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Read the story carefully, then answer the questions below.
“Who is that plate for?” Mihir asked.
Aaji was placing a small steel plate near the tulsi. Rice. Dal. A spoon of kheer. The plate had a dent on one edge.
Mihir knew that dent. It was Ajoba’s plate.
“For Ajoba,” Aaji said.
Mihir’s throat felt tight. Ajoba had died in March.
“But he is gone,” he said. “He cannot eat it.”
“I know.”
“Then why do it?” His voice came out louder than he wanted. “It is only food, Aaji. Ajoba isn’t coming back.”
Aaji did not scold him. She sat down on the step, slowly.
“These are the days of Pitru Paksha,” she said. “A time when we remember and honour those who came before us.”
She looked at her hands.
“For forty-five years, I cooked for him every morning. Then March came, and I stood in the kitchen and did not know who to cook for.”
She paused.
“I still make too much rice. My hands do not know how to stop.”
Mihir said nothing.
“This is where I put it,” Aaji said softly. “All the love my hands still want to give.”
Mihir looked at the dented plate. He remembered Ajoba at the table, every Sunday, with a bowl of kheer. Ajoba always ate slowly. And he always pushed the last spoon across to Mihir.
“Eat, eat. I am full.”
He was never full.
Mihir ran to the kitchen. He came back with his own bowl of kheer, still warm. He had not taken one bite.
He knelt beside the plate. With the big spoon, he scooped half of his kheer and set it down carefully.
“Ajoba always gave me the last spoon,” he whispered. “Now I am giving it back.”
Aaji’s hand went to her mouth. Her shoulders shook, but she was smiling too.
Mihir sat beside her. She pulled him close and held on.
Steam rose from the dented plate, thin and slow, in the morning light.
For a moment, the whole balcony smelled like Sunday.
Section 1: True or False
Read each sentence. Write T for True or F for False.
a) Mihir understood at once why Aaji was putting out the plate. ______
b) Aaji had cooked for Ajoba every morning for forty-five years. ______
c) Ajoba had died in the month of March. ______
d) Mihir got angry and shouted at Aaji. ______
e) Mihir gave half of his own kheer to Ajoba's plate. ______
Section 2: Vocabulary Match
Draw a line from each word to its meaning.
Words:
Dented
Kheer
Tulsi
Pitru Paksha
Balcony
Meanings: A) A sweet rice pudding B) An open space outside a house, with a railing C) Having a small hollow or bend D) A holy basil plant kept in many Indian homes E) A period in the Hindu calendar to honour ancestors
Section 3: Fill in the Blank
Use the word bank to complete each sentence.
Word bank: dented · kheer · tulsi · remember · warmth
a) Aaji placed the plate near the _____________ plant.
b) The plate had a _____________ on one edge.
c) Ajoba always ate his _____________ slowly.
d) Pitru Paksha is a time to _____________ those who came before us.
e) The plate still held the _____________ of Sunday mornings.
Section 4: Draw and Share
Draw the scene where Mihir kneels beside the dented plate with his bowl of kheer.
What do you think Aaji is feeling in this moment?
(Draw in the space below.)
My drawing shows: ______________________________
Section 5: Write Your Own Story
Now it's your turn! Use these words from today's story to write a short story of your own.
Word bank: plate · kheer · remember · quietly · love
Your story can be about anything — but try to use all five words. Give your story a title.
Title:
Section 6: Talk About It (For Parents)
Ask your child these questions after reading. There are no right answers.
Why do you think Aaji kept cooking after Ajoba died?
Mihir was confused and hurt at first. Have you ever felt confused about a grown-up's actions?
What does "the love my hands still want to give" mean to you?
Is there someone in our family you would like to remember today? How would you like to remember them?
Finish the worksheet first, then reveal the answer key to check your work.
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