“Madam Rides the Bus” by Vallikkannan is a touching story about an eight-year-old girl named Valli who is full of curiosity and courage. She lives in a small village and often spends her time watching the activities on the main road outside her house. Among all, what excites her most is the bus that travels between her village and the nearest town. She dreams of riding it one day. Valli learns the details of the bus journey—how much it costs, how long it takes, and what she could see along the way. She carefully saves money from her small daily allowances to buy the bus ticket, which costs thirty paise one way. One afternoon, when her mother is asleep, she quietly boards the bus and begins her first solo adventure. During the ride, she meets interesting passengers and observes everything with excitement—the green fields, distant mountains, and small animals on the roadside. The bus conductor, a kind and playful man, calls her “Madam” and treats her with respect. Valli enjoys the trip thoroughly until she sees a young cow being hit and killed by another vehicle. The sight deeply saddens her and makes her realize that life also has pain and loss. When she returns home, no one knows about her little adventure. The story ends showing how Valli’s experience teaches her maturity, independence, and the first lesson about life’s realities. The author beautifully presents a child’s innocent desire to explore the world beyond her small boundaries and the way curiosity turns into life experience.
เคนिเคจ्เคฆी เคธाเคฐांเคถ:
“เคฎैเคกเคฎ เคฐाเคเคก्เคธ เคฆ เคฌเคธ” เคเคนाเคจी เคตเคฒ्เคฒिเค्เคเคจ्เคจเคจ เคฆ्เคตाเคฐा เคฒिเคी เคเค เคนै। เคฏเคน เคเค เคเค เคตเคฐ्เคท เคी เคिเค्เคाเคธु เคเคฐ เคธाเคนเคธी เคฒเคก़เคी เคตเคฒ्เคฒी เคी เคเคนाเคจी เคนै เคो เคाँเคต เคฎें เคฐเคนเคคी เคนै। เคเคธเคा เคธเคฌเคธे เคฌเคก़ा เคถौเค เคธเคก़เค เคชเคฐ เคเคคी-เคाเคคी เคฌเคธ เคो เคฆेเคเคจा เคนोเคคा เคนै। เคตเคน เคฐोเค़ เคฒोเคों เคो เคฌเคธ เคฎें เคเคข़เคคे เคเคฐ เคเคคเคฐเคคे เคฆेเคเคคी เคเคฐ เคธोเคเคคी เคि เคเค เคฆिเคจ เคตเคน เคญी เคฌเคธ เคी เคธเคตाเคฐी เคเคฐेเคी। เคตเคฒ्เคฒी เคฌเคก़ी เคธเคฎเคเคฆाเคฐी เคธे เคฌเคธ เคฏाเคค्เคฐा เคी เคธाเคฐी เคाเคจเคाเคฐी เคुเคाเคคी เคนै—เคिเคฐाเคฏा เคिเคคเคจा เคนै, เคฏाเคค्เคฐा เคฎें เคिเคคเคจा เคธเคฎเคฏ เคฒเคเคคा เคนै, เคเคฐ เคฐाเคธ्เคคे เคฎें เค्เคฏा-เค्เคฏा เคฆिเคाเค เคฆेเคคा เคนै। เคตเคน เคงीเคฐे-เคงीเคฐे เค เคชเคจी เคेเคฌ เคเคฐ्เค เคธे เคชैเคธे เคฌเคाเคคी เคนै เคคाเคि เคคीเคธ เคชैเคธे เคा เคिเคเค เคเคฐीเคฆ เคธเคे। เคเค เคฆिเคจ เคเคฌ เคเคธเคी เคฎाँ เคธो เคฐเคนी เคนोเคคी เคนै, เคตเคน เคुเคชเคे เคธे เคฌเคธ เคฎें เคธเคตाเคฐ เคนो เคाเคคी เคนै। เคฌเคธ เคฏाเคค्เคฐा เคเคธเคे เคฒिเค เคเค เคจเคฏा เค เคจुเคญเคต เคนोเคคी เคนै। เคตเคน เคेเคคों, เคชเคนाเคก़िเคฏों เคเคฐ เคฐाเคธ्เคคे เคฎें เคฆिเคเคจे เคตाเคฒे เคฆृเคถ्เคฏों เคो เคฌเคนुเคค เคง्เคฏाเคจ เคธे เคฆेเคเคคी เคนै। เคฌเคธ เคंเคกเค्เคเคฐ เคเคธे เคช्เคฏाเคฐ เคธे “เคฎैเคกเคฎ” เคเคนเคเคฐ เคฌुเคฒाเคคा เคนै। เคฒेเคिเคจ เคเคธเคी เคुเคถी เคคเคฌ เคเคฎ เคนो เคाเคคी เคนै เคเคฌ เคตเคน เคฆेเคเคคी เคนै เคि เคเค เคोเคी เคाเคฏ เคธเคก़เค เคชเคฐ เคฎाเคฐी เคाเคคी เคนै। เคฏเคน เคฆृเคถ्เคฏ เคเคธे เคฌเคนुเคค เคฆुเคी เคเคฐ เคฆेเคคा เคนै เคเคฐ เคเคธे เคीเคตเคจ เคी เคธเค्เคाเค เคा เค เคนเคธाเคธ เคเคฐाเคคा เคนै เคि เคीเคตเคจ เคेเคตเคฒ เคुเคถी เคนी เคจเคนीं, เคฌเคฒ्เคि เคฆुเค เคเคฐ เคนाเคจि เคा เคญी เคนिเคธ्เคธा เคนै। เคเคนाเคจी เคฆिเคाเคคी เคนै เคि เคैเคธे เคเค เคोเคी เคฌเค्เคी เคी เคिเค्เคाเคธा เคเคธे เค เคจुเคญเคต, เคเคค्เคฎเคจिเคฐ्เคญเคฐเคคा เคเคฐ เคชเคฐिเคชเค्เคตเคคा เคी เคเคฐ เคฒे เคाเคคी เคนै।
Character Sketch
Valli: Valli is an eight-year-old girl who is curious, observant, and fiercely independent. She is filled with a burning desire to ride the bus to the town, a dream she nurtures through careful planning and saving. She is mature beyond her years, cautious, and proud, refusing help from others. Her journey is one of self-discovery, and her encounter with the dead cow reveals her sensitive and reflective side, marking her loss of innocence.
The Bus Conductor: The conductor is a jolly, kind-hearted, and understanding man. He is amused by Valli's seriousness and independence, calling her "Madam" in a friendly way. He looks out for her during the journey, offering help which she refuses, and respects her wish to be treated as an adult. He represents the friendly, protective presence that makes her solo adventure safe and memorable.
10 Previous Year Questions & Solutions
1. What was Valli's favourite pastime? (2019)
Answer: Valli's favourite pastime was standing in the front doorway of her house, watching the street and the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town. This activity fueled her curiosity and became the source of her deepest desire—to ride on that bus.
2. How did Valli plan her bus journey? (2020)
Answer: Valli planned her journey with great determination and patience. She listened carefully to conversations of passengers to gather information about the bus fare and timings. She saved every penny by resisting temptations like toys and peppermints, and even stifling her desire to ride the merry-go-round at the fair. She calculated the time she would need and chose an afternoon when her mother was asleep to execute her plan.
3. Why did Valli not get off the bus at the town? (2022)
Answer: Valli did not get off the bus at the town because her goal was simply to experience the bus ride itself. She didn't have the money to buy anything in town, and more importantly, she was afraid of getting lost. She also wanted to return on the same bus to save on another ticket, making the round trip her complete and satisfying adventure.
4. What sight on her return journey made Valli sad? (2023)
Answer: On her return journey, Valli saw the lifeless body of the same young cow that had been so lively and joyful on her way to town. It had been hit by a fast-moving vehicle. The sight of the dead cow, with its bloodstained legs and staring, lifeless eyes, shocked Valli deeply, extinguishing her enthusiasm and filling her with profound sadness.
5. Why did the conductor call Valli 'madam'? (2018)
Answer: The conductor called Valli 'madam' in a jovial and teasing manner because she behaved with such serious dignity and independence, like a grown-up lady. She spoke to him confidently, refused his help, and was meticulous about paying her own fare. The nickname was a sign of his amusement and respect for her mature demeanour.
6. "Valli was overcome with sadness." What had happened? (2021)
Answer: Valli was overcome with sadness because the thrilling joy of her bus ride was shattered by the sight of the dead cow. The cow, which had been a beautiful, playful creature full of life earlier, now lay mangled and dead on the road. This sudden confrontation with the harsh reality of death shocked her, making the world seem less wonderful and marking the end of her innocent joy.
7. How can you say that Valli was a meticulous planner? (2019)
Answer: Valli was a meticulous planner as evidenced by her careful execution of the bus ride. She gathered information discreetly, saved money strategically over time, calculated the exact fare and timing, and chose the perfect moment when her mother was napping. She even planned to stay on the bus to avoid extra cost and the risk of getting lost. Every detail was thoughtfully considered.
8. What details did Valli notice about the bus during her journeys? (2020)
Answer: Valli noticed many details: the bus was painted a beautiful white and green with stripes. It had overhead bars and shiny seats. The engine roared as it started, and the bus seemed to crawl like a monster when it left the village. She noticed the trees rushing backwards, the canal, palm trees, grasslands, and the changing scenery. On her return, she noticed the same sights but with a changed perspective.
9. What is the significance of the title 'Madam Rides the Bus'? (2022)
Answer: The title highlights Valli's proud independence and the conductor's respectful, teasing nickname for her. It captures the central event—her solo bus ride—and frames it as an achievement of a determined little girl who conducts herself with the dignity of a 'Madam'. The title celebrates her agency and the small but significant adventure that marks a step towards growing up.
10. What kind of person is Valli? Illustrate with examples. (2023)
Answer: Valli is curious, determined, independent, and observant. Her curiosity drives her to watch the bus daily. Her determination is seen in her saving and planning. Her independence is shown when she refuses help and pays her own fare. She is observant, noting every detail of the bus and scenery. Finally, she is sensitive, as seen in her reaction to the dead cow. She is a child with a strong will and a deep capacity for feeling.
