The Ghat of the only World Summary | Class 11 | Amitav Ghosh |

The Ghat of the only World Summary | Class 11 | Amitav Ghosh |

The Ghat of the only World Summary

The Ghat of the Only World Summary : This chapter revolves around a Kashmiri Poet who wants his friend (Amitav Ghosh) to write about him after his death and his last wish gets fulfilled when Amitav pens down the memories shared with him.

In the beginning of the chapter, we come across Agha Shahid Ali, a Kashmiri Poet, who has been suffering from brain cancer for a long and has fewer days to live. He expresses his desire to his friend to be expressed in the form of not only spoken words but written words also after he is dead. Amitav, at first, assures him that everything will be fine but when insisted, he takes a pen and notes down each and every important thing about him so that he can write about him as promised.

According to Amitav Ghosh, Shahid was least concerned about his death but more about the division between Hindus and Muslims. He had nightmares of Kashmiri Pandits being killed and thrown away from Kashmir. Narrator recalls one more experience of Shahid’s childhood when he had expressed his desire to set up a temple in his home which was, to his surprise, fulfilled by his own mother. Being a muslim, he had never expected such a support from his mother that he got.

Before dying, Shahid wanted to go to Kashmir and settle his will but he couldn’t do so. He died before settling his will and finally left for heavenly abode leaving innumerable memories and indelible prints on the minds of his friends especially on Amitav Ghosh.

Narrator, still, can’t believe that Agha Shahid Ali is no more while sitting in his living room and still recounts the moments spent him. 

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Important Questions/Answers 

Q1. What promise did Shahid Ali want Amitav to keep after his death? Why?

Ans. Shahid Ali was a poet who had been suffering from brain cancer. Before he death, he wanted his friend, Amitav Ghosh, to write about him. He did not only want to be remembered by his spoken words but written words also. 

Q2. How did the narrator and Shahid Ali come into terms with each other?

Ans. Shahid Ali and the narrator met each other at Delhi University through their mutual friends. They had no idea that such a casual meeting would lead to a stronger between them. They spent a lot of time partying, eating, celebrating with each other and became good friends.

Q3. How did Shahid express his desire to learn Spanish and read Lorca?

Ans. Once Shahid Ali was taken to a hospital for his routine checkup by his cousins wherein, while talking to a Spanish escort, he asked about him and expressed his desire to learn Spanish when he got to know that the man hailed from Spain. Besides, he expressed his desire to read a spanish poet ‘Lorca’.

Q4. Shahid was lively and gregarious. Elaborate this statement.

Ans. Although Shahid was known to the fact that he had few months to live yet he tried to be witty and social with his friends a. He would love to meet his friends at his home where they remained surrounded with laughter all the time. His never-giving-up spirit made him lively even in the last few days of his life.

Q5. How do you know that Shahid had a deep love for cookery?

Ans. Shahid was not only a cook but also a food lover who hated any deviation from traditional recipes. He wanted the food to be made in the same style as it was made since its origin. Moreover, his love for cookery and Rogan Josh clearly indicates how much he had been into cooking.

Q6. What was the last wish of Shahid? Was it fulfilled?

Ans. Shahid loved and missed his hometown a lot. He wanted to die in the lap of beautiful valleys of Kashmir among his own people. But, he last wish could not come true as he died in America and was laid to rest over there.

Q7. Shahid was a famous poet. Elaborate.

Ans. Shahid was both a poet and teacher. His collection included ‘The Country without a Post Office which was really famous. No one had a greater influence on Shahid’s poetry that James Merill. He was popular among his students for his works, friendly approach and behaviour.

Q8. How did Shahid’s mother react when he expressed his desire for a temple in his home?

Ans. At first, Shahid was very nervous when he expressed his wish of setting up a temple in his home. He had thought that his mother would frown and lambast him. To his surprise, his proposal was accepted and his mother brought all the material required for the same.

Q9. How did the narrator feel after Shahid Ali was no more?

Ans. Shahid’s death had impacted the narrator a lot. He missed the time spent with Shahid Ali and felt his presence in his house even after his death. Although their friendship was brief, yet it left the narrator isolated and created a void in his life.

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He writes about his interaction with Shahid Ali that how they met each other at Delhi University through mutual friends and developed a stronger bond between them. Furthermore, he adds about the memory lapses and blindness of Shahid Ali caused by his brain cancer which didn’t have any effect on Shahid’s life and his jolly nature. He remained as cheerful as he was ever.

According to Amitav Ghosh, he had been a frequent visitor to Shahid’s apratment which was around eight blocks away from his own apartment. He recalls the moments spent with Shahid and dozen other friends talking about Rogan Josh, Roshanara Begum. Kishore Kumar and fighting over cricket. Besides, he knew Shahid not only as a cook but also a food lover who hated any deviation from traditional recipes. He wanted the food to be made in the same style as it was made since its origin.

The narrator shares few incidents happened with Shahid at various stages of his life. He recalls the day when Shahid was taken to a hospital for his routine checkup wherein, while talking to a Spanish escort, he had expressed his desire to learn Spanish so that he could read Lorca, a Spanish poet. Secondly, when he was stopped at Barcelona Airport to inquire if he was having anything dangerous for the country. Shahid had replied that he had his heart which could make the damage. Those incidents made a deep impact on narrator’s mind as well.

According to Amitav Ghosh, Shahid was least concerned about his death but more about the division between Hindus and Muslims. He had nightmares of Kashmiri Pandits being killed and thrown away from Kashmir. Narrator recalls one more experience of Shahid’s childhood when he had expressed his desire to set up a temple in his home which was, to his surprise, fulfilled by his own mother. Being a muslim, he had never expected such a support from his mother that he got.

Before dying, Shahid wanted to go to Kashmir and settle his will but he couldn’t do so. He died before settling his will and finally left for heavenly abode leaving innumerable memories and indelible prints on the minds of his friends especially on Amitav Ghosh.

Narrator, still, can’t believe that Agha Shahid Ali is no more while sitting in his living room and still recounts the moments spent him. 

RELATED

Important Questions/Answers 

Q1. What promise did Shahid Ali want Amitav to keep after his death? Why?

Ans. Shahid Ali was a poet who had been suffering from brain cancer. Before he death, he wanted his friend, Amitav Ghosh, to write about him. He did not only want to be remembered by his spoken words but written words also. 

Q2. How did the narrator and Shahid Ali come into terms with each other?

Ans. Shahid Ali and the narrator met each other at Delhi University through their mutual friends. They had no idea that such a casual meeting would lead to a stronger between them. They spent a lot of time partying, eating, celebrating with each other and became good friends.

Q3. How did Shahid express his desire to learn Spanish and read Lorca?

Ans. Once Shahid Ali was taken to a hospital for his routine checkup by his cousins wherein, while talking to a Spanish escort, he asked about him and expressed his desire to learn Spanish when he got to know that the man hailed from Spain. Besides, he expressed his desire to read a spanish poet ‘Lorca’.

Q4. Shahid was lively and gregarious. Elaborate this statement.

Ans. Although Shahid was known to the fact that he had few months to live yet he tried to be witty and social with his friends a. He would love to meet his friends at his home where they remained surrounded with laughter all the time. His never-giving-up spirit made him lively even in the last few days of his life.

Q5. How do you know that Shahid had a deep love for cookery?

Ans. Shahid was not only a cook but also a food lover who hated any deviation from traditional recipes. He wanted the food to be made in the same style as it was made since its origin. Moreover, his love for cookery and Rogan Josh clearly indicates how much he had been into cooking.

Q6. What was the last wish of Shahid? Was it fulfilled?

Ans. Shahid loved and missed his hometown a lot. He wanted to die in the lap of beautiful valleys of Kashmir among his own people. But, he last wish could not come true as he died in America and was laid to rest over there.

Q7. Shahid was a famous poet. Elaborate.

Ans. Shahid was both a poet and teacher. His collection included ‘The Country without a Post Office which was really famous. No one had a greater influence on Shahid’s poetry that James Merill. He was popular among his students for his works, friendly approach and behaviour.

Q8. How did Shahid’s mother react when he expressed his desire for a temple in his home?

Ans. At first, Shahid was very nervous when he expressed his wish of setting up a temple in his home. He had thought that his mother would frown and lambast him. To his surprise, his proposal was accepted and his mother brought all the material required for the same.

Q9. How did the narrator feel after Shahid Ali was no more?

Ans. Shahid’s death had impacted the narrator a lot. He missed the time spent with Shahid Ali and felt his presence in his house even after his death. Although their friendship was brief, yet it left the narrator isolated and created a void in his life.

Do share this post if you liked The Ghat of the only World Summary. For more updates, keep logging on Brainylads