Wind

Solutions

I.

1. What are the things the wind does in the first stanza?
In the first stanza, the wind creates disturbance and destruction. It breaks the shutters of windows, scatters papers, throws books from the shelves, tears the pages of books, and brings rain along with it. These actions show the strong and uncontrollable power of the wind, which causes disorder without listening to human requests.

2. Have you seen anybody winnow grain at home or in a paddy field? What is the word in your language for winnowing? What do people use for winnowing? (Give the words in your language, if you know them.)
Question 2 is an activity-based question whose answer varies according to personal experience and regional language. Hence, a fixed answer cannot be provided

3. What does the poet say the wind god winnows?
The poet says that the wind god winnows and crushes weak things such as fragile houses, weak doors, rafters, wood, bodies, lives, and hearts. This means that the wind destroys everything that lacks strength. Here, the wind symbolises life’s difficulties that test human strength and courage.

4. What should we do to make friends with the wind?
To make friends with the wind, the poet advises us to become strong. We should build strong houses, fix doors firmly, strengthen our bodies, and make our hearts determined and fearless. When we develop inner strength, challenges will no longer harm us but instead help us grow.

5. What do the last four lines of the poem mean to you?
The last four lines mean that difficulties destroy weak people but make strong people stronger. Just as the wind blows out weak fires but helps strong fires burn brighter, challenges in life test our abilities and help us develop confidence and resilience. The poet suggests that hardships are beneficial if we are strong enough to face them.

6. How does the poet speak to the wind — in anger or with humour? You must also have seen or heard of the wind “crumbling lives”. What is your response to this? Is it like the poet’s?
The poet speaks to the wind in a serious yet slightly humorous manner. At first, he complains about its destructive nature, but later he accepts its power and learns an important lesson from it. The phrase “crumbling lives” reminds us that natural forces and life’s challenges can cause suffering. Like the poet, I feel that instead of fearing such difficulties, we should become mentally and physically strong to overcome them.