Introduction - Weathering the Storm in Ersama | English Literature for Grade 9 PDF Download

INTRODUCTION

In October 1999, a cyclone hit Orissa. It killed thousands of people and destroyed hundreds of houses. Prashant a young man, had gone Ersama, a small town, to visit one of his friends. The place was just eighteen kilometres from his own village. Towards the evening, the town was hit by a devastating cyclone. Prashant and the family of his friend were marooned on the roof of the house for two dreadful nights. On the third day, Prashant decided to go to his village. He reached there with great difficulty. He found destruction everywhere in his village. He at once gathered some young people of his village and started helping the poor and the needy. This is the story of Prashant’s courage in the face of a great calamity.

Theme

When a natural calamity like a storm takes place, people are put to a lot of suffering. Apart from the help the government provides, the members of the community should also mobilise themselves to solve their problems. In this story, we see how a young boy, hardly 19 years old, takes the initiative and helps the members of his community to stand on their feet. His leadership qualities are praised.

Justification of the title

A superstorm happens in Ersama in Orissa state, in 1999. A boy called Prashant sees nearly 2500 people in a pitiable condition in a storm shelter. He mobilised the people to help themselves and provided succour to them. He arranged accommodation and food for them. Even after the storm was over, for several months he was involved in rehabilitation work for the community. Since the article speaks about the efforts of the people to overcome the destruction caused by the storm, the title is appropriate

Vocabulary

Headquarters—head office; Coastal—near sea; Menace—threat; Incessant—continuous; Uproot—root out; Swirl—whirls; Mortar—plaster; Devastation—destruction; Velocity—speed; Destruction—damage; Cyclone—a violent rotating windstorm; Surge—wave; Refuge—shelter for protection; Glimpse—view; Carcass—dead body; Disguise—altering one’s appearance to control one’s identity; Trap—a clever plan designed to trick; Bereaved—suffering from grief; Cease—to stop; Recede—to retreat; Situation—a state of affairs; Plead—make an emotional appeal; Equip—to provide with; Expedition—journey; Shallow—less deep; Catastrophe—a disaster; Remnant—remains; Outstretch—spread; Miracle—an extraordinary or welcome event; that is attributed to divine agency; Anxiously—eagerly; Shelter—rescue camp; Tumult—noise; Pressurise—to force; Triumphant—victor; Rot—spoiled; Reluctant—unwilling; Wound—injury; Injured—harmed, damaged or impaired; Utensils—a container, especially for household use; Communicate—to send message; Orphan—a child having no parents alive; Secure—to gain; Persuade—to convince; Organise—to arrange; Volunteer—a person working without any desire for financial gains; Resist—to protest; Stigma—blot; Resettle—to rehabilitate; Heal—to recover; Grief—hardship.

WORD-MEANINGS

Weathering = facing , सामना करना ; cyclone =a very strong wind and storm ,चक्रवात ; devastated = destroyed , नष्ट किए ; dreadful = horrible,भयानक ; marooned = stranded , भटके ; coastal = on the coast ,तटवर्ती; menacing = dangerous , खतरनाक ; fury = anger ,गुस्सा ; witnessed = seen ,देखा ; incessant = continuous ,लगातार ; ancient =old ,पुराने Crashed = broke and fell गिरा एवं टूटा , ; screams = cries,चीखें  ; rent = pierced. छेद किया ; swirled =moved in circles ,घूमना ; mortar = iron and cement,लोहा एवं सीमेंट ; survive = live ,जीवित रहना ; velocity = speed गति ; terror =  fear ,भय ; damaging = destroying,नष्ट करना ; crazed = mad , पागल ; surge = wave ,लहर ; reduced = lessened,कम होना ; refuge =shelter, आश्रय ; glimpse = scene, दृश्य ; wrought = brought ,फूली हुई ; carcasses = dead bodies of animals ,जानवरों की लाशें ; corpses = dead bodies, लाशें ; trapped = caught, फंस गए ; starving = dying of hunger ,भूख से मरना ; tender = soft ,नरम ; huddled = sat closely, साथ दुबक कर बैठना ; flashed = came to mind , दिमाग में आन ा; bereaved = suffering from loss of someone, किसी की मृत्यु या गम से पीड़ित; ceased =stopped, रूकना  ; recede = decrease ,कम होना ; pleaded = requested ,प्रार्थना की ; equipped = armed ,सुसज्जित ; sturdy = strong ,मजबूत ; expedition = difficult journey ,कठिन यात्रा ; swollen = increased ,बढ़ना ; locate = find out ,पता लगाना Shallow = less deep ,उथला ; waded = went through ,लाँघना ; macabre = horrifying ,भयानक ; catastrophe = great natural tragedy ,महान प्राकृतिक विपदा ; eventually = finally ,अंततः ; remnants = remaining  parts ,बचे हुए ; mangled = broken , टूटे ; twisted = bent ,मुड़े ; outstretched = spread out ,फैलाते हुए ; brimming = full of tears ,अश्रुपूर्ण ; miracle =marvel ,चमत्कार ; extended = spread ,फैली हुई ;  hugged = embraced ,आलिंगन किया ; scanned = examined , निरीक्षण किया ; motley =of different kinds, अलग –अलग प्रकार के; battered = suffering, पीड़ित; desperate = hopeless, निराश; grip = catch, hold, पकड़ना Tumult = noise ,शोर ; delegation = group ,समूह दल ; triumphantly = victoriously ,जीत से  ; reluctant = slow ,धीमा ; bellies = abdomens , पेट ; volunteers= willing workers ,स्वयं सेवक, filth = dirt ,गंदगी  ; vomit = vomit ,उल्टी ; tend = take care of ,देखभाल करना ; utensils = pots ,बर्तन ; communicate = get across the message , संदेश पहुँचाना ; airdropping = dropping from air, हवा से गिरना Orphaned = having lost parents, अनाथ; mobilized = organised, सगंठित किय ा; persuaded =made to agree, मनाया ; Initial =Preliminary ,प्रारंभिक ; stigma = social bad mark, सामाजिक कलंक ; foster = to adopt  ,अपनाना ; healed = cured ,ठीक हो गए ; seek out = search ,तलाश करना I