Maharashtra Board Class 10 English Kumarbharti Unit Three Chapter 3.6 The Concert PDF Download

The Concert

Warming Up!

Pair up with your partner and ask and answer the following questions.

(a) Do you like music?

(b) What does a concert mean?

(c) Have you ever attended any live concert?

(d) Have you seen a concert on Television?

(e) Whose concert would you love to attend?

Look at the web diagram given below and study the traits of a good concert.

10 Essential Leadership Qualities Of A Concert

Professionalism

Patience

Respectfulness

An Open Mind

Big Picture View

Ability To Entrust Responsibility To The Right Person

Strong And Effective Communication

Decisiveness

Self-Awareness

Motivator

Teacher's Note

A concert is a live music show where people gather to enjoy music together. Just like when your school organizes a music competition, a concert is a bigger event where famous musicians play for many people.

Exam Trick

Remember: A good concert leader needs 10 qualities like professionalism and communication. Think of your class monitor - they need to be professional and communicate well too!

Points to Remember

A concert is a live music performance in front of an audience.
Good concert leaders must be professional and patient.
Communication and decisiveness are very important qualities.
A concert leader should be able to motivate people around them.
Open mind and respect help make a good concert.

The Concert

Story Beginning

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 Ravi Shankar's and Ustad Allah Rakha's have been changed.

One morning in a small apartment in Bombay a girl of about sixteen looked up from the newspaper and said excitedly, "Pandit Ravi Shankar's 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

murmur: quietly spoken words

Teacher's Note

This story shows how family members care for each other. In India, families often gather together during difficult times, just like Anant's family came to Bombay to help him.

Exam Trick

Remember: Smita was excited about the concert but sad about her brother. This shows she has two opposite feelings at the same time. Look for words like "self-reproach" to understand feelings.

Points to Remember

Smita found news about Pandit Ravi Shankar's concert in the newspaper.
Anant was very sick with cancer and could not move much.
Anant wanted to hear the concert more than anything in the world.
Smita felt sad because she forgot her brother was very ill.
The family came to Bombay so Anant could get treatment at the hospital.

The Story Continues

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

indulge: to allow to enjoy the pleasure of something

Teacher's Note

Smita's family shows us that when someone we love is sick, we should make them happy. This is how Indian families show their love and care for each other.

Exam Trick

Remember: The doctors said "indulge him" which means let him do what makes him happy. This is a key word that tells us Anant's condition was very serious.

Points to Remember

Anant was a talented boy who was good at sports and music.
The family knew Anant was dying but did not tell him directly.
Anant's parents tried to give him everything he wanted.
Smita felt guilty because she had fun while her brother was sick.
Aunt Sushila was kind and tried to help Smita feel better.

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