OF A L A D Y

O RT R AI T
T HE P

N T S IN GH
SHWA
- KHU
Points to Remember :-
• Autobiographical Chapter – The author gives an insight
of his relationship with his grandmother through his
own eyes.
• Poignant tale of deep bond of love and affection he
shared with his inimitable grandmother.
• Written in First person
• The Story touches upon the hemisphere of Indian
Culture.
• The Grandmother is the true embodiment of the term
‘lady’ – her inner beauty shone through her persona
making her appear beautiful
Characteristics of the Grandmother :-
• Short , fat and hunched in stature
• Wrinkled face, sagging skin , frail frame
• Her serene visage reminded the author of a winter landscape
• She hobbled around the house with one hand on her waist to
balance her stoop
• Beauty – Immaculate, spotlessly clean
• Not beautiful in the worldly sense but inwardly beautiful
• Silver locks scattered over her pale face
• Calm, tranquil air to her
• Kind and considerate
• Pious and orthodox, conservative and traditional
• Quintessential matriarch who can be found in any Indian
household
• Epitome of serenity and tranquility
• She is truly a pen portrait of the Grandmother – Kind,
understanding , caring
• Had control over her emotions
• Intuitive
• Benevolent
• Reserved
• Realistic and practical approach
• Strong will power
• Faced the trials and tribulations of her life
with courage
FIRST PHASE – (Village Life)
• Took care of all his needs (Examples??)
• Helped in his lessons
• Undisputed custodian and mentor of the
child
• Dynamic , agile and active (HOW?)
• . They fed street dogs with stale chapaties
on their way to school which was a great
fun 
• It was her realm and she was the queen of
her realm
SECOND PHASE (City Life):-
• Her role in bringing up the child curtailed a
little bit
• Found herself at a loss – Why?
• She doesn’t articulate her disapproval –
(About what?)
• Withdrew herself . Retreats with dignity
• Common nexus of friendship was fading
away

• Contrast with Village life?

• Differences in both the phases??
Third phase :-
• Common nexus of friendship – disrupted
• Her only happy pursuit was….?
• Lonely and aloof , secluded
• Held back her emotions
• Weathered this closing off with grace and
dignity

• Differences from the previous phases?

(Point out few examples)
Last stage of her life:-
• Broke her routine
• Abandoned her prayers
• Sang songs of home coming on a withered
drum
• Restrains herself from demonstrating her
emotions , doesn’t openly communicate
• Was taken ill and dies
• Sparrow’s gather around her and mourn for her
death
• Their grief transcends that of the family
• They don’t even eat the bread crumbs
• The language of love was best demonstrated by
these mute animals
• Animals – more dependable and affectionate
Three reasons why the
author’s grandmother was
disturbed when he started
going to the city school?
• Music
• God and scriptures
• Scientific Knowledge
Three ways in which the
author’s grandmother
spent her days after he
grew up ?
 Spinning Wheel
 Feeding sparrows
 Prayers
The way in which the
sparrows express their
sorrow when the
author’s grandmother
died?
 Sat scattered on the floor- in silence to
mourn her death
 No chirruping
 Disregarded the bread crumbs thrown
 Flew away after the corpse was taken away
 Their sorrow transcends that of the family
 Language of love was best demonstrated
by these mute animals
 More compassionate and dependable
Would you agree that the
author’s grandmother was a
person strong in character?
• She was a very religious and conservative lady who hated
modern views and ways. She had very strong personal likings
and dislikes
• 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.
•  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.