Chapt

er1ThePor tr
aitofaLady
-KhushwantSingh

Thefactt
hatgenerati
ongapi snotunsurpassablegulf
.Iti
schar
acter
izedbyt
hefactthata
waveofnostalgi
aov erpowersuswhenwet hinkofthesimpleandserenedaysofour
chi
l
dhoodspentwi thparentsandgrandparents.Wemi ghtgr
owupandgr owapartbutthe
moral
sandprinci
plesinst
il
ledinusbytheoldergenerati
onref
usetodi
e.

Aswegr owup,varioustasksandi nt
erestsattr
actourattentionl
eavinguswi t
hli
ttl
etimet o
real
izethatwemi ghtbet heonl yinterestofsomeonei nourf amily
.Ifthebi r
thofa
grandchil
dleadi
ngt oboundlessjoyforgrandparent
sisar ealityi
nev er
ynookofthewor l
d, i
t
i
sal sotruethatthegr andchil
dren’
sattentionwil
linvar
iablybet akenov erbyotherthi
ngs
prett
ysoon.Weendupbei ngsobusyt hatthosesil
entst epstheol donestaketor et
reat
from ourli
vesar
er arel
ynoticed.

Thest or
ybyKhushwantSinghisanattempttocelebr
atethosechildhoody ear
sspentwi
th
hisgrandmotherwhenthesimplepl
easuresofchanti
ngofgur ubaniandf eedi
ngthedogs
kepttheduobusy .Ther
emightbeanythi
ngdr amati
cintheirr
outinebutthewayshet ook
careoft hesmall
estofhisneedsandwor kedforhiseducati
onshowst hedepthofthei
r
rel
ati
onship.

But,asiti
str
ueofev er
ygoodthi
ng,thi
sbondi nghadt ofacet hetestofti
mewhent he
wri
ter’
spar
ent
stookbothoft
hem tot
hecity
,throwingthem outoft hehor
ri
bleabodei
ntoa
ci
tywhicht
ookat
tent
ionoft
hechil
danddrovethem li
tt
leaparteverypassi
ngday.

Aboutt
heAut
hor

KhushwantSi ngh,oneoft hebestknownI ndi anwr it

ersofallti
mes,wasbor ni n1915in
Hadali(nowi nPakistan).Hewaseducat edatt heGov ernmentColl
ege,LahoreandatKi ng’
s
Coll
ege,Cambr idgeUni v ersit
yandt heI nnerTempl einLondon.Hepr acti
cedl aw atthe
LahoreHi ghCourtf orsev eralyearsbeforejoiningt heIndi
anMinistr
yofExt ernalAff
air
sin
1947.Hebeganadi sti
nguishedcar eerasaj our nali
stwiththeAl
lIndiaRadioin1951.Since
the hehasbeenf ounder -
editorofYojana( 1951- 1953),edit
oroftheIll
ustrat
edweekl yof
Indi
a(1979-1980),chiefedi torofNewDel hi(1979- 1980)andeditorofTheHi ndustanTimes
(1980-1983).Hi
sSat urdaycol umn“ WithMal i
v etowar dsOneandAl l
”i
ntheHi ndustanTimes
i
sbyf aroneoft hemostpopul arcol
umnsoft heday .

I
ntr
oduct
ion

ThePor t
rai
tofaLadygi vesusapi ctureofhumanrel
ati
onshi
pinaj oi
ntf
ami l
y.I
tisa
real
ist
icaccountofhow thegrandparentsgi
veallt
heirt
ime,att
ent
ionandlovetothe
grandchi
l
dren.Theauthor
’sdescri
pti
onabouthisgrandmotheri
sdeeplymovingwitha
touchofhumourandpoetr
yini
t.

Summar
y

ThePortrai
tofaLady ’
iswritt
eni nfi
rstper
sonandisint hebi
ographi
calmode.Inthi
sstory,
thewri
tergivesadet ai
ledaccountofhi sGr
andmotherwithwhom hehadal ongassoci
ation.
KhushwantSi nghrecall
shisGr andmotherasshor
t,fatandslight
lybent
.Hersil
verhairwas
scat
ter
edunt idil
yonherwr inkl
edf ace.Shehobbl
edar oundthehouseinwhiteclot
heswi t
h
onehandr estingonherwai standt heothertel
li
ngt hebeadsofherr osar y.KhushwantSingh
remember sherasnotv erypr ett
ybutal waysbeaut i
ful
.Hecompar esherser enefacetot hat
ofawi nt
erl andscape,Duringt heirlongstayinthev il
l
age,Grandmot herwokehi m upint he
morning,plasteredhiswoodensl ate,prepar
edhi sbr eakf
ast,andescor tedhi mtoschool .
Whilehestudi edalphabets,sher eadt hescri
pturesint het
empl eattachedt otheschool.On
thei
rwaybackhomeshef edst alechapatt
ist ost raydogs.Thet ur
ningpointi ntheir
rel
ati
onshipcamewhent heywentt oli
veinthecity.Now, t
heaut horwentt oaci t
yschooli n
amot orbusandst udi
edEngl ish,lawofgr avi
ty,Archi
medes’ pri
ncipl
eandmanymor ethi
ngs
whichshecoul dnotunderstandatal l
.

Grandmothercouldnolongeraccompanyhi
mtoschoolnorhelphimi nhisstudi
es.Shewas
upsetthatther
ewasnot eachi
ngofGodandscr
ipt
uresatcit
yschool .I
nsteadhewasgiven
musiclessonwhich,accordi
ngtoher
,wasnotmeantforgent
lef
olk.Butshesaidnothi
ng.

WhenKhushwantSi nghwentt oauni v

ersi
ty,hewasgi venasepar ater oom.Thecommon
l
inkoft heirfr
iendshipwassnapped.Gr andmot herrarelytalkedtoany onenow.Shespent
mostofhert i
me si tt
ing beside herspinning wheel ,reciti
ng prayers,and feeding the
spar r
owsi nt heaf ternoon.When t heauthorl eftforabr oad,Gr andmot herdid notget
disturbed.Rat her,shesaw hi m of fattherail
wayst ation.Seeingherol dage,thenar r
ator
thoughtt hatitwashi slastmeet ingwit
hher.But ,contrarytohisthinking,whenher etur
ned
afteraspanoff i
vey ears,Grandmotherwast her
et or eceivehim.Shecel ebratedt he
occasi onbysi ngi
ngsongsoft hehomecomi ngofwar ri
orsonanol ddilapidat
eddrum, al
ong
withthel adiesoft henei ghbourhood.

Nextmor ni
ngshegoti ll
.Alt
houghthedoctorsai di
twasami l
df everandwoul dgoaway
soon,shecouldf oreseethatherendwasnear .Shedidnotwantt owast etimetalki
ngto
anyone.Shelaypeacef ul
lyinbedprayi
ngandt ell
ingthebeadstil
lherl i
psstoppedmov i
ng
andtherosaryfellf
rom herli
fel
essfi
ngers.Tomour nherdeaththousandsofspar r
owsf l
ew
i
nandsatscat teredaroundherbody.Therewasnochi rr
upingandwhenKhushwantSi ngh’
s
motherthrew breadcrumbst othesparrows,theytooknonot i
ceoft hebread.Theyf l
ew
awayquietl
ywhent hedeadbodyofGr andmot herwascarri
edawayf orlastr
it
es.

TextbasedQuest
ions

1. 
  
Menti
onthet
hreephasesoft
heaut
hor
’sr
elat
ionshi
pwi
thhi
sgr
andmot
herbef
orehel
eft
thecount
ryt
ostudyabr
oad.

Ans:Thethr
eephasesoftheaut
hor
’sr
elat
ionshi
pwi
thhi
sgr
andmot
herbef
orehel
eftt
he
count
ryt
ostudyabr
oadareasfol
l
ows:

1.Fir
stPhase:Theperi
odofhi
searl
ychi
ldhoodwhereheusedtoli
vewithherinthevil
l
age.
Hisgrandmotherusedtowakehi
m upandgethimr eadyf
orschool
.Theybothwouldwal k
toschooltogetherandcomebackhomet oget
her
.Theyhadagoodf r
iendshi
pwi t
heach
other
.

2.SecondPhase:Inthisphase,theauthorandhisgrandmothershi
ft
edtothecit
yast
he
author
’spar
entssett
ledwelli
nt heci
ty.Alt
houghtheysharedthesameroom,thi
swast
he
tur
ningpoi
ntofthei
rfri
endshi
p.Now,theysawlessofeachother.

3.Thi
rdPhase:Whent
heaut
horwentt
otheuni
ver
sit
y,hewasgi
venar
oom ofhi
sown.Thi
s
madet hei
rf r
iendshi
pbondweakerast hecommonl i
nkbetweenthem ‘
thesamer oom’
snapped.Shebecamequi eterandpri
vateandkeptt
hespinni
ngwheelalldaylong.She
wouldfeedthesparrowsonceadayandthiswast
heonl
ythi
ngthatmadeherhappynow.

2.
  
 Ment
ionthreereasonswhyt
heaut
hor
’sgr
andmot
herwasdi
stur
bedwhenhest
art
ed
goi
ngtothecit
yschool.

Ans:Whentheauthorusedtoli
vei
nthev i
l
lagewit
hher ,t
heybothhadagoodfri
endship.
Sheusedtowakehim up,gothi
mreadyandwouldalsoaccompanyhimtoschool
.Allthis
changedwhentheymov edtotheci
ty.Thegrandmotherwasdistur
bedf
orthefoll
owing
reason:

1. 
Shenolongercoul
dhel
phimi nhi
slessons.Ashest
art
edgoi
ngt
otheEngl
i
shmedi
um
school
,thi
sbecameabarr
ierf
orher
.

2.
 Ther
ewer
enot
eachi
ngsaboutGodandt
hescr
ipt
ures.

3. 
Shedi
dn’tl
ikehi
mtaki
ngt
hemusi
clessons.Accor
dingt
oher
,musi
cwasonl
yforbeggar
s
andharl
ots.

3.Ment
iont
hreeway
sinwhi
cht
heaut
hor
’sgr
andmot
herspentherday
saf
terhegr
ewup.

Ans:Hi
sgrandmotherchangedalotsincehegrew up.Shewoul
dspendherdayatt
he
spi
nni
ngwheel,
chanti
ngprayer
sandfeedi
ngspar
rows.

4.Ment
iont
heoddwayi
nwhi
cht
heaut
hor
’sgr
andmot
herbehav
edj
ustbef
oreshedi
ed.

Ans:She didn’tpr
ay the evening before dyi
ng.She coll
ected t
he women from the
nei
ghbourhoodandstar
tedsinginghomecomi ngofthewarri
orswit
ht hehel
pofthedrum.
Thenextmor ni
ngwhenshefelli
ll,shesaidherendwasnear.Shestart
edprayi
ngpeacef
ull
y
whil
elay
ingonherbed.Sherefusedt otal
ktoany onedur
ingherl
asthours.

5.Ment
ion thewayi
n whi
ch t
hespar
rowsexpr
essed t
hei
rsor
row when t
heaut
hor
’s
gr
andmotherdi
ed.

Ans:Thegr andmot herusedt ofeedthesparrowsinherverandaheachday .Shedev el

opeda
specialrelati
onshipwi tht hem.Whenshedi ed,thousandsofspar r
owsexpr essedt hei
r
sorrowbysi t
ti
nginascat t
eredwayar oundherintheverandah.Theydidn’
tchir
rupandt here
wascompl etesi l
ence.Theaut hor’smot hertr
iedtofeedt hem bybreakingthebr eadand
throwing iti nf r
ontoft hem.Butt hey di
dn’teatany thi
ng.When t he family carri
ed
grandmot her’scorpse,theyallf
lewawayqui etl
y.

6.Theaut
hor
’sgr
andmot
herwasar
eli
giousper
son.Whatar
ethedi
ff
erentway
sinwhi
chwe
cometoknowthi
s?
Ans: 
Whenshel i
vedinthev il
l
agewi t
htheauthor
,sheusedt osingprayersinamonot onous
soundwhilegett
inghimr eadyeachmor ni
ng.Sheusedt owal
ktheaut hort
ohi sschooland
thenvisi
tthetempleat t
achedt otheschooleveryday.Shewouldsi tandr eadscriptures.
Laterwhentheymov edtot hecit
y,shewouldcarryt hebeadsofther osar
ywi t
hheral lthe
ti
me.Shewoul dcont i
nuouslychantherprayer
sandherhandr emainedbusyi nt el
l
ingt he
beads.Whent heauthorwentt ostudyattheuniversit
y,shewentint
osecl usi
onandspent
herwholedayinchanti
ngpr ayer
s.

7.Descr
ibethechangi
ngr el
ati
onshi
pbet
weent
heaut
horandhi
sgr
andmot
her
.Di
dthei
r
feel
i
ngsforeachot
herchange?

Ans:Intheear lydays,t
heybot hshar edagoodbond.Shewoul dgethi mr eadyforschool,
accompanyhi m andwoul dcomebackwi t
hhimlaterintheday.Shewoul dhelphim withhi
s
studi
esandwoul dteachhim prayersbysinginginamonot onoustoneev erymorning.When
theymov edt ot hecity,thei
rr elat
ionshi
pwasst r
ained.Hest ar
tedgoi ngtoanEngl i
sh
medium school .Shewoul dnol ongeraccompanyhi mt otheschoolorcoul dnothel phim
withthel essons.Shedi dn’
tli
kehi snew schoolast heynevertaughthi m aboutGodor
scri
ptur
es.Lat er,whenhest artedt aki
ngmusi clessons,shedi sapprovedofi tasshe
thoughtthatmusi cwasonl yforbeggar sorharl
ots.Shestoppedt al
kingtohim afterwar
ds
andwouldspendherdayal onewhi l
echanti
ngprayers.

Whent
heauthorwenttouni
versi
tyandthenabroad,t
hei
rbondweakened.Shewoul
dspi
n
t
hewheel
thewholedayandchantherpr
ayer
s.Sheaccept
edthesecl
usi
on.

No,thei
rf eel
i
ngsf
oreachot
herdi
dn’
tchangebutdur
ingt
het
ime,adi
stancedev
eloped
bet
weent hem.

8.Woul
dy ouagr
eethatt
heauthor
’sgr
andmot
herwasaper
sonst
rongi
nchar
act
er?I
fyes,
gi
vei
nstancest
hatshowthi
s.

Ans:Yes,t
hegr
andmot
herwasast
rongper
soni
nchar
act
er.Thei
nst
ancest
oshowt
hisar
e
asfol
lows:

1. 
Shehadherownt houghtsaboutschool
sandt hei
rteachi
ngs.Sheconsi
der
edl
ear
ning
scri
ptur
esabet
tert
hingthanst
udyingsci
enceorEngli
sh.

2.
 Shedi
dn’
tli
kemusi
casaccor
dingt
oher
,musi
cwasf
orl
ow-
lev
elpeopl
e.

3.
 Whent heauthorwenttot
heuniver
sit
y,i
nsecl
usion,shewoul
dspi
nthewheel
,chant
pr
ayers,
tell
beadsandfeedbr
eadcr
umbst ot
hespar
rows.

4. 
Whenshesangthehomecomi
ngoft
hewar
ri
orsf
orhour
sanddi
dn’
tst
opev
enwhenher
famil
ytr
iedami
ll
i
ontimes.

5.
 Dur
ingherl
astt
ime,shedi
dn’
twanttowast
eanyt
imet
alki
ngt
oany
onesoshel
aysi
l
ent
ly
onherbedandchant
edherpray
erst
il
lshedi
ed.