The Ghat of the Only world class 11 chapter 6 English Snapshots summary
The Ghat of the only world class 11 summary
On 2001, for the first time Agha shahid Ali spoke to Amitav Gosh about his impending death although he had been getting treatment for cancer. for about fourteen months. Amitav had telephoned to remind. him of a friend’s invitation to lunch. he was to pick shahid up from his apartment. Despite treatment, he seemed healthy except for irregular momentary failures of memory, that day the writer heard him going through his engagement book when suddenly he said that he could not see anything. After a short silence, he added that he hoped this was not an indication of his death.
Although they had talked a great deal shahid had never before talked of death. at first, Amitav Ghosh thought. that he was joking and he tried to tell him that he would be well. but shahid went on to say that he hoped that Amitav Ghosh would write something about him, after his death.
From the window of his study Amitav Ghosh could see the building in which he had shifted just a few months back. Earlier. he had been living a few miles away, in Mahattanm, when his malignant brain tumour was detected.
He then decided to move to Brooklyn, to be close to his youngest sister, Sameetah, who taught at the Pratt Institute. shahid ignored Amitav’s reassurances. it was only when he began to laugh that he realized that shahid was very serious. he wanted to be remembered through the written word. shahid knew that for some writers things become real only in the process of writing. with them, there is an Inherent battle for dealing with loss and grief. he knew that Amitav would look for reasons to avoid writing about his death. hence he had made sure that he would write about him. therefore, Amitav noted all he remembered of his conversations with him. it was this that made it possible to write an article on him.
Amitav was Influenced by shahid’s work long before he met him. his voice was incomparable. it was highly lyrical and disciplined .it was engaged and yet deeply inward. his was a voice not ashamed to speak in a poetic style. none other than him could have written a line like’ mad heart , be brave
In 1998, Amitav quoted a line from the country without a post office in an article that had a brief mention about Kashmir. then all that he knew about shahid was that he was from Srinagar and had studied in Delhi. the writer had been at Delhi University at about the same time but they had never met. later some common friend had got him to meet shahid. In 1998 and 1999 they talked several time on the phone and even met a few times.
had a great deal in common .by this time shahid’s condition was already serious. but their friendship grew. they shared common friends and passions. because of shahid’s illness, even the most ordinary talks were sharply perceptive.
One day, the writers Suketu Mehta, who also lives in Brooklyn joined them for lunch. they decided to meet regularly. often other writers would also join them. once when a team arrived with a television camera, Shahid said. I m so shameless. I just love the camera.
Conclusion of summary
The Ghat of the only world summary shows the commitment of a man towards his friend who had exceptional admirable qualities of being loving. secular and lively.