IGNOU BHDC-110 Solved Question Paper PDF Download

IGNOU BHDC-110 Previous Year Solved Question Paper in Hindi

IGNOU BHDC-110 Previous Year Solved Question Paper in English

Q1. Explain any three of the following passages with reference to context: (a) The horse recognized the footfalls of its master and neighed loudly. Now Baba Bharti, running inside with surprise and joy, hugged his beloved horse and began to cry as if a father was meeting his long-lost son. He repeatedly patted its face. Then he said with satisfaction, “Now no one will turn their face away from the poor and destitute.” (b) “When I could not trust my own heart, it deceived me, then what can I say? I hate you, yet I can die for you. It is darkness, O sea-pirate! I love you.” (c) “Why only Hubert, will she ever be able to love anyone, with that feeling which does not fade, which hovers over her like a shadow, neither erasing itself nor granting her freedom. She felt as if a cluster of clouds was slowly spreading over her mind again, her legs felt lifeless and limp again.” (d) Love surged, why didn’t I take one last look at the entire house? I am feeling downhearted, but she will not become small in front of those before whom she has always remained big, this much is right. It’s done. She bowed her head at the threshold; a few drops trickled from the eyes of the family’s matriarch. Shahni departed, the tall mansion was left behind. (e) Siddheshwari was staring blankly at her son with fear and terror. After a few moments passed, she asked hesitantly, ‘Did something happen there?’ Siddheshwari remained silent. The sun was getting hotter. In the sky above the small courtyard, one or two pieces of clouds were floating like sailing boats. The sound of a rattling cart passing through the outer lane was audible, and the soft sound of the baby’s breath sleeping on the cot could be heard.

Ans. (a)

• Reference: This passage is taken from the famous story ‘Haar ki Jeet’ (The Defeat’s Victory) written by Sudarshan. This story is a prime example of the idealist-realist tradition in Hindi literature.
• Context: This passage describes the climax of the story. The dacoit Khadag Singh, who had stolen Baba Bharti’s horse ‘Sultan’ through deceit, has been moved by Baba’s words and has secretly come to return the horse. This is the moment when Baba Bharti finds his horse back in the stable and is overwhelmed with emotion.
• Explanation: The author states that the horse recognized its master’s footsteps and neighed affectionately. When Baba Bharti heard the neighing, he was surprised. He ran into the stable and upon seeing his beloved horse standing there, his joy knew no bounds. He hugged the horse and cried just as a father would upon meeting his long-lost son. This scene depicts the deep, affectionate bond between Baba and Sultan. The Baba repeatedly patted the horse’s face with love. After this reunion, he felt a deep sense of satisfaction. His final sentence, “Now no one will turn their face away from the poor and destitute,” is the essence of the story. He was satisfied that Khadag Singh had a change of heart and that faith in humanity would not be lost. His ‘defeat’ (losing the horse) had ultimately turned into a greater ‘victory’ (the victory of humanity).
• Special Remarks: The language is simple, fluid, and emotional. The simile of ‘father-son’ expresses the depth of love between the Baba and the horse. This excerpt establishes the core message of the story – the triumph of good over evil and the power of human compassion.

(b)

• Reference: This passage is quoted from the story ‘Akashdeep’ (The Sky Lamp) written by the pioneer of the Chhayavad (Romanticism) era, Jaishankar Prasad.
• Context: This context is from a moment when the story’s heroine, Champa, is expressing the internal conflict raging in her mind regarding the sea-pirate Buddhagupta. Buddhagupta had killed Champa’s father, but later he saved Champa and now loves her. Champa is also drawn to him, but the desire for revenge holds her back.
• Explanation: Champa expresses the complex emotions of her heart, saying that when she cannot even trust her own heart, which has deceived her, how can she believe in anything else. Her heart, on one hand, hates Buddhagupta as he is her father’s murderer, but on the other hand, she has also fallen in love with him. This is a state of paradoxical and intense mental conflict. She says, “I hate you, yet I can die for you.” This line depicts the extreme dichotomy of love and hate. She calls this situation ‘darkness’, which reveals her confusion and despair. Finally, she accepts her love, “I love you.” This admission is the culmination of her internal struggle, where love triumphs over revenge.
• Special Remarks: This is an excellent example of Prasad’s dramatic and poetic style of language. It features a psychological portrayal of the heroine’s inner conflict. This struggle between love, hate, duty, and emotion gives the story ‘Akashdeep’ a profound philosophical and psychological depth.

(c)

• Reference: These lines are taken from the famous story ‘Yahi Sach Hai’ (This is the Truth) by Mannu Bhandari, a prominent writer of the ‘Nai Kahani’ (New Story) movement.
• Context: The story’s protagonist, Deepa, who is currently in a relationship with Hubert, is lost in the memories of her past lover, Nishith. She is analyzing in her mind whether she will ever be able to fully love someone else, even Hubert, by freeing herself from Nishith’s memories.
• Explanation: Deepa introspects, thinking that she might not be able to love not just Hubert, but perhaps anyone, with that same depth. The reason is that feeling or memory that dominates her mind. It is the memory of her first love, Nishith, which is neither fading nor ending. It is like a ‘shadow’ that constantly hovers over her. This memory neither erases itself nor lets Deepa be free, keeping her in a strange kind of captivity. As this thought occurs, she feels as if a ‘cluster of clouds’ of sadness and confusion is once again spreading over her mind. Due to this mental burden, she also feels physically weak; her legs feel lifeless and limp. This excerpt also highlights the deep connection between the mind and body.
• Special Remarks: This passage presents a subtle psychological portrayal of the character’s inner world. Metaphors like ‘cluster of clouds’ and ‘shadow’ bring Deepa’s mental state to life. This story very honestly depicts a woman’s inner conflict between her present and her past.

(d)

• Reference: This poignant passage is from Krishna Sobti’s story ‘Sikka Badal Gaya’ (The Coin Has Flipped) , based on the tragedy of the Partition of India.
• Context: This is the final and most heart-rending moment of the story. Shahni, who had been the mistress of her mansion and village, is forced to leave everything behind due to the Partition. She is taking a final leave from the mansion where she has spent her entire life.
• Explanation: As Shahni steps out of the threshold of her mansion, a deep love for her land and her home swells within her. For a moment, she wishes to turn around and take one last, long look at her entire house. But her heart sinks, she is feeling weak. Then, she composes herself. She thinks that she will not become ‘small’ by showing her weakness in front of the very people (the villagers) before whom she has always been ‘big’ (the mistress, the strong one). She wants to maintain her dignity and self-respect. With this thought, she holds back her tears and moves on. She bowed her head before the threshold of her mansion, a symbol of her final respect and farewell to her home. A few drops silently trickled from the dignified eyes of the matriarch, bearing witness to her immense sorrow and helplessness. Shahni departed, and her tall mansion, a symbol of her past, her authority, and her identity, was left behind.
• Special Remarks: Krishna Sobti’s language is extremely controlled and picturesque. The story’s title, ‘The Coin Has Flipped’, is realized here—the coin of power and time has indeed flipped. This excerpt is a poignant document of the personal tragedy of Partition, the pain of being uprooted, and a woman’s silent self-respect.

(e)

• Reference: This passage is from Amarkant’s realistic story ‘Dopahar ka Bhojan’ (The Midday Meal) . This story portrays the poverty and struggle of a lower-middle-class family.
• Context: The main character of the story, Siddheshwari, is managing a meal with limited resources for her unemployed sons and sick husband. Her middle son, Mohan, gets up to go out after having his meal. Siddheshwari is worried that he might have gotten into some trouble while wandering in search of a job. In this state of anxiety, she questions him.
• Explanation: Siddheshwari was looking at her son Mohan with a mixture of fear and terror. This ‘fear’ and ‘terror’ are born out of her poverty and helplessness. She is afraid that something bad might happen to her son in the outside world, or that he might fall into bad company. After a few moments of silence, she very hesitantly asks him if something happened outside. Her timid question expresses a mother’s deep anxiety and helplessness. Mohan doesn’t answer, and Siddheshwari also remains silent, perhaps afraid of hearing bad news. The author portrays the atmosphere amidst this tense silence—the sun is getting hotter, intensifying the tension inside the house and the harshness outside. The pieces of clouds floating in the sky look like ‘sailing boats’, perhaps symbolizing Siddheshwari’s floating, uncertain hopes. The sound of a rattling cart from the street and the soft sound of the sleeping baby’s breath—all these elements together express the poverty, quietness, and deep tension of the house.
• Special Remarks: This excerpt is representative of Amarkant’s realistic style. The depiction of the external environment deepens the internal mood of the characters. The lack of dialogue and the use of silence effectively convey the story’s tension and the characters’ helplessness.

Q2. Shed light on the core sensibility of the story ‘Gangrene’.

Ans. The story ‘Gangrene’ , written by Agyeya (later retitled ‘Roz’, meaning ‘Daily’), is a tale of the monotony, boredom, and mechanical nature of modern life. Its core sensibility is to highlight the tragedy of the gradual decay of dreams and vitality in middle-class life. The story expresses this suffocation primarily through the life of a woman. The core sensibility of the story lies in the following points:

• Mechanical Life and Boredom: The life of the protagonist, Malti, is trapped in a fixed, unchangeable routine. Her life moves with the clock’s hands – waking up, filling water when the tap runs, preparing her husband’s lunchbox, taking care of the child, and then waiting for the night. There is no excitement, no novelty in this routine. This mechanical existence is slowly eroding her personality.
• The Death of Dreams: The narrator reveals that Malti was a cheerful, vivacious, and dreamy girl in her childhood. But after marriage, the monotonous domestic life has drained all her liveliness. She no longer reads books, nor does she take any interest in the world’s affairs. Her dreams and aspirations have decayed like ‘gangrene’ in this mechanical life.
• Development of Insensitivity: This mechanical nature is not limited to Malti. Her husband, a doctor, has also become so engrossed and accustomed to his work that his human sensitivities have diminished. He talks about amputating the legs of gangrene patients with the same ease as one would talk about any other ordinary task.
• Symbolism: ‘Gangrene’ is a powerful symbol in this story. It is a physical disease where a part of the body decays and needs to be amputated. In the story, this symbol represents the mental and emotional decay caused by the mechanical and boring nature of modern life. Malti’s life has also been afflicted with gangrene, from which excitement and joy have been cut off and discarded.

In conclusion, the core sensibility of ‘Gangrene’ is to express the suffocation and tragedy in which the modern individual’s personality, aspirations, and human relationships gradually become meaningless and mechanical. The story captures the flow of time that, instead of making life vibrant, makes it weak and almost dead.

Q3. Clarify: “The story ‘Shadyantra’ is a tragic expression of the reality of Dalit life.”

Ans. The story ‘Shadyantra’ (Conspiracy) by Surajpal Chauhan is a significant work of Dalit literature that presents the reality of Dalit life with great poignancy and truthfulness. The statement that this story is a tragic expression of the atrocities and socio-administrative conspiracies faced by Dalits is entirely true. This statement is supported by the following arguments:

• Reality of Caste Discrimination: The story shows that despite education and economic progress, Dalits do not receive respect and equality in society. The protagonist of the story, an educated Dalit youth, becomes an enemy of the upper-caste society when he raises his voice for his rights and opposes social evils.
• Institutional Conspiracy: In the story, the ‘conspiracy’ is not hatched by just a few upper-caste individuals but by the entire system. The police, administration, and local influential people collude to frame the Dalit protagonist in a false case. This demonstrates how institutions are plagued by caste prejudice and how justice often leans in favor of power and caste. This conspiracy is designed to suppress the Dalit voice and keep them perpetually oppressed.
• Injustice and Oppression: The physical and mental torture that the Dalit protagonist and his family endure in the story is a bitter reality of Dalit life. False accusations, police brutality, social boycott, and humiliation—all depict the cruelty that Dalits often face.
• Tragic Expression: The end of the story is extremely tragic. The protagonist, fighting for justice, breaks down before the system’s conspiracy. This ending shakes the readers and makes them feel the deep pain and helplessness that is the reality of the Dalit community. The author has presented this reality with stark frankness, without any ornate language, which increases its impact.

Therefore, ‘Shadyantra’ exposes the struggles of Dalits, the cruel attitude of society towards them, and the institutional discrimination that prevents them from progressing. It is not just the story of one individual but the story of the pain and suffering of the entire Dalit community, which is a result of centuries of social injustice. It is indeed a powerful and tragic expression of the reality of Dalit life.

Q4. State the theme/central idea of the story ‘Parinde’.

Ans. Nirmal Verma’s ‘Parinde’ (Birds) is considered the first story of the ‘Nai Kahani’ (New Story) movement. Its central idea (pratipadya) is not to narrate an event or a plot, but to capture a specific ‘mood’ and the feeling of loneliness. The story expresses the uncertainty of life, waiting, being trapped in past memories, and the pain of not being able to break free from them. The central idea of ‘Parinde’ can be understood through the following points:

• Loneliness and Waiting: The central theme of the story is loneliness. Almost all the main characters in the story—Latika, Dr. Mukherji, Hubert—are lonely in their own ways. The protagonist, Latika, teaches at a convent school in a hill station and is trapped in the memory of her deceased lover, Major Girish Negi. She is waiting for something—perhaps freedom, or perhaps a miracle, but this wait seems endless and futile.
• The Struggle for Freedom from the Past: Latika’s character is a symbol of living in the past. While living in the present, she is unable to move on from the Major’s memories. The story grapples with the question of whether a person can ever be completely free from their past. Latika’s struggle symbolizes how memories can grip a person and prevent them from moving forward.
• The Symbol of ‘Parinde’: The ‘parinde’ (birds) are a central symbol in the story. These birds arrive every winter and fly away when the season changes. They symbolize mobility, freedom, and escape. Their flight makes Latika realize her own stagnation and captivity. She too wants to fly away like these birds but is bound by the chains of her memories. The birds also show that life goes on, but Latika’s life has come to a standstill.
• Portrayal of a Mood: The story’s purpose is not to give a social message but to portray a specific kind of sad, melancholic mood. The foggy, cold atmosphere of the hill town becomes a reflection of the characters’ internal sadness and loneliness. Nirmal Verma has successfully created this mood through language and imagery.

In short, the central idea of ‘Parinde’ is to express the existential loneliness of the modern individual, the burden of memories, and the stagnation of life, where a person remains trapped in an endless wait with no visible path to liberation.

Q5. Clarify the mechanical nature of metropolitan life through the story ‘Miss Pal’.

Ans. Mohan Rakesh’s story ‘Miss Pal’ is a profound critique of the contradictions, inhumanity, and mechanical nature of metropolitan life. The story shows how a big city can swallow an individual’s creativity, sensitivities, and ultimately, their very existence. The mechanical nature of metropolitan life is clarified through the story in the following ways:

• Loss of Personal Identity: Miss Pal wants to be a writer; she has dreams and creative energy. But a metropolis like Delhi gives no space to her talent. To earn her livelihood, she has to do a monotonous and mechanical job, which gradually kills her creativity. The city turns an individual into a part of a nameless crowd, where their personal identity and dreams hold no value.
• Formality and Insensitivity in Human Relationships: The narrator and his friends do meet Miss Pal, but there is no real warmth in their relationship. They understand her loneliness and struggles, but they view her as a ‘case’ or a ‘curiosity’. Instead of helping her, they analyze her behavior and laugh at her. This reflects the insensitivity of the metropolis where people pretend to be connected but are in reality deeply detached and self-centered.
• Struggle and Alienation: The struggle to survive in the metropolis isolates the individual. Miss Pal wants to live an independent life based on her principles, but the harsh reality of the city breaks her. She can neither fully become a city-dweller nor can she abandon the values of her small town. In this conflict, she becomes lonely. Her loneliness is a symbol of the individual’s alienation in metropolitan life.
• The Result of Mechanical Life – Disintegration: At the end of the story, Miss Pal’s loss of mental balance and her disappearance are the extreme and tragic consequences of the metropolitan mechanical life. When the pressure of the city and loneliness become unbearable, the individual’s existence disintegrates. The city wants to turn her into a cog in a machine, and when she fails to become one, the system throws her out.

Thus, ‘Miss Pal’, through the story of an individual’s broken dreams and existential disintegration, exposes the cruel and mechanical face of metropolitan life that strips a person of their human qualities.

Q6. Describe the character traits of Hiraman and Heerabai.

Ans. Hiraman and Heerabai, the two main characters of Phanishwarnath ‘Renu’s’ timeless story ‘Teesri Kasam urf Maare Gaye Gulfam’ (The Third Vow or The Unfortunate Lover) , are unforgettable characters in Hindi literature. Their character traits are as follows: Character Traits of Hiraman:

• Innocence and Purity: Hiraman is a simple and pure-hearted bullock-cart driver from a rural area. His world is very small and simple. He is far removed from the cunning ways of the world. His innocence is his greatest virtue and charm.
• Emotional and Imaginative: Hiraman is extremely emotional. He is so impressed by Heerabai’s beauty and art that he starts to see her as a ‘goddess’ and a ‘nymph’. He lives in his imagination and creates a beautiful world beyond reality. He has the heart of a poet.
• Honesty and Principled: Hiraman is true to his ‘vows’ (kasams). He takes vows not to carry smuggled goods or bamboo and sticks to them. These vows reflect his moral and principled character.
• Affectionate and Devoted: He has a deep sense of respect and affection for Heerabai. He is ready to go to any extent for her safety and honor. His love is devoid of lust, pure, and filled with devotion.

Character Traits of Heerabai:

• Artist’s Sensibility: Heerabai is a famous artist of the ‘Nautanki’ folk theatre. She is dedicated to her art, but at the same time, she also understands the hollowness and exploitation of that world.
• Experienced and Realistic: The world has given her much experience. She recognizes the lustful gaze of men. That is why when she sees Hiraman’s pure and respectful behavior, she is drawn to him. In contrast to Hiraman’s innocence, she is a woman who understands reality.
• Dignity and Self-Respect: Despite her profession, Heerabai is a woman of dignity. She is conscious of her self-respect. She feels an intimate connection with Hiraman, but she also knows that their worlds are different. Therefore, she leaves quietly so as not to cause any upheaval in Hiraman’s simple world.
• Yearning for Compassion and Intimacy: Heerabai’s character, as tough and experienced as it seems on the outside, is equally soft and hungry for intimacy on the inside. In Hiraman’s company, she finds the respect and sense of belonging that she has longed for.

In short, Hiraman is a symbol of rural simplicity and purity, while Heerabai represents a woman seasoned by the experiences of the urban world, yet sensitive and dignified. The brief meeting and subsequent separation of these characters from two different worlds is what gives this story its poignant height.

Q7. “Baba Bharti’s character has been socialized.” Clarify.

Ans. In Sudarshan’s story ‘Haar ki Jeet’, the statement “Baba Bharti’s character has been socialized” is perfectly accurate. It means that by the end of the story, Baba Bharti’s character evolves from a state of personal attachment to a higher plane of broader social and humanitarian concern. This process can be understood in the following steps:

• Initial State (Personal Attachment): At the beginning of the story, Baba Bharti is a sage, but all his affection and attachment are centered on his horse, ‘Sultan’. He says, “I will not be able to live without Sultan.” His love is intense, but it is personal and object-centric. It is a form of ‘mamata’ or attachment, which does not align with the ideal of a sage’s detachment. His world revolves around Sultan.
• The Transformative Event (The Shock): The theft of the horse by the dacoit Khadag Singh through deceit is a great shock to Baba Bharti. This event shatters his world of personal love and trust. But at this very moment, the process of transformation in his character begins.
• Elevation of Character (Social Concern): When Khadag Singh is leaving with the horse, Baba Bharti stops him not to ask for the horse back. Instead, he makes an unexpected request: “Do not mention this incident to anyone.” Explaining the reason, he says that if people come to know about this deceit, they will stop trusting any poor, disabled, or needy person.
• Socialization of Character: This is the exact moment where Baba Bharti’s character becomes ‘socialized’. His focus shifts from his personal loss (the loss of his horse) to a larger social concern (the loss of faith in humanity). He prioritizes the preservation of compassion and trust in society over his personal grief. His love is no longer confined to a horse but extends to all the ‘poor and destitute’ and to humanity at large.

Thus, Baba Bharti’s character transforms from being attached to a specific individual (or animal) to that of a true saint concerned with the welfare of society. His personal ‘defeat’ becomes the cause for the ‘victory’ of faith in humanity, and this is the socialization of his character.

Q8. Analyze the statement: “‘Pus ki Raat’ is a poignant and realistic story of a farmer’s life.”

Ans. Munshi Premchand’s ‘Pus ki Raat’ (A January Night) is a timeless story depicting the tragedy of the Indian farmer’s life. The statement that this story is simultaneously a poignant and realistic presentation of a farmer’s life is absolutely true. The Realistic Aspect of the Story: The realism of ‘Pus ki Raat’ lies in its exposure of the harsh realities of the Indian agrarian system:

• The Vicious Cycle of Debt: The story begins with the reality that Halku has to give away the three rupees he saved for a blanket from his harvest earnings to the moneylender (Sahana). This shows the farmer’s endless cycle of debt, where all his hard work and earnings go into repaying loans.
• Struggle against Nature and the System: The farmer fights not only against the socio-economic system but also against the cruelty of nature. Having to guard the field in the freezing January night without adequate clothing is a symbol of this dual struggle.
• Exploitation of Labor: Halku works day and night to grow the crop, but he has no rights over it. He is merely a guardian, not the owner. His labor is exploited, and in return, he gets only poverty and helplessness.

The Poignant Aspect of the Story:

Along with realism, Premchand has infused the story with deep poignancy and compassion:

• Halku’s Helplessness: When Munni refuses to give the money saved for the blanket, Halku explains to her that if they don’t pay, the moneylender will hurl abuses. This is a moving depiction of a farmer’s social standing and helplessness.
• The Bond between Human and Animal: The companionship of Halku and his dog, ‘Jabra’, on the cold January night is the most poignant aspect of the story. They both try to protect each other from the cold and share each other’s misery. This relationship is a true and pure bond, contrary to the inhuman relationships of the exploitative society.
• The Ultimate Psychological Realism (Tragic Bliss): The climax of the story, when the nilgai (blue bulls) are grazing on Halku’s crop and he, instead of getting up due to the cold, lies in a strange, blissful lethargy, is extremely poignant. This is not his laziness but a symbol of his defeated mindset. The destruction of the crop ‘liberates’ him from the compulsion of sleeping in the cold field. This is a ‘tragic bliss’, which is the culmination of the farmer’s plight.

In conclusion, in ‘Pus ki Raat’, Premchand has analyzed the farmer’s economic and social plight through realistic portrayal, while deeply touching upon his personal pain and psychological tragedy through poignant moments. This is why the story has become an immortal document of the Indian farmer’s life.