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Carrier of Words

NCERT Class 9 · English Based on NCERT Class 9 English textbook · Free CBSE study kit

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Chapter Notes

Overview
This chapter explores the vital role of Gramin Dak Sewaks (GDS) like Khetaram, who serve as the sole link between remote desert hamlets and the outside world, delivering mail and money orders under extreme conditions. It contrasts the modern ease of digital communication with the physical hardships of postal workers in India's most inaccessible regions. The chapter also includes a poem, 'Words' by Charles Swain, which reflects on the power and limitations of words in human communication. The one big idea a student must walk away with is that communication is not just about technology; it is about human effort, trust, and the profound impact of words, whether carried across deserts or spoken from the heart.
Key Concepts (15)
Gramin Dak Sewak (GDS)
A rural postal worker who delivers mail and provides other postal services in remote, often inaccessible areas, serving as the sole link between isolated communities and the outside world.
e.g. Khetaram, the GDS of Somarad Branch Post Office, delivers mail to far-flung hamlets near the Indo-Pakistan border, walking 20 km daily in extreme heat.
Sole link
The only means of connection or communication between people in remote areas and their families or the outside world.
e.g. In the Thar Desert, Khetaram is the sole link for villagers who rely on him for letters and money orders from relatives.
Dhaanis
Far-flung hamlets or small settlements in remote areas, especially in the desert region of Rajasthan.
e.g. Khetaram delivers mail to dhaanis located just 2.5 km short of the Indo-Pakistan border.
Ashubh Samachar
Bad news, specifically news of death, which is signified by an envelope with the right corner torn off.
e.g. Khetaram dreads delivering Ashubh Samachar; he stands outside the house, reads the letter twice, and tears it to bits to destroy the bad news.
Money order
A service provided by India Post that allows people to send small sums of money securely to recipients in remote villages, often used by families for survival.
e.g. Families in arid regions depend on money orders remitted by relatives working in cities to supplement their income from farming.
Philately
The study of postage stamps and postal history, which can be pursued without owning stamps by studying rare stamps found in museums.
e.g. The chapter mentions that philately is a hobby that helps uphold heritage through the study of stamps depicting personalities, celebrations, and nature.
Condolence message
A written message expressing sympathy and sorrow to someone who has lost a relative or close person, mentioning prayers for strength and peace for the departed soul.
e.g. Sawant Singh wrote a condolence message to Bhawar Singh on the passing of Kunwar uncle, expressing deep sadness and offering sympathy.
Hyperbole
A figure of speech that involves exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally, used for emphasis or effect.
e.g. In the poem 'Words', the line 'The world might hold a feast' is a hyperbole suggesting that if words could truly satisfy, the whole world would celebrate.
Alliteration
The repetition of the same initial consonant sound in a sequence of words, used for poetic effect.
e.g. In the extract 'Khetaram’s khaki turban', the repetition of the 'k' sound is an example of alliteration.
Metaphor
A figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as', stating that one thing is another.
e.g. In the poem, 'the heart, a pilgrim upon earth' is a metaphor comparing the heart to a traveler on a journey, suggesting it is searching for meaning.
Present perfect tense
A verb tense used to describe actions that started in the past and continue to the present, or actions completed in the past with present relevance, formed using 'has/have' + past participle.
e.g. In the sentence 'I have just got a collection of postage stamps', 'have got' is the present perfect tense indicating a recently completed action.
Passive voice
A grammatical construction where the subject receives the action of the verb, often used to emphasize the action or the recipient rather than the doer.
e.g. In the sentence 'The mail is delivered by the GDS at the border', the subject 'mail' receives the action, making it passive voice.
Active voice
A grammatical construction where the subject performs the action of the verb, making the sentence direct and clear.
e.g. In the sentence 'GDS delivers the mail at the border', the subject 'GDS' performs the action, making it active voice.
Rhyme scheme
The pattern of rhyming words at the end of each line in a poem, usually denoted by letters (e.g., ABAB).
e.g. The first stanza of the poem 'Words' has a rhyme scheme of ABAB: 'heart' (A), 'care' (B), 'depart' (A), 'air' (B).
Metre
The rhythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry, which gives the poem its lyrical quality.
e.g. In the line 'If words could sa tis fy the heart', the stressed syllables are 'words', 'tis', 'fy', and 'heart', creating a regular rhythm.
How It Works
Mail delivery process in remote areas by Gramin Dak Sewak
  1. Mail is dispatched from a major city (e.g., Jodhpur, 330 km away).
  2. Mail is transferred from mail train to buses for transport to the last railhead (e.g., Barmer, 120 km beyond).
  3. Mail is hefted onto the shoulders of the Gramin Dak Sewak (e.g., Khetaram) at the end of the road.
  4. The GDS walks across sand beds and dunes to deliver mail to far-flung hamlets (dhaanis), often covering 20 km per delivery.
  5. Delivery is completed within 24 hours of dispatch from the originating city, even to border areas.
💡 Students often forget that the mail is transferred multiple times (train to bus to GDS) and that the GDS walks the final leg on foot, not by vehicle.
Handling of death news (Ashubh Samachar) by Khetaram
  1. Khetaram identifies a letter with the right corner torn off, which signifies it contains news of death.
  2. He does not enter the house with the bad news.
  3. He stands outside the threshold and reads the letter aloud twice to ensure the recipient understands.
  4. He tears the letter into bits, believing that 'bad news must be destroyed'.
💡 Students often miss the detail that the right corner is torn off by the sender to indicate bad news, not by Khetaram or the postmaster.
Formation of present perfect tense
  1. Identify the subject (e.g., I, she, they).
  2. Use 'has' for third-person singular subjects (he, she, it) and 'have' for all other subjects (I, you, we, they).
  3. Add the past participle (third form) of the main verb (e.g., 'got', 'eaten', 'seen').
  4. Use the tense to describe recently completed actions, life experiences, or actions with present relevance.
💡 Students often confuse present perfect with simple past; present perfect always has a connection to the present moment, while simple past describes a finished action with no present link.
Conversion from active voice to passive voice
  1. Identify the object of the active sentence (e.g., 'the mail' in 'GDS delivers the mail').
  2. Move the object to the subject position.
  3. Change the verb to 'is/am/are/was/were' + past participle of the main verb (e.g., 'is delivered').
  4. Add the original subject after 'by' (e.g., 'by the GDS').
  5. Ensure the tense remains consistent (e.g., simple present becomes 'is/are + past participle').
💡 Students often forget to change the verb form to past participle and to include 'by' before the original subject.
Exam Traps — Don't Make These Mistakes
⚠ Confusing 'Gramin Dak Sewak' with a regular postman
✗ Khetaram is a regular postman employed by the government with full benefits.
→ GDS are not regular postmen; they are delivery agents who work only five hours a day, are allowed to serve till age 65, and are paid a salary to supplement their primary livelihood (e.g., farming). They constitute more than 50% of India Post's workforce.
✓ Khetaram is a Gramin Dak Sewak, a rural postal worker who works part-time (five hours daily) and is allowed to serve till age 65, with a salary that provides assured income alongside his farming.
⚠ Misinterpreting the 'right corner torn off'
✗ Khetaram tears the right corner of the envelope to indicate bad news.
→ The text clearly states that the envelope arrives with the right corner already torn off, signifying that the missive bears news of death. Khetaram does not tear the corner; he tears the entire letter after reading it.
✓ The sender tears the right corner of the envelope to signify that the letter contains news of death. Khetaram then reads the letter twice and tears it to bits to destroy the bad news.
⚠ Thinking Khetaram uses a vehicle for delivery
✗ Khetaram delivers mail using a bicycle or motorcycle.
→ The text explicitly states that the road crumbles into sand so soft that even bicycles cannot ply. Khetaram walks on foot, leaving footprints in the sand.
✓ Khetaram delivers mail on foot, walking 20 km daily across sand beds and dunes, as the terrain is too soft for bicycles or vehicles.
⚠ Confusing the purpose of British postal system with India Post after independence
✗ Both the British postal system and India Post aimed to connect all people in India.
→ The British postal system was set up to relay company dak (official mail) between administrative centres, not to serve the general population. After independence, India Post's mandate was to bring the entire population within the mailing ambit.
✓ The British postal system was designed for administrative communication between colonial centres, while India Post after independence aimed to include all citizens, especially in rural and remote areas, within the postal network.
⚠ Misunderstanding the poem's message about words
✗ The poet says words are completely useless and should never be used.
→ The poet does not say words are useless; he contrasts empty, meaningless words with sincere, heartfelt words. He values 'a little said, and truly said' over 'hosts of words' that only reach the head but not the heart.
✓ The poet argues that a few sincere words can bring deeper joy than many meaningless ones, and that words spoken from the heart are precious, even if few.
Compare & Contrast
Purpose and reach
British postal system in India
India Post after independence
The British postal system was set up to relay company dak (official mail) between administrative centres, serving colonial needs. After independence, India Post's mandate was to bring the entire population within the mailing ambit, including remote and rural areas, making it inclusive.
Subject's role in the sentence
Active voice
Passive voice
In active voice, the subject performs the action (e.g., 'GDS delivers the mail'), making the sentence direct. In passive voice, the subject receives the action (e.g., 'The mail is delivered by the GDS'), emphasizing the action or the recipient rather than the doer.
Employment conditions and role
Regular postman
Gramin Dak Sewak (GDS)
Regular postmen are full-time government employees with revised salaries like other government staff. GDS are part-time workers (five hours daily), allowed to serve till age 65, and are paid a salary to supplement their primary livelihood (e.g., farming), enabling India Post to retain a large workforce for remote areas.
Exam Focus
Marks pattern: 2 MCQs (1 mark each) on factual recall (e.g., GDS role, postal history), 1 short answer (2-3 marks) on Khetaram's challenges or the poem's theme, 1 long answer (5 marks) on the significance of GDS or analysis of poetic devices, and 1 grammar question (3 marks) on tense or voice conversion.
Most asked: Role and challenges of Gramin Dak Sewaks (GDS) like Khetaram · Comparison between British postal system and India Post · Significance of money orders in rural India · Poem 'Words' by Charles Swain: theme, poetic devices, and message · Grammar: present perfect tense and active/passive voice
Don't skip: Explain why the role of Gramin Dak Sewaks is described as 'invaluable' (5 marks).; Analyze the poet's message in 'Words' with reference to the contrast between empty and sincere words (5 marks).; Convert sentences from active to passive voice or fill blanks with present perfect tense (3 marks).
One-Line Revision (read aloud before the exam)
  1. Khetaram is a Gramin Dak Sewak who delivers mail on foot in the Thar Desert, covering 20 km daily in extreme heat.
  2. The right corner of an envelope torn off signifies that the letter contains news of death (Ashubh Samachar).
  3. Khetaram reads death letters twice and tears them to bits, believing bad news must be destroyed.
  4. Gramin Dak Sewaks work only five hours a day and can serve till age 65, enabling India Post to retain a large rural workforce.
  5. Money orders are a vital service for rural families, allowing relatives to send small sums for survival.
  6. The British postal system served administrative centres, while India Post aims to include all citizens.
  7. India Post has over 1.5 lakh post offices today, compared to 25,000 in 1947.
  8. In the poem 'Words', the poet compares empty words to summer birds that depart and leave empty air.
  9. The poet values 'a little said, and truly said' over 'hosts of words' that never touch the heart.
  10. The rhyme scheme of the first stanza of 'Words' is ABAB.
  11. Present perfect tense is formed using 'has/have' + past participle (e.g., 'I have just got a collection').
  12. Passive voice shifts focus to the action or recipient (e.g., 'The mail is delivered by the GDS').
  13. Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds, as in 'Khetaram’s khaki turban'.
  14. A metaphor directly compares two unlike things, e.g., 'the heart, a pilgrim upon earth'.
  15. Hyperbole is exaggeration for effect, e.g., 'The world might hold a feast' in the poem.
  16. BSF gives Khetaram a lift and tea when he distributes their dak at the border camp.
  17. Khetaram's salary supplements his farming income, as one crop of bajra cannot feed his family of five.
  18. The poem 'Words' uses repetition of 'If words could satisfy' to emphasize the theme of unfulfilled expectations.

MCQs — 10 Questions with Answers

Q1. What is the maximum weight of the mailbag that Khetaram is allowed to carry according to postal regulations?

  • A. 20 kilos
  • B. 28 kilos ✓
  • C. 35 kilos
  • D. 40 kilos

Answer: B — The text explicitly states 'Regulations stipulate that his load cannot exceed 28 kilos.'

Q2. In which year were rural delivery agents officially recognized as Gramin Dak Sewaks?

  • A. 1995
  • B. 2001 ✓
  • C. 2005
  • D. 2010

Answer: B — The passage clearly states 'Till 2001, Khetaram was known as a delivery agent... Since then... were accepted as Gramin Dak Sewaks.'

Q3. How many post offices existed in India in 1947 according to the text?

  • A. 10,000
  • B. 15,000
  • C. 25,000 ✓
  • D. 50,000

Answer: C — The passage states 'Compared to 25,000 post offices in 1947, today we have about more than a lakh and a half post offices.'

Q4. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of GDS workers according to the passage?

  • A. They must have access to another means of livelihood
  • B. They work only five hours in a day
  • C. They can serve until the age of 70 ✓
  • D. They receive salary revisions like other government employees

Answer: C — The text states GDS workers 'are also allowed to serve after the age of 60, till the age of 65,' not age 70, making this option incorrect.

Q5. Khetaram's left shoulder is slumped because _______ for fifteen years.

  • A. he walks in the hot sun
  • B. he carries a mailbag ✓
  • C. he wears heavy uniform
  • D. he works in sandstorms

Answer: B — The passage states 'His left shoulder slumped from years of carrying a mailbag,' directly connecting the physical deformity to his work load.

Q6. Why does the temperature officially read 49.9 degrees Celsius instead of 50 degrees Celsius in Khetaram's area?

  • A. Weather monitoring equipment is faulty
  • B. 50 degrees Celsius would mean a state holiday ✓
  • C. Desert temperature variations are unpredictable
  • D. Official records are kept slightly lower

Answer: B — The text explains 'since 50 degrees celsius would mean a state holiday,' implying the official recording avoids this threshold to continue postal operations.

Q7. According to Mulk Raj Anand's book, what makes India's postal system unique regarding money orders?

  • A. It is the fastest money transfer system in the world
  • B. People in remote villages are heavily dependent on it for small sums of money unlike any other country ✓
  • C. It charges lower fees than other countries
  • D. It connects all villages equally

Answer: B — The passage quotes Anand: 'In no other country a person in remote villages is so dependent on the post office for transmission of small sums of money.'

Q8. Imagine Khetaram needed to choose between farming bajra and working as a GDS. Based on the passage, which would provide better security for his family of five?

  • A. Farming alone, as it is traditional work
  • B. GDS job, because farming cannot feed his family and he would starve without the job ✓
  • C. Both equally, as they provide same income
  • D. Farming combined with casual work

Answer: B — Khetaram explicitly states 'In a good year, I get one crop of bajra. That cannot feed my family of five. We would starve without this job.'

Q9. Why was the scheme to replace GDS workers with patwaris (village record keepers) rejected?

  • A. Patwaris did not want the job
  • B. The government preferred GDS workers for cost reasons
  • C. People knew patwaris would not be able to do the job as effectively as trusted GDS workers ✓
  • D. Patwaris were already too busy with record keeping

Answer: C — The passage states the scheme was 'summarily rejected' with Budh Singh saying 'We knew they would not be able to do the job,' showing trust was crucial.

Q10. The torn right corner of a letter envelope makes Khetaram dread delivery because—

  • A. the letter is damaged
  • B. it is difficult to carry
  • C. it signifies bad news like death or tragedy ✓
  • D. the postage is incorrect

Answer: C — The text mentions 'The envelope with the right corner torn off, which signifies' bad news, and earlier states Khetaram delivers news of births and weddings but dreads certain deliveries.

Flashcards

Who is Khetaram and what is his profession?

Khetaram is a Gramin Dak Sewak (rural postman) at Somarad Branch Post Office in Rajasthan, serving the Thar Desert region near the Indo-Pakistan border for 15 years.

What does GDS stand for and when was it officially recognized?

GDS stands for Gramin Dak Sewak (rural postal workers), officially recognized in 2001 to replace the earlier 'delivery agent' title.

How far beyond the last railhead does Khetaram travel to deliver mail?

Khetaram works 120 km beyond the last railhead at Barmer, 50 km beyond the last phone, and 10 km beyond where the road crumbles into sand.

What physical sign shows the difficulty of Khetaram's work?

His left shoulder is slumped from years of carrying a mailbag, and the impression of his footprints in sand reveals the weight of his mailbag.

What was India's postal system like before independence compared to now?

Before independence, the British postal system only connected administrative centres; after independence, India Post's mandate became reaching the entire population, growing from 25,000 to over 1.5 lakh post offices.

Why are GDS workers essential in remote areas like Khetaram's territory?

GDS workers deliver in interior areas inaccessible by any means besides foot, making them the only link between isolated communities and the outside world.

What is the economic importance of money orders in rural India according to Mulk Raj Anand?

Money orders are vital for survival in remote villages, reflecting absolute confidence in the post office and dependency on remittances from relatives for livelihood.

What are the working conditions specified for GDS selection and employment?

GDS workers must have access to another means of livelihood, work only five hours daily, and are allowed to serve until age 65 to ensure assured income.

How does Khetaram's job provide him economic security despite harsh conditions?

His appointment gives him assured income through salary, enabling survival beyond subsistence farming of bajra, which alone cannot feed his family of five.

What does the torn right corner of an envelope signify and why does Khetaram dread it?

The torn right corner signifies a death notification or bad news, which Khetaram dreads delivering because of the grief it brings to families in his postal area.

Important Board Questions

Based on the passage, describe Khetaram's working conditions in the desert. What makes his job particularly difficult? [2 marks]

Focus on: location (120 km beyond railhead, 10 km beyond road), extreme heat (50°C), physical toll (slumped shoulder, heavy mailbag up to 28 kg), distance covered per delivery (20 km).

Explain why Mulk Raj Anand considers money orders socially significant in India. How do rural people depend on this postal service? [3 marks]

Discuss: unique dependency of remote villages on small money remittances, survival in famine-prone areas like Rajasthan, absolute trust people place in post office, example of Khetaram's family relying on his income.

Compare India's postal system before and after independence. How has the role of GDS workers become invaluable in connecting remote communities? [5 marks]

Cover: British system served only administrative centres vs. post-independence mandate to reach entire population (25,000 to 1.5 lakh post offices); GDS workers = 50% workforce serving inaccessible areas (Ladakh, Lakshadweep, northeast); only means of connection for border villages; why patwaris scheme was rejected (trust factor); quote about GDS being sole link between oases of humanity.

Assertion-Reason Questions for Carrier of Words

Q1. Assertion (A):

Khetaram's left shoulder is slumped due to years of carrying a mailbag, indicating the physical toll his job has taken on his body.

Reason (R):

Gramin Dak Sewaks are required to carry mailbags weighing more than 50 kilos per day as part of their job responsibilities.

Answer: C — A is true but R is false — The assertion is true—the passage explicitly states his shoulder is 'slumped from years of carrying a mailbag.' However, the reason is false because regulations stipulate the load 'cannot exceed 28 kilos,' not more than 50 kilos. The physical damage comes from years of carrying heavy loads within regulations, not from exceeding weight limits.

Q2. Assertion (A):

The scheme to replace Gramin Dak Sewaks with patwaris was rejected because communities understood that patwaris lacked the capability to perform postal delivery work in remote areas.

Reason (R):

Patwaris are village record keepers whose primary function is administrative record-keeping, not mail delivery in inaccessible terrain.

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both the assertion and reason are true. The passage confirms the rejection occurred because 'they would not be able to do the job,' and the reason correctly explains why—patwaris have different primary functions and training. The reason provides the correct explanation for the assertion.

Q3. Assertion (A):

After independence, India Post expanded its mandate to bring the entire population within the mailing ambit, resulting in the growth of post offices from 25,000 to more than 1,50,000.

Reason (R):

The British postal system was designed to serve only administrative centers rather than the general population.

Answer: B — Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A — Both the assertion and reason are factually true according to the passage. However, the reason does not directly explain the growth in post offices. The reason explains why expansion was necessary (British system was limited), but the assertion's expansion was driven by India Post's post-independence mandate. The reason doesn't explain the mechanism of growth.

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Case-Based Questions (CBQ) for Carrier of Words

Case Study:

A research team studied the impact of postal services in five remote villages in Rajasthan. The data showed that families in these villages received an average of 8 money orders per month, totaling Rs. 24,000 monthly income. When postal service was temporarily disrupted for one month due to monsoon floods, families experienced severe financial hardship. A survey revealed that 87% of households considered the postal service crucial for survival, and 92% expressed trust in the postal system. Notably, families without postal access had abandoned the villages to migrate to cities.

Q1. Based on the case study data, which statement best reflects the role of postal services in these remote villages?

  • A. Postal services provide entertainment and recreational opportunities for villagers
  • B. Postal services are the primary source of income for families through money order transmission from relatives ✓
  • C. Postal services reduce the need for villagers to migrate to urban areas
  • D. Postal services encourage agricultural development in the region

Answer: B

Q2. The temporary disruption of postal services caused severe hardship. This supports which key argument from the passage about Khetaram's role?

  • A. Gramin Dak Sewaks are overpaid for minimal work
  • B. Families in remote areas are entirely dependent on postal services for financial survival ✓
  • C. The monsoon is the primary reason postal services should be eliminated
  • D. Digital technology has made postal services unnecessary

Answer: B

Q3. What inference can be drawn from the fact that 92% of households trust the postal system and those without it migrate away?

  • A. Villagers prefer urban lifestyle to rural life
  • B. Money orders are more valuable than agricultural income
  • C. The postal system is so vital that communities cannot sustain themselves without it ✓
  • D. Trust in postal services decreases with modern education

Answer: C

Q4. Which of the following best explains why Gramin Dak Sewaks like Khetaram are considered invaluable in such communities?

  • A. They provide administrative and record-keeping services to the government
  • B. They teach villagers modern communication technology
  • C. They are the sole link connecting isolated families to essential financial support through money orders ✓
  • D. They reduce government spending on infrastructure development

Answer: C

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