A TRIBUTE
A GARDEN FOR GRANDMA, Cheryl Rao
Word Meaning
1. Enclosing - surrounding something
2. Clumps- in a small group, closely together
3. Frail-very weak
4. Bulbs- a round root of some plants from which the plant grows
5. Nobility - appearing to be noble; high ranking
6. To weed- to remove wild plants
7. Retreat - to go to a quiet, safe, comfortable place
8. Serenity - peace and calmness
9. Diverted - to take attention away from something
10. Keen- extreme
11. Dazedly - too shocked to feel anything
12. Replica- exact copy
13. Decisively - confidently
14. Resolution - a promise to oneself to do something
15. Earshot - upto the distance one can hear
16. Patched- cover
17. Piled up - gathered
18. Cactus- kind of plant
19. Stuck- hit
20. Yelled- shouted
21. Shoots - parts of plant above the ground
22. Sparkled- lighted, twinkled
23. Seemed - looked like
24. Sentinels- guards
25. Phlox- kind of plant
26. Rubbed- wiped
27. Peeped- looked through
28. Crotons- shrubs, ornamental plants
29. Clumps- groups, clusters
30. Hectic - busy
31. Pranks- made fun of, mock
32. Look after - take care
33. Descended - came down
34. Hovering - hang around, stick around
A.3 Work in
Pairs
a. Describe briefly the garden that
Sanjeev and Naani planted together.
The garden took
shape a few feet away from the shady spread of the mango tree. It was a simple
square arrangement of flower beds enclosing a patch of grass. In the centre was
a rockery where Sanjeev had lovingly piled up the earth and arranged his
collection of stones and shells with little clumps or cactus in between.
b. What has Naani handed to Sanjeev the
day before she left for Aunty Seema’s house?
Naani had handed
him the small bulbs of her favourite flower gladioli.
Where was Aunty Seema’s house?
Aunty Seema’s
house was in Jabalpur.
Why was Naani fond of gladioli?
Naani was fond of
gladioli because they have a kind of nobility and yet they are so simple in
their straight, clean lines. Having planted them at the back of the flower
beds, they give look like lovely sentinels on a watch.
A.4 From the
text
a. What does Sanjeev’s yelling tell us?
Sanjeev’s yelling
tells us that he is excited to show the first plants stuck their green shoots
out of the soil. He was happy to see them growing and wanted to show the same
to his Naani.
b. Why was Sanjeev going to the bus
stop?
Sanjeev was going
to bus stop to get on his school bus to go to school.
c. Why do you think Sanjeev rubbed his
eyes fiercely?
As naani was
going back home, Sanjeev would miss her a lot. So the tears rolled down.
Therefore, to hide the tears he rubbed his eyes fiercely.
d. What does stop short mean? Why did
Sanjeev stop short?
Stop short means
to leave unfinished from doing an action. Sanjeev stopped short as soon as he
realised that naani was not there with him. In the absence of naani Sanjeev
became forgetful, careless and demotivated.
e. What does Sanjeev’s mother mean when
she says, “She always did”?
Sanjeev regrets
as was not able to show naani her favoheurite gladioli which he brought from
Pune. Hence, his mother says that Naani always understood him even if he did
not express his feelings. She is in a way helping Sanjeev to overcome his grief
and sorrows.
A.9 Answer
the following questions
a. Why did Sanjeev feel a keen sense of
disappointment when he reached Jabalpur? What was he expecting?
When they reached
Jabalpur, there was no one to meet Sanjeev and his father. Hence Sanjeev felt a
keen sense of disappointment.
He was expecting
to meet his Naani and show her the pot of gladioli he brought all the way from
Pune.
b. “Naani! Naani! See what I have got for you!” How do you think Sanjeev was feeling
at this point? Why was he feeling so?
Sanjeev was
excited to show his Naani her favourite gladioli pot.
He was feeling
so, because he now had the pot with flowers on it to show Naani as proof that
he had been looking after the garden they made together.
c. But within months of Naani’s departure, the serenity of the garden was gone along with the neatness.
i. Why did Sanjeev stop looking after the garden once his grandmother left?
ii. Was he not interested in gardening or was he doing it to impress his grandmother?
iii. Give reasons for your answer with reference to the
story.
Sanjeev stopped looking after the garden once his grandmother left because he lost interest in gardening.
He was interested in gardening, but it was only fun and motivating for him in his Naani’s presence.
As soon as Naani left for Jabalpur, Sanjeev
not only lost interest in gardening but also forgot to take care of it until
Naani’s letter came.
d. Sanjeev was fond of his grandma.
Given examples from the story to justify this statement.
Sanjeev was fond
of his grandma. He always enjoyed spending time with her. They both used to go
out in the shade of the mango tree and spend a long time making their garden.
When the first plants stuck their green shoots out of the soil, he ran to naani
to tell her, “Come and see my plants, Naani! They are growing.” Sanjeev always
remembered her naani’s special smile for him.
A.10 Answer
in detail.
a. The words given in the box describe
Sanjeev’s character at different points in the story. Use them to complete the
graphic organiser. You can use words of your own.
While making the garden with Naani: attentive, passionate, confident,
resolute, creative, insightful, determined, patient, caring and excited.
After Naani left: demotivated, careless, forgetful and distracted
Visiting Jabalpur: shocked, lonely, guilty, insecure
b. Now, use the words you have listed
in the graphic organiser above and write a character sketch of Sanjeev.
Sanjeev loved spending
time with his grandma. It was because of her that he started taking a keen
interest in gardening. He was always very attentive, patient and passionate
about gardening around his grandmother. He was determined and excited to create
a small corner for them, but they
successfully installed it. But, once Naani left for Jabalpur, Sanjeev lost
interest in gardening and became demotivated, forgetful and careless. He got so
distracted playing with his friends that he forgot to take care of the garden.
But, as soon as he reached Jabalpur and the news was broken to him, he was
shocked. He felt guilty for not being able to write the letter to naani. He
felt lonely and insecure about losing the naani.
c. Do you think Sanjeev’s resolution to
build the new garden will help him feel less guilty? Why/Why not? Elaborate.
Yes, I think
building a new garden would help Sanjeev feel less guilty.
I think so,
because he was completing his grandmother’s incomplete garden, and he could
devote that gladioli plant of naani, which was her favourite flower all time.
This was how he would be able to give naani what he initially wanted to do.
d. We often realise the value of
someone or something when we lose the person or thing. Do you agree? Explain
your views with reference to the story.
Yes, I agree with
the statement, and the story also shows it. Till the time naani was there in
Jabalpur, Sanjeev had taken the responsibility of the garden, but he could not
take care of it as his grandmother had taught. When he got to know about naani,
he regretted for not sending her the update on time and not being able to show
her the flower either. He felt guilty about it and understood the value that
her Naani had added to his life.
e. Imagine Sanjeev wrote a diary entry
the day he got back pune. Despite his sadness, he had a sense of accomplishment
after creating a garden in Jabalpur in memory of his Naani. Write a diary
entry. You may begin like this…
January 26, 2024
Friday
10:00 PM
Dear Diary,
Though there’s an
emptiness in my heart, I feel I have finally made my Naani happy. I am sure she is smiling down on us from heaven, seeing this beautiful garden that Rohit,
Supriya and I created. It makes my heart light to realise that I have something
for her, and now I take care of my garden too. It is presently in a bad
condition, but I promise I would correct myself and make naani proud. I do not
wish to let her down ever again now even when I know that she is showering her
love on me from heaven up there. After seeing it, even my parents are feeling
proud of me, but they promise that they will soon buy me a chocolate ice-cream.
I will make them and naani proud and won’t let them down again. It is a
promise.
Good night.
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