WATCHMAN OF THE
LAKE
R. K. Narayan
I. Answer the
following in a word, a phrase or a sentence each:
1. Why were the roads being repaired in Mara’s village in
‘The Watchman of the Lake’?
a) The king would
pass next day b) The king
would pass same day
c) The king would
pass day after tomorrow
Ans: a) The king
would pass next day
2. Who did the village headman consider as a ‘lunatic’ in
‘The Watchman of the Lake’?
a) Headman b) Mara c) King
Ans: b) Mara
3. The village headman was angry with Mara
because______________
a. He wanted to marry
his daughter. b. He disturbed the good work.
c. None of the above
Ans: b. He disturbed
the good work.
4. Why was the headman in a hurry to complete the road
work?
a) The king would
pass next day b) The king
would pass same day
c) The king would
pass day after tomorrow
Ans: a) The king
would pass next day
5. The village headman asked Mara to keep away from the
road workers because—
a. He was disturbing
them by talking about his dream
b. He was destroying
the road
c. He was snatching
away the implements of the workers
Ans: a. He was
disturbing them by talking about his dream
6. According to Mara, why was the village headman jealous
of him?
a) Goddess came to
Mara’s dream b) Goddess
blessed Mara
c) Goddess gave a
huge gift
Ans: a) Goddess came
to Mara’s dream
7. Who threatened to lock up Mara if he did not go out of
sight for two days?
a) Headman b) Mara c) King
Ans: a) Headman
8. Who had given the greatest gift to Mara in ’Watchman
of the Lake’?
a) Mara’s wife b) Mara’s mother c) Mara’s father-in-law
Ans: c) Mara’s
father-in-law
9. Who commanded Mara to tell the king to build a tank to
the river Veda?
a) Goddess of clouds b) Goddess of mountain c) Goddess of river
Ans: c) Goddess of
river
10. Who helped Mara to escape from the cellar?
a) Headman b) Bhima c) Ganga
Ans: b) Bhima
11. Where was Mara waiting for the King?
a) On the branch of
tree b) On a table c) On the mountain
Ans: a) On the branch
of tree
12. Why was Mara waiting for the king in a tree?
a) Mara wanted to
tell about his problems
b) Mara wanted to
tell about his children
c) Mara wanted to
tell about his dream
Ans: c) Mara wanted
to tell about his dream
13. When the king was passing through Mara’s village,
there was a sudden confusion as _________.
a. the king fell down
on an unrepaired road.
b. Mara jumped down
from the branches of a tree before the king.
c. someone tried to
attack the king.
Ans: b. Mara jumped
down from the branches of a tree before the king.
14. Who had given Bhima iron decoction when he was a
baby?
a) Bhima’s friend b) Bhima’s wife c) Bhima’s mother
Ans: c) Bhima’s
mother
15. Who was Mara’s Jailor in ‘The Watchman of the Lake’?
a) Headman b) Bhima c) Ganga
Ans: b) Bhima
16. Where was Mara held as a prisoner in ‘The Watchman of
the Lake’?
a) In a cellar behind
old temple
b) In a cellar behind
king’s palace
c) In a cellar behind
post office
Ans: a) In a cellar
behind old temple
17. _____ was bound and thrown into the cellar in ‘The
Watchman of the Lake’.
a. Mara b. Racha c. Bhima
Ans: a) Mara
18. Who had come in Mara’s dream to talk about the tank?
a) Goddess of clouds b) Goddess of mountain c) Goddess of river
Ans: c) Goddess of
river
19. How did Mara manage to draw the attention of the
king?
a. the king fell down
when Mara threw football
b. Mara jumped down
from the branches of a tree before the king.
c. Mara attacked the
king.
Ans: b. Mara jumped
down from the branches of a tree before the king.
20. The command of the Goddess to Mara was to ____
a. wait for the king
in the tree.
b. tell the king to
build a tank for the river Veda.
c. drink iron
decoction to become strong like Bhima.
Ans: b. tell the king
to build a tank for the river Veda.
21. _____ believed that Mara had the grace of the gods
upon him.
a. The Village
headman
b. The fisherman
c. The king
Ans: c. The king
22. Who was initially appointed as the watchman of the
lake by the king in ‘Watchman of the lake’?
a) Mara b) Ganga c) Ganga’s son
Ans: a) Mara
23. According to Mara, the command of the Goddess about
the creatures of the lake was_____
a. One can catch fish
occasionally.
b. Only gulls (birds)
should be caught.
c. Nothing that
flies, swims or walks should ever be killed.
Ans: c. Nothing that
flies, swims or walks should ever be killed.
24. According to Mara, ______ comes down the mountain to
slake its thirst in the dead of the night.
a) Gorilla b) Zebra c) Tiger
Ans: c) Tiger
25. Why did the visitor from the farthest village come to
Mara?
a) For some water
from tank
b) For some food
grains
c) For some
vegetables and fruits
Ans: a) For some
water from tank
26. Mara rushed to the king’s palace because he wanted to
save _____
a. his own life. b. the king. c. the lake.
Ans: c. the lake.
27. Mara was trembling at the king’s palace because,
a. he was afraid of
the king
b. he was afraid of
the safety of his son
c. he was terrified
of the wrath of the Goddess.
Ans: c. he was
terrified of the wrath of the Goddess.
28. Where did Hanuman find Sanjeevini, according to Mara,
in ‘Watchman of the Lake’?
a) On the East side
of Mountain
b) On the West side
of Mountain
c) On the South side
of Mountain
Ans: a) On the East
side of Mountain
29. Who was Mara waiting for, hiding in the tree?
a) Knight b) the King c) Kite
Ans: b) the King
30. What is described as the ‘life-blood of the King’s
subjects’?
a) The water of ocean
b) The water of sea
c) The water of Veda
Ans: c) The water of
Veda
31. Who summoned the king on the torrential night?
a) Mara b) Headman c) Ganga
Ans: a) Mara
32. Name the river mentioned in ‘Watchman of the Lake’.
a) Krishna c) Yamuna c) Veda
Ans: c) Veda
33. What had the Goddess instructed Mara in his dream, in
‘Watchman of the Lake’?
a) Build a tank for
Veda
b) Build a bridge for
Veda
c) Build a bungalow
for Veda
Ans: a) Build a tank
for Veda
34. The Goddess considered river Veda as her________.
a. daughter b. own plaything c. life-blood
Ans: b. own plaything
35. What does the Goddess regard as her own plaything in
‘Watchman of the Lake’?
a) Krishna c) Yamuna c) Veda
Ans: c) Veda
36. What did Mara convey to the king late at night?
a) Goddess had
appeared before him in the evening
b) Goddess had punished
him in the evening
c) Goddess had
blessed him in the evening
Ans: a) Goddess had
appeared before him in the evening
37. What was the command of the Goddess when she appeared
in Mara’s dream for the first time?
a) Build a tank for
Veda
b) Build a bridge for
Veda
c) Build a bungalow
for Veda
Ans: a) Build a tank
for Veda
38. ______ was the mood of the Goddess when she appeared
in Mara’s dream for the first time?
a. Protective,
motherly, and divine.
b. Fierce, unkind and
threatening.
c. Disagreeing,
demanding and commanding.
Ans: a. Protective,
motherly, and divine.
39. What was the mood of the Goddess when she appeared in
front of Mara on the stormy night?
a. Protective,
motherly, and divine.
b. Fierce, unkind and
threatening.
c. Disagreeing,
demanding and commanding.
Ans: b. Fierce,
unkind and threatening.
40. What was the suggestion given by Mara to save the
lake?
a) To cut his hand b) To cut his leg c) To cut his head
Ans: c) To cut his
head
41. What was Mara’s last request to the king before he
sacrificed his life?
a) To make his son’s
son and his son and his generation as watchman
b) To make him king
c) To give him palace
Ans: a) To make his
son’s son and his son and his generation as watchman
42. Who was appointed as the watchman of the lake after
Mara?
a) Mara b) Ganga c) Ganga’s son
Ans: b) Ganga
43. Who ordered Ganga to perform his father’s duties
after the death of Mara?
a) Mara b) Ganga c) The King
Ans: c) The King
44. Whose idol is installed on the top pedestal in the
shrine?
a) Guardian Goddess
of the lake
b) Guardian God of
the lake
c) Guardian God and Goddess
of the lake
Ans: a) Guardian
Goddess of the lake
45. Whose idol is installed on the lower pedestal in the
shrine?
