Selvi story Question and Answer | R K Narayan Selvi Short story

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    Selvi one of the famous short story written by R.K. Narayan, who was born in the village Rasipuram of Tamilnadu in the year 1906. The short story Selvi is taken from the collection named Malgudi Days. In this short story Selvi is the protagonist, who is known the goddess of melody to her admirers. In her early life she was bron and brought up by her mother in a back row of  vinayak mudali street, in a small house with tiles falling off, with not enough cash at home to put the tiles back on the roof.

   She had learnt music from her mother, practising with her brother and sister. Later the family of Selvi meet with Mohan. Then slowly she became a renowned singer and to her admirers she was known as a divine singer. At this time she was in the nature of undemanding, unenquiring, and uncomplaining, she always rapt in her own thoughts or some secret melody. When she was heard the news of death of her mother she returned canceling all her programns. She left every belongings at Mohan Lawley terrace and took decisions to stay at her mother's house for the rest of her life. 


Here in below some important short question is discussed from the short story "Selvi" written by R. K. Narayan


"They named her the Goddess of Melody" –
Who is the person referred here? 

Ans-  In R..k. Narayan story " Selvi " ,  Selvi, the devine singer is referred here. 




How did he came to know the family of Selvi? 

Ans- In the short story "Selvi" ,  the protagonist Selvi was lived with her mother, brother and sister in a back row of Vinayak Mudali street and at this time Mohan had a photo studio on Market road .Selvi's mother brought her to be photographed for a school magazine. After this Selvi had won the first prize in a music competition. Thereafter Mohan visited them casually as a well - wisher of her family. This is how he came to know the family of Selvi. 




What was Mohan profession in his early life? 

Ans - In R. K. Narayan short story "Selvi",  Mohan had a photo studio on Vinayak Mudali market road. 




"Their home was was a huge building of East India Days.... " –
Where is their home situated? 

Ans - There home is situated several acres of ground five miles away from the city on the road to Mempi Hills in the story "Selvi" by R. K. Narayan. 


Who was the original owner of the lawley Terrace? 

Ans - The original owner was Frederick Lawley of the Lawley Terrace whose statue stood in the town square in the story "Selvi".


"Their home was a huge building of East India Days... " – Who are the present occupants of this home? 

Ans -  In the short story "Selvi ",  Mohan and Selvi are the present occupants of the Lawley Terrace. 


Selvi story Question and Answer
Selvi


What was selvi 's profession? 

Ans -selvi was a devine singer also known as the goddess of Melody. 


Why does R. K. Narayan describe Mohan as a 'financial expert'? 

Ans-  R. K. Narayan describes Mohan as a "financial expert"  because he knew how to conjure up money and at the same time keep income tax at arm's length . 


How does R. K. Narayan describe her popularity? 

Ans - R. K. Narayan describes Selvi as a devine Singer, at the end of the every concert Selvi was mobbed by autograph hunters. She was called as the Goddess of Melody by the public. 

"I have nothing more to pray for in the line of wealth and prosperity, but I crave for the favor of the other goddess, that is Saraswathi who is in our midst today as Selvi the devine singer; ".

Also through the visitors the writer describes her popularity . 

"Visitors kept coming all day long for a darshan from Selvi "

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Who was Mohan in the story "Selvi"? 

Ans - Mohan was the husband of Selvi, the devine singer in the story " Selvi by R. K. Narayan. In his early life he had a photo studio on the Vinayak Mudali market road. But before this he was a follower of Gandhiji and  spent several years in prison. 


How did Mohan take care of Selvi's beauty? 

Ans -  In the story "Selvi" When Mohan first saw Selvi he commented within himself that she is not bad looking but "needs touching up ".Her eyebrows were trimmed and arched .  For her complexion he discovered the correct skin cream and talcum which imparted to her brow and cheeks a shade confounding classification. Though Mohan uses the cosmetic but he don't want anyone to suspect that he encouraged the use of cosmetics. 


How did Mohan follow Gandhiji? 

Ans - As Mohan had been a follower of Mahatma Gandhi and spent several years in prison and wore only cloth spun by hand and shunned all luxury in the story  "Selvi".


Who was Verma in the story " Selvi"? 

Ans - Verma, was the proprietor of the boardless hotel love to overhear such conversation from his pedestal at the cash counter especially when the subject was Selvi. He was also one of her worshippers but from a distance in the short story "Selvi".For him Selvi was goddess Saraswathi. 


Describe in your own words how Selvi reacted immediately after the death of her mother? 

Ans-  In the short story " Selvi" by R. K. Narayan,  When Selvi heard the death news of her mother Selvi was in Calcutta for a series of concerts . And she refused to come out of her room in the hotel and wanted all her engagements cancelled . 


She " Went through her career like an automation..... "  – Name the person referred  to here in the story "Selvi"? 

Ans - In the story " Selvi"  , here Selvi is referred. 


Why is Selvi compared to an automation? 

Ans - Selvi is compared to an automation because her music carrier switched on and off as Mohan ordered in the short story "Selvi".


"I cannot bear the sight of anyone..... " Identify the speaker . Why cannot the speaker "bear the sight of anyone..... "? 

Ans - Here the speaker was Selvi the goddess of Melody. 

When she heard the death news of her mother Selvi returned to the house of her mother but Mohan disturbed him again and again for the music program and after three days when Mohan came again to announce that " On the thirtieth you have received an honorary degree at the Delhi University " ,  about these event when Mohan pressed her then Selvi  said that " I can't bear the sight of anyone..... " 


What was verma 's long- time desire ?  Did his desire come true? 

Ans -  verma's long time desire was to meet Selvi and he wanted that if only she will condensed to accept a cup of coffee or sweets from his hand but she was kept in a fortress of invisible walls.

           But whenever verma bring a gift for her she takes it and turns it back from the porch with a formal word thanks. So his desire never come true in the story "Selvi".





What did verma crave for? 

Ans - verma craved for the other goddess that is Saraswathi who is in their midst today as Selvi the devine singer in the story "Selvi".



"Ungrateful wretch " - who is the speaker and who is the "ungrateful wretch "? Describe in your own words the occasion of the above remark? 

Ans -  Here in this short story " Selvi " , here the speaker was the Mohan. 

And Selvi is the "Ungreatful wretch".

One night at 11 'o clock Mohan left his in Market road and walked to Vinayak Mudali street . He called in softly through the door of Selvi's house and said that "My dear it's me",  and he has to talked to her urgently but Selvi did not open the door rather she opened a window shutter and said firmly " Go away" , it's not proper to come there in the night . Listen to this Mohan turned back with a lump in his throat , swearing half - aloud "Ungreatful wretch.... ".

        



"She was undemanding, unenquiring and uncomplaining " –  In what sense the writer remarked in such a way? 

Ans- In the short story "Selvi",  here  Selvi was undemanding, unenquiring and uncomplaining.As Selvi never questioned that where she was to sing or what fee they were getting and she seemed to exist without noticing anyone or anything ,  she rapt in some secret melody or thought of her own. That is why the writer remarked Selvi in such way. 


"She was kept in a fortress of invisible walls " - why does the writer commmet thus about selvi? 

Ans - The writer was commented this about Selvi as Selvi had been wedded to Mohan over two decades and had never spoken to anyone except in his presence that is why the writer quoted that "She was kept in a fortress of invisible walls"in the short story " Selvi" by R. K. Narayan. 




24. How was visitors treated in their house? 

Ans - In the short story " Selvi" we see that visitors kept coming all  day long to visit Selvi the devine singer but few ever reached her presence. Some were received on the ground floor , Some were received at the lawns. Some were encouraged to go up the staircase . But none could get a glimpse of her, only selected personalities were received ceremoniusly in the main hall upstairs and seated on sofas.  Those who are ordinary visitors they would not be offered a seat but they could occupy any bench and chair scattered here and there  and wait as long as they pleased. 



Describe the tree which was special among the other trees  situated in the Lawley Terrace property? 

Ans- The Lawley Terrace property , the place was wooded with enormous trees. The tree was an elm or oak or beech was special among the other trees situated in the Lawley Terrace property planted by  Sir Frederick. 



How did Mohan earn so much money to buy the house? 

Ans - Mohan earned so much money to bought the house when Selvi received a fee for lending her voice to a film- star. 



How did Mohan behave organizors and why? 

Ans- when Selvi was in demand everywhere, Mohan's office was besieged by the organizers of musical events from all over the country then Mohan said " Leave your proposal with my secretary , and we will inform you after finalizing our calendar for the quarter".In the other hand Mohan would say "My schedule is tight till 1982 , if there is any cancellation we will see what can be done. Remind me in October 1981 , I will give you a final answer . " That is how Mohan behaved with organizors. 

And because for no other reason then to preserve  a rarity value for selvi. 



Which photograph were on the wall of Mohan's house? 

Ans- In R. K. Narayan short story "Selvi ",  on the wall of Mohan's house hung group photographs of himself and Selvi in the company of the strangest assortmemt of personalities Tito, Bulganin,  Yehudi Menuhin, John Kennedy, the Nehru family, the Pope ,  Charlie Chaplin, yogis amd sportsman, political figures. 



From where did Selvi learn her music? 

Ans-  In R. K. Narayan short story "selvi",   selvi had learnt music from her mother, practicing with her brother and sister accompaning her on their instruments. 





Where did selvi 's mother lived and how was their house? 

Ans- Selvi's mother lived in a back row of Vinayak Mudali  street in a small house with tiles falling off , with not enough cash at home to put the tiles back on the roof  in the story "Selvi" by R. K. Narayan.

 

31. Why she is called Goddess of Melody? 

Ans- In the short story "Selvi",   in the course of a quarter century Selvi had become a national figure and travelled widely in and out of the country . When her name was announced the Hall, any Hall filled up to capacity and people fought for seats. Also when she appeared on the dais the audience was thrilled as if vouchsafed a vision and she was accorded a thundering ovation.  She was called Goddess of Melody by the public.  Her voice possessed a versatility and reach which never failed to transport her audience. 


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