Welcome to PoraGhar Axom! If you are searching for comprehensive and easy-to-understand notes for Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom Class 10 (X) English Lesson 2, you have come to the right place. Our solutions are fully updated according to the newly formed ASSEB DIVISION I structure, while also perfectly catering to the traditional SEBA Board Class 10 syllabus that students strictly follow. In this post, we provide a simple English summary, line-by-line Assamese translation, complete textual question-answers, and grammar solutions to help you achieve top marks in your upcoming HSLC board exams.
Table of Contents đ
- ► Quick Chapter Summary of Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
- 1. Line-by-Line Assamese Translation
- 2. Oral Comprehension Check – 1 Answers
- 3. Oral Comprehension Check – 2 Answers
- 4. Oral Comprehension Check – 3 Answers
- 5. Thinking about the Text (Textual Q&A)
- 6. Thinking about Language (Grammar & Vocabulary)
- 7. Speaking Activity
- 8. Looking at Contrasts
- 9. Expressing Your Opinion
- 10. FAQs on Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom Class 10
Did You Know? (āĻিāĻŦা āĻাāύাāύে?)
Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison before becoming the first black president of South Africa. His resilience and forgiveness made him a global icon of peace and reconciliation.
đ Summary of Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (Class 10)
"Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" is an extract from the autobiography of Nelson Mandela, a prominent figure in the SEBA Class 10 English syllabus. The chapter describes the historic inauguration ceremony on May 10, 1994, marking the end of apartheid and the establishment of South Africa's first democratic, non-racial government. Mandela reflects on the sacrifices of thousands of patriots who fought against racial discrimination. He defines courage not as the absence of fear but the triumph over it, and emphasizes that love is more natural to the human heart than hate. The text concludes with his profound realization of the twin obligations every person holds and the indivisible nature of true freedom.
1. Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom: Line-by-Line Assamese Translation
BEFORE YOU READ
āĻĒāĻĸ়াā§° āĻāĻāϤে
• ‘Apartheid’ is a political system that separates people according to their race.
• ‘āĻŦā§°্āĻŖāĻŦৈāώāĻŽ্āϝ’ (Apartheid) āĻš'āϞ āĻāύে āĻāĻ ā§°াāĻāύৈāϤিāĻ āĻŦ্āĻ¯ā§ąāϏ্āĻĨা āϝিāϝ়ে āĻŽাāύুāĻšāĻ āϤেāĻঁāϞোāĻā§° āĻাāϤি āĻŦা āĻŦā§°্āĻŖā§° āĻāϧাā§°āϤ āĻĒৃāĻĨāĻ āĻā§°ে।
Can you say which of the three countries named below had such a political system until very recently?
āĻāĻĒুāύি āĻ’āĻŦ āĻĒাā§°িāĻŦāύে āϝে āϤāϞāϤ āύাāĻŽ āĻāϞ্āϞেāĻ āĻā§°া āϤিāύিāĻāύ āĻĻেāĻļā§° āĻিāϤ⧰āϤ āĻোāύāĻāύ āĻĻেāĻļāϤ āĻ āϤি āĻļেāĻšāϤীāϝ়াāĻৈ āĻāύে āĻāĻ ā§°াāĻāύৈāϤিāĻ āĻŦ্āĻ¯ā§ąāϏ্āĻĨা āĻāĻিāϞ?
(i) United States of America (ii) South Africa (iii) Australia
(i) āĻāĻŽেā§°িāĻা āϝুāĻ্āϤ⧰াāώ্āĻ্ā§° (ii) āĻĻāĻ্āώিāĻŖ āĻāĻĢ্ā§°িāĻা (iii) āĻ āώ্āĻ্ā§°েāϞিāϝ়া
• Have you heard of Nelson Mandela?
• āĻāĻĒুāύি āύেāϞāĻāύ āĻŽেāĻŖ্āĻĄেāϞাā§° āύাāĻŽ āĻļুāύিāĻেāύে?
Mandela, and his African National Congress, spent a lifetime fighting against apartheid.
āĻŽেāĻŖ্āĻĄেāϞা āĻā§°ু āϤেāĻঁā§° āĻāĻĢ্ā§°িāĻাāύ āύেāĻāύেāϞ āĻংāĻ্ā§°েāĻে āĻŦā§°্āĻŖāĻŦৈāώāĻŽ্āϝ⧰ āĻŦিā§°ুāĻĻ্āϧে āϝুঁāĻ āĻĻি āϏāĻŽāĻ্ā§° āĻীā§ąāύ āĻ āϤিāĻŦাāĻšিāϤ āĻā§°িāĻিāϞ।
Mandela had to spend thirty years in prison.
āĻŽেāĻŖ্āĻĄেāϞাāĻ āϤ্ā§°িāĻļ āĻŦāĻā§° āĻাāϞ āĻাā§°াāĻাā§°āϤ āĻāĻাāĻŦ āϞāĻা āĻšৈāĻিāϞ।
Finally, democratic elections were held in South Africa in 1994, and Mandela became the first black President of a new nation.
āĻ ā§ąāĻļেāώāϤ, ⧧⧝⧝ā§Ē āĻāύāϤ āĻĻāĻ্āώিāĻŖ āĻāĻĢ্ā§°িāĻাāϤ āĻāĻŖāϤাāύ্āϤ্ā§°িāĻ āύিā§°্āĻŦাāĻāύ āĻ āύুāώ্āĻ িāϤ āĻšৈāĻিāϞ āĻā§°ু āĻŽেāĻŖ্āĻĄেāϞা āĻāĻāύ āύāϤুāύ ā§°াāώ্āĻ্ā§°ā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āĻĨāĻŽāĻā§°াāĻী āĻৃāώ্āĻŖাংāĻ ā§°াāώ্āĻ্ā§°āĻĒāϤি āĻšৈāĻিāϞ।
In this extract from his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, Mandela speaks about a historic occasion, ‘the inauguration’.
āϤেāĻঁā§° āĻāϤ্āĻŽāĻীā§ąāύী, 'āϞং ā§ąাāĻ āĻু āĻĢ্ā§°িāĻĄāĻŽ'ā§° āĻĒā§°া āϞোā§ąা āĻāĻ āĻ ংāĻļāĻোāϤ āĻŽেāĻŖ্āĻĄেāϞাāĻ āĻāĻ āĻāϤিāĻšাāϏিāĻ āĻ āύুāώ্āĻ াāύ, ‘āĻāĻĻ্āĻŦোāϧāύী āĻ āύুāώ্āĻ াāύ’ (the inauguration)-ā§° āĻŦিāώāϝ়ে āĻŦā§°্āĻŖāύা āĻā§°িāĻে।
Can you guess what the occasion might be?
āĻāĻĒুāύি āĻ āύুāĻŽাāύ āĻā§°িāĻŦ āĻĒাā§°িāĻŦāύে āĻāĻ āĻ āύুāώ্āĻ াāύāĻো āĻি āĻš'āĻŦ āĻĒাā§°ে?
Check your guess with this news item (from the BBC) of 10 May 1994.
⧧⧝⧝ā§Ē āĻāύ⧰ ā§§ā§Ļ āĻŽে’ā§° āĻāĻ āĻŦাāϤ⧰িāĻোā§° (āĻŦিāĻŦিāĻিā§° āĻĒā§°া āϏংāĻ্ā§°āĻšীāϤ) āϏৈāϤে āĻāĻĒোāύাā§° āĻ āύুāĻŽাāύāĻো āĻŽিāϞাāĻ āĻাāĻāĻ।
news clipping
Mandela Becomes South Africa’s First Black President
āĻŽেāĻŖ্āĻĄেāϞা āĻĻāĻ্āώিāĻŖ āĻāĻĢ্ā§°িāĻাā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āĻĨāĻŽ āĻৃāώ্āĻŖাংāĻ ā§°াāώ্āĻ্ā§°āĻĒāϤি āĻš'āϞ
Nelson Mandela has become South Africa’s first Black President after more than three centuries of White rule.
āϤিāύি āĻļāϤিāĻাāϤāĻৈā§ো āĻ āϧিāĻ āĻাāϞ⧰ āĻļ্āĻŦেāϤাংāĻ āĻļাāϏāύ⧰ āĻ āύ্āϤāϤ āύেāϞāĻāύ āĻŽেāĻŖ্āĻĄেāϞা āĻĻāĻ্āώিāĻŖ āĻāĻĢ্ā§°িāĻাā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āĻĨāĻŽ āĻৃāώ্āĻŖাংāĻ ā§°াāώ্āĻ্ā§°āĻĒāϤি āĻšৈāĻে।
Mr Mandela’s African National Congress (ANC) party won 252 of the 400 seats in the first democratic elections of South Africa’s history.
āĻĻāĻ্āώিāĻŖ āĻāĻĢ্ā§°িāĻাā§° āĻāϤিāĻšাāϏ⧰ āĻĒ্ā§°āĻĨāĻŽāĻো āĻāĻŖāϤাāύ্āϤ্ā§°িāĻ āύিā§°্āĻŦাāĻāύāϤ āĻļ্ā§°ীāϝুāϤ āĻŽেāĻŖ্āĻĄেāϞাā§° āĻāĻĢ্ā§°িāĻাāύ āύেāĻāύেāϞ āĻংāĻ্ā§°েāĻ (ANC) āĻĻāϞে ā§Ēā§Ļā§Ļ āĻāύ āĻāϏāύ⧰ āĻিāϤ⧰āϤ ⧍ā§Ģ⧍ āĻāύ āĻāϏāύ āϞাāĻ āĻā§°ে।
The inauguration ceremony took place in the Union Buildings amphitheatre in Pretoria today, attended by politicians and dignitaries from more than 140 countries around the world.
āĻāĻি āĻĒ্ā§°িāĻোā§°িāϝ়াā§° āĻāĻāύিāϝ়āύ āĻŦিāϞ্āĻĄিংāĻā§° āĻāĻŽ্āĻĒিāĻĨিāϝ়েāĻাā§°āϤ āĻāĻ āĻāĻĻ্āĻŦোāϧāύী āĻ āύুāώ্āĻ াāύ āĻ āύুāώ্āĻ িāϤ āĻšāϝ়, āϝ'āϤ āĻŦিāĻļ্āĻŦā§° ā§§ā§Ēā§Ļ āĻāύāϤāĻৈā§ো āĻ āϧিāĻ āĻĻেāĻļā§° ā§°াāĻāύীāϤিāĻŦিāĻĻ āĻā§°ু āĻāĻŖ্āϝāĻŽাāύ্āϝ āĻŦ্āϝāĻ্āϤিāϏāĻāϞে āĻ ংāĻļāĻ্ā§°āĻšāĻŖ āĻā§°ে।
“Never, never again will this beautiful land experience the oppression of one by another,” said Nelson Mandela in his address.
āύেāϞāĻāύ āĻŽেāĻŖ্āĻĄেāϞাāĻ āϤেāĻঁā§° āĻাāώāĻŖāϤ āĻāϝ়, “āĻāĻ āϧুāύীāϝ়া āĻĻেāĻļāĻāύে āĻেāϤিāϝ়াāĻ, āĻেāϤিāϝ়াāĻ āĻā§°ু āĻāύ āĻāĻāύ⧰ āĻĻ্āĻŦাā§°া āĻāύ āĻāĻāύ⧰ āĻāĻĒā§°āϤ āĻā§°া āĻ āϤ্āϝাāĻাā§°ā§° āϏāύ্āĻŽুāĻীāύ āύāĻš'āĻŦ।”
… Jubilant scenes on the streets of Pretoria followed the ceremony with blacks, whites and coloureds celebrating together...
… āĻ āύুāώ্āĻ াāύāĻোā§° āĻĒিāĻāϤ āĻĒ্ā§°িāĻোā§°িāϝ়াā§° ā§°াāĻāĻĒāĻĨāϤ āĻāύāύ্āĻĻāĻŽুāĻā§° āĻĒā§°িā§ąেāĻļā§° āϏৃāώ্āĻি āĻšāϝ় āϝ'āϤ āĻৃāώ্āĻŖাংāĻ, āĻļ্āĻŦেāϤাংāĻ āĻā§°ু āĻŦā§°্āĻŖāϏংāĻā§° āϞোāĻāϏāĻāϞে āĻāĻেāϞāĻে āĻāĻĻāϝাāĻĒāύ āĻā§°ে...
More than 100,000 South African men, women and children of all races sang and danced with joy.
āϏāĻāϞো āĻŦā§°্āĻŖā§° ā§§ āϞাāĻāϤāĻৈā§ো āĻ āϧিāĻ āĻĻāĻ্āώিāĻŖ āĻāĻĢ্ā§°িāĻাā§° āĻĒুā§°ুāώ, āĻŽāĻšিāϞা āĻā§°ু āĻļিāĻļুā§ąে āĻāύāύ্āĻĻāϤ āĻীāϤ āĻাāϝ় āĻā§°ু āύাāĻে।
TENTH May dawned bright and clear.
ā§§ā§Ļ āĻŽে'ā§° āĻĒুā§ąা āĻāĻিāϞ āĻ āϤিāĻļāϝ় āĻāĻ্āĻ্āĻŦāϞ āĻā§°ু āĻĢā§°āĻাāϞ।
For the past few days I had been pleasantly besieged by dignitaries and world leaders who were coming to pay their respects before the inauguration.
āϝোā§ąা āĻেāĻāĻĻিāύāĻŽাāύ āϧ⧰ি āĻāĻĻ্āĻŦোāϧāύী āĻ āύুāώ্āĻ াāύ⧰ āĻāĻāϤে āϏāύ্āĻŽাāύ āĻāύাāĻŦāϞৈ āĻ āĻšা āĻŦিāĻļ্āĻŦā§° āύেāϤাāϏāĻāϞ āĻā§°ু āĻāĻŖ্āϝāĻŽাāύ্āϝ āĻŦ্āϝāĻ্āϤিāϏāĻāϞে āĻŽোāĻ āĻāύāύ্āĻĻāĻĻাāϝ়āĻāĻাā§ąে āĻā§ąā§°ি ā§°াāĻিāĻিāϞ।
The inauguration would be the largest gathering ever of international leaders on South African soil.
āĻāĻ āĻāĻĻ্āĻŦোāϧāύী āĻ āύুāώ্āĻ াāύāĻো āĻĻāĻ্āώিāĻŖ āĻāĻĢ্ā§°িāĻাā§° āĻŽাāĻিāϤ āĻāύ্āϤঃā§°াāώ্āĻ্ā§°ীāϝ় āύেāϤাāϏāĻāϞ⧰ āϏ⧰্āĻŦāĻŦৃāĻšā§ āϏāĻŽাā§ąেāĻļ āĻš'āĻŦ।
The ceremonies took place in the lovely sandstone amphitheatre formed by the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
āĻĒ্ā§°িāĻোā§°িāϝ়াā§° āĻāĻāύিāϝ়āύ āĻŦিāϞ্āĻĄিংāĻে āĻāĻ āύ āĻā§°া āϧুāύীāϝ়া āĻŦেāϞেāĻĒাāĻĨā§°ā§° āĻāĻŽ্āĻĒিāĻĨিāϝ়েāĻাā§°āϤ āĻāĻ āĻ āύুāώ্āĻ াāύāϏāĻŽূāĻš āĻ āύুāώ্āĻ িāϤ āĻšৈāĻিāϞ।
For decades this had been the seat of white supremacy, and now it was the site of a rainbow gathering of different colours and nations for the installation of South Africa’s first democratic, non-racial government.
āĻĻāĻļāĻ āĻĻāĻļāĻ āϧ⧰ি āĻāĻāĻāύ āĻāĻিāϞ āĻļ্āĻŦেāϤাংāĻā§° āĻāϧিāĻĒāϤ্āϝ⧰ āĻেāύ্āĻĻ্ā§°, āĻā§°ু āĻāϤিāϝ়া āĻ āĻĻāĻ্āώিāĻŖ āĻāĻĢ্ā§°িāĻাā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āĻĨāĻŽāĻāύ āĻāĻŖāϤাāύ্āϤ্ā§°িāĻ, āĻŦā§°্āĻŖāĻŦৈāώāĻŽ্āϝāĻšীāύ āĻā§°āĻাā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āϤিāώ্āĻ াā§° āĻŦাāĻŦে āĻŦিāĻিāύ্āύ āĻŦā§°্āĻŖ āĻā§°ু āĻাāϤিā§° āĻāĻ ā§°াāĻŽāϧেāύু āϏāĻĻৃāĻļ āϏāĻŽাā§ąেāĻļā§° āϏ্āĻĨাāύ āĻšৈ āĻĒā§°িāĻে।
On that lovely autumn day I was accompanied by my daughter Zenani.
āϏেāĻ āϧুāύীāϝ়া āĻļā§°ā§ āĻাāϞ⧰ āĻĻিāύāĻোāϤ āĻŽোā§° āϞāĻāϤ āĻŽোā§° āĻāύ্āϝা āĻেāύাāύি āĻāĻিāϞ।
On the podium, Mr de Klerk was first sworn in as second deputy president.
āĻŽāĻ্āĻāϞৈ āĻৈ āĻĒ্ā§°āĻĨāĻŽে āĻļ্ā§°ীāϝুāϤ āĻĄি āĻ্āϞাā§°্āĻে āĻĻ্āĻŦিāϤীāϝ় āĻāĻĒ-ā§°াāώ্āĻ্ā§°āĻĒāϤি āĻšিāĻাāĻĒে āĻļāĻĒāϤ āĻ্ā§°āĻšāĻŖ āĻā§°ে।
Then Thabo Mbeki was sworn in as first deputy president.
āϤাā§° āĻĒিāĻāϤ āĻĨাāĻŦো āĻāĻŽ্āĻŦেāĻিāϝে āĻĒ্ā§°āĻĨāĻŽ āĻāĻĒ-ā§°াāώ্āĻ্ā§°āĻĒāϤি āĻšিāĻাāĻĒে āĻļāĻĒāϤ āĻ্ā§°āĻšāĻŖ āĻā§°ে।
When it was my turn, I pledged to obey and uphold the Constitution and to devote myself to the wellbeing of the Republic and its people.
āϝেāϤিāϝ়া āĻŽোā§° āĻĒাāϞ āĻāĻšিāϞ, āĻŽāĻ āϏংāĻŦিāϧাāύ āĻŽাāύি āĻāϞিāĻŦāϞৈ āĻā§°ু ā§°āĻ্āώা āĻā§°িāĻŦāϞৈ āĻā§°ু āĻāĻŖā§°াāĻ্āϝ āĻā§°ু āĻāϝ়াā§° āĻāύāϏাāϧাā§°āĻŖā§° āĻŽংāĻāϞ⧰ āĻŦাāĻŦে āύিāĻāĻে āĻāĻā§°্āĻা āĻā§°িāĻŦāϞৈ āĻļāĻĒāϤ āĻ্ā§°āĻšāĻŖ āĻā§°িāϞোঁ।
To the assembled guests and the watching world, I said:
āϏāĻŽāĻŦেāϤ āĻšোā§ąা āĻ āϤিāĻĨিāϏāĻāϞ āĻā§°ু āĻাāĻ āĻĨāĻা āĻŦিāĻļ্āĻŦāĻŦাāϏীāĻ āĻŽāĻ āĻ'āϞোঁ:
Today, all of us do, by our presence here... confer glory and hope to newborn liberty.
āĻāĻি āĻāĻŽাā§° āϏāĻāϞোā§ąে, āĻāϝ়াāϤ āĻāĻŽাā§° āĻāĻĒāϏ্āĻĨিāϤিā§°ে... āĻ¨ā§ąāĻাāϤ āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύāϤাāϞৈ āĻৌā§°ā§ą āĻā§°ু āĻāĻļা āĻāĻĸ়িāϝ়াāĻ āĻāύিāĻোঁ।
Out of the experience of an extraordinary human disaster that lasted too long, must be born a society of which all humanity will be proud.
āĻŦāĻšু āĻĻিāύ āϧ⧰ি āĻāϞি āĻĨāĻা āĻāĻ āĻ āϏাāϧাā§°āĻŖ āĻŽাāĻ¨ā§ąীāϝ় āĻŦিāĻĒā§°্āϝāϝ়ā§° āĻ āĻিāĻ্āĻāϤাā§° āĻĒā§°া āĻāύে āĻāĻāύ āϏāĻŽাāĻā§° āĻāύ্āĻŽ āĻš'āĻŦ āϞাāĻিāĻŦ āϝিāĻāύ āϏāĻŽাāĻāĻ āϞৈ āϏāĻŽāĻ্ā§° āĻŽাāĻ¨ā§ąāĻাāϤি āĻৌā§°ā§ąাāύ্āĻŦিāϤ āĻš'āĻŦ।
We, who were outlaws not so long ago, have today been given the rare privilege to be host to the nations of the world on our own soil.
āĻāĻŽি, āϝিāϏāĻāϞāĻ āĻŦেāĻি āĻĻিāύ āĻšোā§ąা āύাāĻ āĻ āĻĒā§°াāϧী āĻŦুāϞি āĻāĻŖ্āϝ āĻā§°া āĻšৈāĻিāϞ, āĻāĻি āĻāĻŽাā§° āύিāĻā§° āĻŽাāĻিāϤে āĻŦিāĻļ্āĻŦā§° āĻĻেāĻļāϏāĻŽূāĻšāĻ āĻāϤিāĻĨ্āϝ āĻĒ্ā§°āĻĻাāύ āĻā§°াā§° āĻāĻ āĻŦিā§°āϞ āϏুāϝোāĻ āϞাāĻ āĻā§°িāĻোঁ।
We thank all of our distinguished international guests for having come to take possession with the people of our country of what is, after all, a common victory for justice, for peace, for human dignity.
āĻāĻŽি āĻāĻŽাā§° āϏāĻāϞো āĻŦিāĻļিāώ্āĻ āĻāύ্āϤঃā§°াāώ্āĻ্ā§°ীāϝ় āĻ āϤিāĻĨিāĻ āϧāύ্āϝāĻŦাāĻĻ āĻāύাāĻāĻোঁ āĻাā§°āĻŖ āϤেāĻঁāϞোāĻে āĻāĻŽাā§° āĻĻেāĻļā§° āĻāύāϏাāϧাā§°āĻŖā§° āϏৈāϤে āĻāύে āĻāĻ āĻāϝ়āϤ āĻ ংāĻļāĻ্ā§°āĻšāĻŖ āĻā§°িāĻŦāϞৈ āĻāĻšিāĻে, āϝিāĻো āĻāĻāϞāϤে āύ্āϝাāϝ়, āĻļাāύ্āϤি āĻā§°ু āĻŽাāĻ¨ā§ąীāϝ় āĻŽā§°্āϝাāĻĻাā§° āĻāĻ āĻāĻŽৈāĻšāϤীāϝ়া āĻāϝ়।
We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation.
āĻāĻŽি āĻ ā§ąāĻļেāώāϤ āĻāĻŽাā§° ā§°াāĻāύৈāϤিāĻ āĻŽুāĻ্āϤি āϞাāĻ āĻā§°িāϞোঁ।
We pledge ourselves to liberate all our people from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discrimination.
āĻĻā§°িāĻĻ্ā§°āϤা, āĻŦāĻ্āĻāύা, āĻĻুāĻ-āĻāώ্āĻ, āϞিংāĻ āĻā§°ু āĻ āύ্āϝাāύ্āϝ āĻŦৈāώāĻŽ্āϝ⧰ āĻ্ā§°āĻŽাāĻāϤ āĻŦাāύ্āϧোāύ⧰ āĻĒā§°া āĻāĻŽাā§° āϏāĻāϞো āĻāύāϏাāϧাā§°āĻŖāĻ āĻŽুāĻ্āϤ āĻā§°িāĻŦāϞৈ āĻāĻŽি āĻļāĻĒāϤ āĻ্ā§°āĻšāĻŖ āĻā§°িāĻোঁ।
Never, never, and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another.
āĻেāϤিāϝ়াāĻ, āĻেāϤিāϝ়াāĻ, āĻā§°ু āĻেāϤিāϝ়াāĻ āĻāύে āύāĻš'āĻŦ āϝে āĻāĻ āϧুāύীāϝ়া āĻĻেāĻļāĻāύে āĻāĻৌ āĻāĻāύ⧰ āĻĻ্āĻŦাā§°া āĻāύ āĻāĻāύ⧰ āĻāĻĒā§°āϤ āĻā§°া āĻ āϤ্āϝাāĻাā§°ā§° āϏāύ্āĻŽুāĻীāύ āĻš'āĻŦ।
The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement.
āĻāύে āĻāĻ āĻৌā§°ā§ąāĻŽāϝ় āĻŽাāĻ¨ā§ąীāϝ় āϏাāĻĢāϞ্āϝ⧰ āĻŦেāϞি āĻেāϤিāϝ়াāĻ āĻŽাā§° āύাāϝাāĻŦ।
Let freedom reign. God bless Africa!
āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύāϤাā§° ā§°াāĻāϤ্āĻŦ āĻāϞি āĻĨাāĻāĻ। āĻāĻā§ąাāύে āĻāĻĢ্ā§°িāĻাāĻ āĻāĻļীā§°্āĻŦাāĻĻ āĻā§°āĻ!
A few moments later we all lifted our eyes in awe
āĻেāĻ āĻŽুāĻšূā§°্āϤāĻŽাāύ⧰ āĻĒিāĻāϤে āĻāĻŽি āϏāĻāϞোā§ąে āĻŦিāϏ্āĻŽāϝ়āϤ āĻāĻŽাā§° āĻāĻু āĻāĻĒā§°āϞৈ āϤুāϞি āĻাāĻāĻিāϞো
as a spectacular array of South African jets, helicopters and troop carriers roared in perfect formation over the Union Buildings.
āϝেāϤিāϝ়া āĻĻāĻ্āώিāĻŖ āĻāĻĢ্ā§°িāĻাā§° āĻেāĻ, āĻšেāϞিāĻāĻĒ্āϤাā§° āĻā§°ু āϏৈāύ্āϝ āĻāĻĸ়িāĻā§ąা āĻŦিāĻŽাāύ⧰ āĻāĻ āĻĻā§°্āĻļāύীāϝ় āĻļাā§°ীāϝ়ে āĻāĻāύিāϝ়āύ āĻŦিāϞ্āĻĄিংāĻā§° āĻāĻĒā§°েā§°ে āύিāĻুঁāϤ āĻāĻ āύāϤ āĻā§°্āĻāύ āĻā§°ি āĻৈāĻিāϞ।
It was not only a display of pinpoint precision and military force,
āĻāϝ়া āĻেā§ąāϞ āύিā§°্āĻুāϞāϤা āĻā§°ু āϏাāĻŽā§°িāĻ āĻļāĻ্āϤিā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āĻĻā§°্āĻļāύ āύাāĻিāϞ,
but a demonstration of the military’s loyalty to democracy, to a new government that had been freely and fairly elected.
āĻŦā§°āĻ্āĻ āĻāĻŖāϤāύ্āϤ্ā§°ā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āϤি, āĻŽুāĻ্āϤ āĻā§°ু āύিāĻাāĻাā§ąে āύিā§°্āĻŦাāĻিāϤ āĻšোā§ąা āĻāĻāύ āύāϤুāύ āĻā§°āĻাā§°ā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āϤি āϏাāĻŽā§°িāĻ āĻŦাāĻšিāύীā§° āĻāύুāĻāϤ্āϝ⧰ āĻāĻ āύিāĻĻā§°্āĻļāύ āĻāĻিāϞ।
Only moments before, the highest generals of the South African defence force and police,
āĻŽাāϤ্ā§° āĻেāĻ āĻŽুāĻšূā§°্āϤāĻŽাāύ⧰ āĻāĻāϤে, āĻĻāĻ্āώিāĻŖ āĻāĻĢ্ā§°িāĻাā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āϤিā§°āĻ্āώা āĻŦাāĻšিāύী āĻā§°ু āĻā§°āĻ্āώীā§° āϏ⧰্āĻŦোāĻ্āĻ āϏেāύাāĻĒāϤিāϏāĻāϞে,
their chests bedecked with ribbons and medals from days gone by, saluted me and pledged their loyalty.
āϝিāϏāĻāϞ⧰ āĻŦুāĻু āĻ āϤীāϤ⧰ ā§°িāĻŦāύ āĻā§°ু āĻĒāĻĻāĻেā§°ে āϏāĻাāĻ āϤোāϞা āĻšৈāĻিāϞ, āϤেāĻঁāϞোāĻে āĻŽোāĻ āĻাāϞাāĻŽ āĻāύাāĻāĻিāϞ āĻā§°ু āϤেāĻঁāϞোāĻā§° āĻāύুāĻāϤ্āϝ⧰ āĻļāĻĒāϤ āĻাāĻāĻিāϞ।
I was not unmindful of the fact that not so many years before
āĻŽāĻ āĻāĻ āĻāĻĨাāĻোā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āϤি āĻ āĻŽāύোāϝোāĻী āύাāĻিāϞো āϝে āĻŦেāĻি āĻŦāĻā§°ā§° āĻāĻā§° āĻāĻĨা āύāĻšāϝ়,
they would not have saluted but arrested me.
āϤেāĻঁāϞোāĻে āĻŽোāĻ āĻাāϞাāĻŽ āĻāύোā§ąাā§° āĻĒā§°িā§ąā§°্āϤে āĻ্ā§°েāĻĒ্āϤাā§°āĻšে āĻā§°িāϞেāĻšেঁāϤেāύ।
Finally a chevron of Impala jets left a smoke trail
āĻ ā§ąāĻļেāώāϤ āĻāĻŽ্āĻĒাāϞা āĻেāĻā§° āĻāĻা āĻি-āĻāĻৃāϤিā§° (chevron) āĻļাā§°ীāϝ়ে āϧোঁā§ąাā§° ā§°েāĻা āĻā§°ি āĻৈāĻিāϞ
of the black, red, green, blue and gold of the new South African flag.
āύāϤুāύ āĻĻāĻ্āώিāĻŖ āĻāĻĢ্ā§°িāĻাā§° āĻĒāϤাāĻাā§° āĻ'āϞা, ā§°āĻা, āϏেāĻāĻীāϝ়া, āύীāϞা āĻā§°ু āϏোāĻŖাāϞী ā§°āĻā§°।
The day was symbolised for me by the playing of our two national anthems,
āϏেāĻ āĻĻিāύāĻো āĻŽোā§° āĻŦাāĻŦে āĻāĻŽাā§° āĻĻুāĻা ā§°াāώ্āĻ্ā§°ীāϝ় āϏংāĻীāϤ āĻĒā§°িā§ąেāĻļāύ⧰ āĻĻ্āĻŦাā§°া āĻĒ্ā§°āϤীāĻাāϝ়িāϤ āĻšৈāĻিāϞ,
and the vision of whites singing ‘Nkosi Sikelel –iAfrika’ and blacks singing ‘Die Stem’, the old anthem of the Republic.
āĻā§°ু āĻļ্āĻŦেāϤাংāĻāϏāĻāϞে āĻোā§ąা ‘āύāĻোāĻি āĻিāĻেāϞেāϞ –āĻāĻāĻāĻĢ্ā§°িāĻা’ āĻā§°ু āĻৃāώ্āĻŖাংāĻāϏāĻāϞে āĻোā§ąা āĻāĻŖā§°াāĻ্āϝ⧰ āĻĒুā§°āĻŖি ā§°াāώ্āĻ্ā§°ীāϝ় āϏংāĻীāϤ ‘āĻĄাāĻ āώ্āĻেāĻŽ’ā§° āĻĻৃāĻļ্āϝ⧰ āĻā§°িāϝ়āϤে।
Although that day neither group knew the lyrics of the anthem they once despised,
āϝāĻĻিāĻ āϏেāĻāĻĻিāύা āĻোāύোā§ąেāĻ āĻāϏāĻŽāϝ়āϤ āĻিāĻŖ āĻā§°া ā§°াāώ্āĻ্ā§°ীāϝ় āϏংāĻীāϤāĻোā§° āĻāĻĨা āύাāĻাāύিāĻিāϞ,
they would soon know the words by heart.
āϤেāĻঁāϞোāĻে āĻ āϤি āϏোāύāĻাāϞেāĻ āĻļāĻŦ্āĻĻāĻŦোā§° āĻŽুāĻāϏ্āĻĨ āĻā§°িāĻŦ āĻĒাā§°িāĻŦ āĻŦুāϞি āĻŽāĻ āύিāĻļ্āĻিāϤ āĻāĻিāϞো।
On the day of the inauguration, I was overwhelmed with a sense of history.
āĻāĻĻ্āĻŦোāϧāύী āĻ āύুāώ্āĻ াāύ⧰ āĻĻিāύা, āĻŽāĻ āĻāϤিāĻšাāϏ⧰ āĻ āύুāĻā§ąāϤ āĻāĻĒ্āϞুāϤ āĻšৈ āĻĒā§°িāĻিāϞো।
In the first decade of the twentieth century, a few years after the bitter Anglo-Boer war and before my own birth,
āĻŦিংāĻļ āĻļāϤিāĻাā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āĻĨāĻŽ āĻĻāĻļāĻāϤ, āĻāϝ়ংāĻā§° āĻংāϞো-āĻŦোā§ąā§° āϝুāĻĻ্āϧ⧰ āĻেāĻāĻŦāĻā§°āĻŽাāύ āĻĒিāĻāϤ āĻā§°ু āĻŽোā§° āĻāύ্āĻŽā§° āĻāĻāϤে,
the white-skinned peoples of South Africa patched up their differences and erected a system of racial domination against the dark-skinned peoples of their own land.
āĻĻāĻ্āώিāĻŖ āĻāĻĢ্ā§°িāĻাā§° āĻŦāĻা āĻাāϞ⧰ āϞোāĻāϏāĻāϞে āϤেāĻঁāϞোāĻā§° āĻŽāϤাāύৈāĻ্āϝ āĻĻূā§° āĻā§°ি āϤেāĻঁāϞোāĻā§° āύিāĻā§° āĻĻেāĻļā§° āĻ'āϞা āĻাāϞ⧰ āϞোāĻāϏāĻāϞ⧰ āĻŦিā§°ুāĻĻ্āϧে āĻŦā§°্āĻŖ āĻāϧিāĻĒāϤ্āϝ⧰ āĻāĻ āĻŦ্āĻ¯ā§ąāϏ্āĻĨা āĻāĻĸ়ি āϤুāϞিāĻিāϞ।
The structure they created formed the basis of one of the harshest, most inhumane, societies the world has ever known.
āϤেāĻঁāϞোāĻে āϏৃāώ্āĻি āĻā§°া āĻāĻ āĻাঁāĻĨāύিāĻোā§ąে āĻŦিāĻļ্āĻŦāĻ āĻĻেāĻা āĻĒোā§ąা āĻāĻাāĻāϤāĻৈ āĻāĻ োā§°, āĻāĻাāĻāϤāĻৈ āĻ āĻŽাāĻ¨ā§ąীāϝ় āϏāĻŽাāĻā§° āĻ āύ্āϝāϤāĻŽ āĻāĻ āĻেāĻি āĻāĻĸ়ি āϤুāϞিāĻিāϞ।
Now, in the last decade of the twentieth century, and my own eighth decade as a man,
āĻāϤিāϝ়া, āĻŦিংāĻļ āĻļāϤিāĻাā§° āĻļেāώ⧰ āĻĻāĻļāĻāϤ, āĻā§°ু āĻāĻāύ āĻŽাāύুāĻš āĻšিāĻাāĻĒে āĻŽোā§° āύিāĻā§° āĻ āώ্āĻāĻŽ āĻĻāĻļāĻāϤ,
that system had been overturned forever and replaced by one that recognised the rights and freedoms of all peoples, regardless of the colour of their skin.
āϏেāĻ āĻŦ্āĻ¯ā§ąāϏ্āĻĨা āĻিā§°āĻĻিāύ⧰ āĻŦাāĻŦে āĻāĻĢā§°াāĻ āĻĒেāϞোā§ąা āĻšৈāĻিāϞ āĻā§°ু āϤাā§° āĻ াāĻāϤ āĻāύে āĻāĻ āĻŦ্āĻ¯ā§ąāϏ্āĻĨা āϏ্āĻĨাāĻĒāύ āĻā§°া āĻšৈāĻিāϞ āϝিāϝ়ে āĻাāϞ⧰ ā§°āĻā§° āĻোāύো āĻŦিāĻাā§° āύāĻā§°াāĻৈ āϏāĻāϞো āϞোāĻā§° āĻ āϧিāĻাā§° āĻā§°ু āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύāϤাāĻ āϏ্āĻŦীāĻৃāϤি āĻĻিāĻিāϞ।
That day had come about through the unimaginable sacrifices of thousands of my people,
āϏেāĻ āĻĻিāύāĻো āĻŽোā§° āĻšেāĻাā§° āĻšেāĻাā§° āϞোāĻā§° āĻ āĻāϞ্āĻĒāύীāϝ় āϤ্āϝাāĻā§° āĻā§°িāϝ়āϤে āĻāĻšিāĻিāϞ,
people whose suffering and courage can never be counted or repaid.
āϝিāϏāĻāϞ āϞোāĻā§° āĻĻুāĻ-āĻāώ্āĻ āĻā§°ু āϏাāĻšāϏ āĻেāϤিāϝ়াāĻ āĻšিāĻাāĻĒ āĻŦা āĻĒā§°িāĻļোāϧ āĻā§°িāĻŦ āύোā§ąাā§°ি।
I felt that day, as I have on so many other days,
āĻŽāĻ āϏেāĻāĻĻিāύা āĻ āύুāĻā§ą āĻā§°িāĻিāϞো, āϝিāĻĻā§°ে āĻāύ āĻŦāĻšুāϤো āĻĻিāύāϤ āĻā§°িāĻিāϞো,
that I was simply the sum of all those African patriots who had gone before me.
āϝে āĻŽāĻ āĻেā§ąāϞ āĻŽোā§° āĻāĻāϤে āϝোā§ąা āϏেāĻ āϏāĻāϞো āĻāĻĢ্ā§°িāĻাāύ āĻĻেāĻļāĻĒ্ā§°েāĻŽিāĻā§° āĻāĻ āϏāĻŽāώ্āĻি āĻāĻিāϞো।
That long and noble line ended and now began again with me.
āϏেāĻ āĻĻীāĻāϞীāϝ়া āĻā§°ু āĻŽāĻšাāύ āĻļাā§°ীāĻো āĻļেāώ āĻšৈāĻিāϞ āĻā§°ু āĻāϤিāϝ়া āĻŽোā§° āĻĒā§°া āĻĒুāύ⧰ āĻā§°āĻŽ্āĻ āĻšৈāĻিāϞ।
I was pained that I was not able to thank them
āĻŽāĻ āĻĻুāĻ āĻĒাāĻāĻিāϞো āϝে āĻŽāĻ āϤেāĻঁāϞোāĻāĻ āϧāύ্āϝāĻŦাāĻĻ āĻĻিāĻŦ āĻĒā§°া āύাāĻিāϞো
and that they were not able to see what their sacrifices had wrought.
āĻā§°ু āϤেāĻঁāϞোāĻে āϤেāĻঁāϞোāĻā§° āϤ্āϝাāĻে āĻি āĻĢāϞ āĻāĻĸ়িāϝ়াāĻ āĻāύিāϞে āϏেāϝ়া āĻাāĻŦāϞৈ āϏāĻ্āώāĻŽ āĻšোā§ąা āύাāĻিāϞ।
The policy of apartheid created a deep and lasting wound in my country and my people.
āĻŦā§°্āĻŖāĻŦৈāώāĻŽ্āϝ⧰ āύীāϤিāϝ়ে āĻŽোā§° āĻĻেāĻļ āĻā§°ু āĻŽোā§° āĻŽাāύুāĻšā§° āĻŽাāĻāϤ āĻāĻ āĻāĻীā§° āĻā§°ু āϏ্āĻĨাāϝ়ী āĻāĻাāϤ⧰ āϏৃāώ্āĻি āĻā§°িāĻিāϞ।
All of us will spend many years, if not generations, recovering from that profound hurt.
āϏেāĻ āĻāĻীā§° āĻāĻাāϤ⧰ āĻĒā§°া āĻā§°োāĻ্āϝ āϞাāĻ āĻā§°িāĻŦāϞৈ āĻāĻŽি āϏāĻāϞোā§ąে āĻŦāĻšু āĻŦāĻā§°, āϝāĻĻি āĻĒ্ā§°āĻāύ্āĻŽ āύāĻšāϝ়, āĻāĻাāĻŦ āϞাāĻিāĻŦ।
But the decades of oppression and brutality had another, unintended, effect,
āĻিāύ্āϤু āĻĻāĻļāĻ āĻĻāĻļāĻ āϧ⧰ি āĻāϞা āĻ āϤ্āϝাāĻাā§° āĻā§°ু āύিāώ্āĻ ুā§°āϤাā§° āĻāύ āĻāĻা āĻ āĻĒ্ā§°āϤ্āϝাāĻļিāϤ āĻĒ্ā§°āĻাā§ą āĻāĻিāϞ,
and that was that it produced the Oliver Tambos, the Walter Sisulus, the Chief Luthulis, the Yusuf Dadoos, the Bram Fischers, the Robert Sobukwes of our time —
āĻā§°ু āϏেāϝ়া āĻāĻিāϞ āϝে āĻ āĻāĻŽাā§° āϏāĻŽāϝ়ā§° āĻ āϞিāĻাā§° āĻাāĻŽ্āĻŦো, ā§ąাāϞ্āĻাā§° āĻিāĻুāϞু, āĻিāĻĢ āϞুāĻĨুāϞি, āĻāĻāĻুāĻĢ āĻĻাāĻĻু, āĻŦ্ā§°াāĻŽ āĻĢিāĻাā§°, ā§°āĻŦাā§°্āĻ āĻোāĻŦুāĻā§ąেā§° āĻĻā§°ে āϞোāĻā§° āĻāύ্āĻŽ āĻĻিāĻিāϞ —
men of such extraordinary courage, wisdom and generosity that their like may never be known again.
āĻāύে āĻ āϏাāϧাā§°āĻŖ āϏাāĻšāϏ, āĻĒ্ā§°āĻ্āĻা āĻā§°ু āĻāĻĻাā§°āϤাā§° āĻ āϧিāĻাā§°ী āϞোāĻ āϝিāϏāĻāϞ⧰ āĻĻā§°ে āϞোāĻ āĻšāϝ়āϤো āĻā§°ু āĻেāϤিāϝ়াāĻ āĻĒোā§ąা āύাāϝাāĻŦ।
Perhaps it requires such depths of oppression to create such heights of character.
āĻšāϝ়āϤো āĻā§°িāϤ্ā§°ā§° āĻāύে āĻāĻ্āĻāϤা āϏৃāώ্āĻি āĻā§°িāĻŦāϞৈ āĻ āϤ্āϝাāĻাā§°ā§° āĻāύে āĻāĻীā§°āϤাā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āϝ়োāĻāύ।
My country is rich in the minerals and gems that lie beneath its soil,
āĻŽোā§° āĻĻেāĻļāĻāύ āĻāϝ়াā§° āĻŽাāĻিā§° āϤāϞāϤ āĻĨāĻা āĻāύিāĻ āĻĒāĻĻাā§°্āĻĨ āĻā§°ু ā§°āϤ্āύ⧰ে āĻāĻšāĻী,
but I have always known that its greatest wealth is its people, finer and truer than the purest diamonds.
āĻিāύ্āϤু āĻŽāĻ āϏāĻĻাāϝ় āĻাāύো āϝে āĻāϝ়াā§° āϏ⧰্āĻŦāĻļ্ā§°েāώ্āĻ āϏāĻŽ্āĻĒāĻĻ āĻš'āϞ āĻāϝ়াā§° āĻāύāϏাāϧাā§°āĻŖ, āϝিāϏāĻāϞ āĻāĻাāĻāϤāĻৈ āĻŦিāĻļুāĻĻ্āϧ āĻšীā§°াāϤāĻৈāϝ়ো āĻ āϧিāĻ āϏুāύ্āĻĻā§° āĻā§°ু āϏāϤ্āϝ।
It is from these comrades in the struggle that I learned the meaning of courage.
āϏংāĻ্ā§°াāĻŽā§° āĻāĻ āϏāϤীā§°্āĻĨāϏāĻāϞ⧰ āĻĒā§°াāĻ āĻŽāĻ āϏাāĻšāϏ⧰ āĻ ā§°্āĻĨ āĻļিāĻিāĻিāϞো।
Time and again, I have seen men and women risk and give their lives for an idea.
āĻŦাā§°ে āĻŦাā§°ে, āĻŽāĻ āĻĻেāĻিāĻো āĻĒুā§°ুāώ āĻā§°ু āĻŽāĻšিāϞাāĻ āĻāĻা āϧাā§°āĻŖাā§° āĻŦাāĻŦে āύিāĻā§° āĻীā§ąāύ āĻŦিāĻĒāĻĻāϤ āĻĒেāϞোā§ąা āĻā§°ু āϤ্āϝাāĻ āĻā§°া।
I have seen men stand up to attacks and torture without breaking,
āĻŽāĻ āĻĒুā§°ুāώāϏāĻāϞāĻ āĻাāĻি āύāĻĒā§°াāĻৈ āĻāĻ্ā§°āĻŽāĻŖ āĻā§°ু āύিā§°্āϝাāϤāύ⧰ āϏāύ্āĻŽুāĻীāύ āĻšোā§ąা āĻĻেāĻিāĻো,
showing a strength and resilience that defies the imagination.
āĻāύে āĻāĻ āĻļāĻ্āϤি āĻā§°ু āϏ্āĻĨিāϤিāϏ্āĻĨাāĻĒāĻāϤা āĻĒ্ā§°āĻĻā§°্āĻļāύ āĻā§°া āĻĻেāĻিāĻো āϝিāϝ়ে āĻāϞ্āĻĒāύাāĻো āĻšাā§° āĻŽāύাāĻ।
I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.
āĻŽāĻ āĻļিāĻিāĻিāϞো āϝে āϏাāĻšāϏ āĻŽাāύে āĻāϝ়ā§° āĻ āύুāĻĒāϏ্āĻĨিāϤি āύāĻšāϝ়, āĻŦā§°āĻ্āĻ āĻāϝ়াā§° āĻāĻĒā§°āϤ āĻāϝ়āϞাāĻ āĻā§°াāĻোāĻšে।
The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.
āϏাāĻšāϏী āĻŽাāύুāĻš āϏেāĻāĻāύ āύāĻšāϝ় āϝিāϝ়ে āĻāϝ় āĻ āύুāĻā§ą āύāĻā§°ে, āĻŦā§°āĻ্āĻ āϏেāĻāĻāύāĻšে āϝিāϝ়ে āϏেāĻ āĻāϝ়āĻ āĻāϝ় āĻā§°ে।
No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion.
āĻাāϞ⧰ ā§°ং, āĻŦা āϤেāĻঁā§° āĻĒāĻāĻূāĻŽি, āĻŦা āϤেāĻঁā§° āϧ⧰্āĻŽā§° āĻŦাāĻŦে āĻāύ āĻāĻāύ āĻŦ্āϝāĻ্āϤিāĻ āĻিāĻŖ āĻā§°ি āĻোāύো āĻāύ্āĻŽ āύāĻšāϝ়।
People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love,
āĻŽাāύুāĻšে āĻিāĻŖ āĻā§°িāĻŦāϞৈ āĻļিāĻিāĻŦ āϞাāĻিāĻŦ, āĻā§°ু āϝāĻĻি āϤেāĻঁāϞোāĻে āĻিāĻŖ āĻā§°িāĻŦāϞৈ āĻļিāĻিāĻŦ āĻĒাā§°ে, āϤেāύ্āϤে āϤেāĻঁāϞোāĻāĻ āĻাāϞ āĻĒাāĻŦāϞৈāϝ়ো āĻļিāĻাāĻŦ āĻĒাā§°ি,
for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.
āĻিāϝ়āύো āĻŽাāύুāĻšā§° āĻšৃāĻĻāϝ়āϞৈ āĻাāϞāĻĒোā§ąা āĻāϝ়াā§° āĻŦিāĻĒā§°ীāϤāĻোāϤāĻৈ āĻ āϧিāĻ āϏ্āĻŦাāĻাā§ąিāĻāĻাā§ąে āĻāĻšে।
Even in the grimmest times in prison, when my comrades and I were pushed to our limits,
āĻাā§°াāĻাā§°ā§° āĻāĻাāĻāϤāĻৈ āĻ āύ্āϧāĻাā§° āϏāĻŽāϝ়āĻŦোā§°āϤো, āϝেāϤিāϝ়া āĻŽোāĻ āĻā§°ু āĻŽোā§° āϏāϤীā§°্āĻĨāϏāĻāϞāĻ āĻāĻŽাā§° āϧৈā§°্āϝ⧰ āϏীāĻŽাāϞৈ āĻ েāϞি āĻĻিāϝ়া āĻšৈāĻিāϞ,
I would see a glimmer of humanity in one of the guards, perhaps just for a second,
āϤেāϤিāϝ়া āĻŽāĻ āĻāĻāύ āĻāĻীāĻĻাā§°ā§° āĻŽাāĻāϤ āĻŽাāĻ¨ā§ąāϤাā§° āĻāĻ āĻিāϞিāĻāύি āĻĻেāĻিāĻŦāϞৈ āĻĒাāĻāĻিāϞো, āĻšāϝ়āϤো āĻŽাāϤ্ā§° āĻāĻ āĻেāĻেāĻŖ্āĻĄā§° āĻŦাāĻŦে,
but it was enough to reassure me and keep me going.
āĻিāύ্āϤু āĻŽোāĻ āĻāĻļ্āĻŦāϏ্āϤ āĻā§°িāĻŦāϞৈ āĻā§°ু āĻŽোāĻ āĻāĻুā§ąাāĻ āύিāĻŦāϞৈ āϏেāϝ়াāĻ āϝāĻĨেāώ্āĻ āĻāĻিāϞ।
Man’s goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished.
āĻŽাāύুāĻšā§° āĻŽāĻ্āĻāϞāĻŽāϝ়āϤা āĻāύে āĻāĻ āĻļিāĻা āϝাāĻ āϞুāĻুā§ąাāĻ ā§°াāĻিāĻŦ āĻĒাā§°ি āĻিāύ্āϤু āĻেāϤিāϝ়াāĻ āύুāĻŽুā§ąাāĻŦ āύোā§ąাā§°ি।
In life, every man has twin obligations —
āĻীā§ąāύāϤ, āĻĒ্ā§°āϤিāĻāύ āĻŽাāύুāĻšā§° āĻĻুāĻা āĻĻাāϝ়িāϤ্āĻŦ āĻĨাāĻে —
obligations to his family, to his parents, to his wife and children;
āύিāĻā§° āĻĒā§°িāϝ়াāϞ⧰ āĻĒ্ā§°āϤি, āĻĒিāϤৃ-āĻŽাāϤৃā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āϤি, āĻĒāϤ্āύী āĻā§°ু āϏāύ্āϤাāύ⧰ āĻĒ্ā§°āϤি āĻĻাāϝ়িāϤ্āĻŦ;
and he has an obligation to his people, his community, his country.
āĻā§°ু āϤেāĻঁā§° āύিāĻā§° āĻŽাāύুāĻš, āϏāĻŽাāĻ āĻā§°ু āĻĻেāĻļā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āϤিāĻ āĻĻাāϝ়িāϤ্āĻŦ āĻĨাāĻে।
In a civil and humane society,
āĻāĻāύ āϏāĻ্āϝ āĻā§°ু āĻŽাāĻ¨ā§ąীāϝ় āϏāĻŽাāĻāϤ,
each man is able to fulfil those obligations according to his own inclinations and abilities.
āĻĒ্ā§°āϤিāĻāύ āĻŽাāύুāĻšে āύিāĻā§° āĻāĻ্āĻা āĻā§°ু āϏাāĻŽā§°্āĻĨ্āϝ āĻ āύুāϏ⧰ি āϏেāĻ āĻĻাāϝ়িāϤ্āĻŦāϏāĻŽূāĻš āĻĒাāϞāύ āĻā§°িāĻŦāϞৈ āϏāĻ্āώāĻŽ āĻšāϝ়।
But in a country like South Africa,
āĻিāύ্āϤু āĻĻāĻ্āώিāĻŖ āĻāĻĢ্ā§°িāĻাā§° āĻĻā§°ে āĻāĻāύ āĻĻেāĻļāϤ,
it was almost impossible for a man of my birth and colour to fulfil both of those obligations.
āĻŽোā§° āĻĻā§°ে āĻāύ্āĻŽ āĻā§°ু āĻŦā§°্āĻŖā§° āĻāĻāύ āĻŽাāύুāĻšā§° āĻŦাāĻŦে āĻāĻ āĻĻুāϝ়োāĻা āĻĻাāϝ়িāϤ্āĻŦ āĻĒাāϞāύ āĻā§°াāĻো āĻĒ্ā§°াāϝ় āĻ āϏāĻŽ্āĻā§ą āĻāĻিāϞ।
In South Africa, a man of colour who attempted to live as a human being
āĻĻāĻ্āώিāĻŖ āĻāĻĢ্ā§°িāĻাāϤ, āĻāĻāύ āĻৃāώ্āĻŖাংāĻ āĻŽাāύুāĻšে āϝāĻĻি āĻŽাāύুāĻš āĻšিāĻাāĻĒে āĻীāϝ়াāĻ āĻĨাāĻিāĻŦāϞৈ āĻেāώ্āĻা āĻā§°িāĻিāϞ,
was punished and isolated.
āϤেāύ্āϤে āϤেāĻঁāĻ āĻļাāϏ্āϤি āĻĻিāϝ়া āĻšৈāĻিāϞ āĻā§°ু āĻ āĻāϞāĻļā§°ীāϝ়া āĻā§°ি ā§°āĻা āĻšৈāĻিāϞ।
In South Africa, a man who tried to fulfil his duty to his people
āĻĻāĻ্āώিāĻŖ āĻāĻĢ্ā§°িāĻাāϤ, āϝিāĻāύ āĻŽাāύুāĻšে āύিāĻā§° āĻŽাāύুāĻšā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āϤি āĻĨāĻা āĻĻাāϝ়িāϤ্āĻŦ āĻĒাāϞāύ āĻā§°িāĻŦāϞৈ āĻেāώ্āĻা āĻā§°িāĻিāϞ,
was inevitably ripped from his family and his home
āϤেāĻঁāĻ āύিāĻļ্āĻিāϤāĻাā§ąে āĻĒā§°িāϝ়াāϞ āĻā§°ু āĻā§°ā§° āĻĒā§°া āĻঁāϤ⧰াāĻ āĻ āύা āĻšৈāĻিāϞ
and was forced to live a life apart, a twilight existence of secrecy and rebellion.
āĻā§°ু āĻāĻ āĻĒৃāĻĨāĻ āĻীā§ąāύ, āĻোāĻĒāύীāϝ়āϤা āĻā§°ু āĻŦিāĻĻ্ā§°োāĻšā§° āĻāĻ āĻ āϏ্āĻĒāώ্āĻ āĻীā§ąāύ āϝাāĻĒāύ āĻā§°িāĻŦāϞৈ āĻŦাāϧ্āϝ āĻā§°া āĻšৈāĻিāϞ।
I did not in the beginning choose to place my people above my family,
āĻĒ্ā§°āĻĨāĻŽ āĻ ā§ąāϏ্āĻĨাāϤ āĻŽāĻ āĻŽোā§° āĻĒā§°িāϝ়াāϞāϤāĻৈ āĻŽোā§° āĻŽাāύুāĻšāĻ āĻāĻĒā§°āϤ ā§°āĻাā§° āϏিāĻĻ্āϧাāύ্āϤ āϞোā§ąা āύাāĻিāϞো,
but in attempting to serve my people,
āĻিāύ্āϤু āĻŽোā§° āĻŽাāύুāĻšāĻ āϏেā§ąা āĻā§°িāĻŦāϞৈ āĻেāώ্āĻা āĻā§°োঁāϤে
I found that I was prevented from fulfilling my obligations as a son, a brother, a father and a husband.
āĻŽāĻ āĻĻেāĻিāĻিāϞো āϝে āĻŽোāĻ āĻāĻāύ āĻĒুāϤ্ā§°, āĻāĻāύ āĻাāϤৃ, āĻāĻāύ āĻĒিāϤৃ āĻā§°ু āĻāĻāύ āϏ্āĻŦাāĻŽী āĻšিāĻাāĻĒে āĻŽোā§° āĻĻাāϝ়িāϤ্āĻŦ āĻĒাāϞāύ āĻā§°াāϤ āĻŦাāϧা āĻĻিāϝ়া āĻšৈāĻিāϞ।
I was not born with a hunger to be free.
āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύ āĻšোā§ąাā§° āĻšেঁāĻĒাāĻš āϞৈ āĻŽোā§° āĻāύ্āĻŽ āĻšোā§ąা āύাāĻিāϞ।
I was born free — free in every way that I could know.
āĻŽāĻ āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύāĻাā§ąে āĻāύ্āĻŽāĻ্ā§°āĻšāĻŖ āĻā§°িāĻিāϞো — āĻŽāĻ āĻāύা āϏāĻāϞো āĻĻিāĻļā§° āĻĒā§°াāĻ āĻŽāĻ āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύ āĻāĻিāϞো।
Free to run in the fields near my mother’s hut, free to swim in the clear stream that ran through my village,
āĻŽোā§° āĻŽাā§° āĻুāĻĒুā§°ীā§° āĻাāώ⧰ āĻĒāĻĨাā§°āϤ āĻĻৌā§°িāĻŦāϞৈ āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύ, āĻŽোā§° āĻাঁā§ąā§° āĻŽাāĻেā§°ে āĻŦৈ āϝোā§ąা āĻĒā§°িāώ্āĻাā§° āĻুā§°িāĻোāϤ āϏাঁāϤুā§°িāĻŦāϞৈ āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύ,
free to roast mealies under the stars and ride the broad backs of slow-moving bulls.
āϤ⧰াā§° āϤāϞāϤ āĻোāĻŽāϧাāύ āĻĒুā§°ি āĻাāĻŦāϞৈ āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύ āĻā§°ু āϧীā§° āĻāϤিāϤ āϝোā§ąা āώাঁāĻĄ় āĻā§°ুā§° āĻŦāĻšāϞ āĻĒিāĻ িāϤ āĻāĻ িāĻŦāϞৈ āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύ āĻāĻিāϞো।
As long as I obeyed my father and abided by the customs of my tribe,
āϝিāĻŽাāύ āĻĻিāύāϞৈāĻে āĻŽāĻ āĻŽোā§° āĻĻেāĻāϤাāĻ āĻŽাāύি āĻāϞিāĻিāϞো āĻā§°ু āĻŽোā§° āĻāύāĻাāϤিā§° ā§°ীāϤি-āύীāϤিāĻŦোā§° āĻĒাāϞāύ āĻā§°িāĻিāϞো,
I was not troubled by the laws of man or God.
āϏিāĻŽাāύ āĻĻিāύāϞৈāĻে āĻŽোāĻ āĻŽাāύুāĻšā§° āĻŦা āĻāĻā§ąাāύ⧰ āĻāĻāύ-āĻাāύুāύে āĻোāύো āĻ āϏুāĻŦিāϧা āĻĻিāϝ়া āύাāĻিāϞ।
It was only when I began to learn that my boyhood freedom was an illusion,
āϝেāϤিāϝ়া āĻŽāĻ āĻাāύিāĻŦ āĻĒাā§°িāϞো āϝে āĻŽোā§° āϞ’ā§°াāϞি āĻাāϞ⧰ āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύāϤা āĻেā§ąāϞ āĻāĻ āĻ্ā§°āĻŽ āĻāĻিāϞ,
when I discovered as a young man that my freedom had already been taken from me,
āϝেāϤিāϝ়া āĻāĻāύ āϝুā§ąāĻ āĻšিāĻাāĻĒে āĻŽāĻ āĻā§ąিāώ্āĻাā§° āĻā§°িāϞো āϝে āĻŽোā§° āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύāϤা āĻāϤিāĻŽāϧ্āϝে āĻŽোā§° āĻĒā§°া āĻাāĻĸ়ি āύিāϝ়া āĻšৈāĻে,
that I began to hunger for it.
āϤেāϤিāϝ়াāĻšে āĻŽোā§° āĻāϝ়াā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āϤি āĻšেঁāĻĒাāĻš āĻাāĻি āĻāĻ িāĻিāϞ।
At first, as a student, I wanted freedom only for myself,
āĻĒ্ā§°āĻĨāĻŽāϤে, āĻāĻāύ āĻাāϤ্ā§° āĻšিāĻাāĻĒে āĻŽāĻ āĻেā§ąāϞ āĻŽোā§° āĻŦাāĻŦেāĻšে āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύāϤা āĻŦিāĻাā§°িāĻিāϞো,
the transitory freedoms of being able to stay out at night, read what I pleased and go where I chose.
ā§°াāϤি āĻŦাāĻšিā§°āϤ āĻĨাāĻিāĻŦ āĻĒā§°া, āϝি āĻāĻ্āĻা āϤাāĻে āĻĒāĻĸ়িāĻŦ āĻĒā§°া āĻā§°ু āϝ’āϞৈāĻে āĻŽāύ āϝাāϝ় āϤাāϞৈ āϝাāĻŦ āĻĒā§°া āĻ্āώāĻŖāϏ্āĻĨাāϝ়ী āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύāϤাāϏāĻŽূāĻš।
Later, as a young man in Johannesburg,
āĻĒিāĻāϞৈ, āĻোāĻšাāύ্āϏāĻŦাā§°্āĻāϤ āĻāĻāύ āϝুā§ąāĻ āĻšিāĻাāĻĒে
I yearned for the basic and honourable freedoms of achieving my potential, of earning my keep, of marrying and having a family —
āĻŽāĻ āĻŽোā§° āϏāĻŽ্āĻাā§ąāύাāĻ āĻŦাāϏ্āĻ¤ā§ąাāϝ়িāϤ āĻā§°া, āĻীā§ąিāĻা āύিā§°্āĻŦাāĻš āĻā§°া, āĻŦিāϝ়া āĻā§°া āĻā§°ু āĻāĻা āĻĒā§°িāϝ়াāϞ āĻāĻĸ়ি āϤোāϞাā§° āĻŽৌāϞিāĻ āĻā§°ু āϏāύ্āĻŽাāύāĻāύāĻ āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύāϤাāϏāĻŽূāĻšā§° āĻŦাāĻŦে āĻšাāĻŦিāϝ়াāϏ āĻā§°িāĻিāϞো —
the freedom not to be obstructed in a lawful life.
āĻāĻāύ āĻŦৈāϧ āĻীā§ąāύāϤ āĻোāύো āĻŦাāϧা āύোāĻĒোā§ąাā§° āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύāϤা।
But then I slowly saw that not only was I not free,
āĻিāύ্āϤু āϤাā§° āĻĒিāĻāϤ āĻŽāĻ āϞাāĻšে āϞাāĻšে āĻĻেāĻিāϞো āϝে āĻেā§ąāϞ āĻŽāϝ়েāĻ āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύ āύāĻšāϝ় āĻāύে āύāĻšāϝ়,
but my brothers and sisters were not free.
āĻŽোā§° āĻাāĻ-āĻāύীāϏāĻāϞো āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύ āύাāĻিāϞ।
I saw that it was not just my freedom that was curtailed,
āĻŽāĻ āĻĻেāĻিāϞো āϝে āĻেā§ąāϞ āĻŽোā§° āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύāϤাāĻšে āĻā§°্āĻŦ āĻā§°া āĻšোā§ąা āύাāĻিāϞ,
but the freedom of everyone who looked like I did.
āĻŦā§°āĻ্āĻ āĻŽোā§° āĻĻā§°ে āĻĻেāĻা āĻĒ্ā§°āϤিāĻāύ āĻŽাāύুāĻšā§° āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύāϤা āĻā§°্āĻŦ āĻā§°া āĻšৈāĻিāϞ।
That is when I joined the African National Congress,
āϤেāϤিāϝ়াāĻ āĻŽāĻ āĻāĻĢ্ā§°িāĻাāύ āύেāĻāύেāϞ āĻংāĻ্ā§°েāĻāϤ āϝোāĻāĻĻাāύ āĻā§°িāĻিāϞো,
and that is when the hunger for my own freedom became the greater hunger for the freedom of my people.
āĻā§°ু āϤেāϤিāϝ়াāĻ āĻŽোā§° āύিāĻā§° āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύāϤাā§° āĻšেঁāĻĒাāĻš āĻŽোā§° āĻāύāϏাāϧাā§°āĻŖā§° āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύāϤাā§° āĻŦাāĻŦে āĻāĻ āĻŦৃāĻšā§ āĻšেঁāĻĒাāĻšāϤ āĻĒā§°িāĻŖāϤ āĻšৈāĻিāϞ।
It was this desire for the freedom of my people to live their lives with dignity and self-respect that animated my life,
āĻŽোā§° āĻŽাāύুāĻšে āĻŽā§°্āϝাāĻĻা āĻā§°ু āĻāϤ্āĻŽāϏāύ্āĻŽাāύেā§°ে āĻীāϝ়াāĻ āĻĨāĻাā§° āĻāĻ āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύāϤাāĻাāĻŽāύাāĻšে āĻŽোā§° āĻীā§ąāύāĻ āĻāĻ্āĻীā§ąিāϤ āĻā§°িāĻিāϞ,
that transformed a frightened young man into a bold one, that drove a law-abiding attorney to become a criminal,
āϝিāϝ়ে āĻāĻāύ āĻāϝ়াāϤুā§° āϝুā§ąāĻāĻ āĻāĻāύ āϏাāĻšāϏী āϝুā§ąāĻāϞৈ ā§°ূāĻĒাāύ্āϤ⧰িāϤ āĻā§°িāĻিāϞ, āϝিāϝ়ে āĻāĻāύ āĻāĻāύ āĻŽাāύি āĻāϞা āĻ āϧিāĻŦāĻ্āϤাāĻ āĻ āĻĒā§°াāϧী āĻš'āĻŦāϞৈ āĻŦাāϧ্āϝ āĻā§°িāĻিāϞ,
that turned a family-loving husband into a man without a home, that forced a life-loving man to live like a monk.
āϝিāϝ়ে āĻāĻāύ āĻĒā§°িāϝ়াāϞāĻĒ্ā§°েāĻŽী āϏ্āĻŦাāĻŽীāĻ āĻৃāĻšāĻšীāύ āĻŽাāύুāĻšāϞৈ āĻĒā§°িāĻŖāϤ āĻā§°িāĻিāϞ, āϝিāϝ়ে āĻāĻāύ āĻীā§ąāύāĻĒ্ā§°েāĻŽী āĻŽাāύুāĻšāĻ āϏāύ্āύ্āϝাāϏীā§° āĻĻā§°ে āĻীāϝ়াāĻ āĻĨাāĻিāĻŦāϞৈ āĻŦাāϧ্āϝ āĻā§°িāĻিāϞ।
I am no more virtuous or self-sacrificing than the next man,
āĻŽāĻ āĻāύ āĻĻāĻšāĻāύ āĻŽাāύুāĻšāϤāĻৈ āĻŦেāĻি āĻুāĻŖā§ąাāύ āĻŦা āĻāϤ্āĻŽāϤ্āϝাāĻী āύāĻšāϝ়,
but I found that I could not even enjoy the poor and limited freedoms I was allowed when I knew my people were not free.
āĻিāύ্āϤু āĻŽāĻ āĻĻেāĻিāϞো āϝে āϝেāϤিāϝ়া āĻŽāĻ āĻাāύো āĻŽোā§° āĻŽাāύুāĻš āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύ āύāĻšāϝ়, āϤেāϤিāϝ়া āĻŽāĻ āĻŽোāĻ āĻĻিāϝ়া āϏাāĻŽাāύ্āϝ āĻā§°ু āϏীāĻŽিāϤ āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύāϤাāĻāĻŖো āĻāĻĒāĻোāĻ āĻā§°িāĻŦ āύোā§ąাā§°ো।
Freedom is indivisible;
āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύāϤা āĻ āĻŦিāĻাāĻ্āϝ;
the chains on anyone of my people were the chains on all of them,
āĻŽোā§° āϝিāĻোāύো āĻāĻāύ āĻŽাāύুāĻšā§° āĻাāϤ āĻĨāĻা āĻļিāĻāϞি āĻŽোā§° āϏāĻāϞো āĻŽাāύুāĻšā§° āĻাāϤ āĻĨāĻা āĻļিāĻāϞিā§° āĻĻā§°ে āĻāĻিāϞ,
the chains on all of my people were the chains on me.
āĻŽোā§° āϏāĻāϞো āĻŽাāύুāĻšā§° āĻাāϤ āĻĨāĻা āĻļিāĻāϞি āĻŽোā§° āĻাāϤ āĻĨāĻা āĻļিāĻāϞি āĻāĻিāϞ。
I knew that the oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed.
āĻŽāĻ āĻাāύিāĻিāϞো āϝে āĻ āϤ্āϝাāĻাā§°ীāĻো āĻ িāĻ āĻ āϤ্āϝাāĻাā§°িāϤ⧰ āĻĻā§°েāĻ āύিāĻļ্āĻিāϤāĻাā§ąে āĻŽুāĻ্āϤ āĻā§°িāĻŦ āϞাāĻিāĻŦ。
A man who takes away another man’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred;
āϝিāĻāύ āĻŽাāύুāĻšে āĻāύ āĻāĻāύ āĻŽাāύুāĻšā§° āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύāϤা āĻাāĻĸ়ি āϞāϝ়, āϤেāĻঁ āĻৃāĻŖাā§° āĻŦāύ্āĻĻী;
he is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness.
āϤেāĻঁ āĻুāϏংāϏ্āĻাā§° āĻā§°ু āϏংāĻীā§°্āĻŖāĻŽāύাā§° āĻļāϞাāĻাā§° āĻঁā§°āϤ āĻā§ąāĻĻ্āϧ।
I am not truly free if I am taking away someone else’s freedom,
āĻŽāĻ āϏঁāĻা āĻ ā§°্āĻĨāϤ āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύ āύāĻšāϝ় āϝāĻĻি āĻŽāĻ āĻāύ āĻাā§°োāĻŦাā§° āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύāϤা āĻাāĻĸ়ি āϞৈāĻো,
just as surely as I am not free when my freedom is taken from me.
āĻ িāĻ āϝিāĻĻā§°ে āĻŽোā§° āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύāϤা āĻাāĻĸ়ি āϞোā§ąা āĻš'āϞে āĻŽāĻ āϏ্āĻŦাāϧীāύ āύāĻšāϝ়।
The oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their humanity.
āĻ āϤ্āϝাāĻাā§°িāϤ āĻā§°ু āĻ āϤ্āϝাāĻাā§°ী āĻĻুāϝ়োāĻে āϏāĻŽাāύে āϤেāĻঁāϞোāĻā§° āĻŽাāĻ¨ā§ąāϤাā§° āĻĒā§°া āĻŦāĻ্āĻিāϤ āĻā§°া āĻšāϝ়।
2. Oral Comprehension Check – 1 Answers
1. Where did the ceremonies take place? Can you name any public buildings in India that are made of sandstone?
Answer: The ceremonies took place in the lovely sandstone amphitheatre formed by the Union Buildings in Pretoria. In India, public buildings like the Red Fort (New Delhi), Parliament House, and Rashtrapati Bhavan are made of sandstone.
2. Can you say how 10 May is an ‘autumn day’ in South Africa?
Answer: South Africa is in the Southern Hemisphere, where the seasons are opposite to those in India. Therefore, May falls in the autumn season in South Africa.
3. What does Mandela mean by “an extraordinary human disaster”? What is the “glorious human achievement”?
Answer: The “extraordinary human disaster” refers to apartheid, the system of racial discrimination and oppression in South Africa. The “glorious human achievement” refers to the establishment of a democratic, non-racial government and the achievement of freedom and equality for all people.
4. What does Mandela thank the international leaders for?
Answer: Mandela thanks the international leaders for coming to South Africa and sharing in the common victory for justice, peace, and human dignity.
5. What ideals does he set out for the future of South Africa?
Answer: Mandela sets out the ideals of liberating all people from poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender discrimination, and other forms of discrimination, and ensuring freedom, equality, justice, and peace for all.
3. Oral Comprehension Check – 2 Answers
1. What do the military generals do? How has their attitude changed, and why?
Answer: The military generals saluted Mandela and pledged their loyalty to the new democratic government. Their attitude had changed because earlier they would have arrested him, but now they respected him as the President of a free and democratic South Africa.
2. Why were two national anthems sung?
Answer: Two national anthems were sung to symbolize the equality and unity of the new nation. The whites sang 'Nkosi Sikelel –iAfrika' and the blacks sang 'Die Stem' (the old anthem of the Republic). It represented the end of racial discrimination and the coming together of both groups under a single, democratic South Africa.
3. How does Mandela describe the systems of government in his country (i) in the first decade, and (ii) in the final decade, of the twentieth century?
Answer:
(i) In the first decade: Mandela describes it as a system of racial domination erected by the white-skinned peoples against the dark-skinned peoples of South Africa. It formed the basis of one of the harshest and most inhumane societies the world had ever known.
(ii) In the final decade: The old system was overturned forever and replaced by a new system that recognized the rights and freedoms of all peoples, regardless of the colour of their skin.
4. What does courage mean to Mandela?
Answer: Mandela says that courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. A brave person is not one who never feels afraid, but one who conquers fear.
5. Which does he think is natural, to love or to hate?
Answer: Mandela thinks that it is natural to love. He states that people must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, because "love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite."
4. Oral Comprehension Check – 3 Answers
1. What “twin obligations” does Mandela mention?
Answer: Mandela mentions that every man has two obligations in life. The first is his obligation to his family, parents, wife, and children. The second is his obligation to his people, his community, and his country.
2. What did being free mean to Mandela as a boy, and as a student? How does he contrast these “transitory freedoms” with “the basic and honourable freedoms”?
Answer:
As a boy: Being free meant being able to run in the fields, swim in the village stream, roast mealies under the stars, and ride on the backs of bulls.
As a student: Being free meant having the "transitory freedoms" of staying out at night, reading what he pleased, and going wherever he chose.
The contrast: He contrasts these temporary, personal freedoms of his youth with the "basic and honourable freedoms" of adulthood, which involve achieving his potential, earning a living, marrying, and having a family without being obstructed in a lawful life.
3. Does Mandela think the oppressor is free? Why/Why not?
Answer: No, Mandela does not think the oppressor is free. He explains that a man who takes away another man’s freedom becomes a "prisoner of hatred" and is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness. He believes that the oppressor, just like the oppressed, is robbed of his humanity.
5. Thinking about the Text (Textual Q&A)
1. Why did such a large number of international leaders attend the inauguration? What did it signify the triumph of?
Answer: A large number of international leaders attended the inauguration to pay their respects and show their support for South Africa's first democratic, non-racial government. Their presence signified the end of the apartheid system. It was a common victory for justice, peace, and human dignity over decades of racial oppression.
2. What does Mandela mean when he says he is “simply the sum of all those African patriots” who had gone before him?
Answer: Mandela means that the freedom they achieved was not his work alone. It was the result of the unimaginable sacrifices, suffering, and courage of thousands of African people who fought against apartheid before him. He feels that he is simply carrying forward their legacy and that their long and noble struggle culminated in him taking the oath as President.
3. Would you agree that the “depths of oppression” create “heights of character”? How does Mandela illustrate this? Can you add your own examples to this argument?
Answer: Yes, I agree. Mandela explains that years of oppression and suffering produced great leaders such as Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, Chief Luthuli, Yusuf Dadoo, Bram Fischer, and Robert Sobukwe, who showed extraordinary courage, wisdom, and generosity. According to Mandela, severe oppression often brings out the best qualities in people.
Own Examples include:
Mahatma Gandhi, who fought British rule through non-violence.
Subhas Chandra Bose, who sacrificed his life for India's freedom.
4. How did Mandela’s understanding of freedom change with age and experience?
Answer: As a child, Mandela thought freedom meant playing, swimming, and living happily in his village. As a student, it meant reading what he liked and going where he wished. Later, he realised that true freedom meant equal rights, dignity, and freedom for all people.
5. How did Mandela’s ‘hunger for freedom’ change his life?
Answer: Mandela’s hunger for freedom led him to join the African National Congress and fight against apartheid. It transformed him from a frightened young man into a bold leader who sacrificed his personal life for the freedom of his people.
6. Thinking about Language (Grammar & Vocabulary)
I. Noun and Verb Forms
| Noun | Verb |
|---|---|
| rebellion | rebel |
| constitution | constitute |
| formation | form |
| government | govern |
| installation | install |
| oppression | oppress |
| discrimination | discriminate |
| deprivation | deprive |
| achievement | achieve |
| inauguration | inaugurate |
| domination | dominate |
| imagination | imagine |
| obligation | oblige |
| freedom | free |
II. Using the Definite Article with Names
When "the" is used before a proper noun (name), it does not mean the actual person. It means people like that person who have similar qualities.
Question: What do the names "the Oliver Tambos, the Walter Sisulus, …" mean in the given context?
Correct Answer: (b) many other men like Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu …/many men of their type or kind, whose names may not be as well known.
Meaning: Mr Singh invites many famous and successful film stars like Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan to his parties.
Explanation: Here, "the Amitabh Bachchans" and "the Shah Rukh Khans" do not mean the actual Amitabh Bachchan or Shah Rukh Khan only. They mean people of their kind—famous celebrities and movie stars.
Answer: The sentence means that Mr Singh regularly invites many famous film stars and celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan to his parties.
Meaning: Many people think that Madhuri Dixit has qualities similar to Madhubala.
Explanation: Here, "the Madhubala of our times" means that Madhuri Dixit is considered as beautiful, talented, and admired in today's era just as Madhubala was in her time.
Answer: The sentence means that many people consider Madhuri Dixit to be the modern-day Madhubala because she possesses similar beauty, charm, and acting talent.
Meaning: History is not only about great rulers and famous leaders like Alexander the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Adolf Hitler, but also about ordinary people.
Explanation: "The Alexanders, the Napoleons and the Hitlers" means many powerful rulers, conquerors, and influential leaders of their kind.
Answer: The sentence means that history is not only made by famous rulers and leaders like Alexander, Napoleon, and Hitler, but also by ordinary people whose contributions are equally important.
✅ "the + proper noun" = people like that person, having similar qualities.
Examples:
the Gandhis = people like Gandhi.
the Sachin Tendulkars = people like Sachin Tendulkar.
the Oliver Tambos = people like Oliver Tambo.
This is the main concept NCERT wants you to understand.
III. Idiomatic Expressions
Match Column A with Column B
| Column A | Correct Answer | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1. I was not unmindful of the fact | (i) had not forgotten; was aware of the fact | Mandela means he was aware that the same generals who saluted him now would have arrested him earlier. |
| 2. when my comrades and I were pushed to our limits | (iii) felt that we could not endure the suffering any longer | Mandela refers to the extreme hardships and suffering in prison. |
| 3. to reassure me and keep me going | (ii) help me continue to live in hope in this very difficult situation | The guards' occasional kindness gave Mandela hope and strength to continue. |
| 4. the basic and honourable freedoms of… earning my keep… | (i) earning enough money to live on | Mandela means earning a living through honest work. |
7. Speaking Activity: Preparing a Speech
Topic: True liberty is freedom from poverty, deprivation and all forms of discrimination.
1. Notes for the Speech
- Introduction: Define liberty. It's not just the absence of foreign rule, but the presence of equal rights and basic needs.
- Poverty & Deprivation:
- Causes: Lack of education, unequal distribution of wealth, unemployment.
- Solutions: Free and quality education, skill development, creating job opportunities.
- Discrimination: How divisions based on gender, religion, and class act as invisible chains. A society cannot progress if it holds half its people back.
- Constitutional Rights: The role of the Constitution in guaranteeing fundamental human rights (Right to Equality, Right to Freedom, etc.).
- Conclusion: Real freedom is when every citizen can live with dignity and self-respect.
Speech Draft
"Respected teachers and dear friends,
Today, I want to share my thoughts on true liberty. Nelson Mandela taught us that just being out of prison is not real freedom.
A person is not truly free if they are starving, homeless, or cannot afford to go to school. Poverty and deprivation act like invisible chains. We can only break these chains by giving everyone good education and equal job opportunities.
Also, a country is not truly free if its people discriminate against each other. Judging someone by their religion, gender, or caste is wrong. Our Constitution guarantees us fundamental human rights, like the Right to Equality, to protect everyone from such injustice.
In conclusion, real freedom means living a life of respect and dignity. Until every single citizen is free from poverty and discrimination, none of us are truly free.
Thank you."
8. Looking at Contrasts
1. For decades the Union Buildings had been the seat of white supremacy, and now ...
Answer: "...it was the site of a rainbow gathering of different colours and nations for the installation of South Africa's first democratic, non-racial government."
Contrast word: and now
2. Only moments before, the highest generals of the South African defence force and police ... saluted me and pledged their loyalty. ... not so many years before they would not have saluted ____________
Answer: but arrested me.
Contrast words: not so many years before
3. Although that day neither group knew the lyrics of the anthem ..., they would soon _________________
Answer: know the words by heart.
Contrast word: Although
4. My country is rich in the minerals and gems that lie beneath its soil, ____________________
Answer: but I have always known that its greatest wealth is its people, finer and truer than the purest diamonds.
Contrast word: but
5. The Air Show was not only a display of pinpoint precision and military force, but _______________________
Answer: a demonstration of the military's loyalty to democracy, to a new government that had been freely and fairly elected.
Contrast words: not only ... but
6. It was this desire for the freedom of my people ... that transformed __________________ into a bold one, that drove __________________ to become a criminal, that turned ______________________ into a man without a home.
Answer:
a frightened young man
a law-abiding attorney
a family-loving husband
9. Expressing Your Opinion
Q. Do you think there is colour prejudice in our own country? Discuss this with your friend and write a paragraph of about 100–150 words about this.
Colour Prejudice in Our Country
Answer: Yes, I think colour prejudice still exists in our country. Many people believe that fair skin is more beautiful and attractive than dark skin. Because of this, people with darker complexions are sometimes treated unfairly or judged by their appearance. This prejudice can be seen in advertisements, films, and even in marriage preferences. However, a person's worth should be judged by their character, talents, and actions rather than the colour of their skin. The poem given in the lesson humorously points out that people themselves change colours in different situations, yet they call others "coloured." This shows how meaningless colour discrimination is. We should respect all individuals equally and promote the values of equality, dignity, and brotherhood. A progressive society can grow only when it is free from all forms of prejudice and discrimination.
10. FAQs on Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom Class 10
Q. What is the main theme of "Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" Class 10 SEBA/ASSEB?
Ans: The main theme is the struggle for freedom and equality. It highlights the devastating effects of the apartheid system in South Africa and celebrates the triumph of a democratic, non-racial government led by Nelson Mandela.
Q. According to Mandela, what is courage?
Ans: Mandela defines courage not as the absence of fear, but as the triumph over it. A brave man is one who conquers his fear, not one who never feels it.
Q. What are the twin obligations mentioned by Mandela?
Ans: Mandela states that every person has twin obligations: first, to their family, parents, wife, and children; and second, to their people, community, and country.
Q. Where can I find the Assamese translation for Class 10 English Lesson 2?
Ans: You can find the complete line-by-line Assamese translation, along with comprehensive textual question answers for "Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" right here on PoraGhar Axom.
Final Thoughts
Nelson Mandela's journey teaches us that perseverance and love can overcome any obstacle! We hope these complete notes for SEBA Class 10 English Lesson 2 (ASSEB DIVISION I) help you thoroughly prepare for your exams. Keep up the good work, and feel free to ask any questions in the comments below!
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