Chapter: 10

 My Mother at Sixty Six 
āĻ›ā§Ÿāώāώ্āĻ ি āĻŦāϛ⧰ āĻŦāϝ়āϏāϤ āĻŽোā§° āĻŽা 


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TEXTBOOK EXERCISES

1. What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels?
(āĻ•āĻŦিāϝ়ে āĻ•েāύে āϧ⧰āĻŖā§° āĻŦেāĻĻāύা āφ⧰ু āĻŦেāĻĻāύা āĻ…āύুāĻ­ā§ą āϕ⧰ে?)
Answer:- The poet sees the pale and corpse-like face of her mother. Her old familiar pain or ache returns. Perhaps she has been entertaining their fear since her childhood. This is the fear of decay and death. Time or ageing spares none. They have not spared her mother. They may not spare her too. With ageing, separation and death become un-avoidable.
āĻ•āĻŦিāϝ়ে āϤাāχ⧰ āĻŽাāϕ⧰ āĻļেঁāϤা āφ⧰ু āĻŽৃāϤāĻĻেāĻšāϏāĻĻৃāĻļ āĻŽুāĻ–āĻ–āύ āĻĻেāĻ–িāĻ›ে। āϤাāχ⧰ āĻĒুā§°āĻŖি āϚিāύাāĻ•ি āĻŦিāώ āĻŦা āĻŦিāώ āϘূā§°ি āφāĻšে। āϏāĻŽ্āĻ­ā§ąāϤঃ āϤাāχ āϏ⧰ুā§°ে āĻĒā§°া āϤেāĻ“ঁāϞোāϕ⧰ āĻ­āϝ়āĻ• āĻŽāύোā§°āĻž্āϜāύ āϕ⧰ি āφāĻšিāĻ›ে। āĻāϝ়া āĻšৈāĻ›ে āĻ•্āώāϝ় āφ⧰ু āĻŽৃāϤ্āϝুā§° āĻ­āϝ়। āϏāĻŽāϝ় āĻŦা āĻŦাā§°্āϧāĻ•্āϝāχ āĻāĻ•ো āĻā§°ি āύিāĻĻিāϝ়ে। āϤেāĻ“ঁāϞোāĻ•ে āϤাāχ⧰ āĻŽাāĻ•āĻ• āĻā§°ি āĻĻিāϝ়া āύাāχ। āϤেāĻ“ঁāϞোāĻ•ে āϤাāχāĻ•ো āĻā§°ি āύিāĻĻিāĻŦ āĻĒাā§°ে। āĻŦāϝ়āϏ āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧিāĻšোā§ąাā§° āϏৈāϤে, āĻĒৃāĻĨāĻ•ীāϕ⧰āĻŖ āφ⧰ু āĻŽৃāϤ্āϝু āĻĒā§°িāĻšাā§° āϕ⧰িāĻŦ āύোā§ąাā§°ি।
2. Why are the young trees described as “sprinting”?
(āĻĄেāĻ•া āĻ—āĻ›āĻŦোā§°āĻ• āĻ•িāϝ় "āĻĻৌā§°া" āĻŦুāϞি āĻŦā§°্āĻŖāύা āϕ⧰া āĻšৈāĻ›ে?)
                          Or
                          āĻŦা
Why does Kamla Das describe the young trees as sprinting?
(āĻ•āĻŽāϞা āĻĻাāϏে āĻĄেāĻ•া āĻ—āĻ›āĻŦোā§°āĻ• āĻ•িāϝ় āĻĻৌā§°া āĻŦুāϞি āĻŦā§°্āĻŖāύা āϕ⧰ে?)

Answer:- It is our common experience. Whenever we travel by a fast –running vehicle, the standing objects appear to be running fast. The appearance of their fast-racing is described as ‘sprinting’. They provide a stark contrast to the passive old lady sitting inside the car.
āĻāχāϟো āφāĻŽাā§° āϏাāϧাā§°āĻŖ āĻ…āĻ­িāϜ্āĻžāϤা। āϝেāϤিāϝ়াāχ āφāĻŽি āĻĻ্ā§°ুāϤāĻ—āϤিāϤ āϚāϞি āĻĨāĻ•া āĻŦাāĻšāύāĻāĻ–āύেā§°ে āϝাāϤ্ā§°া āϕ⧰োঁ, āĻĨিāϝ় āĻšৈ āĻĨāĻ•া āĻŦāϏ্āϤুāĻŦোā§° āĻĻ্ā§°ুāϤāĻ—āϤিāϤ āϚāϞি āĻĨāĻ•া āĻĻেāĻ–া āϝাāϝ়। āϤেāĻ“ঁāϞোāϕ⧰ āĻĻ্ā§°ুāϤ-āĻĻৌā§°ā§° āφāĻŦিā§°্āĻ­াā§ąāĻ• 'āϏ্āĻĒ্ā§°িāĻŖ্āϟিং' āĻŦুāϞি āĻŦā§°্āĻŖāύা āϕ⧰া āĻšৈāĻ›ে। āϤেāĻ“ঁāϞোāĻ•ে āĻ—াāĻĄ়ীā§° āĻ­িāϤ⧰āϤ āĻŦāĻšি āĻĨāĻ•া āύিāώ্āĻ•্ā§°িāϝ় āĻŦুāĻĸ়ীāĻ—ā§°াāĻ•ীā§° āϏāĻŽ্āĻĒূā§°্āĻŖ āĻŦিāĻĒā§°ীāϤāϤা āĻĒ্ā§°āĻĻাāύ āϕ⧰ে।

3. Why has the poet brought in the image of the merry children “spilling out of their homes”?
(āĻ•āĻŦিāϜāύে āĻ•িāϝ় āφāύāύ্āĻĻিāϤ āĻļিāĻļুāϏāĻ•āϞ⧰ āĻĒ্ā§°āϤিāϚ্āĻ›āĻŦি "āϤেāĻ“ঁāϞোāϕ⧰ āϘ⧰⧰ āĻĒā§°া āĻ“āϞাāχ" āφāύিāĻ›ে?)
Answer:- The contrast enhances the poetic effect. The poet’s mother who is sitting beside her is dozing. Her ‘ashen’ face looks lifeless and pale like a corpse. She is an image of ageing, decay and passivity. On the other hand, the children are gay and happy. They are moving out of their homes in large numbers. Here is an image of happiness and spontaneous overflow of life.
āχāϝ়াā§° āĻŦিāĻĒā§°ীāϤāϤাāχ āĻ•াāĻŦ্āϝিāĻ• āĻĒ্ā§°āĻ­াā§ą āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧি āϕ⧰ে। āϤাāχ⧰ āĻ•াāώāϤ āĻŦāĻšি āĻĨāĻ•া āĻ•āĻŦিā§° āĻŽাāĻ•ে āϟোāĻĒāύি āϞৈ āφāĻ›ে। āϤাāχ⧰ 'āφāĻļেāύ' āĻŽুāĻ–āĻ–āύ āύিāώ্āĻĒ্ā§°াāĻŖ āφ⧰ু āĻļেঁāϤা āϝেāύ āϞাāĻ—িāĻ›ে। āϤাāχ āĻšৈāĻ›ে āĻŦাā§°্āϧāĻ•্āϝ, āĻ•্āώāϝ় āφ⧰ু āύিāώ্āĻ•্ā§°িāϝ়āϤাā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āϤিāϚ্āĻ›āĻŦি। āφāύāĻšাāϤে, āĻļিāĻļুāϏāĻ•āϞ āϏāĻŽāĻ•াāĻŽী āφ⧰ু āϏুāĻ–ী। āϤেāĻ“ঁāϞোāĻ•ে āĻŦৃāĻšā§Ž āϏংāĻ–্āϝাāϤ āϤেāĻ“ঁāϞোāϕ⧰ āϘ⧰⧰ āĻĒā§°া āĻŦাāĻšিā§°āϞৈ āĻ—ৈ āφāĻ›ে। āχāϝ়াāϤ āϏুāĻ– āφ⧰ু āϜীā§ąāύ⧰ āϏ্āĻŦāϤঃāϏ্āĻĢূā§°্āϤ āωāĻĒāϚি āĻĒā§°াā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āϤিāϚ্āĻ›āĻŦি āφāĻ›ে।

4. Why has the mother been compared to the “late winter’s moon”?
(āĻŽাāĻ•āĻ• āĻ•িāϝ় "āĻļীāϤ⧰ āĻļেāώ⧰ āϚāύ্āĻĻ্ā§°"ā§° āϏৈāϤে āϤুāϞāύা āϕ⧰া āĻšৈāĻ›ে?)
                         Or
                          āĻŦা  
Why does Kamla Das compare her mother to ‘a pale winter’s moon’?
(āĻ•āĻŽāϞা āĻĻাāϏে āϤাāχ⧰ āĻŽাāĻ•āĻ• 'āĻļেঁāϤা āĻļীāϤ⧰ āϚāύ্āĻĻ্ā§°'ā§° āϏৈāϤে āĻ•িāϝ় āϤুāϞāύা āϕ⧰ে?)

Answer:- The smile used here is apt as well as effective. The poet’s mother at sixty-six. She has shrunk to an ‘ashen’ face resembling a corpse. She has lost the shine and strength of her youth. Similarly, the late winter moon looks hazy, obscure, lacking shine and strength. Hence, the comparison is quite natural and appropriate.
āχāϝ়াāϤ āĻŦ্āĻ¯ā§ąāĻšৃāϤ āĻšাঁāĻšিāϟো āωāĻĒāϝুāĻ•্āϤ āφ⧰ু āĻ•াā§°্āϝāϕ⧰ী। āĻ›āώāϟ্āϟি āĻŦāϛ⧰ āĻŦāϝ়āϏāϤ āĻ•āĻŦিā§° āĻŽাāĻ•। āϤাāχ āĻāϟা āĻŽৃāϤāĻĻেāĻšā§° āĻĻā§°ে 'āφāĻļেāύ' āĻŽুāĻ–āϞৈ āϏংāĻ•ুāϚিāϤ āĻšৈāĻ›ে। āϤাāχ āϤাāχ⧰ āϝৌā§ąāύ⧰ āωāϜ্āϜ্āĻŦāϞāϤা āφ⧰ু āĻļāĻ•্āϤি āĻšেā§°ুā§ąাāχāĻ›ে। āĻāĻ•েāĻĻā§°ে, āĻļীāϤāĻ•াāϞ⧰ āĻļেāώ⧰ āĻĢাāϞে āϚāύ্āĻĻ্ā§°āϟো āĻ…āϏ্āĻĒāώ্āϟ, āĻ…āϏ্āĻĒāώ্āϟ, āωāϜ্āϜ্āĻŦāϞāϤা āφ⧰ু āĻļāĻ•্āϤিā§° āĻ…āĻ­াā§ą āĻĻেāĻ–া āϝাāϝ়। āϏেāϝ়েāĻšে, āϤুāϞāύাāϟো āϝāĻĨেāώ্āϟ āϏ্āĻŦাāĻ­াā§ąিāĻ• āφ⧰ু āωāĻĒāϝুāĻ•্āϤ।

5. What do the parting words of the poet and her smile signify?
                  Or
(āĻ•āĻŦিāφ⧰ু āϤাāχ⧰ āĻšাঁāĻšিā§° āĻŦিāĻ­াāϜāύ⧰ āĻļāĻŦ্āĻĻāĻŦোā§°ে āĻ•ি āĻŦুāϜাāϝ়?)
                  āĻŦা
In the last line of the poem ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’, why does the poet use the word ‘smile’ repeatedly?
'(āĻŽাāχ āĻŽাāĻĻাā§° āĻāϟ āĻ›িāĻ•্āϏāϟি' āĻ•āĻŦিāϤাāϟোā§° āĻ…āύ্āϤিāĻŽ āĻļাā§°ীāϤ, āĻ•āĻŦিāϜāύে 'āĻšাঁāĻšি' āĻļāĻŦ্āĻĻāϟো āĻŦাā§°ে āĻŦাā§°ে āĻ•িāϝ় āĻŦ্āĻ¯ā§ąāĻšাā§° āϕ⧰ে?)

Answer:- The old familiar ache or fear of the childhood returns. It provides a stark contrast to the parting words of assurance and her smiles. The parting words: “See you soon, Amma”, give an assurance of life to an old and weak lady. The mother’s ‘ashen face’ looks like a corpse. Similarly, the poet’s continuous smiling is an attempt to overcome the ache and fear inside her heart and to assure the old lady that they will meet again soon.
āĻļৈāĻļā§ąā§° āĻĒুā§°āĻŖি āϚিāύাāĻ•ি āĻŦিāώ āĻŦা āĻ­āϝ় āϘূā§°ি āφāĻšে। āĻāχāϟোā§ąে āφāĻļ্āĻŦাāϏ⧰ āĻŦিāĻ­াāϜāύ⧰ āĻļāĻŦ্āĻĻ āφ⧰ু āϤাāχ⧰ āĻšাঁāĻšিā§° āϏāĻŽ্āĻĒূā§°্āĻŖ āĻŦিāĻĒā§°ীāϤāϤা āĻĒ্ā§°āĻĻাāύ āϕ⧰ে। āĻŦিāĻ­াāϜāύ⧰ āĻļāĻŦ্āĻĻāĻŦোā§°: "āφāĻŽ্āĻŽা, āϏোāύāĻ•াāϞে āĻĻেāĻ–া āĻš'āĻŦ", āĻāĻ—ā§°াāĻ•ী āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āφ⧰ু āĻĻুā§°্āĻŦāϞ āĻŽāĻšিāϞাāĻ• āϜীā§ąāύ⧰ āφāĻļ্āĻŦাāϏ āĻĻিāϝ়āĻ•। āĻŽাāϕ⧰ 'āφāĻļেāύ āĻŽুāĻ–' āĻāϟা āĻŽৃāϤāĻĻেāĻšā§° āĻĻā§°ে āĻĻেāĻ–াāϝাāϝ়। āĻāĻ•েāĻĻā§°ে, āĻ•āĻŦিāĻ—ā§°াāĻ•ীā§° āύিā§°āύ্āϤ⧰ āĻšাঁāĻšি āĻšৈāĻ›ে āϤাāχ⧰ āĻšৃāĻĻāϝ়ā§° āĻ­িāϤ⧰⧰ āĻŦেāĻĻāύা āφ⧰ু āĻ­āϝ় āĻĻূā§° āϕ⧰াā§° āφ⧰ু āĻŦুāĻĸ়ীāĻ—ā§°াāĻ•ীāĻ• āφāĻļ্āĻŦাāϏ āĻĻিāϝ়াā§° āĻāĻ• āĻĒ্ā§°āϝ়াāϏ āϝে āϤেāĻ“ঁāϞোāĻ• āϏোāύāĻ•াāϞেāχ āĻĒুāύ⧰ āϞāĻ— āĻĒাāĻŦ।

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. Where is the poet going and who is with her?
(āĻ•āĻŦি āĻ•'āϞৈ āĻ—ৈ āφāĻ›ে āφ⧰ু āϤাāχ⧰ āϏৈāϤে āĻ•োāύ āφāĻ›ে?)

Answer:- The poet is driving from her parent’s home to the Cochin airport. Her mother has come to see her daughter off. She is sitting beside her and dozing with her mouth open. Her face looks pale and lifeless like a dead body. The poet is ‘driving’ but the old lady is ‘dozing’. The poet gives an image of dynamic activity while her mother is a picture of passivity. 
āĻ•āĻŦিāĻ—ā§°াāĻ•ীāϝ়ে āϤাāχ⧰ āĻĒিāϤৃ-āĻŽাāϤৃā§° āϘ⧰⧰ āĻĒā§°া āĻ•োāϚিāύ āĻŦিāĻŽাāύāĻŦāύ্āĻĻā§°āϞৈ āĻ—ৈ āφāĻ›ে। āϤাāχ⧰ āĻŽাāĻ• āϤাāχ⧰ āĻ›োā§ąাāϞীāĻ• āϚাāĻŦāϞৈ āφāĻšিāĻ›ে। āϤাāχ āϤাāχ⧰ āĻ•াāώāϤ āĻŦāĻšি āĻŽুāĻ– āĻ–āύ āĻ–ুāϞি āϟোāĻĒāύি āĻĻি āφāĻ›ে। āϤাāχ⧰ āĻŽুāĻ–āĻ–āύ āĻļেঁāϤা āφ⧰ু āύিāώ্āĻĒ্ā§°াāĻŖ āϝেāύ āϞাāĻ—িāĻ›ে। āĻ•āĻŦিāϜāύে 'āĻ—াāĻĄ়ী āϚāϞাāχ āφāĻ›ে' āĻ•িāύ্āϤু āĻŦুāĻĸ়ীāϝ়ে 'āϟোāĻĒāύি' āϚāϞাāχ āφāĻ›ে। āĻ•āĻŦিāϝ়ে āĻ—āϤিāĻļীāϞ āĻ•াā§°্āϝāĻ•āϞাāĻĒā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āϤিāϚ্āĻ›āĻŦি āĻĒ্ā§°āĻĻাāύ āϕ⧰ে āφāύāĻšাāϤে āϤাāχ⧰ āĻŽাāĻ• āύিāώ্āĻ•্ā§°িāϝ়āϤাā§° āĻ›āĻŦি। 
2. How does the poet’s mother look like? What kind of images has the poet used to signify her ageing and decay?
                                                     Or
(āĻ•āĻŦিā§° āĻŽাāĻ• āĻ•েāύেāĻ•ুā§ąা āĻĻেāĻ–াāϝ়? āĻ•āĻŦিāĻ—ā§°াāĻ•ীāϝ়ে āϤাāχ⧰ āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āφ⧰ু āĻ•্āώāϝ়āĻŦুāϜাāĻŦāϞৈ āĻ•েāύে āϧ⧰āĻŖā§° āĻ›āĻŦি āĻŦ্āĻ¯ā§ąāĻšাā§° āϕ⧰িāĻ›ে?)
                                                     āĻŦা
Describe the poetic devices used by Kamala Das in ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’?

(āĻ•āĻŽāϞা āĻĻাāϏে 'āĻŽাāχ āĻŽাāĻĻাā§° āĻāϟ āĻ›িāĻ•্āϏāϟি'āϤ āĻŦ্āĻ¯ā§ąāĻšাā§° āϕ⧰া āĻ•াāĻŦ্āϝিāĻ• āϏঁāϜুāϞিāĻŦোā§° āĻŦā§°্āĻŖāύা āϕ⧰িāĻŦ āύেāĻ•ি?)
Answer:- The poet’s mother is at sixty-six. She is sitting beside her. The mother is dozing as old people usually do during the journey. She keeps her mouth open. This is also a sign of old age. Her face looks pale and faded like ash. Actually, she is an image of decay and death. Her ‘ashen’ face looks like that of a corpse.
āĻ•āĻŦিā§° āĻŽাāϕ⧰ āĻŦāϝ়āϏ āĻ›āώāϟ্āϟি āĻŦāϛ⧰। āϤাāχ āϤাāχ⧰ āĻ•াāώāϤ āĻŦāĻšি āφāĻ›ে। āĻŽাāϝ়ে āϝাāϤ্ā§°াā§° āϏāĻŽāϝ়āϤ āϏাāϧাā§°āĻŖāϤে āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āϞোāϕ⧰ āĻĻā§°ে āϟোāĻĒāύি āĻŽাā§°ে। āϤাāχ āĻŽুāĻ– āĻ–āύ āĻ–োāϞা ā§°াāĻ–ে। āĻāχāϟোāĻ“ āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āĻŦāϝ়āϏ⧰ āϞāĻ•্āώāĻŖ। āϤাāχ⧰ āĻŽুāĻ–āĻ–āύ āĻļেঁāϤা āφ⧰ু āĻ›াāχ⧰ āĻĻā§°ে āĻŽ্āϞাāύ āϝেāύ āϞাāĻ—িāĻ›ে। āĻĒ্ā§°āĻ•ৃāϤāϤে, āϤাāχ āĻ•্āώāϝ় āφ⧰ু āĻŽৃāϤ্āϝুā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āϤিāϚ্āĻ›āĻŦি। āϤাāχ⧰ 'āφāĻļেāύ' āĻŽুāĻ–āĻ–āύ āĻāϟা āĻŽৃāϤāĻĻেāĻšā§° āĻĻā§°ে āĻĻেāĻ–াāĻ—ৈāĻ›ে।

3. Why does the poet ‘put that thought away’ and looks outside?
(āĻ•āĻŦিāϜāύে āĻ•িāϝ় 'āϏেāχ āϚিāύ্āϤাāϟো āφঁāϤ⧰াāχ ā§°াāĻ–ে' āφ⧰ু āĻŦাāĻšিā§°āϞৈ āϚাāϝ়?)

Answer:- The poet’s old mother is sitting beside her. She is dozing with her mouth open. Her face looks pale and faded. She looks lifeless like a corpse. Actually, she gives an image of passivity, decay and death. The poet needs a distraction, a change. Hence she looks outside where she gets a picture of life, happiness and activity. There is a starting contrast between the pale old women and the youngsters ‘sprinting’ outside. The young children present a picture of youth and dynamism.
āĻ•āĻŦিā§° āĻŦুāĻĸ়া āĻŽাāĻ• āϤাāχ⧰ āĻ•াāώāϤ āĻŦāĻšি āφāĻ›ে। āϤাāχ āĻŽুāĻ– āĻ–āύ āĻ–ুāϞি āϟোāĻĒāύি āϞৈ āφāĻ›ে। āϤাāχ⧰ āĻŽুāĻ–āĻ–āύ āĻļেঁāϤা āφ⧰ু āĻŽ্āϞাāύ āϝেāύ āϞাāĻ—িāĻ›ে। āϤাāχāĻ• āĻŽৃāϤāĻĻেāĻšā§° āĻĻā§°ে āύিāώ্āĻĒ্ā§°াāĻŖ āĻĻেāĻ–াāχāĻ›ে। āĻĒ্ā§°āĻ•ৃāϤāϤে, āϤাāχ āύিāώ্āĻ•্ā§°িāϝ়āϤা, āĻ•্āώāϝ় āφ⧰ু āĻŽৃāϤ্āϝুā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āϤিāϚ্āĻ›āĻŦি āĻĒ্ā§°āĻĻাāύ āϕ⧰ে। āĻ•āĻŦিāĻ• āĻāĻ• āĻŦিāĻ­্ā§°াāύ্āϤি, āĻĒā§°িā§ąā§°্āϤāύ⧰ āĻĒ্ā§°āϝ়োāϜāύ। āϏেāϝ়েāĻšে āϤাāχ āĻŦাāĻšিā§°āϞৈ āϚাāϝ় āϝ'āϤ āϤাāχ āϜীā§ąāύ, āϏুāĻ– āφ⧰ু āĻ•াā§°্āϝāĻ•āϞাāĻĒā§° āĻ›āĻŦি āĻĒাāϝ়। āĻļেঁāϤা āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āĻŽāĻšিāϞা āφ⧰ু āĻŦাāĻšিā§°āϤ āϝুā§ąāĻ•-āϝুā§ąāϤীāϏāĻ•āϞ⧰ āĻŽাāϜāϤ āφ⧰āĻŽ্āĻ­āĻŖিā§° āĻŦিāĻĒā§°ীāϤāϤা āφāĻ›ে। āϏ⧰ু āϞ'ā§°া āĻ›োā§ąাāϞীāĻŦোā§°ে āϝৌā§ąāύ āφ⧰ু āĻ—āϤিāĻļীāϞāϤাā§° āĻāĻ–āύ āĻ›āĻŦি āωāĻĒāϏ্āĻĨাāĻĒāύ āϕ⧰ে।

4. Describe the contrast of the scene inside the car with the activities going on outside. Describe the use of images that the poet employs to strike that contrast.
(āĻŦাāĻšিā§°āϤ āϚāϞি āĻĨāĻ•া āĻ•াā§°্āϝāĻ•āϞাāĻĒā§° āϏৈāϤে āĻ—াāĻĄ়ীā§° āĻ­িāϤ⧰⧰ āĻĻৃāĻļ্āϝ⧰ āĻŦিāĻĒā§°ীāϤāϤা āĻŦā§°্āĻŖāύা āϕ⧰āĻ•। āĻ•āĻŦিāϝ়ে āϏেāχ āĻŦৈāĻĒā§°ীāϤ্āϝ āĻ•āĻŽাāĻŦāϞৈ āĻŦ্āĻ¯ā§ąāĻšাā§° āϕ⧰া āĻ›āĻŦিāĻŦোā§°ā§° āĻŦ্āĻ¯ā§ąāĻšাā§° āĻŦā§°্āĻŖāύা āϕ⧰āĻ•।)
Answer:- The contrast enhances the poetic effect. The poet’s mother who is sitting beside her is dozing. Her ‘ashen’ face looks lifeless and pale like a corpse. She is an image of ageing, decay and passivity. On the other hand, the children are gay and happy. They are moving out of their homes in large numbers. Here is an image of happiness and spontaneous overflow of life.
āχāϝ়াā§° āĻŦিāĻĒā§°ীāϤāϤাāχ āĻ•াāĻŦ্āϝিāĻ• āĻĒ্ā§°āĻ­াā§ą āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧি āϕ⧰ে। āϤাāχ⧰ āĻ•াāώāϤ āĻŦāĻšি āĻĨāĻ•া āĻ•āĻŦিā§° āĻŽাāĻ•ে āϟোāĻĒāύি āϞৈ āφāĻ›ে। āϤাāχ⧰ 'āφāĻļেāύ' āĻŽুāĻ–āĻ–āύ āύিāώ্āĻĒ্ā§°াāĻŖ āφ⧰ু āĻļেঁāϤা āϝেāύ āϞাāĻ—িāĻ›ে। āϤাāχ āĻšৈāĻ›ে āĻŦাā§°্āϧāĻ•্āϝ, āĻ•্āώāϝ় āφ⧰ু āύিāώ্āĻ•্ā§°িāϝ়āϤাā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āϤিāϚ্āĻ›āĻŦি। āφāύāĻšাāϤে, āĻļিāĻļুāϏāĻ•āϞ āϏāĻŽāĻ•াāĻŽী āφ⧰ু āϏুāĻ–ী। āϤেāĻ“ঁāϞোāĻ•ে āĻŦৃāĻšā§Ž āϏংāĻ–্āϝাāϤ āϤেāĻ“ঁāϞোāϕ⧰ āϘ⧰⧰ āĻĒā§°া āĻŦাāĻšিā§°āϞৈ āĻ—ৈ āφāĻ›ে। āχāϝ়াāϤ āϏুāĻ– āφ⧰ু āϜীā§ąāύ⧰ āϏ্āĻŦāϤঃāϏ্āĻĢূā§°্āϤ āωāĻĒāϚি āĻĒā§°াā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āϤিāϚ্āĻ›āĻŦি āφāĻ›ে।

5. Why does the poet feel her old familiar ache and what is her childhood fear?
                                     Or
What kind of pain does Kamla Das feel in ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’?
                                       Or
What was Kamla Das’ childhood fear?
(āĻ•āĻŦিāϝ়ে āĻ•িāϝ় āϤাāχ⧰ āĻĒুā§°āĻŖি āϚিāύাāĻ•ি āĻŦিāώ āĻ…āύুāĻ­ā§ą āϕ⧰ে āφ⧰ু āϤাāχ⧰ āĻļৈāĻļā§ąā§° āĻ­āϝ় āĻ•ি?)
                                     āĻŦা
(āĻ•āĻŽāϞা āĻĻাāϏে 'āĻŽাāχ āĻŽাāĻĻাā§° āĻāϟ āĻ›িāĻ•্āϏāϟি'āϤ āĻ•েāύে āϧ⧰āĻŖā§° āĻŦিāώ āĻ…āύুāĻ­ā§ą āϕ⧰ে?)
                                       āĻŦা
(āĻ•āĻŽāϞা āĻĻাāϏ⧰ āĻļৈāĻļā§ąā§° āĻ­āϝ় āĻ•ি āφāĻ›িāϞ?)

Answer:- The sight of her old mother’s corpse-like face arouses ‘that old familiar ache’ in her heart. Her childhood fear returns. The fear is that with ageing comes decay and death. Ageing and decay are inevitable. No one can avoid them. Perhaps she herself may have to face all these things. This idea is quite painful and frightening to her.
āϤাāχ⧰ āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āĻŽাāϕ⧰ āĻŽৃāϤāĻĻেāĻšāϏāĻĻৃāĻļ āĻŽুāĻ–āĻ–āύ āĻĻেāĻ–াāϟোā§ąে āϤাāχ⧰ āĻšৃāĻĻāϝ়āϤ 'āϏেāχ āĻĒুā§°āĻŖি āϚিāύাāĻ•ি āĻŦেāĻĻāύা' āϜাāĻ—্ā§°āϤ āϕ⧰ে। āϤাāχ⧰ āĻļৈāĻļā§ąā§° āĻ­āϝ় āϘূā§°ি āφāĻšে। āĻ­āϝ়āϟো āĻš'āϞ āϝে āĻŦāϝ়āϏ āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧিā§° āϞāĻ—ে āϞāĻ—ে āĻ•্āώāϝ় āφ⧰ু āĻŽৃāϤ্āϝু āφāĻšে। āĻŦাā§°্āϧāĻ•্āϝ āφ⧰ু āĻ•্āώāϝ় āĻ…āύিāĻŦাā§°্āϝ। āĻ•োāύেāĻ“ āϏেāχāĻŦোā§° āĻā§°াāχ āϚāϞিāĻŦ āύোā§ąাā§°ে। āϏāĻŽ্āĻ­ā§ąāϤঃ āϤাāχ āύিāϜেāχ āĻāχ āϏāĻ•āϞোāĻŦোā§° āĻŦāϏ্āϤুā§° āϏāύ্āĻŽুāĻ–ীāύ āĻš'āĻŦ āϞাāĻ—িāĻŦ āĻĒাā§°ে। āĻāχ āϧাā§°āĻŖাāϟো āϤাāχ⧰ āĻŦাāĻŦে āϝāĻĨেāώ্āϟ āĻŦেāĻĻāύাāĻĻাāϝ়āĻ• āφ⧰ু āĻ­āϝ়াā§ąāĻš।

6. What were the poet’s feelings at the airport? How did she hide them?
(āĻŦিāĻŽাāύāĻŦāύ্āĻĻā§°āϤ āĻ•āĻŦিāϜāύ⧰ āĻ…āύুāĻ­ূāϤি āĻ•ি āφāĻ›িāϞ? āϤাāχ āϏেāχāĻŦোā§° āĻ•েāύেāĻ•ৈ āϞুāĻ•ুā§ąাāχ ā§°াāĻ–িāĻ›িāϞ?)
Answer:- The poet experienced two opposite and contrasting feelings at the airport. The ashen and pale face of her mother brought an image of decay and death. But she immediately hid her real feelings from her mother. She composed herself and tried to look normal. She smiled continuously to assure her mother that they would meet again soon.
āĻ•āĻŦিāϜāύে āĻŦিāĻŽাāύāĻŦāύ্āĻĻā§°āϤ āĻĻুāϟা āĻŦিāĻĒā§°ীāϤ āφ⧰ু āĻŦিāĻĒā§°ীāϤ āĻ…āύুāĻ­ূāϤি āĻ…āύুāĻ­ā§ą āϕ⧰িāĻ›িāϞ। āϤাāχ⧰ āĻŽাāϕ⧰ āφāĻļেāύ āφ⧰ু āĻļেঁāϤা āĻŽুāĻ–āĻ–āύে āĻ•্āώāϝ় āφ⧰ু āĻŽৃāϤ্āϝুā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āϤিāϚ্āĻ›āĻŦি āφāύিāĻ›িāϞ। āĻ•িāύ্āϤু āϤাāχ āϞāĻ—ে āϞāĻ—ে āϤাāχ⧰ āĻĒ্ā§°āĻ•ৃāϤ āĻ…āύুāĻ­ূāϤিāĻŦোā§° āϤাāχ⧰ āĻŽাāϕ⧰ āĻĒā§°া āϞুāĻ•ুā§ąাāχ ā§°াāĻ–িāĻ›িāϞ। āϤাāχ āύিāϜāĻ•ে ā§°āϚāύা āϕ⧰িāĻ›িāϞ āφ⧰ু āϏ্āĻŦাāĻ­াā§ąিāĻ• āĻĻেāĻ–াāĻŦāϞৈ āϚেāώ্āϟা āϕ⧰িāĻ›িāϞ। āϤাāχ āϤাāχ⧰ āĻŽাāĻ•āĻ• āφāĻļ্āĻŦাāϏ āĻĻিāĻŦāϞৈ āĻāĻ•েā§°াāĻšে āĻšাঁāĻšিāĻ›িāϞ āϝে āϏিāĻšঁāϤ āϏোāύāĻ•াāϞেāχ āĻĒুāύ⧰ āϞāĻ— āĻĒাāĻŦ।

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