Wandering Singers — ICSE Class 7 (Gulmohar) | Clear Q&A & Exam Tips
Quick summary
'Wandering Singers' by Sarojini Naidu portrays a group of nomadic singers who travel freely, singing of old cities, battles, kings and lost beauties. They have no fixed home; their life is led by the wind and song — a blend of sorrow and joy. This page converts the ICSE Gulmohar Q&A into short, clear answers for fast revision.
Q&A — Clear & concise (Numbered for easy reference)
1. Which line tells you that the singers sing as they travel?
Answer: The third line: "With lutes in our hands ever-singing, we roam" — it shows they sing while traveling.
2. The wandering singers have no permanent homes and families. Do they show any sadness about it? Or do they have a different notion of family and home?
Answer: They do not show sadness. They treat everyone as family and the whole world as home — feeling at ease everywhere.
3. What do the wandering singers sing about?
Answer: They sing about:
- Cities that were once great and famous
- The beauty and laughter of women of the past
- Ancient battles and kings
- Happy, simple and sad things — a wide variety
4. What might their listeners get from the songs — (a) knowledge and (b) mood?
Answer — (a) Knowledge: Listeners learn bits of history and folklore — about cities, kings and past lives.
— (b) Mood: The songs evoke fascination, curiosity, admiration, sadness and excitement.
5. Why do the wandering singers not wait anywhere? Why keep traveling?
Answer: They follow the wind — it represents fate. They have no close ties or fixed desires and therefore roam freely without attachment.
6. In what person is the poem written — why not 'I' or 'they'?
Answer: It is written in the first person plural (we). Using 'we' includes the reader and presents the singers as a collective, universal group rather than a single individual.
7. Why use ‘wander’ and ‘roam’ and not ‘march’ or ‘stride’?
Answer: 'Wander' and 'roam' mean moving freely and without hurry or purpose. 'March' and 'stride' suggest purposeful, fast movement. The poet uses softer verbs to show their relaxed, aimless life guided by the wind.
8. What is the rhyme scheme? Does it sound like a song?
Answer: The rhyme scheme is a a / b b / c c ... (pair rhyme pattern). Yes — when read aloud the poem has a musical, song-like rhythm.
9. Repetitions like ‘voice of the wind’, ‘wind calls’ and ‘echoing’ — suitable? Why?
Answer: Yes. These repetitions make the poem lyrical and musical — echoing the theme of singing and sound, and linking the wind to the singers' music.
10. Which elements create sorrow or happiness? Do any make the singers timeless?
Answer: Sorrow: (i) lack of a home and (iii) thoughts of people and places that are dead. Happiness: (ii) feeling that everyone is family and (iv) singing about laughter and beauty. Timelessness: (v) the idea that they have always travelled and will always travel — this makes them feel eternal and not bound to one age.
Important lines to remember (quick recall)
- "With lutes in our hands ever-singing, we roam." — key line proving they sing while traveling.
- "The voice of the wind" / "wind calls" / "echoing" — important repeated phrases; link wind with destiny and music.
- "We have no house" (implied) — shows their nomadic nature and freedom.
Exam tips & how to answer perfectly
- Use short direct answers for 2–4 mark questions — quote the exact line where asked.
- Explain briefly for 5–6 mark questions — give reason + one short quote + one-line explanation.
- Practice aloud: Read the poem and Q&A aloud — it helps remember rhythm and important phrases.
- One-line summary: "The wandering singers roam freely, singing of past glories — a mix of sorrow and joy." Use this for introduction/closing lines in long answers.
Sample 6-mark answer (structure)
Structure: 1–2 lines direct answer + 2–3 lines explanation (mention 'voice of the wind') + 1 line quote + 1 line conclusion linking to mood.
Printable notes & quick revision sheet
Click to print a clean revision sheet for class or home study.
Print Revision Sheet
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