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Read the story carefully, then answer the questions below.
Mrs Kulkarni had one sheet of paper and forty-two doors.
She was seventy-one and lived on the second floor of Sai Residency, a housing society in Mumbai. For two months, the society office had held back the wages of Sunita, who swept the stairs and washed the compound at six every morning. The committee said funds were short.
Sunita did not complain. Mrs Kulkarni had noticed that she no longer stopped for tea.
So she wrote one line at the top of the sheet. Please pay Sunita's wages. Then she put on her chappals and went to knock.
At 101, Mr Rane said, "Let the committee decide."
At 203, a young woman said she did not want any trouble.
At 304, nobody opened at all, though the television was on.
By the fourth floor, her knees were hurting. The paper in her hand felt very light, and very silly. One name on it. Her own.
At 402, she almost walked past. She had barely spoken to Priya in five years.
But Priya opened the door, read the line, and held out her hand for the pen. Her hand shook a little as she signed. Then she looked at the sheet and said, "Give me the other wing. I'll take it."
By evening, there were forty-two names.
They were written in Marathi, English and Gujarati. Some were neat. Some leaned sideways. One was only an initial and a long line.
The next morning, someone pinned the sheet to the notice board, beside the schedule for the garba nights.
At six o'clock, Sunita came with her broom. She stopped.
She could not read much English. But she knew the names. She began at the top and read them with one finger, slowly. She read Kulkarni. She read Priya. Near the bottom, she found round and careful letters that said, Mrs Rane.
Sunita leaned her broom against the wall. She did not stop until the last name.
Scripture/Source: Inspired by Maa Katyayani, the sixth Navadurga form, who is linked in tradition with the defeat of Mahishasura. In the Devi Mahatmya (Markandeya Purana, chapter 2), the combined radiance of many gods forms the Goddess, a story often read as the power of strength joined together.
The modern meaning here is our own interpretation. This is an original modern story inspired by that tradition, not a retelling of scripture.
Write T for True and F for False.
| No. | Statement | T/F |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Mrs. Kulkarni lived on the second floor of Sai Residency. | |
| 2. | Sunita swept the stairs and washed the compound every morning. | |
| 3. | Sunita complained loudly about her unpaid wages. | |
| 4. | Mr. Rane at 101 signed the paper immediately. | |
| 5. | At 304, someone opened the door but said nothing. | |
| 6. | Priya had been a close friend of Mrs. Kulkarni for years. | |
| 7. | By evening, there were forty-two names on the sheet. | |
| 8. | Sunita read the names with one finger, slowly. |
Complete the sentences with the correct word or phrase.
Mrs. Kulkarni was ________ years old.
The society office had held back the wages of ________ for two months.
Mrs. Kulkarni wrote one line at the top of the sheet: "Please pay ________ wages."
At 203, a young woman said she did not want any ________.
By the fourth floor, Mrs. Kulkarni's ________ were hurting.
At 402, Priya held out her hand for the ________.
The signatures were written in Marathi, English and ________.
Sunita leaned her ________ against the wall and read the names.
Draw a line to match the person or place with the correct description.
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| 1. Mrs. Kulkarni | a. Swept the stairs and washed the compound |
| 2. Sunita | b. Said "Let the committee decide" |
| 3. Mr. Rane (101) | c. The old woman who knocked on forty-two doors |
| 4. Young woman (203) | d. Signed and took the other wing |
| 5. Priya (402) | e. Did not open the door though the TV was on |
| 6. 304 | f. Did not want any trouble |
Write who said these words β Mrs. Kulkarni, Mr. Rane, the young woman, or Priya.
| No. | Dialogue | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Let the committee decide." | |
| 2. | "I do not want any trouble." | |
| 3. | "Give me the other wing. I'll take it." | |
| 4. | "Please pay Sunita's wages." (written on the sheet) |
Circle the right option.
How old was Mrs. Kulkarni? a) Sixty-one b) Seventy-one c) Eighty-one
How long had Sunita's wages been held back? a) Two weeks b) Two months c) Two years
What did Mrs. Kulkarni notice about Sunita? a) She no longer stopped for tea. b) She had stopped sweeping. c) She had left the society.
Where was the sheet pinned the next morning? a) On Mrs. Kulkarni's door b) On the notice board, beside the garba schedule c) In the society office
How did Sunita read the names? a) With her glasses b) With one finger, slowly c) She asked someone to read for her
Answer in one or two sentences.
Why did Mrs. Kulkarni decide to knock on the doors of her neighbours?
Why did the paper in Mrs. Kulkarni's hand feel "light" and "silly" by the fourth floor?
What did Priya do when she read the line on the sheet?
Why do you think the story says the signatures were "in Marathi, English and Gujarati"?
Why did Sunita lean her broom against the wall?
Number these events in the correct order (1 to 6).
| Event | Order |
|---|---|
| Priya signed and took the other wing. | |
| Mrs. Kulkarni wrote one line on a sheet of paper. | |
| Sunita read the names with one finger. | |
| Mrs. Kulkarni climbed the stairs, knocking on doors. | |
| By evening, there were forty-two names. | |
| The sheet was pinned to the notice board. |
Answer in 3β4 sentences.
Mrs. Kulkarni almost walked past Priya's door. Why do you think she almost skipped it? What does this tell us about asking for help?
The story is inspired by Maa Katyayani, who was formed from the combined radiance of many gods. How does this connect to what happens in the story?
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