Class 6 English · Unit 5

Ila Sachani: Embroidering Dreams with her Feet

NCERT Poorvi · Unit 5: Culture and Tradition. Answers to all the textbook questions and activities, in simple words.

Let us do these activities before we read

IDiscuss Pranav M. Balasubramaniam’s story.

1. Do you think Pranav’s task is simple? Why or why not?

No. Painting and playing sports without hands is very difficult. He has to do everything with his feet.

2. How does Pranav’s special ability make you feel?

It makes me feel inspired and proud.

3. What qualities were important for Pranav to become successful?

Determination, hard work, patience and self-confidence.

4. What message does Pranav’s story give us?

Nothing is impossible if we work hard and never give up.

IILook at the picture of Kathiawar embroidery.

1. List the steps needed to create this embroidery.

Choose the cloth, draw the design, thread the needle, stitch the design with coloured threads and fix small mirrors.

2. Can these steps be done with feet instead of hands?

Yes, but it needs a lot of practice.

3. What efforts would be needed to embroider with feet? Is it possible?

One needs great patience, practice and control over the toes. Yes, it is possible. Ila Sachani has done it.

Let us discuss

★Write the main idea of each paragraph and two supporting details.

Paragraph	Main idea	Two supporting details
1	Introduction to Ila Sachani’s colourful embroidery	(i) Examples of embroidered things (ii) Ila’s use of shiny needle
2	Early challenges and family support	(i) Born in a farmer’s family in Amreli with her hands hanging loose (ii) Could not draw or play like other children
3	Learning embroidery with her feet	(i) Mother and grandmother taught her Kathiawar embroidery (ii) Parents helped her eat and comb her hair with her legs
4	Becoming an expert	(i) Did not give up threading the needle; her brother and sister helped (ii) Learnt Kachhi, Kashmiri and Lucknawi styles
5	Embroidery as a way to express herself	(i) Family and friends were awestruck by her designs (ii) People in the village discovered her skill
6	Recognition at a state exhibition	(i) The government office in Surat displayed her work (ii) People bought her creations and she became famous
7	National fame and awards	(i) Took part in national-level exhibitions (ii) Received many awards, including the President’s Medal
8–9	New independence and the power of art	(i) Financial independence and joy (ii) Challenges can be turned into victories

Let us think and reflect

IUnlike other children, she could not use her hands… draw figures on a slate.

1. ‘Unlike other children’ means that Ila was ______.

Answer: different

2. What could Ila have felt when she could not join others?

She could have felt sad, lonely and left out.

3. Complete with a suitable reason.

Ila could not draw figures on the slate because she could not use her hands.

IIWhat creative ways did Ila and her family use to overcome the challenges she faced?

Her mother and grandmother taught her embroidery with her feet. Her parents taught her to eat and comb her hair with her legs. Her younger brother and sister also helped her.

IIIHow did ‘new independence’ help Ila?

She began to earn a regular income. She did not depend on others, and she found joy in doing what she loved.

IVWhy was the first state exhibition an important event in Ila’s life?

It opened new doors for her. People saw her work and bought her creations. She was no longer a hidden talent but became famous.

VWhat does the sentence, ‘art has the power to rise above physical boundaries and touch the soul’, tell us?

Art does not depend on the body. It comes from the heart, and it touches the hearts of everyone who sees it.

VIHow can we be helpful and encouraging when someone faces challenges?

We can help them patiently and praise their efforts. We should never make fun of them and should always encourage them.

VIIHow can Ila’s story help others to overcome challenges in their lives?

Her story shows that challenges can be turned into victories with focus, hard work, positivity and never giving up.

Let us learn

IMatch the words with their synonyms.

Column A (word)	Column C (synonym)
tiny	small
wonderful	fantastic
quiet	silent
task	work
tough	difficult

Extra synonyms: happy, dangerous.

IIUnscramble the antonyms and use them in sentences.

1. tiny – HUGE — An elephant is a huge animal.
2. wonderful – TERRIBLE — We had a terrible storm last night.
3. quiet – NOISY — The market is very noisy.
4. task – PASTIME — Reading is my favourite pastime.
5. tough – EASY — The Maths test was easy.

III.1The highlighted words tell us about the quantity. What do they show?

Answer: (ii) Large quantity

III.2Fill in the blanks with words of quantity.

(i) We saw many buses on the road.
(ii) How much milk do you want?
(iii) There is a little milk needed.
(iv) I need a few examples.
(v) I have some energy left. / She picked some flowers.
(vi) I ate lots of rice.

‘Many’ and ‘a few’ go with countable nouns. ‘Much’ and ‘a little’ go with uncountable nouns. ‘Some’ and ‘lots of’ go with both.

Let us listen

♫Circle the correct option about Kathiawar embroidery.

1. Form: old
2. Colours: bright
3. Stitches: chain stitch
4. Seen on: children’s caps
5. Things used: small mirrors
6. Designs: squares and triangles

Let us speak

★Write two questions you would like to ask Ila Sachani.

Who taught you embroidery with your feet?
Do you enjoy teaching embroidery to others?

Yes/No questions (like the second one) use a rising tone at the end.

Let us write

✎Create an artwork with waste items and describe it.

My Leaf and Straw Peacock

I made a peacock using dry leaves, straws, an old card and some flowers. First, I cut the body of the peacock from the old card. Then, I stuck green leaves around it to make its feathers. I used pieces of straw for its legs and a small flower for its crown. My artwork looks bright and colourful. It shows that waste things can be turned into beautiful art.

Let us explore

★Find out about embroidery in your family and in different parts of India.

Some famous embroidery styles of India are Chikankari (Lucknow), Phulkari (Punjab), Kantha (West Bengal), Kashida (Kashmir) and Kutch embroidery (Gujarat).

Try a simple stitch on cloth with the help of a family member.

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