1. Photographer Marie-Caroline Senlis came to India for the first
time 15 years ago to photograph a wedding in Udaipur and
succumbed to the charms of this experience. She found herself
irrevocably fascinated by the country and returned again in 2009. So,
when she had to go back to France, once again, she took on a project.
She chose a few expats who were about to leave India after a long
stay and decided to tell the Indian slice of their life through stories
and a portrait. As a single portrait cannot give the idea of the life of
her subjects, she decided to tell their stories, through a small
interview with each portrait and the series culminated into a book
Before Leaving, Indian Snapshots.
2. Talking of the kind of preparation that went into each of her portrait sessions with her subjects, Marie
Caroline says: “Before I met these people for the shoot, I asked them to think of something that would
represent their stay in India because I wanted to include that in the portrait. Some chose books, some chose
pictures, some chose a place in their house. It was symbolic for them in some way.
3. Senlis chose a day close to the time of their departure for the portrait and did everything in a single
session. This is because she thinks that just before leaving some place you realise a lot of things. Earlier
you are just living in the city but just as you are about to leave, the emotions are stronger, deeper.
4. She does not like to pick a favorite from among the portraits of the series. But she often re-reads the
entire script of the interview with her subjects during the session of the portrait. Though a lot of her
subjects have had a lot to say about this country, there were some people who refused to be part of her
project.
5. Senlis has also included herself in this project and chose for her photographs, some books and her music
book, for the portrait. As she had started singing in India, she included the music book. As she read a lot of
Indian literature during her stay here, those too find a place in the portrait. But what she misses most
according to her own statement is: ‘the noise, the smells, and the food.’
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the following in about 30–40 words.
(a) What do we know about Senlis’ coming to India?
(b) What is unique about the portraits that Senlis makes?
(c) How are the portraits made?
(d) How does Senlis sum up her overall stay in India?
On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following.
(a) When Senlis had to go back to France
(i) she refused to go
(ii) she took on a new project
(iii) she preferred to go to London instead
(iv) she started photography classes in India
(b) Senlis feels that when one is about to leave a country the emotions are
(i) stronger
(ii) deeper
(iii) more intense (with a lot of realisation)
(iv) all of the above
(c) Maria-Caroline Senlis had come to India to shoot a wedding in Udaipur. (True/False)
d) Find the antonym of the word “whole’. (para 4) ____________
Answers
Answer:
Don't know the question answers.
a)4
b)2
c)false
d)true
Answer
(a) What do we know about Senlis’ coming to India?
Answer:
Marie-Caroline Senlis first came to India 15 years ago as a professional photographer to shoot an Indian wedding in Udaipur. She next came to India in 2009, and when leaving India once again, she took on a project.
(b) What is unique about the portraits that Senlis makes?
Answer:
The portraits are of expats in India on the verge of their leaving India. The portraits give viewers an idea of the slice of their Indian stay through stories and a portrait. The portraits also include an interview with Senlis.
(c) How are the portraits made?
Answer:
Her subjects think of something that would represent their stay in India, which are then included in the portrait. As people make varied choices such as books, pictures or favourite corners of their home in India, the portraits become unique.
(d) How does Senlis sum up her overall stay in India?
Answer:
Senlis says that she had started singing in India, so she included the music book in the portrait. She says that she will miss the foods, the smells and the noise that she had experienced in India. Her self-portrait depicts her books of Indian literature and her music book.
6.2 On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following:
(a) When Senlis had to go back to France:
(i) she refused to go
(ii) she took on a new project
(iii) she preferred to go to London instead
(iv) she started photography classes in India
Answer:
(ii) she took on a new project
(b) Senlis feels that when one is about to leave a country the emotions are:
(i) stronger
(ii) deeper
(iii) more intense (with a lot of realisation)
(iv) all of the above
Answer:
(iv) all of the above
(c) Maria-Caroline Senlis had come to India to shoot a wedding in Udaipur. (True/False)
Answer:
True
(d) Find the antonym of the word “whole’. (para 4)
Answer:
part
HOPE I HELPED! :)