NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Kaveri Chapter 6 – Twin Melodies

S — Sitar, S — Sarod, S — Sarangi, S — Santoor; M — Mandolin; V — Violin (or Veena); G — Guitar; B — Banjo. (Match with the pictures in your book.)

I do not play one yet, but given a choice I would learn the flute — it is light, inexpensive and deeply expressive, equally at home in a classical raga and a film tune, and its breath-borne music feels closest to the human voice.

Often, yes. Elders usually prefer the music of their own youth — classical ragas, devotional songs and old film melodies — which they find soulful and meaningful, while children lean towards fast, catchy modern genres like pop, rap and fusion. The difference comes from upbringing, exposure and taste; yet, as our play shows, the gap can be bridged when each generation listens to the other with an open mind.

1. winding up  2. wearing a look of distress  3. lost in his thoughts  4. bring it up  5. bite the bullet  6. come around  7. found words  8. throw a party (extra phrase: sweating on).
Most of these phrases are figurative — nobody literally bites a bullet or throws a party through the air; they are idioms whose meanings differ from their literal words.

II. Do you think Shruti will gather the courage to speak to her father?
Yes. Her friends’ encouragement works on her: she admits it is time to “bite the bullet” and solemnly promises to bring up the matter at dinner that very night. Her genuine respect for her father — she does not want him to feel she ignores his opinions — also pushes her towards honesty rather than continued hiding.

III. What might be Shruti’s father’s reaction? Why?
He is likely to be angry and to refuse. Nabin firmly believes that classical Hindustani music, with its ragas and aalaaps, is the only music a worthy artist should play, and he would see the violin played to Western tunes as a desecration of the instrument.

Shruti seemed 1. absent-minded during dinner. She finally gathered the 2. courage to inform her father about the Indo-Western fusion concert. Nabin reacted negatively, expressing 3. disapproval of fusion music and dismissed the idea. Despite Shruti’s 4. plea to attend a practice before deciding, Nabin was 5. firm in his decision. Leela 6. scolded her for not seeking permission earlier. The tension highlights the 7. clash between traditional and contemporary musical preferences within the family. Despite the 8. setback, Shruti promises not to hide again. (Extra words: surprised, relief.)

II. Will Shruti’s father go for the rehearsal? Support your answer.
Quite possibly, yes. Though he mocked fusion as “‘phoo’ music”, he loves his daughter deeply and is a true musician at heart; Leela, who clearly sympathises with Shruti, may persuade him to at least listen once — and a single hearing could soften a man whose ears, after all, are trained to recognise good music.

III. Do you think Shruti and her parents would understand one another?
Yes. The family’s bonds are strong and affectionate beneath the conflict: Shruti respects her father’s opinions, Leela acts as a bridge between the two, and Nabin himself once defied his own family’s tradition to play the violin. With such love and such a history, mutual understanding is only a matter of time.

(i) Select the option that correctly identifies Shruti’s situation.
D. in a dilemma

(ii) What does Shruti mean by ‘the right way’?
She means a manner of telling her father that would neither hurt him nor make him feel she disrespects his opinions — a gentle, honest framing that conveys both her love for his values and her wish to try something new.

(iii) The extract reflects the generational gap in understanding art and tradition because ______.
…the father holds that classical Hindustani music alone is worthy of a true artist, while the daughter, respecting that view, still wants to explore the contemporary world of Indo-Western fusion.

(iv) Explain how Iqbal’s words were meant as an assurance to Shruti.
By saying “All ways are right ways”, Iqbal frees Shruti from her anxiety over finding a perfect approach — what matters is telling the truth, not how. And by reminding her “He is your father, he will understand”, he assures her that a parent’s love will outweigh his anger.

(v) Fill in the blank with a phrase from the extract: The critics argued that only films which provoke thoughtful discussion are __________.
of any worth

(i) Nabin’s breakthrough highlights a bridge between ______.
B. traditional values and modern expressions

(ii) The extract uses the word ‘lost’ both in the sense of losing ______ and physical separation.
…one’s musical roots/heritage (their own music) — Nabin feared Shruti would drift away from classical tradition as well as from the family.

(iii) Which word does not show what ‘Shruti hugs her parents’ conveys?
duty — the hug conveys reconciliation, harmony, acceptance and understanding, not mere obligation.

(iv) What can be inferred about Shruti’s future in music following her father’s expression of trust and support?
Her future looks bright and balanced: with her father’s blessing, his music room for practice and her own classical grounding, she can grow into a versatile artist who excels in both traditions — rooted in ragas yet free to innovate.

(v) Identify the phrase that refers to the uniqueness of each artist’s journey and style.
“each bay, its own wind“

1. Justify the title ‘Twin Melodies’. How does the play explore the theme of tradition and modernity?
The title works on two levels. Musically, the ‘twin melodies’ are Indian classical and Western music, blended in the children’s fusion pieces where ragas flow over keyboards. Thematically, they are tradition and modernity — father and daughter — first clashing, then learning to play in harmony. The play argues that the two need not compete: Shruti keeps the raga’s notes intact within fusion, and Nabin, once a rebel himself, learns that new forms can honour old roots. Like twin melodies in a duet, the generations sound best together.

2. What are the different perspectives of Peter, Iqbal, and Avinash regarding confronting figures of authority?
Avinash is the pragmatist: hiding only worsens matters, the worst outcome is a scolding, and elders “eventually come round”. Iqbal is the cheerful optimist who normalises conflict — he has “a little bit of scolding for breakfast every day” — and trusts a father’s love: “All ways are right ways.” Peter is the practical encourager, first suggesting a harmless explanation and later applauding Shruti’s resolve with “That’s the spirit!” Together they reveal honest, secure relationships with their own elders and a friendship that supports rather than misleads.

3. Analyse the character of Nabin Sharma. How does his attitude towards music evolve?
Nabin is a disciplined purist — a master violinist and principal of a music school who limits performances to one in six months and dismisses fusion as “‘phoo’ music”. Yet he is no tyrant: his strictness grows from devotion to his art and fear of losing his daughter to shallowness. Hearing the rehearsal, the musician in him conquers the conservative — he taps his feet, claps with pride and praises Shruti’s flawless ragas. Reminded by Leela of his own youthful rebellion, he humbly admits his fears were baseless, offers the children his music room and promises to cheer at the concert. He evolves from gatekeeper of tradition to its generous bridge-builder.

4. How does the play use Shruti’s internal conflict to explore the theme of duty towards family versus personal passion?
Shruti’s struggle is never rebellion — she genuinely cares for her father’s opinions while longing to try fusion. This double pull produces her secrecy, her distress, her aside about quitting after one last practice, and finally her honest confession. The play resolves the conflict not by choosing one side but by dialogue: Shruti’s promise that she “will always take my art seriously no matter what I do” shows passion disciplined by duty, while her father’s blessing shows duty softened by love. Family and passion, the play suggests, are reconciled through truthfulness.

5. Evaluate the effectiveness of the play’s conclusion. Does it realistically address the conflicts presented?
The conclusion is satisfying and largely realistic. Nothing is resolved by magic: the parents come to see for themselves, the music must earn Nabin’s approval on his own terms (Shruti’s raga discipline), and the deciding argument is biographical truth — Leela’s reminder of Nabin’s own defiance of his vocalist family. The reconciliation therefore grows from established character, not convenience. One might say Nabin’s turnaround is swift, but for a genuine musician, one soulful hearing can indeed outweigh years of prejudice.

6. Assess how well the role of cultural diversity contributes to the storyline of the play.
Diversity is the play’s very fabric. The quartet itself is a small India — Iqbal, Avinash, Peter and Shruti, with flute, tabla, keyboard and violin spanning faiths and traditions — and their Indo-Western fusion is diversity made audible. The central conflict springs from cultural difference (classical vs Western), and its resolution proves that differences enrich rather than dilute: Shruti’s classical rigour shines brighter inside fusion. The play thus turns cultural diversity from a battleground into a concert stage.

(iv) (i), (ii), and (iii) — an aside lets a character talk about the story, reveals the character’s inner thoughts and feelings, and creates a direct link between character and audience.

They are used 1. to fill gaps while speaking, while the speaker gathers thoughts.
Matching guide for the emoticons: relieved face — whew; confused/unsure face — err; angry/frustrated face — arrgh; thinking face — hmmm. (Extra: ahem-ahem — a polite attention-seeking cough.) Match according to the expressions printed in your book.

1. rhythm — (iii) the pattern of beats or time intervals in music  |  2. tempo — (iv) the speed at which a piece is played  |  3. bass — (i) the lowest tone or part in music  |  4. baritone — (v) a male voice between the higher and lower ranges  |  5. cacophony — (ii) a mixture of loud unpleasant sounds  |  6. pitch — (vii) how high or low a sound is  |  7. scale — (vi) a series of musical notes moving upwards or downwards

1. drown your individual style — to lose one’s own unique identity or manner by blindly copying others.
2. sense of musicality — a natural feeling for and skill in music — tune, rhythm and expression.
3. go down the drain — to be completely wasted.

Sentences 1 and 2 are exclamatory sentences.
1. Shruti exclaimed with joy that she enjoyed performing that piece very much.
2. Nabin exclaimed with admiration that it was very soulful and that they had all done a wonderful job.

2. Iqbal exclaimed that it was an incredible achievement and that he couldn’t believe they had pulled it off.
3. Shruti’s mother applauded that each note had been executed perfectly and that the performance had been flawless.
4. Iqbal said jokingly that he basically had a little bit of scolding for breakfast every day.
5. Shruti apologised to her mother and promised that she would not hide from her again.
6. Avinash exclaimed that she was a sensation then and added that the least she could do was throw a party.

Asma exclaimed excitedly that she 1. had had a unique experience at the art studio that day. Deepa urged her to tell her as she was eager to hear. Asma said that 2. she had accidentally spilled paint all over her canvas. Deepa pitied Asma. However, Asma replied to her not to worry as 3. the painting then looked better than her original plan. Deepa exclaimed that 4. that was incredible.

Picture: choose the harp-like instrument with an open frame of strings — the yazh is an Indian harp.

Notes: 1. Type of instrument — The Indian harp; (i) was used in: ancient Tamil music; (ii) earlier version of: the (modern-day) veena.
2. Design: (i) stem tip — shaped like the head of the mythological animal Yali; (ii) resonator — A. shape of a boat; B. material — skin-covered (wood), with gut strings and an ebony stem.
3. Design variety: (i) peacock (mayuri), crocodile (makara), fish (matsya), and bow string (vil).

Follow the textbook models: stress the contrasting words (“I don’t want papa to feel that I don’t care… because I do” — rising at the end for sincerity); stress “promise” and “bring this up” with a decisive tone; keep Leela’s question gentle, rising on “lost”; and deliver “Each bay, its own wind” thoughtfully, with a gentle rise on “own”. Then pick other lines — try Nabin’s “(calmly but firmly) No is the answer” with flat, firm intonation, and Avinash’s “SHRUTI!” with maximum volume and falling pitch.

1. Inverted commas are not used because in a play script each speech is already introduced by the speaker’s name — the format itself shows who is speaking.
2. A colon (:) is used after the speaker’s name to introduce their words.
3. Within the brackets are stage directions — the manner of delivery (a little loudly, calmly but firmly) or the actions (picking up a newspaper, getting up). They are not spoken aloud.
4. They tell the actors exactly how to deliver the lines and what to do on stage — the tone, volume, emotion and movement — much like a reporting verb does in direct speech.

Recycled Orchestra: remember the key fact — the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, Paraguay (formed 2012) is a children’s orchestra playing instruments made from scrap collected from landfills. Indigenous instruments: research regional instruments made of bamboo, gourds, hides and shells (e.g., the been/pungi, ektara, dhol, bamboo flute, Nagaland’s log drums). Rhythm activity: create a beat with rulers, bottles, desks and claps and perform it. Reading: enjoy Sai Paranjpye’s humorous collection Rigmarole and Other Plays.

Q1. Who are the members of the fusion group and what do they play? (30–40 words)
The group has four young musicians: Iqbal on the flute, Avinash on the tabla, Peter on the keyboard and Shruti Sharma on the violin. They rehearse Indo-Western fusion pieces in Iqbal’s room.

Q2. What is Nabin Sharma’s rule about performances, and why? (30–40 words)
His rule is one performance every six months, because “familiarity breeds contempt” — frequent public appearances, he believes, cheapen an artist; one should keep working on the art and let everything else follow.

Q3. How did the newspaper describe Shruti? (30–40 words)
The Parbatpuri Daily Clarion wrote that melody runs in the veins of Miss Shruti Sharma, daughter of the master violinist Nabin Sharma — high praise for her classical performance with her father.

Q4. What was Nabin’s own youthful rebellion? (30–40 words)
Born into a highly traditional family of vocalists, young Nabin chose the violin — then not yet accepted in classical Indian music. His father saw it as betrayal, but Nabin worked his fingers to the bone and triumphed.

Q5. Sketch the character of Shruti Sharma. (100–120 words)
Shruti is a gifted young violinist caught between two loves — her father’s classical tradition and her friends’ fusion music. She is respectful and sensitive: her secrecy comes not from defiance but from fear of hurting a father whose opinions she values. She is honest at heart, confessing at dinner despite her dread, and responsible, promising her mother never to hide again. As an artist she is exceptional — even in fusion she never loses sight of the raga’s notes, earning her father’s proudest applause. Loyal to her group, she is ready to sacrifice the concert rather than defy her father, yet brave enough to plead her case. In her, talent, conscience and courage play in harmony.

Q6. What message does ‘Twin Melodies’ convey to young people and parents? (100–120 words)
To young people, the play says: pursue your passion, but with honesty and respect — hiding the truth, as Shruti learns, only multiplies trouble, while sincere dialogue can win over the sternest elder. To parents, it says: listen before judging. Nabin’s prejudice against fusion melts the moment he actually hears it, and his own youth — when he defied a family of vocalists to take up the violin — reminds him that every generation must find its own music. The play’s wisdom is folded into one proverb: “each bay, its own wind.” Tradition and modernity are not rivals but twin melodies; played with trust and love, they make a richer music than either alone.