Gazi Pir seen Passage HSC
According to some myths and legends, Gazi Pir was a Muslim saint who is said to have spread Islam in the parts of Bengal close to the Sundarbans.
He was credited with many miracles. For example, he could supposedly calm dangerous animals and make them docile. He is usually depicted in paats or scroll paintings riding a fierce-looking Bengal tiger, a snake in his hand, but in no apparent danger.
According to some stories, he also fought crocodiles who threatened the people of a region full of canals and creeks, indeed, a kind of watery jungle bordering the Bay of Bengal. Because of his alert and vigilant presence, all predatory animals were said to have been kept within bounds.
It was also believed that he enabled villagers to live close to forests and jungles and cultivate their lands. Consequently, people of these regions would pray to him for protection.
The story of Gazi Pirnhas been preserved in folk literature as well as art and has been performed in indigenous theatre. In fact, some Gazir paat scrolls are part of the collection of the British Museum.
A. Choose the correct answer from the alternatives.
(a) Gazi Pir is known to people through ___.
i. folk music
ii. painting
iii. literature
iv. museum
(b) What was Gazi Pir credited with?
i. Having extraordinary and mysterious power
ii. Protecting people from danger
iii. Calming dangerous animals
iv. Knowing magic
(c) Whom did Gazi Pir enable to live close to the forests?
i. Rural people
ii. Rustic folk
iii. Tigers
iv. Crocodiles
(d) The word ‘docile’ is ___.
i. an adjective
ii. a noun
iii. a verb
iv. an adverb
(e) The best synonym of ‘predatory’ is ___.
i. precursory
ii. arbitrary
iii. restless
iv. preying upon others
B. Answer the following questions.
(a) What kind of extraordinary power did Gazi Pir have?
(b) What was Gazi Pir famous for?
(c) Why did people seek help from Gazi Pir?
(d) What was the belief of the people about Gazi Pir?
(e) What are the different art forms in which the myth of Gazi Pir is kept alive?
Gazi Pir Passage Answer Sheet
A.
(a) iii. literature
(b) i. Having extraordinary and mysterious power
(c) i. Rural people
(d) i. an adjective
(e) iv. preying upon others
B.
(a) Gazi Pir had the extraordinary power of calming dangerous animals and making them docile as well.
(b) Gazi pir was famous for his extraordinary power by which he could check the predatory animals and protected the people of that region.
(c) People sought help from Gazi Pir as he enabled them to live close to forests and cultivate their lands by keeping the predatory animals within bounds.
(d) People believed that he enabled them to live near forests by his supernatural power.
(e) The myth of Gazi Pir is kept alive in folk literature, folk art, paats and scroll paintings.
