Short Summary - The Portrait of the lady- Khushwant Singh

 The Portrait of the Lady - Khushwant Singh

[alert-success] The Portrait of the Lady

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[alert-primary] Short Summary [/alert-primary]

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Introduction : 

Kushwant Singh provides a depiction of his grandmother in his short story, "The Portrait of a Lady". He creates a highly realistic depiction of her and shares anecdotes from his childhood, during which he resided with his grandmother. He has chronicled his evolving relationship with his grandmother across the years. He analyzes her everyday routines and reveals her character development throughout the course of time.  

👵Kushwant's Grandmother: 

    Singh's grandmother  Khushwant Singh recalls his grandma as an elderly woman with a wrinkled visage and silver hair. The picture of his grandfather was displayed above the mantelpiece in their drawing room. The grandfather donned a large turban. The man's attire was baggy and gave the impression of extreme antiquity. The narrator found it challenging to accept the fact that his grandfather had previously been married and had children. He characterizes his grandmother as a little, corpulent, and slightly hunched woman who lacked the ability to walk in a straight line. She was elderly, and he recalls her appearing the same for the past two decades. She navigated through the home with one hand resting on her waist and the other hand meticulously counting the beads of the rosary. She adorned herself in white garments and her lips incessantly moved in prayer. Her disheveled silver hair fell haphazardly across her pallid face. She resembled a wintry alpine environment, exuding an aura of tranquility and satisfaction.  

🏡Kushwant's village life :

    When the narrator's parents traveled to the city, they entrusted him to his grandma in the village. During this period, the narrator and his grandma developed a close friendship, and she provided him with attentive care. She would rouse him from sleep in the morning and prepare him for school. She recited her morning prayer in a melodic and rhythmic style. She anticipated that he would memorize it. Despite his appreciation for her voice, he never entertained the idea of acquiring the skill himself. In addition to preparing him for school, his grandma would apply yellow chalk on his slate and assemble it with an earthen inkpot and a reed-pen. Subsequently, she would transfer the package to the narrator. 

    The narrator's breakfast consisted of a dense, hardened chapatti generously adorned with a modest amount of butter and sugar. She brought a number of hardened chapattis with her to feed the stray dogs on the street. Due of its proximity to the temple, his grandma consistently accompanied him to school. The priest instructed the children in the alphabet and led them in the morning prayer. The children are arranged in two rows on either side of the verandah and sing the alphabet or the prayer together.As the young boy learns,the grandmother recites prayers and reads sacred book. 

🏢 Singh relocates to the urban area : 

    Due to the little boy's educational concern, he and his grandmother were compelled to relocate to the city and reside with them,by the boy's parents. This event marked a significant shift in their friendship. Even though they lived together, she stopped going to school with him.He went to school by taking a bus There were an absence of feeding stray doys, prompting the grandma to engage in the act of nourishing the sparrows within the courtyard. 

🎒 Singh's High school : 

    Their relationship got worse over time, which meant they spent less quality time together and more time apart.The grandma expressed her discontent with the curriculum offered by the English school. She was dissatisfied that she was unable to assist him with his academic assignments. She was deeply troubled by the fact that the youngsters at the city school were not receiving instruction on God and the scriptures. She believed that music was somewhat improper and not intended for "refined individuals." Consequently, she became melancholic when the narrator informed her about receiving music lessons at school.

🎓Kushwant goes to college: 

    When the narrator started college, he was given his own room in the dorm, which ended the close relationship he had with his grandmother. She seldom engaged in conversation with anyone in the household and was consistently absorbed in her spinning wheel. During the afternoon, she engaged in the recitation of prayers and subsequently took a period of rest. Every day, she would nourish the birds by providing them with fragments of bread. Upon the narrator's imminent departure for further studies overseas, she maintained a state of tranquility and composure. She went to the railway station to bid him farewell and remained composed. She was engaged in prayer, moving her lips and using her fingers to recite the rosary beads. The narrator cherished the exquisite moment when she tenderly kissed his forehead in silence. The narrator surmised that it would be his final encounter with his grandmother due to her advanced age.  

👵The Final Moments of the Grandmother :  

    When he came back after five years, she was there to greet him and celebrate his return. On the next day, she experienced a slight increase in body temperature, and the doctor provided reassurance that she would recover shortly. And yet, she was sure that her death was just around the corner. She reclined in bed, engaged in prayer and reciting the beads until her lips ceased their motion and the rosary slipped from her motionless palm.  

💐Death of the Grandmother : 

    After her demise, her lifeless body was placed on the ground and draped with a crimson shroud. During the funeral planning, the speaker and other family members observed thousands of sparrows perched on the ground, silently grieving her demise. Upon the removal of the grandmother's body, the sparrows departed noiselessly, oblivious to the presence of the bread crumbs.  

Conclusion : 

    In this narrative, Singh has portrayed the evolution of an endearing bond between a grandchild and his grandmother. This text effectively conveys the profound strength of familial ties and the way in which physical distance can create a separation while emotional connections remain intact.

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