12.3 Understanding the Text
Answer each question yourself first, then check the model answer.
A. Reading for details
1. Who is Velu, and what problem does he face?
Velu is a hardworking farmer. He faces a severe drought: the rains fail to come, and his once-fertile land becomes cracked and barren, threatening his livelihood.
2. What did some villagers suggest to bring the rain, and how did Velu feel about it?
Some villagers suggested consulting astrologers. Velu did not believe such practices would actually bring rain, so he did not follow this idea.
3. Where did Velu go in search of answers, and what happened?
He travelled to the city looking for answers, but he found none and returned disheartened. He then rested under a tree, where he met an old woman.
4. What did the old woman tell Velu?
She explained that, just as people need rest after hard work, the land too must rest after years of continuous cultivation. Nature is wise and restores balance by letting the earth recover.
B. Reading between the lines
5. How did the old woman’s words change Velu’s outlook?
They turned his despair into understanding and acceptance. Instead of seeing the drought only as a disaster, Velu came to see it as part of nature’s rhythm of work and rest, which gave him peace and patience.
6. Why is it meaningful that the rain comes just as Velu walks home, comforted?
The timing suggests that once Velu stops fighting nature and begins to understand and trust it, relief arrives. It gently rewards his new patience and shows harmony between a calm mind and nature’s ways.
7. Why did Velu reject the idea of consulting astrologers?
Velu was thoughtful and did not believe superstition could bring rain. He preferred to seek real understanding rather than rely on practices he did not trust.
C. Thinking about values
8. What qualities does Velu show in the story?
He shows hard work, honesty, perseverance, and an open, thoughtful mind. He searches for genuine answers and is willing to learn and change his outlook.
9. What lesson does the story teach?
It teaches patience, resilience, and respect for nature. Hard work must be balanced with wisdom and trust in natural processes, and we should understand and work with nature’s rhythms rather than against them.