Question

Read the following lines from Sukumar Ray’s poem, ‘The Power of Music’ and answer the questions that follow:

When summer comes, we hear the hums Bhisma Lochan Sharma. You catch his strain on hill and plain from Delhi down to Burma.

1. What is Bhisma Lochan Sharma known for?  [3]
   When can one hear him?
   Explain the following words from the given extract: ‘You catch his strain’.
2. How can we tell that his singing was not appreciated by the people who heard him?  [3]
3. The poet uses ridiculous images to exaggerate the effect of Bhisma Lochan Sharma’s voice on his listeners. Mention any three such images.  [3]
4. How does the poet describe the billy goat which appears at the end of the poem?  [3]
   What does it do to help bring relief to the suffering people?
5. Bring out the significance of the title of the poem.  [4]
   Do you feel sympathy for Bhisma Lochan Sharma or for those who listened to him?
   Give reasons for your response.

Answer 1

(i) Bhisma Lochan Sharma is known for his extremely loud and terrible singing voice that disturbs everyone who hears it.

One can hear him when summer comes, as mentioned in the poem.

The phrase “You catch his strain” means you can hear his singing sound or tune from a great distance.

(ii) We know his singing was not appreciated because people and animals reacted negatively to it.

They covered their ears, ran away, and suffered from the noise. The poem humorously shows that his voice caused pain and chaos everywhere, which clearly indicates that no one enjoyed his singing.

(iii) The poet exaggerates the effect of Bhisma’s singing using funny images such as:

• Horses running away in fear.
• Buildings shaking or cracking because of the loud sound.
• People covering their ears and fleeing from the place.

(iv) At the end of the poem, the poet describes a fierce and strong billy goat.

The goat suddenly charges at Bhisma Lochan Sharma and knocks him down. This action stops his singing, bringing relief to all the suffering people who had been tortured by his voice.

(v) The title The Power of Music is humorous and ironic. It highlights the extraordinary power of music, but in a negative and exaggerated way.

Instead of pleasing people, Bhisma’s music creates chaos, fear, and suffering. The poet uses exaggeration and funny situations to show how powerful sound can affect people and animals. Thus, the title reflects the comic and exaggerated impact of Bhisma’s singing.

I feel more sympathy for the listeners. Bhisma Lochan Sharma’s singing was extremely loud and unpleasant, causing great discomfort to everyone around him. People and animals had to suffer because they could not escape the terrible noise.

Although Bhisma might have believed he was a good singer, his lack of awareness about how his singing affected others caused unnecessary trouble. Therefore, the listeners deserve more sympathy.