NIOS Class 12 English In the Bazaars of Hyderabad
Table of Contents
✨ Introduction in English
“In the Bazaars of Hyderabad” is a lyrical poem by Sarojini Naidu that presents a vivid and colourful picture of the traditional Indian marketplace. Through a series of rhythmic questions and answers, the poet describes the life, culture, and occupations of different people working in the bazaar—merchants, vendors, maidens, goldsmiths, fruit sellers, musicians, magicians, and flower girls. The poem highlights India’s rich craftsmanship, variety of goods, and the harmony among different professions. Without mentioning poverty or conflict, the poet creates an atmosphere of joy, prosperity, and cultural richness. The poem also reflects the cycle of human life—from celebration and marriage to death—showing how the bazaar serves every stage of life. The musical quality of the poem and its rich imagery make it both pleasant and meaningful.
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✨ Introduction – in Hindi
कविता “In the Bazaars of Hyderabad” सरोजिनी नायडू की एक प्रसिद्ध गीतात्मक रचना है। इस कविता में कवयित्री ने हैदराबाद के पारंपरिक भारतीय बाज़ार का रंगीन, जीवंत और सांस्कृतिक चित्र प्रस्तुत किया है। कविता प्रश्न-उत्तर शैली में लिखी गई है, जिसमें व्यापारी, विक्रेता, युवतियाँ, सुनार, फल-विक्रेता, संगीतकार, जादूगर और फूल बेचने वाली लड़कियाँ अपने-अपने कार्यों का वर्णन करते हैं। कविता भारतीय हस्तकला, व्यापार, संगीत और परंपराओं की समृद्धि को दर्शाती है। साथ ही यह मानव जीवन के विभिन्न चरणों—जन्म, विवाह, उत्सव और मृत्यु—को भी दर्शाती है। कविता की भाषा सरल, मधुर और चित्रात्मक है, जो भारतीय संस्कृति की सुंदरता को उजागर करती है।
NIOS Class 12 English In the Bazaars of Hyderabad
✍️ Summary in English
The poem “In the Bazaars of Hyderabad” presents a lively scene of a traditional Indian market. Each stanza focuses on a different group of people, and the poet uses a question-and-answer format to describe their work.
In Section I, the poet asks the merchants what they sell. They reply that they sell richly coloured goods such as crimson and silver turbans, purple brocade tunics, amber-panelled mirrors, and jade-handled daggers. These items reflect luxury, royal taste, and fine craftsmanship.
In Section II, the poet turns to vendors, maidens, and peddlers. The vendors weigh everyday necessities like saffron, lentils, and rice, showing the importance of daily trade. Maidens grind sandalwood, henna, and spices, which are associated with beauty, rituals, and fragrance. The peddlers call out to sell chessmen and ivory dice, symbolising leisure and recreation.
In Section III, the poet addresses the goldsmiths. They create beautiful ornaments such as wristlets, anklets, and rings. They also make delicate bells for pigeons, golden girdles for dancers, and scabbards for kings. This section highlights artistic skill and serves both common joy and royal grandeur.
In Section IV, fruit sellers cry out the names of fresh fruits like citron, pomegranate, and plum. Musicians play instruments such as the cithar, sarangi, and drum, adding melody to the market. Magicians chant spells meant for the future, suggesting mystery and tradition.
In Section V, the flower girls weave garlands and crowns. They prepare crowns for bridegrooms, flowers for wedding beds, and white blossoms for the dead, showing that the bazaar caters to all stages of life—marriage, celebration, and death.
Thus, the poem beautifully portrays the rich cultural life of India, the dignity of labour, and the unity of diverse professions within the bustling bazaar of Hyderabad.
✍️ Summary – in Hindi
कविता “In the Bazaars of Hyderabad” में कवयित्री एक पारंपरिक भारतीय बाज़ार का सजीव और रंगीन दृश्य प्रस्तुत करती हैं। कविता पाँच खंडों में विभाजित है और प्रत्येक खंड में बाज़ार में कार्य करने वाले विभिन्न लोगों का वर्णन किया गया है।
प्रथम खंड में कवयित्री व्यापारियों से पूछती हैं कि वे क्या बेचते हैं। व्यापारी बताते हैं कि वे लाल और चाँदी रंग की पगड़ियाँ, बैंगनी रंग के कीमती वस्त्र, अंबर जड़े शीशे और जेड की मूठ वाले खंजर बेचते हैं। ये वस्तुएँ बाज़ार की समृद्धि और राजसी वैभव को दर्शाती हैं।
द्वितीय खंड में कवयित्री विक्रेताओं, युवतियों और फेरीवालों से प्रश्न करती हैं। विक्रेता केसर, दाल और चावल तौलते हैं, जो दैनिक जीवन की आवश्यक वस्तुएँ हैं। युवतियाँ चंदन, मेंहदी और मसाले पीसती हैं, जो सौंदर्य और धार्मिक परंपराओं से जुड़े हैं। फेरीवाले शतरंज के मोहरे और हाथीदाँत के पासे बेचते हैं, जो मनोरंजन का प्रतीक हैं।
तृतीय खंड में सुनारों का वर्णन है। वे कंगन, पायल और अंगूठियाँ बनाते हैं। वे नीले कबूतरों के पैरों के लिए नाज़ुक घंटियाँ, नर्तकियों के लिए सोने की करधनियाँ और राजा के लिए सोने की म्यान बनाते हैं। यह खंड भारतीय कारीगरी और कला की उत्कृष्टता को दर्शाता है।
चतुर्थ खंड में फल-विक्रेता नींबू, अनार और आलूबुखारा बेचते हैं। संगीतकार सितार, सारंगी और ढोल बजाते हैं, जिससे बाज़ार में मधुर संगीत गूँजता है। जादूगर भविष्य के लिए मंत्रों का उच्चारण करते हैं, जो रहस्य और परंपरा का संकेत देते हैं।
पंचम खंड में फूल बेचने वाली लड़कियाँ फूलों की मालाएँ और मुकुट बनाती हैं। वे दूल्हे के लिए मुकुट, विवाह शय्या के लिए फूलों की मालाएँ और मृतकों के लिए सफेद फूल बुनती हैं। यह खंड जीवन के चक्र—विवाह, सुख और मृत्यु—को दर्शाता है।
इस प्रकार, यह कविता भारतीय बाज़ार की सांस्कृतिक विविधता, श्रम की गरिमा और जीवन की सम्पूर्णता को अत्यंत सुंदर ढंग से प्रस्तुत करती है।
NIOS Class 12 English In the Bazaars of Hyderabad
Question-Answers
Intext Question 14.1
- Where are the merchants? What are they doing?
Answer
The merchants are in the bazaar in Hyderabad.
They are selling their goods that they have displayed in a very attractive manner. - Who addresses the merchants?
Answer
The poet, who finds the display very attractive addresses the merchants. - What do the merchants display? Why does the poet use the words ‘richly displayed’?
Answer
The merchants display turbans that are crimson and silver, loose-fitting shirts made of purple brocade, mirrors framed in yellow amber and daggers that have handles made of jade, a green coloured stone.
The poet uses the words ‘richly displayed’ as all these items are brightly coloured, expensive and lavishly exhibited. - What kind of cloth is brocade?
Answer
Brocade is a patterned fabric specifically made for ornamental outfits. It is a rich silk fabric with raised patterns in gold and silver. These rich designs are not embroidered on the fabric but woven into it. - Explain Mirrors with panels of amber.
Answer
The mirrors sold in the market are framed with a yellow coloured stone called amber. - What kind of people are likely to buy Tunics of purple brocade, Mirrors with panels of amber, Daggers with handles of jade?
Answer
The rich people and nobles from the court of the Nizam of Hyderabad will buy these costly items.
NIOS Class 12 English In the Bazaars of Hyderabad
Intext Question 14.2
- How many people does the speaker address in this stanza?
Answer
The poet addresses vendors, young maidens and peddlers. - Where are the maidens? What do they grind?
Answer
The maidens are in the bazaar.
They are grinding sandalwood, henna and spices for sale. - Who are referred to as vendors in the poem?
Answer
The vendors weigh saffron, lentil and rice - Why do the maidens grind sandalwood henna and spice?
Answer
The maidens grind sandalwood henna and spice to make its fine powder. They maybe grinding henna and sandalwood probably because there is some auspicious ceremony or festival. - Who are peddlers? How are they different from vendors?
Answer
A peddler is a person who sells from door to door or in the street, calling out to draw attention to his goods. to sell their goods.
Peddlers usually do not have a stall, so they will go from place to place selling their goods. On the other hand, a vendor is someone who sells goods from his own stall - What do the wares sold by the peddlers – ‘chessmen and ivory dice’ – suggest about Indian society?
Answer
Individual answer (society that had money; able to afford luxuries; enjoy beautiful products; had leisure time for pursuits like chess)
NIOS Class 12 English In the Bazaars of Hyderabad
Intext Questions 14.3
- What do the goldsmith make for women?
Answer
The goldsmith make wristlets and anklets and rings for women. - What is a wristlet?
Answer
A wristlet is a bracelet encircling the wrist. - What do goldsmiths make for pigeons?
Answer
Goldsmiths make delicate bells for the feet of blue pigeons for pigeons . - What do you think of people who buy gold ornaments for their pets?
Answer - What do goldsmiths make for the dancers?
Answer
Goldsmiths make gold Girdles or belts for the dancers . - What do the goldsmiths make for the king?
Answer
The goldsmiths make gold scabbards or sheaths to cover the sword for the king.
NIOS Class 12 English In the Bazaars of Hyderabad
Intext Questions 14.4
- The poet says, “What do you cry, O ye Fruit merchants.” Why does the Poet say cry when she refers to the fruit men?
Answer
The poet used the term cry because the fruit men were calling in a loud voice. - What are the fruit merchants selling?
Answer
The musical instruments being played by the musicians in the bazaars of Hyderabad are the sitar, sarangi and drum. - What are the instruments played by the musicians in the bazaars of Hyderabad?
Answer
“Spells for aeons to come” means that the magicians are chanting magical spells that will last for a long period of time. - What does Spells for aeons to come mean?
Answer
Aeons means an immeasurably long period of time - Which of the following musical instruments is a sarangi?
\(\quad\quad\quad\quad\) a) Option (i)
\(\quad\quad\quad\quad\) b) Option (ii)
\(\quad\quad\quad\quad\) c) Option (iii)
\(\quad\quad\quad\quad\) d) Option (iv)
\(\quad\quad\) Answer
\(\quad\quad\) (d) Option (iv)
- Name the instrument.
\(\quad\quad\)Answer
\(\quad\quad\)Sitar
NIOS Class 12 English In the Bazaars of Hyderabad
Intext Questions 14.5
- What colour tassels are the flower girls weaving?
Answer
azure and red. - What do the flower girls weave for the bride groom?
Answer
The flower girls weave for the bride groom Crowns for the brow and chaplets to garland his bed. - What is meant by tassels of azure and red?
Answer
Refer to tassels that are blue and red in color - What is the wedding hair thing called?
Answer
referred to is a “crown” for the bridegroom - What is the meaning of tassels?
i) Fight
ii) Coloured
iii) a tuft of loosely hanging threads or cords knotted at one end
iv) conflicting situation
Answer
(iii) a tuft of loosely hanging threads or cords knotted at one end. - What two contrasting (happy and sad) occasions are referred to in stanza 5?
Answer
The flower girls were making crowns and garlands for the marriage ceremony. Chaplets were made to decorate the bed of the bridegroom. The flower girls were also making a sheet of white flowers to cover the dead bodies. These are some of the happy and sad occasions for which the flower girls are weaving flowers.
NIOS Class 12 English In the Bazaars of Hyderabad
