

Saffron and lentil and rice.
What do you grind, O ye maidens?
Sandalwood, henna, and spice
What do you call, O ye peddlers?
Chessmen and ivory dice.

Then her eyes fall on the many vendors who throng the market with their myriad wares. She asks
the vendors who sell rice, lentils and saffron what they weigh. The poet answers herself. Then
she turns her eyes on the maidens who grind sandalwood, henna and spice. Then, there are the
peddlers who sell items for the chess board.

What do you make, O ye goldsmiths?

Wristlet and anklet and ring,
Bells for the feet of blue pigeons,
Frail as a dragonfly’s wing,
Girdles of gold for dancers,
Scabbards of gold for the king.
The poetess casts her glance towards the famed goldsmiths, who, with their deft hands, make
wristlets, anklets, ring, ultra-light bells for the pigeons’ legs, girdles for dancers’ legs, and
ceremonial swords for the royalty. Undoubtedly, the skill of the artisans brings appreciation and
cheer to the author.

What do you cry, O ye fruit-men?

Citron, pomegranate, and plum.
What do you play, O musicians?
Cithar, sarangi and drum.
What do you chant, O magicians?
Spells for aeons to come.

The fruit hawkers passing by catch the attention of the poetess. They offer citron, pomegranate,
and plum. Then there are the musicians who play the sitar, sarangi and the drum. Adding a touch
of bemusement to the bustling market place, there are the magicians who baffle the onlookers
with their tricks, sleights of hand, and weird shouts, as if they are invoking heavenly powers.

What do you weave, O ye flower-girls

With tassels of azure and red?
Crown for the brow of a bridegroom,
Chaplets to garland his bed.
Sheets of white blossoms new-garnered
To perfume the sleep of the dead.

Lastly, the flower-girls seem to have stolen the heart of the poetess. They make tassels of azure
and red, decorations for a bridegroom’s head gear, chaplets to garland the marital bed, and
strings of white and freshly-plucked flowers to add aroma to the bed being carried to the grave.
MIND MAP

The vendors, peddlers and maidens play an important role in the poem to present an
outstanding picture of an Indian market.

Through the poem the poetess wanted to convey the message that India is rich in tradition
and resources. The Indians don’t need the foreign products. So, she goes on to give a
picture of a bazaar where traditional Indian products are ruling.

The poem is in the form of questions and answers. The poetess asks the questions and the
merchants answer them. Through this technique she makes the picture of the bazaar visible
to us.

It is almost like a ‘fair’ where everyone comes together to revel and enjoy.

QUESTIONS-ANSWERS

Q1. Explain the role of vendors, peddlers and maidens in the poem.

Ans. The vendors, peddlers and the maidens all add to the enigma of the ‘bazaars’ of Hyderabad.
The vendors sell saffron, lentils and rice. The peddlers sell chessmen and ivory dice. The
maidens grind sandalwood, henna and spice. Grinding of spices by woman shows that in
India women also participate in the activities of the bazaar.

Q2. How do the maidens add a touch of reality to the poem?

Ans. The maidens grind sandalwood, henna and spice which are used in everyday life for
different purposes and also on special occasions. We see usually young girls using
sandalwood, henna and different spices as beauty remedies. This adds a touch of reality to
the poem.

Q3. What role do the vendors, peddlers and maidens play in Sarojini Naidu’s poem ‘In the
Bazaars of Hyderabad’?
Ans. The vendors, peddlers and maidens play an important role in the poem to present an
outstanding picture of an Indian market. Sarojini’s motive was to show the diversity and
self-sufficiency of an Indian market in British India. The native Indian culture and
tradition are glorified and showcased in the poem. And these people like peddlers and
vendors are an inseparable part of that picture. Not only the vendors, peddlers and
maidens, but also the magician, the musicians, the goldsmiths, the flower girls – all play
the same role in the poem ‘In the Bazaars of Hyderabad’. It is almost like a ‘fair’ where
everyone comes together to revel and enjoy.

Q4. Do you think that the poetess has realistically depicted the Indian markets?
Ans. Yes, the poetess has realistically depicted the bazaars of Hyderabad. She adds a touch of
vibrancy to the words in order to make it more attractive. The variety of activities and its
colorfulness is vividly presented by the poetess to present an awesome picture of Indian
culture. She describes the different occupations of people and the beautiful things they sell.
She makes it lyrical and wonderful.

Q5. How is the whole poem Indian in the context and presentation?

Ans. The poem 'In the Bazaars of Hyderabad' was penned down during the time when India was
under the subjugation of the British rule. Since newspapers were banned that time Sarojini
Naidu came up with the idea of writing poetry to convey and spread the message of the
Indian Independence struggle. Through this poem, the poetess is trying to remind the
Indians about the variety of goods available in the market and pursuing them to buy
Swadeshi goods and boycott foreign goods.

Q6. How does the poetess highlight the occupation of the simple people in India?

Ans. Sarojini Naidu's poems are characterized by theme of folk. This poem 'In the Bazaars of
Hyderabad' is a typical example of folk of the city Hyderabad. The poetess has vividly
elucidated about the mortals and their pursuit of the enchanted city. The occupation of the
simple and common mass has been clearly highlighted in a lucid way where the people of
the city are especially busy in purchasing and selling their products. There are divergent
shopkeepers comprising the Hyderabad market that mainly includes merchants, vendors,
maidens, peddlers, goldsmiths, fruit men, magicians etc.

RTC I

What do you play, O musicians?

Cithar, sarangi and drum.

What do you chant, O magicians?

Spells for the aeons to come.

a) How are the musicians and magicians different from the other vendors in the bazaars?

Ans. The musicians and the magicians are different from the other vendors in the bazaar
because they do not have actual wares to sell to the people.

b) What do they offer to the buyer?

Ans. They offer entertainment to the buyers with their talents and skills.

c) Explain the line: ‘Spells for aeons to come.’

Ans. The line “Spells for aeons to come” means that the magicians are chanting magical spells to
call upon aeons which are divine or supernatural powers. Perhaps they are doing this to
entertain the audience in front of them. It also indicates the religious belief of the people
visiting the market.

RTC II

What do you weave, O ye flower-girls

With tassels of azure and red?
Crown for the brow of a bridegroom,
Chaplets to garland his bed.
Sheets of white blossoms new-garnered
To perfume the sleep of the dead.

a) Explain the line, “To perfume the sleep of the dead.”

Ans. The line “To perfume the sleep of the dead” means that the flower girls prepare sheets of
white garlands to adorn the graves of the dead people in their last journey. It is believed
that the flowers which are put on the dead bodies or on the grave, give a soothing feeling
to the dead in their eternal sleep.

b) Explain the meaning of the words ‘crowns’ and ‘chaplets’ in this context.

Ans. Here ‘crown’ means a string of flowers tied around the bridegroom’s forehead and
‘chaplet’ refers to the strings of flowers which are used to decorate the bed of the newly-
weds.

c) What is made for the dead?

Ans. White blossoms are strung together to look like sheets to cover the bodies of the dead.
 Class: 7
Subject: English
Title of the book: Collins English Grammar and Composition
Topic: Direct and Indirect Speech

(a) When we repeat someone’s exact words, we write them within quotation marks.
This is known as Direct Speech.

Example: Kabir said, “I really like your jacket.”

(b) We can also report what Kabir said without repeating his exact words.

This is called Indirect Speech or Reported Speech.

Example: Kabir said that he really liked my jacket.

(c) Here are some simple rules for changing direct speech to indirect speech.

(i) Indirect speech is usually introduced with a saying or reporting verb like said or told.

(ii) Questions are introduced with words like asked and inquired.

(iii) Imperative sentences are introduced with words like ordered and requested.
Here are some words you can use: said, told, asked, requested, ordered, exclaimed,
replied, suggested, advised, agreed, complained, shouted.

I asked her, “Was the film good?” I asked her if the film was good.
Riya said, “The cake is delicious.” Riya told me that the cake was delicious.
Mummy said, “Go to your room.” Mummy ordered me to go to my room.

(iv) Change tenses where necessary.

Simple Present Simple Past (or no change)
Jaya said, “The dog looks ill.” Jaya said that the dog looked ill.
I said, “The snow melts in summer.” I said that the snow melts in summer.

Present Continuous Past Continuous

Mary said, “My mother is driving.” Mary said that her mother was driving.

Present Perfect Past Perfect

I said, “The girls have been singing.” I said that the girls had been singing.

Simple Past Past Perfect

Joe said, “We walked to the park.” Joe said that they had walked to the park.
 Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
Anu said, “I have been cleaning.” Anu said that she had been cleaning.

Past Perfect Past Perfect (no change)

My mother said, “I had cooked lunch.” My mother said she had cooked lunch.

(v) When reporting speech in the future tense, the modal verbs change.

Saira said, “I will go in June.”

Saira said she would go in June.

Akash said, “I will be working tomorrow.”

Akash said he would be working the next day.

(vi) All pronouns and possessive adjectives change into the third person.

Sharad said, “My father scolded me.”

Sharad said that his father had scolded him.

(vii) Adjectives and adverbs indicating distance and time may have to be changed.

Here becomes there, today becomes that day, next week becomes the following week,
and so on.

Roshni said, “I have not seen Manju this week.”

Roshni said that she had not seen Manju that week.

John said, “My cousins have never come here.”

John said that his cousins had never come there.

Textbook Solutions

Pages: 102-105

A. Rewrite these sentences in indirect speech.

1. Mohit said that he had been invited to the inauguration ceremony the next day.
2. Lina told me that she will meet me the following week.
3. Rohit told his father that he was working on his project then.
4. Smriti said that she always drinks milk in the morning.
5. Pranati explained to me that her cousins had spent the weekend with her.
6. Mrs Patil said that she had visited six countries in the month before.
 7. Linda complained that she had just cleaned the entire kitchen.
8. Kavitha said that she had been practising with the band for a week.
9. Sunil said that he would be done with his exams the following Monday.
10. They told me that they were staying in the hotel down the street.
11. She said that she would be tutoring her neighbour’s children the following week.
12. Vivek told Surya that he had watched the film twice already.

B. Rewrite the sentences in indirect speech.

1. The teacher asked the students how many of them could come for the special class
that Sunday.
2. The airhostess asked if she might request the passengers to remain seated till the
aircraft halts.
3. Nikhil asked me if I liked the new generation of smartphones.
4. My mother asked if Robin would come for the party the next day.
5. I asked him if he was being able to cope up with the new syllabus.
6. Raj asked me if I was left-handed or right-handed.
7. Mr Krishnan asked me what was the name of the boy sitting next to me.
8. Elwin asked John if he had a laptop.
9. Hima asked him why did he take so long to reach.
10. Krishnan asked the event manager when would the caterers arrive.
11. She asked the boy why was he making so much noise.
12. The student asked the teacher if he/she might help her/him carry the books.

C. Change these sentences to indirect speech.

1. Mohit asked the shopkeeper if they could pay through credit card.
2. She asked the students if they had understood the sum.
3. She told me that Sindhu had gone home.
4. Lydia told me that she couldn’t be 12 years old.
5. Justin asked Priyank if his father worked in the railways.
6. Fred asked Molly if the Thomases never went out on a Sunday.
7. Gina told Supriya that she was right about the play.
8. Saba told Jasmine if she would close the door.
9. Fiona told Chand that his parents had four dogs.
10. Sunil told his mother that grandmother goes to sleep quite early.

D. Rewrite these sentences in indirect speech.

1. He requested Prashant to help Vivek with his work.
2. Michelle advised Luke to think of taking up music classes.
3. They told him sternly not to lie about what he did.
 4. Mr Laxman ordered his assistant to arrange the files in alphabetical order in the
cabinet.
5. Simi suggested Vineet not to blame the bus driver for his delay.
6. The teacher advised the students not to waste time during their study leave.
7. The shopkeeper warned everyone to leave the shop as there was a fire in the
storeroom.
8. Rithu suggested Harsha that she would help her with her bags.

E. Change the sentences to indirect speech.

1. Mona wished if she could go for a vacation after the exams.
2. My grandfather exclaimed sadly that Nelson Mandela was no more. He was their hero
when they were young.
3. Rosa exclaimed in surprise that it was a hot day and couldn’t believe that day’s
temperature was 48 degrees Celsius.
4. Rajan exclaimed with joy that they had won the match and he had got the Man of the
Match award too.
5. Jo cried that the cat had spilled the milk again.
6. Shabina exclaimed with joy that the actor looked handsome even though he was 70
years old.