THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY -Khushwant Singh

About the Author

Khushwant Singh was an Indian novelist, lawyer, journalist and politician. He was born on Feb. 2, 1915 and had his education in Lahore, Delhi and London. As Indo-Anglian novelist, he is best known for his humour and an abiding love of poetry. He served as the editor of several literary and news magazines, as well as two broadsheet newspapers, through the 1970s and 1980s. He is a recipient of the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award in India. Among his creations, his famous books are the two volumes 'History of Sikhs' and his novel 'A Train to Pakistan'. The legendry writer breathed his last on 20th March, 2014 at the age of 99.

About the Lesson

The lesson "The Portrait of a Lady" is an autobiographical description of the author's intimate relationship with his beloved grandmother. The lesson beautifully describes the changes that come in their relationship in the course of time. Through this lesson, the author pays a very emotional tribute to the loving bond he shared with his grandmother. Besides, this lesson teaches us the importance of relationships in our lives and we are bound to think how much essential these relationships are for the healthy growth of an individual.

Summary Notes

Author's Grandmother

quite old & wrinkled
short & slightly bent
her face: criss-cross of wrinkles
kept a hand on waist to balance her stoop
moved a rosary in the other hand
always moved lips in an inaudible prayer
wore spotless white clothes
had silver locks.
figure of purity and serenity

His Late Grandfather

dead for years
seen only in a portrait
had a long beard, wore big turban and loose clothes
seemed to be hundred years old

Life in Village

author's parents settled in a city
author and grandmother left in village
a very warm relationship between the two
grandmother woke the author, bathed him and got him ready for school
gave him stale chapatties with butter and sugar for breakfast
went with the author to the school
author studied the alphabets & grandmother would read scriptures
both walked back home together
grandmother fed the dogs with the stale chapatties
fight among dogs for chapatties

Their Shifting to the City

both called to the city
author got admitted to an English medium school
went in a motor bus; was taught English, Science, Music
grandmother's disapproval-considered music to be learnt by low class people
also upset as religion based education missing in English school
withdraws herself from the teaching of grandson and remains quiet
feeds sparrows in the courtyard as there are no street dogs in the city

Growing Distance between Author & Grandmother

author gets admitted to a University
given separate room - common link of friendship with grandma snapped
grandmother accepts her seclusion without any complaints
sits for hours spinning the wheel, reciting prayers and feeding the sparrows

Author's Departure for Higher Studies

author moves abroad for higher studies for five years
worried about grandmother
grandmother bids farewell to the author at the railway station
kisses the author on the forehead
the author takes it as the last physical contact between the two
returns after 5 years
is pleased to see the grandmother at the station
grandmother looks still the same

Grandmother's Celebrates and Subsequent Sickness

calls the women from the neighbourhood
sings songs of the homecoming of the warriors
falls ill the next morning
doctor hopes the fever to go
the grandmother sure of her approaching death
regrets her wasting time and not praying
refuses to talk to anybody
spends her time in prayer
dies with prayer on her lips and beads of rosary in her hand

Strange Mourners

sparrows arrive to meet the grandmother
express their sorrow by keeping quiet
author's mother feels sorry-throws bread crumbs to them
birds don't accept the crumbs
sparrows fly away silently after the dead body is carried for funeral

Annotations/Word Notes

portrait : a painted or photographed picture of someone
wrinkled : having wrinkles
revolting : disgusting
mantelpiece : a shelf above fire place
absurd : completely ridiculous
fables : old stories with a moral r
prophet : eligious teacher
puckered :wrinkled because of age
hobbled about : walked unsteadily
inaudible : which can't be heard
expanse : widespread
serenity : calmness
contentment : satisfaction
monotonous : same/without any change
sing-song : singing in the same tone
stale : not fresh
distressed : got disturbed/sad
Lewd : vulgar
monopoly : sole rights
harlots : prostitutes - women of indecent character who are involved in singing and dancing
disapproval : disagreement
seclusion : loneliness
resignation : submission
bits :small pieces
veritable : true
bedlam : noisy confusion
frivolous : not serious
rebukes : scolding
perched : sat
shoo'd away : drove them away
clasped : hold tightly with one's hand
dilapidated : worn out
persuade : convince
overstraining : tiring
mild : light
pallor : pale
shroud : cloth in which dead body is wrapped
crude : (here) not refined
growling : say something in low voice

Short Answer Type Questions

Q.1. Mention three reasons why the author's grandmother was disturbed when he started going to the city school. (Textual)

Ans: Once the author and his grandmother shifted to the city, the author was admitted to an English medium school. He would go to school in a motor bus and so the grandmother could not accompany him to the school. Secondly, she was distressed with the teachings in her grandson's new school as there was no teaching about God and scriptures. As she did not understand anything about Science or English, she could no longer help him in his studies. And lastly, she was not at all happy with the music lessons given to her grandson in the school. To her, music was meant for the people belonging to low class.

Q.2. Mention the odd way in which the author's grandmother behaved just before she died.

Ans. The grandmother was overwhelmed with excitement when the author returned from abroad. She gathered some women from the neighbourhood and started singing the songs of the homecoming of warriors. She even thumped the drum. This was quite odd on her part as she spent all of her time in chanting prayers only. The family members also tried to stop her lest, she should over-strain herself. But she didn't listen to their requests and continued with her celebrations. Consequently, she was taken ill the next day and could not survive.

Q.3 Mention the three ways in which the author's grandmother spent her days after he grew up.

Ans : Eventually, the author grew up and got quite busy in his studies. Now there was hardly ever any communication with the grandmother particularly after he was allotted a separate room. Feeling lonely, the grandmother turned her attention to the sparrows. She would now feed them when they came in the courtyard. Else, she would sit by her wheel spinning the yarn and murmuring her prayers. Feeding the poor sparrows had become her favourite pastime. This was the happiest hour of the day for her.

Q.4. Mention the way in which the sparrows expressed their sorrow when the author's grandmother died.

Ans. The grandmother's death was mourned not only by her family and friends but also by the sparrows whom she used to feed so lovingly. When the preparations for the funeral rites were going on, hundreds of sparrows gathered and sat silently around the grandmother's body. Feeling sorry for the poor sparrows, the author's mother threw bread crumbs to them, but to everybody's surprise, the sparrows did not accept the bread crumbs. When the grandmother's body was taken for the funeral rites, the sparrows flew away quietly. It seemed as if they all had come to pay a tribute to the loving grandmother.

Q.5. How did the narrator's grandfather appear in the portrait?

Ans. The author's grandfather had died years ago. There was a portrait in which he looked very old. He had a long white beard and he wore loose fitting clothes and a big turban. He looked too old to have a wife or children and it seemed as if he could have lots and lots of grandchildren only.

Q.6. Why did the author say, "As for my grandmother being young and pretty, the thought was almost revolting"?

Ans. The narrator's grandmother was very old and wrinkled and she had stayed at this stage for the past twenty years. Her face was a criss-cross of wrinkles. She was short, fat and slightly bent. But people said that once she was young and pretty. The narrator could not imagine her being young and he found this very thought to be almost revolting.

Q.7. The author said that his grandmother had always been beautiful but not pretty. Explain this statement.

Ans. The grandmother was quite old. She was so old that her entire face was a criss-cross of wrinkles. She was short and bent. So, one cannot call her to be pretty. But she was definitely very beautiful. Attired in her spotless white clothes with her beautiful silver hair scattered over her face, she looked like a beautiful 'winter landscape.' This purity and serenity on her face made her look extremely beautiful, indeed.

Q.8. What did the grandmother tell about her childhood to the author? What was author's reaction to it?

Ans. The grandmother would often share her childhood memories with the author. She told him about the games she used to play in her childhood. It was quite difficult for the author to imagine all this as he had always seen her old, bent and wrinkled. It was difficult for him to believe that once she was young and pretty.

Q.9. The narrator's grandmother looked like the 'winter landscape in the mountains.' What does the author mean here?

Ans. The narrator's grandmother was always dressed in spotless white clothes. Her hair too, was silvery white. With her pale and wrinkled face and her white locks spread over it, she looked almost white from top to bottom quite similar to the snowy mountains which are white and peaceful. Her physical appearance together with her white dress made her look like a winter landscape in the mountains.

Q.10. What sort of relationship did the narrator share with his grandmother while they lived in the village?

Ans. During his childhood, the narrator stayed with his grandmother in the village. Both of them shared a warm and friendly relationship. The grandmother would take a great care of him and they spent their time together. She used to wake him up early in the morning and got him ready for the school. She would give him breakfast and even went to school with him. While the narrator studied in the school, the grandmother would stay in the temple waiting for him. After the school, they would come home together.

Q.11. What type of relationship did the grandmother and the author share?

Ans. The reader notices a very intimate relationship between the author and his grandmother, particularly when both of them lived in the village. The grandmother was more than a mother to him and looked after all the needs of the author with great love and care. She would even go with him to the school and return only after the school was over. They both understood each other and there was a bond of love and trust between them. However this relationship underwent some changes after they shifted to the city.

Q.12. How did the grandmother spend her time when she was in the village with the author?

Ans. The grandmother was essentially and entirely a religious lady. She was so obsessed with her prayers that she could always be heard murmuring them. Apart from the religion her entire attention was paid to her grandson who lived there in the village under her care and protection. In the mornings. she used to wake him up, and bathe and dress him up for the school. After giving him breakfast, she would accompany him to the school too. She even ensured that author carried to his school a wooden slate, an earthen inkpot and a pen, all tied in a bundle. While the author learnt alphabets in the school, the grandmother would sit in the temple reading her favourite scriptures. While returning, she would feed chapattis to the stray dogs too.

Q.13. What was the turning point in the friendship of grandmother and the author?

Ans. Once the author's parents got settled in the city, they called the author and the grandmother to the city. Until now, both of them had developed an intimate bond of love and friendship. But their shifting to the town proved to be a turning point in their friendship. Now the author was admitted to an English medium school. He would go to school in a motor bus and so the grandmother could not accompany him to the school. She could not even help him in his studies now.

Q.14. How did the distance between the author and the grandmother increase after they shifted to the city?

Ans. After they had shifted to the city, the distance between the author and the grandmother gradually increased. The grandmother could not accompany him to the school. She could not help him in his studies because he was now taught Science and English. She was pained to see that there was no teaching about God and scriptures in the school. Later, when the narrator went up to the university, he was given a room of his own. This separated him from the grandmother and the common link of their friendship was also broken.

Q.15. Why did the grandmother not like the music lessons given to the author in the city school?

Ans. The grandmother kept religion in the top priority. To her, every child should be taught about God and scriptures in the school. Among her conservative beliefs, one belief was that music had lewd associations and that it was the monopoly of the beggars and harlots. She felt quite distressed when she learnt that her grandson was being taught music at his new school.

Q.16. Compare the education imparted in the village and the city school.

Ans. There was a remarkable difference between the education imparted in the city school and the village school. In the village, the students were taught the alphabet, the religious prayers and the religious scriptures. But it was altogether different in the city. The students in the city were taught English, Western Science and Music. No lessons in religion and scriptures were given to them. In the city school, the subject experts taught different subjects whereas in village, the temple priest did all the teaching.

Q.17. How was the common link of friendship snapped between the grandmother and author?

Ans. When the author grew up and went to the university, he was given a separate room. The common link of sharing a room together was also snapped.

Q.18. How did the grandmother spend her time when the narrator went up to university?

Ans. When the narrator went up to the university, he was given a separate room. The common link of friendship between him and the grandmother was broken. Now the grandmother was left alone and she accepted her loneliness quietly. She busied herself with her spinning wheel and would recite her prayers most of the time. Now she hardly talked to anyone. In the afternoon, she would feed the sparrows. This was her favourite pastime.

Q.19. How did the grandmother feel while feeding the sparrows in the afternoon?

Ans. It was grandmother's routine to feed the sparrows in the afternoon. She would sit in the verandah breaking the bread into little crumbs. Hundreds of sparrows would gather there chirping noisily. Some even sat on her legs, shoulders and head. The grandmother enjoyed feeding them and never shooed them away. It was the happiest half-an-hour of her daily routine.

Q.20. What was 'last sign' of physical contact of the author with the grandmother? Why is it termed as "the last sign"?

Ans. When the author was going abroad for his further studies the grandmother went to the station to see him off. As a gesture of love and blessing, she kissed him on his forehead. This was quite an emotional moment for the author as he thought it to be the last physical contact with his grandmother. Last; because she was too old and the author was going away for five long years. He feared he might not find her alive on his return.

Q.21. How did the grandmother react when the author returned from abroad?

Ans. There was a visible change in the grandmother's behaviour on the day when the author returned from abroad. She was over-excited and wanted to celebrate her grandson's home coming. That evening, she collected all the women of the neighbourhood and sang songs for hours with them beating an old drum. She had to be persuaded to stop to avoid exertion and overstraining. Perhaps, it was the first time when she did not pray.

Q.22. How did the grandmother react when she was taken ill?

Ans. While the doctor was hopeful that the grandmother would recover from the mild fever, the grandmother seemed to have foreseen her approaching death. She regretted having wasted her time and not praying. She wanted to make up for the loss and she decided that she would spend every single moment of her remaining time in the prayer of the Almighty. So, she stopped talking and only uttered her prayers.

Q.23. What was the sparrows' reaction when the grandmother died?

Ans. When the grandmother died, her body was placed in the courtyard before the funeral. Thousands of sparrows gathered there. They did not chirrup and it looked that they were paying their last homage to the departed soul. The narrator's mother felt sorry for them and offered them some crumbs of bread. But the sparrows took no notice of them. When the grandmother's dead body was carried off, the sparrows flew away quietly.

Q.24. The grandmother was religious and kind. Elucidate with suitable example.

Ans. There is no doubt about the fact that the grandmother was really very religious and kind. She had bountiful faith in God and scriptures. Her lips always moved in an inaudible prayer and her hands remained busy telling the beads of her rosary. Even in the temple, she spent time reading the Holy Scriptures. Besides, she had extreme love for all the creations of God. In the village, she used to offer stale chapattis to the stray dogs and in the city, she would lovingly feed the sparrows.

Q.25. How did the sparrows react on the death of their benefactor?

Ans. That afternoon when the grandmother lay dead in the courtyard, thousands of sparrows gathered there. Although they would come there every day but their behaviour was altogether different on that day. They were not chirping at all. Instead, they sat silently as if those poor dumb birds had understood that their benefactor had left for her heavenly abode. When the author's mother threw bread crumbs to them, they took no notice. Finally, they flew away quietly after the grandmother's dead body was carried off for the funeral.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q.1. Mention three phases of the author's relationship with his grandmother before he left the country to study abroad.

Ans. Through this chapter, the author highlights the cherished memories of his grandmother. We not only get a peep into their relationship but also witness a gradual change in it with the passage of time. Based on the events, their relationship can be divided into three phases.
The first and the most beautiful phase is the time when the duo lived in the village. Author's parents had shifted to the city and the child was left behind in the village under the care and protection of his grandmother. Both spent their time together, never leaving each other's side. The grandmother paid all her attention to him and looked after his needs. Not only did she help him getting ready for the school, she would also accompany him there and help him in his homework too.
However, we witness a sudden shift in this beautiful relation when both of them are called to the city by the author's parents. The author now went to an English medium school, learned English, Western Science and even Music. The grandmother could no longer accompany him; nor could she help him with his studies. We sense a gradual distance building between the two.
The relationship further worsened when the author went to the university and was given a separate room in the house. Until now, both of them at least got a lot of opportunity to talk as they shared the same room. But, with the separate room for the both, the common link of friendship was snapped. They could hardly meet or talk to each other now. Somehow, poor grandmother accepted her seclusion quietly and busied herself with her spinning wheel and feeding the house Sparrows.

Q.2 . Describe the changing relationship between the author and his grandmother. Did their feelings for each other change?

Ans. Owing to the compelling circumstances, the relationship between the grandmother and the author had to undergo several changes. During their stay in the village, they were constant companions, never leaving each other's side. The grandmother would wake him up and get him ready for the school. She would make his things ready and give him stale chapattis for breakfast. Thereafter, both would go to the school together. While the author learnt alphabets, the grandmother would read the scriptures sitting in the adjacent temple.
But their relationship underwent a serious jolt when the duo had to shift in the city The author was admitted to an English medium school and the grandmother could not teach him Western Science or the English lessons. She could not even accompany him to the school as the latter went there by his school bus. She was also not happy as no religious training was imparted in the school and annoyed because her grandson was being taught music lessons.
The relationship further worsened when the author went to the university and was given a separate room in the house Until now, both of them at least got a lot of opportunity to talk as they shared the same room. But, with the separate room for the both, the common link of friendship was snapped. They could hardly meet or talk to each other now Then came a total void in their relation as the author moved abroad for his higher studies. No one, including the author, knew whether they would ever meet again as the author was going for five long years and the grandmother was too old to survive till then.
However, the author returned after completing his degree and the grandmother celebrated his homecoming in the best way she could. She did not bother about her health and for once she even forgot her prayers.
Despite all these ups and downs, we see an impregnable bond between the two, a bond that surpasses time and distance Their physical separation could never separate their spiritual bonding. This love remained intact even when the author was seven seas away. This love still exists even when the grandmother has left this mortal world for her heavenly abode.

Q.3. Would you agree that author's grandmother was a person strong in character? If yes, give instances that show this.

Ans. Humanity exists not because of the people of power and (Textual) wealth, but because of the people strong in character. It is these people of strong moral character who show the world the true path of humanity. As such, the grandmother was truly an embodiment of morality whose heart brimmed with love for others and whose soul filled with the gratitude for the Almighty.
Though she was not formally educated, she had a great instinct of right and wrong. How much she valued education is clear from the fact that she helped her grandson in his studies and even regretted when she could not help him with the teachings of Science and English. She provided a congenial atmosphere to him in his formative years of growth.
Those people, who are strong in character, never fret or fume over difficulties. The grandmother was just like that. She never complained and always accepted the changed circumstances boldly. We find her inner strength when her beloved grandson is allotted a separate room or when he goes abroad.
There was a divine aura around the grandmother. She was a fountain of love and bliss for everyone who came in contact with her, whether humans or even birds and animals. Away from any selfishness, she strived to help others, feed others. Her religious outlook is yet another example of her being strong in character. The motto of her life was- Religion First! Why, because she understood that religion shows us the path of righteousness, of morality and of kindness. She lived a life of morality and kindness; she died leaving behind a legacy of goodness, a language that is understood even by poor dumb birds!
The birds and we celebrated her goodness; the birds and we mourn her death.

Q.4. The author's grandmother was a religious person. What are the different ways in which we come to know this?

Ans : The dictionary defines religion as the belief in the supremacy of Almighty God and a system of rules of a righteous life. There may be several religions around the world, but all religions essentially teach the same moral lessons. They teach us to respect humanity and respect all forms of life. They teach us to be kind and benevolent to others. They teach us to refrain from vices and embrace divine qualities.
and in the city too, she would feed the sparrows. She lived her life murmuring prayers, and when she paused to celebrate the grandson's homecoming, she regretted. Towards the end of her life, she refused to talk to anyone because now she wanted to devote every single moment praying to Almighty God only.

The author's grandmother was religious in all its true sense The motto of her life was- Religion First! Her lips always moved in an inaudible prayer and her one hand was always busy telling the beads of the rosary. She would go to the temple daily and read the Holy Scriptures. She was distressed when the author was not given any religious training in the city school. Following the moral lessons taught by the religion she showed too much kindness to animals and birds. She would especially carry stale chapattis for the village dogs

Q.5 The grandmother herself was not formally educated but was serious about the author's education. How does the text support this?

Ans. It seems that the grandmother was not formally educated as she knew nothing about Science or English. But we know that she valued education. That's why she made all efforts for her grandson's education. While in village, she would get him ready for the school and also prepared all the paraphernalia including his wooden slate, ink-pot, reed pen and books. She took pains in cleaning the wooden slate and plastering it again with the yellow chalk. Without fail, she would accompany him to the school and sat in the adjoining temple until the boy's school was over. At home too, she helped him with his homework as much as she could. Further, in the city, she showed great interest in knowing what the author was being taught at the English School. She even regretted not being able to help him as she understood nothing of Sciences and English.
The grandmother sacrificed her love for the sake of the grandson's education. She bore the pangs of separation from her beloved grandson when the latter was allotted a separate
room or when he went abroad for five long years She commands our respect also because she respected education!

Q.6. Justify the title 'The Portrait of a Lady'.

Ans. The word 'portrait' generally means a painting, a drawing or a photograph of a person, painted or captured in way that describes his/her personality through his/her appearance and demeanour. This autobigraphical write up is a glowing tribute by Khushwant Singh to his deceased grandmother. The author has painted her portrait quite beautifully in words, not in paints or colours. As the reader reads between the lines, he virtually meets the lady i.e. the grandmother and gets to know how she looked and how she lived. The author has, very minutely, painted a word picture of her likes, dislikes, her heart full of love and compassion and her soul which is always filled with a sense of gratitude for the Almighty God. The description is so vivid and so live that the reader feels pained when the duo gets separated and he also feels that bliss of satisfaction when the old lady treats the birds and animals so lovingly. The phrases like 'hobbled about the house in spotless white', 'her silver locks scattered', 'one hand resting on her waist' and 'winter landscape in the mountains', give a clear picture of the old lady how she looked like. Towards the end of the story, the writer finds himself so much bound with the old lady that he too shares the mournful moments along with the sparrows.
All in all, Khushwant Singh has beautifully painted his grandmother with the help of his words and I support him when he gives the title "The Portrait of a Lady'. No other title would have been so justified, frankly!

Q.7. Draw a character sketch of the grandmother.

Ans. The chapter by Khushwant Singh is a tribute to his grandmother. So, she is ubiqutous, present everywhere in the story and the author leaves no stone unturned in her vivid description.
Her Love for the Author: The grandmother loved her grandson very much. While the duo were in the village, she took great care of him. She got him ready for the school, fed him and helped him in his studies too. Later in the city, she was concerned about his education for the sake of his education from him and celebrated madly when he returned from abroad.
A Religious Woman: The strongest aspect of her character was her religious bent of mind. She kept religion in the top priority and always murmured her prayers. She would also keep telling the beads of her rosary and read Holy Scriptures. It was her obsession for God and religion that she refused to talk anyone in her last moments and spent all the time in her prayers.
Kind and Benevolent: The grandmother's heart always brimmed with kindness for others. She was quite benevolent towards birds and animals. Every day she would carry stale chapattis for the village dogs and also offered bread crumbs to the sparrows in the town. These birds and animals understood the language of love and that is why the dogs escorted her home and the birds mourned her death.
The grandmother's strong character traits leave and indellible impressions on the reader's mind and her image gets imprinted in it.

Her Appearance: The grandmother was very old and wrinkled. She was short, fat and slightly bent. She wore spotless white clothes and kept one of her hands on the waist to balance her stoop. Her silver locks were scattered untidily over her pale, puckered face. She looked like the winter landscape in the mountains.

THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY -Khushwant Singh