Contents

Chapter 1 - Geography Basics...................................2

Chapter 2 - Regions of India.....................................6
Chapter 3 - Indian Customs and Moral Story - Part 1 21
Chapter 4 - Foods of North India.............................26
Chapter 5 - Diwali 1................................................33
Chapter 6 - Diwali 2................................................40
Chapter 7 - Indian Customs and Moral Story - Part 2 46
Chapter 8 - Foods of South India.............................53
Chapter 9 - Republic Day........................................59
Chapter 10 - Indian Customs and Moral Story - Part 366
Chapter 11 - Tourism..............................................74
Chapter 12 - Indian Customs and Moral Story - Part 484
Chapter 13 - Holi....................................................89
Chapter 14 - Traditional Outdoor Games of India......94
Chapter 15 - Traditional Indoor Games of India........98
Chapter 16 - Wildlife of India................................102
Chapter 3 - Indian Customs and Moral Story - Part 5107
Disclaimer............................................................108

Chapter 1 - Geography Basics

India is a part of the continent of Asia. It is surrounded by Bay of
Bengal on the eastern side, Arabian Sea on the western side and
Indian Ocean on the southern side. India shares the border with
Pakistan, Nepal, China, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Myanmar. India is
also known as Bharat or Hindustan by Indians.
The northern part of India is covered by the Himalayan mountain
range while the Deccan Plateau occupies most of southern India.
The Ganges (Ganga) is the longest river originating in India.
India is the seventh largest country in the world and second most
populated country. India is divided into 29 states (further
subdivided into districts) and 7 union territories. Some of the wellknown cities of India are Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai,
Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

Classroom Exercise
Find Indias neighboring countries from the
map below:

Answer Here
1.

4.

2.

5.

3.

6.
3

Homework Exercise
Connect the dots.

Review Questions

Review and write the correct choice.

1. India is in the continent of ____________________.
a. Asia

b. Africa

c. Australia

d. North America

2. India is the _______________ largest country in the world.

a. First

b. Seventh

c. Second

d. Tenth

3. India has ___________ states.

a. 28

b. 29

c.30

d. 50

4. _____________ is the longest river in India.

a. Ganga

b. Yamuna

c. Godavari

d. Narmada

Chapter 2 - Regions of India

India can be divided in the four parts:
1. Northern region
3. Southern region

2. Eastern region
4. Western Region

Odish
a

Northern Region
People in this region mainly talk in Hindi, Punjabi or Kashmiri.
Salwar kameez and sarees are commonly worn by women of
Northern India. Phiran is also worn by Kashmiri women.
Temperatures in this region range from -59 degree F in winters to
120 degrees F in summers. Heavy snowfall also occurs in winters
in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh area.
The largest mountain ranges Himalayas reside in this region. The
longest river Ganga also flows in this region.
New Delhi, the capital of India is located in North India. Kashmir,
Agra, Chandigarh, Shimla, Lucknow, Allahabad, Bhopal, Indore are
some of the popular cities from this region.

Agra

Agra Fort

Agra is one of the most

popular destinations of the
World Tourism map with
three heritage monuments
- The Taj Mahal, Fatehpur
Sikri & Red Fort.

Best season for visiting Agra is from October to March. Taj

Mahotsav is a cultural festival held every year in Agra. One of the
objectives of this craft fair is to provide encouragement to the
artisans. It also makes available works of art and craft at
reasonable prices.

Agra's economy is mainly dependent on tourism. This city is home

to some of the most famous spas, resorts and hotels in all of
India. The leather industry is among the most traditional and
original industries of Agra.

Agra has a rich historical background, and houses numerous

historical monuments in and around the city. Though the heritage
of Agra city is linked with the Mughal dynasty, numerous other
rulers also contributed to the rich past of this city. Modern Agra
was founded by Sikandar Lodhi in the 16th century. Emperor
Akbar built the Agra fort and Fatehpur Sikri near Agra.

Taj Mahal

Buland Darwaza at Fatehpur Sikri

Southern region
People in this region mainly talk in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam or
Kannada. Sarees or long skirts are commonly worn by women of
southern India. The men wear a dhoti. It is wrapped around the
waist and the legs and knotted at the waist.
Temperatures in this region range from -59 degree F in winters to
120 degrees F in summers.
The Western Ghats mountain ranges run parallel along the
western coast and the Arabian Sea forms the Konkan region. The
Western Ghats continue south until Kanyakumari, the southernmost city of India. Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Mysore,
Thiruvananthapuram and Cochin are some of the popular cities in
Southern India.

Hyderabad
Hyderabad is the capital city of Telangana state. Ruled by the
Qutub Shahis, the city has a history of nearly 400 years. The city
is named after wife of Quli Qutub Shah, Hyder Mahal. The oldest
surviving Qutub Shahi structure in Hyderabad is the Golconda fort
built in the 16th century. The Charminar is also an icon of the city
located in the center of old Hyderabad; it is a square.

10

The influence of Mughlai culture is also evident in the city's

distinctive cuisine, which includes Hyderabadi Biryani and
Hyderabadi Haleem.

Char Minar

Many historic and tourist sites lie in south central Hyderabad such
as the Charminar, the Salar Jung Museum, the Nizam's Museum,
the Falaknuma Palace, and the traditional retail corridor
comprising the Pearl Market, Laad Bazaar and Madina Circle.
In the north of central Hyderabad lie Hussain Sagar, Tank Bund
Road, Rani Gunj and the Secunderabad Railway Station. Most of
the city's parks and recreational centers, such as Sanjeevaiah
Park, Indira Park, Lumbini Park, NTR Gardens, the Buddha statue
and Tankbund Park are located here.
11

Hussain Sagar Lake

Hyderabad was also known as a pearl and diamond trading

center, and it continues to be known as the City of Pearls.

Telugu film industry is the country's second-largest producer of

motion pictures.
The development of HITEC City, a township with modern
infrastructure, prompted big companies to establish offices in
Hyderabad.
The city is home to more than 1300 IT companies including
Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Google, IBM, Yahoo!, Dell, Facebook,
and major Indian firms including Tech Mahindra, Infosys, Tata
Consultancy Services (TCS), Polaris and Wipro.

Eastern region
12

People in this region mainly talk in Hindi, Bengali, Oriya and

Assamese. Salwar kameez and sarees in different styles are
commonly worn by women of eastern India.

It comprises states of Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh,

Jharkhand, the Seven Sister States (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam,
Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura), and the
Himalayan state of Sikkim. They are surrounded by tropical forest
and also have national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.

The Himalayas reside in this region and one of the largest rivers
Brahmaputra also flows in this region.
This region also gets the heaviest rainfall in India.

Kolkata
West Bengal's capital Kolkata is the largest city of Eastern region.
It was India's capital under the British Rule from 1773-1911.

13

Today its known for its grand

colonial architecture, art
galleries and cultural
festivals. Its also headquarters
of the Missionaries of Charity,
founded by Mother Teresa.
Mother Teresa won the Nobel
Peace Prize for all her
charitable work.

Rabindra Nath Tagore who has written Indian National song Vande
Matram and Indian National Anthem Jana Gana Mana also
belonged to this city. Satyajit

Howarah Bridge

Ray, a

world renowned film director was from Kolkata too. Its also
headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity, founded by Mother
Teresa. Mother Teresa won the Nobel Peace Prize for all her
charitable work.

14

<parul> dont need this picture here

15

Kolkata is one of Indias largest city, major port and most

populous city. It is centered on the east bank of the Hugli River
and about 96 miles upstream from the head of the Bay of Bengal.

Kolkata is also the king of street food in India, with stalls

selling all variety of street snacks and dishes, including
phuchka (also known as pani puri), jhaal muri and kathi
rolls.

Victoria Memorial, Howrah Bridge, Indian Museum, Science city,

and Kali temple are some of the places worth visiting in Kolkata.

Durga Pooja is one of the biggest celebrations that happen in

Kolkata in the month of October.

The most popular sports in Kolkata are football and cricket. The
residents show significant passion for football. The city is home to

16

top national football clubs such as Mohan Bagan, East Bengal

football club, Prayag United club.

Western region
People in this region mainly talk in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati or
Konkani. Salwar kameez and sarees are commonly worn by
women of Northern India.
Temperatures in this region range from -539 degree F in winters to
120 degrees F in summers. Summers are truly hot in central
Maharashtra and Gujarat region. Heavy rainfalls occur during
rainy season which often leads to road closures.
Western India is bounded by the Thar Desert in the northwest, the
Vindhya Mountain Range in the north and the Arabian Sea in the
west.

Pohay, Shrikhand, Pav Bhaji, Vada Pav is good examples of

Maharashtrian cuisine. Goan cuisine is dominated by the use of
rice, coconut, seafood, Kokum, cashew-nuts. Gujarati cuisine is
almost exclusively vegetarian.
Mumbai, Surat, Ahmedabad are some of the popular cities in
Northern India.

Mumbai
17

The city Bombay was renamed Mumbai in 1996. The city is known
as the finance and entertainment capital of India. Mumbai houses
important financial institutions such as the Reserve Bank of India,
the Bombay Stock Exchange, the National Stock Exchange of
India, the SEBI and the corporate headquarters of numerous
Indian companies and multinational corporations.
Mumbai is in all ways a mega-city driven by power, wealth,
glamour and fame which attracts people to give shape to their
dreams and aspirations.

It is also a city with strong historical links, wonderful British

architecture, museums, beaches, places of worship, and above
all, a true galaxy of stars where Bollywood rules. The huge Hindi
film and television industry in Mumbai is known as Bollywood.
Gateway of India

18

Mumbai is probably worth visiting just for its street markets, the
hustle of vendors, and the madness of the crowds.

One of the street markets in Mumbai.

Mumbai has temples, mosques, churches, Parsi agiaries, and even

a few synagogues reflecting the

Ganesh Chaturthi festival celebration.

diversity of its citizens. While these

are naturally of interest if you are a
believer, some like the Portuguese
church at Dadar are worth visiting
just for their unique architecture.
Ganesh Chaturthi is the biggest religious festival celebrated in
Mumbai.
19

There are other beaches to be found such as the Girgaum

Chowpatty in South Mumbai, Juhu beach in the western suburbs
and Aksa Beach in Malad.
There is also rock cut caves such as the Elephanta, Kanheri
and Mahakali within the city
limits.
Haji Ali Dargah is one of the most
visited places in Mumbai and the
Gateway of India is the most
recognizable symbol of the city.

Mumbai local trains are known as the lifeline of city. These trains
are used for daily
commute to work,
schools and places.

Mumbai inherits the

cricket fever justifiably
and has 3 of the finest cricket
stadiums namely Brabourne Stadium, Wankhede Stadium and
D.Y.Patil Stadium. Several of international cricket matches and
20

domestic championships such as IPL have been played in these

stadiums.

The best time to visit the city is during the winter between the
months of November and February.

21

Homework Exercise
1. Color and Label the states you have visited.
2. Label the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and Thar
Desert.
3. Draw the Himalayan mountain range.
4. Mark the following cities on the map:
Mumbai as M, Kolkata as K, Agra as A, and Hyderabad as H.

Odish

22

Chapter 2: Review Questions

1. Select which is the coldest region in winters in India:
a. Northern
b. Southern
c. Western
2. Which city is famous for its crowded local trains?
________________________________
3. Which city was also a capital of India in olden times?
a. Mumbai

b. Kolkata

4. Which southern India city is famous for food - Biryani?

_______________________________
5. Which city has Bollywood Film Industry?
________________________________
Optional Write 3 sentences about your favorite place in India.

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

23

______________________________________________________________________________
___

24

Chapter 3 - Indian Customs and Moral

Story - Part 1
Why do we leave Footwear outside the home?
1.

Hygiene

Foot mat showing remove shoes

sign

Most Indians maintain their homes at

a very high standard of hygiene. Most
homes get dusted and scrubbed
clean with water even today. Thus,
the people can walk without footwear
quite comfortably without any fear of
dirt or spreading germs.
2. The floor is our dining table
You can still find homes in India where members sit on the
floor and eat with hands. Hence its important to keep the
floor clean. Also, traditionally, the food items are prepared
while sitting on the floor so it needs to be clean.

25

Homework Exercise
1. Select Yes or No - Do we need to remove shoes while
entering the house?
a.

Yes

b. No

2. Circle the correct Answer - Why do we remove shoes before

entering the house?
a. For cleanliness inside the house
b. For Fun
c. For decoration outside the house.

26

Story : The Mice That Ate Iron

Once upon a time, there was a rich
merchant

called

Naduk.

He

was

having a bad time and his business

was suffering. He decided to leave the
city and find his fortune in a new
place. He sold off all his possessions
and paid off his debts. All that he had
left was a heavy iron beam. Naduk
went to say goodbye to his friend
Lakshman, and requested him to keep the beam for him till he
returned. Lakshman promised to look after it for him.
For many years, Naduk traveled far and wide, building his fortune.
Luck was with him, and he became rich once again. He went to
visit his friend Lakshman who greeted him warmly. After a while,
Naduk asked him to return his beam. Lakshman knew that the
beam would fetch him good money so he was reluctant to return
it. So he told Naduk that he had kept his beam in the store-room
and the mice ate it.
Naduk did not seem to mind. He asked Lakshman to send his son
home with him so that he could hand over a gift that he had
bought for him. Lakshman sent his son Ramu with Naduk.

27

Naduk locked up Ramu in a

cellar in his house. By night,
Lakshman was worried and
came to ask about the about
his son. Naduk replied that on
the way to his house, a hawk
swooped down and carried the
boy off. Lakshman accused
Naduk of lying. He insisted that a hawk could not carry off a
fifteen-year-old boy.
A big fight ensued and the matter was taken to court. When the
judge heard Lakshman's side of the story, he ordered Naduk to
return the boy to his father. But Naduk insisted that a hawk
carried off the boy. The judge asked him how it was possible. He
replied that if a huge iron beam can be eaten by mice, then a boy
could definitely be carried off by a hawk.
Naduk narrated the whole story. Everyone in the courtroom burst
out laughing. The magistrate then ordered Lakshman to return
the iron beam to Naduk and that Naduk return Lakshman's son to
him.

Classroom Exercise
1. What is Naduks friends name?

28

2. What did he give his friend before leaving to another

town?

3. What order did magistrate give to both of them?

4. What did Naduk say happened to friends son?

5. Who ate the iron beam?

6. Who did Naduk take and for what?

7. What is the morale of the story?

29

Chapter 4 - Foods of North India

North Indian cuisine is mainly foods from the regions of Kashmir,
Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, New Delhi and Haryana.
North Indian cuisine is distinguished by the proportionally high
use of dairy products; milk, paneer, ghee, and yogurt are all
common ingredients. Gravies are typically dairy-based. Other
common ingredients include chilies, saffron, and nuts. The Mughal
influence has resulted in meat eating habits among many North
Indians.
Popular Food Items of Northern India are:
Samosa
Paratha
Chhola Bhatura

Paneer Dishes
Chaat Items
Makke ki roti with sarson ka

Pulao and Biryani

Naan and Kulchchas

saag
Gulab Jamun
Peda, Petha and Jalebi

A variety of flours are used to make different types of breads like

chapathis. rotis, puris, naan and parathas.
North Indian cooking features the use of the "tawa" (griddle) for
baking flat breads like roti and paratha, and "tandoor" (a large
and cylindrical charcoal-fired oven) for baking breads such as
naan and kulcha; main courses like tandoori chicken also cook in
30

the tandoor. Other breads like puri and bhatoora, which are deep
fried in oil, are also common. Goat and lamb meats are favored
ingredients of many northern Indian recipes.
The samosa is a popular North Indian snack, and now commonly
found in other parts of India, Central Asia, North America, Britain
and the Middle East. A common variety is filled with boiled, fried,
or mashed potato.
Popular snacks, side
dishes and drinks include
mirchi bada, buknu, bhujiya,
chaat, kachori, imarti,
several types of pickles
(known as achaar), murabba,
sharbat, and aam papad.
The staple food of most of North India is a variety of lentils,
vegetables, and roti (wheat based bread). The varieties used and
the method of preparation can vary from place to place.

31

Popular sweets are known as

mithai such as gulab jamun,
jalebi, peda, petha, rewadi,
gajak, kulfi, falooda, khaja,
ras malai, gulkand, and
several varieties of laddu,
barfi and halwa.

32

Most common North Indian cuisines in India are:

Cuisine of Kashmir
A Wazwan is a multi-course meal in the Kashmiri Muslim tradition
and treated with great respect. Its preparation is considered an
art. Almost all the dishes are meat based (lamb, chicken, fish but
never Beef). It is considered a sacrilege to serve any dishes based
around pulses or lentils during this feast. The traditional number
of courses for the wazwan is thirty-six, though there can be fewer.

Kashmiri Wazwan
Kashmiris are heavy tea drinkers. At marriage feasts, festivals,
and religious places, it is customary to serve kahwah - a green tea
made with saffron, spices, and almonds or walnuts. The most
popular drink is a pinkish colored salted tea called "noon chai or
sheer chai." It is made with black tea, milk, salt and bicarbonate
of soda.

33

Meat is cooked in Kashmiri festivals and forms an extremely

important part of Kashmiri identity. Some noted Kashmiri dishes
include Goshtaba, Rogan Josh, Yakhni.
Mughlai and Awadhi cuisine
The tastes of Mughlai cuisine vary from extremely mild to spicy,
and are often associated with a distinctive aroma and the taste of
ground and whole spices. Dishes include various Kebabs, Kofta
(meatballs), Nihari, Pulao and Biryani. Paneer is used for
preparing vegetarian dishes to suit vegetarian dietary
requirements.

34

Kebabs are the integral part of Awadhi. Seekh Kabab, Boti

Kababa, Shami Kabab are popular among non vegeterians. Murgh
Awadhi Korma is a classic dish from Lucknow.

As wheat is the staple food of the north, breads are very

significant. Roti (or bread) are of different types and made in
various ways and include the rumaali roti, tandoori roti, naan
(baked in a tandoor), kulcha, lachha paratha, sheermaal and
baqarkhani.
Pulao is made by cooking meat in ghee with warm aromatic
spices until the meat is tender, then adding rice and cooking in
the sealed pot over low heat till done. With biryani, the rice is
boiled or parboiled separately in spiced water and then layered
with meat curry or marinade (depending on the type of biryani),
then sealed and cooked over low heat until done. The vegetarian
version is called tehri.
Sheer korma, Shahi Tukda, Phirni, Kulfi are very original to
Maughlai cuisine.

Punjabi cuisine
Punjabi cuisine is associated with food from the Punjab region of
India and Pakistan.

35

Distinctively Punjabi cuisine is

known for its rich, buttery
flavours along with the
extensive vegetarian and
meat dishes. Main dish is
sarson da saag with makki di
roti.

Chhola Bhatura, Rajma Masala

also originates from Punjab.
Since Punjab is the land of five
rivers, freshwater fish is an
important part in its cuisine.

36

Chaat Items from Northern India

Chaat and samosa originated in Uttar Pradesh but now are
popular nationwide and abroad. These are the integral part of
street foods across India. The

Dahi Vada

chaat variants are all based on

fried dough, with various other
ingredients.
The original chaat is a mixture of
potato pieces, gram or chickpeas
and tangy-salty
spices, with tamarind sauce, fresh green
Dahi Poori
coriander leaves and yogurt for
garnish, but other popular variants
included Aloo tikkis, dahi puri,
(<parul> I thought it is from west
side not north golgappa or pani
puri, dahi vada and papri chaat.

37

Chapter 4: Review Questions

Pani Puri

1. What is a Bhatura?
a. A type of egg soup
b. A type of dal with
mixed pulses
c. A type of bread
d. A type of utensil used
in North Indian cooking
2. This dish is made of red kidney
beans with assorted spices. It is
a delicacy of North India.
a. Chana dal
b. Kheer
c. Moong dal
d. Rajma
3. Wazwan is a full course meal from which state?
a. Punjab
b. Jammu and Kashmir
c. Uttar Pradesh
d. Haryana

1.

38

Chapter 4: Homework Exercise

Write your favorite recipe (in 5 to 10 sentences).

39

Chapter 5 - Diwali 1
Diwali is a Hindu festival of lights celebrated to mark the triumph
of good over evil. It is observed each year any time between midOctober to mid-November in many countries such as India,
Singapore, Malaysia, and Nepal, or where there are large Indian
communities. Aside from Hinduism, other
religions that celebrate this festival are
Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.
There are many names describing this
festival: Diwali, Devali, Deepavali.
Deepavali means row of lights.

Why Diwali is celebrated?

In North India, people celebrate the return of Rama to Ayodhya
after defeating Ravana and Rama's coronation as king.
In Gujarat, people honor Lakshmiji, the goddess of wealth. It is
believed that Lakshmiji will bring prosperity in the coming year
if she visits the home, and the lamps are a means for attracting
her to the home.
In West Bengal, Kali, goddess of time is honored.
Diwali signifies the renewal of life and hence starting a new
project or business is considered auspicious during these
celebrations.

40

How do people celebrate prepare for Diwali?

1. Go shopping - It is customary to buy utensils and ornaments
on the first day of Diwali.
Diwali shopping glimpses from India

2. Clean the house and business premises thoroughly before

the first Diwali day, or the Dhanteras. It's like a spring cleaning
of sorts, a "cleansing" ritual to rid yourself of any unnecessary
elements in your environment.

41

3. Goddess Lakshmi: Draw small footprints using rice flour and

vermillion powder over your house; this is a way of indicating
that you're awaiting the arrival of the Goddess. Light some
firecrackers and fireworks. These are common part of Diwali,
used to symbolize warding off evil from your surroundings.
They are usually set off in greatest numbers on the actual day
of Diwali (the third day).
4. Colorful Rangolis: Make the entrance way to your home or
business colorful using the traditional motifs of Rangoli designs,
bells, flower garlands, wall hangings, mirrors, LED lights, etc.
This is a joyful way to welcome the goddess of wealth and
prosperity. Rangoli designs can be found across the internet.

Diwali Rangoli

5. Celebrating with fireworks: If you're setting off your own

firecrackers, be careful and follow all safety precautions
associated with using firecrackers.
42

6. Wear new clothes and jewels on the second and third days.
Most women wear the traditional dress, sari with blouse and
some wear the salwar kameez. Men normally wear kurtas, the
traditional clothes for men.
7. Exchange sweets, snacks, and savories. Friends and
families exchange sweets, dry fruits and savories with each
other as Diwali gifts and offerings.

43

8. Play games. Games are a part of the Diwali festival, including

card games, rummy, charades, pass the parcel, musical chairs,
scavenger hunt, hide and seek, etc. It's not just for kids but for
everyone!
9. Join public space celebrations of Diwali. Gurukul
celebrates every year. Even if you don't practice Hinduism,
Buddhism, Jainism, or Sikhism, you can still join in the Diwali
celebrations that are held in many public spaces. For example,
in New Zealand both the capital Wellington and the city of
Auckland, and various towns, hold public Diwali Festivals that
welcome all comers. Go and see what is happening, join in the
fun, and celebrate with everyone else.

44

10.

Wish everyone a Happy and Prosperous Diwali

45

Chapter 5: Review Questions

1. Which event in Lord Ramas life does Diwali symbolize?

__________________________________________________________________
_
2. Which month is usually Diwali celebrated?

3. Diwali is shortened form of Deepavali. What is the literal

meaning of Deepavali?(Choose one)
a. Row of Lights
b. Light of knowledge
c. Light and Cheer

46

Chapter 5: Homework Exercise

Write 5-10 sentences on how you celebrated Diwali.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

47

Chapter 6 - Diwali 2
Many interesting rituals and traditions are associated with
celebrating of Diwali. It is a five-day long festival which is
celebrated with fun and fervor.
First Day of Diwali
The first day of Diwali is known as
'Dhanteras'. The word Dhan means
wealth and Teras means 13th day
as per Hindu calendar.
People renovate, decorate their
houses and workplaces on this day
and make traditional 'Rangoli' on the entrance to welcome
Goddess Lakshmi. Lamps and candles are lit throughout the night.
It is considered auspicious to buy gold and silver on this day.
Many people opt for buying new utensils on this day. In villages,
cattle are adorned and worshiped by farmers as they form the
main source of their income. Many people do silver coin pooja in
the evening.
Second Day of Diwali

48

This second day is called Roop

Chaudas or Roop Chaturdashi.
Roop means beauty and Chaudas
mein fourteenth.
On this day, people take bath
before sunrise; anoint themselves
with oil and 'Ubtan' (scrub made
up of gram flour and fragrant
powders). On Roop Chaturdashi day, one can pray for both these
boons i.e. a healthy and beautiful body. A general custom followed
during the second day of Diwali is to burst crackers. People
illuminate their homes with diya so as to set the mood for
celebrations in the following day.
Third Day of Diwali: (main Diwali)
The third day is the main day of the Diwali festival. Jains have
their own religious significance of the day because they believe
that Lord Mahavir attained 'Nirvana' (or Eternal Bliss) on the day.
Swami Dayananda Saraswati, the great saint who gave rise to
Hindu Renaissance, also left the mortal world on this day. On this
day, people wear new clothes and share gifts and sweets with
their friends and relatives. Women prepare delicacies and whole
house is illuminated with 'diyas' and candles. Fireworks and
crackers are the kids' favorites on this day.

49

Fourth Day of Diwali

On the 4th day is the
'Govardhan-Puja' or
'Annakoot'.
Govardhana Puja, Go-Puja
and Annakoot are all
connected with the story of
Lord Krishna lifting
Govardhana Hill to protect the inhabitants of Vrindavan. On this
day, a hill of sweets is made from food prepared by the devotees,
which is then offered to the deities, and subsequently distributed
to everyone.
50

In the temples of Mathura and Nathadwara, the deities are bathed

with milk and adorned with precious clothes and ornaments. Then
offerings of a large variety of delicacies are made to them.

Fifth Day of Diwali:

The 5th day or the last day of this festival is called ' Bhai Dooj '.
On this day, sisters invite their brothers and their family to their
homes and treat them with delicacies. In turn, brothers offer them
gifts and sweets.

51

52

Regional New Year celebrations associated with Diwali

The Marwari New Year is celebrated on the day of the festival
of Diwali.
The Gujarati New Year is celebrated the day after the festival
of Diwali. The Gujarati New Year is synonymous with sud
ekam i.e. first day of Shukla paksha of the Kartik month which is taken as the first day of the first month of Gujarati
lunar calendar.
The Nepal New year is celebrated in regions encompassing
original Nepal. The New Year is celebrated on the fourth day
of Diwali.

Review Questions
1. What is the name given to first day of Diwali festival?
(Choose One)
1. Dhanteras
2. Narak Chaturdashi
3. Bhai Dooj

53

Homework Exercise
Write below five days of Diwali celebration in the correct
sequence:

1. Dhanteras
2. Roop Chaudas
3. Main Diwali
4. Govardhan Puja
5. Bhai Dooj

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

54

Chapter 7 - Indian Customs and Moral

Story - Part 2
Why do Indian ladies wear Bindi?
Bindi can usually be described as a traditional red circular mark or
dot worn by the Indian women on their forehead. The term 'Bindi'
is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Bindu' meaning a drop or a
small dot or particle.
Bindi is called by different names in different languages of India.
Thus, alternative names for Bindi is Pottu in Tamil and Malayalam,
Tilak or Tika in Hindi, Bottu or Tilakam in Telugu and Kannada and
Teep meaning "a pressing" in Bengali.
Modern use

Woman wearing Red Bindi

In modern days, bindis are worn

mostly for decorative purpose or style
statement. Decorative and
ornamental bindis were introduced to
other parts of the world by Indians.
Traditional use
A traditional bindi is red or maroon in color. A pinch of vermilion
powder applied skillfully with a ring-finger to make a perfect red
dot. A married woman always wears a red colored bindi as this
shows true love and prosperity. However, young girls are free to
wear bindi of any color. Men also wear a tilak during pujas or
55

ceremonies in India. Tilak covers the spot between the eyebrows,

which is the seat of memory and thinking. It is known as the
Aajna Chakra in the language of Yoga. The tilak and pottu cools
the forehead, protects us and prevents energy loss.
Bindi Sticker Packs

In modern times, sticker bindis are

available in various materials, usually
made of felt or thin metal and adhesive on
the other side. These are simple to apply
and disposable. Sticker bindis come in
many colors, designs, materials, and sizes.
Men wearing Tilak

There are different regional

variations of the bindi. In
Maharashtra,

large

crescent shape bindi is worn

with a smaller black dot
Women wearing Bindi

underneath

or

above,

associated

with

Bindu

Chakra.
In Bengal, a large round red
bindi is worn. In southern
India, a smaller red bindi is

Man/Woman Maharashtrian style

Bindi

worn with a white tilak at

the

bottom

and

another

common type is a red tilak

shaped bindi.
56

In Rajasthan, the bindi is

worn round and, long tilak

Bridal Bindi Sticker

Review Questions
4. Where do we put on Bindi or Tilak?
a. Arms
b. Forehead
c. Knee
d. Feet
5. True or False:
Men or Women both can put on Tilak on their
forehead.
True / False
57

58

Story : Copy Cat Barber

Manibhadra was a merchant living in the
southern city of Pataliputra. He was a man
of principles who had lost all his wealth.
His poverty made him very sad.
After thinking a lot about his condition,
Manibhadra fell asleep and saw a dream.
In his dream, a Jain monk appeared and
said, O merchant, dont give in to selfpity. I am Padmanidhi, the treasure collected by your ancestors.
Tomorrow morning when I will visit you in this guise, you will hit
my head with a stick and I will turn into gold. You can live happily
ever after.

When the merchant woke up next morning, he wondered whether

what he saw in the dream was real or unreal. This may not be
true. It could just be an illusion because I have been thinking
about money all the time, he thought.
59

Meanwhile, a barber came to

the merchants house. Very
soon, the Jain monk who
appeared in the merchants
dream also arrived.
Manibhadra was happy to
see him and at once reached
for the stick and struck him on his head. The monk turned into a
statue of gold. The merchant then gave clothes and money to the
barber and told him not to pass this information to anyone.
The barber went home and thought, If a monk turns into gold if I
strike him, I will invite all the monks and I can have lots of
money. He passed the night with great difficulty. Next morning,
he went to the Jain monastery and prayed there. After his prayer,
the barber met the chief monk and knelt before him seeking his
blessings. The monk blessed him and asked the barber the reason
that brought him to the monastery. The barber pleaded humbly
that the chief monk and others should accept his hospitality.

60

The chief monk said, O my son, we are not Brahmins who are
invited home to be honored. Please go away and dont embarrass
me.
Disappointed, the barber said, I have made all preparations to
receive you. Yet I cannot press you. You will do what you think is
best.
The barber went home and kept a stick ready after checking the
exits of the house. He went to the monastery again and stood
there pleading with the monks to accept his offerings. Taking pity
on the barber, the monks agreed to visit his home. When the poor
monks trooped into his house, the barber closed all the exits and
began assaulting them. The sheriff passing by heard this
commotion and asked his men to immediately find out what was
happening. The men saw what the barber had done and
presented him before a magistrate. The barber admitted that he
had hurt some of the monks. The magistrate ordered that the
barber be punished. The judges then said that no one should copy
like the barber without understanding the situation.
61

Homework Exercise
1. What dream did Manibhadra see?

62

2. What did the barber do?

63

Chapter 8 - Foods of South India

South Indian cuisine includes the cuisines of the five southern
states of India:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Andhra Pradesh
Karnataka
Kerala
Tamil Nadu
Telangana

The most popular South Indian dishes are:

o
o
o
o

Idlis
Dosas
Vadas
Sambaar

o Rasam
o Payasam
o Biryani
o Uttapams

Vada

Dosa

Chutney
Sambha
r
Idli

64

Famous South Indian Dishes

The similarities among the five states cuisines include the
presence of rice as a staple food. Meals are centered around rice
or rice-based dishes.
Rice is combined with sambhar (a soup-like lentil dish tempered
with whole spices and chilies) and rasam (a hot-sour soup like
lentil dish), dry and curried vegetables and meat dishes and a
host of coconut-based chutneys and pappadums (deep-fried
crispy lentil pancakes).
There is use of lentils and spices, dried red chilies, coconut, and
native fruits and vegetables including tamarind and plantain.
Important spices and ingredients include:
Curry leaves, mustard, asafetida, pepper and peppercorns,
tamarind, chilies , fenugreek seeds, ginger and garlic.

Tamil Nadu and Kerala Food

Idyiappam

Tamilians prefer to eat dosai,

chapatti, idli, uppuma and
pongal as tiffin items (light
meals).
In Kerala, coconut is used in
preparing most of the food
items.
Some favorite items are appam, idyiappam, malabar parotta
and puttu, kurma.
65

 For main course, Tamilians and Keralites prefer eating rice

with many of these side dishes - sambhar,rasam, pachadi,
thoran, kootu, moru (butter milk), pickles, papadam. Eating
on a banana leaf is also a common tradition on special
occasions like marriages and festivals.

Malabar Parotta with egg curry is

Malabar Parotta

also very popular among

Keralites.
Favorite sweet dishes include
varieties of Payasams (milk
payasam, moondal payasam,
semiya payasam), chakka
pradhaman, laddus, jangiri, sweet pongal, athirsam, appam,
kesari, halwas, thiratipal etc.

Filter coffee is a cultural icon and enjoyed by almost

everyone.
66

Andhra and Telangana Food

Andhra Pradesh is famous for its spicy cuisine. They make
many spicy and hot varieties of pickles.
Rice is the staple food of Andhra Pradesh because rice is
produced here in large quantity. Red chilies, millet based roti,
dals (lentils), tomatoes and tamarinds are also commonly
used in cooking.
In coastal parts of Andhra, rice and seafood is staple food.
Some of the favorite dishes
are: kura, pappu, pulusu,
pickles. Famous dosa varieties
include Pesarattu and Rava
dosa.
Hyderabad Biryanis are also
world famous and delicious.
Karnataka Cuisine

Bisi Beli Bhaath

In north Karnataka, the

staple grains are jowar and bajra. Rotis are usually made
67

from these grains. They are

mainly served with a variety
of spicy chutneys or curries.
In Southern Karnataka, a
traditional meal consists of
ragi mudde ( dumpling
made from ragi flour)
served with saaru, rice and mosaru (yogurt).
Other famous dishes are: Bisi bela bath, jolada rotti,
chapatti, ragi roti, akki roti, saaru, huli, vangi bath,
devanagere benne dosa, mysore masala dosa, maddur vade.
Few Desserts from South India
Payasam

Laddoo

Kesari

Double ka meetha

[Ty

68

Chapter 8: Homework Exercise

1. Circle the picture of Dosa from choices below.

a.

b.
d.

2. Name any two South Indian dishes?

__________________________________

___________________________________

3. True or False
a. Rice is the main food of South India.
True or False
b. South Indians eat food on a banana leaf.
True or False

69

c.

Chapter 9 - Republic Day

26

TH

January was chosen to honor the memory of the declaration

of Indias independence. It is one of the three national holidays in

India. Republic Day Parade takes place at the Rajpath, in the
national capital New Delhi, where the President views the parade.
State capitals also have their own celebrations. It is a day to
remember when India's constitution (laws of nation) came into
force on January 26, 1950, completing the country's change
towards becoming an independent republic.

Before India gained independence on August 15th, 1947, the

country was a colony of the Britain. However, it was only on
January 26th, 1950 that the people of India truly experienced their
freedom from British Rule. The Constitution of India was officially
enforced on this historic day, making India a sovereign, secular,
and democratic nation. On January 26th 1950, Dr. Rajendra
70

Prasad took the sincere oath as the first President of independent

India at the Durbar Hall in the Government House, Delhi. It was
then followed by a Presidential drive along a 5-mile route to the
Irwin Stadium, where he hoisted the National Flag followed by a
21 gun salute. Therefore, it is now the annual tradition of flag
hoisting and a parade.
The

major

portion

of

the

Indian

subcontinent was under British rule from

1857 to 1947. When the Constitution of
India came into force on 26 January 1950, it
cancelled the Indian Independence Act.
India ended to be a province of the British
Crown

and

became

an

independent

democratic republic. There is no one person

who has written the Constitution of India.
Typically,

the

Constitution

is

credit

for

given

to

drafting
Dr.

B.

the
R.

Ambedkar as he was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of

the Constituent Assembly.
(The original text of the Preamble to the Constitution of India.)
Dr B.R. Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru, C. Rajagopalachari, Rajendra Prasad,
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad were some important
figures in the Assembly.
(Signing of the Constitution)
71

The Government of India spends

a lot of energy and resources to
put up a good show at the
Republic day

parade.

Various

government agencies like the

Army, Navy, Air force, Police Academy, various states, and school
children participate in the parade.

Army, Navy, and Air force displays their new tanks, missiles,
fighter planes, etc. to show to the country how they are prepared
to protect the country.

72

The president of India attends this function. He does the flag

hoisting. The soldiers then salute the President as they march. In
the beginning people pay respect to all the soldiers who died for
the country. Then, the President awards the medals of bravery to
officers from the armed forces for their exceptional courage and
to

civilians,

who

have

distinguished themselves by their acts of courage in different

situations.

73

People

from

different states of India also participate it the parade. They spend

several months preparing for the
event. They perform dances from
their state or decorate a display
to show unique items or views of
their state. The parade is shown
on National Television and is watched by millions of viewers in
every corner of the country. Republic day is celebrated all over
India. Even in the USA, many cities with large Indian populations
celebrate it. In other cities, flag hoisting ceremonies are held in
schools and government offices.

74

75

Activity: Color the National Flag of India

The Indian Flag has three bands:

The top band is saffron (kesari), which signifies courage and
sacrifice.
The middle band is white, which signifies purity and truth.
The bottom band is green, which signifies faith and fertility.
In the center of the white band is a navy blue wheel with 24
spokes (Dharma Chakra), the Wheel of Law.

76

Homework: Circle the correct answer

1. Where does the Republic Day Parade take place every year?
Lotus Temple
Minar

Rajpath

Lal Kila

Qutab

2. In which year was the constitution signed?

1947

1972

1950

1964

3. Who does the flag hosting at the Major Republic Day parade
function in Delhi?
Chief Minister
Prime Minister
President

Governor

4. Who was the first President of India?

Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Mahatma Gandhi

Jawaharlal Nehru

5. What is the date and year of Indias Independence?

January 26, 1950 August 15, 1947
November 14, 1947

77

October 2, 1947

Chapter 10 - Indian Customs and Moral

Story - Part 3
Custom: The importance of Mehndi/Henna
Mehndi and henna are two words that describe the same thing.
Mehndi is the term used in Hindi, while
Henna originates from Arabic. Mehndi is
a small tropical shrub, whose leaves
when dried and ground into a paste, is
used for making beautiful designs on the
palms and feet. The dye has a cooling
property, and has no side effects on the skin. It is extremely
suitable for creating different patterns on various parts of the
body, and a painless alternative to permanent tattoos.
Mehndi has plenty of cultural importance in Indian
traditions such as weddings, Karva Chauth or
occasions like bhai dooj and teej. It
plays an important role in all of the
ceremonies as well as festivals of
India. In
fresh styles as

todays era of modernization, the

well as designs of mehndi are very

difficult and add charm. It is sometimes regarded like a shagun

(good omen) generally denoted by the pattern of huge dot inside
the center of the hand along with four smaller dots at the sides.
Henna is also used to celebrate births, religious holidays, and
naming ceremonies.
78

Henna is in fashion nowadays. It is

quiet popular in the western world
to create tatoos on diverse parts of
the body. Tattoos are created on
arms, wrists, the shoulder or the back. It is also being used for
body art too.

79

Henna or Mehndi is also identified worldwide for its medicinal

properties. Mehndi is widely adopted worldwide like a conditioner
as well as dye for hair by both men and women. It is a pure
natural dye which extracts a lovely color on hair as well as creates
a shiny look. Also, it is well-known for its cooling effects,
therefore, used in hot climate countries like India and other
nations. It may also calm headaches, fevers, and burning feet. It
can improve the gloss of nails, and can also help a person with
jaundice.

80

Homework: Circle and write the correct answer

1. Mehndi is the term used in Hindi while Henna originated from

the ___________________ (Sanskrit, Arabic, English,
Punjabi).
2. Mehndi is a painless alternative to ____________________
(bindi, jewelry, tatoos, nail polish).
3. Mehndi is now known worldwide for its cosmetic and
_____________ (beautiful, medicinal) properties.
4. Mehndi is a small tropical shrub, whose __________________
(stem, leaves, roots, flowers) when dried are grounded
and made into a paste.
5. In western countries, Henna is also known as
_____________________ (tattoos, signs, drawing).

81

Draw your own Mehndi Design

82

Story: Never Trust a Stranger

A partridge lived in a nest
beneath a large peepal tree.
She had been living there for
many years. One day she left
home to look for food. She
travelled to a corn field far
away and stayed in the field
for many days.
While the partridge was away,
a rabbit found her empty nest
and made it his home. When the partridge returned, she was
surprised and angry to find the rabbit living there. She told the
rabbit to leave, but the rabbit refused saying that it was no longer
her home since she had not been living there for many days and
he had found it empty.
The rabbit and the partridge argued loudly for some time. Many
animals and birds gathered around. They heard both sides of the
argument but were unable to decide to whom the house belonged
to. They told the partridge and the rabbit to take the dispute to a
judge.
The partridge and rabbit travelled far to reach the banks of the
Ganges. There at a distance, they saw a tom-cat. However, they
were scared to approach him. The tom-cat was very wicked. He
quickly closed his eyes, stood up on his hind legs and started
83

praying at the top of his voice. The partridge and the rabbit were
puzzled as they were seeing a holy cat for the first time. They
decided he would be a good judge for their dispute.
When the tom-cat finished his prayers and opened his eyes, the
partridge explained the entire argument to the cat. When she had
finished speaking, the rabbit told his part of the story.
The cat sat quietly for a minute and then said, I am very old and
cannot hear or see properly. Can you both come a little closer and
tell me the whole story again?
The partridge and the rabbit now trusted the tom-cat and moved
closer to him. As soon as they moved forward, the cat hit them
hard with his paws, killed them and ate them up.

84

Activity: Never Trust Strangers

Who are the 2 main characters in the story?

Draw favorite scene from the story?

What is the moral of the story in your own words?

85

Chapter 11 - Tourism
East India:
East India consist states of Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram,
Nagaland, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and West Bengal.
East India covers a vast area which ranges from Bay of Bengal,
the largest bay in the world to the highest peaks of these worlds
Mt. Everest, Mt. Lhotse, Makalu, Mt. Kanchenjunga. The region
offers

almost

all

kind

of

tourist

activities

like

trekking,

mountaineering, Buddhist circuit tours, jungle safaris, culture

tours, hiking, rafting, cave tours, sea beaches etc. Some famous
tourist

cities

Sundarbans,

and

attractions

Darjeeling,

in

this

Gangtok,

region

Kaziranga

are

Kolkata,

National

park,

Victoria Memorial, Howrah Bridge etc.

Howrah Bridge:
If anyone mentions Kolkata, the first place that comes to the mind
is

Howrah

Bridge.

While

visiting

Kolkata,

Howrah

Bridge tops the list of places

to see in the city. This Bridge
attracts tourists for numerous
reasons.

86

87

Howrah Bridge is a cantilever bridge with a suspended distance

over the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India. The bridge was
originally named the New Howrah Bridge and was custom-made
in 1943. It replaced another bridge at the same location linking
the two cities of Howrah and Kolkata (Calcutta). On 14 June 1965
it was renamed Rabindra Setu after the great Bengali poet
Rabindranath Tagore, who was the first Indian and Asian Nobel
laureate. It is still popularly known as the Howrah Bridge.

The bridge is one of two on the Hooghly River and is a famous

symbol of Kolkata and West Bengal. The other bridges are the
Vidyasagar Setu (popularly called the Second Hooghly Bridge),
the Vivekananda Setu, and the newly built Nivedita Setu. It
weathers the storms of the Bay of Bengal region, carrying a daily
traffic of approximately 100,000 vehicles and possibly more than
150,000 pedestrians, easily making it the busiest cantilever
bridge in the world. The third-longest cantilever bridge at the time
88

of its construction, the Howrah Bridge is currently the sixthlongest bridge of its type in the world.
West India:
West India is a region in the western part of India. It includes the
states Gujarat, Maharashtra Rajasthan and Goa. It also houses the
Union Territory Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu. This
region is highly industrialized, with a large urban population.
Regional languages like Marathi, Rajasthani, and Gujarati are
widely spoken here.
The famous cities in this region are Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar,
Surat, Vadodara, Mumbai, Pune, Nasik, Thane, Ajmer, Jaipur,
Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Kota etc. Some of the famous hill stations in
this

region

are

Mount

Abu,

Lonavala-Khandala,

Matheran,

Mahabaleshwar etc. Mumbai is the most famous city and the

financial hub of India. It is also the city of fashion and Bollywood.
The famous Muslim pilgrimage Dargah Sharif in Ajmer is situated
in this region. Udaipur city is famous for its nature tourism and is
also known as "the lake city of India". Nasik is the famous Hindu
pilgrimage center. Folk dances like the Ghoomar of Rajasthan and
Garba of Gujarat are famous all over the India.

89

90

Gateway of India:
The Gateway of India is one of India's most unique landmarks
situated in the city of Mumbai. The gigantic structure was
constructed in 1924, during the British rule in the country. It was
designed by the British architect, George Wittet. Located at the
tip of Apollo Bunder, the gateway overlooks the Mumbai harbor,
bordered by the Arabian Sea in the Colaba district. The Gateway
of India is a monument that marks India's chief ports and is a
major tourist attraction for visitors who arrive in Mumbai for the
first time.
The foundation stone of the Gateway of India was laid down by
the then Governor of Bombay (Mumbai) on March 31 st 1913. The
archway is 26 meters high and joined with four turrets and
intricate latticework carved on stones. The arch alone was built at
the cost of 21 lakhs rupees. It is built in Indo-Sarcenic style,
though some influence of Gujarati style is also evident in its
architecture. The structure itself is quite majestic and a hybrid of
the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

91

92

North India:
North India is a region in the northern part of India. It includes the
states of Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh,
Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. It also includes the Union
Territory Chandigarh and the National
Capitol Territory of Delhi. Delhi is the
capital of the India. Chandigarh is the
well planned city of the India. North
India is also the essential part from
where the pious rivers originate.
North India has a diverse culture, and
includes the Hindu pilgrimage centers
of Char Dham, Haridwar, Mathura,
Allahabad and Varanasi, the Buddhist
Mahabodhi Temple, the Sikh Golden
Temple in Amritsar, Punjab. It houses the world heritage sites such
as the Valley of flowers, Qutub Minar, Taj Mahal etc. Folk dances
like the bhangra of the Punjab, rouf and bhand pather of Kashmir
are quite famous. Jammu and Kashmir is known as the paradise of
the India. The states Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh house
the famous hill stations like Kullu, Manali, Shimla, Dharamsala,
Palampur, Mussoorie, Dehradun, Nainital etc. Some other famous
cities are Gurgaon, Kurukshetra, Jammu, Ladakh(Leh), Srinagar,
Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar etc.

93

Taj Mahal:

Taj Mahal was built in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to
bury the remains of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal stands
on the southern bank of the Yamuna River in Agra, Uttar Pradesh.
The famous tomb complex, built over more than 20 years, is one
of the most outstanding examples of Mughal architecture, which
combined Indian, Persian and Islamic influences. At its center is
the Taj Mahal itself, built of shining white marble that seems to
change color depending on the sunlight or moonlight hitting its
surface. It is one of the worlds most famous structures and a
stunning symbol of Indias rich history. It was designated a
UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983.

94

South India:
South India is a region in the southern part of India. It includes the
states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It
also houses the Union Territories of Pondicherry (Puducherry) and
Lakshadweep Island in the Arabian Sea. The Godavari, Krishna,
Tungabhadra and Kaveri rivers are important non-perennial
sources of water. Southern region speak one of the Dravidian
languages: Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Tulu. The
classical dances of India like "Bharat Natyam" and "Kathakali"
have South Indian origin.
This part of India has enormous beaches, waterfalls, forests,
lakes, backwaters, wild life sanctuaries etc. The famous cities in
this region are Hyderabad and its twin city Secunderabad, Mysore,
Bangalore

(Bengaluru),

Kochi

(Cochin),

Trivandrum

(Thiruvananthapuram), Chennai (Madras), Kanyakumari etc. Some

of the famous hill stations in this region are Kodaikanal, Ooty
(Ootacamund), Munnar etc.

95

Char

Minar:

Char Minar is most famous historical place of Hyderabad in

Andhra Pradesh. Its English name is a translation of two words
"char" and "minar" which is four towers. The fifth ruler of the
Qutub Shahi dynasty Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah built the
Char Minar in 1591. After shifting his capital from Golkonda to
Hyderabad, he built this awesome structure of Char Minar.
Because of Char Minar, this landmark became a global icon of
Hyderabad. Each tower is visible from the outside of the four
stories, which is marked by carved ring. It has 149 flights of stairs
to climb to the top floor.
96

Homework: Circle the correct answer

1. North East India consists a vast area which ranges from
____________________ (Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Indian
Ocean, Pacific Ocean), the largest bay in the world to the
highest peaks of this world.
2. Howrah Bridge is a _______________________ (cantilever,
suspension, floating, long) bridge.
3. _________________________ (Delhi, Pune, Ahmedabad,
Mumbai) is the most famous city and the financial hub of
the India.
4. The capital of India, _____________________ (Uttar Pradesh,
Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana) is in North India.
5. Taj Mahal was built in 1632 by the Mughal emperor
_____________________ (Qutub, Shah Jahan, Akbar) to bury
the remains of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
6. Char Minar is most famous historical place of
___________________ (Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore,
Kanyakumari) in South India.

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Homework: Cut and Paste any pictures, art, cutting

from your last trip to India.

98

Chapter 12 - Indian Customs and Moral

Story - Part 4
Custom: What is the importance of Tulsi?
Tulsi or Tulsi or Holy basil is a sacred
plant in Hindu belief. Hindus regard it as
an earthly sign of the goddess Tulsi, a
part of the god Vishnu. The offering of its
leaves is considered to be religious.
Hindus have tulsi plants growing in front
of or near their home, often in special
pots or special small stone structures.
Traditionally, Tulsi is planted in the center of the central courtyard
of Hindu houses. The plant is grown for religious and medicinal
purposes, and for its essential oil.
The leaves of the tulsi plant are not only
important in worship, but considered
superior to its fragrant flowers. Flowers
are fragrant only when they bloom. But
every

part

of

the

tulsi

plant

has

fragrance. Its seeds, leaves, stem, and

roots- all have fragrance. Even the soil
in which it is planted acquires the
fragrant smell of the plant. It is believed
that using tulsi leaves in worship brings prosperity.

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The health benefits of holy basil, also known as tulsi, include oral
care, relief from respiratory disorders, as well as treatment of
fever, asthma, lung disorders, heart diseases and stress. Holy
Basil, which has the scientific name Ocimum Sanctum is
undoubtedly believed to be one of the best medicinal herbs that
have

been discovered.

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Story : The Grasshopper and the Ant

It was summer, hot and sunny, and, instead of working and
preparing for winter, a Grasshopper preferred to dance, sing and
play his violin at his leisure, not minding that these wonderful
days will soon be over, that cold and rainy days will soon be near.
On seeing a hardworking Ant passing by him, preparing for the
hard winter that was to come one day, he invited him to join him

and share his fun.

Unfortunately, I dont have time for this, the Ant answered, I
must work hard, so that winter wont find me without shelter and
food.
Stop worrying so much, there is still plenty of time to prepare for
winter. Lets sing and dance together, lets laugh and enjoy life.
But Ant was very wise and wouldnt pay attention to the
Grasshoppers words and continued to work hard and store food
for the long winter that was to come. The winter came sooner
than expected, and the Grasshopper found himself without home
101

and without food. He went to the Ants house and begged him for
food and shelter. Im sorry, but I cant help you, the Ant said. I
only have room and food for me and my family, so go find help
somewhere

else.

I should have followed Ants example in the summer, the

Grasshopper thought sadly. I would have been so happy now
Prepare for the hard days to come.

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Activity: The Grasshopper and the Ant

What did the grasshopper wanted to do in the story during
vacation and why?

Draw favorite scene from the story?

What is the moral of the story in your own words?

103

Chapter 13 - Holi
Holi is a spring festival, also known as the festival of colors or the
festival of love. It is an old Hindu religious festival, which has
become popular with non-Hindus in many parts of South Asia, as
well as people of other communities outside Asia.
Holi celebrations start with a Holika bonfire on the night before
Holi where people gather, sing and dance. The next morning is a
free-for-all carnival of colors, where people play, chase and color
each other with dry powder and colored water, with some
carrying water guns and colored water-filled balloons for their
water fight. Anyone and everyone is fair game, friend or stranger,
rich or poor, man or woman, children and elders.

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Holika Dahan: The Holi bonfire

Holika Dahan (Holi bonfire) the main emphasis of the festival
is the burning of the holy fire or
Holika. The origin of the
traditional lighting of Holi
is attributed by some to
burning

of

demonesses

the
like

Holika, Holaka and Putana, who

represent evil.
Traditionally a bonfire on the night before Holi marks the symbolic
end of a demoness Holika the sister of demon, Hiranyakashipu.
The bon fire symbolizes the victory of good over evil, and people
make round (pradakshina) of the bonfire. The next day this victory
is celebrated as the day of Dulhendi or Holi Celebrations.
'Holi' is grandly celebrated throughout the country, and especially
in villages around Mathura, the place where Lord Krishna was
born. Before the start of the festival, shops are busy selling
Gulal, the colored powders, and are flooded with festive
shoppers.
On Holi, parents let their children go out on the streets to spoil in
the splashing of colors. Men like to wear white Kurtas while
ladies prefer to wear white saris, or Salwar Kameez,.

105

The main ingredients of celebration are Abeer and Gulal, which

comes in all colors. Next comes spraying of colored water using
Pichkaris. One thing that is very attractive about this

festival is the spirit of the people who celebrate the occasion.

Whether they are young or old, everyone enjoys this colorful
festival by throwing colors at each other.

Kids love throwing

watercolor balloons at each other.

On

this

occasion,

dances and folk songs are also important features in the festival.
People are out on the street with their Dholaki and sing and
106

dance together. A special drink called Thandai is served. Thandai

is made from milk, with lot of dry-fruits.

107

Homework: Circle the correct answer

1. Holi is a _____________________ (spring, summer, winter,

fall) festival.
2. The bonfire symbolizes the victory
of________________________ (bad over good, good over
evil), and people make round (pradakshina) of the bonfire.
3. The Holy bonfire is also known as ___________________________
(Surya grahan, Holika dahan, Chandra grahan).
4. A special drink is served in Holi celebration and it is called
_______________________ (smoothie, juice, thandai, lassi).
It is made from milk, with lot of dry-fruits.
5. The main ingredient of celebration is ________________________
(crackers, kites, balls, gulal), which comes in all colors.

108

Chapter 14 - Traditional Outdoor Games

of India
Patang Bazi (Kite Flying): Kites are of
different shapes and sizes.

The ones

available in the market are generally

square, or rectangular and some are
special with two ovals joined together.
There are kites with tails available too.
Fine paper is used in making kites. Often two or more kids fly kite
together and so they take turns flying the kite and holding the
reel of thread. Kids and elders both play this game with great
enthusiasm. Patang Bazi or Kite flying is the most loved game for
kids especially during Makar Sankranti and Independence Day. It
looks great when the sky is covered with colorful kites and the
cool breezes take them higher and higher. During this process
other kite flyers try to bring your kite down, entangle their kite
with yours, and an exciting kite fight starts.
Gilli Danda (Baseball with sticks no ball or bat) : Gilli
Danda is played with two wooden sticks - a gilli and a danda. The
gilli is about three inches long and tapered at the ends. The
danda, about 2 feet long, is used to strike the gilli. The gilli is
placed across on the ground. In this game, the striker tries to hit
the gilli with the danda two times, once to lift it off the ground and
then to hit it as far as possible. If he hits the gilli, the fielding
team tries to catch the gilli before it touches the ground. If they
109

succeed, the striker is out and the

next player comes in to bat. If the
fielders cannot catch the gilli, the
striker scores. The game continues
till all the players have had their
turn at striking. The team with the
higher score wins.
Pitthu (Sitoliya or Lagori) - This game is played with 7 round
and flat pieces of stones and a ball. The stone pieces are such
that they can be stacked one on top of the other,
starting from the biggest piece at the bottom. The
full

seven-piece stack of stones is called the

Pitthu. There is no limit on the number
of kids. All the kids playing are divided

into two teams. One team is the player team and the other team
is the defense team. At the start of the game, the player team
sends one player at a time to throw the ball at the Pitthu. If the
stack of stones falls then the playing team has to try to make the
Pitthu again while the defending team tries to get the playing
team out by trying to hit each one of them with the ball. If the
player team is able to make the Pitthu before the defending team
hits all their players then they get a point. After that the teams
change roles, the defending team becomes the playing team.
And so the sequence continues as long as the players want to
play. At the end of the play, whichever team has more points,
wins.
110

Kho-Kho: Kho-Kho is popular in the

whole of India. It originated at Pune
Gymkhana
Maharashtra.

in

the

state

of

Its team in India is

called Kho- Kho Federation of India

(K.K.F.I). Kho-Kho is a game played
in 2 innings by 12 nominated players
One team becomes the chasers and the other the defenders or
runners. In the game, the chaser pursues the runners; tags and
touches them and makes them out. Each team has to chase and
defend for 9 minutes twice in a match.
Kabaddi: Kabaddi is a team sport that originated in India. Two
teams occupy opposite halves of a field and take turns sending a
"raider" into the other half, in order to win points by tagging or
wrestling members of the opposing team; the raider (attacker)
then tries to return to his own half, holding his breath during the
whole raid.

111

Homework: Circle and write the correct

answer

1. In

__________________________ (Kite Flying, Kabaddi, Kho

Kho, Pithu), the attacker has to hold breath.
2. The full seven-piece stack of stones is called the
__________________ (Pillar, Pitthu, Rock, Mountain).
3. In the game of Gilli Danda, the striker tries to hit the
_______________ (Gilli, Danda) with the ________________
(Gilli, Danda) two times, once to lift it off the ground and
then to hit it as far as possible.
4. Kite Flying is also known as ___________________________,
5. Kho-Kho was originated in the state of _____________________
(Haryana, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan).
6. _____________________ (Gilli Danda, Kho-Kho, Patang bazi,
Pithu) is the most loved game during Makar Sankranti and
Independence Day.

112

113

Chapter 15 - Traditional Indoor Games of

India
Indoor games have traditionally been great past time activities
for Indians across all age groups. These games are often played
along with friends or with family members. There are a lot of
indoor games played in India like Chess, Carom-board etc. Here
are some examples of Indoor board games:
Chess: Chess originated in India around
6th century. The earlier form of chess was
called Chaturanga. It is played on a
checkered board by two players, each
with 16 pieces, whose object is to
capture opponent's king. Each player
begins with a king, a queen, two bishops,
two knights, two rooks or castles, and eight pawns.
Mancala:

A game played on a

board containing two rows of cupshaped holes in which pebbles are

placed and transferred from hole to
hole according to certain rules. It
goes by the name pallankuzhi in Tamilnadu. The basic aim of the
game is for the players to capture as many counters as possible.
Tamarind seeds, cowry shells, lentils, etc. are used as counters.

114

Ludo: Ludo is a simple adaptation of the Indian game

Pachisi. Pachisi is generally made from
strong cloth, with the gaming pattern
embroidered onto it. A very similar but more
skillful, complex and older game was
called Chausar, Chaupar, or Chaupad.
In the olden times they used long elongated dice or cowry shells.
In North America, Ludo is marketed
under its brand name of "Parcheesi".
Numerous variations of "Parcheesi"
are available under the names of
"Trouble" and "Sorry. In this game,
the players have to race their 4
tokens from the starting to the
finishing point according to the roll
of the dice.
Carrom: Carrom board is a square
board

with

small

pockets

in

the

corners. It is a simple version of pool

table. There are 21 carrom pieces.
Each set of carrom pieces contains
nine white round pieces, nine black
round pieces and one red piece (the
queen or rani).

You

arrange the

pieces in certain way in the center of the board. A bigger round

piece called the striker is used to hit the center pieces. The aim of
115

the game is to get most points by striking the pieces into the
corner pockets.
Snakes and Ladders: The game had its origin in India and was
called Param Padam or Mokshapat. It was used to teach Hindu
values to children. The ladders represented virtues and snakes
vices. The ladders represent values such as kindness, humility,
faith, etc. The snakes represent anger, hatred, selfishness, etc.

116

Homework: Circle and write the correct answer

1. _____________________________________ (Ludo, Carrom

Board, Snakes/Ladders) is a square board with small
pockets in the corners.
2. ______________________________ (Carrom Board,
Snakes/Ladders, Chess, Ludo) is a simple adaptation of
the Indian game Pachisi.
3. The earlier form of chess was called _____________________
(Pachisi, Chaturanga, Mancala).
4. ___________________________ (Ludo, Snakes/Ladders,
Chess, Carrom Board) was used to teach Hindu values to
children.
5. The basic aim of _____________________ (Mancala, Ludo,
Carrom Board, Chess) is for the players to capture as
many counters as possible.

117

Chapter 16 - Wildlife of India

Indias wild life is both rich and wide-ranging. More than 4% of
Indias land is covered under forest. There are at least 90 national
parks and 482 wildlife sanctuaries.
Animals are classified into two types - domestic and wild animals.

Domestic Animals: Any animal that

has been disciplined and made fit for
a human environment is a domestic
animal.

Some

of

the

domestic

animals are dog, cat, horse, cow,

sheep, pig and goat.

Wild Animals: They can live

independently

of

humans

and are not descended from

domesticated animals. They
behave in a similar way to
other

members

of

their

species and do not need

people to provide them with
food, accommodation or breeding partners.

118

Some of the wild life found

in India are:
Indian Elephant: Elephants
are not only a cultural icon
in India and throughout Asia,
they also help to maintain
the integrity of their forest
and grassland habitats. An
Elephant has a big body and is up to 21 feet long. They feed
mainly on grasses, but large amounts of tree bark, roots, leaves
and small stems are also eaten. Cultivated crops such as
bananas, rice and sugarcane are favored foods as well. Since they
need to drink at least once a day, these elephants are always
close to a source of fresh water. They are found all over India but
mostly in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Naidu. In India, elephants
are used for carrying heavy logs and for giving rides to people. In
olden days, it was considered royal to ride on elephants.
Elephants were part of armies of the kings during battles/war.
Rhinoceros- One horned rhino is unique and is found in
Kaziranga National Park in Assam. There are total of 2400 rhino
known out of which 1600 are in Assam. The skin of the rhino is
knobby and fall down in folds. The horn is made of Keratin that
is the stuff our hair and nails are made of.

119

Indian Lions: The Indian Lion

is found in the Gir National
park in Gujarat. The Indian
lion are endangered species.
They are called king of the
jungle.

Lions

communicate with each

other with a variety of
grunts, meows, growls, moans
and roars. The Asiatic lion is also known as the Indian lion or
Persian lion.

120

Tiger: Tiger is the national animal of India. Once, Indian forests

were the home of the
tigers. Now you can find
them in protected
National parks. The
tigers were once hunted
for their skin. The royal
Bengal tiger is an
impressive animal only
found in the West Bengal. White tigers are found in Madhya
Pradesh in Kanha National Park. The tiger is the largest member
of the cat family. They sport long, thick reddish coats with white
bellies and white and black tails. Their heads, bodies, tails and
limbs have narrow black, brown or gray stripes. There were once
nine subspecies of tigers: Bengal, Siberian, Indochinese, South
Chinese, Sumatran, Malayan, Caspian, Javan and Bali. Of these,
the last three are extinct, one is extinct in the wild, and the rest
are endangered.

121

Deer:

India

is

known

of

having the largest number of

deer species in the world. The
species found in India varies
in size as per the areas they
live in. Deer have deep effect
on

their

surroundings

and

every type of deer plays a very important role in nature. There are
four species of deer found in India. They keep a control on the
growth of grass and other tree types which are favored by them.
Langur:
gray/yellowish

Langur
with

are
a

black

face and ears. They are found

all across India. They symbolize
Hindu

god,

Hanuman.

They

spend half of their time on

ground and other half on trees.
Gray langurs are large and fairly terrestrial, inhabiting forest,
open lightly wooded habitats, and urban areas on the Indian
subcontinent.

Wild Water buffalo: It is known

as Jungli Bhensa in Hindi. Wild
water

buffalo

are

larger

and

122

heavier than domestic buffalo. The wild water buffalo is the

ancestor of the domestic water buffalo.

123

Homework: Circle and write the correct answer

1. ________________________ (Domestic Animals, Wild
Animals) are disciplined and made fit for a human
environment.
2. _________________________ (Domestic Animals, Wild
Animals) can live independently of humans.

3. Wild water buffalo (Jungli Bhensa) are

______________________ (lighter, darker, skinnier,
heavier) than domestic buffalo.
4. India is known of having the largest number of
______________________ (tiger, lion, deer, cat) species in
the world.

5. _____________________ (Lion, Deer, Buffalo, Tiger) is the

national animal of India.
6. The Indian _______________________ (lion, tiger, elephant,
deer) are endangered species and are called king of the
jungle.

124

7. The horn of __________________ (tiger, lion, rhinoceros,

deer) is made of Keratin that is the stuff our hair and
nails are made of.

125

Chapter 17 - Indian Customs and Moral

Story - Part 5
Custom: The Power of Prayer
We pray to God every day. Prayer is the way of reaching out to
God or get blessings from elders by bowing in front of them. We
pray after getting up from bed, before having food, and before
leaving for school or office. We also say a prayer before going to
bed.
Prayer before going to bed

Prayer during
the day

Prayer is an essential part of our

Prayer with Parents

lives spiritually. It is a unique period of relationship with God.

Prayer is believed to be a heavenly and extraordinary experience.
We also should never forget to thank god or almighty for all we
have. Prayer gives us power over Evil and keeps us humble before
God.

126

Story: The Lion and the

Mouse
Once when a lion, the king of the
jungle, was asleep, a little mouse
began running up and down on him.
This soon awakened the lion, which
placed his huge paw on the mouse,
and opened his big jaws to swallow
him. "Pardon, O King!" cried the
little Mouse, "Forgive me this time. I shall never repeat it and I
shall never forget your kindness. And who knows, I may be able to
do you a good turn one of these days!
The Lion was so tickled by the idea of the mouse being able to
help him that he lifted his paw and let him go. Sometime later, a
few hunters captured the lion, and tied him to a tree. After that
they went in search of a wagon, to take him to the zoo.
Just then the little mouse happened to pass by. On seeing the
lions plight, he ran up to him and gnawed away the ropes that
bound him, the king of the jungle.
"Was I not right?" said the little mouse, very happy to help the
lion.
MORAL: Small acts of kindness will be rewarded greatly.

127

Disclaimer
This document may contain copyrighted material whose use has
not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This
document

is

prepared

for

Gurukul,

which

is

non-profit

organization that educates children about Indian culture and

language. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the
copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S.
Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for
purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain
permission from the copyright owner.

128