Summary: “The Portrait of a Lady” by Khushwant Singh
“The Portrait of a Lady” is Khushwant Singh’s moving tribute to his grandmother, tracing the evolution of their bond across three distinct phases.
In the village, they were inseparable companions. She prepared him for school, accompanied him to the temple, and together they fed village dogs. This peaceful routine changed when they moved to the city to live with his parents. As the author joined an English medium school, their physical and ideological distance grew; she disapproved of his Western education and music lessons. The final rift occurred when he went to university and received his own room, prompting her to withdraw into silent prayer and feeding sparrows.
Even after his five-year study abroad, she welcomed him back, celebrating with neighborhood women. The next day, she fell ill and passed away peacefully while praying. In a poignant conclusion, thousands of sparrows gathered around her body in silent mourning, refusing to eat any bread.