Chapter 7 — Madam Rides the Bus

The chapter tells the story of eight-year-old Valliammai (Valli), who takes her first bus journey from her village to town. Despite the wonder and excitement of the ride, she encounters a dead cow on her return journey, which introduces her to the reality of death.

Valli is an eight-year-old curious girl who lives in a village with no playmates her own age. Her favorite pastime is standing at the front doorway of her house, watching the street outside and the bus that passes by each hour.

Valli becomes fascinated by the bus that travels between her village and the nearby town, passing through her street each hour with a new set of passengers. Her desire to ride the bus grows gradually from a tiny wish into an overwhelming desire over many days and months.

Valli thriftily saves coins over months, resisting every temptation to buy peppermints, toys, balloons, and other items. She even resolutely resists the desire to ride the merry-go-round at the village fair. She saves a total of sixty paise for the round trip (thirty paise each way).

Valli finds that her mother naps every day after lunch from about one to four o'clock. She uses these hours to slip out of the house and take the one o'clock afternoon bus, timing it so she returns home by about two forty-five, before her mother wakes up.

During her ride, Valli sees the bus travelling along the bank of a canal with palm trees, grassland, and distant mountains on one side, and acres of green fields on the other. She also witnesses a young cow running in the middle of the road in front of the bus, moving faster as the driver honks, which makes her laugh until there are tears in her eyes.

When the bus reaches the town, the conductor tells Valli to get off, but she decides to pay another thirty paise and stay on the bus to return home immediately. She explains that she came just for the bus ride and would be too afraid to explore the town alone.

Valli recognizes the young cow that had run in front of the bus earlier, now lying dead on the roadside, having been struck by a fast-moving vehicle. The cow's body, with its legs spreadeagled and blood, horrifies her and transforms what was once a 'lovable, beautiful creature' into something frightening. The memory haunts her and she no longer wants to look out the window.

The conductor is jolly and fond of joking. He jokingly calls her 'madam' and teases her throughout the ride. Despite Valli being initially annoyed by his mockery, she gradually joins in the laughter. He also shows concern for her safety when she stands on the seat and offers her a cold drink, which she politely refuses.

The main theme explores Valli's transition from curiosity and independence to a first encounter with death and loss. It depicts the gap between knowing that death exists and truly understanding it. Valli's experience shows how innocent joy can be suddenly disrupted by the harsh reality of mortality, introducing her to a deeper understanding of the world.

When her aunt asks where Valli has been, Valli simply smiles instead of explaining her journey. Later, when her mother and aunt discuss how we cannot know about everything that happens, Valli quietly agrees. This shows that Valli has experienced and understood something profound—the mystery of life and death—that she cannot easily share with adults, and her smile reveals a newfound maturity and inner knowledge.

Yes, the NCERT Class 10 English textbook (First Flight) is available for free download from CBSE PrepMaster with no sign-up required. You can access all chapters, including Chapter 7 'Madam Rides the Bus', directly on the website.