The Big Questions (Page 1)
- What is meant by ‘unity in diversity’ in the Indian scenario?
Answer: In India, ‘unity in diversity’ means that even though we are all very different, we are still one big family. We speak different languages, wear different clothes, and eat different foods, but we all share the same feeling of being Indians.
- What aspects of India’s diversity are the most striking?
Answer: The most striking things about India’s diversity are our food, clothing, languages, and festivals. You can travel from one state to another and see completely new types of dresses, hear new languages, and taste amazing new dishes!
- How do we make out the unity underlying the diversity?
Answer: We can see unity because many things are connected. For example, the whole country uses the same basic grains like rice and wheat to make different dishes. People across India celebrate the same harvest festivals, just with different names. Even ancient stories like the Ramayana and Mahabharata are loved by everyone in every corner of India.
LET’S EXPLORE (Page 2)
Activity Explanation: For this activity, you need to ask five of your friends in class about where they were born and where their parents were born. You also need to ask them what their mother tongue (first language) is and what other languages they speak. Then, you look at all the answers and talk about how different everyone is!
Question: As a class activity, make lists of (1) the birthplaces of at least 5 classmates and the birthplaces of their parents; (2) the students’ mother tongues and other languages known to them. Discuss the results in terms of diversity.
Answer: (Sample Answer)
- My friend Rohan was born in Mumbai, but his parents were born in Gujarat. Priya was born in Delhi, and her parents are from Kerala.
- Rohan speaks Gujarati and Hindi. Priya speaks Malayalam, Hindi, and English.
When we discussed this in class, we saw so much diversity! Even in one small classroom, we had friends from different states speaking many different languages, but we all study and play together happily.
LET’S EXPLORE (Page 4)
Activity Explanation: This activity asks you to look around your kitchen and make a list of the common things used for cooking, like spices and grains. Then, you choose one vegetable, like potato, and think of all the different yummy dishes your family makes using just that one vegetable.
Question: As a class activity, make a list of ingredients (grains, spices, etc.) that are used in your home. Take any one vegetable and think of the number of different dishes you can prepare with it.
Answer: (Sample Answer)
- List of ingredients: In my home, we use grains like rice and wheat. We use dal (pulses) like moong dal and chana dal. For spices, we use turmeric, cumin, salt, and ginger.
- Dishes from one vegetable: I chose the potato! From a potato, we can make aloo paratha, French fries, potato chips, aloo sabzi, and samosas. This shows how one vegetable can make so many diverse dishes!
LET’S EXPLORE (Page 5)
Activity Explanation: You need to think about a sari, which is a very common dress for women in India. You have to write a short paragraph explaining how this simple piece of cloth shows both unity (how we are the same) and diversity (how we are different).
Question: Explain how the example of the sari reflects both unity and diversity (in 100-150 words).
Answer: The sari is a wonderful example of unity in diversity. The unity is that women all over India wear the sari. It is just one long, simple, unstitched piece of cloth that is a common traditional dress for Indian women. But the diversity is in how it is made and worn! In different states, the sari is made of different materials like cotton or silk. It has hundreds of different bright colours and printed designs. Also, women in Maharashtra drape it differently than women in Bengal or Gujarat. So, the single dress (unity) is worn in so many beautiful and different styles (diversity) across our country!
LET’S EXPLORE (Page 6 – Page 7)
Activity Explanation: This activity has three parts. First, you look at pictures in the book to see how a sari is used for things other than wearing. Second, you use your imagination to think of more ways a sari can be used. Finally, you think about a ‘dhoti’ (a traditional dress for men) and write down its different styles and uses, and then share what you learned.
Question: In the above pictures, can you recognise what a sari has been used for? Are you aware of, or can you imagine, more uses for the sari? Following the example of the sari, make a list of different styles you have seen for the dhoti both as regards the fabric and the uses the dhoti can be put to. What conclusion can you draw?
Answer:
- Uses of sari in pictures: The pictures show a sari being used as a hammock (jhoola) for a baby to sleep in, as a cover to protect the head from the sun, and to filter or strain water.
- More uses for a sari: I have seen a sari being used as a soft blanket, a curtain for a window, or even rolled up as a soft cushion to carry a heavy pot on the head!
- Styles and uses of dhoti: A dhoti is made of cotton or silk. Men wear it in different styles; some wrap it like a skirt, and some tuck it between their legs. A dhoti can also be used as a towel, a bedsheet, or to carry plucked fruits from a tree.
- Conclusion: My conclusion is that Indians are very creative! We can take one simple piece of cloth, like a sari or a dhoti, and use it in many smart and different ways.
LET’S EXPLORE (Page 8)
Activity Explanation: Think about the festival you love the most and how you celebrate it at home. Then, find out if children in other parts of India celebrate the same festival, maybe with a different name. Next, think about the big festivals that happen in October and November and write down their different names.
Question: What is your favourite festival and how is it celebrated in your region? Do you know whether it is celebrated in any other part of India, maybe under a different name? During October-November, many major festivals take place in India. Make a list of the few main ones and their various names in different parts of the country.
Answer: (Sample Answer)
- My favourite festival: My favourite festival is Makar Sankranti. In my region, we celebrate it by flying colourful kites and eating sweet til-gud (sesame and jaggery) laddoos. Yes, it is celebrated all over India! In Tamil Nadu, it is called Pongal, and in Assam, it is called Magh Bihu.
- October-November festivals: The main festival is Diwali, the festival of lights. In some parts of South India, it is called Deepavali. Another big festival is Dussehra. In West Bengal, it is celebrated as Durga Puja, and in Gujarat, people celebrate Navratri by dancing the Garba.
LET’S EXPLORE (Page 10)
Activity Explanation: Look at the painting in the book (Figure 8.6) showing a scene from the Ramayana. You have to discuss with your friends and figure out which part of the story it is showing and spot the small details.
Question: In a class discussion, try to identify the episode depicted in the painting shown in Fig. 8.6 above and important details associated with it.
Answer: (Sample Answer) In the painting, we can see Lord Rama holding a bow, and his brother Lakshmana standing behind him. They are in a forest. Lord Rama is chasing a beautiful golden deer. This is the famous episode from the Ramayana where the demon Maricha turns into a golden deer to trick Rama, so that Ravana can kidnap Sita. The important details are the bows and arrows, the forest trees, and the magical golden deer looking back at Rama.
Questions, activities and projects (Page 12)
- Conduct a class discussion on the two quotations at the start of the chapter.
Activity Explanation: Read the two quotes at the beginning of the chapter by Rabindranath Tagore and Sri Aurobindo. Sit with your classmates and talk about what these great men meant when they talked about “the Many in the One.”
Question: Conduct a class discussion on the two quotations at the start of the chapter.
Answer: In our class discussion, we understood that both Rabindranath Tagore and Sri Aurobindo are saying the same beautiful thing about India. When Tagore says “the play of the many,” he means all the diverse and different people in India. When he says “the touch of the one,” he means the single feeling of love and unity that joins us all. Sri Aurobindo also says that “the Many in the One” is the true nature of India, meaning our differences make our single country very rich and special.
- Select a few stories from the Panchatantra and discuss how their message is still valid today. Do you know of any similar stories from your region?
Activity Explanation: The Panchatantra is an ancient book full of stories about animals that teach us good lessons. Pick one or two of these stories, talk about the lesson, and explain why that lesson is still good for us today. Then, try to remember a local story from your village or town that teaches a similar lesson.
Question: Select a few stories from the Panchatantra and discuss how their message is still valid today. Do you know of any similar stories from your region?
Answer: I selected the story of “The Monkey and the Crocodile”. The crocodile tries to trick his friend, the monkey, to eat his heart. But the smart monkey tricks him back and escapes. The message is that we should always stay calm and use our brains in danger, and we should be careful of false friends. This message is very valid today because even now, we need to be smart and choose good friends who do not cheat us. A similar story from my region is about a clever rabbit who tricks a cruel lion into jumping into a well by showing his own reflection.
- Collect a few folk tales from your region and discuss their message.
Activity Explanation: Ask your grandparents or parents to tell you an old, traditional story (a folk tale) that belongs to your state or language. Then, write down what good lesson the story teaches.
Question: Collect a few folk tales from your region and discuss their message.
Answer: (Sample Answer) My grandmother told me a folk tale from Punjab about a very hardworking farmer and a lazy rich man. The farmer grew golden wheat because he woke up early and worked all day. The rich man bought the best seeds but slept all day, so his crops died. The message of this folk tale is that hard work and dedication always bring success, while laziness leads to failure.
- Is there any ancient story that you have seen being depicted through a form of art? It could be a sculpture, a painting, a dance performance, a movie … Discuss with your classmates.
Activity Explanation: Think about times you went to a temple, watched a classical dance, or saw an old movie, and saw an old story from the Ramayana or Mahabharata being told through that art. Discuss this experience with your friends.
Question: Is there any ancient story that you have seen being depicted through a form of art? It could be a sculpture, a painting, a dance performance, a movie … Discuss with your classmates.
Answer: Yes! During a school trip, we watched a beautiful classical Bharatanatyam dance performance. The dancer used her hand gestures (mudras) and facial expressions to tell the ancient story of Lord Krishna lifting the huge Govardhan mountain on his little finger to save the villagers from heavy rain. It was amazing how a story from thousands of years ago was told just through dance, without using any words!