The Prince of Panidihing
Unit: 1 The Prince of Panidihing
📝 Check Your Understanding (Question 1)
Here are the answers to the comprehension questions:
(a) Why did the people of Chitolia and the neighbouring villages panic?
Ans:- The people of Chitolia and the neighbouring villages panicked because it had rained heavily all week, and the swelling water of the Brahmaputra continued rising.
(b) What happened when the embankment at Chitolia village was breached?
Ans:- When the embankment at Chitolia village was breached, huge waves of water broke into the villages. The air quickly filled with the cries and wails of the villagers huddled on house-tops and the mad bellowing of the livestock being swept away.
c) What action did Khagen and his classmates take to rescue the villagers of Chitolia?
Ans:- Khagen and his friends, including Ramen, Dambaru, Dhan, and Abbas, quickly prepared five rafts of banana trunks and Khagen’s father’s boat. They then raced towards Chitolia to rescue the marooned villagers and evacuate them to the high grounds of the school building.
(d) How did Khagen and Dambaru rescue Dr. Hatibaruah and Moni Baidew?
Ans:- Khagen and Dambaru steered their boat toward the hospital quarters at Kotiori where Dr. Hatibaruah and his wife, Moni Baidew, were stranded. After helping them into the boat, the boat capsized due to a strong undercurrent and whirlpool, throwing everyone into the water. Khagen, an expert swimmer, dashed toward Moni Baidew, caught her by the arm, and helped her keep afloat until they reached a mound. The doctor was also rescued and carried to the mound, and eventually, the boys put them back into the righted boat.
(e) Why did the people of the village call Khagen ‘The Prince of Panidihing’?
Ans:- The village folk and his classmates at Nitaipukhuri College called him “The Prince of Panidihing” because he was a brave fellow. The doctor, after being rescued, also exclaimed, “You’re a real Prince” for saving his life.
🔎 Quick Recall (Question 2)
Test your memory of the story with these quick answers:
(a) Who was Khagen? How old was he?
Ans:- Khagen was a young man from Borgaon village who studied at Nitaipukhuri College and was known as the Prince of Panidihing. He was seventeen years old.
(b) ‘It rained heavily all week.’ What was the result?
Ans:- The result was that the swelling water of the Brahmaputra continued rising, which gripped Chitolia and its neighbouring villages with panic.
(c) ‘In moments, huge waves of water broke into the villages.’ – What is this situation called?
Ans:- Based on the context of the story, this situation, where water breaks into a village due to heavy rain and a breached embankment, is called a flood.
(d) “Khagen! You have saved our lives, given us a new life.” – Who said this? Why did he say this?
Ans:- Dr. Hatibaruah said this. He said this because Khagen had rescued him and his wife, Moni Baidew, from their stranded hospital quarters at Kotiori and then saved them again after their boat capsized in a whirlpool during the flood.
✍️ Sentence Completion (Question 3)
Complete the following sentences using information from the story:
(a) The water rolled over some of the house-tops and the air quickly filled with the cries and wails of the village folk huddled on roof-tops and the mad bellowing of the livestock being swept away.
(b) By the time the people of Chitolia were evacuated, Khagen and his friends were exhausted, but they still had the work of making arrangements for food and water for the people sheltered in the school building, and informing the civil authorities at Demow.
(c) Half an hour later, the boat reached the doctor’s house and narrowly missed crashing into the railing of the verandah.
(d) The boat took a U turn now and it began to move swiftly with the current, but then a strong undercurrent almost pulled at the boat like a magnet, catching it in a whirlpool which caused it to capsize.
(e) Dambaru and the two other men somehow managed to catch hold of the capsized boat that had almost been swept away and also managed to bail out the water with the tubs tied to the boat.
📰 Newspaper Summary (Question 4)
Here is a summary of the situation in Panidihing to be published in the local newspaper, based on the clues provided:
“The Prince of Panidihing” Leads Heroic Flood Rescue
Following a week of heavy rain, panic gripped Chitolia and neighbouring villages as the Brahmaputra’s water rose and the embankment was breached. Villagers took immediate shelter on rooftops, while heroes from neighbouring villages, like Khagen, a young man of seventeen, rushed to help. In no time, rafts made from banana trunks and a boat were ready. Hundreds of marooned villagers, along with their livestock, were rescued and evacuated to the high grounds of the school building. The civil authorities at Demow were also informed immediately to ensure further aid. The community’s swift and collective response proved crucial in saving lives and property.
🧠 Grammar: Adverbs (Question 5)
(b) More Practice with Adverbs
Here are the adverbs underlined, along with their types, based on the definitions given in the lesson:
Sentence Adverb Type of Adverb
(i) Khagen quickly grasped the situation. quickly Adverb of Manner
(ii) He will stay here. here Adverb of Place/Position
(iii) The civil authorities at Demow had to be informed immediate. immediately Adverb of Time
(iv) He had done it already. already Adverb of Time
(v) He is strong enough to steer the raft. enough Adverb of Degree
(vi) Since when has the doctor been stranded? Since when Interrogative Adverb
(vii) Moni Baidew is too afraid to board the boat. too Adverb of Degree
🗣️ Consonant Clusters (Question 6)
(b) Words from the Lesson
The following words from the list in Activity 6 (a) can be found in the lesson “The Prince of Panidihing”:
* steered
* stranded
* scared
* steadily
* strong
* straight (Implied in the sentence structure, though ‘gracefully’ is used in the final movement. Using ‘straight’ makes sense in the context of steering a boat.)
Five sentences made with words from the box:
i) Steered: The fleet of rafts with Khagen’s boat in the lead now steered towards Chitolia.
ii) Scared: Moni Baidew was greatly scared to step into the boat rocking in the water.
iii) Stand: We must stand together to help the people affected by the flood.
iv) Strong: A strong undercurrent almost pulled at the boat like a magnet.
v) Steadily: The boat was now quite heavy… But it moved on steadily.
📇 Word Card Sentences (Question 7)
Working in groups, here are five sentences matching the events in the story, using the provided word cards (the first one is done for you):
* That morning a loud roar alerted the riverside villagers.
* Half an hour later the boat reached the doctor’s house.
* She got into the boat so scared.
* Khagen steered the boat into the river.
* An hour later they reached the school house (Paraphrased from evacuation to the school building and the time taken).
📝 Newspaper Report (Question 8)
(c) Khagen’s Newspaper Report
Here is a newspaper report written from the perspective of Khagen, using the required points and information from the lesson:
Flood Fury in Chitolia: Local Heroes Lead Swift Rescue
By Khagen, Borgaon
Borgaon, Date: [Insert Date of Incident]
Continuous, heavy rainfall all week caused the Brahmaputra to swell, leading to a catastrophic flood. The worst was realized this morning when the embankment at Chitolia village was breached, plunging Chitolia and its neighbouring villages into panic.
The villages were inundated as huge waves of water broke in, covering house-tops and causing the cries of villagers and the mad bellowing of livestock to fill the air. Lives and property were severely affected, as many were marooned.
In response to the crisis, a team of local youth, including myself, swung into action. In no time, we prepared five rafts from banana trunks and used my father’s boat. We raced towards Chitolia, steering our small fleet to rescue the stranded. The rescue operations were carried out swiftly; we managed to evacuate the people of Chitolia to the high grounds of the school building, which has been set up as a relief camp. We also rescued Dr. Hatibaruah and his wife from their hospital quarters at Kotiori after a daring maneuver and a mid-river accident.
The civil authorities at Demow were immediately informed of the situation and the need for aid. As of now, the camp is operational, but continuous support is needed for food, water, and medical care, which Dr. Hatibaruah is now helping to provide.
📖 Diary Entry (Question 9)
Diary Entry: A Night of Rescue
11/09/2025
9:30 PM
Dear Diary,
What a day. It’s hard to believe I’m finally sitting down, even for a moment. The heavy rain all week finally led to the worst: a loud roar this morning alerted the riverside villagers that the embankment at Chitolia had breached. Panic gripped everyone, including my own village, Borgaon.
I knew there was no time to lose. I immediately shouted to Ramen and the others—Dambaru, Dhan, and Abbas—and we quickly prepared five rafts of banana trunks and my father’s boat. My first step was to help my own family move to a safe spot, and then I dashed to organize the rescue. We worked non-stop to evacuate the villagers from Chitolia, ferrying them to the high grounds of the school building.
Later, Naren kai shouted that Dr. Hatibaruah and Moni Baidew were stranded. Dambaru and I took the boat and steered towards the dispensary. The rescue was nearly a disaster when a whirlpool capsized our boat. I didn’t think—I just reacted. As an expert swimmer, I plunged in, catching Moni Baidew and helping both her and the doctor to a safe mound.
The doctor thanked me, saying I saved their lives. It was an emotional moment when he remembered treating my mom. Knowing I helped pay back a kindness made it all worthwhile. The civil authorities at Demow were also informed immediately to bring further aid. I feel utterly exhausted but also immensely proud. They called me “The Prince of Panidihing” again. Maybe I earned it today.
🚑 Notice for a Free Health Camp (Question 11)
Here is a notice for the school noticeboard:
NOTICE
Subject: Free Health Camp for Flood Victims
Date: October 19, 2025
This is to inform all students and the general public that the school is organizing a Free Health Camp to provide medical assistance to the victims of the recent floods in Chitolia and the neighboring areas. Medical professionals, including Dr. Hatibaruah, will be available.
Details of the Camp:
* Date: 21/10/2025
* Time: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
* Venue: School Building Relief Camp (High Grounds)
We urge all volunteers and students to assist in guiding the flood-affected people to the camp. Let us show our support and solidarity to our community.
[Signature]
[Khagen]
Class VIII
Would you like me to help you draft a Plan of Action for the Project Work (Question 10) to provide relief to flood victims?