*The Portrait of a Lady Class 11 Question Answer | English Notes By Atul Sir। UP Board & CBSE*
*The Portrait of a Lady - Pure Hindi Summary For Up Board*
यह कहानी खुशवंत सिंह की है।
लेखक की दादी एक बूढ़ी महिला थीं। वे बहुत धार्मिक थीं। वे हमेशा अपने पोते (लेखक) के साथ रहती थीं। जब लेखक छोटा था तो दादी उसे रोज सुबह उठातीं, नहलातीं, स्कूल के लिए तैयार करतीं। वे स्कूल जाते समय भजन गाती रहती थीं।
दादी हमेशा माला जपती रहती थीं। उनके होंठ हमेशा भगवान के नाम से हिलते रहते थे। वे सफेद कपड़े पहनती थीं, उनके चेहरे पर बहुत झुर्रियां थीं। वे बहुत मोटी नहीं थीं पर थोड़ी झुकी हुई थीं।
गाँव में दादी और लेखक एक ही कमरे में रहते थे। दादी लेखक को स्कूल में छोड़कर मंदिर चली जाती थीं। वहाँ वे भजन पढ़ती थीं और बच्चों को पढ़ाती थीं। शाम को दोनों घर लौटते थे और दादी चिड़ियों को दाना खिलाती थीं। सैकड़ों चिड़ियां आकर उनके चारों ओर बैठ जाती थीं और शोर मचाती थीं। यह देखना बहुत अच्छा लगता था।
जब लेखक के माता-पिता उन्हें शहर बुला लेते हैं तो दादी को दुख होता है। शहर में सब कुछ बदल जाता है। लेखक अंग्रेजी स्कूल में जाने लगता है, जहाँ संगीत और शास्त्र नहीं पढ़ाये जाते। दादी को संगीत से नफरत थी। उन्हें लगता था संगीत सिर्फ वेश्याओं के लिए है।
धीरे-धीरे दादी अकेली रहने लगीं। उन्होंने चरखा चलाना शुरू कर दिया। सुबह से शाम तक चरखा चलातीं और माला जपतीं। अब चिड़ियों की जगह उन्होंने चिड़ियों को नहीं, पर अब भी उनका समय पूजा में बीतता था।
जब लेखक विदेश चला जाता है तो दादी बहुत उदास हो जाती हैं। 5 साल बाद जब लेखक वापस आता है तो दादी उसे लेने स्टेशन आती हैं। वे बहुत खुश होती हैं, ढोल वालों को बुलाकर संगीत बजवाती हैं - जो उन्होंने पहले कभी नहीं किया था। यह उनके प्यार का सबसे बड़ा सबूत था।
अगले ही दिन दादी बीमार पड़ जाती हैं। उन्हें लगता है अब उनका अंत आ गया है। वे माला जपना बंद नहीं करतीं। आखिरकार उनकी मृत्यु हो जाती है। हजारों चिड़ियां उनके कमरे में आकर चुपचाप बैठ जाती हैं, दाना नहीं खातीं, शोर नहीं मचातीं। जब दादी का शव ले जाया जाता है तो चिड़ियां भी उड़ जाती हैं। यह दादी के प्रति उनकी श्रद्धांजलि थी।
कहानी सिखाती है कि दादी जैसी सच्ची, धार्मिक, प्यारी आत्मा का प्यार और बलिदान कभी नहीं भुलाया जा सकता।
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*The Portrait of a Lady - Proper Summary in English Language)*
*SUMMARY IN ENGLISH (For CBSE Board)*
This story is by Khushwant Singh.
Author's grandmother was an old woman. She was very religious. She always lived with her grandson (author). When author was small, grandmother woke him up every morning, bathed him, prepared him for school. She chanted prayers while going to school.
Grandmother always counted beads of rosary. Her lips always moved chanting God's name. She wore white clothes, her face had many wrinkles. She was not very fat but slightly bent.
In village, grandmother and author lived in same room. Grandmother left author at school and went to temple. There she read scriptures and taught children. In evening both returned home and grandmother fed sparrows. Hundreds of sparrows sat around her making noise. It was very lovely to see.
When author's parents called them to city, grandmother felt sad. In city everything changed. Author started going to English school where music and scriptures were not taught. Grandmother hated music. She thought music was only for prostitutes.
Gradually grandmother started living alone. She started spinning wheel. From morning till evening she spun wheel and counted rosary. Now instead of sparrows, still her time passed in prayer.
When author goes abroad, grandmother becomes very sad. After 5 years when author returns, grandmother comes to station to receive him. She is very happy, calls drum beaters and makes them play music - which she never did before. This was biggest proof of her love.
Next day grandmother falls ill. She feels her end has come. She does not stop counting rosary. Finally she dies. Thousands of sparrows come in her room and sit silently, don't eat grains, don't make noise. When grandmother's dead body is taken away, sparrows also fly away. This was their tribute to her.
Story teaches that love and sacrifice of true, religious, loving soul like grandmother can never be forgotten.
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*CHARACTER SKETCH OF GRANDMOTHER - IN PURE ENGLISH for CBSE*
Grandmother is central character of story.
She is an old woman, 80 years old, short, fat, slightly bent, white hair, white clothes, many wrinkles on face. She looks very religious and pure.
She is very religious. Always counts rosary, lips always moving chanting prayers, goes to temple, reads scriptures, feeds sparrows. She is symbol of true Indian religion and spirituality.
She is very loving and caring. She loves her grandson very much. Wakes him up, bathes him, prepares for school, feeds sparrows like her own children.
She is strong and selfless. When author goes to city school and abroad, she feels lonely but never complains. She starts spinning wheel, remains busy in prayers.
She is conservative - hates music, thinks music is for prostitutes, does not like English school where scriptures not taught.
She dies peacefully chanting prayers. Even sparrows mourn her death by sitting silently. She represents all loving grandmothers who sacrifice for family.
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*दादी का चरित्र चित्रण - शुद्ध हिंदी में UP Board*
दादी इस कहानी की मुख्य पात्र हैं।
वे 80 साल की बूढ़ी महिला हैं, छोटी, थोड़ी मोटी, थोड़ी झुकी हुई, सफेद बाल, सफेद कपड़े, चेहरे पर बहुत झुर्रियां। वे बहुत धार्मिक और पवित्र दिखती हैं।
वे बहुत धार्मिक हैं। हमेशा माला जपती हैं, होंठ हमेशा भगवान का नाम जपते रहते हैं, मंदिर जाती हैं, शास्त्र पढ़ती हैं, चिड़ियों को दाना खिलाती हैं। वे सच्चे भारतीय धर्म और आध्यात्मिकता की प्रतीक हैं।
वे बहुत प्यारी और देखभाल करने वाली हैं। अपने पोते से बहुत प्यार करती हैं। उसे उठाती हैं, नहलाती हैं, स्कूल के लिए तैयार करती हैं, चिड़ियों को अपने बच्चों की तरह खिलाती हैं।
वे मजबूत और निस्वार्थ हैं। जब लेखक शहर के स्कूल जाता है और विदेश जाता है तो वे अकेली महसूस करती हैं पर कभी शिकायत नहीं करतीं। चरखा चलाना शुरू कर देती हैं, प्रार्थना में व्यस्त रहती हैं।
वे रूढ़िवादी हैं - संगीत से नफरत करती हैं, सोचती हैं संगीत वेश्याओं के लिए है, अंग्रेजी स्कूल पसंद नहीं जहाँ शास्त्र नहीं पढ़ाये जाते।
वे शांति से प्रार्थना करते हुए मर जाती हैं। चिड़ियां भी उनकी मौत पर चुपचाप बैठकर शोक मनाती हैं। वे उन सभी प्यारी दादियों का प्रतीक हैं जो परिवार के लिए त्याग करती हैं।
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*CHARACTER SKETCH OF AUTHOR / GRANDSON - IN PURE ENGLISH for CBSE*
Author (Khushwant Singh) is narrator and grandson.
He is loving grandson. In village, he lives with grandmother in same room, depends on her for everything - waking, bathing, school.
He goes to city and English school, learns English, music, science. He goes abroad for 5 years for higher studies.
He loves grandmother very much. When he returns from abroad, grandmother comes to receive him at station and is very happy.
He observes grandmother closely - her religious habits, feeding sparrows, spinning wheel, death.
He is respectful - shows how sparrows mourn grandmother's death, proving her true love.
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*लेखक का चरित्र चित्रण - शुद्ध हिंदी में UP Board*
लेखक (खुशवंत सिंह) कहानीकार और पोता है।
वह प्यारा पोता है। गाँव में वह दादी के साथ एक ही कमरे में रहता है, हर चीज के लिए उन पर निर्भर है - उठना, नहाना, स्कूल।
वह शहर और अंग्रेजी स्कूल जाता है, अंग्रेजी, संगीत, विज्ञान सीखता है। वह 5 साल के लिए उच्च शिक्षा के लिए विदेश जाता है।
वह दादी से बहुत प्यार करता है। जब वह विदेश से लौटता है तो दादी उसे स्टेशन पर लेने आती हैं और बहुत खुश होती हैं।
वह दादी को बारीकी से देखता है - उनकी धार्मिक आदतें, चिड़ियों को खिलाना, चरखा चलाना, मृत्यु।
वह सम्मानजनक है - दिखाता है कैसे चिड़ियां दादी की मौत पर शोक मनाती हैं, उनके सच्चे प्यार को साबित करती हैं।
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*THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY - COMPLETE WORD MEANING LIST (50+ Words)*
_Part A - Grandmother ke Words_
1. Portrait - चित्र - Picture of grandmother
2. Khushwant Singh - खुशवंत सिंह - Author of story
3. Grandmother - दादी - Old woman, central character
4. Old woman - बूढ़ी महिला - 80 years old lady
5. Wrinkles - झुर्रियां - Lines on face due to old age
6. White clothes - सफेद कपड़े - Grandmother wore white
7. Slightly bent - थोड़ी झुकी हुई - Bent due to old age
8. Religious - धार्मिक - Very religious lady
9. Rosary - माला - Beads for chanting prayers
10. Chanting prayers - प्रार्थना जपना - Lips always moving
11. Temple - मंदिर - Grandmother went to temple
12. Scriptures - शास्त्र - Religious books
13. Spinning wheel - चरखा - Grandmother spun wheel in city
14. Serenity - शांति - Peaceful nature of grandmother
_Part B - Village Life ke Words_
15. Village - गाँव - Where author lived with grandmother initially
16. Same room - एक ही कमरा - Author and grandmother lived together
17. Wake up - जगाना - Grandmother woke author up
18. Bathe - नहलाना - Bathed grandson
19. School - स्कूल - Village school
20. Feeding sparrows - चिड़ियों को दाना खिलाना - Evening activity
21. Hundreds of sparrows - सैकड़ों चिड़ियां - Came to grandmother
22. Noise - शोर - Sparrows made noise
23. Lovely - प्यारा - Lovely to see sparrows
_Part C - City Life ke Words_
24. City - शहर - Where they shifted later
25. English school - अंग्रेजी स्कूल - Author went to English school
26. Music - संगीत - Grandmother hated music
27. Prostitutes - वेश्याएं - Grandmother thought music for prostitutes only
28. Science - विज्ञान - Taught in English school
29. Lonely - अकेली - Grandmother became lonely in city
30. Seclusion - एकांत - Living alone, spinning wheel
_Part D - Death and Sparrows ke Words_
31. Abroad - विदेश - Author went abroad for 5 years
32. Station - स्टेशन - Grandmother came to receive author
33. Drum beaters - ढोल वाले - Called by grandmother to celebrate
34. Celebrate - जश्न मनाना - Grandmother celebrated return
35. Ill - बीमार - Grandmother fell ill
36. End has come - अंत आ गया - Grandmother felt her death near
37. Died peacefully - शांति से मरी - Counting rosary till death
38. Dead body - शव - Body of grandmother
39. Thousands of sparrows - हजारों चिड़ियां - Came to mourn
40. Silently - चुपचाप - Sparrows sat silently, didn't chirp
41. Did not eat - नहीं खाया - Sparrows didn't eat grains
42. Flew away - उड़ गईं - Sparrows flew after body taken
43. Tribute - श्रद्धांजलि - Sparrows' silent sitting was tribute
_Extra Board Exam Words_
44. Portrait of a Lady - एक महिला का चित्र - Title, picture of grandmother
45. Character sketch - चरित्र चित्रण - Description of character
46. Theme - विषय - Love, sacrifice, true Indian woman, death
47. Symbol - प्रतीक - Grandmother = true Indian culture, Sparrows = love
48. Contrast - अंतर - Village vs city life, free sparrows vs trapped grandmother
49. Affection - स्नेह - Love of grandmother for grandson
50. Selfless - निस्वार्थ - Grandmother never complained
51. Conservative - रूढ़िवादी - Hated music, old thoughts
52. Spiritual - आध्यात्मिक - Religious soul
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*THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY - IMPORTANT SHORT QUESTION ANSWERS*
_Q1. Who is author of The Portrait of a Lady?_
_Ans:_ Author is Khushwant Singh.
_Q2. How did grandmother look?_
_Ans:_ Grandmother was old, 80 years old, short, fat, slightly bent, white hair, white clothes, many wrinkles, always counting rosary, lips moving chanting prayers, looked very religious and pure.
_Q3. What did grandmother do in village?_
_Ans:_ In village, grandmother woke author up, bathed him, prepared for school, chanted prayers while going to school, left him at school and went to temple reading scriptures, in evening fed hundreds of sparrows who made noise around her.
_Q4. What changed in city?_
_Ans:_ In city, author went to English school where music, science taught, no scriptures. Grandmother hated music, thought it was for prostitutes only. She became lonely, started spinning wheel from morning till evening and counting rosary.
_Q5. What happened when author went abroad?_
_Ans:_ Author went abroad for 5 years. Grandmother became very sad but never complained. When he returned, she came to station to receive him, was very happy, called drum beaters and made them play music - which she never did before.
_Q6. How did grandmother die?_
_Ans:_ Next day after author's return, grandmother fell ill, felt her end had come, kept counting rosary without stopping, died peacefully. Thousands of sparrows came, sat silently in room, didn't eat grains, didn't chirp. When dead body taken, they flew away - their tribute.
_Q7. What is theme of The Portrait of a Lady?_
_Ans:_ Theme is love and sacrifice of grandmother, true Indian woman, religious and spiritual life, village vs city life, affection, selflessness, death and mourning by sparrows.
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*THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY - LONG QUESTION ANSWER (5-6 Marks)*
_Q1. Describe grandmother and her love for grandson._
_Ans:_ Grandmother is central character, old 80 years, short, fat, slightly bent, white hair, white clothes, wrinkles, always counting rosary, lips moving chanting prayers, very religious.
She loves grandson very much. In village, she wakes him, bathes, prepares for school, chants prayers while going, feeds sparrows in evening. When they shift to city, author goes to English school, she hates music, becomes lonely but never complains, starts spinning wheel.
When author goes abroad for 5 years, she is sad. When he returns, she comes to station, happy, calls drum beaters to play music - which she never did before - biggest proof of love.
She dies next day peacefully chanting rosary. Sparrows come, sit silently, don't eat, don't chirp, fly away after body taken - their tribute. She is symbol of true Indian woman, selfless, loving, spiritual.
_Q2. What is central idea or theme of The Portrait of a Lady?_
_Ans:_ Central idea is picture of true Indian grandmother - religious, spiritual, loving, selfless, sacrificial, affectionate, and difference between village and city life.
Khushwant Singh shows his grandmother 80 years old, short, fat, bent, white clothes, wrinkles, always counting rosary, lips chanting prayers, going to temple, reading scriptures, feeding hundreds of sparrows in village.
In village life, she lives with grandson in same room, takes care of everything. In city, everything changes - author goes to English school where music and science taught, no scriptures. Grandmother hates music, thinks for prostitutes, becomes lonely, starts spinning wheel.
Author goes abroad for 5 years, grandmother sad. On return, she celebrates by calling drum beaters playing music - first time.
Next day she falls ill, feels end near, keeps chanting rosary, dies peacefully. Thousands of sparrows come, sit silently, don't eat, don't chirp - mourn her death. When body taken, they fly away.
Theme is love, sacrifice, true Indian culture, spiritual life, affection of grandmother, death, and tribute by sparrows. Grandmother symbol of true Indian womanhood.
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*THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY - IMPORTANT MCQs*
_Q1. Who is author of The Portrait of a Lady?_
a) Khushwant Singh
b) Adrienne Rich
c) Robert Frost
d) Kamala Das
_Ans: a) Khushwant Singh_
_Q2. How did grandmother look?_
a) Old, short, fat, slightly bent, white hair, white clothes, wrinkles, rosary
b) Young and beautiful
c) Tall and thin
d) Modern lady
_Ans: a) Old, short, fat, slightly bent, white hair, white clothes, wrinkles, rosary_
_Q3. What did grandmother do in village morning?_
a) Woke author, bathed him, prepared for school, chanted prayers
b) Slept whole day
c) Went to market
d) Played games
_Ans: a) Woke author, bathed him, prepared for school, chanted prayers_
_Q4. What did grandmother do in evening in village?_
a) Fed hundreds of sparrows who made noise around her
b) Watched TV
c) Went to party
d) Listened to music
_Ans: a) Fed hundreds of sparrows who made noise_
_Q5. Why did grandmother hate music?_
a) Thought music was only for prostitutes
b) Did not like sound
c) Deaf
d) Loved music very much
_Ans: a) Thought music was only for prostitutes_
_Q6. What did grandmother do when she became lonely in city?_
a) Started spinning wheel from morning till evening and counting rosary
b) Started dancing
c) Went to cinema
d) Slept
_Ans: a) Started spinning wheel from morning till evening_
_Q7. How long author stayed abroad?_
a) 5 years
b) 1 year
c) 10 years
d) 2 months
_Ans: a) 5 years_
_Q8. What did grandmother do when author returned from abroad?_
a) Came to station to receive, called drum beaters to play music, celebrated
b) Did not come
c) Scolded him
d) Slept
_Ans: a) Came to station to receive, called drum beaters to play music_
_Q9. How did grandmother die?_
a) Peacefully chanting rosary, felt end near, fell ill next day after return
b) Accident
c) Murder
d) Suicide
_Ans: a) Peacefully chanting rosary_
_Q10. What did sparrows do after grandmother's death?_
a) Thousands came, sat silently, didn't eat, didn't chirp, flew away after body taken - tribute
b) Made noise and ate grains
c) Did not come
d) Danced
_Ans: a) Thousands came, sat silently, didn't eat, didn't chirp, flew away - tribute_
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*CONCLUSION*
The story "The Portrait of a Lady" by Khushwant Singh shows grandmother old 80 years, short, fat, slightly bent, white hair, white clothes, wrinkles, always counting rosary, lips chanting prayers, very religious, loving grandson, waking him, bathing, preparing for school, going to temple, reading scriptures, feeding hundreds of sparrows making noise in village. In city, author goes to English school where music taught, grandmother hates music thinking for prostitutes, becomes lonely, starts spinning wheel. Author goes abroad for 5 years, grandmother sad. On return, she comes to station, calls drum beaters playing music - first time, proof of love. Next day falls ill, feels end near, dies peacefully chanting rosary. Thousands of sparrows come, sit silently, don't eat, don't chirp, fly away after body taken - their tribute. Theme is love, sacrifice, true Indian woman, spiritual life, village vs city.
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*Thank You !*
*All the Best!*
*😊✌*
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