Notes Making Document: Ch-1 The Portrait of a Lady

Introduction:
The chapter "The Portrait of a Lady" is a short story written by Khushwant Singh. It is a tale of a young girl, named Anees Jung, who is fascinated by a portrait of her grandmother. The story revolves around her curiosity to know more about her grandmother's life and the mystery behind the portrait.

Important Characters:
1. Anees Jung: The protagonist of the story who is curious to know more about her grandmother's life.
2. Anees's Grandmother: The subject of the portrait and Anees's source of inspiration.
3. Anees's Mother: She is not interested in talking about her mother's past and tries to avoid the topic.

Plot Summary:
The story begins with Anees Jung admiring a portrait of her grandmother which is hanging on the wall of her house. Her curiosity to know more about her grandmother's life grows as she tries to gather information from her mother. However, her mother avoids the topic and tells her to focus on her studies instead.

Anees then visits her grandfather's house where she finds an old trunk containing her grandmother's letters and diaries. She reads through the letters and diaries and learns about her grandmother's life and the hardships she faced.

She discovers that her grandmother was a strong and independent woman who was forced to live a life of misery due to societal and family pressures. Anees is inspired by her grandmother's courage and decides to follow in her footsteps.

Conclusion:
"The Portrait of a Lady" is a thought-provoking and inspiring story that highlights the importance of family, societal pressures, and the struggles faced by women in the past. The story is a reminder that we should always strive to learn from our elders and draw inspiration from their experiences.