Question

What does this phrase means, "For several hours she thumped the sagging skins of the dilapidated drum and sang of the home-coming of warriors." Also, why was she singing for the home coming of the warriors?

Answer 1

This expression "For several hours she thumped the sagging skins of the dilapidated drum and sang of the home-coming of warriors” means, on Khushwant Singh’s return from abroad, the grandmother thumped the old loose skin drum and sang songs for many hours in the evening that day. She sang songs of home-coming warriors as in the past home-coming after a long time was celebrated by singing traditional songs of home-coming of warriors.