Mystery of The Missing Cap Question Answer and Summary chse 12th class

Mystery of The Missing Cap Question Answer and Summary chse 12th class

MYSTERY OF THE MISSING CAP 

By Manoj Das 

Introduction to Manoj Das : 

Manoj Das is one of the most successful bilingual short story writers of India, writing with equal facility in Odia and English. He has also written children's tales, fantasies, a book on Sri Aurobindo and a novel 'Cyclones'. He teaches at the Sri Aurobindo International Center of Education, Pondicherry and edits a cultural monthly "The Heritage." 

        Manoj Das is a postmaster in the art of the short story. In 1972, he won the Kendriya Sahitya Akademi Award for his collection of short stories in oriya "Katha or Kahani". His stories in English are collected in volumes like-

1. The Crocodile's Lady.  
2. Revenge and Other Stories.
3. A Bride Inside a Casket and Other Tales 
4. The Submerged Valley and Other Stories 

        The short stories of Manoj Das convey a genial criticism of contemporary Indian society. They expose, in the rural or semi-urban setting, a wide range of characters such as eager children, proud youths, old cranks, egoistic officers, shrewd politicians and so on. The writer displays a keen insight into the behaviour pattern of each character, portraying it with subtle humour and gentle satire. Whether in the description of the location or in characterisation, he follows the practice of using the minimum and exact words. 

Introduction to "Mystery of the Missing Cap": 

The politicians often think that people obey them, honour them because of their dedication for the society. But the fact is that people praise them outwardly to get material profit from them. In the core of their hearts, they hate these corrupt, materialistic villains, compare them with monkey, donkey, brainless beings etc. When the politicians think that they are cheered, people say that they express their great hatred and satisfaction through applause, laughter. People always have a negative impression on them. 

           Here is a story in which a minister has visited a village. His cap has been missing. Sri Moharana, the arranger of reception for the minister, said that someone took the minister's cap out of love and honour to preserve it forever. But Moharana's monkey Jhandu had taken the cap. At last the mystery about the minister's missing cap has been revealed and the minister who was boastful about his reputation was found crying.

 

Summary of "Mystery of the Missing Cap" 

       

         Sri Moharana belonged to the writer's uncle's village. When the writer was a child he used to visit his uncle's house very often. Since Sri Moharana's house was close to his uncle's, he had known much about Sri Moharana. He was a well-to-do man. He had a pukka house in an area of twenty villages. People came to see his house as if it was a historical place. He had two fish ponds and a number of cows too. 

        India got independence. Babu Veer Kishore of Sri Moharana's area became the minister of fisheries and fine arts. Sri Moharana wanted to enter politics with the help of Babu Veer Kishore. So he arranged a grand reception for him, Sri Moharana was the chairman of the reception committee. A Lavish arrangement was made. 

          At last the big day came. The minister got down from his jeep. Sri Moharana garlanded him. He was led to Sri Moharana's house in a grand procession. People shouted slogans. Children sang patriotic songs. Moharana treated the guests with tender coconut juice, followed by the most luxurious lunch, with about twenty dishes. Then the minister went to sleep. 

         At that time the writer was a small boy. He was curious about a minister. He wanted to see how a minister eats, sleeps. He came to the rear side of the room and peeped into it. He saw that the minister was snoring. His cap was on the table. In the meantime Sri Moharana's domesticated monkey, Jhandu came, took the cap and went away through the window. 

         After some time, the minister woke up, searched for his cap. Some said that it was a conspiracy. Some called it the job of the opposition. The writer went to Sri Moharana and told about Jhandu's wickedness. Moharana told him not to tell anything about it. People said many things about the missing up. 

         A great meeting was arranged in the honour of the minister. As the chairman of the reception committee Sri Moharana gave a fiery speech. He praised the glory of the minister. Then he came to the plot of the minister's missing cap. He said that a certain nobleman had taken the cap away to preserve it and worship it. If he had begged it to the minister, he might not have given it out of humility. So he was obliged to take it. Instead he has sent one hundred and one rupees to offer the minister to do public welfare work. 

         Sri Moharana gave the money to the minister. People clapped their hands. The minister looked delighted thinking that people respected him so much. The reception was over. People went to their houses to eat dinner. Sri Moharana looked worried. He had spent much for Jhandu's wickedness. Besides, he had told a white-lie to the public. 

        At last the moment of the minister's departure came. The minister told the congregation people love me so much that one day they will take away all my dress and I will return home naked. Ha ha ! In the meantime Jhandu came with the cap and offered it to the minister. He looked astonished and said- Isn't this one the very cap taken away by the nobleman ? Sri Moharana told bowing head- yes, this is the nobleman. 

         Sri Moharana was found weeping. The minister was weeping too. Then they were separated. Sri Moharana forgot politics after this incident. The minister too left politics.  

Analytical Outlines of the story mystery of the missing cap: 

• Sri Moharana was a well-to-do person had a pucca house, two fish ponds and a number of cows. 
• People came to see his house from a long distance. 
• They respected Sri Moharana very much.

• Sri Moharana's house was close to the writer's uncle's house. 
• He often went to uncle's house and knew much about Sri Moharana.
• India got freedom in 1947. 
• A patriotic fervour came all over the country. 
• People celebrated independence day pompously. 
• Sri Moharana wanted to enter politics. 
• Sri Virkishore of the area was the minister in the Assembly. 
• He was the minister of fisheries and fine arts. 
• Sri Moharana wanted to enter politics with the help of Babu Veer Kishore.
• He arranged a reception to welcome Babu Virkishore. 
• He became the chairman of the reception committee. 
• A grand arrangement was made. 
• Children practised patriotic songs. 
• A big stage, lunch, dinner were arranged. 
• On the appointed day, Virkishore came in a jeep.
• People garlanded him at the outskirts of the village.
• He was led to Moharana's house in a big procession.
• People shouted slogans. 
• As they reached Sri Moharana's house, he treated them with green coconuts. 
• The minister was served a lavish meal with twenty items. 
• He went to bed for some rest. 
• Others remained outside the room. 
• The writer was curious about the minister. 
• He wanted to know how a minister sleeps. 
• He went to the rear side of the room and peeped through the window. 
• The minister was snoring.
• His cap was on the table.
• Sri Moharana's pet monkey Jhandu came secretly. 
• He took the cap and climbed up a tree. 
• After a few minutes, the minister woke up. 
• He searched for the cap. 
• The news of the minister's missing cap spread.
• A thorough search was made. 
• Some called it the action of the opposition. 
• Some called it a high conspiracy. 
• Children said that the police would come and arrest them all. 
• The writer went to Sri Moharana and told him about Jhandu's wicked action. 
• He looked alarmed and told the writer not to tell any about it. 
• He said something in the minister's ear. 
• He looked happy. 
• The reception began. 
• Sri Moharana's niece garlanded the minister. 
• People sang in praise of the minister. 
• Sri Moharana gave a fiery speech. 
• He praised the minister with eloquent terms. 
• He came to the topic of missing cap. 
• He said that the cap was not stolen. 
• A nobleman of the area had taken the cap to worship it. 
• He had sent one hundred and one rupees to the minister for public work. 
• Sri Moharana gave the money to the minister. 
• People applauded loudly and praised the unseen nobleman. 
• After the function there was dinner for all. 
• All looked happy, except Sri Moharana. 
• He was repenting for lying in public. 
• The minister was happy that people respected him so much. 
• At last the time for departure came. 
• The minister roared into laughter. 
• He said- one day people would take away his dress. 
• He was ready to go naked for people. 
• Jhandu came there wearing the cap. 
• He gave it to the minister. 
• He looked astonished and asked if it was the same cap which the nobleman had taken. 
• Sri Moharana said- yes, this is the nobleman. 
• He wept bitterly. 
• The minister began weeping too.. 
• He returned in the jeep unhappily. 
• Sri Moharana left the idea of politics. 
• Babu Veer Kishore left politics too. 
• Jhandu changed the course of their lives.

Mystery of the Missing Cap question answer

Question Answer of the story mystery of the missing cap : (2 questions to be answered carrying 5 marks each) 

Question.1. What impression of Sri Moharana do you get from the text ? 

Answer. Sri Moharana was a well-to-do man in the writer's uncle's village. He had a pucca house in an area of twenty villages. It looked elegant. People stopped and looked at it whenever they passed by. He had a considerable reputation as a conscientious and generous man. He was an exemplary host with two ponds full of choice fish and a number of well cared for cows. He was a happy villager. He was a patriot, an ambitious fellow who wanted to enter the state legislature with the help of minister Babu Virkishore. 

Question.2. Who is Babu Virkishore ? How does the narrator describe him ? 

Answer. Babu Veer Kishore was the minister of fisheries and fine Arts hailed from the district of Sri Moharana. He was a swadeshi minister. Sri Maharana wanted to arrange a reception and to welcome Babu Virkishore to get his blessings to enter politics. Accordingly, a large arrangement was made. 

Question.3. What idea of the narrator do you get from this unit of the text ? 

Answer. The narrator was a small boy when the incident narrated here occured. He used to visit his uncle's house and Sri Moharana was his uncle's neighbour. So he had a great chance to observe him closely. He too observed the incident narrated here. His intention is not to criticise or mock Sri Moharana or Babu Virkishore. But he wants to provide pleasure to the readers. So he wants to narrate the situation among them. 

Question.4. How does the narrator recount the preparation for the minister's reception? 

Answer. Sri Moharana wanted to arrange the reception of Babu Virkishore for his political interest. For this reason he spent day and night making lavish arrangements. The school children practised the welcome song. The huge ancestral cane chair was laid with a linen cover. The women folk were kept ready to blow their conch-shells when the minister stepped into the village.

Question.5. How does the narrator describe the procession of the minister in the village? 

Answer. The minister arrived in a jeep. As soon as the jeep reached the outskirts of the village near a gate, people shouted Babu Veer Kishore Ki Jai, Bharat Mata Ki Jai. The minister got down. Sri Moharana garlanded him. He was led to his house in a grand procession. People went on shouting slogans. Small children walked a little distance with a lot of curiosity. The minister put his hand on Moharana and plodded. Moharana felt credited. 

Question.6. How did Sri Moharana entertain the guests ? 

Answer. When the procession reached Sri Moharana's house, Moharana served them tender coconut juice. Then a luxurious lunch was served to them. In this lunch, there were twenty dishes along with sweetened ghee-baked rice. The minister ate a hearty meal and went to bed.  

Question.7. How did the minister's cap disappear ? 

Answer. The minister Babu Veer Kishore took food and went to bed. The front door was closed. Some people were on guard there. The rear side window was open. Through this window, Sri Moharana's domesticated monkey Jhandoo came, took the cap of the minister, kept on the table and went away into the groove. In this way the minister's cap disappeared from the room. 

Question.8. How did the minister's officials react to the disappearance of the cap ? 

Answer. The minister, after eating food, went to bed. He kept his cap on the table. Jhandoo, the pet monkey of Sri Maharana, came stealthily and took the cap. His officials too searched for it. As they did not find them they said that it was a deep rooted conspiracy. The public relations officer said- The Hon'ble minister doesn't mind the loss of the cap so much as the way it disappeared.  

Question.9. How did Sri Moharana feel about the loss of the cap ? 

Answer. The minister's cap was missing when he was asleep. A thorough search was made, but it was not found. Sri Maharana was found shaking. He was sweating like an ice- cream stick so profusely that at that rate he might completely melt away in a few hours. 

Question.10. How did he feel when he came to know the cause of the missing cap ? 

Answer. The minister's cap was lost. Sri Moharana looked cross. He started trembling. In the meantime, the writer told him that Jhandoo had taken the cap. He stood dumb for a moment, eyes closed. Then he smiled a bit, patted the writer and told him not to tell any about it. He promised to give him a reward. 

Question.11. What was the effect of the disappearance of the cap on the ceremony? 

Answer. Minister Babu Virakishore's cap was stolen. A thorough search was made, But it was not found. All looked cross. Sri Moharana trembled. The incident had thrown a wet blanket on the occasion. From the sepulchral silence of the minister's room, intermittent coughing came. Anxiety dampened the spirit of the people in the courtyard and on the veranda. 

Question.12. How did the narrator's pals react to the situation ? 

Answer. The narrator's pals were full of anxiety. One said that the thief would be hanged. The big banyan tree near the river has been kept ready. Another said-all the villagers will be thrown to jail. Some of them believed that the cap might have ministerial power.

Question.13. How did the narrator describe the opening ceremony ? 

Answer. The minister and Sri Maharana came to the reception pendal. The minister took chair. Moharana's niece, a high school educated girl, garlanded the minister. Then the chorus sang-"O mighty minister" with musical instruments in kirtan style. Mr. Moharana grabbed Mike and gave a fiery speech. 

Question.14. How did Mr. Moharana explains the reason behind the missing cap? 

Answer. Sri Moharana explained that the minister's cap was not lost. A nobleman of the area had taken it to preserve it and worship it. If he had asked the minister for the cap, he wouldn't have offered it out of humility. So he was obliged to take it secretly. Instead he has sent hundred and one rupee to the minister to spend it for the poor people. 

Question.15. What impression of Sri Moharana do you get from this unit of the text ? 

Answer. Sri Maharana is an advanced, cultured man. He loved truth and honesty. Being ambitious he wanted to enter politics. But he realised that politics was not the right place for him. He had innovative talent. He was a pukka politician and could tackle a situation cleverly. He had presence of mind. He explained reason for the missing cap in a beautiful. manner. He hated to lie. In a particular circumstance he has told a lie, but he couldn't compromise with his conscience.  

Question.16. How did the minister find out the mystery of the missing cap ? 

Answer. The minister was told that a nobleman took his cap to preserve and worship. But at the time of departure, Jhandoo presented him with the cap. He looked astonished and asked- Isn't the same cap which the nobleman had taken ? Sri Moharana told cryingly This is the nobleman. Then the mystery of the missing cap was known. 

Question.17. What role did Jhandoo play in the story ? Did he bring an anti-climax to the story ? Give your reasons. 

Answer. Jhandoo took away the minister's cap when he was asleep. When it was not found, Mr. Moharana told an imaginary story that a noble man had taken it to preserve it and to worship it. The minister looked glad. Later Jhandoo returned the cap to the minister. Then he came to know about the mystery of the missing cap. They forgot politics. Jhandoo opened their eyes and they said goodbye to politics. 

Mystery of the missing cap in odia

Mystery of the missing cap in odia

Mystery of The Missing Cap pdf