11th Standard Supplementary Reader Textbook - Snapshots. Lesson No. 6: The Ghat Of The Only World - Amitav Ghosh. Glossary, Summary, Que...
11th Standard Supplementary Reader Textbook - Snapshots.
Lesson No. 6: The Ghat Of The Only World - Amitav Ghosh.
Glossary, Summary, Questions and Answers -
Glossary -
1. Expatriate - an outsider.
2. Lucid - clear to understand.
3. Thumbing - to turn the pages of a book.
4. Jocularity - the quality of making jokes, funny.
5. Innocuous - simple, not harmful.
6. Brooklyn - a New York City ( U. S. A)
7. Quizzical - puzzleed.
8. Malignant - growing mass.
9. Reassurances -
10. Recitatives - spoken dialogues, speech.
11. Bereavement - sorrow.
12. Bardic register - a poetic style.
13. Impede - to break.
14. Trivial - not worthy.
15. Inescapable - can not be avoided.
16. Poignance - touching.
17. Adda - Hindi word to describe a particular or fixed place where a group of friends spends time, maybe for eating or simply chatting, especially young ones have an adda.
17. Sorcerer - magical.
18. Transmute - to change.
19. Mundane - ordinary.
20. Sutures - stiches.
21. Groggier - weaker.
22. Rapture - feelings of happiness.
23. Beaming - to smile happily.
24. Ecuador - Ecuador's name comes from the Spanish word for, " equator". The country is named after the equator because it straddles the imaginary line that splits the Earth into the Northern and Southern hemispheres.
25. Gregariousness - liking.
26. Cavernous - spacious.
27. Haak - right.
28. Mos-lem - muslim.
29. Perpetual - continuous.
30. Repartee - conversation expert.
31. Diva - a celebrated female opera singer.
32. Incarnate - God in human form.
33. Feigned - to pretend.
34. Unmitigated - absolute.
35. Intermittent - stopping for a short time, pause.
36. Deterioration - decline.
37. Anguished - mental pain.
38. Fierce - angry.
39. Ecumenical - involving or uniting members of different religions.
40. Accoutrements - other things that were needed for the activity.
41. Assiduous - taking great care that everything is done as well as it can be.
42. Inextricably - difficult to separate.
43. Feudal - a system in which people were given land and protection by people of higher rank, and worked and fought for them.
44. Logistical - relating to or involving organization and planning.
Summary -
Summary of The Ghat of the Only World by Amitav Ghosh:
This lesson is a poignant tribute by Amitav Ghosh to his late friend, Agha Shahid Ali, a celebrated Kashmiri poet. Shahid, diagnosed with brain cancer, had once urged Ghosh to write about him after his death. Ghosh fulfills this promise by writing down Shahid's vibrant life, poetic brilliance, and profound connection to his homeland, Kashmir.
The narrative captures Shahid's love for poetry, his unique ability to blend humor with grief, and his unwavering affection for Kashmir, even as he lived in exile. It delves into his charm, sense of humor, and the deep friendships he nurtured. The essay is not just a tribute but also an exploration of loss, friendship, and the enduring power of art.
Meaning of Ghat in the Title:
The word Ghat traditionally refers to a flight of steps to a riverbank, often a place of rituals and reflection. In the context of the title, The Ghat of the Only World, the ghat symbolizes a transitional space—a metaphor for Shahid's journey from life to death, where the spiritual and the temporal converge. It reflects the passage into the "only world" beyond life, emphasizing the poignancy and inevitability of this transition. Here the word," Ghat" is a Hindi word that exists at the bank of a river by which any pilgrim can have a holy dip in a sacred river, and the writer has used this word in the title to show Shahid's journey beyond life.
Reading With Insight -
1. What impressions of Shahid do you gather from the piece?
Ans - Agha Shahid Ali was a multi-talented, multi-faced personality with many traits and qualities. He was born in Kashmir and studied in Delhi. Then he moved to the U.S.A. and worked as an excellent teacher always liked and admired by his students. He was a poet, loved food, was fond of music, songs, Bombay films, Kishore Kumar, Roshanara Begum, and cricket, and always liked to be surrounded by friends, at the same time, he was very sentimental, emotional, secular, and cheerful. He always respected other religions and was very touched when Kashmiri Pandits left the valley because of some political reasons. Though he was suffering from cancer, he kept his positive spirit till his last breath. He was a close friend of the writer, Amitav Ghosh, and always wanted that he should write something after his death. His last wish was to die on the soil of Kashmir, but unfortunately, it could not happen.
2. How do Shahid and the writer react to the knowledge that Shahid is going to die?
Ans - Shahid and writer, Amitav Ghosh shared an emotional bond and affection. At the early diagnosis of the disease of cancer, Shahid was cheerful and optimistic. But slowly he realized that he didn't have enough time left, so he insisted to Amitav that he should write something about him, when it happens, and on that question, the writer had no answer except, " Don't worry, Shahid, you will be fine". But when Shahid insisted on him continuously, the writer replied," I will do something". Then the writer started making records of Shahid's life consequences. Actually, for the writer, it was very challenging.
3. Look up the dictionary for the meaning of the word, ' diaspora'. What do you understand of the Indian diaspora from this piece?
Ans -The term diaspora refers to the dispersion or spread of people from their homeland to different parts of the world. It often describes communities that maintain cultural, social, or emotional ties to their place of origin while living elsewhere.
Understanding the Indian Diaspora in The Ghat of the Only World:
In The Ghat of the Only World, Amitav Ghosh's novel, the concept of diaspora is evident in the life of Agha Shahid Ali, who, despite living in the United States, deeply connects with his Kashmiri roots. The Indian diaspora, in this context, reflects a sense of belonging and longing for one’s homeland. It portrays how individuals from India while thriving in foreign lands, retain their cultural identity, memories, and emotional ties to their origin.
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