ncert solution of the portrait of alady

Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meaning from the context.

• the thought was almost revolting

• an expanse of pure white serenity

• a turning-point

• accepted her seclusion with resignation

• a veritable bedlam of chirrupings

• frivolous rebukes

• the sagging skins of the dilapidated drum

• the thought was almost revolting The thought that the authors grandmother was once young and pretty raises a doubt in the mind of the author. He finds it too hard to believe.

• an expanse of pure white serenity It refers to the calm, peaceful and serene character and conduct of the authors grandmother. She is compared to the peaceful winter landscape in the mountains.

• a turning-point It refers to the point where the authors relationship with his grandmother changes drastically after they move to the city-house.

• accepted her seclusion with resignation This shows the authors grandmothers passive submission to her secluded life after she gradually loses touch with her grandson.

• a veritable bedlam of chirruping It refers to the noise, confusion and chaos caused by the chirruping of the sparrows that scattered and perched around the authors grandmother.

• frivolous rebukes It refers to the casual and light-hearted rebukes of the grandmother to the sparrows.
• the sagging skins of the dilapidated drum It points to the shabby and deteriorated condition of the drum.

Mention the three phases of the authors relationship with his grandmother before he left the country to study abroad.

The three phases of the authors relationship with his grandmother before he left the country to study abroad are given below. The first phase was the period of the authors early childhood. During this phase, he used to live with his grandmother in the village. The grandmother used to take care of him from waking him up and getting him ready to accompanying him to the school. Both shared a good friendship with each other. The second phase was the time when the author and the grandmother moved to the city to live with authors parents. This was a turning-point in their friendship because now they saw less of each other. The third phase was the time the author joined University. He was given a room of his own and the common link of their friendship was snapped. The grandmother turns to wheel-spinning and reciting prayers all day long. She accepts her seclusion with silence.

Mention three reasons why the authors grandmother was disturbed when he started going to the city school.

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Notice the following uses of the word tell in the text.

1. Her fingers were busy telling the beads of her rosary.

2. I would tell herEnglish words and little things of Western science and learning.

3. At her age one could never tell.

4. She told usthat her end was near.

Given below are four different senses of the word tell. Match the meanings to the uses listed above.

1. make something known to someone in spoken or written words

2. count while reciting

3. be sure

4. give information to somebody

1. Make something known to someone in spoken or written words: I would tell her English words and little things of western science and learning. 2. Count while reciting: Her fingers were busy telling the beads of her rosary. 3. Be sure: At her age, one could never tell. 4. Give information to somebody: She told us that her end was near.

Which language do you use to talk to elderly relatives in your family?

I speak in Hindi to talk to the elderly relatives in my family.

How would you say a dilapidated drum in your language?

In Hindi, we would call a dilapidated drum as phata-hua dholak. (A model answer has been provided for students' reference. It is strongly recommended that students prepare the answer on their own in pertinence with the languages used by them.)

Can you think of a song or a poem in your language that talks of homecoming?

(This question is to be answered on the basis of students' own understanding and experience. It is strongly recommended that students prepare the answer on their own.)

Mention three ways in which the authors grandmother spent her days after he grew up.

The authors grandmother accepted her seclusion with resignation. She spent her days of loneliness by engaging herself in the wheel-spinning activity, reciting prayers and feeding the sparrows.

Mention the odd way in which the authors grandmother behaved just before she died.

A day before her death, the author's grandmother's behaved in a peculiar way. For the first time since the author had known her, she did not pray. She collected the women of the neighbourhood, got an old drum and started to sing. She sang of the home-coming of warriors for several hours, expressing her joy on the return of her grandson.

Mention the way in which the sparrows expressed their sorrow when the authors grandmother died.

The authors grandmother shared a unique bond with the sparrows. She seemed at her happiest self while feeding the sparrows. The day the authors grandmother died, thousands of sparrows sat scattered around her dead body. They sat there in utter silence mourning the death of the grandmother. They took no notice of the bread crumbs thrown at them and flew away silently after the body was carried for the final rites. Next morning, the bread crumbs were swept away into the dustbin by the sweeper.

The authors grandmother was a religious person. What are the different ways in which we come to know this?

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Describe the changing relationship between the author and his grandmother. Did their feelings for each other change?

The story describes the entire phase of relationship shared by the author and his grandmother. In his early childhood, the author shared a strong bond with his grandmother. However, that tie of friendship loosened a little when they both shifted to his parents city house. She no longer accompanied him to the school and could not help him with his lessons. There was a further crack in the relationship when the author joined university as he was given a private room and the common link between them was snapped. They were further distanced from each other when the author went abroad for five years. In spite of changes in the course of the relationship (due to the demands of the situation), their feelings for each other remained unchanged. Though she did not display her emotions, when the author was leaving for abroad, she wholeheartedly celebrated his homecoming when he returned.

Would you agree that the authors grandmother was a person strong in character? If yes, give instances that show this.

Yes, the authors grandmother was a person strong in character. The instances to prove this are given below.

• The authors grandmother was a person strong in character. She was a picture of contentment.

• She had her own thoughts about the learning at school. She considered the teaching of scriptures to be more fruitful than science and music.

• In her phase of loneliness and seclusion, she took to wheel-spinning and feeding sparrows.

• She appeared composed and did not display any emotion when the author decided to go abroad for studies.

• Ignoring everyone who tried to stop her, she sang for several hours celebrating the home-coming of her grandson.

• During the last few hours of her life, ignoring the protests of her family members, she stopped talking to everyone and took to reciting prayers and telling her beads.

Have you known someone like the authors grandmother? Do you feel the same sense of loss with regard to someone whom you have loved and lost?

Yes, I knew someone like the authors grandmother. It was my own grandmother who passed away recently. The intense sense of loss is very heart-wrenching as I spent almost fifteen years of my life with her. OrNo, I have never known someone the way the author knew his grandmother. Thus, I have never felt the sense of grief presented in the story. (A model answer has been provided for students' reference. It is strongly recommended that students prepare the answer on their own.)

Notice the following uses of the word tell in the text.

1. Her fingers were busy telling the beads of her rosary.

2. I would tell herEnglish words and little things of Western science and learning.

3. At her age one could never tell.

4. She told usthat her end was near.

Given below are four different senses of the word tell. Match the meanings to the uses listed above.

1. make something known to someone in spoken or written words

2. count while reciting

3. be sure

4. give information to somebody

1. Make something known to someone in spoken or written words: I would tell her English words and little things of western science and learning. 2. Count while reciting: Her fingers were busy telling the beads of her rosary. 3. Be sure: At her age, one could never tell. 4. Give information to somebody: She told us that her end was near.

Notice the different senses of the word take.

1. to take tosomething: to begin to do something as a habit

2. to take ill: to suddenly become ill

Locate these phrases in the text and notice the way they are used.

The instances where these phrases have been used in the story are given below. 1. ... she took to feeding sparrows in the courtyard of our city house. This phrase refers to the daily activity that the authors grandmother took up when they shifted to the city. 2. The next morning she was taken ill. This phrase refers to the authors grandmothers sudden illness.

The word hobble means to walk with difficulty because the legs and feet are in bad condition.

Tick the words in the box below that also refer to a manner of walking.

haggle

shuffle

stride

ride

waddle

wriggle

paddle

swagger

trudge

slog

The words that also refer to a manner of walking are: shuffle stride waddle paddle swagger trudge slog

Talk with your family members about elderly people who you have been intimately connected with and who are not there with you now.

Write a short description of someone you liked a lot.

(Students may develop the answer using the given guidelines.) The relation and the loss of a close elderly relative can be discussed under the points listed below.

• Your relation with the person

• Time period spent with the person

• Things you both did together

• Things you got to learn from the person

• Reasons for development of intimacy

• Reason for you not being with him/her

• The message left behind

• Life without him/her

• Ways to recollect old memories

Q.1: Mention: Three phases of the authorsrelationshipwith his grandmother before he left the country to study abroad.

I know the answer answer isThe first phase of the authorsrelationshipwith his grandmother is the authors childhood when they lived together in the village. They enjoyed intimaterelationshipand were good friends. His parents left him with her and they went to live inthe city. They were constantly together. She used to wake him upin the morningand get him ready for school. Then she would fetch his wooden slate, a tiny earthen inkpot and a red pen. After a breakfast she accompanied him to the school. She carried several chapattis for the village dogs. She used to stay in the temple that wasattachedto school. After school hours they would walk back together.The second phase of theirrelationshipbegan with their being called tothe city. That was a turning point in theirfriendship. He used to go to an English school in a motor bus. The grandmother did not go to schoolwith him. She remained confined to home. As the years rolled by they saw less of each other. She did not likethe Englishschool as there was no teaching about God and scriptures there. She hated western science and music.The third phase of thisrelationshipstarted with the authors going to university. There he was given a room of his own. The common link of theirfriendshipwas snapped. His grandmother accepted her seclusion with resignation.Q.2: Mention: Three reasons why the authors grandmother was disturbed when he started going tothe cityschool.Answer: The narrator used to go to an English school in city. He used to go in a motor bus. Here the authors grandmother could not accompany him to the school as she used to do in the village. She remained confined to home. The grandmother felt quite disturbed.Three most disturbing reasons for her were 1. Authors telling herthe Englishwords and western science which she did not understand nor could she help him in his studies.2. No teaching about God and scriptures in the school.3. Music lessons given to the author in the school as she considered music is fit only for harlots and beggars and not meant for gentle folks.Q.3: Mention: Three ways in which the authors grandmother spent her days after he grew up.Answer: The intimacy between the narrator and his grandmother started to fade away since they came to city where the author joined an English school. When the narrator grew up, he went up to university and lived in hostel. After that the common link offriendshipbetween the author and his grandmother was snapped. The grandmother accepted it as her fate and found out new ways of spending her time:1. She now spent most of her time at the spinning-wheel from morning till evening. From sunrise to sunset she sat by the spinning-wheel and rarely talked to anyone.2. While spinning, she continued reciting prayers and rarely talked to anyone.3. The third way in which the old lady spent her time was by feeding the sparrows. She would sit in the verandah. She would break the bread into little bits and throw them towards hundreds of little birds gathered around her. They came and perched on her legs and shoulders. Feeding the sparrows used to be the happiest half-hour of the day for her.Q.4: Mention: The odd ways in which the authors grandmother behaved just before she died.Answer: Before the grandmother died, achangecame over her. Her behaviour became quite odd. She collected the women of the neighborhood, took a broken drum and sang of home-coming of warriors the whole day. She did not pray that day which used to be her daily work. She was very much excited. Other family members had to persuade her to stop to avoid over straining. That was the first time that she did not pray.The nextmorning she got a mild fever. She herself declared that her end was near and continued praying without wasting any time by talking to others. She lay peacefully in bed praying and telling her beads. Her lips stopped moving. The rosary fell from her lifeless fingers. Her face turned pale. Everyone understood that she was no more.Q.5: Mention: The ways in which the sparrows expressed their sorrow when the authors grandmother died.Answer: Feeding the sparrows was the happiest hour of the day for grandmother. The sparrows and the old lady developed an intimaterelationshipin this manner. When the grandmother died thousands of sparrows expressed their sorrow by sitting scattered in the verandah in mourning while grandmothers dead-body lay there. They did not chirrup. Authors mother threw some pieces of bread but they did not eat them. When they carried grandmothers corpse they flew away quietly.Thus, the sparrows mourned her death and paid their silent tribute to the grand old lady in a very unique manner.Talking about the TextQ.1: The authors grandmother was a religious person. What are the different ways in which we come to know this?Answer: The authors grandmother was a highly religious lady. Her one hand was always busy in telling the beads of her rosary. Her lips constantly moved in an inaudible prayer. She used to get up earlyin the morning. She did her morning prayer in a monotonous sing-song. In village, she accompanied the author to the school and in stead of returning home, she used to sit in a temple reading scriptures which wasattachedto the school.It was because of her religious nature that she could not like the new English school inthe city. She was unhappy because there was no teaching about God and scriptures atthe city-school. Being a religious lady and a widow, she could be seen hobbling about the house in a spotless white dress.When she realized that her end was near, she stopped talking. She lay peacefully in bed praying and telling her beads till she took her last breathes.Q.2: Describe the changingrelationshipbetween the author and his grandmother. Did their feeling for each otherchange?Answer: The changing circumstances did have a bearing on therelationshipbetween the author and his grandmother. Author and his grandmother lived as intimate friends in the village. A turning point came in theirrelationshipwhen they came tothe cityto live with authors parents. The author joined an English school inthe city. She remained confined to home as here she could not accompany him to the school. In the new English school she could not help him in studies. She could not like the kind of education being given to the author atthe Englishschool. The grandmother became disturbed as there was no teaching about God and scriptures in the new school. She reconciled herself with spinning and taking to feed the sparrows. When the narrator grew up, he went up to university and then went abroad. The common link offriendshipbetween the author and his grandmother was snapped. His grandmother accepted her seclusion with resignation.No, their feelings for each other did notchangethough distances grew between them.Q.3: Would you agree that the authors grandmother was a person strong in character? If yes, give instances that show this.Answer: Yes, it is a fact that the grandmother was a very strong personality.She was a highly religious lady. She was a conservative lady who hated modern views and ways. She had very strong personal likings and dislikes. Being a religious lady and a widow, she could be seen hobbling about the house in a spotless white dress. She used to get up earlyin the morning. She said her prayers in a monotonous sing-song. One of her hands was always telling the beads of her rosary. According to the author, she was a symbol of white serenity. She had peace and contentment.She had certain rigid ideas about life. She liked the village school because it wasattachedto the temple. She sat in the temple reading the scriptures. She hatedthe Englishschool inthe cityfor various reasons. She was unhappy that there was no teaching about God and the scriptures there. She was quite disturbed. They gave music lessons at the school. She considered it fit only for harlots and beggars and not meant for gentle folks. When the author returned from abroad after five years, he found her in the same condition.Before she died, she herself declared that her end was near. There were some unique changes in her behaviour. She lay peacefully in bed praying and telling her beads.It is quite difficult to show complete agreement with her outdated views. But she was a strong and determined character. She led her own kind of life and never compromised with her principals. She loved the narrator deeply but never tried to be sentimental or emotional.