Madam Rides the Bus

Ans. No, I don’t think that Valli did the right thing in travelling alone to the town without informing her mother. By doing this, she put herself in a risky position as she could have easily been a victim of child abuse had she come in contact with wrong people. In fact, she was lucky to return home safely. Children should always travel along with their parents or elders as they are easy targets for criminals. Valli could have expressed her desire of travelling in the bus to her mother. I am sure that her mother would have fulfilled her wish by talking her on a bus ride.

Ans. Valli dreamt of riding on the bus. Her keenness to fulfil her dream increased her curiousity. This curiousness led her to listen to the conversation of people going on the bus ride and asking her clear questions so that she could gather as much information as she can be regarding the bus journey. On the bus journey, Valli acted confidently and behaved in a mature manner. She was focused on fulfilling her dream and did not get tempted to go outside the bus and explore the town when the bus reached the town. On the return journey, she learnt about death when she came to terms with the dead cow.

This made her aware of the fact that death is a part of life and should be accepted as it is a natural phenomenon. Thus, the bus journey also made her learn a lot of things.

Ans. Age is never a barrier if one wants to achieve something great and different in life. Children are doing wonders at a very young age. Same goes with Valli. At an age of 8 years, Valli was able to pursue her dream all alone by travelling in the bus to town. She was no different from other children except that she had the determination and passion that made her fulfil her dreams. Valli was a very confident and a smart girl. She had a knowledge of proper planning and execution.

She controlled her wishes to save money for the bus ride. Also, she was a very good observer and learner. All these qualities made her realise the dream of visiting the town. Hence, there is no age to learn and experience new things.

Ans. Valli was a determined, confident and brave girl. She was also a good observer and planner. She sacrificed a lot of things to achieve her dream. She fought with the temptations to buy sweets. Balloons, toys and riding on the merry-go-round in the fair so that she could save money for the bus ride. Sacrificing all these things at such a young age is very difficult for a child. She also behaved confidently in the bus in the presence of elders. When the bus reached the town, Valli did not go out to explore the town or having a drink. She did this as she had a limited amount of money which she wanted to ‘save for her return journey’.

So, Valli used her money wisely. When the conductor offered her a drink, she showed good manners in refusing to have it. So Valli was a confident, wise and a good observer. She at such a young age could resist the temptations and save money.

Ans. Valli had made careful, painstaking and elaborate plans for her visit to the city. She had saved every coin she could. She overcame the temptation to buy peppermints, toys, balloons, etc. She avoided riding a merry-go-round in the village fair. Finally, she had saved a total of sixty paisa. Her next problem was how to slip out of the house without her mother’s knowledge. But she managed this without much difficulty as every day after lunch her mother would take a nap from about, one to four or so. She would visit the city during this period. So Valli calculated and planned wisely and thus was able to go on her first bus ride.

Ans. It is absolutely true that ability and courage to take risk are essential to fulfil one’s dream. Valli was an eight-year-old girl. She never made a journey to outside the village. She even never rode a bus. But she mustered up the courage and rode on a bus to make a bus journey. She enjoyed the journey and understand the reality about the outside world. She was a young girl but she had courage to take risk. In other words, we can do anything if we have the ability and courage to take risk. If we do not dare to take risk, we lose opportunities to get better.

Ans. It is true that whenever we want something, challenges do come in our way. But one must be determined and passionate in life to achieve one’s goals. Achieving goals require dedication and patience. Valli wanted to ride the bus, however, she did not have the money to do so. The challenge in front of her was to arrange for the required amount of money. Valli had carefully saved whatever stray coins came her way, resisting every temptation to buy peppermints, toys, balloons, etc.

Finally, she had collected sixty paisa. Moreover, she watched the bus, its routine and schedule very carefully. She also listened to people’s conversation about their journey. But due to her efforts, finally she accomplished her desire.

Ans. Valli’s journey to the city is also her introduction into the mystery of life and death. While on her way to the city Valli saw a cow running very fast in the middle of the road, right in front of the bus. Valli enjoyed the scene. She kept on laughing initially and her eyes were filled with tears. She saw life in the form of a small cow. This is what life gives us – happiness. Valli enjoyed the scene. On her way back home she saw a dead cow lying on the road. It was hit by some speeding vehicle. She recognised it. It was the same cow that filled her life with fun and happiness only a few minutes before.

She was overcome with the feelings of sadness. She realised how death can change the things. “What had been a lovable, beautiful creature just a little while ago had now suddenly lost its charm and its life and looked so horrible, so frightening.” The memory of the dead cow haunted Valli and she did not enjoy her remaining journey.

Ans. The sight of the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town, filled each time with a new set of passengers, was a source of unending joy for Valli. Her strongest desire was to take a ride on the bus.

Ans. Valli favourite pastime was to stand in the front doorway of her house. She did not play like most other children because there were no playmates of her age on her street. Watching the street also gave her many unusual experiences which were equal enjoyable.

Ans. She did not get off the bus at the bus station because she had to go back on that same bus. She took out another thirty paise from her pocket and handed the coins to the conductor. She just wanted to ride on the bus.

Ans. The conductor called Valli ‘madam’ because she behaved like a woman. She declined his help and quickly answered the conductor’s questions, making the conductor call Valli as a madam.

Ans. Valli knew that after lunch her mother would take a nap from 1 pm to 4 pm. It was Valli’s habit to engage in these hours for her excursions and move outside the village.

Ans. Valli calculated and planned that if she took one o’clock on the afternoon bus, she would reach the town at one forty-five. On reaching town if she stayed in her scat and paid another thirty paise she could return home by the same bus by about two forty-five.

Ans. The sight of the bus was the most fascinating thing for Valli. Day after day she watched the bus. A tiny wish crept into her head. She wanted to ride on that bus at least, once. This wish became so strong that it grew into an overwhelming desire.

Ans. The conductor asked if Valli didn’t want to have a look at the sights in the town. She replied that she would be too afraid to visit them all alone. The conductor reminded that she was travelling all alone by bus. Valli replied that there was nothing to be afraid of on the bus.

Ans. Valli stands up on her seat because her view was obstructed by a canvas blind that covered the lower part of her window. As she was short, she had to stand up to look over the blind. She saw that the road was very narrow, on one side of which there was the canal and beyond it were palm trees, grassland, distant mountains, and the blue sky. On the other side, there was a deep ditch and many acres of green fields.

Ans. When the elderly man calls her a child, Valli tells him that there was nobody on the bus who was a child. Valli thinks she is grown up and doesn’t like to be called a child. She tells him that she too had paid her fare of thirty paise like everyone else.

Ans. Valli saw a young cow, whose tail was high in the air, running right in front of the bus in the middle of the road. The bus slowed and the driver sounded his horn loudly. However, the more he honked, the more frightened the cow became and it kept running faster and faster, right in front of the bus. Valli found it so amusing that she had tears in her eyes. At last, the cow moved off the road.

Ans. It was the slack time of the day. There were only six or seven passengers on the bus.

Ans. An elderly man saw Valli standing on the bus. He asked her to sit down. He had honestly felt concerned for her. Valli didn’t like to be called herself a ‘child’. She retorted that she was not a child. She had paid thirty paise like everyone else