Poetry 10: South Delhi Murder
Original notes — ready Bihar Board — BSEB • Class 11 • English • Book: Rainbow Bhag-1 (Purani pustak — 2025 se pehle wali)
South Delhi Murder — EG's own notes, in simple English
Book: Rainbow Bhag-1 (Purani pustak — 2025 se pehle wali) (BSEB, Class 11) | Poetry 10 | Type: Poetry | Author: Tabish Khair
This page carries Educational Galaxy's own original notes — a theme-level summary in simple English, not a copy of the textbook. No official textbook PDF is given here.
Diagram (labels are printed on the image): A quiet residential street at evening — a general picture of the poem's setting, not a book scene.
An old couple on a veranda — a general picture of lonely old age in the city.
What the chapter is about
A neighbour tells, in plain and painful detail, how an old couple in South Delhi were murdered and robbed, allegedly by their young servant boy Shyam. The poem follows the discovery: the smell, the flies, the police, the missing things, the small clues.
Khair's point is wider than one crime. The poem quietly shows prejudice — the easy blame of a 'Bihari boy' — and the loneliness of old people whose children live far away. It asks readers to look beyond easy labels at a sad, human story.
What you should learn
Behind a crime headline are lonely old people, prejudice and a human story — look deeper than labels.
Key Terms
- Neighbour — A person living nearby.
- Prejudice — Judging a person by his group, not his deeds.
- Servant — A person employed in a household.
- Clue — A small fact that helps solve a mystery.
- Loneliness — Sadness from being alone.
Remember
- An old couple in South Delhi are murdered and robbed.
- The neighbour narrates the discovery in plain detail.
- The servant boy Shyam is suspected.
- The poem shows prejudice against a 'Bihari boy'.
- Old parents live lonely while children are abroad.
Exam Tip / Common Mistake
Common mistake: retelling only the crime facts. The poem's point is PREJUDICE and loneliness behind the headline.
Chart / Table
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| The crime | Murder and robbery of an old couple |
| The suspect | Servant boy Shyam |
| The narrator | A neighbour, in plain detail |
| Deeper theme | Prejudice + lonely old age |
Practice set (try on your own)
- Who narrates the poem?
Hint: Think about a neighbour. - What crime is described?
Hint: Think about an old couple in South Delhi. - Who is suspected and why?
Hint: Think about the servant boy. - What prejudice appears in the poem?
Hint: Think about the label 'Bihari boy'. - What does the poem say about old parents?
Hint: Think about children living far away.
Questions with Answers
- What happens in South Delhi Murder?
An old couple are found murdered and robbed in their South Delhi home. A neighbour describes the discovery, the police, the missing goods and the suspicion falling on their young servant, Shyam. - Why is the neighbour's plain narration powerful?
Because small, ordinary details — flies, smell, a list of stolen things — make the horror real instead of sensational. The reader feels present at the scene. - How does prejudice enter the poem?
People quickly label the suspect as a 'Bihari boy', judging him by his origin rather than by evidence. The poem quietly exposes that bias. - What does the poem say about old age in cities?
That many old parents live lonely lives while their children work abroad, with only a young servant for company — a fragile, sad arrangement. - What should readers take from the poem?
To look beyond headlines and labels: at lonely elders, at migrant workers, and at the need for fairness before blame.
How to use this page: First read the summary, say the key terms in your own words, then try the practice set without looking. Finally check yourself with the questions and answers. Get your answers checked by your teacher or parents.