Summary (सारांश)
### Class 11 English Prose - Chapter 1: *The Portrait of a Lady* (by Khushwant Singh) #### Summary (सारांश): The story is a nostalgic reflection of the author on his grandmother and the bond they shared. Khushwant Singh recalls how his grandmother had always been an important part of his early life. She was a deeply religious and kind-hearted woman who spent her time praying and feeding birds. In the initial part of the story, the author and his grandmother live in a village where she takes care of him, teaching him religious prayers and taking him to school. As they move to the city, their bond starts to weaken. The author attends an English school, and their communication reduces. Despite the changes, his grandmother remains a source of love and comfort in his life. Towards the end, the grandmother falls ill and peacefully passes away while praying, surrounded by thousands of sparrows who come to mourn her death. #### Important Themes (महत्वपूर्ण विषय): 1. **The Bond Between Grandmother and Grandson (दादी और पोते का रिश्ता):** The author shares a deep emotional bond with his grandmother, which changes with time. *(लेखक और उसकी दादी के बीच का भावनात्मक रिश्ता समय के साथ बदल जाता है।)* 2. **Impact of Modern Education (आधुनिक शिक्षा का प्रभाव):** As the author moves to a city school, the traditional relationship with his grandmother becomes distanced. *(जैसे-जैसे लेखक शहर में पढ़ाई करने लगता है, उसकी दादी के साथ परंपरागत संबंध कमजोर पड़ते जाते हैं।)* 3. **Death and Mourning (मृत्यु और शोक):** The peaceful death of the grandmother and the birds’ mourning symbolize the connection between life, nature, and death. *(दादी की शांति से मृत्यु और पक्षियों का शोक जीवन, प्रकृति और मृत्यु के बीच के संबंध का प्रतीक है।)*
Questions & Answers (प्रश्न-उत्तर)
1. **Q: How did the grandmother spend her time in the village? (गांव में दादी अपना समय कैसे बिताती थीं?)** **A:** In the village, the grandmother would spend her time telling the beads of her rosary, praying, and looking after the author, as well as helping him with his studies. *(गांव में दादी अपनी माला के मनकों को फेरते हुए, प्रार्थना करते हुए और लेखक की देखभाल करते हुए अपना समय बिताती थीं।)* 2. **Q: How did the relationship between the author and his grandmother change when they moved to the city? (जब वे शहर में चले गए तो लेखक और उसकी दादी के संबंध कैसे बदल गए?)** **A:** In the city, the bond between the author and his grandmother weakened. The author went to an English school, and his grandmother could no longer help him with his studies or spend much time with him. *(शहर में लेखक और उसकी दादी के संबंध कमजोर हो गए। लेखक अंग्रेजी स्कूल जाने लगा और दादी अब उसकी पढ़ाई में मदद नहीं कर सकती थीं।)* 3. **Q: What was the grandmother's reaction to the author's new school in the city? (शहर में लेखक के नए स्कूल के बारे में दादी की प्रतिक्रिया क्या थी?)** **A:** The grandmother disapproved of the modern education, especially the absence of religious teachings and music lessons, which she thought were useless. *(दादी आधुनिक शिक्षा से सहमत नहीं थीं, खासकर धर्म से संबंधित शिक्षाओं की कमी और संगीत की शिक्षा को वह व्यर्थ मानती थीं।)* 4. **Q: How did the sparrows react to the grandmother's death? (दादी की मृत्यु पर चिड़ियों ने कैसी प्रतिक्रिया दी?)** **A:** Thousands of sparrows gathered around her dead body and sat quietly. They didn’t chirp, nor did they eat the crumbs of bread offered to them. *(दादी की मृत्यु पर हजारों चिड़िया उनके मृत शरीर के आसपास एकत्र हो गईं और शांत बैठीं। उन्होंने न तो कोई आवाज की और न ही उन्हें दिए गए ब्रेड के टुकड़ों को खाया।)*
Word Meanings (शब्दार्थ)
1. **Nostalgia (पुरानी यादों में खो जाना):** A sentimental longing for the past. *(बीते समय की यादों में खो जाने की भावना।)* 2. **Rosary (माला):** A string of beads used for counting prayers. *(प्रार्थना गिनने के लिए इस्तेमाल की जाने वाली मनकों की माला।)* 3. **Mourning (शोक):** Expressing sorrow for someone’s death. *(किसी की मृत्यु पर दुख प्रकट करना।)* 4. **Weaken (कमज़ोर होना):** To lose strength or intensity. *(मज़बूती या तीव्रता खो देना।)* 5. **Crumbs (टुकड़े):** Small pieces of bread or other food. *(ब्रेड या किसी अन्य खाने की चीज़ के छोटे-छोटे टुकड़े।)*
Board Exam Relevance (बोर्ड परीक्षा में प्रासंगिकता)
*The Portrait of a Lady* is an important chapter, often asked in board exams. It deals with themes of generational differences, death, and relationships. - **2020**: "How did the grandmother react to modern education?" - **2019**: "Describe the author’s bond with his grandmother." - This chapter has been asked frequently in exams and is important for understanding relationships and emotions in literature.
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