Get AHSEC Class 12 Memoirs of A Chota Sahib Question answers prepared as per academic session 2025. HS 2nd Year Memoirs of A Chota Sahib Solution with most important questions can be a great resource for your preparation.
About AHSEC Class 12 English Memoirs of A Chota Sahib
Memoirs of a Chota Sahib” by John Rowntree is a fascinating book included in the AHSEC (Assam Higher Secondary Education Council) Class 12 curriculum. This memoir offers a vivid account of Rowntree’s experiences as a British officer in Assam during the last years of British colonial rule in India.
Brief Summary of Memoirs of A Chota Sahib by John Rowntree AHSEC Class 12
The writer arrives in Gauhati after a long journey and finds the weather bearable. His bungalow by the Brahmaputra River offers a beautiful view, including Peacock Island with a Hindu temple, though he only sees monkeys there.
As the weather changes, the river shrinks, bringing Peacock Island closer to the mainland. People believed that if the channel between the island and the mainland dried up completely, it would mark the end of British rule in India. The writer is unsure if this happened by the time India gained independence in 1947.
Gauhati is an important entry port to Assam, and the writer experiences unusual visitors like a tiger washed up by a flood. He describes challenges like finding clean water and dealing with wildlife in nearby sanctuaries.
Assam’s north bank has unique features, like drying rivers and plenty of wildlife, including peafowl and rhinos. The writer’s job includes building camps for the Governor, which earns him thanks.
The south bank of the Brahmaputra feels more homely with dense forests and comfortable bungalows, though some have problems like bats. The writer enjoys the beautiful surroundings and wildlife despite these issues.
Travel is hard during the rainy season due to flooding and malaria. Muddy roads make journeys risky. The writer recalls an incident where his car slipped into a paddy field but managed to get back on the road.
Before the rains, the roads are very dusty, making travel difficult and dangerous. Road hazards are hidden under dust clouds.
The south bank has easier terrain with forests and valleys. The writer likes Kulsi, surrounded by teak and rubber plantations. The teak grows quickly but isn’t top quality, and rubber trees are no longer commercially tapped.
Despite the challenges, the writer has fond memories of his time in Assam.
Assam Board Class 12 English Notes for 2025 Exam
CHAPTER 5: MEMOIRS OF A CHOTA SAHIB
AHSEC Class 12 Memoirs of A Chota Sahib Very Short Questions Answers (1 Marks)
1. Who is the ‘Chota Sahib’ in the ‘Memoirs of a Chota Sahib’? (AHSEC 2015, 2018)
ANS: The Chota Sahib mentioned in the “Memoirs of Chota Sahib” is John Rowntree.
2. What position did John Rowntree hold before leaving Shillong a few days after independence? (AHSEC 2016)
Ans: John Rowntree held the position of Senior Conservator of Forests of Assam a few days before independence.
3. Where did John Rowntree and his family make their first home at Guwahati? (AHSEC 2017)
Ans: John Rowntree and his family made their first home in a bungalow at Guwahati.
4. How did John Rowntree find the weather when he arrived at Gauhati? (AHSEC 2018)
Ans: John Rowntree found the weather cold but it was getting controllable and the climate was also becoming bearable when he arrived at Guwahati.
5. How was John Rowntree related to Assam?
ANS: He was the last British Senior Conservator of Forests of Assam.
6. Here, in the lesson, the writer mentions about an Island. What is it?
ANS: Peacock Island.
7. Where is Peacock Island situated?
ANS: At Guwahati.
8. “Sometimes we had unusual visitors”. Who were these unusual visitors?
ANS: Animals, one of which was a tiger.
9. What was the head quarter of the Kamrup District?
Ans: Guwahati.
10. What was the bordering Himalayan state of Manas Sanctuary?
ANS: Bhutan
11. What was the favourite site for the Governor’s Christmas camps?
ANS: The bank of the rivers of Assam.
12. What was the task given upon him by the Governor?
ANS: The writer’s task was to build Christmas Camps on the bank of the rivers.
13. Why are the paddy fields divided into small enclosures?
ANS: To prevent the flood water running away.
14. Where were the two bungalows situated?
ANS: One at Kulsi and another at Rajapara.
15. What disturbed the writer at Rajapara bungalow?
ANS: Bats.
16. What type of trees surrounded the bungalow at Kulsi?
ANS: Teak trees.
17. Where was the Hindu temple mentioned by John Rowntree located?
ANS: The Hindu temple mentioned by John Rowntree was located on Peacock Island.
18. Here, in the lesson, the writer men..ons about an Island. What is it?
ANS: Peacock Island.
19. What lived in a tree outside the bungalow at Rajapara?
ANS: There lived the huge fruit-eating bats with a wing span of five feet outside the bungalow at Rajapara.
20. What animals did the author discover in Peacock Island ? [AHSEC 2024]
ANS:- The author discovers monkeys on Peacock Island.
AHSEC Class 12 Memoirs of A Chota Sahib Short Answer Questions 2 Marks
1. What was the belief about the dividing channel between Peacock Island and the main land of Guwahati? (AHSEC 2015)
ANS: The author Rowntree mentions that the dividing channel between the Peacock Island and the mainland Guwahati was becoming narrower with each passing year and there was a belief cold weth that if this channel ever dried up completely it would mean the end of British Raj.
2. What does Rowntree state about the large ‘bheel’ close to the bungalow at Rajapara?(AHSEC 2015)
ANS: Rowntree states that there was a large “Bheel ” close to the bungalow where an earthquake had once lowered the surface, and the land became inundated with water. According to him it was an eerie spot where tree skeletons still rose out of water which bring back memories into one’s mind that it was once a dry land.
3. Give a brief description of Peacock Island. (AHSEC 2016)
ANS: The Peacock Island was situated im the middle of the Brahmaputra river. It can be seen from the veranda of Rowntree’s bungalow. There was a Hindu Temple in the Peacock Island and its dome was just visible through the tress if viewed from the veranda. Unlike its name peacocks were nowhere to be found and only monkeys roamed the island.
4. What does Rowntree say about the river banks in Manas Sanctuary? (AHSEC 2017)
ANS: Rowntree said that the river banks were the favourite site for the Governor’s Christmas camps and it was his duty to build it for which he sometimes receive letter of thanks from him.
5. What unusual visitor did Rowntree have in his bungalow one night?(HS 2018)
ANS: John Rowntree mentioned that the unusual visitor was a tiger which was perhaps washed up by a flood. He also informed that he got the pug marks of the large cat which were traccable seen in their compound.
6. Why did Rowntree like the forest bungalow at Kulsi ?
ANS: The bungalow at Kulsi was located ona wooden spur above the river and was comfortable and delightful. That is why Rowntree liked the forest bungalow at kulsi.
7. What does Rowntree talk often in “Memoirs of a Chota Sahib”
ANS: Rowntree often talks about the time he spent in Guwahati and its neighbouring areas in the ” Memoirs of a Chota Sahib”.
8. What information does the author give us about Manas Wild Life Sanctuary?
ANS: The author gives a very less information on Manas Wild Life Sanctuary. He says that in the Manas Sanctuary which was bordering the Himalayan state of Bhutan, there were few rhinos. There were full of mahseer (fish) in the rivers.
9. Describe the author’s experience of crossing a flooded river on horseback on the North Bank of the Brahmaputra.
ANS: Once, the narrator crossed a flooded river on horseback. With difficulty, he persuaded his horse to plunge into the water, then slipped over his croup and hung on to his tail, which he was able to use as a rudder. When the narrator pushed the horse to the right, it veered to the left and when he pushed to the left, the horse veered to the right and in this way, eventually they made a safe landing on the other side of the river.
10. Briefly describe the scene observed by the author from the veranda of his bungalow on the bank of the Brahmaputra.
ANS:The author Rowntree described that from the veranda of his bungalow he had a splendid vie of the river and its shipping and, beyond, the Himalayas. In the forground was Peacock Island, with the dome of a Hindu Temple just visible through the trees.
11. What is the belief about the dividing channel between the Peacock Island and the mainland of Guwahati that the author mentions?
ANS: The author Rowntree mentions that the dividing channel between the Peacock Island and the mainland Guwahati was becoming narrower with each passing year and there was a belief that if this channel ever dried up completely it would mean the end of British Raj.
12. What does the author says about the importance of Guwahati? Is this statement true in our time today also?
ANS:The author Rowntree says that Guwahati was a signi..cant place during his tenure in Assam as it served as an entry point to people who wanted to travel to Assam. In his time people travelling to Calcutta and Shillong or to districts further up the valley they had to pass through Assam on their way. Sometimes people also tend to stay overnight at Guwahati during their journey. Yes, the statement is also true in our time today also.
13. What character of the North Bank of the Brahmaputra does the author refer to?
ANS: The author Rowntree says that the North Bank of the Brahmaputra had a character of its own. He de that it was a vast, remote stretch of..at, ageless land between the sandbanks of Brahmaputra and the Himalayan foothills. He further plains that it was a strange place, where the rivers dried up in hot weather or suddenly disappeared under ground. He also added that there were numerous bheels replete with wildfowl, peafowl strutted through the grass..
14. What information does the author give us about Manas Wild life Sanctuary?
ANS: The author Rowntree tells us that the Manas Wild Life Sanctuary was bordering the Himalayan state of Bhutan and few rhinos were present there. He also says that the rivers were full with mahseer, and their banks were favourite site for the Governor’s Christmas camps and it was his task to build it.
15. Relate the author’s reminiscence of the forest bungalow at Kulsi.
ANS: The forest bungalow at Kulsi was situated at the South Bank. The reserved forests mostly consisted of sal trees more like a English woodland. The bungalow there was delightfully situated on a wooden spur above the river.
16. Who was John Rowntree? [AHSEC 2024]
ANS:- John Rowntree, the author of “Memoirs of a Chota Sahib,” recounts his experiences while residing in Gauhati. His narrative describes the grandeur of the Brahmaputra River, strange visits, and challenges faced during his stay in Assam.He was the last British Senior Conservator of the Forests of Assam.
17. What information does the author give us about Manas Wildlife Sanctuary? [AHSEC 2024]
ANS:-The author Rowntree tells us that the Manas Wild Life Sanctuary was bordering the Himalayan state of Bhutan and few rhinos were present there. . He also says that the rivers were full with mahseer, and their banks were a favourite site for the Governor’s Christmas camps and it was his task to build it.
AHSEC Class 12 Memoirs of A Chota Sahib Long Answer Questions 5 Marks
1. Describe Rowntree’s experience of crossing a flooded . river on horseback. (AHSEC 2016)
ANS: The author Rowntree had a terrible experience of flood while he was in Assam. He describes that during the rainy season many problems arises in the North Bank. One such big problem was flood. Once he tried to cross the river on horseback during the floods but it was very difficult he somehow persuaded his mount to plunge into the water but he suddenly slipped over his croup and hung on to the tail of the horse which he used as a rudder. He observed that when he pushed it to the right the horse veered to the left and vice versa.Eventually, he and his horse managed to made a safe landing on the other side of the river.
2. Relate Rowntree’s experiences of floods in Assam. (AHSEC 2018)
ANS:The author narrated two instances of experiencing flood on the North Bank of the Brahmaputra during the monsoon. Once he forded one of the flooded rivers on horseback. It was not an easy task. He persuaded his mount to plunge into water with great difficulty. However he slipped over his croup the next moment and hung on to the horse’s tail. Later he discovered that the tail can be used as a rudder. Both he and his horse came out of the deadly situation without any injuries and made it to the other side of the Brahmaputra.
In another instance, he was travelling with his family on the North Bank. Before they could safely return the monsoon broke out. Driving through the roads became extremely dangeorus and most of the roads were built upon embankments in order to raise above normal flood level. Further, these roads were narrow and singletrack affairs. Rowntree and his family had to experience a bumpy ride before they could find their way back onto the road. The road they were on was motorable but slippery so one skid led to another and eventually they slithered over the edge into a paddy field some six feet below the road.
3. Why, according to the author, during the rainy season, life in the north bank was miserable?
ANS: According to the author, during the cold days, the north bank of the Brahmaputra River was delightful. But in the rainy season, it was best to avoid the place as it was the hot bed of malaria disease. Travelling at this time may also cause problems. The rivers were over flooded and the bamboo bridges erected at the start of the cold weather were washed away. These bridges swayed and creaked alarmingly when a car passed through it, but were immensely strong and extremely useful. Once, the narrator crossed one of these flooded rivers on horseback. With difficulty, he persuaded his horse to plunge into the water, them slipped over his croup and bung on to his tail, which he was able to use as a rudder. When the narrator pushed the horse to the right, it veered to the left and when he pushed to the left, the horse veered to the right and in this way, eventually they made a safe landing on the other side of the river.
4. How does the narrator describe his experience on the dusty road of Assam?
ANS: The narrator gives a vivid description of the dusty roads of Assam of that..me. When they started their travel, before the rain broke, the roads, were so dry that the surface was almost invisible because of the dust. Driving was very difficult and on one could say whether he would be able to reach is destination safely or not. At one place, construc..on of road had been in progress and one of the favourite hazards of roads workers, a raised ground (ramp), lay concealed from sight under dust cloud. There were no warnings signs used for the travelers, or if there were, those were invisible because of dust. It was about six inches high. In the car, there were, the narrator, his wife, the baby and her ayah, their servants and other camp equipments. It was strange that not a single spring of the car was broken and the writer expressed his gratitude towards the engineers but at the same ..me he says that their bones were left unbroken as because they were packed like sardine fished in the car.
5. Give a geographical description of Guwahati as mentioned by the author.
Ans. The narrator gives a geographical loca..on of Guwahati Guwahati was the headquarter of the Kamrup district. It was extended to both of the banks of the river Brahmaputra. The north bank had its own characteristics-a vast, lonely flat ageless land between the sandbanks of the Brahmaputra and the Himalayan foothills. It was a strange place as the rivers dried up in the hot weather or suddenly disappeared under ground. The narrator says that sometimes they had hard ..mes for water. They had to dig for water, which was 50 dirty that it had to be cleaned by dropping into the bucket to precipitate the mud. There were numerous heels (wet lands) full with wild fowl peafowl walked through the grass. In the Manas Sanctuary which was bordering the Himalayan state of Bhutan, there were few rhinos There were full of mahseer (fish) in the rivers.
6. Relate the author’s experience of the road accident during the monsoon on the North Bank.
ANS: The author Rowntree was once touring with his family on the North Bank. They could not feturn on time as the monsoon broke. The roads were still motorable but driving through the roads became very dangerous. The roads were narrow, single-track affairs and to raise them well above the normal flood level most of it were built on top of embankments. Rowntree and his family came on one such road which had turned greasy and one skid led to another forcing them to reach paddy field some six feet below the road. He and his family finally found their way back onto the road after having a bumpy rides throughout their path.
7. Briefly describe the scene observed by the author from the veranda of his bungalow on the bank of the Brahmaputra.
ANS: The author gives a very beautiful description of the scene observed from the veranda of his bungalow. The bungalow was situated on the bank of the river Brahmaputra and from it, the view of the river is very distinct and beautiful. In front of the bungalow was a raised portico and it was used as a car port and on top, a veranda from which the narrator and his companions had a splendid view of the river and its shipping and even the Himalayas. In the centre was the Peacock Island with a Hindu temple, and the dome of the temple was only visible through the trees. The narrator jokes saying that though the name of the temple was Peacock, he only saw there monkeys, not peacocks.
8. Relate the author’s observation on the use of mar boats as a mode of river transport in Assam.
ANS: Mar is a ferry consisting of a plank platform covering two open boats placed alongside one another. These were either paddled across the river or connected by a running cable to another stretched across the river, were propelled from one side to the other by the force of the current. During the floods mar boats were used to cross the river. The author observed that it was a tedious performance but worked very well. Contant adjustments had to be made to allow the rise and fall of the river. A whole series of ghats, or landing places,had to be constructed at different levels on the river bank. But traffic was light and although crossing took time, there were few delays.
9. What character of the North Bank of the Brahmaputra does the author refer to?
Ans: The north bank had its own characteristics-a vast, lonely flat ageless land between the sandbanks of the Brahmaputra and the Himalayan foothills. It was a strange place as the rivers dried up in the hot weather or suddenly disappeared under ground. The narrator says that sometimes they had hard times for water. They had to dig for water, which was so dirty that it had to be cleaned by dropping into the bucketto precipitate the mud. There were numerous bheels (wet lands) full with wild fowl, peafowl walked through the grass. In the Manas Sanctuary which was bordering the Himalayan state of Bhutan, there were few rhinos. There were full of mahseer (fish) in the rivers.
10. Describe the author’s experience with bats in the Rajapara forest bungalow.
Ans: The Rajapara forest bungalow was equally delightful and charming like the one at Kulsi which served the needs of the author Rowntree but bats lived in the roof of that bungalow for which he had bad experience. Thepresence of the bats was contantly reminded by the droppings and their fustly smell always remained with them.Moreover, there were less smelly but huge fruit – eating bats with a wing span of five feet which lived in atree outside the bungalow. They would come out from the tree in search of food at dusk which appeared to Rowntree like a strange host of ghostly shapes gliding through the air on silent wings.
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Last Words
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