Airi – Deepa Agarwal

Q1) As Bishan Singh walks through the forest, he sings. Why do you think he sings? How do you think this helps him?

Ans:

Bishan Singh sang to cheer himself and to maintain his courage.

Q2) During his journey, Bishan Singh feels afraid at several points of time. he becomes particularly afraid when he hears the tinkling of anklets. How do you think Bishan Singh maintains his courage and keeps his spirits up even as he feels increasingly afraid?

Ans:

Bishan Singh kept his spirit up after hearing the tinkling of anklets by telling himself that he did not believe in such non-sense as the stories of the airi and that the jingling footsteps must be that of some poor woman delayed in the forest.

Q3) How does Bishan Sigh make a connection with the woman? Is it a well thought out plan or something that just happens?

Ans:

Bishan Singh makes a connection with the woman by addressing her as Didi. He does not do this deliberately.

It is something that happens by chance and she is touched by the gesture.

Q4) After his escape from the forest and the ghost, what does Bishan Singh discovered? What would his thoughts about the “Airi” be after finding the gift?

Ans:

After he escaped from the forest and the airi. Bishan Singh was initially scared but after discovering her gift he might have felt puzzled and then thankful both to the  airi and to whatever made him address her as Didi and when he met her.

Q5) what kind of ghost is the airi? How do you know?

Ans:

From the story, we can guess that the airi is not a wicked ghost but a lonely one who is touched at being addressed as Didi by Bishan Singh.

We know because after he called her Didi she enquires after his family, especially his wife and when he gives her a gift, she in return gave him a gift too.