Textbook: The Concert | English Kumarbharati Class 10 (Maharashtra SSC Board) PDF Download

 Page 1


The Concert
One morning in a small apartment in Bombay a 
girl of about sixteen looked up from the newspaper 
and said excitedly, ‘Pandit Ravi Shankar is playing 
tomorrow at the Shanmukhananda auditorium.’
 ‘Sh-sh,’ said her mother pointing to the figure 
sleeping on the bed. ‘You’ll wake him up. You know 
he needs all the sleep and rest he can get.’
 But the boy on the bed was not asleep. ‘Pandit 
Ravi Shankar!’ he said. ‘Pandit Ravi Shankar, the 
sitar maestro? He raised himself up on his elbows for 
one second, then fell back. But his eyes were shining. 
‘We mustn’t miss the chance,’ he said. ‘I’ve - ‘I’ve – 
always wanted to hear him and see him…’
‘Lie down son, lie down.’ His mother sprang to 
his side. ‘He actually raised himself up without help,’ 
she murmured with a catch in her throat and her eyes 
turned to the idols on a corner shelf. The prayer, which 
she uttered endlessly, came unbidden to her lips.
‘I must hear him and see him,’ the boy repeated. 
‘It’s the chance of a lifetime.’ Then he began to cough 
and gasp for breath and had to be given oxygen from 
the cylinder that stood under the bed. But his large 
eyes were fixed on his sister.
Smita bit her lip in self-reproach. She had been 
so excited at seeing the announcement, that she had 
not remembered that her brother was very ill. She had 
seen how the doctors had shaken their heads gravely 
and spoken words that neither she nor even her parents 
could understand. But somewhere deep inside Smita had 
known the frightening truth – that Anant was going to 
die. The word cancer had hung in the air – her brother 
u Why was Smita
excited ?
Note : Bombay was 
the official name of 
Mumbai until 1995.
u Why did Smita become
nervous ?
u What was the chance
of a lifetime for
Anant ?
l murmur : quietly
spoken words
l maestro : a
prominent conductor
or performer of
classical music.
Shanta Rao (1930-2007) was a notable dancer from India. She was 
exponent of Bharatnatyam and also studied Kathakali and Kuchipudi. 
She was recipient of Padmashri and Sangeet Natak Academy Award 
and Kalidas Sanman for Music, dance and drama.
This is a true story, but all the names except Pandit Ravishankar’s 
and Ustad Allah Rakha’s have been changed.
138
Page 2


The Concert
One morning in a small apartment in Bombay a 
girl of about sixteen looked up from the newspaper 
and said excitedly, ‘Pandit Ravi Shankar is playing 
tomorrow at the Shanmukhananda auditorium.’
 ‘Sh-sh,’ said her mother pointing to the figure 
sleeping on the bed. ‘You’ll wake him up. You know 
he needs all the sleep and rest he can get.’
 But the boy on the bed was not asleep. ‘Pandit 
Ravi Shankar!’ he said. ‘Pandit Ravi Shankar, the 
sitar maestro? He raised himself up on his elbows for 
one second, then fell back. But his eyes were shining. 
‘We mustn’t miss the chance,’ he said. ‘I’ve - ‘I’ve – 
always wanted to hear him and see him…’
‘Lie down son, lie down.’ His mother sprang to 
his side. ‘He actually raised himself up without help,’ 
she murmured with a catch in her throat and her eyes 
turned to the idols on a corner shelf. The prayer, which 
she uttered endlessly, came unbidden to her lips.
‘I must hear him and see him,’ the boy repeated. 
‘It’s the chance of a lifetime.’ Then he began to cough 
and gasp for breath and had to be given oxygen from 
the cylinder that stood under the bed. But his large 
eyes were fixed on his sister.
Smita bit her lip in self-reproach. She had been 
so excited at seeing the announcement, that she had 
not remembered that her brother was very ill. She had 
seen how the doctors had shaken their heads gravely 
and spoken words that neither she nor even her parents 
could understand. But somewhere deep inside Smita had 
known the frightening truth – that Anant was going to 
die. The word cancer had hung in the air – her brother 
u Why was Smita
excited ?
Note : Bombay was 
the official name of 
Mumbai until 1995.
u Why did Smita become
nervous ?
u What was the chance
of a lifetime for
Anant ?
l murmur : quietly
spoken words
l maestro : a
prominent conductor
or performer of
classical music.
Shanta Rao (1930-2007) was a notable dancer from India. She was 
exponent of Bharatnatyam and also studied Kathakali and Kuchipudi. 
She was recipient of Padmashri and Sangeet Natak Academy Award 
and Kalidas Sanman for Music, dance and drama.
This is a true story, but all the names except Pandit Ravishankar’s 
and Ustad Allah Rakha’s have been changed.
138
was dying of cancer even though she pretended that 
all would be well and they would return together, a 
small family of four, to their home in Gaganpur. And 
he was only fifteen and the best table-tennis player in 
the school and the fastest runner. He was learning to 
play the sitar ; they were both taking sitar lessons, but 
Anant was better than her as in many other things. 
He was already able to compose his own tunes to the  
astonishment of their guru. Then cancer had struck and 
they had come to Bombay so that he could be treated 
at the cancer hospital in the city.
Whenever they came to Bombay they stayed with 
Aunt Sushila. Her apartment was not big but there was 
always room for them.
They had come with high hopes in the miracles 
of modern science. They told themselves that Anant 
would be cured at the hospital and he would again 
walk and run and even take part in the forthcoming 
table-tennis tournament. And, he would play the sitar-
perhaps be a great sitarist one day. But his condition 
grew worse with each passing day and the doctors at 
the cancer hospital said, ‘Take him home. Give him the 
thing he likes, indulge him,’ and they knew then that 
the boy had not many days to live. But they did not 
voice their fears. They laughed and smiled and talked 
and surrounded Anant with whatever made him happy. 
They fulfilled his every need and gave him whatever 
he asked for. And now he was asking to go to the 
concert. ‘The chance of a lifetime,’ he was saying.
‘When you are better,’ his mother said. ‘This is 
not the last time they are going to play.’
Smita stood at the window looking at the traffic, 
her eyes wet with tears. Her mother whispered, ‘But 
you Smita, you must go. Your father will take you.’ 
When she was alone with Aunt Sushila, Smita 
cried out in a choked voice, ‘No, how can I? We’ve 
always done things together, Anant and I.’
‘A walk in the park might make you feel better,’ 
said Aunt Sushila and Smita was grateful for her 
suggestion. 
In the park, people were walking, running, playing 
ball, doing yogic exercises, feeding the ducks and eating 
u Why was everyone
from the family trying
to keep Anant happy ?
u Why was Smita not
ready to go for the
concert ?
l indulge : to allow to
enjoy the pleasure of
something
139
Page 3


The Concert
One morning in a small apartment in Bombay a 
girl of about sixteen looked up from the newspaper 
and said excitedly, ‘Pandit Ravi Shankar is playing 
tomorrow at the Shanmukhananda auditorium.’
 ‘Sh-sh,’ said her mother pointing to the figure 
sleeping on the bed. ‘You’ll wake him up. You know 
he needs all the sleep and rest he can get.’
 But the boy on the bed was not asleep. ‘Pandit 
Ravi Shankar!’ he said. ‘Pandit Ravi Shankar, the 
sitar maestro? He raised himself up on his elbows for 
one second, then fell back. But his eyes were shining. 
‘We mustn’t miss the chance,’ he said. ‘I’ve - ‘I’ve – 
always wanted to hear him and see him…’
‘Lie down son, lie down.’ His mother sprang to 
his side. ‘He actually raised himself up without help,’ 
she murmured with a catch in her throat and her eyes 
turned to the idols on a corner shelf. The prayer, which 
she uttered endlessly, came unbidden to her lips.
‘I must hear him and see him,’ the boy repeated. 
‘It’s the chance of a lifetime.’ Then he began to cough 
and gasp for breath and had to be given oxygen from 
the cylinder that stood under the bed. But his large 
eyes were fixed on his sister.
Smita bit her lip in self-reproach. She had been 
so excited at seeing the announcement, that she had 
not remembered that her brother was very ill. She had 
seen how the doctors had shaken their heads gravely 
and spoken words that neither she nor even her parents 
could understand. But somewhere deep inside Smita had 
known the frightening truth – that Anant was going to 
die. The word cancer had hung in the air – her brother 
u Why was Smita
excited ?
Note : Bombay was 
the official name of 
Mumbai until 1995.
u Why did Smita become
nervous ?
u What was the chance
of a lifetime for
Anant ?
l murmur : quietly
spoken words
l maestro : a
prominent conductor
or performer of
classical music.
Shanta Rao (1930-2007) was a notable dancer from India. She was 
exponent of Bharatnatyam and also studied Kathakali and Kuchipudi. 
She was recipient of Padmashri and Sangeet Natak Academy Award 
and Kalidas Sanman for Music, dance and drama.
This is a true story, but all the names except Pandit Ravishankar’s 
and Ustad Allah Rakha’s have been changed.
138
was dying of cancer even though she pretended that 
all would be well and they would return together, a 
small family of four, to their home in Gaganpur. And 
he was only fifteen and the best table-tennis player in 
the school and the fastest runner. He was learning to 
play the sitar ; they were both taking sitar lessons, but 
Anant was better than her as in many other things. 
He was already able to compose his own tunes to the  
astonishment of their guru. Then cancer had struck and 
they had come to Bombay so that he could be treated 
at the cancer hospital in the city.
Whenever they came to Bombay they stayed with 
Aunt Sushila. Her apartment was not big but there was 
always room for them.
They had come with high hopes in the miracles 
of modern science. They told themselves that Anant 
would be cured at the hospital and he would again 
walk and run and even take part in the forthcoming 
table-tennis tournament. And, he would play the sitar-
perhaps be a great sitarist one day. But his condition 
grew worse with each passing day and the doctors at 
the cancer hospital said, ‘Take him home. Give him the 
thing he likes, indulge him,’ and they knew then that 
the boy had not many days to live. But they did not 
voice their fears. They laughed and smiled and talked 
and surrounded Anant with whatever made him happy. 
They fulfilled his every need and gave him whatever 
he asked for. And now he was asking to go to the 
concert. ‘The chance of a lifetime,’ he was saying.
‘When you are better,’ his mother said. ‘This is 
not the last time they are going to play.’
Smita stood at the window looking at the traffic, 
her eyes wet with tears. Her mother whispered, ‘But 
you Smita, you must go. Your father will take you.’ 
When she was alone with Aunt Sushila, Smita 
cried out in a choked voice, ‘No, how can I? We’ve 
always done things together, Anant and I.’
‘A walk in the park might make you feel better,’ 
said Aunt Sushila and Smita was grateful for her 
suggestion. 
In the park, people were walking, running, playing 
ball, doing yogic exercises, feeding the ducks and eating 
u Why was everyone
from the family trying
to keep Anant happy ?
u Why was Smita not
ready to go for the
concert ?
l indulge : to allow to
enjoy the pleasure of
something
139
roasted gram and peanuts, Smita felt alone in their 
midst. She was lost in her thoughts.
Suddenly a daring thought came to her and as she 
hurried home she said to herself. ‘Why not? There’s no 
harm in trying it.’
‘It would be nice to go to the concert. I don’t know 
when we’ll get another opportunity to hear Pandit Ravi 
Shankar,’ she said to her mother later. And her father 
agreed to get the tickets.
The next day as Smita and her father were leaving 
for the concert, her brother smiled and said, ‘Enjoy 
yourself,’ though the words came out in painful gasps. 
‘Lucky you!’
Sitting besides her father in the gallery, Smita heard 
as in a dream the thundering welcome the audience 
gave the great master. Then the first notes came over 
the air and Smita felt as if the gates of a land of 
enchantment and wonder were opening. Spellbound, 
she listened to the unfolding ragas, the slow plaintive 
notes, the fast twinkling ones, but all the while the 
plan she had decided on the evening before remained 
firmly in her mind. ‘The chance of a lifetime.’ She 
heard Anant’s voice in every beat of the tabla.
The concert came to an end, the audience gave the 
artistes a standing ovation.
A large moustachioed man having a long moustache, 
made a long boring speech. Then came the presentation 
of bouquets. Then more applause and the curtain came 
down. The people began to move towards the exits.
Now was the time. Smita wriggled her way through 
the crowds towards the stage. Then she went up the 
steps that led to the wings, her heart beating loudly. 
In the wings a small crowd had gathered to talk about 
the evening concert, to help carry bouquets and teacups 
and instruments.
He was there, standing with the man who played 
the tabla for him, the great wizard of music, Ustad 
Allah Rakha. Her knees felt weak, her tongue dry. 
But she went up and standing before them, her hands 
folded, ‘Oh sir,’ she burst out. 
‘Yes?’ he asked questioningly but kindly. And her 
story came pouring out, the story of her brother who
u How did Smita enjoy
the concert ?
Discuss and Share:
u Have you ever
attended any concert ?
How was your
experience there ?
l plaintive : sad
140
Page 4


The Concert
One morning in a small apartment in Bombay a 
girl of about sixteen looked up from the newspaper 
and said excitedly, ‘Pandit Ravi Shankar is playing 
tomorrow at the Shanmukhananda auditorium.’
 ‘Sh-sh,’ said her mother pointing to the figure 
sleeping on the bed. ‘You’ll wake him up. You know 
he needs all the sleep and rest he can get.’
 But the boy on the bed was not asleep. ‘Pandit 
Ravi Shankar!’ he said. ‘Pandit Ravi Shankar, the 
sitar maestro? He raised himself up on his elbows for 
one second, then fell back. But his eyes were shining. 
‘We mustn’t miss the chance,’ he said. ‘I’ve - ‘I’ve – 
always wanted to hear him and see him…’
‘Lie down son, lie down.’ His mother sprang to 
his side. ‘He actually raised himself up without help,’ 
she murmured with a catch in her throat and her eyes 
turned to the idols on a corner shelf. The prayer, which 
she uttered endlessly, came unbidden to her lips.
‘I must hear him and see him,’ the boy repeated. 
‘It’s the chance of a lifetime.’ Then he began to cough 
and gasp for breath and had to be given oxygen from 
the cylinder that stood under the bed. But his large 
eyes were fixed on his sister.
Smita bit her lip in self-reproach. She had been 
so excited at seeing the announcement, that she had 
not remembered that her brother was very ill. She had 
seen how the doctors had shaken their heads gravely 
and spoken words that neither she nor even her parents 
could understand. But somewhere deep inside Smita had 
known the frightening truth – that Anant was going to 
die. The word cancer had hung in the air – her brother 
u Why was Smita
excited ?
Note : Bombay was 
the official name of 
Mumbai until 1995.
u Why did Smita become
nervous ?
u What was the chance
of a lifetime for
Anant ?
l murmur : quietly
spoken words
l maestro : a
prominent conductor
or performer of
classical music.
Shanta Rao (1930-2007) was a notable dancer from India. She was 
exponent of Bharatnatyam and also studied Kathakali and Kuchipudi. 
She was recipient of Padmashri and Sangeet Natak Academy Award 
and Kalidas Sanman for Music, dance and drama.
This is a true story, but all the names except Pandit Ravishankar’s 
and Ustad Allah Rakha’s have been changed.
138
was dying of cancer even though she pretended that 
all would be well and they would return together, a 
small family of four, to their home in Gaganpur. And 
he was only fifteen and the best table-tennis player in 
the school and the fastest runner. He was learning to 
play the sitar ; they were both taking sitar lessons, but 
Anant was better than her as in many other things. 
He was already able to compose his own tunes to the  
astonishment of their guru. Then cancer had struck and 
they had come to Bombay so that he could be treated 
at the cancer hospital in the city.
Whenever they came to Bombay they stayed with 
Aunt Sushila. Her apartment was not big but there was 
always room for them.
They had come with high hopes in the miracles 
of modern science. They told themselves that Anant 
would be cured at the hospital and he would again 
walk and run and even take part in the forthcoming 
table-tennis tournament. And, he would play the sitar-
perhaps be a great sitarist one day. But his condition 
grew worse with each passing day and the doctors at 
the cancer hospital said, ‘Take him home. Give him the 
thing he likes, indulge him,’ and they knew then that 
the boy had not many days to live. But they did not 
voice their fears. They laughed and smiled and talked 
and surrounded Anant with whatever made him happy. 
They fulfilled his every need and gave him whatever 
he asked for. And now he was asking to go to the 
concert. ‘The chance of a lifetime,’ he was saying.
‘When you are better,’ his mother said. ‘This is 
not the last time they are going to play.’
Smita stood at the window looking at the traffic, 
her eyes wet with tears. Her mother whispered, ‘But 
you Smita, you must go. Your father will take you.’ 
When she was alone with Aunt Sushila, Smita 
cried out in a choked voice, ‘No, how can I? We’ve 
always done things together, Anant and I.’
‘A walk in the park might make you feel better,’ 
said Aunt Sushila and Smita was grateful for her 
suggestion. 
In the park, people were walking, running, playing 
ball, doing yogic exercises, feeding the ducks and eating 
u Why was everyone
from the family trying
to keep Anant happy ?
u Why was Smita not
ready to go for the
concert ?
l indulge : to allow to
enjoy the pleasure of
something
139
roasted gram and peanuts, Smita felt alone in their 
midst. She was lost in her thoughts.
Suddenly a daring thought came to her and as she 
hurried home she said to herself. ‘Why not? There’s no 
harm in trying it.’
‘It would be nice to go to the concert. I don’t know 
when we’ll get another opportunity to hear Pandit Ravi 
Shankar,’ she said to her mother later. And her father 
agreed to get the tickets.
The next day as Smita and her father were leaving 
for the concert, her brother smiled and said, ‘Enjoy 
yourself,’ though the words came out in painful gasps. 
‘Lucky you!’
Sitting besides her father in the gallery, Smita heard 
as in a dream the thundering welcome the audience 
gave the great master. Then the first notes came over 
the air and Smita felt as if the gates of a land of 
enchantment and wonder were opening. Spellbound, 
she listened to the unfolding ragas, the slow plaintive 
notes, the fast twinkling ones, but all the while the 
plan she had decided on the evening before remained 
firmly in her mind. ‘The chance of a lifetime.’ She 
heard Anant’s voice in every beat of the tabla.
The concert came to an end, the audience gave the 
artistes a standing ovation.
A large moustachioed man having a long moustache, 
made a long boring speech. Then came the presentation 
of bouquets. Then more applause and the curtain came 
down. The people began to move towards the exits.
Now was the time. Smita wriggled her way through 
the crowds towards the stage. Then she went up the 
steps that led to the wings, her heart beating loudly. 
In the wings a small crowd had gathered to talk about 
the evening concert, to help carry bouquets and teacups 
and instruments.
He was there, standing with the man who played 
the tabla for him, the great wizard of music, Ustad 
Allah Rakha. Her knees felt weak, her tongue dry. 
But she went up and standing before them, her hands 
folded, ‘Oh sir,’ she burst out. 
‘Yes?’ he asked questioningly but kindly. And her 
story came pouring out, the story of her brother who
u How did Smita enjoy
the concert ?
Discuss and Share:
u Have you ever
attended any concert ?
How was your
experience there ?
l plaintive : sad
140
141
lay sick at home and of how he longed to hear him 
and the Ustad play.
‘Will you come to Aunt Sushila’s house and play 
for him?’ she asked at the end breathlessly. ‘Please,’ 
she begged, ‘Please come.’
‘Little girl,’ said the moustachioed man who had 
made the long speech. ‘Panditji is a busy man. You 
must not bother him with such requests.’
But Pandit Ravi Shankar smiled and motioned him 
to be quiet. He turned to Ustad Sahib and said, ‘What 
shall we do, Ustad Sahib?’
The Ustad moved the wad of paan from one cheek 
to another. ‘Tomorrow morning we perform for the boy 
- Yes?’ he said.
‘Yes,’ Panditji replied. ‘It’s settled then.’
It was a very excited Smita who came home late 
that night. Anant was awake, breathing the oxygen 
from the cylinder.
‘Did you - did you hear him?’ he whispered.
‘I did,’ she replied, ‘and I spoke to him and he’ll 
come tomorrow morning with the tabla Ustad and 
they’ll play for you.’
And the following morning Aunt Sushila’s 
neighbours saw two men get out of a taxi which pulled 
up outside their block… they could not believe their 
eyes. ‘Is it… It’s not possible?’ they said.
Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Allah Rakha went 
up the wooden staircase and knocked softly on the door 
of Aunt Sushila’s apartment. They went in, sat down 
on the divan by the window and played for the boy, 
surrounding him with a great and beautiful happiness 
as life went out of him gently, very gently.
u What was Smita’s
plan ?
u Why were the
neighbours surprised ?
u Music can calm
the minds. What is
your opinion about
it. Share with your
partner.
-Shanta Rao
Page 5


The Concert
One morning in a small apartment in Bombay a 
girl of about sixteen looked up from the newspaper 
and said excitedly, ‘Pandit Ravi Shankar is playing 
tomorrow at the Shanmukhananda auditorium.’
 ‘Sh-sh,’ said her mother pointing to the figure 
sleeping on the bed. ‘You’ll wake him up. You know 
he needs all the sleep and rest he can get.’
 But the boy on the bed was not asleep. ‘Pandit 
Ravi Shankar!’ he said. ‘Pandit Ravi Shankar, the 
sitar maestro? He raised himself up on his elbows for 
one second, then fell back. But his eyes were shining. 
‘We mustn’t miss the chance,’ he said. ‘I’ve - ‘I’ve – 
always wanted to hear him and see him…’
‘Lie down son, lie down.’ His mother sprang to 
his side. ‘He actually raised himself up without help,’ 
she murmured with a catch in her throat and her eyes 
turned to the idols on a corner shelf. The prayer, which 
she uttered endlessly, came unbidden to her lips.
‘I must hear him and see him,’ the boy repeated. 
‘It’s the chance of a lifetime.’ Then he began to cough 
and gasp for breath and had to be given oxygen from 
the cylinder that stood under the bed. But his large 
eyes were fixed on his sister.
Smita bit her lip in self-reproach. She had been 
so excited at seeing the announcement, that she had 
not remembered that her brother was very ill. She had 
seen how the doctors had shaken their heads gravely 
and spoken words that neither she nor even her parents 
could understand. But somewhere deep inside Smita had 
known the frightening truth – that Anant was going to 
die. The word cancer had hung in the air – her brother 
u Why was Smita
excited ?
Note : Bombay was 
the official name of 
Mumbai until 1995.
u Why did Smita become
nervous ?
u What was the chance
of a lifetime for
Anant ?
l murmur : quietly
spoken words
l maestro : a
prominent conductor
or performer of
classical music.
Shanta Rao (1930-2007) was a notable dancer from India. She was 
exponent of Bharatnatyam and also studied Kathakali and Kuchipudi. 
She was recipient of Padmashri and Sangeet Natak Academy Award 
and Kalidas Sanman for Music, dance and drama.
This is a true story, but all the names except Pandit Ravishankar’s 
and Ustad Allah Rakha’s have been changed.
138
was dying of cancer even though she pretended that 
all would be well and they would return together, a 
small family of four, to their home in Gaganpur. And 
he was only fifteen and the best table-tennis player in 
the school and the fastest runner. He was learning to 
play the sitar ; they were both taking sitar lessons, but 
Anant was better than her as in many other things. 
He was already able to compose his own tunes to the  
astonishment of their guru. Then cancer had struck and 
they had come to Bombay so that he could be treated 
at the cancer hospital in the city.
Whenever they came to Bombay they stayed with 
Aunt Sushila. Her apartment was not big but there was 
always room for them.
They had come with high hopes in the miracles 
of modern science. They told themselves that Anant 
would be cured at the hospital and he would again 
walk and run and even take part in the forthcoming 
table-tennis tournament. And, he would play the sitar-
perhaps be a great sitarist one day. But his condition 
grew worse with each passing day and the doctors at 
the cancer hospital said, ‘Take him home. Give him the 
thing he likes, indulge him,’ and they knew then that 
the boy had not many days to live. But they did not 
voice their fears. They laughed and smiled and talked 
and surrounded Anant with whatever made him happy. 
They fulfilled his every need and gave him whatever 
he asked for. And now he was asking to go to the 
concert. ‘The chance of a lifetime,’ he was saying.
‘When you are better,’ his mother said. ‘This is 
not the last time they are going to play.’
Smita stood at the window looking at the traffic, 
her eyes wet with tears. Her mother whispered, ‘But 
you Smita, you must go. Your father will take you.’ 
When she was alone with Aunt Sushila, Smita 
cried out in a choked voice, ‘No, how can I? We’ve 
always done things together, Anant and I.’
‘A walk in the park might make you feel better,’ 
said Aunt Sushila and Smita was grateful for her 
suggestion. 
In the park, people were walking, running, playing 
ball, doing yogic exercises, feeding the ducks and eating 
u Why was everyone
from the family trying
to keep Anant happy ?
u Why was Smita not
ready to go for the
concert ?
l indulge : to allow to
enjoy the pleasure of
something
139
roasted gram and peanuts, Smita felt alone in their 
midst. She was lost in her thoughts.
Suddenly a daring thought came to her and as she 
hurried home she said to herself. ‘Why not? There’s no 
harm in trying it.’
‘It would be nice to go to the concert. I don’t know 
when we’ll get another opportunity to hear Pandit Ravi 
Shankar,’ she said to her mother later. And her father 
agreed to get the tickets.
The next day as Smita and her father were leaving 
for the concert, her brother smiled and said, ‘Enjoy 
yourself,’ though the words came out in painful gasps. 
‘Lucky you!’
Sitting besides her father in the gallery, Smita heard 
as in a dream the thundering welcome the audience 
gave the great master. Then the first notes came over 
the air and Smita felt as if the gates of a land of 
enchantment and wonder were opening. Spellbound, 
she listened to the unfolding ragas, the slow plaintive 
notes, the fast twinkling ones, but all the while the 
plan she had decided on the evening before remained 
firmly in her mind. ‘The chance of a lifetime.’ She 
heard Anant’s voice in every beat of the tabla.
The concert came to an end, the audience gave the 
artistes a standing ovation.
A large moustachioed man having a long moustache, 
made a long boring speech. Then came the presentation 
of bouquets. Then more applause and the curtain came 
down. The people began to move towards the exits.
Now was the time. Smita wriggled her way through 
the crowds towards the stage. Then she went up the 
steps that led to the wings, her heart beating loudly. 
In the wings a small crowd had gathered to talk about 
the evening concert, to help carry bouquets and teacups 
and instruments.
He was there, standing with the man who played 
the tabla for him, the great wizard of music, Ustad 
Allah Rakha. Her knees felt weak, her tongue dry. 
But she went up and standing before them, her hands 
folded, ‘Oh sir,’ she burst out. 
‘Yes?’ he asked questioningly but kindly. And her 
story came pouring out, the story of her brother who
u How did Smita enjoy
the concert ?
Discuss and Share:
u Have you ever
attended any concert ?
How was your
experience there ?
l plaintive : sad
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lay sick at home and of how he longed to hear him 
and the Ustad play.
‘Will you come to Aunt Sushila’s house and play 
for him?’ she asked at the end breathlessly. ‘Please,’ 
she begged, ‘Please come.’
‘Little girl,’ said the moustachioed man who had 
made the long speech. ‘Panditji is a busy man. You 
must not bother him with such requests.’
But Pandit Ravi Shankar smiled and motioned him 
to be quiet. He turned to Ustad Sahib and said, ‘What 
shall we do, Ustad Sahib?’
The Ustad moved the wad of paan from one cheek 
to another. ‘Tomorrow morning we perform for the boy 
- Yes?’ he said.
‘Yes,’ Panditji replied. ‘It’s settled then.’
It was a very excited Smita who came home late 
that night. Anant was awake, breathing the oxygen 
from the cylinder.
‘Did you - did you hear him?’ he whispered.
‘I did,’ she replied, ‘and I spoke to him and he’ll 
come tomorrow morning with the tabla Ustad and 
they’ll play for you.’
And the following morning Aunt Sushila’s 
neighbours saw two men get out of a taxi which pulled 
up outside their block… they could not believe their 
eyes. ‘Is it… It’s not possible?’ they said.
Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Allah Rakha went 
up the wooden staircase and knocked softly on the door 
of Aunt Sushila’s apartment. They went in, sat down 
on the divan by the window and played for the boy, 
surrounding him with a great and beautiful happiness 
as life went out of him gently, very gently.
u What was Smita’s
plan ?
u Why were the
neighbours surprised ?
u Music can calm
the minds. What is
your opinion about
it. Share with your
partner.
-Shanta Rao
1. Who said to whom ?
(a) “We mustn’t miss the chance.”
(b) “This is not the last time they are going to play.”
(c) “A walk in the park might make you feel better.”
(d) “Tomorrow morning we perform for the boy - Yes ?”
2. Read the following sentences and write which emotions are revealed from these
sentences.
(a) Pandit Ravi Shankar is playing tomorrow at Shanmukhananda auditorium.
(b) It’s the chance of a lifetime.
(c) Will you come to Aunt Sushila’s house and play for him ?
(d) Did you...did you hear him ?
(e) Is it...It’s not possible ?
3. Read the text carefully, you will find some words describing a particular speciality of
the individuals/personalities in the text. Explain the meaning of the following words
given in the table with reference to the particular personality mentioned in the text.
Speciality Personality Explanation
Maestro
Pandit
Ustad
Moustachioed
Ravi Shankar
a person having a large or 
bushy moustache. 
4. Describe the condition of Smita when she was going towards the stage. Read the text
again and complete the boxes given below. One is done for you.
ENGLISH WORKSHOP 
Smita’s
condition
Her heart was 
beating loudly.
5. The whole story revolves around Anant. Write a short paragraph on Anant. Take help
of the following points to develop the paragraph.
1. Health 2. Disease 3. Early interests
4. Intense desire/wish 5. Fulfillment of desire/wish.
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