Eidgah: Section II

Prose

Eidgah

SECTION II

Take turns and read this section aloud.

Soon the roads began to get crowded. Some people were on tongas and ekkas, some in motorcars – all wearing perfume; all bursting with excitement. The children were a calm and contented lot. For village children everything in the town was wonderful. Whatever caught their eye, they stood and gaped at it with wonder. At last, the Eidgah came into view. There were row upon row of worshippers as far as the eye could see. Newcomers lined themselves behind the ones already there.

The prayer was over. Men embraced each other. They descended on the sweet and toy-vendors’ stores like an army moving to attack. There was the merry-go-round with wooden elephants, horses and camels! You paid one paisa and had twenty-five rounds of fun. Mahmood and Mohsin and Noorey and other boys mounted the horses and camels.

Hamid watched them from a distance. All he had were three paisas. He couldn’t part with a third of his treasure for a few miserable rounds! They were soon done with their rides. Then it was time for the toys. There was a row of stalls on one side with all kinds of toys; soldiers and milkmaids, kings and ministers, water-carriers and washer-women and holy men.

Mahmood bought a policeman in khaki with a red turban on his head and a gun on his shoulder. Mohsin bought a water-carrier while Noorey got a lawyer. Those toys cost two paisa each. Hamid had only three paisas. How could he buy such expensive toys? If they dropped out of his hand, they would be smashed to bits. If a drop of water fell on them, the colour would run. But he looked at them hungrily and wished he could hold them in his hands for just a moment or two. After the toys it was sweets. Someone bought sesame seed candy, others gulab-jamuns or halva. They smacked their lips with relish. Only Hamid was left out.

GLOSSARY

1. gaped – stared

2. smack your lips – open and close lips noisily to show enjoyment

3. relished – enjoyed or took pleasure in the taste

Work in pairs and answer the following questions.

There were many toys in the stall. Three of Hamid’s friends had bought some toys.

1. Write the names of Hamid’s friends in column A and the toys they bought in column B

 A                        B

1. Mahmood  -  a policeman in Khaki

2. Mohsin      -   a water-carrier

3. Noorey      -     a lawyer

2. Write the names of the toys against each picture.

Think and Answer

‘They’ descended on the sweet and toy-vendors’ stores like an army moving to attack.

1. Who does they refer to? Did they move one by one in a line or in a big group?

'They’ refers to the worshippers. They moved in a big group.

2. Hamid’s friends enjoyed the ride in the merry-go-round. But Hamid didn’t go on it. Why?

Hamid had only three paisas. He did not want to part with a third of his treasure for a few miserable rounds. So he did not like to go on the merry-go-round.

3. How did Hamid’s friends show that they enjoyed eating the sweets?

Hamid's friends smacked their lips with relish. Thus they showed that they enjoyed the sweets.