Portrait of a Lady Word Meaning Class 11 Chapter 1
MY grandmother, like everybody’s grandmother, was an old woman. She had been old and wrinkled for the twenty years that I had known her. People said that she had once been young and pretty and had even had a husband, but that was hard to believe.
| Word (English) | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| grandmother | ग्रैंडमदर | दादी |
| everybody’s | एव्रीबॉडीज | सभी का |
| woman | वुमन | महिला |
| had | हैड | थी |
| been | बीन | रही |
| old | ओल्ड | पुरानी |
| wrinkled | रिंकल्ड | शिथिल |
| twenty | ट्वेंटी | बीस |
| years | यीयर्स | साल |
| known | नोन | जानता |
| People | पीपल्स | लोग |
| said | सैड | कहा |
| once | वन्स | कभी |
| young | यंग | जवान |
| pretty | प्रिटी | सुंदर |
| had | हैड | थे |
| husband | हजबैंड | पति |
| hard | हार्ड | कठिन |
| believe | बिलीव | मानना |
My grandfather’s portrait hung above the mantelpiece in the drawing room. He wore a big turban and loose-fitting clothes.
| Word (English) | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| grandfather | ग्रैंडफादर | दादा |
| portrait | पोर्ट्रेट | चित्र |
| hung | हंग | लटका |
| mantelpiece | मैंटलपीस | मैंटलपीस |
| drawing room | ड्रॉइंग रूम | बैठक का कमरा |
| wore | वोर | पहनते थे |
| big | बिग | बड़ी |
| turban | टरबन | पगड़ी |
| loose-fitting | लूस-फिटिंग | ढीले-ढाले |
| clothes | क्लोथ्स | कपड़े |
His long, white beard covered the best part of his chest and he looked at least a hundred years old. He did not look the sort of person who would have a wife or children. He looked as if he could only have lots and lots of grandchildren.
| Word (English) | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| beard | बियर्ड | दाढ़ी |
| part | पार्ट | हिस्सा |
| chest | चेस्ट | छाती |
| looked | लुक्ड | देख रहे थे |
| least | लीस्ट | कम से कम |
| hundred | हंड्रेड | सौ |
| years | यीयर्स | साल |
| old | ओल्ड | पुराना |
| look | लुक | दिखना |
| sort | सॉर्ट | प्रकार |
| person | पर्सन | व्यक्ति |
| would | वुड | होगा |
| wife | वाइफ | पत्नी |
| children | चिल्ड्रेन | बच्चे |
| as | ऐस | जैसा |
| if | इफ | यदि |
| could | कुड | सकते थे |
| only | ओन्ली | केवल |
| lots | लॉट्स | बहुत सारे |
| and | एंड | और |
As for my grandmother being young and pretty, the thought was almost revolting. She often told us of the games she used to play as a child. That seemed quite absurd and undignified on her part and we treated it like the fables of the Prophets she used to tell us.”
| Word (English) | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| grandmother | ग्रैंडमदर | दादी |
| thought | थॉट | विचार |
| games | गेम्स | खेल |
| child | चाइल्ड | बच्चा |
| absurd | अब्सर्ड | बेतुका |
| undignified | अन्डिग्निफाइड | अनुचित |
| part | पार्ट | हिस्सा |
| fables | फेबल्स | किस्से |
| Prophets | प्रॉफिट्स | पैगंबर |
| used | यूज़ड | इस्तेमाल हुआ |
| tell | टेल | बताना |
She had always been short and fat and slightly bent. Her face was a criss-cross of wrinkles running from everywhere to everywhere. No, we were certain she had always been as we had known her. Old, so terribly old that she could not have grown older, and had stayed at the same age for twenty years.
| Word (English) | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| she | शी | वह |
| face | फेस | चेहरा |
| criss-cross | क्रिस-क्रॉस | आपस में पलटा |
| wrinkles | रिंकल्स | झुर्रियाँ |
| everywhere | एव्रीवेर | हर जगह |
| known | नोन | जाना हुआ |
| old | ओल्ड | पुराना |
| terribly | टेरिब्ली | भयानक |
| grown | ग्रोन | बढ़ा हुआ |
| older | ओल्डर | बड़ा |
| stayed | स्टेड | रही |
| same | सेम | एक समान |
| age | एज | उम्र |
| twenty | ट्वेंटी | बीस |
| years | यीयर्स | साल |
She could never have been pretty; but she was always beautiful. She hobbled about the house in spotless white with one hand resting on her waist to balance her stoop and the other telling the beads of her rosary.
| Word (English) | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| house | हाउस | घर |
| hand | हैंड | हाथ |
| waist | वेस्ट | कमर |
| balance | बैलेंस | संतुलन |
| stoop | स्टूप | मुँह झुकाना |
| beads | बीड्स | मनी |
| rosary | रोज़री | माला |
Her silver locks were scattered untidily over her pale, puckered face, and her lips constantly moved in inaudible prayer. Yes, she was beautiful. She was like the winter landscape in the mountains, an expanse of pure white serenity breathing peace and contentment”.
Portrait of a Lady Word Meaning
| Word (English) | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| locks | लॉक्स | बाल |
| face | फेस | चेहरा |
| lips | लिप्स | होंठ |
| prayer | प्रेयर | प्रार्थना |
| landscape | लैंडस्केप | परिदृश्य |
| mountains | माउंटेन्स | पहाड़ |
| expanse | एक्स्पैन्स | विस्तार |
| pure | प्योर | शुद्ध |
| white | वाइट | सफेद |
| serenity | सेरेनिटी | शांति |
| peace | पीस | शांति |
| contentment | कन्टेंटमेंट | संतोष |
My grandmother and I were good friends. My parents left me with her when they went to live in the city and we were constantly together. She used to wake me up in the morning and get me ready for school.
| Word | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| grandmother | ग्रैंडमदर | दादी/नानी |
| friends | फ्रेंड्स | दोस्त |
| parents | पेरेंट्स | माता-पिता |
| city | सिटी | शहर |
| morning | मॉर्निंग | सुबह |
| school | स्कूल | स्कूल |
| left | लेफ्ट | छोड़ दिया |
| went | वेंट | चले गए |
| live | लिव | रहना |
| constantly | कॉन्स्टेंटली | निरंतरता से |
| together | टूगेदर | साथ में |
| used | यूज़्ड | उपयोग किया |
| wake | वेक | जगाना |
| get | गेट | तैयार करना |
| ready | रेडी | तैयार |
She said her morning prayer in a monotonous sing-song while she bathed and dressed me in the hope that I would listen and get to know it by heart; I listened because I loved her voice but never bothered to learn it.
| Word | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| morning | मॉर्निंग | सुबह |
| prayer | प्रेयर | प्रार्थना |
| sing-song | सिंग-सांग | गायन-गीत |
| bathed | बाथ्ड | स्नान किया |
| dressed | ड्रेस्ड | पहनाया |
| hope | होप | आशा |
| listen | लिसन | सुनना |
| know | नो | जानना |
| heart | हार्ट | दिल |
| loved | लव्ड | प्यार किया |
| voice | वॉय्स | आवाज़ |
| bothered | बाथर्ड | परेशान हुआ |
| learn | लर्न | सीखना |
Then she would fetch my wooden slate which she had already washed and plastered with yellow chalk, a tiny earthen ink-pot and a red pen, tie them all in a bundle and hand it to me. After a breakfast of a thick, stale chapatti with a little butter and sugar spread on it, we went to school. She carried several stale chapattis with her for the village dogs
| Word | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| wooden | वुडन | लकड़ी का |
| slate | स्लेट | लिखने का बड़ा पत्थर |
| washed | वॉश्ड | धोया |
| plastered | प्लास्टर्ड | मोर्टार से लगाया |
| yellow | येलो | पीला |
| chalk | चॉक | सियाही |
| tiny | टाइनी | बहुत छोटा |
| earthen | अर्थेन | मिटटी का |
| ink-pot | इंक-पॉट | सियाही दानी |
| red | रेड | लाल |
| pen | पेन | कलम |
| tie | टाई | बांधना |
| bundle | बंडल | थैला |
| hand | हैंड | हाथ |
| breakfast | ब्रेकफास्ट | नाश्ता |
| thick | थिक | मोटा |
| stale | स्टेल | पुराना |
| chapatti | चपाती | चपाती |
| little | लिटिल | थोड़ा |
| butter | बटर | मक्खन |
| sugar | शुगर | चीनी |
| spread | स्प्रेड | चिढ़ना |
| school | स्कूल | स्कूल |
| carried | कैरीड | ले जाया |
| several | सेवरल | कई |
| village | विलेज | गांव |
| dogs | डॉग्स | कुत्ते |
My grandmother always went to school with me because the school was attached to the temple. The priest taught us the alphabet and the morning prayer. While the children sat in rows on either side of the verandah singing the alphabet or the prayer in a chorus, my grandmother sat inside reading the scriptures.
| Word | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| grandmother | ग्रैंडमदर | दादी/नानी |
| school | स्कूल | स्कूल |
| temple | टेम्पल | मंदिर |
| priest | प्रीस्ट | पुजारी |
| alphabet | ऐल्फाबेट | वर्णमाला |
| morning | मॉर्निंग | सुबह |
| children | चिल्ड्रेन | बच्चे |
| rows | रोज़ | पंक्तियाँ |
| side | साइड | तरफ़ा |
| verandah | वेरँडाह | छतरी/बरामदा |
| chorus | कोरस | साथ |
| inside | इंसाइड | अंदर |
| reading | रीडिंग | पढ़ रहे |
| scriptures | स्क्रिप्चर्स | शास्त्र |
When we had both finished, we would walk back together. This time the village dogs would meet us at the temple door. They followed us to our home growling and fighting with each other for the chapattis we threw to them
| Word | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| we | हम | हम |
| finished | फिनिश्ड | समाप्त हुआ |
| walk | वॉक | चलना |
| back | बैक | पीछे |
| together | टूगेदर | साथ में |
| time | टाइम | समय |
| village | विलेज | गांव |
| dogs | डॉग्स | कुत्ते |
| meet | मीट | मिलना |
| us | अस | हमें |
| temple | टेम्पल | मंदिर |
| door | डोर | दरवाज़ा |
| followed | फॉलोड | पीछा किया |
| home | होम | घर |
| growling | ग्राउलिंग | गरजते हुए |
| fighting | फाइटिंग | लड़ाई करते हुए |
| each | ईच | प्रत्येक |
| other | अदर | दूसरे |
| chapattis | चपातीज़ | चपातियाँ |
| threw | थ्रू | फेंका |
When my parents were comfortably settled in the city, they sent for us. That was a turning-point in our friendship. Although we shared the same room, my grandmother no longer came to school with me. I used to go to an English school in a motor bus. There were no dogs in the streets and she took to feeding sparrows in the courtyard of our city house.
| Word | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| parents | पेरेंट्स | माता-पिता |
| city | सिटी | शहर |
| turning-point | टर्निंग-पॉइंट | मोड़ |
| friendship | फ्रेंडशिप | दोस्ती |
| room | रूम | कमरा |
| grandmother | ग्रैंडमदर | दादी/नानी |
| school | स्कूल | स्कूल |
| English | इंग्लिश | अंग्रेज़ी |
| motor bus | मोटर बस | मोटर बस |
| streets | स्ट्रीट्स | सड़कें |
| feeding | फीडिंग | खिलाना |
| sparrows | स्पैरोस | गौरेया |
| courtyard | कोर्टयार्ड | आंगन |
| house | हाउस | घर |
As the years rolled by we saw less of each other. For some time she continued to wake me up and get me ready for school. When I came back she would ask me what the teacher had taught me.
| Word | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| years | यीयर्स | साल |
| rolled | रोल्ड | घुमाया |
| time | टाइम | समय |
| continued | कंटीन्यूड | जारी रखा |
| wake | वेक | जागा |
| ready | रेडी | तैयार |
| school | स्कूल | स्कूल |
| back | बैक | वापसी |
| ask | आस्क | पूछना |
| teacher | टीचर | शिक्षक |
| taught | टॉट | सिखाया |
| me | मी | मुझे |
I would tell her English words and little things of western science and learning, the law of gravity, Archimedes’ Principle, the world being round, etc. This made her unhappy. She could not help me with my lessons. She did not believe in the things they taught at the English school and was distressed that there was no teaching about God and the scriptures.
| Word | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| English | इंग्लिश | अंग्रेज़ी |
| words | वर्ड्स | शब्द |
| things | थिंग्स | चीज़ें |
| western | वेस्टर्न | पश्चिमी |
| science | साइंस | विज्ञान |
| learning | लर्निंग | शिक्षा |
| law | लॉ | कानून |
| gravity | ग्रैविटी | गुरुत्वाकर्षण |
| Archimedes’ | आर्किमिडीज़ | अर्किमीडीज़ |
| Principle | प्रिंसिपल | सिद्धांत |
| world | वर्ल्ड | दुनिया |
| round | राउंड | गोल |
| unhappy | अनहैप्पी | अखुश |
| help | हेल्प | मदद |
| lessons | लेसन्स | पाठ |
| believe | बेलीव | मानना |
| taught | टॉट | सिखाया |
| school | स्कूल | स्कूल |
| distressed | डिस्ट्रेस्ड | परेशान |
| teaching | टीचिंग | पढ़ाई |
| God | गॉड | भगवान |
| scriptures | स्क्रिप्चर्स | शास्त्र |
One day I announced that we were being given music lessons. She was very disturbed. To her music had lewd associations. It was the monopoly of harlots and beggars and not meant for gentlefolk. She said nothing but her silence meant disapproval. She rarely talked to me after that.”
| Word | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| day | डे | दिन |
| announced | अनाउंस्ड | घोषित किया |
| music | म्यूजिक | संगीत |
| lessons | लेसन्स | पाठ |
| disturbed | डिस्टर्ब्ड | परेशान |
| associations | असोसिएशंस | संबंध |
| monopoly | मोनोपोली | एकाधिकार |
| harlots | हार्लोट्स | वेश्या |
| beggars | बेगर्स | भिखारी |
| gentlefolk | जेंटलफोक | सभ्य लोग |
| silence | साइलेंस | मौन |
| disapproval | डिसअप्रूवल | अस्वीकृति |
| talked | टॉक्ड | बातचीत की |
| rarely | रेयर्ली | शायद ही |
| me | मी | मुझे |
| after | आफ्टर | के बाद |
When I went up to University, I was given a room of my own. The common link of friendship was snapped. My grandmother accepted her seclusion with resignation. She rarely left her spinning-wheel to talk to anyone.
| Word | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| University | यूनिवर्सिटी | विश्वविद्यालय |
| room | रूम | कमरा |
| friendship | फ्रेंडशिप | मित्रता |
| snapped | स्नैप्ड | टूट गया |
| grandmother | ग्रैंडमदर | दादी |
| seclusion | सीक्लूशन | अलगाव |
| resignation | रेज़िग्नेशन | समर्पण |
| spinning-wheel | स्पिनिंग-व्हील | चक्की |
| talk | टॉक | बातचीत |
| anyone | एनीवन | किसी भी व्यक्ति |
| rarely | रेयर्ली | शायद ही |
| left | लेफ्ट | छोड़ दिया |
From sunrise to sunset she sat by her wheel spinning and reciting prayers. Only in the afternoon she relaxed for a while to feed the sparrows. While she sat in the verandah breaking the bread into little bits, hundreds of little birds collected round her creating a veritable bedlam of chirrupings.
| Word | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| sunrise | सनराइज़ | सूर्योदय |
| sunset | सनसेट | सूर्यास्त |
| wheel | व्हील | चक्र |
| spinning | स्पिनिंग | धागा बनाना |
| reciting | रेसाइटिंग | पाठ पढ़ना |
| prayers | प्रेयर्स | प्रार्थनाएं |
| afternoon | आफ्टरनून | दोपहर |
| relaxed | रिलैक्स्ड | आराम किया |
| while | वाइल | जबकि |
| feed | फीड | खिलाना |
| sparrows | स्पैरोज़ | गौरैया |
| verandah | वेरण्डा | गलियारा |
| breaking | ब्रेकिंग | तोड़ना |
| bread | ब्रेड | रोटी |
| little | लिटिल | छोटा |
| bits | बिट्स | टुकड़े |
| hundreds | हंड्रेड्स | सौ |
| birds | बर्ड्स | पक्षी |
| collected | कलेक्टेड | इकट्ठा हुआ |
| round | राउंड | आस-पास |
| creating | क्रिएटिंग | बनाना |
| veritable | वेरिटेबल | वास्तविक |
| bedlam | बेडलैम | हलचल |
| chirrupings | चिरपिंग्स | चहचहाहट |
Some came and perched on her legs, others on her shoulders. Some even sat on her head. She smiled but never shooed them away. It used to be the happiest halfhour of the day for her.
| Word | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| legs | पैरों | टांगें |
| shoulders | कंधों | कंधे |
| head | सिर | सिर |
| smiled | मुस्कान की | मुस्कान करना |
| shooed | शूड | दूर करना |
| away | अवे | दूर |
| happiest | सबसे खुश | सबसे खुश |
| halfhour | आधा घंटा | आधा घंटा |
| day | दिन | दिन |
When I decided to go abroad for further studies, I was sure my grandmother would be upset. I would be away for five years, and at her age one could never tell. But my grandmother could. She was not even sentimental.
| Word | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| studies | स्टडीज़ | अध्ययन |
| grandmother | ग्रैंडमदर | दादी/नानी |
| upset | अपसेट | परेशान |
| away | अवे | दूर |
| years | यीयर्स | साल |
| age | एज | उम्र |
| sentimental | सेंटिमेंटल | भावुक |
She came to leave me at the railway station but did not talk or show any emotion. Her lips moved in prayer, her mind was lost in prayer. Her fingers were busy telling the beads of her rosary. Silently she kissed my forehead, and when I left I cherished the moist imprint as perhaps the last sign of physical contact between us.
| Word | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| she | शी | वह |
| leave | लीव | छोड़ना |
| me | मी | मुझे |
| railway | रेलवे | रेलवे |
| station | स्टेशन | स्टेशन |
| talk | टॉक | बात करना |
| show | शो | दिखाना |
| emotion | इमोशन | भावना |
| lips | लिप्स | होंठ |
| moved | मूव्ड | हिला |
| prayer | प्रेयर | प्रार्थना |
| mind | माइंड | मन |
| lost | लॉस्ट | खो दिया |
| fingers | फिंगर्स | उंगलियाँ |
| busy | बिजी | व्यस्त |
| telling | टेलिंग | बताते हुए |
| beads | बीड्स | मनी/माला |
| rosary | रोज़री | माला |
| silently | साइलेंट्ली | चुप-चाप |
| kissed | किस्ड | चुम्बन |
| forehead | फोरहेड | माथा |
| left | लेफ्ट | छोड़ा |
| cherished | चेरिश्ड | प्यार करना |
| moist | मॉयस्ट | गीला |
| imprint | इम्प्रिंट | छाप |
| last | लास्ट | अंतिम |
| sign | साइन | संकेत |
| physical | फिजिकल | शारीरिक |
| contact | कॉन्टैक्ट | संपर्क |
| between | बीटवीन | के बीच |
| us | अस | हमारे |
But that was not so. After five years I came back home and was met by her at the station. She did not look a day older. She still had no time for words, and while she clasped me in her arms I could hear her reciting her prayers. Even on the first day of my arrival, her happiest moments were with her sparrows whom she fed longer and with frivolous rebukes”.
| Word | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| years | यीयर्स | साल |
| came | केम | आये |
| back | बैक | वापस |
| home | होम | घर |
| met | मेट | मिले |
| station | स्टेशन | स्टेशन |
| look | लूक | देखना |
| day | डे | दिन |
| older | ओल्डर | पुराना |
| still | स्टिल | अभी भी |
| time | टाइम | समय |
| words | वर्ड्स | शब्द |
| clasped | क्लास्प्ड | गले लगाना |
| hear | हियर | सुनना |
| reciting | रिसाइटिंग | पढ़ना |
| prayers | प्रेयर्स | प्रार्थना |
| first | फर्स्ट | पहला |
| arrival | अराइवल | आगमन |
| happiest | हैपिस्ट | सबसे खुश |
| moments | मोमेंट्स | पल |
| sparrows | स्पैरोज़ | गौरैया |
| fed | फेड | खिलाया |
| longer | लांगर | अधिक समय तक |
| frivolous | फ्रिवोलस | आव्यवसायिक |
| rebukes | रिब्यूक्स | निंदा |
In the evening a change came over her. She did not pray. She collected the women of the neighbourhood, got an old drum and started to sing. For several hours she thumped the sagging skins of the dilapidated drum and sang of the home-coming of warriors. We had to persuade her to stop to avoid overstraining. That was the first time since I had known her that she did not pray.
| Word | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| evening | ईवनिंग | शाम |
| change | चेंज | परिवर्तन |
| pray | प्रे | प्रार्थना करना |
| collected | कलेक्टेड | इकट्ठा किया |
| women | वीमेन्स | महिलाएं |
| neighbourhood | नेबरहुड | पड़ोस |
| got | गॉट | प्राप्त किया |
| old | ओल्ड | पुराना |
| drum | ड्रम | ढोल |
| started | स्टार्टेड | शुरू हुआ |
| sing | सिंग | गाना गाना |
| several | सेवरल | कई |
| hours | आवर्स | घंटे |
| thumped | थंप्ड | मारा |
| sagging | सैगिंग | ढीला |
| skins | स्किंस | चमड़े |
| dilapidated | डिलापिडेटेड | तोड़फोड़ किया हुआ |
| sang | संग | गाया |
| home-coming | होम-कमिंग | घर लौटना |
| warriors | वॉरियर्स | योद्धा |
| persuade | पर्स्वेड | मनाना |
| stop | स्टॉप | रोकना |
| avoid | अवॉयड | बचना |
| overstraining | ओवरस्ट्रेनिंग | अधिक परिश्रम करना |
| first | फर्स्ट | पहली |
| known | नोन | जानता हो |
The next morning she was taken ill. It was a mild fever and the doctor told us that it would go. But my grandmother thought differently. She told us that her end was near. She said that, since only a few hours before the close of the last chapter of her life she had omitted to pray, she was not going to waste any more time talking to us.
| Word | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| morning | मॉर्निंग | सुबह |
| taken | टेकन | लिया |
| ill | इल | बीमार |
| mild | माइल्ड | हल्का |
| fever | फीवर | बुखार |
| doctor | डॉक्टर | चिकित्सक |
| told | टोल्ड | बताया |
| end | एंड | समाप्ति |
| near | नियर | करीब |
| said | सैड | कहा |
| few | फ्यू | कुछ |
| hours | आवर्स | घंटे |
| close | क्लोज़ | अंत |
| last | लास्ट | आखिरी |
| chapter | चैप्टर | अध्याय |
| life | लाइफ | जीवन |
| omitted | ओमिटेड | छोड़ दिया |
| waste | वेस्ट | बर्बादी |
| time | टाइम | समय |
| talking | टॉकिंग | बातचीत |
We protested. But she ignored our protests. She lay peacefully in bed praying and telling her beads. Even before we could suspect, her lips stopped moving and the rosary fell from her lifeless fingers.
| Word | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| protests | प्रोटेस्ट्स | प्रदर्शन |
| lay | ले | लेटा |
| peacefully | पीस्फुली | शांतिपूर्वक |
| bed | बेड | बिस्तर |
| praying | प्रेइङ्ग | प्रार्थना करना |
| telling | टेलिंग | बताना |
| beads | बीड्स | माला |
| suspect | सस्पेक्ट | संदेह करना |
| lips | लिप्स | होंठ |
| stopped | स्टॉप्ड | रुक गया |
| moving | मूविंग | चल रहा था |
| rosary | रोज़री | माला |
| fell | फेल | गिर गया |
| lifeless | लाइफलेस | निर्जीव |
| fingers | फिंगर्स | उंगलियाँ |
A peaceful pallor spread on her face and we knew that she was dead
We lifted her off the bed and, as is customary, laid her on the ground and covered her with a red shroud. After a few hours of mourning we left her alone to make arrangements for her funeral. In the evening we went to her room with a crude stretcher to take her to be cremated.
| Word | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| pallor | पैलर | पीलापन |
| face | फेस | चेहरा |
| dead | डेड | मृत |
| lifted | लिफ्टेड | उठाया |
| bed | बेड | बिस्तर |
| customary | कस्टमरी | रूढ़िवादी |
| laid | लेड | रखा |
| ground | ग्राउंड | जमीन |
| covered | कवर्ड | ढका हुआ |
| red | रेड | लाल |
| shroud | श्रौड | कफ़न |
| mourning | मॉर्निंग | शोक |
| left | लेफ्ट | छोड़ा |
| alone | अलोन | अकेला |
| make | मेक | बनाना |
| arrangements | अरेंजमेंट्स | व्यवस्था |
| funeral | फ्यूनरल | अंतिम संस्कार |
| evening | ईवनिंग | शाम |
| went | वेंट | गये |
| room | रूम | कमरा |
| crude | क्रूड | कच्चा |
| stretcher | स्ट्रेचर | अस्थिबाहक |
| take | टेक | ले जाना |
| cremated | क्रीमेटेड | शवदह |
The sun was setting and had lit her room and verandah with a blaze of golden light. We stopped half-way in the courtyard. All over the verandah and in her room right up to where she lay dead and stiff wrapped in the red shroud, thousands of sparrows sat scattered on the floor. There was no chirruping.
| Word | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| sun | सन | सूरज |
| setting | सेटिंग | अधिष्ठान |
| lit | लिट | जला दिया |
| room | रूम | कमरा |
| verandah | वेरांडा | बरामदा |
| blaze | ब्लेज | ज्वाला |
| golden | गोल्डन | सुनहरा |
| light | लाइट | रोशनी |
| stopped | स्टॉप्ड | रुका |
| half-way | हाफवे | आधे-मार्ग |
| courtyard | कोर्टयार्ड | आंगन |
| verandah | वेरांडा | बरामदा |
| room | रूम | कमरा |
| right | राइट | सही |
| dead | डेड | मृत |
| stiff | स्टिफ | कठोर |
| wrapped | रैप्ड | लपेटा हुआ |
| red | रेड | लाल |
| shroud | श्रौड | कफ़न |
| thousands | थाउज़ैंड्स | हज़ारों |
| sparrows | स्पैरोज़ | गौरेया |
| sat | सैट | बैठे थे |
| scattered | स्कैटर्ड | बिखरे हुए |
| floor | फ्लोर | फ़र्श |
| chirruping | चिर्रपिंग | चहचहाना |
We felt sorry for the birds and my mother fetched some bread for them. She broke it into little crumbs, the way my grandmother used to, and threw it to them. The sparrows took no notice of the bread. When we carried my grandmother’s corpse off, they flew away quietly. Next morning the sweeper swept the bread crumbs into the dustbin..
| Word | Pronunciation (Hindi) | Hindi Meaning |
| birds | बर्ड्स | पक्षी |
| mother | मदर | माँ |
| bread | ब्रेड | रोटी |
| little | लिटल | थोड़ा |
| crumbs | क्रम्स | टुकड़े |
| grandmother | ग्रैंडमदर | दादी/नानी |
| sparrows | स्पैरोज़ | गौरेया |
| notice | नोटिस | ध्यान देना |
| corpse | कॉर्प्स | लाश |
| flew | फ्लू | उड़े |
| quietly | क्वाइटली | शांती से |
| morning | मॉर्निंग | सुबह |
| sweeper | स्वीपर | माली |
| swept | स्वेप्ट | साफ किया |
| dustbin | डस्टबिन | कचरा डालने का डिब्बा |