The Decision of the Panchayat — Chapter Notes NCERT Extra Notes for Class 5 English Chapter 8 Santoor NCERT Book
“The Decision of the Panchayat” — हिंदी अनुवाद (Paragraph-wise)
Here is a paragraph-wise Hindi translation of “The Decision of the Panchayat” NCERT Class 5 English, Chapter 8
| Paragraph (from NCERT) | Hindi Translation (अनुवाद) |
|---|---|
| Once upon a time, there lived a farmer in a small village. He had two fields. He used to work very hard. When he prospered, he bought another field. There was a well next to it. Since the farmer needed a source of water for his fields, he bought the well from his neighbour. | बहुत समय पहले एक छोटे से गाँव में एक किसान रहता था। उसके पास दो खेत थे। वह बहुत मेहनत करता था। जब वह समृद्ध हुआ, तो उसने एक और खेत खरीदा। उस खेत के पास एक कुआँ था। चूंकि किसान को अपने खेतों के लिए पानी के स्रोत की आवश्यकता थी, इसलिए उसने अपने पड़ोसी से वह कुआँ खरीद लिया। |
| The neighbour was a cunning man. He thought of a plan to cheat the farmer. | पड़ोसी एक चालाक व्यक्ति था। उसने किसान को धोखा देने की एक योजना बनाई। |
| The next day, when the farmer reached the well, he found the neighbour standing there. He refused to let the farmer take water from the well. On asking why, he replied, “I sold only the well to you, not the water. The water still belongs to me. You cannot take it.” | अगले दिन जब किसान कुएँ पर पहुँचा, तो उसने देखा कि पड़ोसी वहाँ खड़ा है। उसने किसान को कुएँ से पानी लेने से मना कर दिया। जब किसान ने कारण पूछा, तो पड़ोसी ने कहा, “मैंने तुम्हें केवल कुआँ बेचा है, पानी नहीं। पानी अभी भी मेरा है। तुम इसे नहीं ले सकते।” |
| The worried farmer didn’t know what to do. So, he went to the village chief and told her about his case, and said, “He is not letting me take the water.” | चिंतित किसान नहीं जानता था कि क्या करे। इसलिए वह गाँव की मुखिया के पास गया और उसे अपनी समस्या बताई, “वह मुझे पानी लेने नहीं दे रहा है।” |
| The village chief fixed a day for a meeting of the Panchayat. The day came, and the members of the Panchayat gathered under the banyan tree in the centre of the village. Both the farmer and his neighbour were summoned. Most of the villagers were present. | गाँव की मुखिया ने पंचायत की बैठक के लिए एक दिन तय किया। वह दिन आया, और पंचायत के सदस्य गाँव के बीचोंबीच बरगद के पेड़ के नीचे इकट्ठा हुए। किसान और उसका पड़ोसी, दोनों को बुलाया गया। अधिकतर गाँववाले भी उपस्थित थे। |
| The farmer explained the situation to the gathering. The chief asked the neighbour why he was not letting the farmer draw water from the well. The cunning man said the same thing again, “I sold only the well to him, not the water in it. The water still belongs to me. So, he cannot take my water.” | किसान ने सबके सामने पूरी बात समझाई। मुखिया ने पड़ोसी से पूछा कि वह किसान को कुएँ से पानी लेने क्यों नहीं दे रहा है। चालाक आदमी ने वही बात दोहराई, “मैंने उसे केवल कुआँ बेचा है, पानी नहीं। पानी अभी भी मेरा है, इसलिए वह मेरा पानी नहीं ले सकता।” |
| The members of the Panchayat, as well as the villagers, tried to reason with him, but he was adamant. Finally, the Panchayat members discussed the matter among themselves. Then they stood up to give the judgment. The villagers also stood up. | पंचायत के सदस्यों और गाँववालों ने उसे समझाने की कोशिश की, लेकिन वह जिद पर अड़ा रहा। अंत में, पंचायत के सदस्यों ने आपस में विचार-विमर्श किया। फिर वे निर्णय सुनाने के लिए खड़े हुए। गाँववाले भी खड़े हो गए। |
| The village chief began, “After hearing both sides, we agree that it is correct to say that only the well was sold.” The neighbour gave a satisfied smile. “However,” continued the village chief, “if you have NOT sold the water and the water is yours, then you have no business keeping your water in his well. Remove the water or use it all up immediately. If not, the water will belong to the owner of the well.” | मुखिया ने कहना शुरू किया, “दोनों पक्षों को सुनने के बाद, हम मानते हैं कि यह सही है कि केवल कुआँ बेचा गया था।” यह सुनकर पड़ोसी मुस्कुरा दिया। “लेकिन,” मुखिया ने आगे कहा, “अगर तुमने पानी नहीं बेचा और वह तुम्हारा है, तो तुम्हारा उसे उसके कुएँ में रखने का कोई हक नहीं है। या तो तुरंत पानी निकाल लो या सारा उपयोग कर लो। अगर नहीं, तो पानी कुएँ के मालिक का हो जाएगा।” |
| The farmer was relieved and gave a shout of joy. The cunning neighbour realised that cheating will not lead anywhere. He had to pay a fine as well as apologise to the farmer. The villagers praised the wisdom of the Panchayat. | किसान को राहत मिली और वह खुशी से चिल्ला उठा। चालाक पड़ोसी को समझ आ गया कि धोखा देने से कुछ हासिल नहीं होता। उसे जुर्माना भरना पड़ा और किसान से माफी भी मांगनी पड़ी। गाँववालों ने पंचायत की बुद्धिमत्ता की प्रशंसा की। |
The Decision of the Panchayat – Full Paragraph-wise Notes, Questions & Answers
Here’s the paragraph-wise Question and Answer set for the story “The Farmer and the Well” (from the NCERT English textbook Santoor – Class 5), including grammar-based questions after each paragraph:
Paragraph 1
Once upon a time, there lived a farmer in a small village. He had two fields. He used to work very hard. When he prospered, he bought another field. There was a well next to it. Since the farmer needed a source of water for his fields, he bought the well from his neighbour.
Questions & Answers:
- Where did the farmer live?
Answers: The farmer lived in a small village. - How many fields did the farmer have at first?
Answers: He had two fields at first. - What did the farmer buy when he prospered?
Answers: He bought another field and a well next to it. - Why did the farmer buy the well?
Answers: He bought the well because he needed a source of water for his fields.
Grammar Questions:
- Find one past tense verb from the paragraph.
Answers: Lived, bought, prospered, needed. - Identify the noun in this sentence: “He bought another field.”
Answers: Field is the noun.
Paragraph 2
The neighbour was a cunning man. He thought of a plan to cheat the farmer.
Questions & Answers:
- What kind of man was the neighbour?
Answers: The neighbour was a cunning man. - What did he plan to do?
Answers: He planned to cheat the farmer.
Grammar Questions:
- Pick out the adjective from the paragraph.
Answers: Cunning is the adjective. - Change the verb in this sentence to future tense: “He thought of a plan.”
Answers: “He will think of a plan.”
Paragraph 3
The next day, when the farmer reached the well, he found the neighbour standing there. He refused to let the farmer take water from the well. On asking why, he replied, “I sold only the well to you, not the water. The water still belongs to me. You cannot take it.”
Questions & Answers:
- What did the neighbour refuse to let the farmer do?
Answers: He refused to let the farmer take water from the well. - What excuse did the neighbour give?
Answers: He said that he had sold only the well, not the water. - What did the farmer find when he reached the well?
Answers: He found the neighbour standing there.
Grammar Questions:
- Find a direct speech sentence from this paragraph.
Answers: “I sold only the well to you, not the water. The water still belongs to me. You cannot take it.” - Change this sentence to plural form: “The farmer found the neighbour.”
Answers: “The farmers found the neighbours.”
Paragraph 4
The worried farmer didn’t know what to do. So, he went to the village chief and told her about his case, and said, “He is not letting me take the water.”
The village chief fixed a day for a meeting of the Panchayat.
Questions & Answers:
- Why was the farmer worried?
Answers: He was worried because his neighbour didn’t allow him to take water from the well. - To whom did the farmer go for help?
Answers: He went to the village chief. - What did the chief do?
Answers: She fixed a day for the Panchayat meeting.
Grammar Questions:
- Identify the pronoun in this sentence: “He went to the village chief.”
Answers: He - Change the sentence into negative form: “The farmer knew what to do.”
Answers: “The farmer did not know what to do.”
Paragraph 5
The day came, and the members of the Panchayat gathered under the banyan tree in the centre of the village. Both the farmer and his neighbour were summoned. Most of the villagers were present.
Questions & Answers:
- Where did the Panchayat meeting take place?
Answers: It took place under the banyan tree in the centre of the village. - Who were summoned to the meeting?
Answers: The farmer and his neighbour were summoned. - Who else attended the meeting?
Answers: Most of the villagers were present.
Grammar Questions:
- Find the past tense verbs from this paragraph.
Answers: Came, gathered, were summoned, were present. - Use the word ‘summon’ in a sentence of your own.
Answers: The teacher summoned the students to her office.
Paragraph 6
The farmer explained the situation to the gathering. The chief asked the neighbour why he was not letting the farmer draw water from the well. The cunning man said the same thing again, “I sold only the well to him, not the water in it. The water still belongs to me. So, he cannot take my water.”
The members of the Panchayat, as well as the villagers, tried to reason with him, but he was adamant. Finally, the Panchayat members discussed the matter among themselves. Then they stood up to give the judgment. The villagers also stood up.
Questions & Answers:
- What did the farmer explain to the Panchayat?
Answers: He explained how the neighbour was not allowing him to take water from the well. - What was the neighbour’s reply?
Answers: He said that he had sold only the well, not the water. - Why did the Panchayat members discuss the matter?
Answers: They wanted to give a fair judgment. - What does ‘adamant’ mean?
Answers: It means refusing to change one’s mind.
Grammar Questions:
- Identify two conjunctions from the paragraph.
Answers: As well as, but. - Find one compound sentence from the paragraph.
Answers: “The members of the Panchayat, as well as the villagers, tried to reason with him, but he was adamant.”
Paragraph 7
The village chief began, “After hearing both sides, we agree that it is correct to say that only the well was sold.” The neighbour gave a satisfied smile. “However,” continued the village chief, “if you have NOT sold the water and the water is yours, then you have no business keeping your water in his well. Remove the water or use it all up immediately. If not, the water will belong to the owner of the well.”
Questions & Answers:
- What did the chief say after hearing both sides?
Answers: She agreed that only the well was sold. - What did the chief ask the neighbour to do with the water?
Answers: She asked him to remove it or use it up immediately. - What did the chief mean by her judgment?
Answers: She meant that if the neighbour claimed the water, he must remove it from the farmer’s well.
Grammar Questions:
- Find an imperative sentence from the paragraph.
Answers: “Remove the water or use it all up immediately.” - Change the verb tense in this sentence to future: “The chief began the judgment.”
Answers: “The chief will begin the judgment.”
Paragraph 8
The farmer was relieved and gave a shout of joy. The cunning neighbour realised that cheating will not lead anywhere. He had to pay a fine as well as apologise to the farmer. The villagers praised the wisdom of the Panchayat.
Questions & Answers:
- How did the farmer feel after the judgment?
Answers: He felt relieved and joyful. - What lesson did the neighbour learn?
Answers: He learned that cheating will not lead anywhere. - What did the villagers do after the judgment?
Answers: They praised the wisdom of the Panchayat.
Grammar Questions:
- Find two adjectives from the paragraph.
Answers: Cunning, relieved. - Make a plural form of the word ‘villager’.
Answers: Villagers.
Extra Question and Answer— The Decision of the Panchayat
A. Answer the following
- Why did the farmer buy the well?
Answers: Because he needed a source of water for his newly bought field. - Who bought the well, and from whom?
Answers: The farmer bought the well from his neighbor. - Why did the farmer buy the well?
Answers: He bought it so that he could use its water to irrigate his field. - What did the neighbor say when the farmer tried to draw water?
Answers: The neighbor said that he had sold only the well, not the water in it.| - How did the farmer feel after hearing this?
Answers: The farmer felt sad and angry because he could not use the water from the well he had bought. - What problem arose between the two men?
Answers: The dispute was about the ownership of the water inside the well. - Why was the farmer upset the next day?
Answers: His neighbour refused to let him draw water from the well, claiming that although he sold the well, he did not sell the water within it. - What did the farmer do when the neighbour refused?
Answers: He approached the village chief and asked for her help. Eventually, the matter was brought before the Panchayat. - What arguments did the neighbour use in the Panchayat?
Answers: He repeated that he sold only the well, not the water inside it, and therefore the water still belonged to him. - What was the final decision of the Panchayat?
Answers: The Panchayat ruled that if the neighbour had not sold the water, he should remove it from the farmer’s well or use it up immediately. Otherwise, the water would legally belong to the farmer. The neighbour also had to apologise and pay a small fine. - How did the villagers react to the Panchayat’s judgment?
Answers: They praised the wisdom and fairness of the Panchayat’s decision, and peace was restored in the village. - What did the farmer try to explain to his neighbor?
Answers: The farmer explained that if he had bought the well, the water in it should also belong to him. - Did the neighbor agree with the farmer’s reasoning?
Answers: No, the neighbor refused to listen and continued to argue. - What did the farmer decide to do next?
Answers: The farmer decided to take the matter to the village Panchayat. - What is a Panchayat?
Answers: A Panchayat is a group of village elders who meet to make fair decisions and solve problems in the village. - What does this paragraph tell us about the farmer?
Answers: It shows that the farmer believed in justice and peaceful ways of solving disputes. - Where did the Panchayat gather?
Answers: The Panchayat gathered under the big banyan tree in the center of the village. - What did the farmer tell the Panchayat?
Answers: He explained how his neighbor had refused to let him draw water from the well he had bought. - What was the neighbor’s statement before the Panchayat?
Answers: The neighbor said that he had sold only the well, not the water in it. - How did the villagers react to the neighbor’s words?
They were surprised and thought his claim was unfair and foolish. - Who gave the final judgment?
Answers: The head of the Panchayat gave the final judgment. - What was the Panchayat’s decision?
Answers: The Panchayat decided that if the neighbor claimed the water as his, he must take it out of the farmer’s well immediately. - What did the neighbor realize after hearing the judgment?
Answers: He realized that his claim was foolish and that he was wrong to cheat the farmer. - How did the villagers feel about the Panchayat’s decision?
Answers: They were happy and praised the Panchayat for its wise and fair decision. - What did the neighbor do after realizing his mistake?
Answers: He apologized to the farmer and promised not to repeat such behavior. - How did the farmer respond to the apology?
Answers: The farmer forgave him kindly. - What did the Panchayat’s decision bring to the village?
Answers: It brought peace and harmony back to the village. - What values does this story teach us?
Answers: The story teaches us the importance of honesty, fairness, justice, and forgiveness. - What is the moral of “The Decision of the Panchayat”?
Answers: The moral is: Wisdom and fairness always lead to justice; dishonesty never wins.
Grammar & Word Work
A. Fill in the blanks / Prepositions & words
- The farmer went _______ the village chief to explain his case.
Answer: to - Both the ____________ and his neighbour were summoned.
Answer: farmer - The neighbour said he sold only the _________ not the water.
Answer: well - The Panchayat decided that if the neighbour doesn’t remove the water it will belong to the _______ of the well.
Answer: owner - The neighbour had to ________ to the farmer and pay a fine.
Answer: apologise
MCQs — The Decision of the Panchayat
- What motivated the neighbour to refuse letting the farmer draw water?
a) He wanted more money
b) He was spiteful
c) He claimed rights over the water, though he sold the well
d) He believed the well was haunted
Answer: c) He claimed rights over the water, though he sold the well - When the farmer approached the village chief, what was he seeking?
a) Protection
b) Justice
c) More land
d) A new well
Answer: b) Justice - Who were present at the Panchayat meeting?
a) Only the farmer and neighbour
b) The village chief and family members
c) The farmer, neighbour, Panchayat members, and many villagers
d) Only the Panchayat members
Answer: c) The farmer, neighbour, Panchayat members, and many villagers - Which judgment tactic did the Panchayat use?
a) They forced the neighbour by threat
b) They sided with the neighbour
c) They turned the neighbour’s logic against him
d) They ignored both sides
Answer: c) They turned the neighbour’s logic against him - If the neighbour failed to remove his water, what did the Panchayat declare would happen?
a) The neighbour would lose the well
b) The well would be sealed
c) The water would legally belong to the farmer
d) The well would be shared equally
Answer: c) The water would legally belong to the farmer - What does the neighbour’s claim “I sold only the well, not the water” represent?
a) Honesty
b) Fair trade
c) Deception and greed
d) Generosity
Answer: c) Deception and greed - How did the farmer feel after hearing the decision of the Panchayat?
a) Angry
b) Hopeless
c) Relieved and joyful
d) Indifferent
Answer: c) Relieved and joyful - What additional action besides the judgment did the Panchayat take against the neighbour?
a) Banned him from the village
b) Asked him to dig another well
c) Imposed a fine and required an apology
d) Made him teach children
Answer: c) Imposed a fine and required an apology - Which value is most highlighted by the Panchayat’s decision?
a) Force
b) Bribery
c) Wisdom & fairness
d) Silence
Answer: c) Wisdom & fairness - What role does the story show for Panchayats in village life?
a) To collect taxes
b) To settle local disputes with justice
c) To build houses
d) To be a police force
Answer: b) To settle local disputes with justice - MCQs — The Decision of the Panchayat
Why did the farmer buy the well from his neighbour?
a) His old well had dried up
b) The neighbour forced him
c) He needed a source of water for his fields
d) It was very cheap
Answer: c) He needed a source of water for his fields - What argument did the cunning neighbour make when asked to let the farmer draw water?
a) The well is cursed
b) The farmer had not paid fully
c) He sold only the well, not the water inside it
d) The water was poisoned
Answer: c) He sold only the well, not the water inside it - Where did the Panchayat gather to hear the case?
a) In the farmer’s field
b) At the village chief’s house
c) Under the banyan tree in the centre of the village
d) Next to the well
Answer: c) Under the banyan tree in the centre of the village - What was the final judgment of the Panchayat?
a) The neighbour must share water equally
b) The neighbour must remove water from the farmer’s well immediately
c) The farmer must pay extra for water
d) The well must be sealed
Answer: b) The neighbour must remove water from the farmer’s well immediately - What penalty did the neighbour have to face in addition to the judgment?
a) Leave the village
b) Pay fine
c) Build another well
d) Plant trees
Answer: b) Pay fine - What did the farmer do when his neighbour stopped him from drawing water?
a) He accepted it silently
b) He destroyed the well
c) He went to the Panchayat to seek justice
d) He bought another well
Answer: c) He went to the Panchayat to seek justice - Which of the following statements about the Panchayat’s method is correct?
a) They ignored the farmer’s complaint
b) They sided with the neighbour
c) They listened to both sides before deciding
d) They asked the farmer to leave
Answer: c) They listened to both sides before deciding
Summary / Important Points & Morals
- The story highlights that just owning an object does not mean one can claim everything associated with it (like water inside a well).
- Fairness, listening to both sides, and wise judgment are important in solving disputes.
- Panchayats (village councils) play a vital role in community justice in rural India.
- Moral: Deception and greed lead nowhere; truth, fairness, and wisdom bring peace.