CBSE Class 6 English: A Pact with the Sun - Chapter 5 Tansen NCERT Solutions

Reviewed by NCERT Help Editorial Team · Updated on 29 Jul 2026

NCERT Solutions PDF Class 6 PDF

This chapter, 'Tansen' from the CBSE Class 6 English 'A Pact with the Sun' textbook, delves into the life and extraordinary musical genius of the legendary Indian musician. The NCERT Solutions provide detailed answers to questions exploring Tansen's early life, his tutelage under Swami Haridas, his unique ability to imitate sounds, and his eventual rise to prominence in Emperor Akbar's court. The solutions also cover the challenges Tansen faced, including the jealousy of other courtiers and the perilous task of singing Raga Deepak. Students will understand how Tansen's wit and musical prowess, along with the help of his daughter, ultimately saved him from a dangerous situation. These solutions are designed to help students grasp the narrative, understand character motivations, and appreciate the historical and cultural significance of Tansen's contributions to Indian music, aiding in their exam preparation.

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Board	CBSE
Class	Class 6
Subject	English
Session	2026
Language	English
Type	NCERT Solutions
Chapter	A Pact with the Sun - Chapter 5 Tansen

Chapter summary

Chapter 5, 'Tansen,' from the 'A Pact with the Sun' series for CBSE Class 6 English, focuses on the life and musical achievements of the renowned maestro Tansen. The NCERT Solutions cover his early life, his training under Swami Haridas, his unique talents, and his esteemed position in Emperor Akbar's court. The solutions also explain the plot by jealous courtiers to have Tansen sing the dangerous Raga Deepak and how he cleverly saved himself. This chapter highlights Tansen's exceptional musical skills and his intelligence.

Learning outcomes

Understand the early life and talents of Tansen.
Learn about Tansen's training under Swami Haridas.
Identify Tansen's relationship with Emperor Akbar.
Analyze the motivations of the jealous courtiers.
Explain the significance and danger of Raga Deepak.
Describe how Tansen cleverly saved himself from a perilous situation.

Topics covered

Paper topics

Tansen's childhood and early talents
Tansen's musical training under Swami Haridas
Tansen's entry into Emperor Akbar's court
Tansen's popularity and the jealousy of courtiers
The legend of Raga Deepak
The plot to harm Tansen
Tansen's clever plan for survival
The role of Raga Megh
Tansen's family background
Tansen's legacy as a musician

Important topics

Tansen's unique imitative talent
The significance of Swami Haridas's tutelage
The danger and effect of Raga Deepak
Tansen's strategy to counter the Raga Deepak threat
The contrast between Tansen's talent and courtiers' jealousy

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Questions and Solutions

1. Why did Swami Haridas say Tansen was 'talented'?

Why did Swami Haridas say Tansen was 'talented'?

Solution: Swami Haridas recognized Tansen's exceptional talent when, as a child, Tansen skillfully imitated the calls of various birds and animals. One day, Tansen roared like a tiger in the forest, intending to frighten travellers. Swami Haridas was so impressed by the boy's natural ability and the realism of his imitation that he declared Tansen to be 'talented'.

2. Why did Akbar ask Tansen to join his court?

Why did Akbar ask Tansen to join his court?

Solution: Tansen dedicated eleven years to learning music under the tutelage of Swami Haridas, eventually becoming a renowned singer. He occasionally performed for Emperor Akbar. Akbar was profoundly moved and impressed by Tansen's musical genius and the quality of his singing. Consequently, Akbar extended an invitation for Tansen to join his royal court in the year 1556.

3. How do we know that Akbar was fond of Tansen? Give two reasons.

How do we know that Akbar was fond of Tansen? Give two reasons.

Solution: We know that Emperor Akbar was very fond of Tansen through several actions. Firstly, Tansen quickly became the Emperor's favourite musician. Akbar frequently visited Tansen's home simply to listen to him practice his music. Secondly, Akbar would request Tansen to sing whenever he felt the mood for music, and he also bestowed numerous valuable gifts upon Tansen, demonstrating his deep affection and appreciation.

4. What did the other courtiers feel about Tansen?

What did the other courtiers feel about Tansen?

Solution: Tansen's growing popularity and the special favour he received from Emperor Akbar caused significant jealousy among the other courtiers. They felt overshadowed and resentful of Tansen's esteemed position. This envy led them to make a firm decision to find a way to ruin Tansen somehow.

5. (i) What happens if Raga Deepak is sung properly? (ii) Why did Tansen's enemies want him to sing the Raga?

(i) What happens if Raga Deepak is sung properly? (ii) Why did Tansen's enemies want him to sing the Raga?

Solution: (i) If Raga Deepak is sung correctly and with the proper intonation, it is believed to generate intense heat in the atmosphere. This heat is so powerful that it can cause the singer to be consumed by flames and burnt to ashes. (ii) Tansen's enemies, who were courtiers jealous of his position, wanted him to sing Raga Deepak specifically because they knew of its dangerous properties. Their malicious plan was for Tansen to sing the raga, hoping that the extreme heat generated would kill him, thereby removing him from Emperor Akbar's favour.

6. Why did Tansen agree to sing Raga Deepak?

Why did Tansen agree to sing Raga Deepak?

Solution: Tansen agreed to sing the challenging and dangerous Raga Deepak for two primary reasons. Firstly, as a subject and musician in Emperor Akbar's court, he dared not disobey a direct command or request from the Emperor. Secondly, despite the personal risk, Tansen wanted to demonstrate his exceptional musical abilities and prove his mastery over even the most difficult and perilous ragas.

7. (i) What steps did he take to save himself? (ii) Did his plan work? How?

(i) What steps did he take to save himself? (ii) Did his plan work? How?

Solution: (i) Tansen, though a great musician, was understandably worried and afraid about the consequences of singing Raga Deepak. To ensure his safety, he took two crucial steps. He requested Emperor Akbar to grant him some time to prepare. During this period, he devised a plan and taught his talented daughter and her friend how to sing Raga Megh, a raga known for its ability to bring rain. (ii) Yes, Tansen's ingenious plan worked successfully. When Tansen began to sing Raga Deepak, the air indeed became intensely hot, and flames shot up, lighting the lamps as the legend foretold. At this critical moment, his daughter and her friend started singing Raga Megh. The powerful melody of Raga Megh summoned the clouds, and rain began to fall suddenly, cooling the environment and extinguishing the dangerous heat, thereby saving Tansen's life.

I. SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. What was Tansen famous for?

What was Tansen famous for?

Solution: Tansen was famously known for his extraordinary singing talent. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential musicians that India has ever produced, celebrated for his mastery of Hindustani classical music.

2. It is said that Tansen was a naughty child. What prank did he play?

It is said that Tansen was a naughty child. What prank did he play?

Solution: Tansen was indeed considered a naughty child due to his playful nature and his unique abilities. While playing in the forest as a boy, he learned to perfectly mimic the sounds of various birds and animals. He once used this skill to play a prank on his guru, Swami Haridas, and his pupils by producing a fearsome roar like a tiger, intending to startle them.

3. What do you know about Tansen's life before he joined Akbar's court?

What do you know about Tansen's life before he joined Akbar's court?

Solution: Before joining Emperor Akbar's court, Tansen, whose birth name was not Tansen but he was the son of Mukandan Misra and his wife, lived near Gwalior. His exceptional musical talent was noticed by the renowned musician Swami Haridas, who took him under his tutelage. Tansen lived and studied with his guru for eleven years, developing his skills. Later, he was associated with Mohammad Ghaus and also performed at the court of Rani Mrignaini. He eventually married Hussaini. His growing fame and musical prowess eventually impressed Emperor Akbar, leading to his invitation to the royal court.

4. How did the jealous courtiers of Akbar plan to ruin Tansen?

How did the jealous courtiers of Akbar plan to ruin Tansen?

Solution: The courtiers who were jealous of Tansen's position and favour with Emperor Akbar devised a wicked plan to get rid of him. One of them, Shaukat Mian, came up with the idea to force Tansen to sing Raga Deepak. They were aware that if this raga was performed correctly, it possessed the power to heat the air to such an extent that it could burn the singer to ashes. Their intention was to use this dangerous raga as a means to eliminate Tansen.

5. Why was Tansen afraid of singing Raga Deepak?

Why was Tansen afraid of singing Raga Deepak?

Solution: Tansen was afraid of singing Raga Deepak not because he was incapable of singing it, but due to its legendary and dangerous effect. He knew that he could perform the raga correctly, but he feared that the intense heat it generated would set the lamps alight and, more critically, would consume him, burning him to ashes. This potential fatal consequence was the source of his fear.

I. LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. What do you know about Tansen and his family? What quality was he gifted with?

What do you know about Tansen and his family? What quality was he gifted with?

Solution: Tansen is celebrated in Indian history as the greatest musician the country has ever known. While details about his immediate family are not extensively provided, it is mentioned that his father was also a singer, and the family resided in Gwalior. Tansen was gifted with an extraordinary natural talent from a young age. He possessed the unique ability to perfectly imitate the calls of birds and animals. This remarkable talent was first noticed by his guru, Swami Haridas, who then trained him in music for eleven years. Tansen became a great favourite of Emperor Akbar, and despite his esteemed position, some jealous courtiers made a futile attempt to ruin him.

2. How did the jealous courtiers plan to harm Tansen? How did the great musician save his honour as well as official position?

How did the jealous courtiers plan to harm Tansen? How did the great musician save his honour as well as official position?

Solution: The jealous courtiers, envious of Tansen's talent and his respected place in Emperor Akbar's court, planned to harm him by exploiting a dangerous aspect of classical music. They demanded that Tansen sing Raga Deepak, a raga known to generate intense heat capable of burning the singer to ashes. They believed this would be a foolproof way to eliminate him. However, Tansen, a musician of great intellect as well as talent, accepted the challenge. To save himself and his honour, he devised a clever plan. He trained two young girls, his daughter and her friend, to sing Raga Megh, a raga that invokes rain. When Tansen sang Raga Deepak and the heat began to rise, the two girls sang Raga Megh, bringing down rain that cooled the atmosphere and saved Tansen from being burnt, thus preserving his life and his esteemed position in the court.

Common mistakes

Confusing the details of Tansen's early life and training.
Not understanding the specific effects of Raga Deepak.
Failing to recall the names of characters involved in Tansen's plot.
Overlooking the role of Tansen's daughter and her friend in saving him.

Revision tips

Read the chapter thoroughly to understand the narrative flow.
Focus on the key events: Tansen's childhood, his training, his time in Akbar's court, and the Raga Deepak incident.
Pay attention to the descriptions of Tansen's musical abilities and the reactions of others.
Summarize the plot against Tansen and his counter-plan in your own words.
Practice answering the long and short answer questions to reinforce your understanding.

Practice MCQs

Q1. What unique talent did Tansen possess as a child?

Q2. Who was Tansen's music guru?

Q3. Why did the other courtiers become jealous of Tansen?

Q4. What was the supposed effect of singing Raga Deepak properly?

Q5. Who helped Tansen save his life when he sang Raga Deepak?

Frequently asked questions

Who was Tansen and why is he famous?

Tansen was a legendary musician in India, renowned for his exceptional singing talent. He was one of the 'Navaratnas' (nine jewels) in Emperor Akbar's court and is celebrated for his contributions to Hindustani classical music.

What was special about Tansen's childhood?

As a child, Tansen possessed a remarkable ability to imitate the calls of birds and animals. He used this talent to play pranks, such as roaring like a tiger to frighten travellers, which impressed his guru, Swami Haridas.

How did Tansen become a part of Emperor Akbar's court?

After training with Swami Haridas for eleven years, Tansen became a famous singer. He sometimes performed for Emperor Akbar, who was so impressed by his musical prowess that he invited Tansen to join his royal court.

What danger did Tansen face from jealous courtiers?

Jealous courtiers, wanting to ruin Tansen, conspired to make him sing Raga Deepak. They knew that if sung properly, this raga could generate intense heat and burn the singer to ashes.

How did Tansen manage to survive the singing of Raga Deepak?

Tansen cleverly devised a plan. He requested time to prepare and then taught his daughter and her friend to sing Raga Megh. While Tansen sang Raga Deepak, generating heat, his daughter and her friend sang Raga Megh, which brought rain and extinguished the dangerous heat, saving his life.

What is the significance of Raga Megh mentioned in the story?

Raga Megh is traditionally associated with bringing rain. In the story, it is sung by Tansen's daughter and her friend to counteract the intense heat produced by Raga Deepak, thus saving Tansen's life.

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