HOREGALLU by SUDHA MURTY

 

The Literal Meaning: In Kannada, horegallu literally means a "stone that can bear weight." It is a traditional, flat stone bench placed under a large, shady tree where weary travelers can put down their heavy loads, rest, and refresh themselves. 

 

 

The Metaphor: Murthy uses the horegallu as a metaphor for compassionate people who act as "human resting stones." These are individuals who selflessly listen to others' worries, allowing them to unburden their minds and regain the strength to carry on with life's journey. 

 QUESTION AND ANSWERS

Question 1. What is a‘horegallu’? What is its purpose?

Answer : A horegallu is a stone bench. It helps tired persons to sit down, and rest for sometime so that they can renew their strength.

 

Question 2. What are the special memories the author associates with, ‘horegallu’?

Answer:The special memories the author associates with ‘horegallu’ are, about her grandfather sitting on the horegallu talking with, villagers who work in the nearby fields. Her grandfather was a, retired school teacher and he would sit on the horegallu under, the banyan tree in the village. The tired villagers would come and sit on the stone bench and talk to her grandfather. When she felt tired after playing she would also sit near her grandfather listening to the conversations he was having with the villagers resting there.

 

Question 3.How does the grandfather refresh the travellers?

Answer: The grandfather refreshed the travellers just by listening to them. The villagers would talk of their burdens to him and he would listen patiently. This seemed to refresh them.

 

Question 4. Is ‘horegallu’ essential in a journey? Why?

Answer: ‘Horegallu’ is essential in a journey. Any journey involves some, distance. Life itself is supposed to be a journey. Every now and, then we need to sit down, and refresh ourselves. Everybody in this world that have their own problems. A sympathetic listener will help the person with troubles to relieve himself of his burden at least for a short while.

 

Question 5.‘Horegallu ’ gives everyone the opportunity to regain their, strength. What does the author try to indicate her?

Answer: It is true that horegallu gives everyone the opportunity to regain their strength. Life is a journey and we all need horegallus every, now and then to regain our energy. The author is trying to tell us, that we too must be like the horegallu. We may not be in a, position to help everybody to solve his problems, but at least, we can give people a sympathetic listening and it will help them.

 

Question 6. Bring out the symbolic significance of the word ‘burden’

Answer: ‘Burden’ symbolically means our troubles and tribulations., There is nobody in the world that has no problems at all. Each, problem is a burden. When we share our problem, our burden,, with others, it will definitely relieve us.

 

Question 7. Comment on the expression, ‘infectious cheerfulness’.,

Answer: Infectious means ‘contagious’, happiness that is fast spreading from one person to another. Like, certain diseases, emotions are also infectious in the sense that, they spread fast. A smiling person brings smile to your face. A cheerful, person makes you cheerful and others too.

Question 8. What does Ratna do during lunch hours?

Answer: During lunch hours, Ratna would sit with some person in one of, the rooms and they would be chatting. She listened to their worries without judging them.

Question 9. What is Ratna’s simplistic outlook?

Answer: Her simplistic outlook is God has given her two ears to listen to others. She is not a trained counsellor or an intellectual and she, could never solve people’s problems. They have to do it themselves., Ratna believed that simply getting an outlet for the worries would solve half the problem.

 

Question 10. The author wishes there were many more of ‘horegallus’ in the, world. Comment.

Answer: A horegallu is a stone bench on which tired people can rest and, regain their energy. Such stones are usually under shady trees., Tired travellers unburden themselves, sit, and talk to some sympathetic listener. Life is a journey and we all are travellers. Each one of us carries burdens of life. If there is some patient and sympathetic listener, we can unburden ourselves and feel relieved. The horegallu will not solve your problem but it, gives you a temporary relief. The author expects each of us to be, a horegallu.

Questions Asked in the previous years' question paper.

1. Imagine that you have become a popular writer. After finishing her anecdote ‘Horegallu and Some Other Stories’, Sudha Murty wishes to publish them as a book. She requests you to write a blurb for it. prepare the blurb.

Blurb of 'Horegallu'

Horegalu is an anecdote about the importance of empathy and active listening by Sudha Murty. It is taken from 'The Old man and His God. basically horegllu is a block of stone that can bear weight and is kept in between two stones. In her short story she narrates how important was a Horegallu for villagers as it was a place they could sit for a while, take a short break, drink some water and get refreshed to start their work again. She remembers how her grandfather, who was a school master, used to listen to all the villagers coming to sit and rest for a while at Horegallu and how they used to talk about their daily lives and worries. She remembers the villagers getting refreshed by telling all their worries without expecting anything in return. sometimes it is to important to talk about our worries to our horegullus because it gives us time to reflect and time to energize. The story highlights on the power of empathy and the immense value of patient, non-judgmental listening. It reminds us that everyone needs to take rest along the journey of life. The burden of life we carry can be according to our capacity but every once in a while we need to put down the burden and rest, renewing our strength to continue the life's journey.

 

2. Do you think that the grandfather and Ratna were doing some tremendous social service? Explain. / Can we relate grandfather and Ratna to a horegallu? Why?

The grandfather of Sudha Murty was a retired schoolteacher who spent a lot of time at the horegallu. The villagers shared their daily lives and worries with the grandfather. He just listened to them without passing any judgement. He believed that a horegallu was necessary in any journey to provide rest. Ratna, a co- worker of Sudha Murty, sat with a colleague and had long chats during lunchtime. She listened to their worries without passing any comments. Simply getting an outlet for the worries would solve half the problem. Ratna was of the view that they had to solve their own problems, not the listeners. Both the grandfather and Ratna were doing tremendous social work. Just like a horegallu they provided opportunity for people to refresh their mind and continue the journey of life.

Character Sketch 

Grandfather  - He was a retired school master

        - willing to spend his time for others

        - eager to hear the problems of others

        - a man of patience

        - man without any judgement

        - man with emotional stability

        - like another 'Horegallu'

 

Ratna  - She was a senior clerk

          - a middle aged woman

          - with an infectious cheerfulness.

          - willing to listen to the problems of 

             her colleagues

          - woman without any judgement

          - woman with sympathy and patience

          - like another 'Horegallu'

 Questions for Practice

1. Acknowledging the tremendous social service done by Ratna, the human horegallu, her company awarded her. ‘The Social Worker of the Year’ Award. Being the reporter of the local news channel, you got a chance to interview her. As expected, the interview turned out to be friendly and’ pleasant.  Write the six interview questions you have asked Ratna and her response to it. (6)

2. “I wish there were many more of them in this world” – Comment on Sudha Murty’s wish. (2)

 

3. She went about her repetitive, mundane work with an ‘infectious cheerfulness’.

a). Who is the ‘she’ referred to in the passage ? (1)

b). Identify the speaker. (1)

c). What is the figure of speech used here ? (1)

d). Choose the phrase from the passage which means ability to spread happiness. (1)

 

 

4. Her words uncannily echoed my grandfather’s, sitting on the stone bench under the banyan tree. Perhaps, in their own small ways, without access to great wealth, both these people were doing tremendous social service.

a). “Her words uncannily echoed my grandfather’s.” ‘Her’ in the passage refers to (1)

b) Identify the text from which this passage is taken. (1)

c) Who is the narrator ? (1)

 

5. “Not even in my dreams. I consider that to be the worst kind of betrayal. I don’t think there is a greater sin than betraying someone’s confidence.” 

What is the worst kind of betrayal mentioned by Ratna in this passage? (1)

 

6. “Horegallu is essential in any journey,” says the grandfather. However, they are notvery common now. Prepare a newspaper article on the importance of horegallus in modern life. (6)

 

7. In the anecdote ‘Horegallu’, Sudha Murty asks Ratna how she could solve the troubles of so many people by just listening to them. Do you think mere listening can solve problems ? Write your opinion in a paragraph. (4)

 

8. A silent listener can become a soothing friend.’ Explain this statement in the light of the anecdote ‘Horegallu’ by Sudha Murty. (4)

 

9.  A horegallu is essential in any journey. It is more so when people around us are too busy in their own worlds. You feel that it is necessary to post counsellors in schools so that students can reveal their fears and joys to them. Write a letter to the Minister of Education requesting him to take necessary steps in this regard. (6)

 

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Activity IV - GRAMMAR

AREA - CLAUSE and PHRASE

 

GO TO GRAMMAR SECTION - WORKSHEET FOR PRACTICE IS AVAILABLE THERE

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Activity VI - Prepare a review of the film which influenced you the most.

 

Film - Drishyam 2

 Review

Drishyam 2 is a smartly structured sequel that respects the intelligence of the audience. The film is about a family, hunted by the system, evading its clutches. With a crime to hide, everyday life in the family has been on edge for years. To incriminate them in what was an impulsive act of self-defense, the entire police machinery works overtime; it snoops, scares, conspires and uses mental and physical pressure to trap the family. What other option does the family have but to turn the rules of the game set by the opponent against itself? Georgekutty, the protagonist (played by Mohanlal), does that with great elan and skill, which is also why the viewers are all on his side rather than the system.

Directed by Jeethu Joseph, the film avoids the typical sequel cash-grab, delivering an incredibly tight, mind-bending thriller that successfully raises the stakes for the Salgaonkar family.

The Plot 

Set seven years after the tragic events of the first film, the Salgaonkars are no longer hiding in the shadows. Georgekutty (Mohanlal) is now a successful theater owner and aspiring film producer, living a more comfortable but deeply paranoid life. The scars of that fateful night still haunt his wife, Rani, and their daughters, whose trauma leaves them vulnerable to local gossip and police scrutiny. With the police department desperate to uncover the truth and restore their humiliated reputation, a new investigation opens that threatens to tear down Georgekutty’s seemingly flawless alibi.

Characters - Role and performance

Mohanlal reprises his iconic role with spectacular precision. Instead of the outwardly cunning mastermind, he portrays Georgekutty with a profound, simmering layer of helplessness, determination, and quiet dread. Meena perfectly balances the pitch of the worried, loud, and protective mother Rani. The dynamic of a family pushed into a corner by the entire system brings a deeply psychological and almost existential weight to their performance. 

Music and background score Composition

The music of Drishyam 2, composed by Anil Johnson, was widely praised for its subtlety and effectiveness. Rather than utilizing elaborate songs, the film relies on a heavy, atmospheric background score. 

Choreography & Staging 

Drishyam 2 is a psychological thriller and murder-mystery rather than a musical, there are no traditional song-and-dance routines. Instead, the "choreography" in the film refers to how the characters move within their environments and how the director stages the scenes.

Screenplay and Direction

What makes Drishyam 2 a triumph is its smart, meticulously planned screenplay. Rather than relying merely on high-octane tension, Jeethu Joseph weaves a narrative that tests the audience's memory and intelligence. The film brilliantly re-contextualizes events from the first movie, leading to an incredibly gripping, jaw-dropping final act that will have viewers marveling at the storytelling execution.

Overall review- 

Critical and audience reception has been overwhelmingly positive. Reviewers widely praise the movie for its tight script and clever twists. While some critics point out that the background score can occasionally feel a bit melodramatic, the overall consensus is that it is a rare, perfectly satisfying sequel that honors the legacy of the original.

 

Note  : The objective is to educate students how to write a film review. This is the sole use for which it is meant. 

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