Chapter 3.6 - The Concert
Smita is excited as she reads the newspaper announcement of a concert by ‘Pandit Ravishankar and Ustad Allah Rakha’. She, herself, and her brother are both taking sitar lessons. Her brother, Anant, is the best table tennis player in the school and the fastest runner. He was only fifteen, but he was struck with cancer. So the family came to Bombay for treatment at the cancer hospital and stayed with Aunt Sushila.
Her father agreed to get the tickets, and the two of them were leaving for the concert when her brother smiled and said, ‘Lucky you’.
At the concert, Smita was spellbound as she listened to the unfolding ragas, but she had a plan in mind. At the end of the concert, trembling and weak in her knees, she goes up to both the ‘Pandit and the Ustad and, with her hands folded, narrates her story.
Both of them agree to come to her house to perform for her brother. The following morning, both of them came to the apartment, sat down on the van, and played for the boy, surrounding him with great and beautiful happiness as life went out of him very gently.
maestro : a prominent conductor or performer of classical music.
murmur : quietly spoken words
indulge : to allow to enjoy the pleasure of something
plaintive : sad
Warming up!
1. Pair up with your partner and ask and answer the following questions.
(a) Do you like music ?
Ans: Yes, I like music
(b) What does a concert mean?
Ans: A musical performance given in public by several performers or of several compositions
(c) Have you ever attended any live concert ?
Ans: Yes, I have attended a live concert.
(d) Have you seen a concert on Television?
Ans: Yes, I have seen a concert on Television.
(e) Whose concert would you love to attend?
Ans: I would love to attend a concert by Arman Malik.
2. Look at the web diagram given below and study the traits of a good concert organizer.
In Between The LESSON
Q1. Why was Smita excited?
Ans: Smita was excited to know that Pandit Ravishankar was playing, the next day, at the Shanmukhananda auditorium.
Q2. What was the chance of a lifetime for Anant ?
Ans: Being able to hear and see Pandit. Ravi Shankar’s play was the chance of a lifetime for Anant.
Q3. Why did Smita become nervous?
Ans: Smita became excited when she read about the concert of Pandit Ravishankar, but at the same time, she remembered that her brother was very ill.
Q4. Why was everyone from the family trying to keep Anant happy?
Ans: Anant was sick, he had cancer, so the family had come to Bombay for treatment. His condition grew worse with each passing day and the doctors at the cancer hospital told the parents to take Anant home; to give him the things he asked for because he did not have many days to live. So they smiled and talked and surrounded Anant with whatever made him happy
Q5. Why was Smita not ready to go for the concert ?
Ans: Smita was not ready to go for the concert because her brother was sick and hence, couldn’t come along.
Q6. How did Smita enjoy the concert?
Ans: Smita heard as if in a dream, the welcome given to the great master. When she heard the first note, she was transferred to a land of enchantment and wonder. Spellbound, she listened to the ragas, the slow plaintive notes, the fast twinkling ones.
Q7. Discuss and Share:
Have you ever attended any concert? How was your experience there ?
Ans: Yes, I attended a concert recently. There was a lot of noise before it could begin, but once the concert began, there was silence all around. It was truly a remarkable experience whose memory would always stay with me.
Q8. What was Smita’s plan ?
Ans: Smita planned to talk to the two great musicians and request them to come to the house and play music for her brother. It was a chance of a lifetime he had said which was literally so for him because he was losing out time, as he had cancer. There would indeed not be a second time or chance for him.
Q9. Why were the neighbours surprised ?
Ans: The neighbours were surprised to see the two great musicians get down from the taxi and go up to Aunt Sushila’ house, to play the music for the boy. They were surprised that such great people were visiting their block.
Q10. Music can calm the minds. What is your opinion about it. Share with your partner.
Ans: Music does have a soothing and calming effect on anyone’s mind. People who are stressed, depressed or upset prefer to listen to soothing music. It had the same effect on Anant. It soothed him as life went out of him gently.
ENGLISH WORKSHOP
1. Who said to whom ?
(a) “We mustn’t miss the chance.”
Ans: Anant said to Smita.
(b) “This is not the last time they are going to play.”
Ans: Mother said to Anant.
(c) “A walk in the park might make you feel better.”
Ans: Aunt Sushila said to Smita.
(d) “Tomorrow morning we perform for the boy-Yes ?”
Ans: Ustad Allah Rakha said to Pandit Ravi Shankar
2. Read the following sentences and write which emotions are revealed from these sentences.
(a) Pandit Ravi Shankar is playing tomorrow at Shanmukhananda auditorium.
Ans: excitement
(b) It’s the chance of a lifetime.
Ans: hope
(c) Will you come to Aunt Sushila’s house and play for him?
Ans: request
(d) Did you…did you hear him?
Ans: inquisitiveness and anxiety
(e) Is it…It’s not possible ?
Ans: anxious and doubtful
3. Read the text carefully, you will find some words describing a particular speciality of the individuals / personalities in the text. Explain the meaning of the following words given in the table with reference to the particular personality mentioned in the text.
Ans:
4. Describe the condition of Smita when she was going towards the stage. Read the text again and complete the boxes given below. One is done for you.
Ans:
5. The whole story revolves around Anant. Write a short paragraph on Anant. Take help of the following points to develop the paragraph.
1. Health
2. Disease
3. Early interests
4. Intense desire/wish
5. Fulfillment of desire/wish.
Ans:
As a young lad Anant was healthy and energetic. He would play table-tennis and was the fastest runner in his school. But alas! He was struck with cancer at a tender age of fifteen. He had to come to Bombay for treatment at the cancer hospital in the city.
His strong desire was to see / hear or attend a concert by Pandit Ravi Shankar. When he heard the maestro was going to perform since he was learning to play the sitar. But he was so sick that he could not attend the concert, which his father and sister attended. His sister requested the two musicians to play for Anant at their apartment after explaining the situation to them, to which they agreed and in this way his desire is fulfilled.
6. The story has three important characters – Anant, Smita and Aunt Sushila. Go through the story again and complete the following table that highlights their special traits of character. You can put an X mark if that trait is not mentioned in the text.
Ans:
7. The two contradictory pictures are depicted in the story. Discuss in pairs and describe them in your words in front of the class.
Ans:
The two contradictory pictures I found in the story are both related to Anant.
(i) First: Anant at Gangapur, where he lived with his family, in his own house. They are a small family of four, as a young man he was the best table-tennis player in the school and the fastest runner. He was learning to play the sitar and would also compose his own tunes to the astonishment of his guru. Though his sister was a year older, he was better than her at most things.
(ii) Second: At fifteen He is weak and needs sleep and rest. He needs help even to get up. His mother is at his side and she does not like anyone disturbing him. When he tries to talk, he begins to cough and gasps for breath and has to be given oxygen from the cylinder. His mother constantly prays to God, to make him well again.
8. The text has a big collection of Indian words in it. Using words from another language in a write up is called Code-mixing. Make a list of all the Indian words in table A and their meanings in table B. One is done for you.
Ans:
9. (A) Choose the appropriate Adverb or Adjective form to fill in the gaps.
(1) She spoke in an _____ tone. (excited / excitedly)
Ans: She spoke in an excited tone.
(2) Smita accepted the suggestion _____ . (grateful / gratefully)
Ans: Smita accepted the suggestion gratefully.
(3) They gave him whatever made him _____. (happy/ happily)
Ans: They gave him whatever made him happy.
(4) He ran very _____. (slow / slowly)
Ans: He ran very slowly.
(5) He would become a _____ sitarist some day. (great / greatly)
Ans: He would become a great sitarist some day.
(6) Life went out of him _____. (gentle / gently)
Ans: Life went out of him gently.
(B) Rewrite in Indirect speech
(1). “Please”, she begged him, “Please come”.
Ans: She begged him to please go.
(2). He said, “What shall we do, Ustad Sahib ?”
Ans: He asked Ustad Sahib what they should do.
(3). Her brother said, “Enjoy yourself”. He added, “Lucky you!”
Ans: Her brother asked her to enjoy herself commenting on how lucky she was.
(4). ‘Yes’ Panditji replied. “It’s settled then. Tomorrow morning we shall perform, for the boy.”
Ans: Panditji replied in the affirmative and stated that it was settled then, that they would perform for the boy the next morning.
10. The text mentions names of stalwarts like Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Allah Rakha. Both have earned world wide name and fame for their outstanding contribution to the field of music. Form groups of 5 students each and write a brief note on other stalwarts in this (music) field. You can take help of your school library or search the relevant information on the internet.
Take help of the following points.
1. Name :
2. Field : Music
3. Specialisation : Tabla/Sitar/Violin etc.
4. Guru :
5. Early life :
6. Education :
7. Early success :
8. Contribution to the field and world :
9. Awards:
10. Any special incident that has occurred in his/her life :
Ans:
(i) Name: Ustad Bismillah Khan. Born as
Qamaruddin Khan
(ii) Field: Music-Shehenai
(iii) Specialization: Shehenai
(iv) Guru: he was trained under his uncle the late Ali Baksh ‘Vilayati’, a shehenai player attached to Varanasi – Vishwanath Temple
(v) Early life: He was the second son of Paigambar Baksh Khan and Mithan. His grandfather exclaimed ‘Bismillah’ upon seeing the new born. Thus he came to be known as ‘Bismillah”. His father was a court musician employed by the Raja of Dumraon. His great grandfather and grandfather were also musicians.
(vi) Education: Learned to play Shehenai under his uncle.
(vii) Early success: Ustad Bismillah Khan was credited with popularizing the shehenai, a sub continental wind instrument of the oboe class.
(viii) Contribution to the field and world: He was the fellow of Sangeet natak Academy
(ix) Awards: He was honoured with the Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Shri, Sangeet natak Akademi award, Tanzen award by the government of Madhya Pradesh. He was given 3 medals in the All India Music Conference. ‘Best Performer in All India Music Conference’.
(x) Special incident of his life: Ustad’s last wish to perform at India Gate could not be fulfilled. He wanted to pay tributes to the martyrs. He waited in vain till his last days. He died 4 days later on 21st August 2006, due to Cardiac arrest. As an honour, his shehenai was buried with him on his death.
11. Imagine you are the monitor of your class. You are assigned the task to invite a classical singer as a chief guest for the Annual Day Programme. Write a letter of invitation to a famous classical singer. Take help of the following points. Write in short –
1. About your school.
2. About the Annual Day Programme
3. Interest and love of students for music.
4. Motivation.
Ans:
Swami Vivekanand High school,
Chembur,
Mumbai – 400050.
10th March 2018
To
Mr. Gajendra Singh
Sa Re Ga Ma Academy,
Mahim,
Mumbai – 400045
Respected Sir,
We are organizing our Annual Day function in the month of May and would be extremely grateful if you would oblige to be our Chief Guest on this occasion. Our school is completing 50 years and since we are celebrating our Golden Jubilee, it is a grand programme. Our school gives importance to the all round development of our students, and one of its criteria is music. We encourage our students to take up music, be it solo singing, group singing playing an instrument, or anything else that is related to music.
You are our motivating factor. Many of our students watch your programme on the local channel and are extremely impressed by you and your students from the academy.
We will be highly obliged, if you agree to be the chief guest for our programme and inspire our students, with your performance.
Thanking you in anticipation, and looking forward to your positive reply.
Yours Sincerely,
XYZ
(Monitor of class X)