Fire-Hymn Questions & Answers

Q.1. Who wrote the poem "Fire-Hymn"?

Ans- It is Keki N. Daruwalla, who wrote this poem.

Q.2. How did the passer-by get frightened?

Ans- The passer-by got frightened to see the burning dead bodies and other dreadful scenes at the ghat.

Q.3. Where do you think is the ghat located?

Ans- The ghat is located on the bank of the river.

Q.4. In what sense does the fire forget its dead?

Ans- The fire forgets its dead in the scene that it leaves sometimes the dead body half-burnt. It forgets to turn the body into ashes completely.

Q.5. What does the poet see in the morning at the ghat?

Ans- The poet sees the red hot embers still glowing many hours after a dead body has been cremated.

Q.6. When does the sight of burning becomes frightening?

Ans- The sight of burning becomes frightening at night.

Q.7. What is the meaning of the fire forgetting its dead?

Ans- It means that sometimes the fire does not turn the whole dead body into ashes.

Q.8. Who was passing along with the poet by the cremation-ghat?

Ans- It was the father of the poet along with him passing by the cremation-ghat.

Q.9. Which event does the expression 'the burning ghat' refer to?

Ans- The expression 'the burning ghat' refers to that place where dead bodies are cremated after death.

Q.10. Why does he say that the redness of the fire is cruel?

Ans- He says that the redness of the fire is so cruel that it swallows everything.

Q.11. What does the poet see/observe in the morning at the ghat?

Ans- The poet sees/observes pieces of wood and coal, not burning but are still red in the morning at the ghat.

Q.12. Why did he consign his first-born to the flames?

Ans- He consigned his first-born to the flames because the nearest 'Tower of Silence' was a thousand miles away.

Q.13. What did the 'Fire-Hymn' say to him?

Ans- The Fire-Hymn said to him that it had forgiven him. Now it has taken an oath to overlook & pardon him this time for the sin he had committed.

Q.14. Was the poet 'Hindu' by religion?

Ans- No, the poet was not 'Hindu' by religion.

Q.15. What was the religion of the poet?

Ans- The religion of the poet was Parsi.

Q.16. Why does the speaker reveal his religious identity?

Ans- The speaker reveals his religious identity by saying that he is a Parsi by birth, because according to their belief there is always a struggle between the fores of light and dark. So, they dispose of the dead bodies on a structure called 'Tower of Silence'.