CHAPTER: Winds of Change
REFLECT AND RESPOND (Page 69)
I. Yes, hand fans are used in many Indian families. In Hindi it is called pankha, in Tamil viசிறி (visiri), in Bengali pankha or tal patar pankha, in Kannada beesani. They are typically made of bamboo, palm leaf, cane, cloth, or paper.
II. Fan Information Table:
| Fans | Assam Fan | Kerala Fan | Uttar Pradesh Fan |
|---|---|---|---|
| The State it is from | Assam | Kerala | Uttar Pradesh |
| Shape | Round/circular | Elongated oval | Rectangular with frills |
| Made of | Bamboo/cane | Palm leaf | Moonj grass |
III. Word Meanings — Matching:
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| 1. indigenous | (iv) local — from where it originated |
| 2. innovative | (v) new and original in approach |
| 3. industrious | (i) hardworking |
| 4. intricate | (vi) elaborate/detailed |
| 5. invoked | (iii) brought out |
| 6. initiatives | (ii) actions to improve a situation |
CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING (Pages 73–74)
I. Table on Pankha:
| State | Type of Fan | Material Used |
|---|---|---|
| Rajasthan | appliqué hand fan | fabric pieces of different shapes and patterns sewn with ornamental needlework |
| Rajasthan | zardozi hand fan | gold thread (encrusted gold threadwork) |
| Rajasthan | temple hand fans | engraved brass with a long handle |
| Gujarat | mirror work hand fans | pure cotton embellished with mirror work |
| Gujarat | beads hand fan | beads, silver handle |
| Gujarat | Kutch leather hand fan | leather, decorated with thread and wool |
| West Bengal | sola hand fans | sola (milky-white spongy water grass) |
| Uttar Pradesh | Phadh hand fans | pure gold, silver zari, silk and satin frills |
| Bihar | bamboo hand fans | bamboo |
CRITICAL REFLECTION (Pages 74–76)
I. Extract-Based Questions:
Extract 1:
(i) True. The text states pankhas became significant cultural goods distributed through trade routes, confirming they were popular items of commerce.
(ii) The word “traditional” has been used to describe pankhas because they were developed over centuries within specific communities, passed down through generations, and are deeply rooted in the cultural practices, rituals, and local identity of each region. They represent an inherited craft with historical continuity rather than a newly invented product.
(iii) “They were considered exotic and stylish” is an opinion and not a fact because it expresses a subjective judgement about how people perceived pankhas — what seems exotic or stylish to one person may not seem so to another. There is no objective, measurable standard for “exotic” or “stylish,” making it a matter of personal or cultural perception rather than a verifiable fact.
(iv) One reason for commonality in the use of pankhas across India: India’s hot climate created a universal need for cooling devices. Since pankhas were the most practical and accessible tool for this before the advent of electric fans, their use naturally spread across all regions regardless of cultural differences.
(v) The correct assertion is A: Each kind of pankha could be distinguished from the other.
This correctly follows from the reason — because pankhas were made of indigenous materials unique to each region with elaborate designs, each variety was distinct and identifiable.
Extract 2:
(i) One negative impact of technological advancement on pankha: The arrival of electric fans, air conditioners, and other cooling technology has reduced the functional use of pankhas, leading to a decline in their demand and threatening the livelihoods of traditional pankha makers.
(ii) The writer refers to pankhas not just as an object but as a “culture” because the pankha represents more than a functional tool — it embodies the artistic traditions, cultural identity, historical stories, and artisanal heritage of specific regions. Its design, materials, and craftsmanship reflect the values and creativity of entire communities across centuries.
(iii) The line that depicts how the role of the pankha has changed: “Once made for personal use, over time this handicraft has transformed into a commercial business and now provides some form of livelihood to India’s artisans.”
(iv) One way the increase in demand might benefit artisans: Greater demand for pankhas means more orders and regular income for artisans, enabling them to continue their craft as a sustainable livelihood rather than abandoning it for other work.
(v) B. economic demand — It is the increase in popularity and demand, driven by different versions of the pankha being crafted, that has contributed most directly to its commercialisation.
II. Long Answer Questions:
1. The title “Winds of Change” captures the essence of the chapter on two levels. Literally, a pankha creates wind — it is a fan. Metaphorically, “winds of change” refers to the transformation the pankha has undergone — from a functional everyday object used to fan deities and kings, to a cultural handicraft and commercial commodity. The title cleverly signals both the subject (fans/wind) and the theme (change over time), suggesting that while the pankha itself stirs air, broader forces of change — technology, trade, modernisation — are reshaping its place in Indian life.
2. The statement is well supported by two examples from the chapter. First, the appliqué hand fan of Rajasthan is made of pieces of fabric sewn in intricate patterns with ornamental needlework, reflecting Rajasthan’s rich tradition of textile art and embroidery. Second, the beads hand fan of Gujarat is covered with colourful beads and has a silver handle — a craft deeply linked to Gujarat’s identity as the centre of bead craft in India. Both examples show that the design choices of each pankha are not accidental but express the specific artistic traditions and available resources of the region.
3. The balance between preserving traditional craftsmanship and incorporating innovative designs is essential for the survival of the pankha tradition. If artisans stick only to traditional methods without adapting to contemporary tastes, the craft risks becoming irrelevant and commercially unviable. On the other hand, if they abandon traditional techniques entirely for mass-produced designs, the cultural essence and uniqueness of each pankha would be lost. A thoughtful balance — using traditional materials and skills as a foundation while introducing new colour combinations, shapes, or contemporary patterns — can attract modern buyers while keeping the cultural soul of the craft alive. This approach allows the craft to evolve without losing its identity.
4. Pankha-making workshops can contribute to preservation in several important ways. They create direct awareness among participants about the craft’s history, materials, and techniques, building an audience of informed appreciators. They provide artisans with a platform to demonstrate their skills and connect with potential buyers. Workshops within and outside handicraft exhibitions expose the craft to new audiences — including younger generations and tourists — who might not otherwise encounter it. Over time, such exposure helps generate commercial interest, which sustains the financial incentive for artisans to continue practising and passing on their skills.
5. Celebrating pankhas benefits artisans and the craft in multiple ways. When pankhas are celebrated — through exhibitions, workshops, social media, and cultural events — awareness of their beauty and cultural significance grows. This translates into greater appreciation and demand, which directly benefits artisans economically. A commercial platform gives them sustainable livelihood. Beyond economics, celebration validates the artisan’s work as a cultural contribution, not merely a menial job — which dignifies the craft and motivates the next generation to learn it. Celebration also documents the craft for posterity, ensuring that even if demand fluctuates, the knowledge and stories behind each pankha are preserved.
6. The restriction of the pankha to decorative purposes reflects a significant shift in its cultural role. What was once an essential, practical daily-use object — used in temples to fan deities, in royal courts, and in ordinary homes for comfort — has been displaced by technology. However, its survival as a decorative item shows that even though its functional use has diminished, its aesthetic and cultural value has been recognised and retained. This shift suggests that modern India values the pankha more as an artistic heritage object than as a utility. It also reflects the broader tension in Indian culture between modernisation and tradition — the pankha’s decorative role is a compromise that keeps the craft alive even as its original purpose fades.
VOCABULARY AND STRUCTURES IN CONTEXT (Pages 76–79)
I. Classification of Word Pairs:
| Appearance | Place | Material |
|---|---|---|
| exotic and stylish | within and outside | thread and wool |
| ornate and encrusted | villages and towns | silk and brass |
More word pairs from the text: bamboo and cane, shapes and patterns, culture and tradition, demand and supply, beauty and importance
II. Fixed Expressions Table:
| Word 1 | and | Word 2 | Fixed Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. high | and | tear | high and dry | (i) in a difficult situation, without help or money |
| 2. cut | and | fast | cut and run | (vii) to make a quick or sudden escape |
| 3. fact | and | figures | facts and figures | (iii) accurate and detailed information |
| 4. all | and | sundry | all and sundry | (v) everyone, not just a few special people |
| 5. wear | and | tear | wear and tear | (ii) the damage to an object due to normal use |
| 6. time | and | again | time and again | (vi) often; on many or all occasions |
| 7. thick | and | thin | thick and thin | (iv) even when there are problems or difficulties |
| 8. hard | and | dry | hard and dry | (Note: “high and dry” is the standard expression for meaning (i); this pair may be “cut and dried” — to mean something settled/definite) |
Matching Meanings:
(i) in a difficult situation, without help or money — high and dry
(ii) the damage to object due to normal use — wear and tear
(iii) accurate and detailed information — facts and figures
(iv) even when there are problems or difficulties — thick and thin
(v) everyone, not just a few special people — all and sundry
(vi) often; on many or all occasions — time and again
(vii) to make a quick or sudden escape — cut and run
III. Collocations:
(i) The students have to take the English exam tomorrow.
(ii) The interviewer asked the candidate to take a seat.
(iii) My scooter ran into a car.
(iv) I must take responsibility for my success.
(v) I would like to improve my grammar.
IV. Present Perfect Tense — Paragraph Fill:
(i) have created
(ii) have mastered
(iii) has evolved
(iv) have passed
(v) have performed
LISTEN AND RESPOND (Page 79)
(Based on transcript on page 263)
I. Four true statements:
3. Rohan believes Grandma enjoys sitting in the verandah during the evenings. ✓
4. Priya knows Grandma likes to keep special items close to her. ✓
6. Priya suggests choosing between a bamboo pankha with beadwork or an embroidered pankha with mirror work. ✓
2. Priya suggests getting a pankha that can be easily moved around. ✓
(Statements 1, 5, and 7 are false.)
SPEAKING ACTIVITY (Page 80)
Sample Monologue — Hand Fan:
“Hello! I am a traditional hand fan — a pankha made of bamboo and colourful cloth with intricate embroidery. I am flat and circular in shape, with a long wooden handle that fits comfortably in the palm. I love that I am completely eco-friendly and require no electricity to function — I am powered only by the gentle movement of a human hand. My weakness, I must admit, is that I cannot cool a large room the way an electric fan can, and I require effort to use. But what makes me truly unique is my story — every stitch of my embroidery carries the skill of a craftsperson who spent hours creating me. I am not just a fan — I am a piece of living art, a fragment of India’s cultural heritage. No ceiling fan or handheld electric device can claim that.”
WRITING TASK — Factual Description (Page 80)
Sample Description of a Craft Artefact (Clay Diya):
The object I made in craft class is a small clay diya, a traditional Indian oil lamp. It is roughly circular in shape, approximately five centimetres in diameter, with a shallow depression in the centre and a small curved spout on one side where the cotton wick is placed. The surface is smooth on the inside and slightly textured on the outside where thumb impressions remain from the shaping process. The colour is a warm terracotta orange-brown, which deepens to a darker rust shade around the rim where it was fired.
The diya is made from natural clay mixed with water and shaped by hand on a flat surface. After forming, it was left to dry in the sun for two days before being fired in a small kiln. No glaze or chemical coating was applied — the natural colour of the fired clay forms its final appearance. The total height is approximately two centimetres.
The finished diya can hold approximately three millilitres of oil and a cotton wick of four centimetres length. It is placed on a flat, non-flammable surface during use. The shape, size, and material are identical to traditional diyas used across India during festivals, religious ceremonies, and daily prayers.
LEARNING BEYOND THE TEXT — The Last Leaf by O. Henry (Pages 82–85)
Summary for classroom discussion:
The Last Leaf is a deeply moving story about the redemptive power of art and selfless love. Johnsy, a young artist suffering from pneumonia, has given up the will to live and ties her fate to the falling leaves of an ivy vine. When the last leaf falls, she believes she will die. Her friend Sue tries desperately to revive her spirit. Behrman, an old painter who has never fulfilled his dream of painting a masterpiece, secretly goes out into a stormy night and paints a realistic ivy leaf on the wall — replacing the last fallen leaf. The leaf remains through storms, giving Johnsy hope and the will to live. She recovers. Behrman, however, contracts pneumonia on that stormy night and dies. The painted leaf was his masterpiece — created not for fame but to save a life.
Key themes:
- The life-giving power of art
- Selfless sacrifice and compassion
- The role of hope and will in recovery
- The irony that the greatest art is often born from the greatest personal cost
POEM: Canvas of Soil by Maya Anthony
REFLECT AND RESPOND (Page 86–87)
I. What we see in a garden:
Flowers, trees, grass, leaves, butterflies, birds, insects, soil, paths, pots, fences, water features, fruit, vegetables, weeds. Colours seen: red and pink (roses, bougainvillea), yellow (marigolds, sunflowers), green (grass, leaves), purple (lavender, jacaranda), white (jasmine, lilies), blue (morning glory).
II. Similarities between garden and painting:
- Just as a garden is composed of different colours and shades arranged together, similarly, a painting uses varied pigments and hues placed side by side to create a unified image.
- A garden and a painting both require creative vision, skilled hands, and careful attention to composition and colour.
- Colour is common to both a garden and a painting.
- Like a garden, a painting too creates beauty by combining contrasting elements harmoniously.
III. Palette, Canvas, and Hue in the painting:
- Palette — the range of colours the painter has used (visible in the colour chart/swatches beside the paintings)
- Canvas — the painting itself, the surface on which the image is created
- Hue — a specific shade visible in the painting, such as the vivid green of trees or the crimson of flowers
CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING (Pages 87–88)
I. Stanza Summaries:
- The earth/soil is portrayed as a rich palette where gardeners’ dreams flourish in the form of seeds, awaiting spring.
- The garden flowers bloom into a beautiful display of different b_l_o_s_s_o_ms, resembling a painting/artwork by Mother Nature, in the light of morning.
- Each garden is likened to a wide ca_n_v_a_s, integrating art and life. Through the efforts of gardeners, gardens transform into still-life paintings.
II. Appropriate Titles for Each Stanza:
- Stanza 1: 4. Earth and Possibilities
- Stanza 2: 1. Nature’s Work of Art
- Stanza 3: 3. Gardens as Living Canvases
(Extra titles not used: 2. Sweet-smelling Blossoms and 5. The Painter’s Canvas)
III. Poetic Devices — Matching:
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| 1. Imagery | (iv) colours, brushstrokes, blossoms, shades of green |
| 2. Metaphor | (vi) garden as a painting, plot as canvas, seeds as brushstrokes |
| 3. Rhyme Scheme | (ii) AABB |
| 4. Tone | (i) appreciative |
| 5. Mood | (vii) joyful |
| 6. Speaker | (v) a gardener |
| 7. Alliteration | (iii) ‘Blossoms bloom’ |
CRITICAL REFLECTION (Pages 89–91)
I. Extract-Based Questions:
Extract 1:
(i) B. “She has a heart of gold.”
This is a metaphor because it directly equates the heart to gold (a precious metal representing goodness) without using “like” or “as.” Option A uses normal description, C uses a simile-like comparison with “dance,” and D is a straightforward statement.
(ii) The phrase “planted true” is significant because it implies that the seeds are sown with purpose, care, and sincerity — planted in the right way, at the right time, in the right place — suggesting that the gardener’s effort is deliberate and hopeful, much like an artist making intentional brushstrokes on a canvas.
(iii) The poet has used the word “hue” instead of “colours” because “hue” is a more precise, artistic term associated with painting and visual art — it refers to a specific shade or tone of a colour. Using “hue” instead of “colours” strengthens the central metaphor of the poem (the garden as a painting) and gives the poem a more lyrical, elevated quality. It also rhymes better with “true” in the previous line.
(iv) Summer: hot :: Spring : vibrant
(v) B. Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
Gardeners do wait for spring — because spring is the season of growth, renewal, and blooming, when the seeds planted in soil begin to flourish (A is true). Gardens are also worth painting in spring due to their colourful beauty (R is also true). However, gardeners wait for spring primarily because it is the growing season, not primarily because gardens look paintworthy — so R is not the correct explanation of A.
Extract 2:
(i) “Each plot” refers to each individual section or patch of land in a garden — a specific area of soil designated for growing plants. By extension, it also metaphorically suggests any creative space or individual human effort.
(ii) A. beautiful and clear / laughter and cheer
The rhyme scheme of the extract is AA (wide/coincide — both end lines rhyme with each other). Option A has “clear” and “cheer” rhyming, matching the AA pattern. Option B has “clear” and “tears” which do not rhyme.
(iii) The line that conveys that gardening blends aesthetic beauty with natural growth: “Where art and life coincide.”
This line directly states that art (aesthetic/creative activity) and life (natural growth, living processes) meet and overlap in the garden.
(iv) The plot is likened to a canvas suggesting that the garden is a space where creativity and nature work together — just as an artist has a canvas on which to express their vision, a gardener has a plot of earth on which to shape and grow something beautiful. The garden, like a canvas, is a blank space transformed into something meaningful through skilled, purposeful effort.
(v) The poet has most likely used “wide” instead of “long” because “wide” suggests breadth, openness, and expansiveness — a canvas that stretches out before the viewer like a panorama, inviting the eye to take in all its colours at once. “Wide” also suggests possibility and creative freedom. “Long,” on the other hand, would suggest a narrow, linear dimension that doesn’t capture the full, open quality of a garden spread before one. “Wide” also rhymes more naturally with the lyrical flow of the poem.
II. Reasons for Comparisons:
- A painter is compared to a gardener because both use their creative vision, skills, and tools to transform a blank surface (canvas/soil) into something beautiful — both are artists who work with colour, composition, and patience to produce a meaningful, pleasing result.
- A palette is like earth as both serve as the source and mixing ground for colour — a painter draws from and blends colours on a palette, just as a gardener draws from the earth to produce a variety of colours in the form of different flowers and plants.
- The brushstrokes are like seeds because just as a painter makes deliberate, purposeful strokes to create an image, a gardener plants seeds with intention and care — each seed, like each brushstroke, is a small act of creation that will contribute to the final beautiful whole.
- A canvas is similar to a garden plot as both are the surface or space upon which creation takes place — both are wide, open, and waiting to be transformed by the hand of a creator (painter or gardener) into a work of beauty and meaning.
III. Long Answer Questions:
1. The metaphor “Brushstrokes of seeds” elevates gardening from a mere agricultural activity to an art form. By comparing the act of planting seeds to an artist making brushstrokes, the poet suggests that gardening requires the same intentionality, precision, and creative vision as painting. Each seed placed in the soil is like a deliberate mark on a canvas — placed with care, with a mental image of the final result in mind. This metaphor invites the reader to see gardeners not merely as labourers but as artists who use the earth as their medium, which deepens our appreciation for the skill, patience, and creativity that gardening requires.
2. From the lines “Each plot, a canvas wide / Where art and life coincide,” we can infer that the poet sees nature and creativity as fundamentally inseparable. The poet believes that creativity does not exist in isolation from the natural world — rather, nature itself is a form of art, and human artistic activity is most meaningful when it aligns with natural processes. The garden, where living plants grow and change with the seasons, is also a place of artistic expression. This perspective suggests the poet holds a deeply harmonious view of the relationship between human creativity and the natural world — neither is complete without the other.
3. Yes, the imagery in the poem successfully paints a vivid picture in the reader’s mind. The poem uses visual imagery throughout — “Shades of green, red, and blue,” “Blossoms bloom, a painted sight,” “Brushstrokes of seeds” — to create a rich sensory picture of a blooming garden. The comparison of the garden to a painting is consistently maintained, which helps the reader visualise the colours, shapes, and textures of plants as if they were elements of an artwork. The imagery is concrete enough to be clearly pictured yet poetic enough to carry deeper meaning, making it both evocative and effective.
4. The poet mentions shades of green, red, and blue, but the addition of yellow would have significantly strengthened the visual imagery. Yellow is one of the most vibrant and commonly seen colours in a garden — sunflowers, marigolds, daffodils, mustard flowers, and autumn leaves all display striking shades of yellow. As a warm, bright colour, yellow would have added another dimension of contrast to the “shades of green, red, and blue” mentioned, making the palette feel more complete and realistic. Yellow is also the colour of sunlight and warmth, which would have reinforced the poem’s joyful, celebratory mood and enhanced the metaphor of the garden as a painting full of complementary and contrasting colours.
5. The line “Gardens become paintings still” suggests that the poet sees nature’s beauty as timeless and enduring. The word “still” carries a double meaning — it means “even now” (gardens continue to be paintings) and also “motionless” (like a still-life painting that captures a moment forever). The poet implies that the beauty created by gardeners does not fade or become irrelevant — it transcends time, much like a great work of art. Gardens, through the changing seasons and years, continue to offer the same profound visual experience. This reflects the poet’s view that nature’s beauty is not temporary but eternal, always renewing itself and always worth appreciating.
6. The title “Canvas of Soil” is perfectly apt and richly meaningful. The word “canvas” refers both to the surface on which a painting is made and to the painting itself. By replacing the artist’s canvas with “soil,” the poet makes the central argument of the poem explicit: the earth itself is the artist’s canvas. The title suggests that gardening is a form of painting — the soil is the medium, seeds are the brushstrokes, and the blooming garden is the artwork. The title also carries an earthy, grounded quality — “soil” is humble and real, reminding us that this art form is not found in galleries but under open skies, accessible to all. The combination of the elevated “canvas” and the fundamental “soil” captures both the artistic dignity and the natural simplicity that the poem celebrates throughout.
VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT (Pages 92–93)
I. Colour Associations:
Shades of Red:
- Crimson — red roses, lips, blood
- Scarlet — poppies, fire engines
- Vermilion — sindoor, sunsets
- Salmon — certain flowers, fresh fish flesh
- Rusty red — old iron, autumn leaves
- Blood red — pomegranate seeds, certain tulips
Shades of Green:
- Pine green — conifer trees, dark forests
- Jade — jade stones, deep still water
- Olive — unripe olives, military uniforms
- Apple green — fresh leaves, Granny Smith apples
- Pistachio — pistachio nuts, light spring leaves
- India green — the colour on India’s national flag
Shades of Blue:
- Navy blue — school uniforms, deep ocean
- Cobalt blue — pottery glaze, clear midday sky
- Indigo — denim fabric, the night sky
- Sky blue — clear daytime sky, forget-me-not flowers
- Ice blue — glaciers, frozen ponds
Two things associated with each colour (sample):
- Crimson: red roses, autumn maple leaves
- Pine green: tall forest trees, pine needles
- Navy blue: school uniforms, deep sea water
II. Painting-Related Words — Meanings:
- Easels — I think easels means a wooden frame or stand that holds a canvas upright while an artist paints, because the passage talks about painters approaching their easels and framing a canvas to work on.
- Tonal range — I think tonal range means the variety of light and dark shades of colour available in a painting, because the passage talks about the teacher encouraging students to experiment with different shades and hues to bring their paintings to life.
- Underpainting — I think underpainting means a first layer of paint applied to a canvas before the final colours are added, because the passage talks about the student first doing careful underpainting and then filling in the final colours.
- Mural — I think mural means a large painting done directly on a wall, because the passage describes a student working on a painting that depicted a Spring Day on the right wall of the classroom.
LISTEN AND RESPOND (Pages 93–94)
(Based on transcript on page 264)
I. She does NOT talk about: 2 (the water hose/watering system — she does not describe it)
II.
| # | Statement | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The colour of flowers in the first row | white |
| 2 | The type of flowers in the second row | marigold |
| 3 | Position of the useful plants | left and right corners |
| 4 | The number of potted evergreen plants | 20 |
| 5 | The paint colour on the bricks bordering the garden | white and red |
| 6 | Type of tree in the centre of the garden | peepal |
| 7 | Things created with waste material | bird houses |
SPEAKING ACTIVITY (Page 94)
I. Advantages of Flower Garden vs Vegetable Garden:
| Flower Garden | Vegetable Garden |
|---|---|
| Beautifies the home | Provides fresh food for the family |
| Attracts butterflies and bees | Saves money on groceries |
| Improves mental well-being | Teaches children about food and nutrition |
| Can be gifted to others | Reduces dependence on market produce |
| Requires relatively simple maintenance | Gives a sense of achievement and productivity |
II. Sample Preference Dialogue:
“I prefer a vegetable garden to a flower garden because it serves a practical purpose alongside being enjoyable to maintain. For me, it is a more productive choice instead of a purely aesthetic one due to the fact that every week I can harvest tomatoes, spinach, or herbs for my family’s kitchen. If I had a choice I’d rather have a vegetable garden than a flower garden as it connects me to the source of my food and makes me more aware of sustainable living. I would prefer growing my own vegetables rather than buying them from the market since home-grown produce is fresher, chemical-free, and far more satisfying.”
WRITING TASK — Descriptive Garden Writing (Page 94)
Sample Descriptive Paragraph:
The garden I visited most recently was the rose garden in our school campus during the spring season. The moment one steps inside, the eye is drawn immediately to a sweeping bed of red roses — deep crimson blooms interspersed with softer scarlet ones — that run along the entire southern wall. Against this warm intensity, the bordering shrubs of varying greens create a visual relief: the dark pine green of the neem hedges on one side contrasts sharply with the lighter, almost lime green of the newly sprouted grass underfoot.
Moving deeper into the garden, the eye encounters the blue of a small cluster of morning glory creeping over a trellis. These ice-blue flowers, almost translucent in the morning light, seem to vibrate against the rust-red of the brick pathway beside them. The textures here are as varied as the colours — the velvet softness of a rose petal against the leathery roughness of a cactus pad nearby, the silky sheen of new leaves versus the dry crinkle of older ones at the base of plants.
In the late afternoon, when the sun falls at an angle, the entire garden transforms. The reds deepen to blood-red, the greens take on golden undertones, and even the white jasmine blossoms seem to glow faintly amber. One realises that a garden’s colours are never fixed — they shift with light, hour, and season, making every visit feel like viewing a new painting hung in the same familiar frame.
LEARNING BEYOND THE TEXT — A Sea of Foliage Girds Our Garden Round by Toru Dutt (Page 96)
Notes for classroom discussion:
This sonnet by Toru Dutt is a masterpiece of Indian English poetry. The poet describes her garden in vivid, sensory detail — the tamarinds, mango clumps, palms, seemul trees with their red flowers, bamboo groves, and the white lotus reflected in moonlight. The poem moves from the visual richness of daytime colours to the magical beauty of moonlit bamboo and the lotus transforming into “a cup of silver.” The final lines suggest that the garden at such a moment resembles Eden — a paradise so beautiful it could cause one to swoon or stand in speechless amazement.
Connections to “Canvas of Soil”:
Both poems treat the garden as a space of extraordinary beauty. While “Canvas of Soil” uses the metaphor of painting to celebrate the garden, Toru Dutt uses rich visual imagery and a sonnet form to paint the garden with words. Both poems suggest that the natural world is itself a form of art — and both invite us to look more carefully at the beauty around us.