Ila Sachani: Embroidering Dreams with her Feet – Class 6 English NCERT Solutions

Explore the solutions for “Ila Sachani: Embroidering Dreams with her Feet,” Class 6 English NCERT. This inspiring story teaches children about determination, resilience, and the power of never giving up. Through Ila’s journey, students learn that physical limitations cannot stop someone from achieving their dreams if they have strong willpower and family support.

Summary of the Story

Ila Sachani’s story is about a woman born with hands that hung loose by her sides in a farmer’s family in Amreli, Gujarat. Despite her physical challenges, she learned to do Kathiawar embroidery with her feet, guided by her mother and grandmother. Through determination and practice, she became an expert at creating beautiful embroidery patterns. Her talent was recognized at a state exhibition in Surat, leading to more opportunities and recognition, including the President’s Medal. Her story shows how challenges can be turned into victories through perseverance and support.

हिंदी में सारांश:
इला साचनी की कहानी एक ऐसी महिला की है जो गुजरात के अमरेली में एक किसान परिवार में पैदा हुई थी। उनके हाथ जन्म से ही निष्क्रिय थे। इस शारीरिक चुनौती के बावजूद, उन्होंने अपनी माँ और दादी के मार्गदर्शन में अपने पैरों से काठियावाड़ी कढ़ाई करना सीखा। दृढ़ संकल्प और अभ्यास से वह सुंदर कढ़ाई के नमूने बनाने में विशेषज्ञ बन गईं। सूरत में एक राज्य प्रदर्शनी में उनकी प्रतिभा को पहचान मिली, जिससे उन्हें और अवसर और राष्ट्रपति पदक सहित कई सम्मान मिले। उनकी कहानी दिखाती है कि दृढ़ता और सहयोग से चुनौतियों को विजय में बदला जा सकता है।

Word Meanings

Let us do these activities before we read

1. Look at Pranav’s picture and information:

a) Do you think Pranav’s task is simple? Why or why not?

No, Pranav’s task is not simple at all. Being born without hands, he faces significant challenges in performing activities that most people do easily with their hands. Drawing, singing, and participating in sports require exceptional effort, adaptability, and determination from him. He has to develop unique ways to accomplish these tasks using other parts of his body.

b) How does Pranav’s special ability make you feel?

Pranav’s special ability is truly inspiring. It makes me feel amazed and motivated seeing how he has overcome his physical limitations to excel in multiple fields. His achievements show that with determination and the right mindset, we can overcome any challenge. It also makes me feel grateful for what I have and teaches me not to take things for granted.

c) What qualities do you think were important for Pranav to become successful?

The important qualities that helped Pranav succeed include:

• Strong determination to overcome challenges
• Patience to learn things differently
• Creativity in finding alternative ways to do tasks
• Positive attitude towards life
• Courage to try new things
• Perseverance to keep trying despite difficulties

d) What message does Pranav’s story give us?

Pranav’s story gives us several powerful messages:

• Physical limitations cannot stop someone from achieving their dreams
• With determination and hard work, any challenge can be overcome
• It’s not about what you cannot do, but about what you can do differently
• Never let circumstances define your capabilities

2. Look at the picture of Kathiawar embroidery:

a) List the steps you think are needed to create this embroidery.

The steps needed for Kathiawar embroidery include:

• Selecting the base fabric and thread colors
• Drawing or tracing the design pattern
• Threading the needle
• Starting with the outline stitches
• Filling in the design with colorful threads
• Adding mirrors and decorative elements
• Finishing and securing the threads

b) Discuss if these steps can be done with feet, instead of hands.

Yes, these steps can be done with feet, though it requires:

• Special practice and training to hold and control the needle
• Developing flexibility and precision in foot movements
• Learning to thread the needle using toes
• Adapting the traditional techniques to work with feet
• Creating a comfortable working position

c) What efforts would be needed if someone has to embroider with their feet? Do you think it is possible?

Yes, it is possible to embroider with feet, as proven by Ila Sachani. The efforts needed would include:

• Extensive practice to develop control and precision
• Building strength and flexibility in feet and toes
• Learning to maintain balance while working
• Developing patience and persistence
• Creating modified techniques suitable for feet
• Maintaining focus for long periods

Let us discuss

Read the paragraphs and write the main idea for each. Then, match the main idea with two supporting details:

Let us think and reflect

1. Read the given lines and answer:

a) Choose the correct option: ‘Unlike other children’ means Ila was ___

The correct answer is “different”. Ila was different from other children because she could not use her hands like them for regular activities.

b) What could Ila have felt when she could not join others in things they did?

Ila must have felt sad, lonely, and left out when she couldn’t join other children in their activities. She probably felt frustrated watching others easily do things that were challenging for her, and might have wished she could participate in drawing figures in the sand or plucking flowers like them.

c) Complete: Ila could not draw figures on the slate because ___

Ila could not draw figures on the slate because her hands were hanging loose by her sides and she could not use them in the usual way like other children.

2. What creative ways did Ila and her family use to overcome the challenges she faced?

Ila and her family used several creative ways to overcome challenges:

• Learning to use feet instead of hands for daily tasks
• Adapting embroidery techniques to work with feet
• Teaching her to eat and comb hair using legs
• Practicing threading needle with feet until becoming expert
• Family members providing constant support and encouragement

3. How did ‘new independence’ help Ila?

The new independence helped Ila in multiple ways:

• She could earn a regular income through her embroidery work
• It gave her financial freedom and self-reliance
• She found joy and satisfaction in doing what she loved
• She gained confidence in her abilities
• She became recognized for her talent rather than her disability

4. Why was the first state exhibition an important event in Ila’s life?

The first state exhibition was crucial for Ila because:

• It gave her work wider recognition beyond her village
• People discovered and appreciated her unique talent
• It opened new opportunities for her career
• Her creations found a market and buyers
• It marked her transition from a hidden talent to becoming famous

5. What does the sentence, ‘art has the power to rise above physical boundaries and touch the soul’, tell us about the power of art?

This powerful sentence tells us several things about art:

• Art is not limited by physical abilities or disabilities
• True artistic expression comes from within, not just physical skills
• Art can help people overcome their physical limitations
• Art connects with people emotionally, beyond physical creation
• The impact of art goes deeper than its physical form

6. How can we be helpful and encouraging like Ila’s family and friends when someone faces challenges?

We can help and encourage others facing challenges by:

• Believing in their abilities rather than focusing on their limitations
• Helping them find creative solutions to overcome difficulties
• Providing constant support and encouragement
• Being patient while they learn and adapt
• Celebrating their small victories and achievements
• Standing by them during difficult times
• Helping them discover and develop their talents

7. How can Ila’s story help others to overcome challenges in their lives?

Ila’s story can help others overcome challenges by:

• Showing that physical limitations don’t define a person’s capabilities
• Demonstrating how determination and hard work can overcome any obstacle
• Teaching that every challenge has a creative solution
• Inspiring people to find alternative ways to achieve their goals
• Proving that with family support and personal dedication, anything is possible
• Illustrating how challenges can become stepping stones to success

Let us learn

1. Match words from Column A with synonyms in Column C:

2. Unscramble antonyms of the words:

– tiny – EGHU → HUGE
– wonderful – REEBLITR → TERRIBLE
– quiet – IYNSO → NOISY
– task – SIAMTEP → PASTIME
– tough – SEYA → EASY

Example sentences using the antonyms:

• The huge shopping mall has many stores compared to the tiny shop.
• The terrible weather ruined our wonderful picnic plans.
• The noisy playground was very different from the quiet library.
• Playing games is a pastime, but completing homework is a task.
• The easy puzzle was solved quickly, but the tough one took hours.

3. Questions about quantity words:

(a) The highlighted words show:
The correct answer is (ii) Large quantity. Words like ‘lots of’, ‘many’ indicate a large amount or number of something.

(b) Fill in the blanks with quantity words:

• We saw many buses on the road. (countable noun)
• How much milk do you want? (uncountable noun)
• There is some milk needed. (uncountable noun)
• I need several examples. (countable noun)
• I have little energy left. She picked many flowers. (countable and uncountable nouns)
• I ate some rice. (uncountable noun)

Let us listen

Circle the correct option about Kathiawar embroidery:

a. Form: (ii) new
b. Colors: (ii) bright
c. Stitches: (ii) chain stitch
d. Seen on: (i) children’s caps
e. Things used: (i) small mirrors
f. Designs: (i) elephants and horses

Let us speak

Questions for Ila Sachani:

Here are some thoughtful questions we could ask Ila Sachani:

• What inspired you to learn embroidery despite the challenges?
• How long did it take you to master threading the needle with your feet?
• What advice would you give to others facing similar challenges?
• Which is your favorite embroidery design to create?
• How do you choose the colors for your designs?

Let us explore

1. Find out about embroidery in family/neighborhood:

Student’s answer (example):
My grandmother does Phulkari embroidery, which she learned from her mother. She uses bright colored threads to make flower patterns on shawls and dupattas. She practices this art for 2-3 hours daily and has been doing it for the past 40 years.

2. Try a simple stitch:

Student’s answer (example):
With my mother’s help, I learned to do a running stitch. I practiced on a small piece of cloth using red thread. Though my stitches were uneven at first, they improved with practice.

3. Explore Indian embroidery types:

Student’s answer (example):
After exploring different Indian embroidery types, I liked Kashmiri embroidery the most because it uses beautiful nature-inspired designs like flowers, birds, and trees. The intricate patterns and multiple colors make each piece look like a painting.