1. Which sea beach is mentioned in the poem Dawn at Puri ?
Ans: Puri sea beach is mentioned here.
2. Why is Puri sea beach famous for?
Ans: Puri sea beach is famous for Temple Lord Jagannath.
3. What does the poet see on the sea beach?
Ans : The poet Jayanta Mahapatra sees a human skull on the sand of Puri sea beach.
4. Endless crow noises”- Where does the poet observe this scene? What was the time?
Ans : The poet hears the crows’ endless noises at Puri sea beach.
The time was dawn.
5. “tilts its empty country towards hunger”- What tilts its empty country towards hunger?
Ans: A human skull of a unburnt dead body on the Puri sea beach tilts India’s empty economy towards hunger.
6. Who were waiting to enter the Great Jagannath Temple of Puri at dawn?
Ans: A group of widow woman who crossed their half of lives were waiting to enter the Great Jagannath Temple of Puri at dawn.
7. How were the widows dressed? How old were they?
Ans: The widows were dressed inwhite sari.
The widows crossed half of their lives.
8. How were the eyes of the widow women? / “their austere eyes…..” – Explain.
Ans: The eyes of the widow women were austere like the eyes of the fish caught in a net.
9. Why are the eyes of widow women compared to the Eyes of fishes caught in the net?
Ans: When a fish gets caught in a net, it has nothing to do. Similarly, being widow, those women are bound to obey social, religious rule whether they want or not. The cannot break the system.
10. “Past the centres of their lives”- Explain the line?
Ans : This line refers the widow women waiting to enter Jagnnath Temple of Puri at dawn. This lines indicate that those widow women have crossed half of their lives i.e. important part of their lives.
11. “………. and suddenly breaks out of my hide”- What comes out of poet’s hide?
Ans: Suddenly, the memory of poet’s dead mother comes out poet’s hide.
12. What was poet’s mother last wish?
Ans : Poet Jayanta Mahapatra’s mother wanted to be cremated on the holy sea beach of Puru because it was belived to be the Swargadwar to ger rid of earthly bound.
13. Twisting uncertainly like light” –Explain.
Ans. The poet did not believe in spirituality of Puri because under this spirituality there were poverty, division of caste, creed and torments. But his mother wished to be cremate on the sea beach of Puri being sacred. So, In spite of being rational he had to change her thought uncertainl like light on the shifting sand.