Introduction
A Pinch of Snuff by Manohar Malgaonkar is an important short story prescribed in the Bihar Board Class 12 English syllabus. This story is humorous as well as thought-provoking. It highlights human nature, pride, ego, and the difference between real and fake knowledge. Written in a simple narrative style, the story is easy to understand and very useful from an examination point of view.
This blog provides a complete summary of A Pinch of Snuff by Manohar Malgaonkar in easy English and Hindi, along with objective questions, short questions, and FAQs to help students score better marks.
About the Author – Manohar Malgaonkar
Manohar Malgaonkar was a famous Indian writer and novelist who wrote mainly in English. He was known for his realistic writing style, sharp observation of society, and humor. His stories often deal with human psychology, pride, ego, and social behavior.
Some of his works show how ordinary people behave in extraordinary situations. “A Pinch of Snuff” is one such story where he cleverly exposes the human tendency to pretend knowledge even when one lacks it.
A Pinch of Snuff by Manohar Malgaonkar—Summary in English (Easy Language)
A Pinch of Snuff by Manohar Malgaonkar is a short story that deals with human ego and false pride. The story revolves around a young man named Mukunda, who is proud of his knowledge and education. He believes that he knows everything and considers himself superior to others.
Mukunda works under a British officer. One day, his officer gives him a task to identify the contents of a small packet. The packet contains snuff, a powdered tobacco commonly used by elderly people in old times. Mukunda has never seen or used snuff before, but he does not want to admit his ignorance.
Instead of saying the truth, Mukunda pretends to know about it. He confidently tells his officer that it is a special medicinal powder. His officer, who already knows what it is, decides to test Mukunda’s honesty and intelligence.
Mukunda continues to give wrong explanations. He describes the smell, color, and taste of snuff in a confusing way, trying to sound intelligent. His pride does not allow him to accept that he does not know what snuff is.
At the end, Mukunda is forced to take a pinch of snuff himself. The strong smell makes him sneeze badly, and he becomes embarrassed. His false pride is exposed, and he realizes his mistake.
The story teaches a strong moral lesson. Pretending knowledge is worse than ignorance. True wisdom lies in accepting one’s limitations. Manohar Malgaonkar uses humor to show how ego can make a person foolish.
A Pinch of Snuff by Manohar Malgaonkar – हिंदी सारांश (सरल भाषा में)
“A Pinch of Snuff” कहानी मानवीय अहंकार और झूठे घमंड पर आधारित है। इस कहानी के लेखक मनोहर मालगांवकर हैं। कहानी का मुख्य पात्र मुकुंदा है, जो अपने ज्ञान और पढ़ाई पर बहुत घमंड करता है।
मुकुंदा एक अंग्रेज अधिकारी के अधीन काम करता है। एक दिन अधिकारी उसे एक छोटा पैकेट देता है और पूछता है कि इसमें क्या है। उस पैकेट में सूंफ जैसी तंबाकू पाउडर (Snuff) होती है। मुकुंदा ने कभी सूंघने वाली तंबाकू नहीं देखी होती, लेकिन वह अपनी अज्ञानता स्वीकार नहीं करना चाहता।
वह झूठ बोलकर अधिकारी को बताता है कि यह कोई दवाई है। अधिकारी को सच्चाई पता होती है, इसलिए वह मुकुंदा की परीक्षा लेना चाहता है। मुकुंदा लगातार गलत और भ्रमित करने वाले उत्तर देता रहता है, ताकि वह बुद्धिमान लगे।
अंत में अधिकारी मुकुंदा को खुद सूंफ (snuff) सूंघने को कहता है। तेज गंध के कारण मुकुंदा जोर-जोर से छींकने लगता है और शर्मिंदा हो जाता है। उसका झूठा घमंड सबके सामने आ जाता है।
कहानी हमें यह सिखाती है कि अज्ञान स्वीकार करना कमजोरी नहीं है, बल्कि झूठा घमंड इंसान को मूर्ख बना देता है।
5 Objective Questions Of A Pinch of Snuff by Manohar Malgaonkar
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Who wrote “A Pinch of Snuff”?
a) R.K. Narayan
b) Manohar Malgaonkar
c) Mulk Raj Anand
d) Khushwant Singh
Answer: b) Manohar Malgaonkar -
Who is the main character of the story?
a) Hari
b) Ramesh
c) Mukunda
d) Suresh
Answer: c) Mukunda -
What was inside the small packet?
a) Medicine
b) Coffee powder
c) Snuff
d) Tea leaves
Answer: c) Snuff -
What does the story mainly highlight?
a) Patriotism
b) Ego and false pride
c) Bravery
d) Love
Answer: b) Ego and false pride -
What happens when Mukunda takes a pinch of snuff?
a) He feels happy
b) He falls asleep
c) He sneezes badly
d) He laughs
Answer: c) He sneezes badly
5 Short Questions Of A Pinch of Snuff by Manohar Malgaonkar
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What is the theme of “A Pinch of Snuff”?
Answer: The theme is ego, false pride, and pretended knowledge. -
Why does Mukunda not admit his ignorance?
Answer: Because of his ego and fear of losing respect. -
What lesson does the story teach?
Answer: It teaches that honesty is better than false pride. -
How does the officer test Mukunda?
Answer: By asking him to identify snuff and finally making him take it. -
Why is the story humorous?
Answer: Because Mukunda’s pride leads to an embarrassing situation.
Conclusion: A Pinch of Snuff by Manohar Malgaonkar
A Pinch of Snuff by Manohar Malgaonkar is a meaningful and humorous story. It teaches students the importance of honesty, humility, and self-awareness. The story is simple yet powerful and perfectly suitable for Bihar Board Class 12 students. Understanding this lesson helps not only in exams but also in real life.
FAQs – A Pinch of Snuff by Manohar Malgaonkar
Q1. Who is the author of A Pinch of Snuff?
Manohar Malgaonkar.
Q2. What does snuff symbolize in the story?
It symbolizes false knowledge and exposed pride.
Q3. Is A Pinch of Snuff important for the Bihar Board exams?
Yes, it is very important from an exam point of view.
Q4. What moral lesson does the story teach?
Never pretend knowledge; accept ignorance honestly.
Q5. Who is Mukunda?
Mukunda is the main character who suffers due to his ego.
A Pinch of Snuff – Bihar Board Class 12 English Question Answer