Mother Tongue Padma Sachdev | Class 11 English Notes
By ConceptScroll Team · Published on 17 July 2026 · 4 min read
Mother Tongue Padma Sachdev – this guide gives you a concise, exam-ready overview of Mother Tongue Padma Sachdev from Class 11 English, written by ConceptScroll editors and reviewed against the latest NCERT textbook.
Mother Tongue
The poem 'Mother Tongue' by Padma Sachdev is a poignant reflection on the poet's deep emotional connection with her mother tongue, Dogri. The poem is structured as a dialogue between the poet and a stem swinging on a reed, which personifies nature and the poet's linguistic heritage. The central symbol in the poem is the quill, which represents the tool of writing and expression. The poet approaches the stem asking for a quill, symbolizing her desire to write and express herself in her mother tongue. The stem initially responds with irritation, questioning the poet's need for a new quill so soon, implying that the poet is careless or ungrateful. This interaction reflects the neglect and deprivation faced by the Dogri language, especially in terms of its script and literary tradition.
The poet clarifies that she does not work for a Shah, a traditional accountant or scribe, but for a Shahni, a queenly figure symbolizing the mother tongue Dogri. This personification elevates the language to a revered status, showing the poet's respect and devotion. The Shahni has many servants, representing the various speakers and users of the language, all ready to serve and uphold it. The urgency in the poet's request for a quill underscores her commitment and the pressing need to preserve and promote her mother tongue. Finally, the stem, acknowledging its own servitude to the Shahni, offers its 'hand' as the quill, symbolizing solidarity and the collective effort to sustain the language.
This poem is a metaphor for the struggle of regional languages like Dogri, which have faced challenges such as the loss of their original script (Sharade) and replacement by other scripts like Persian and Devanagari. The poem reflects the poet's emotional attachment and the cultural significance of language as a carrier of identity and heritage.
📊 Diagram: No diagrams are present in this section.
🔗 Connection: This section introduces the poem and its central themes, leading to the next section which provides background information about the poet and the cultural context of Dogri.
Frequently asked questions
1. The quill is the central element in the poem—what does it symbolise? 2. You notice a sense of urgency in the poet’s request—what is the reason for this? 3. How has the poet brought out her emotional attachment to her mother tongue? 4. Personification is a figure of speech that attributes human qualities to inanimate things and abstract ideas. How has it been used in this poem?
1. The quill in the poem symbolizes the poet's tool for expression and creativity, representing the power of language and writing. It also stands for the poet's connection to her mother tongue, Dogri, as the quill is requested from a stem (reed), symbolizing the natural source of language and writing.
2. The sense of urgency in the poet’s request for a quill arises because she feels an immediate need to express herself in her mother tongue. She says, "She must be looking for me," indicating tha
1. Talk to five people from different spheres of society around you and ask them the number of languages they know and use for various purposes. Try to gather information about their attitude to the different languages they know and use. 2. Dogri is a language spoken in parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. Its earliest mention is in Amir Khusro’s list of Indian languages. It does not have a script of its own. It is written in either the Devnagari or the Persian script. Find out about other Indian languages that are spoken but do not have a script of their own.
1. This is a field activity requiring interaction with people. The student should interview five individuals from different backgrounds (e.g., students, shopkeepers, teachers, etc.) and note the number of languages they know and use, such as mother tongue, regional languages, English, Hindi, etc. The student should also record their attitudes—whether they feel proud, indifferent, or reluctant about any language.
2. The student should research and list Indian languages that are primarily oral an
In the poem 'Mother Tongue' by Padma Sachdev, what does the quill symbolize?
A tool for writing and expression in the mother tongue
Why does the poet show urgency in requesting a new quill in the poem 'Mother Tongue'?
Because she wants to write quickly in her mother tongue
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