Samacheer Kalvi Class 7 English Solutions Poem 2 Wandering Singers

Warm Up (Text Book Page No. 126)

Discuss in pairs, Circle the names of musical instruments from the grid. One is done for you. (Text Book Page No. 126)

🎯 Exam Tip: When given a word grid, look for common patterns like horizontal, vertical, and diagonal words. The words here are musical instruments like veena, piano, flute, ghatam, sitar, and mridangam.

Textual Exercise (Text Book Page No. 128)

Question B. Pick out the rhyming pairs from the poem and fill in the table.

Answer: The table above shows the rhyming pairs found in each stanza of the poem. Identifying rhyming words helps understand the poem's musicality.
In simple words: The words in each stanza that sound alike are listed in the table.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always read the poem aloud to easily identify words that rhyme. Focus on the end sounds of the lines.

C. Read these lines and answer the questions given below.

Question 1. Where the voice of the wind calls our wandering feet Whose 'Wandering feet' is referred to here?
Answer: The phrase "wandering feet" refers to the traveling feet of the band of folk singers. This indicates their nomadic lifestyle where they constantly move from one place to another.
In simple words: "Wandering feet" means the travelling feet of the folk singers.

🎯 Exam Tip: When a phrase is quoted, always look for who or what the phrase is describing in the context of the poem.

Question 2. With lutes in our hands ever-singing we roam, All men are our kindred, the world is our home. Who does 'we' refer to? What do they have in their hands? What is its name?
Answer: The word 'we' refers to the wandering singers. They hold musical instruments in their hands. The name of this instrument is a lute, which is a stringed instrument often played while singing. The line also suggests that all people in the world are their family, and the world itself is their home, showing their universal connection.
In simple words: 'We' means the wandering singers. They hold musical instruments called lutes in their hands.

🎯 Exam Tip: Pay attention to pronouns like 'we' and 'our' to correctly identify the speaker or group being described in the poem.

Question. How are the men in the world related to the singers?
Answer: The men in the world are related to the singers by being considered their extended family. The singers view the entire world as their home, which means they feel a connection to everyone they meet, without belonging to any single community.
In simple words: All people in the world are like an extended family to the singers, and the whole world is their home.

🎯 Exam Tip: Note how the poem emphasizes the singers' universal view, seeing all humanity as connected through their travels.

Question 3. Our lays are of cities whose luster is shed, Here 'Lays' means
(a) lying down
(b) stories
(c) to keep
Answer: (b) stories
In simple words: In this poem, 'lays' refers to the stories or songs that the singers perform.

🎯 Exam Tip: Understand that context is key to defining words. 'Lays' here means poetic narratives or songs, not the act of lying down.

Question 4. The laughter and beauty of women long dead; Explain the meaning of the above line.
Answer: This line means that the songs sung by the wandering singers often tell tales of the happiness and beauty of women who lived in the past and have long since died. Their music helps keep the memories and stories of these women alive through generations.
In simple words: The singers' songs are about the joyful and beautiful women from long ago who are now dead.

🎯 Exam Tip: Explaining a poetic line requires breaking it down into simpler terms and considering its emotional and historical context.

Writing (Text Book Page No. 129)

D. Answer in a paragraph.

Question. What does Sarojini Naidu say about the Wandering Singers? Write in your own words, (in about 60 words)
Answer: In this poem, Sarojini Naidu tells us about the wandering singers, their life, activities, and experiences. These singers travel everywhere, treating the world as their home and all people as their family. They carry lutes and sing songs about old battles, past kings, and the beauty and laughter of women from long ago, preserving history through their music.
In simple words: Sarojini Naidu describes how wandering singers travel, see everyone as family, and sing old tales of battles, kings, and women, carrying history in their songs.

🎯 Exam Tip: When summarizing, focus on the main ideas: who the singers are, what they do, and the themes of their songs, using your own simple language.

E. Think and Answer.

Question 1. Are the singers homeless travellers? Why do you think so?
Answer: Yes, the singers are homeless travelers. We believe this because they constantly travel to different places for their livelihood, without having a permanent home. Their life is a continuous journey, moving from one village to another to earn money.
In simple words: Yes, they are homeless. They travel to many places just to make a living.

🎯 Exam Tip: Support your answer with reasons from the poem, such as their constant movement and lack of a fixed dwelling.

Question 2. Do the singers have hopes and dreams? If not, why?
Answer: The poem suggests that the singers do not have hopes and dreams. This is because they are poor and homeless, always moving from one place to another. Their daily struggle for survival leaves little room for future plans or personal aspirations.
In simple words: No, they do not have hopes or dreams because they are poor and homeless, always moving.

🎯 Exam Tip: Connect the characters' circumstances (poverty, homelessness) directly to their emotional state or lack of future aspirations.

Question 3. What are the themes of the singers' songs?
Answer: The themes of the wandering singers' songs include old battles, tales of ancient kings, stories of past cities, and both happy and sorrowful tales from bygone days. They essentially narrate the history and cultural heritage of the places they visit, keeping old stories alive.
In simple words: Their songs are about old battles, kings, cities, and both happy and sad stories from the past.

🎯 Exam Tip: List specific examples of the song themes mentioned in the poem to provide a complete answer.

7th English Guide Wandering Singers Additional Appreciation Questions

Question 1. Where the voice of the wind calls our wandering feet (a) Who does 'our' refer to?
Answer: In this line, 'our' refers to the wandering singers. This shows their personal connection to their journey, guided by the unpredictable calls of nature.
In simple words: 'Our' means the wandering singers.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always clarify pronouns by identifying the character or group they represent in the poem.

Question 1. (b) Why do they wander?
Answer: The wandering singers travel to different places primarily to earn money and make a living through their music. Their journey is a means of survival, as they perform wherever the wind guides them.
In simple words: They wander to different places to earn money.

🎯 Exam Tip: Clearly state the primary reason for their wandering, which is often for sustenance or livelihood.

Question 2. With lutes in our hands ever-singing we roam Why do the wandering singers have lutes in their hands?
Answer: The wandering singers carry lutes because it is a musical instrument that they use while singing. The lute helps them create beautiful music and entertain their audience, which is essential for their performances and livelihood.
In simple words: They have lutes because it is a musical instrument they use for singing.

🎯 Exam Tip: Explain the purpose of any objects mentioned in the poem, connecting them to the characters' actions or roles.

Question 3. No love bids us tarry, no joy bids us wait. Are the wandering singers welcomed by the people? Why?
Answer: The poem suggests that the wandering singers do not feel truly welcomed by the people. They mention that there is "no love" or "no joy" to make them stay in one place for long. This reflects their transient and often unappreciated existence, moving on when no strong ties hold them.
In simple words: No, they don't feel truly welcomed. They say there's no love or joy to make them stay in one place.

🎯 Exam Tip: Quote directly from the poem or paraphrase closely when asked to explain feelings or motivations of the characters.

Question 4. The voice of the wind is the voice of our fate. Explain the above line.
Answer: This line means that just as no one can control or predict the direction of the wind, the wandering singers cannot predict where their journey will take them. Their path is decided by fate, much like the wind's unpredictable course, emphasizing their lack of control over their future.
In simple words: This means just like the wind's path cannot be known, the singers also don't know where they will go next. Their future is unplanned.

🎯 Exam Tip: For lines involving metaphors, clearly explain both parts of the comparison (wind and fate) and what it implies for the characters.

Wandering Singers Summary in English

The wandering singers travel on roads and through forests. They see the entire world as their home, and all people are like their relatives. They sing about old stories and past events. These singers have no hopes or dreams, and they are poor and homeless, constantly moving from place to place.

Wandering Singers Summary in Tamil

நாடோடி பாடகர் குழுவினர் வீதிகளிலும், காடுகளிலும் அலைந்து திரிகின்றனர். உலகமே அவர்களது வீடு. எல்லா மனிதர்களும் அவர்களுக்கு உறவினர்கள் ஆவர். அவர்கள் பழங்காலக் கதைகள் பற்றிப் பாடித் திரிகின்றனர். அவர்களுக்கு எதிர்காலம் குறித்த நம்பிக்கையும் இல்லை. கனவுகளும் இல்லை. அவர்களுக்கு வீடுமில்லை. மிகுந்த ஏழைகளாய் உள்ளனர்.

Wandering Singers About the Author in English

Sarojini Naidu was a famous Indian poet and a major freedom fighter. She was given the special name Bharat Kokila (The Nightingale of India) because of her beautiful poems and songs. She actively participated in India's independence movement.

Wandering Singers About the Author in Tamil

சரோஜினி நாயுடு சிறந்த இந்தியக் கவிஞர். அவர் ஒரு சுதந்திரப் போராட்ட வீரரும் கூட. அவர் 'இந்தியாவின் கவிக்குயில்' என்ற அடைமொழி உள்ளவர். அவரது அழகிய கவிதைகளுக்காகவும் பாடல்களுக்காகவும் இந்த அடைமொழி தரப்பட்டது.