1.2. An Encounter of a Special Kind - Std X - Mah Board - English - Semi English and Marathi Medium
- Jun 15
- 10 min read
Updated: Jun 18
SECTION 1 — Chapter Information / पाठ परिचय
Chapter | Unit 1 — Chapter 1.2: An Encounter of a Special Kind |
Type | Literary Prose |
Author | Tapan Mukherjee |
Textbook | My English Coursebook, Std X, Maharashtra State Board |
Board Section | Section II — Reading Skills (Textual) — 20 marks |
मराठी टीप: हा पाठ परीक्षेत Reading Skills Textual विभागात येतो — एकूण 20 गुण.
SECTION 2 — About the Author / लेखक परिचय
Tapan Mukherjee is a renowned writer who often draws inspiration from real-life experiences, human emotions, and the profound beauty of nature. In this particular chapter, the author delves into a deeply personal childhood memory set in Raniganj, West Bengal. Through a gripping narrative, he explores the complex dynamics of animal behaviour and the unspoken bond that can exist between humans and wildlife. His writing style is simple, highly descriptive, and emotionally engaging, effectively bringing the tension and tenderness of the story to life.
मराठी टीप: तपन मुखर्जी यांनी या पाठात आपल्या बालपणीचा पश्चिम बंगालमधील राणीगंज येथील एक प्रसंग सांगितला आहे. निसर्ग आणि प्राणी यांच्याशी माणसाचे कसे अतूट नाते असू शकते, हे त्यांनी अतिशय सोप्या आणि भावस्पर्शी भाषेत मांडले आहे.
SECTION 4 — Summary / सारांश
The story revolves around a young boy living in a large, lush bungalow campus in Raniganj, West Bengal. During his Puja vacation, while peacefully reading an adventure story, he hears a loud commotion. Investigating the noise, he witnesses a horrifying sight: a dominant male langur mercilessly biting a baby langur with the intent to kill it. Displaying immense courage, the boy throws stones at the attacker, forcing it to drop the motionless baby.
He rescues the injured baby langur, brings it to his backyard, and treats its deep wounds with his father's help. Soon, the mother langur appears on the roof, watching anxiously. The boy steps back to allow the mother to embrace her traumatized child. Before leaving, the mother langur looks directly into the boy's eyes, showering him with silent, overwhelming gratitude. This extraordinary incident leaves a lasting impression on the narrator, teaching him that compassion, mutual trust, and understanding are universal languages.
मराठी सारांश:
सुट्टीच्या दिवशी लेखक पुस्तक वाचत असताना त्यांना बाहेर गोंधळ ऐकू येतो. एक मोठे माकड (langur) एका छोट्या पिल्लाला जीवे मारण्याचा प्रयत्न करत असते. लेखक धाडसाने दगड मारून त्या पिल्लाला वाचवतात आणि त्याच्या जखमांवर उपचार करतात. थोड्या वेळाने पिल्लाची आई तिथे येते आणि आपल्या पिल्लाला कुशीत घेते. जाताना ती लेखकाकडे अत्यंत कृतज्ञतेने पाहते. या घटनेतून लेखकाला समजते की प्रेम आणि विश्वास याद्वारे मानव आणि प्राणी एकमेकांशी संवाद साधू शकतात.
SECTION 5 — Characters / पात्रे
The Narrator (The Boy) The narrator is a compassionate, courageous, and observant young boy. When he sees the baby langur being attacked, he does not freeze; instead, he takes immediate action, risking his own safety by hurling stones at the aggressive male. He shows deep empathy by gently providing first aid and offering a banana to the traumatized animal. He represents the protective, kind side of humanity. मराठी टीप: लेखकाचे धाडस, प्राण्यांबद्दलची दया आणि त्वरित निर्णय घेण्याची क्षमता यावर भर द्या.
The Mother Langur The mother langur is protective, highly observant, and deeply maternal. Initially helpless, she quietly watches the boy treat her baby, instinctively trusting him. When reunited with her child, she inspects its wounds and cuddles it tightly. Her silent gaze of overwhelming gratitude towards the narrator proves that animals possess deep emotions. मराठी टीप: आईची माया, तिचा लेखकावरील विश्वास आणि तिने डोळ्यांतून व्यक्त केलेली कृतज्ञता स्पष्ट करा.
SECTION 6 — Central Theme and Values / केंद्रीय भाव आणि मूल्ये
6A. Theme Table / विषय सारणी
Theme / विषय | How it appears |
Interspecies Communication (आंतरप्रजातीय संवाद) | The mother langur expresses deep gratitude to the boy simply through a profound look in her eyes, proving words are not always necessary. |
Compassion and Empathy (करुणा आणि सहानुभूती) | The narrator goes out of his way to rescue, protect, and provide first aid to a helpless animal. |
Maternal Love (मातृत्व) | The mother's desperation to comfort her stricken baby and keep it safe from further harm highlights universal parental love. |
6B. Values / मूल्ये
Courage (धैर्य) — The narrator overcomes fear to confront a large, aggressive, marauding langur to save a life.
Kindness (दया) — The family shows immense kindness by treating the bleeding wounds and feeding the terrified baby langur.
Trust (विश्वास) — The mother langur trusts the human boy enough to sit quietly while he treats her baby.
6C. Central Message / केंद्रीय संदेश
The chapter conveys that trust, compassion, and mutual understanding form a powerful, universal language that can bridge the gap between humans and animals.
मराठी टीप: प्राणी आणि मानव यांच्यात अन्न हेच संवादाचे माध्यम नसून प्रेम आणि विश्वास याद्वारेही आपण नाते जोडू शकतो, हा संदेश लिहा.
SECTION 7 — Vocabulary in Context / शब्दसंग्रह
Word / Phrase | मराठी अर्थ | Example from text |
Engrossed | मग्न | "become engrossed in various magazines and storybooks" |
Intermittent | थांबून थांबून येणारा | "the intermittent chirping of house sparrows" |
Commotion | गोंधळ | "I chose to ignore the commotion" |
Hapless | दुर्दैवी | "might have cornered a hapless pig" |
Cacophony | कर्कश आवाज | "added to the cacophony" |
Mercilessly | निर्दयपणे | "mercilessly biting it all over" |
Clan | कुळ / टोळी | "terrible custom in the animal clan" |
Marauding | हल्ला करणारा | "hurled a piece of stone at the marauding langur" |
Assault | हल्ला | "hardly took any notice of my assault" |
Listless | निस्तेज / गतीहीन | "The baby was listless and appeared to be dead." |
Inert | गतीहीन / निपचित | "The baby appeared inert and lifeless." |
Oozing | पाझरणे / वाहणे | "Blood was oozing from some of the wounds." |
Muffled | दाबलेला आवाज | "sob with a muffled cry" |
Solace | दिलासा / समाधान | "The baby found great solace in her caring arms." |
Compassion | करुणा / दया | "establishing a bond through trust, compassion and mutual understanding." |
SECTION 8 — Extract-Based Questions / उताऱ्यावर आधारित प्रश्न
Extract 1:
After a hearty lunch, my parents and my younger sisters lay down for an afternoon nap and I settled down with a storybook. The quiet afternoon presented the perfect backdrop for reading an adventure story. The silence was occasionally broken by the sound of my family snoring, the intermittent chirping of house sparrows, the harsh cawing of a crow the shrill call of a kite flying high above the ground. Minutes ticked by. I became deeply absorbed in the book. Suddenly, I heard a group of street dogs barking furiously in the distance. I chose to ignore the commotion thinking that the pack of dogs might have cornered a hapless pig.
Q.(A)(i) — State whether the following are True or False: (2 marks)
The narrator was reading a comedy book. — False
The family was taking an afternoon nap. — True
The narrator heard lions roaring in the distance. — False
The silence was broken by the intermittent chirping of sparrows. — True मराठी टीप: True आणि False नीट वाचून ठरवा — उताऱ्यातील माहितीवरूनच उत्तर द्या.
Q.(A)(ii) — Choose the correct alternative: (2 marks)
What was the narrator doing after lunch? (a) Sleeping (b) Reading a storybook (c) Playing outside (d) Cooking Answer: (b)
The word 'hapless' in the extract means... (a) happy (b) unfortunate/helpless (c) angry (d) wild Answer: (b)
Q.(B)(i) — Answer in 2-3 sentences: (2 marks) Why did the narrator initially ignore the barking of the dogs?
Answer: The narrator initially ignored the furious barking of the street dogs because he was deeply absorbed in reading his adventure story. Furthermore, he assumed that the commotion was simply a pack of dogs that had cornered a unfortunate, hapless pig, so he didn't feel the need to investigate immediately. मराठी टीप: लेखकाला वाटले की कुत्र्यांनी एखाद्या डुकराला घेरले असेल आणि तो पुस्तकात मग्न होता, त्यामुळे त्याने सुरुवातीला लक्ष दिले नाही.
Q.(B)(ii) — Answer in 3-4 sentences: (2 marks) Describe the atmosphere of the afternoon before the commotion started.
Answer: Before the commotion began, the afternoon was extremely quiet and peaceful, providing a perfect backdrop for reading. The silence was only occasionally broken by natural and homely sounds. These sounds included the family snoring, the intermittent chirping of sparrows, the harsh cawing of a crow, and the shrill call of a kite. मराठी टीप: दुपारचे वातावरण अतिशय शांत होते. कुटुंबाच्या घोरण्याचा, चिमण्यांचा आणि कावळ्यांचा आवाज वगळता तिथे पूर्ण शांतता होती, हे स्पष्ट करा.
Extract 2:
I took the baby langur to our backyard and gently laid him on the floor inside the poultry coop. His body was full of deep bite marks and scratches. Blood was oozing from some of the wounds. The baby remained motionless. My father provided first aid to clean the wounds and stop the bleeding. I was relieved to find out that the baby was breathing, even though his breaths were shallow. Splashes of cold water made the baby stir and after a few shaky attempts, he sat up. He was in state of shock and started trembling like a leaf in the wind. His two little twinkling eyes welled up with tears and he started to sob with a muffled cry just like a human child would after experiencing trauma. I offered him a peeled banana which he accepted with his unsteady hand and began taking hesitant bites.
Q.(A)(i) — State whether the following are True or False: (2 marks)
The baby langur was completely unharmed. — False
The narrator's father provided first aid to the baby langur. — True
The narrator offered the baby langur an apple. — False
The baby langur started trembling like a leaf in the wind. — True मराठी टीप: उताऱ्यात दिलेली माहिती अचूक तपासा. 'peeled banana' दिले होते, सफरचंद नाही.
Q.(A)(ii) — Choose the correct alternative: (2 marks)
Where did the narrator lay the baby langur? (a) On the bed (b) Inside the poultry coop (c) On the kitchen roof (d) Under a tree Answer: (b)
The phrase 'welled up' means... (a) dried up (b) filled with water/tears (c) closed tightly (d) looked angry Answer: (b)
Q.(B)(i) — Answer in 2-3 sentences: (2 marks) What was the physical condition of the baby langur when it was brought to the backyard?
Answer: When brought to the backyard, the baby langur was motionless and in a critical condition. His tiny body was covered in deep bite marks and scratches, with blood actively oozing from several wounds. Though alive, his breathing was very shallow. मराठी टीप: पिल्लू निपचित पडले होते. त्याच्या अंगावर जखमा होत्या आणि रक्त वाहत होते, हे नमूद करा.
Q.(B)(ii) — Answer in 3-4 sentences: (2 marks) How did the baby langur react after receiving first aid and cold water splashes?
Answer: The splashes of cold water finally made the baby langur stir, and after a few shaky attempts, he managed to sit up. However, he was in a state of deep shock and trembled uncontrollably like a leaf in the wind. His eyes filled with tears, and he began to sob with a muffled cry, behaving exactly like a traumatized human child. मराठी टीप: थंड पाण्याच्या शिडकाव्यानंतर पिल्लू कसे उठून बसले, ते भीतीने कसे थरथर कापत होते आणि माणसाच्या लहान मुलासारखे कसे रडू लागले, याचे वर्णन करा.
SECTION 9 — Short Answer Questions / लघु उत्तरे
Q1. What is the terrible custom in the animal clan described in the story? Answer: According to the terrible custom in the animal clan mentioned in the story, a dominant male leader usually does not allow another male baby or an adult male to survive within its group. The dominant male eliminates potential future rivals to maintain his supreme authority and power over the pack. This brutal instinct is why the big male langur was trying to kill the baby. मराठी टीप: प्राण्यांच्या टोळीत एक मोठा नर माकड दुसऱ्या नर पिल्लाला किंवा प्राण्याला जिवंत राहू देत नाही, ही क्रूर प्रथा स्पष्ट करा.
Q2. How did the mother langur react when she saw the narrator treating her baby? Answer: While the narrator was focused on reviving the baby langur, the mother langur sat quietly on the kitchen roof. She closely watched every single move the narrator made. Interestingly, she made no effort to attack or snatch her baby back, acting as if she was completely convinced that the human was doing no harm to her child. मराठी टीप: आई माकडीण स्वयंपाकघराच्या छतावर शांत बसून लेखकाकडे पाहत होती. तिला लेखकावर विश्वास होता की तो तिच्या पिल्लाला इजा करणार नाही.
Q3. What truth about the animal-human relationship did this incident reveal to the narrator?
Answer: This emotional incident revealed a profound truth to the narrator: interspecies communication and mutual trust are absolute realities. It proved that offering food is not the only way humans and animals can connect. A deep, unspoken bond can be successfully established through compassion, mutual understanding, and genuine care. मराठी टीप: मानव आणि प्राणी यांच्यात फक्त अन्नाचे नाते नसते, तर प्रेम, करुणा आणि विश्वासातून त्यांच्यात संवाद घडू शकतो, हे सत्य सांगा.
Q4. What did the narrator do to save the baby langur from the dominant male? Answer: Upon seeing the brutal attack, the narrator immediately gathered a stout stick in one hand. He then forcefully hurled a piece of stone at the marauding male langur. When the infuriated langur ignored the first assault, the narrator relentlessly started throwing more stones, eventually forcing the attacker to drop the baby from the sloping roof. मराठी टीप: लेखकाने हातात काठी घेतली आणि मोठ्या माकडावर दगड मारून त्याला पिल्लाला सोडण्यास कसे भाग पाडले, हे लिहा.
SECTION 10 — Long Answer Questions / दीर्घ उत्तरे
Q1. Describe in detail the encounter between the narrator and the mother langur. How did she express her silent gratitude?
Answer: After treating the badly injured baby langur inside the poultry coop, the narrator noticed the mother langur sitting quietly on the kitchen roof, watching his every move. Realizing she wanted her baby, the narrator retreated to give her space. The mother immediately descended, picked up her traumatized child, inspected his wounds, and cuddled him tightly in her bosom, providing him with immense solace. For a brief but profound moment, the mother langur sat still and looked straight into the narrator's eyes. The narrator felt overwhelmed by this silent gaze, which was powerfully showering silent gratitude on him for saving her child. It was a deeply moving scene of a universal mother expressing thanks without a single word. Finally, she safely leapt away with her baby, leaving the narrator with a lifelong memory of interspecies trust. मराठी टीप:
सुरुवात: लेखकाने पिल्लावर उपचार केल्यानंतर आई माकडीण तिथे आली.
मध्य: आईने पिल्लाला कुशीत घेतले आणि त्याच्या जखमा तपासल्या. तिने लेखकाच्या डोळ्यांत डोळे घालून न बोलता आपली कृतज्ञता (gratitude) व्यक्त केली.
शेवट: हा प्रसंग लेखकाच्या कायम स्मरणात राहिला.
Q2. Summarize the incident in the chapter and explain its central message regarding human-animal relationships.
Answer: The chapter "An Encounter of a Special Kind" narrates a thrilling yet heartwarming childhood memory of the author. During his holidays, the narrator witnessed a large, dominant male langur brutally attacking a baby langur on a clubhouse roof. Showing great courage, the young narrator threw stones to fend off the attacker and successfully caught the falling, injured baby. He brought the bleeding animal home, where his father administered first aid, and he fed it a banana. Shortly after, the mother langur arrived. After being reunited with her baby, she gave the narrator a deeply emotional look of silent gratitude before escaping. The central message of this narrative is that human-animal relationships are not solely dependent on food. Instead, humans and animals can forge deep, meaningful bonds based on mutual trust, compassion, and silent understanding. मराठी टीप:
सुरुवात: मोठ्या माकडाचा पिल्लावरील हल्ला आणि लेखकाने त्याला वाचवणे.
मध्य: पिल्लावरील उपचार आणि आईचे येणे. आईची मूक कृतज्ञता.
शेवट: पाठाचा संदेश — मानव आणि प्राणी यांच्यात प्रेम आणि विश्वासातून सुंदर नाते निर्माण होऊ शकते.
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