2.5 A New Pot Maker Is Born

Last updated at July 13, 2026 by

Board Pattern Questions Mapped to Exam Format

Extract from the Story

"She intuitively sensed that something momentous had happened... two neat rows of newly-made pots stood side by side. She could find nothing to tell one batch from the other. She was sure that it was not the handiwork of one person alone. Onula stood there for a long time as if trying to absorb a new phenomenon ... she believed that she had just witnessed a profound revelation in the two batches of still moist pots, standing side by side in perfect symmetry inside the shed. A new pot maker was born."

Summary in Bullet Points

  • Only Onula understood Sentila’s strange words; she intuitively sensed something momentous had happened. intuitively = based on feelings; momentous = of great significance

    Sirf Onula ne Sentila ki baat samjhi, usse feel hua ki kuch bada hua hai.

  • In the shed she saw two neat rows of pots that she could not tell apart.

    Shed mein do rows pots the jinhe woh alag nahi kar paayi.

  • She was sure it was not the work of one person alone , but of two.

    Use yakeen ho gaya ki yeh ek vyakti ka kaam nahi tha.

  • Onula stood absorbing this new phenomenon , a profound revelation in the two matching batches. phenomenon = an unusual incident; profound = powerful; revelation = a moment of realisation

    Onula is naye phenomenon ko samajhne ki koshish karti rahi, do milte-julte batches ek profound revelation thi.

  • The story ends with the line: "A new pot maker was born."

    Story is line par khatam hoti hai: "A new pot maker was born."

NCERT Questions (from the Textbook)
Check Your Understanding (NCERT Kaveri page 41) and Answer the following (page 44 to 45)
I. Do you think Onula’s support helped Sentila? If yes, why? If no, why not?
How to answer: Say "yes" and give the concrete things Onula did: noticed her tension, comforted her, demonstrated, and corrected the mouth.
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Yes, Onula’s support helped Sentila greatly. Onula noticed that Sentila was too tense, comforted her, made a pot to show her how, and pointed out exactly what she was doing wrong with the mouth. This kind, patient guidance gave Sentila the confidence she had never felt with her mother, and it set her on the path to finally mastering the craft.

Haan, Onula ki madad bahut kaam aayi. Usne Sentila ki tension samjhi, comfort kiya, khud pot banakar dikhaya aur galti batayi, jisse Sentila ko confidence mila.

II. Sentila observes her mother making pots. What does this tell us about her?
How to answer: Use her observing as evidence of two traits: keen observation and patient determination.
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It shows that Sentila was a keen observer and a patient, dedicated learner. Rather than giving up after failing, she watched every small movement of her mother’s hands. This careful observation reveals her deep passion for the craft and her determination to learn it well.

Isse pata chalta hai ki Sentila ek keen observer aur dedicated learner thi. Fail hone par bhi haar nahi maani, maa ke har move ko dhyaan se dekha.

IV. "Onula stood there for a long time as if trying to absorb a new phenomenon." Explain.
How to answer: Explain what Onula saw (two identical batches), what it meant (Sentila now equals her mother), and why it amazed her.
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Onula saw two matching rows of pots that looked like the work of one person, yet she knew Arenla was dead and Sentila had made one batch. She realised that the daughter had suddenly become as skilled as the mother. This astonishing change was the "new phenomenon" she stood quietly trying to understand.

Onula ne do ek jaise rows pots dekhe jaise ek hi insaan ne banaye hon. Use samajh aaya ki beti achaanak maa jitni skilled ban gayi. Yahi naya phenomenon use samajhne mein time laga.

VI. What is the significance of the concluding line of the story, "A new pot maker was born"?
How to answer: Cover both meanings: Sentila’s personal transformation and the survival of the tradition despite the mother’s death.
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The line marks Sentila’s transformation from a struggling learner into a true pot maker, equal to her mother. It also suggests that the family’s craft, and the community’s tradition, lives on. Even as Arenla dies, her skill is reborn in Sentila, so the line carries both an ending and a hopeful new beginning.

Yeh line dikhati hai ki Sentila ab ek sachhi pot maker ban gayi, maa ke barabar. Maa ki maut ke baad bhi uski skill aur tradition Sentila mein zinda rehti hai, isliye yeh ek nayi shuruaat bhi hai.

VII. What is the role of perseverance in pursuing one’s dreams? Elaborate with reference to Sentila.
How to answer: Define perseverance, then trace how Sentila’s refusal to quit, despite years of failure, finally earned her success.
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Perseverance means never giving up despite repeated failure, and it is the key to achieving any dream. Sentila failed for years, was mocked, and felt ashamed, yet she kept watching, learning, and trying. Because she never abandoned her passion, the skill finally flowed through her hands. Her story shows that steady effort, more than quick talent, turns a dream into reality.

Perseverance matlab baar-baar fail hone par bhi haar na maanna. Sentila saalon fail hui, mazak udaa, par seekhti rahi. Yahi lagaataar koshish usse aakhir mein successful banati hai.

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