Bridges
UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT
1. How did the author feel about her mother’s passion to make
her a dancer?
Answer:
2. What were the lessons of life learnt in her younger days that
Kumudini carried into her adult life?
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3. How did Kumudini react to her mother’s death?
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4. What were the concepts that Kumidini Lakhia represent through
Duvidha, Atah Kim and Panch Paras?
Answer:
5. How does Kumudini Lakhia describe her guru Ramgopal’s
influence on her?
Answer:
TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT
Discuss the following in pairs or in small groups
1. Exceptionally talented people are born so; talent cannot be
cultivated.
Answer:
2. Discipline and a questioning spirit can coexist in an individual.
Answer:
3. “Before you begin experimenting, you need to perfect the
technique with which you experiment.”
Answer:
4. Kumudini Lakhia’s life is an inspiring illustration of the
emancipation of women.
Answer:
APPRECIATION
1. The significance of reading an autobiograophy lies in drawing
lessons from another life. What is the significance of Kumudini’s
account for us as readers?
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2. Pick out instances from the passage that reflect the sensitivity
of the author.
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3. ‘I can see clear bridges between my life experiences and my
work in dance.’ How does Kumudini Lakhia weave episodes from
the two realms in her account?
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LANGUAGE WORK
1. Distinguish between the following pairs of words
incredulous - incredible
suspicious - susceptible
sensitivity - sentimentality
successive - successful
2. Interpret these phrases in the context of the essay
mist of protection at a crossroads
it came with strings attached
3. ‘Kummi’, ‘ghumar’ and ‘dandia’ are some dance forms mentioned
in the text. Make an inventory of folk dance forms in the different
regions of the country.
SUGGESTED READING
1. Women who Dared ed Ritu Menon, National Book Trust, 2000
DABP006703
