Class 12 English Vistas Chapter 2 – The Tiger King (Kalki) Short question answers

 

NCERT Solutions For Class 12 English

Vistas

Chapter 2 – The Tiger King

(Kalki)

Short question answers

Question 1) Who is the Tiger King? Why does he get that name?
Answer. The Maharaja of Pratibandapuram was known as the Tiger King. At his birth, astrologers predicted that the prince would die one day. The ten-day-old prince asked the astrologers to tell how he died. The wise men were astounded by this miracle. The chief astrologer predicted his death by tiger. The little prince hissed and said scary words: 'Let tigers beware!' He decided to kill a hundred tigers. As a result, he became known as the 'Tiger King'.

Question 2) What did the royal infant grow up to be?
Answer. Crown Prince Jung Jung Bahadur became taller and stronger by the day. He was raised by an English nanny and instructed in English by an Englishman. He gained sovereignty of his state when he reached the age of twenty. He chose to slaughter tigers. For him, it was an act of self-defense, because the astrologers predicted his death by a tiger.

Question 3) Who is the hero of the story ‘The Tiger King’ ? How may he be identified?
Answer. The Maharaja of Pratibandapuram is the protagonist of this story. He can be known as His Highness Jamedar-General, Khiledar-Major, Sata Vyaghra Samhari, Maharajadhiraja Visva Bhuvana Samrat, Sir Jilani Jung Jung Bahadur, M.A.D., A.C.T.C., or C.R.C.K. The name is frequently abbreviated to Tiger King.

Question 4)  What did the infant born just ten days ago tell the wise astrologers?
Answer. The infant stated that all persons who are bom will eventually have to die. So he didn't need their projections to know this. He went on to say that it would make more sense if they could tell him how he died.

Question 5)  Why did the Maharaja order the dewan to double the land tax? [All India 2014]
Answer. Maharaja set off on an expedition to find the hundredth tiger. The tiger could not be located. That is why, in rage, he directed the dewan to quadruple the land tax.

Question 6)  How did the chief astrologer react to the infant prince’s observation ?
Answer. The chief astrologer was astonished. He placed his finger on his nose in surprise. It was astonishing that a ten-day-old infant asked insightful questions. He claimed that the prince was bom in the hour of the Bull. The bull and the tiger are adversaries. Therefore, death comes from the Tiger.

Question 7)  How does the author satirise the upbringing and education of crown princes of Indian states?
Answer. The author makes us chuckle by highlighting the Indian kings and queens' overwhelming enthusiasm for English education and the English style of life. They appeared to be so fascinated with everything English that the crown princes drank English cow milk, were raised by English nannies, and were schooled in English by Englishmen. They watched exclusively English films. Thus, they were merely Indians in flesh and blood, but imitated English culture and mannerisms.

Question 8) Why did the Maharaja ban tiger hunting in the state? [Delhi 2014]
Answer. The Maharaja outlawed tiger hunting throughout the state. He sought to disprove the state astrologer's prediction that he would be slain by the hundredth tiger. That is why he prohibited tiger hunting in the entire tiger-rich forest of Pratibandapuram.

Question 9)  Express in your own words the interview between the Maharaja and the State astrologer.
Answer. On the Maharaja's orders, the State Astrologer stated that his Majesty may kill ninety-nine tigers in the same manner. But he needs to be cautious with the hundredth tiger. The Maharaja noted that the hundredth tiger may also be slain. What will happen then? The astrologer stated that he would then rip up all of his astrology books and put them on fire. Furthermore, he planned to chop off his tuft, clip his hair short, and work as an insurance agent.

Question 10) Why, do you think, was the Maharaja in danger of losing his throne ?
Answer. The Maharaja had irritated a high-ranking British officer by denying him permission to hunt tigers in Pratibandapuram. Even when the Maharaja was told that the durai did not have to kill the tiger, he refused to back down. The Maharaja might perform the actual killing. The durai merely wanted a shot of himself with the pistol and standing over the tiger's carcass. The Maharaja was in risk of losing his reign because he forbade a British officer from satisfying his ambition.

Question 11)  Would it be proper to call the Maharaja ‘penny-wise, pound foolish’? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer The Maharaja insists on keeping tiger killing in his state to himself. He refuses to make any compromises in this area. He would not allow anyone else to be photographed with a dead tiger in his state. To appease the man's hurt sentiments and maintain his kingdom, he must deliver a present of fifty diamond rings to the British officer's good lady. It demonstrates that he was penny-wise and pound foolish.

Question 12) What sort of hunts did the Maharaja offer to organise for the high-ranking British officer ? What trait of the persons in high position does it reveal ?
Answer. The Maharaja promised to organize any other hunt in lieu of the tiger hunt for the high-ranking British officer. He might go on a boar hunt. A mouse search could be done. They were prepared even for a mosquito hunt. This demonstrates the vanity and fondness of idle occupations and frivolous diversions among those in high positions.

Question 13)  How did the dewan react to the Maharaja’s declaration. “I have decided to get married”?
Answer. The dewan's reaction is pretty entertaining and amusing. He believes that the Maharaja wants to marry him. He says he already has two wives. The Maharaja clarifies that he does not wish to marry him. He wants a tiger. The dewan interrupts him, claiming that his ancestors were married to the sword. He could marry the gun if he wanted. He also stated that a Tiger King was more than adequate for that state. It didn't require a Tiger Queen as well.

Question 14)  How did the Maharaja make his intentions clear to the dewan ? What, do you think, is his first priority in marriage ?
Answer. The Maharaja stated that he was not considering marrying either a tiger or a gun. He wanted to marry a girl from the human race. He requested that the dewan collect statistics on tiger populations in the several native states. Then he should see if he could marry a female from the royal family of the state with a significant tiger population. Clearly, his top priority is the tiger.

Question 15) Why was the Maharaja so anxious to kill the hundredth tiger?
Answer. The Maharaja had killed ninety-nine tigers. If he could kill just one more tiger, he'd be free of dread. Then he may stop hunting tigers completely. He thought of the tiger during the day and dreamed about it at night. Furthermore, he had to exercise utmost caution with that last tiger. The late chifef astrologer had warned him.

Question 16) How, do you think, did the dewan try to help the Maharaja achieve his mission?
Answer. The aged dewan was extremely intelligent. He took with him an ancient tiger from Madras' People's Park. He kept it hidden inside his house. Given the Maharaja's impatience with shooting the tiger, he opted to release it near the Maharaja's camp. So, at midnight, he carried the tiger into the car with the assistance of his elderly wife and pushed it into the seat. He drove the automobile straight into the forest, yanked the beast out, and pushed it to the ground near the Maharaja's campsite.

Question 17) How does the tiger behave towards the dewan, the Maharaja and the hunters? What does his behaviour show?
Answer. The tiger acts like a pet animal to the dewan. The dewan and his elderly wife drag the tiger to the car and push it into the seat. In the forest, the tiger conducts a satyagraha and refuses to exit the automobile. The Dewan works hard to get it out of the car and push it to the ground.It stands before the Maharaja, as if in humble prayer. It collapses in a crumpled heap as the Maharaja discharges his gun. It faints at the shock of the bullet passing by. It turns back to the hunters, rolling its eyes in confusion. This indicates that it is a very old and weak tiger.

Question 18) “The bullet had missed it.” “This time he killed it without missing his mark.” Whose bullet had missed the tiger? How was the beast killed ultimately? Bring out the irony of the situation.
Answer. The Maharaja's bullet missed the tiger despite taking careful aim at it. The shock of the bullet's roar caused it to faint. One hunter took aim from a one-foot distance and killed the tiger.

It is ludicrous that the Tiger King, who had killed ninety-nine tigers, would miss his target. It's amusing that the hunter takes aim from a handshake distance. The entire scenario is ironic.

Question 19)  How does the hundredth tiger take its final revenge upon the Tiger King?
Answer. The Tiger King couldn't kill the hundredth tiger. It had simply fainted from shock at the sound of the bullet. The wooden tiger from the toyshop causes Maharaja's death. One of the slivers on its body penetrates the Maharaja's right hand. Infection spreads, and the prick turns into a suppurating sore. The Maharaja dies during the operation.