Fill in the Blanks
Q1: Shahid moved to Pennsylvania in the year ____.
Ans: 1975
Shahid moved to Pennsylvania in the year 1975, as mentioned in the text.
Q2: Shahid's brother and two sisters joined him in Pennsylvania, and his parents continued to live in ____.
Ans: Srinagar
Shahid's family members joined him in Pennsylvania, and his parents continued to live in Srinagar.
Q3: Shahid's time at Pennsylvania state was the happiest time of his life, where he grew as a reader, a poet, and a ____.
Ans: Lover
During his time at Pennsylvania state, Shahid grew as a reader, a poet, and a lover. The text mentions this as a period of personal growth and happiness for him.
Q4: Shahid moved to Arizona to pursue a degree in ____.
Ans: Creative writing
Shahid moved to Arizona to pursue a degree in creative writing, which is highlighted in the text.
Q5: Shahid had a brief stint at New York University when he had his first ____ in February 2000.
Ans: Blackout
Shahid had his first blackout in February 2000 while he was on a brief stint at New York University, as stated in the text.
Q6: Amitav Ghosh and Shahid had several conversations on the phone during which years?
Ans: 1998 and 1999
The text mentions that Amitav Ghosh and Shahid had several phone conversations during the years 1998 and 1999.
Q7: Shahid's special passion for food included 'Kashmiri food in the Pandit Style' and ____ food.
Ans: Bengali
Shahid had a special passion for 'Kashmiri food in the Pandit Style' and Bengali food, which is mentioned in the text.
Q8: Shahid loved music by Begum Akhtar, a great ____ singer.
Ans: Ghazal
Shahid loved the music of Begum Akhtar, who was a great ghazal singer, as mentioned in the text.
Q9: Shahid had a recurrent dream that all the Pandits had vanished from the valley of Kashmir, and their ____ had become extinct.
Ans: Food
Shahid had a recurrent dream in which all the Pandits had vanished from Kashmir, and their food had become extinct. This is explained in the text.
Q10: Shahid wanted to be laid to rest in ____ town.
Ans: Amherst
Shahid wanted to be laid to rest in Amherst town, as stated in the text.
Assertion and Reason Based
Q1: Assertion: Shahid regarded his time at Pennsylvania state as the happiest time of his life.
Reason: Shahid was born in Pennsylvania and had a deep attachment to his birthplace.
(a) Both the assertion and reason are true, and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion.
(b) Both the assertion and reason are true, but the reason is not the correct explanation of the assertion.
(c) The assertion is true, but the reason is false.
(d) The assertion is false, but the reason is true.
Ans: (c)
The assertion is true, as Shahid regarded his time at Pennsylvania state as the happiest time of his life. However, the reason given is false because Shahid was not born in Pennsylvania, as per the text.
Q2: Assertion: Shahid had a special passion for the food of his region, 'Kashmiri food in the Pandit Style.'
Reason: Shahid had never been to Kashmir.
(a) Both the assertion and reason are true, and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion.
(b) Both the assertion and reason are true, but the reason is not the correct explanation of the assertion.
(c) The assertion is true, but the reason is false.
(d) The assertion is false, but the reason is true.
Ans: (b)
Both the assertion and reason are true. Shahid had a special passion for Kashmiri food, but the reason is not the correct explanation of this passion because Shahid's love for Kashmiri food is not dependent on whether he had been to Kashmir or not.
Q3: Assertion: Shahid had a sorcerer's ability to transmute the mundane into the magical.
Reason: He was a magician by profession.
(a) Both the assertion and reason are true, and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion.
(b) Both the assertion and reason are true, but the reason is not the correct explanation of the assertion.
(c) The assertion is true, but the reason is false.
(d) The assertion is false, but the reason is true.
Ans: (c)
The assertion is true, as Shahid had the ability to transform the mundane into the magical through his poetry. However, the reason is false; he was not a magician by profession.
Q4: Assertion: Shahid wanted to go back to Kashmir to die.
Reason: The doctors had advised him to return to his hometown for treatment.
(a) Both the assertion and reason are true, and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion.
(b) Both the assertion and reason are true, but the reason is not the correct explanation of the assertion.
(c) The assertion is true, but the reason is false.
(d) The assertion is false, but the reason is true.
Ans: (b)
Both the assertion and reason are true. Shahid did want to go back to Kashmir to die, but the reason provided is not the correct explanation of his desire. He wanted to return for personal reasons, not medical treatment.
Q5: Assertion: Shahid spoke to the author about his approaching death for the first time on 25 April 2001.
Reason: Shahid wanted the author to write something about him during his lifetime.
(a) Both the assertion and reason are true, and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion.
(b) Both the assertion and reason are true, but the reason is not the correct explanation of the assertion.
(c) The assertion is true, but the reason is false.
(d) The assertion is false, but the reason is true.
Ans: (b)
Both the assertion and reason are true, and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion. Shahid spoke to the author about his approaching death and wanted the author to write something about him during his lifetime, as per the text.
Very Short Answer Type Questions
Q1: What did Shahid regard as the happiest time of his life?
Ans: His time at Pennsylvania state.
Q2: What did Shahid study when he moved to Arizona?
Ans: Creative writing.
Q3: When did Shahid have his first blackout?
Ans: February 2000.
Q4: Name the ghazal singer Shahid took great pleasure in.
Ans: Begum Akhtar.
Q5: Describe Shahid's nature.
Ans: Gregarious.
Q6: Where did Shahid want to be laid to rest?
Ans: In Amherst town.
Q7: When did Shahid speak to the author about his approaching death for the first time?
Ans: 25 April 2001.
Q8: What did the doctors advise Shahid regarding his treatment?
Ans: To return to Kashmir.
Q9: When did Shahid teach his last class at Manhattan's Baruch College?
Ans: 7 May 2000.
Q10: What did Shahid have a recurrent dream about?
Ans: The Pandits vanishing from Kashmir and their food becoming extinct.
Short Answer Type Questions
Q1: Describe Shahid's life in Pennsylvania and his attachment to it.
Ans: Shahid moved to Pennsylvania in 1975, where he regarded his time as the happiest in his life. He grew as a reader, poet, and lover during this period.
Q2: Explain the significance of Shahid's recurrent dream about the Pandits and their food.
Ans: Shahid's dream about the Pandits vanishing from Kashmir and their food becoming extinct was a recurring nightmare that haunted him. It symbolized the loss and erasure of Kashmiri culture and heritage.
Q3: How did Shahid react to his approaching death, and what did he want from the author?
Ans: Shahid spoke to the author about his approaching death on 25 April 2001. He wanted the author to write something about him after his death.
Q4: Describe Shahid's last days and his final resting place.
Ans: Shahid's last days were marked by multiple unsuccessful operations, and he was contented to be laid to rest in Northampton, in Amherst town.
Short Answer Type Questions
Q1: Discuss the friendship between Amitav Ghosh and Agha Shahid Ali and its significance.
Ans: Amitav Ghosh and Agha Shahid Ali had a deep and meaningful friendship. They shared common interests in music, poetry, good conversation, and had many common friends. Despite Shahid's serious illness, their friendship remained strong. Their friendship is significant because it transcended boundaries and cultural differences.
Q2: How did Shahid transform the mundane into the magical, and why was he considered a poet of greatness?
Ans: Shahid had a sorcerer's ability to transform the mundane into the magical through his poetic talents. Even the most trivial exchanges with him had a special charge and urgency. He was considered a poet of greatness because of his exceptional poetic skills and the profound impact of his work.
Q3: Describe Shahid's love for food and his passion for cooking.
Ans: Shahid was a lover of good food, particularly the food of his region, 'Kashmiri food in the Pandit Style.' He had a special passion for this cuisine and would issue directions to the person in the kitchen regarding the ingredients to be added to rogan josh at various stages. He also loved Bengali food despite never having been to Calcutta.
Q4: What is the significance of Shahid's recurrent dream about the Pandits and their food in the context of the Kashmiri conflict?
Ans: Shahid's recurrent dream about the Pandits vanishing from Kashmir and their food becoming extinct is symbolic of the deep-rooted conflict in Kashmir. It represents the fear of cultural and ethnic erasure, which is a significant aspect of the Kashmiri conflict.
