The Voyage – Class 12 Alternative English AHSEC

The Voyage Class 12

Note for Students: Understanding “The Voyage”

“The Voyage” is an excerpt from the autobiography of the legendary Assamese cultural icon, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika. This piece is not just a travel diary; it’s a heartfelt reflection on identity, culture, and the idea of home. As Hazarika travels from Assam to America in 1949, he observes the world with the keen eye of an artist.

Pay close attention to how his sense of identity evolves. He starts as a man from Assam, but as he moves further away, he begins to feel a deeper connection to India as a whole. The narrative beautifully illustrates how culture—be it music, dance, or food—transcends geographical borders and connects people in profound ways. Hazarika’s journey is both a physical and an internal one, a “long march” toward self-discovery and a broader understanding of the world. This lesson encourages us to think about our own identity and how travel can change our perspective.

Comprehension

This section will help you test your basic understanding of the events and details in Hazarika’s journey.

A. State whether these statements are True or False.

1. Bhupen Hazarika had brought his Rolleiflex from home.
   • Answer: False. (He bought the camera at the port of Aden).
2. The sight of the Egyptian pyramids enthralled Bhupen Hazarika.
   • Answer: False. (He mentions that due to time constraints, he could not visit the Pyramids).
3. Bhupen Hazarika’s companion on the flight from Guwahati to Dumdum was Bhaben Das.
   • Answer: False. (Bhaben Das received him at Calcutta Airport; his family and friends like Syed Abdul Malik were with him at the Guwahati airport).
4. Bhupen Hazarika had a weakness for Kalmou saak.
   • Answer: True.

B. Answer in one or two words.

1. What was the name of the airport situated in Guwahati in 1949?
   • Answer: Kanhikuchi Airport.
2. Who was the Governor of Assam during the inauguration of the airport in Guwahati?
   • Answer: Sir Akbar Hydari.
3. How much was the air fare from Guwahati to Dumdum in 1949?
   • Answer: 55 rupees.
4. In which country is the ‘Temple of the Tooth Relic’ located?
   • Answer: Sri Lanka.
5. What type of leave did the French sailor avail when he came to the shore?
   • Answer: Shore leave.

Short Answer Questions

This section requires you to recall specific details and connect ideas from the text.

C. Answer in a few words each.

1. Name the two locations that Bhupen Hazarika reminisces about in The Voyage.
   • Answer: Hazarika reminisces about Bharalumukh and Uzan Bazar in Guwahati.
2. What did Hazarika consider to be his only aim?
   • Answer: His only aim was to keep going, summed up by the words ‘charaiveti, charaiveti’.
3. The ship set sail later than the scheduled time. How late was the ship?
   • Answer: The ship was one and a half days late.
4. Name the two places associated with Buddhism mentioned by Bhupen Hazarika in ‘The Voyage’.
   • Answer: The two places are Sarnath and Bodh Gaya.
5. Which two Indian states associated with dances, other than Assam, are mentioned by Bhupen Hazarika in ‘The Voyage’?
   • Answer: The two states mentioned are Gujarat (for Garba) and Manipur (for Raas).

Brief and Detailed Answers

These questions require a more detailed analysis of Hazarika’s experiences, feelings, and observations.

D. Answer briefly in your own words.

1. Write a brief account of Hazarika’s stopover in Sri Lanka.
   • Answer: During his stopover in Sri Lanka, Hazarika felt a deep cultural connection to the place. He visited the city of Kandy, home to the Temple of the Tooth Relic, which reminded him of Buddhist sites in India like Sarnath and Bodh Gaya. He was particularly moved by a local dance performance, Yakuma Natum, which he found strikingly similar to the deodhani nrittya of Assam. This experience made him reflect on the unifying power of culture that transcends national boundaries.
2. Briefly present your view about Hazarika’s experience of visiting a Sri Lankan family home.
   • Answer: Hazarika’s visit to a modern Sri Lankan family home left him feeling conflicted. He observed a piano, a Madonna painting by a European artist, and children singing English songs. This made him feel as if he were in Shillong, not a foreign country, and he questioned where the “real Lanka” had gone. His experience highlights the influence of Western culture and made him ponder the loss of indigenous identity in a post-colonial world.
3. Present your views on the food and flavours mentioned by Hazarika in ‘The Voyage’.
   • Answer: Food and flavours in “The Voyage” serve as powerful triggers for memory and nostalgia. While in Sri Lanka, the sight of the island reminds Hazarika of the Kalmou saak his grandmother used to cook. This leads him to long for other distinct Assamese flavours like khar, tenga, and bamboo shoot. These mentions show how deeply food is tied to one’s sense of home and cultural identity, and how being far away can intensify the craving for familiar tastes.
4. How does Bhupen Hazarika recount his feeling about being an Indian as he moves forward in his journey? Give a brief description. (AHSEC 2022)
   • Answer: As Bhupen Hazarika travels further from home, his identity expands from being just an Assamese to being an Indian. He notes that when one is in Calcutta, they remember all of Assam, but as soon as one leaves India, a love for the entire country emerges. He stops thinking about whether The Assam Tribune is an Assamese or Indian paper, or whether he himself is Assamese or Indian. This shows a profound shift in perspective, where distance fosters a broader, more inclusive national identity.

E. Answer in detail.

1. Present an overview of Bhupen Hazarika’s experience during the course of his journey abroad from your reading of ‘The Voyage’.
   • Answer: Bhupen Hazarika’s journey abroad in 1949 was a multi-faceted adventure that shaped his worldview. Starting with a dramatic incident at Guwahati’s Kanhikuchi Airport where he almost left his passport behind, his voyage was unconventional. He chose a route through various countries by air, sea, and land to observe different cultures. In Sri Lanka, he was struck by the cultural similarities with India, especially in dance forms. His journey by ship from Colombo to Marseille was filled with unique experiences: he bought a Rolleiflex camera in Aden, observed the lack of development in Djibouti, and was inspired by the news of Mao Zedong’s Long March in Cairo. Two incredible moments at sea left a lasting impact on him: witnessing a rare star above the crescent moon and seeing the sea lit up by phosphorescent fish. Throughout this journey, Hazarika’s identity evolved from regional to national, and he constantly reflected on the themes of culture, home, and the universal human spirit, guided by the principle of ‘charaiveti, charaiveti’—to keep moving forward.
2. ‘Bhupen Hazarika’s representation is not merely an account of a journey; it is also a narrative about the convergence of cultures in different locations.’ Comment on the statement based on your reading of ‘The Voyage’. (AHSEC 2022)
   • Answer: This statement is entirely accurate. Bhupen Hazarika’s “The Voyage” transcends a simple travelogue to become a profound commentary on cultural convergence. Hazarika actively seeks out and reflects upon the connections between different cultures.
     • In Sri Lanka: He doesn’t just see a foreign country; he sees a reflection of his own culture. The Buddhist echoes in Kandy remind him of Sarnath and Bodh Gaya, creating a spiritual link. More powerfully, the Yakuma Natum demon dance makes him recall Assam’s deodhani nrittya, and he notes similarities between South Indian dances and the Garba of Gujarat and Raas of Manipur. He marvels at how culture unites people, asking, “Do rivers not cross continents to unify in the sea?”
     • On the Ship: On his sea voyage, he feels a sense of familiarity with the Indochinese passengers, whose attire reminds him of women in Manipur or an Ahom village. This shows his ability to find a piece of home even among strangers from different lands.
     • Universal Human Experience: Hazarika’s journey is a quest to understand form and connection, not just content. He concludes that culture is an aspect of life where “geographic boundaries do not exist.” His narrative is a testament to the idea that while nations may have borders, the threads of art, music, dance, and shared human experience weave a single, unified tapestry across the globe. Thus, the journey is a vehicle for a larger exploration of cultural harmony.