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II You can also make your own hand fan. In groups of four, make your own hand fan using the steps below. Display the fans and describe the process.
III You must have read stories about the impact of art in your life. Now, read and enjoy the story given below.
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Sample Presentation: Madhubani Painting (Bihar)
Name and features: Madhubani painting, also called Mithila painting, is a traditional folk art from the Mithila region of Bihar. It is characterised by intricate geometric patterns, bold outlines, and bright colours. The paintings typically depict nature, mythology, and social events.
Material: Originally made on freshly plastered mud walls, Madhubani art is now painted on handmade paper, canvas, or cloth. Natural pigments derived from plants, minerals, and turmeric are used alongside commercial colours.
Region and tradition: The art form belongs to the women of the Mithila region and was traditionally painted during festivals and life events such as weddings and births to decorate the home and invoke blessings.
Origin and evolution: The art is believed to date back to the Ramayana era — King Janaka commissioned paintings to decorate his kingdom for the wedding of his daughter Sita. Over centuries it evolved from wall art to a medium that supports the livelihoods of rural women artisans.
Modern use: Today Madhubani paintings are sold nationally and internationally, featured on sarees, accessories, and home decor, and are recognised by a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
Apne region ke craft item ki presentation banao. Cover karo: naam, features, material, kahan se, origin story, aur aaj kaise use hota hai.
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Materials needed: One A4 sheet of paper (or coloured craft paper), scissors, a craft stick or ice cream stick, glue or tape.
Process:
- Take the sheet of paper and hold it lengthwise (landscape orientation).
- Fold the paper in accordion pleats from one end to the other, each fold about 1 cm wide. Continue until the entire sheet is folded.
- Hold all the pleats together at one end and secure the bottom tightly with a rubber band or tape to form the handle end.
- Open out the top of the pleats to form a fan shape and secure the two outer edges at the bottom together.
- Attach the craft stick to the bottom fold with glue or tape to create a sturdy handle.
- Decorate the fan with colours, patterns, or cut designs as desired.
Display your fan in class and explain your design choices — colours chosen, pattern, and which regional pankha style inspired your design.
Paper fan banane ke steps explain karo: paper fold karo accordion pleats mein, bottom secure karo, craft stick lagao handle ke liye, aur decorate karo.
The Last Leaf
O. Henry • (An abridged version of the original story)
Sue and Johnsy, two young artists, shared a small flat. The flat was on the third storey of an old house. Johnsy fell very seriously ill in November. She had pneumonia. She would lie in her bed without moving, just gazing out of the window. Sue, her friend, became very worried. She sent for the doctor. Although he came every day there was no change in Johnsy’s condition.
One day the doctor took Sue aside and asked her, “Is anything worrying Johnsy?”
“No,” replied Sue. “But why do you ask?”
The doctor said “Johnsy, it seems, has made up her mind that she is not going to get well. If she doesn’t want to live, medicines will not help her.”
Sue tried her best to make Johnsy take an interest in things around her. She talked about clothes and fashions, but Johnsy did not respond. Johnsy continued to lie still on her bed. Sue brought her drawing-board into Johnsy’s room and started painting. To take Johnsy’s mind off her illness, she whistled while working.
Suddenly Sue heard Johnsy whisper something. She quickly rushed to the bed and heard Johnsy counting backwards. She was looking out of the window and was saying, “Twelve!” After sometime she whispered “eleven”, then “ten”, then “nine”, “eight”, “seven”. Sue anxiously looked out of the window. She saw an old ivy creeper climbing half-way up the brick wall opposite their window. In the strong wind outside, the creeper was shedding its leaves. “What is it, dear?” Sue asked.
“Six,” whispered Johnsy. “They are falling faster now. Three days ago there were almost a hundred leaves. There are only five left now.”
“It is autumn,” said Sue, “and the leaves will fall.”
“When the last leaf falls, I will die,” said Johnsy with finality. “I have known this for the last three days.”
“Oh, that’s nonsense,” replied Sue. “What have old ivy leaves to do with your getting well? The doctor is confident that you will get better.”
Johnsy did not say anything. Sue went and brought her a bowl of soup.
“I don’t want any soup,” said Johnsy. “I am not hungry … Now there are only four leaves left. I want to see the last one fall before it gets dark. Then I will sleep forever.”
Sue sat on Johnsy’s bed, kissed her and said, “You are not going to die. I can’t draw the curtain for I need the light. I want to finish the painting and get some money for us. Please, my dear friend,” she begged Johnsy, “promise not to look out of the window while I paint.”
“All right,” said Johnsy. “Finish your painting soon for I want to see the last leaf fall. I’m tired of waiting. I have to die, so let me go away peacefully like one of those poor, tired leaves.”
“Try to sleep,” said Sue. “I have to paint an old miner. I will call Behrman up to be my model.”
Sue rushed down. Behrman lived on the ground floor. He was a sixty-year-old painter. His lifelong dream was to paint a masterpiece but that had remained a dream. Sue poured out her worries to Behrman. She told him how Johnsy was convinced that she would die when the last leaf fell.
“Is she stupid?” asked Behrman. “How can she be so foolish?”
“She is running a high temperature,” complained Sue. “She refuses to eat or drink and that worries me a lot.”
“I will come with you and see Johnsy,” Behrman said.
They tiptoed into the room. Johnsy was sleeping. Sue drew the curtains together and they went to the next room. She peeped out through the window. There was only one leaf on the creeper. It was raining heavily and an icy-cold wind was blowing. It seemed as though the leaf would fall any minute now. Behrman did not say a word. He went back to his room.
Johnsy woke up next morning. In a feeble voice she asked Sue to draw the curtains. Sue was nervous. She drew back the curtains very reluctantly.
“Oh!” Sue exclaimed as she looked at the vine creeper. “Look, there is still one leaf on the creeper. It looks quite green and healthy. In spite of the storm and the fierce winds, it didn’t fall.”
“I heard the wind last night,” said Johnsy. “I thought it would have fallen. It will surely fall today. Then I’ll die.”
“You won’t die,” said Sue energetically. “You have to live for your friends. What would happen to me if you die?”
Johnsy smiled weakly and closed her eyes. After every hour or so she would look out of the window and find the leaf still there. It seemed to be clinging to the creeper.
In the evening, there was another storm but the leaf did not fall. Johnsy lay for a long time looking at the leaf. Then she called out to Sue.
“I have been a bad girl. You have looked after me so lovingly and I have not cooperated with you. I have been depressed and gloomy. The last leaf has shown me how wicked I have been. I have realised that it is a sin to want to die.”
Sue hugged Johnsy. Then she gave her lots of hot soup and a mirror. Johnsy combed her hair and smiled brightly.
In the afternoon the doctor came. After examining his patient, he told Sue, “Johnsy now has the will to live. I am confident she’ll recover soon. Now I must go downstairs and see Behrman. He is also suffering from pneumonia. But I am afraid, there is no hope for him.” The next morning Sue came and sat on Johnsy’s bed. Taking Johnsy’s hand in hers she said, “I have something to tell you. Mr Behrman died of pneumonia this morning. He was ill for only two days. The first day the janitor found him on his bed. His clothes and shoes were wet and he was shivering. He had been out in that stormy night.”
Then they found a ladder and a lantern still lighted lying near his bed. There were also some brushes and green and yellow paints on the floor near the ladder. “Johnsy dear,” said Sue, “look out of the window. Look at that ivy leaf. Haven’t you wondered why it doesn’t flutter when the wind blows? That’s Behrman’s masterpiece. He painted it the night the last leaf fell.”
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Behrman’s lifelong dream was to paint a masterpiece, but he never achieved it during his career. On the stormy night when Johnsy feared that the last ivy leaf would fall and she would die, Behrman went out in the rain and cold and painted a realistic ivy leaf on the brick wall opposite Johnsy’s window.
When Johnsy woke up the next morning, she saw the leaf still clinging to the wall — green and healthy, despite the storm. This restored her will to live. She recovered. But Behrman, who went out in the freezing rain and caught pneumonia, died two days later.
The painting becomes his masterpiece because: (1) it was created with the sole purpose of saving a life, not for fame or money; (2) it succeeded — it gave Johnsy hope and healed her; (3) it was Behrman’s final act, given at the cost of his own life. The story shows that art, when born from sacrifice and genuine love, has the power to heal and inspire hope. A true masterpiece is not always the most technically brilliant work but the one that touches a human life most deeply.
Behrman ne toofani raat mein bahar jakar wall par ek asli jaisa patta paint kiya. Isse Johnsy ko jeene ki ummeed mili aur woh theek ho gayi. Par Behrman khud pneumonia se mar gaya. Yahi uski masterpiece thi — kyunki usne apni jaan dekar ek zindagi bachayi.
