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CHAPTER: Winds of Change

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REFLECT AND RESPOND (Page 69)

I. Yes, hand fans are used in many Indian families. In Hindi it is called pankha, in Tamil viசிறி (visiri), in Bengali pankha or tal patar pankha, in Kannada beesani. They are typically made of bamboo, palm leaf, cane, cloth, or paper.

II. Fan Information Table:

Fans	Assam Fan	Kerala Fan	Uttar Pradesh Fan
The State it is from	Assam	Kerala	Uttar Pradesh
Shape	Round/circular	Elongated oval	Rectangular with frills
Made of	Bamboo/cane	Palm leaf	Moonj grass

III. Word Meanings — Matching:

Column 1	Column 2
1. indigenous	(iv) local — from where it originated
2. innovative	(v) new and original in approach
3. industrious	(i) hardworking
4. intricate	(vi) elaborate/detailed
5. invoked	(iii) brought out
6. initiatives	(ii) actions to improve a situation

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CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING (Pages 73–74)

I. Table on Pankha:

State	Type of Fan	Material Used
Rajasthan	appliqué hand fan	fabric pieces of different shapes and patterns sewn with ornamental needlework
Rajasthan	zardozi hand fan	gold thread (encrusted gold threadwork)
Rajasthan	temple hand fans	engraved brass with a long handle
Gujarat	mirror work hand fans	pure cotton embellished with mirror work
Gujarat	beads hand fan	beads, silver handle
Gujarat	Kutch leather hand fan	leather, decorated with thread and wool
West Bengal	sola hand fans	sola (milky-white spongy water grass)
Uttar Pradesh	Phadh hand fans	pure gold, silver zari, silk and satin frills
Bihar	bamboo hand fans	bamboo

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CRITICAL REFLECTION (Pages 74–76)

I. Extract-Based Questions:

Extract 1:

(i) True. The text states pankhas became significant cultural goods distributed through trade routes, confirming they were popular items of commerce.

(ii) The word “traditional” has been used to describe pankhas because they were developed over centuries within specific communities, passed down through generations, and are deeply rooted in the cultural practices, rituals, and local identity of each region. They represent an inherited craft with historical continuity rather than a newly invented product.

(iii) “They were considered exotic and stylish” is an opinion and not a fact because it expresses a subjective judgement about how people perceived pankhas — what seems exotic or stylish to one person may not seem so to another. There is no objective, measurable standard for “exotic” or “stylish,” making it a matter of personal or cultural perception rather than a verifiable fact.

(iv) One reason for commonality in the use of pankhas across India: India’s hot climate created a universal need for cooling devices. Since pankhas were the most practical and accessible tool for this before the advent of electric fans, their use naturally spread across all regions regardless of cultural differences.

(v) The correct assertion is A: Each kind of pankha could be distinguished from the other.
This correctly follows from the reason — because pankhas were made of indigenous materials unique to each region with elaborate designs, each variety was distinct and identifiable.

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Extract 2:

(i) One negative impact of technological advancement on pankha: The arrival of electric fans, air conditioners, and other cooling technology has reduced the functional use of pankhas, leading to a decline in their demand and threatening the livelihoods of traditional pankha makers.

(ii) The writer refers to pankhas not just as an object but as a “culture” because the pankha represents more than a functional tool — it embodies the artistic traditions, cultural identity, historical stories, and artisanal heritage of specific regions. Its design, materials, and craftsmanship reflect the values and creativity of entire communities across centuries.

(iii) The line that depicts how the role of the pankha has changed: “Once made for personal use, over time this handicraft has transformed into a commercial business and now provides some form of livelihood to India’s artisans.”

(iv) One way the increase in demand might benefit artisans: Greater demand for pankhas means more orders and regular income for artisans, enabling them to continue their craft as a sustainable livelihood rather than abandoning it for other work.

(v) B. economic demand — It is the increase in popularity and demand, driven by different versions of the pankha being crafted, that has contributed most directly to its commercialisation.

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II. Long Answer Questions:

1. The title “Winds of Change” captures the essence of the chapter on two levels. Literally, a pankha creates wind — it is a fan. Metaphorically, “winds of change” refers to the transformation the pankha has undergone — from a functional everyday object used to fan deities and kings, to a cultural handicraft and commercial commodity. The title cleverly signals both the subject (fans/wind) and the theme (change over time), suggesting that while the pankha itself stirs air, broader forces of change — technology, trade, modernisation — are reshaping its place in Indian life.

2. The statement is well supported by two examples from the chapter. First, the appliqué hand fan of Rajasthan is made of pieces of fabric sewn in intricate patterns with ornamental needlework, reflecting Rajasthan’s rich tradition of textile art and embroidery. Second, the beads hand fan of Gujarat is covered with colourful beads and has a silver handle — a craft deeply linked to Gujarat’s identity as the centre of bead craft in India. Both examples show that the design choices of each pankha are not accidental but express the specific artistic traditions and available resources of the region.

3. The balance between preserving traditional craftsmanship and incorporating innovative designs is essential for the survival of the pankha tradition. If artisans stick only to traditional methods without adapting to contemporary tastes, the craft risks becoming irrelevant and commercially unviable. On the other hand, if they abandon traditional techniques entirely for mass-produced designs, the cultural essence and uniqueness of each pankha would be lost. A thoughtful balance — using traditional materials and skills as a foundation while introducing new colour combinations, shapes, or contemporary patterns — can attract modern buyers while keeping the cultural soul of the craft alive. This approach allows the craft to evolve without losing its identity.

4. Pankha-making workshops can contribute to preservation in several important ways. They create direct awareness among participants about the craft’s history, materials, and techniques, building an audience of informed appreciators. They provide artisans with a platform to demonstrate their skills and connect with potential buyers. Workshops within and outside handicraft exhibitions expose the craft to new audiences — including younger generations and tourists — who might not otherwise encounter it. Over time, such exposure helps generate commercial interest, which sustains the financial incentive for artisans to continue practising and passing on their skills.

5. Celebrating pankhas benefits artisans and the craft in multiple ways. When pankhas are celebrated — through exhibitions, workshops, social media, and cultural events — awareness of their beauty and cultural significance grows. This translates into greater appreciation and demand, which directly benefits artisans economically. A commercial platform gives them sustainable livelihood. Beyond economics, celebration validates the artisan’s work as a cultural contribution, not merely a menial job — which dignifies the craft and motivates the next generation to learn it. Celebration also documents the craft for posterity, ensuring that even if demand fluctuates, the knowledge and stories behind each pankha are preserved.

6. The restriction of the pankha to decorative purposes reflects a significant shift in its cultural role. What was once an essential, practical daily-use object — used in temples to fan deities, in royal courts, and in ordinary homes for comfort — has been displaced by technology. However, its survival as a decorative item shows that even though its functional use has diminished, its aesthetic and cultural value has been recognised and retained. This shift suggests that modern India values the pankha more as an artistic heritage object than as a utility. It also reflects the broader tension in Indian culture between modernisation and tradition — the pankha’s decorative role is a compromise that keeps the craft alive even as its original purpose fades.

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VOCABULARY AND STRUCTURES IN CONTEXT (Pages 76–79)

I. Classification of Word Pairs:

Appearance	Place	Material
exotic and stylish	within and outside	thread and wool
ornate and encrusted	villages and towns	silk and brass

More word pairs from the text: bamboo and cane, shapes and patterns, culture and tradition, demand and supply, beauty and importance

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II. Fixed Expressions Table:

Word 1	and	Word 2	Fixed Expression	Meaning
1. high	and	tear	high and dry	(i) in a difficult situation, without help or money
2. cut	and	fast	cut and run	(vii) to make a quick or sudden escape
3. fact	and	figures	facts and figures	(iii) accurate and detailed information
4. all	and	sundry	all and sundry	(v) everyone, not just a few special people
5. wear	and	tear	wear and tear	(ii) the damage to an object due to normal use
6. time	and	again	time and again	(vi) often; on many or all occasions
7. thick	and	thin	thick and thin	(iv) even when there are problems or difficulties
8. hard	and	dry	hard and dry	(Note: “high and dry” is the standard expression for meaning (i); this pair may be “cut and dried” — to mean something settled/definite)

Matching Meanings:
(i) in a difficult situation, without help or money — high and dry
(ii) the damage to object due to normal use — wear and tear
(iii) accurate and detailed information — facts and figures
(iv) even when there are problems or difficulties — thick and thin
(v) everyone, not just a few special people — all and sundry
(vi) often; on many or all occasions — time and again
(vii) to make a quick or sudden escape — cut and run

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III. Collocations:

(i) The students have to take the English exam tomorrow.
(ii) The interviewer asked the candidate to take a seat.
(iii) My scooter ran into a car.
(iv) I must take responsibility for my success.
(v) I would like to improve my grammar.

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IV. Present Perfect Tense — Paragraph Fill:

(i) have created
(ii) have mastered
(iii) has evolved
(iv) have passed
(v) have performed

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LISTEN AND RESPOND (Page 79)

(Based on transcript on page 263)

I. Four true statements:
3. Rohan believes Grandma enjoys sitting in the verandah during the evenings. ✓
4. Priya knows Grandma likes to keep special items close to her. ✓
6. Priya suggests choosing between a bamboo pankha with beadwork or an embroidered pankha with mirror work. ✓
2. Priya suggests getting a pankha that can be easily moved around. ✓

(Statements 1, 5, and 7 are false.)

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SPEAKING ACTIVITY (Page 80)

Sample Monologue — Hand Fan:

“Hello! I am a traditional hand fan — a pankha made of bamboo and colourful cloth with intricate embroidery. I am flat and circular in shape, with a long wooden handle that fits comfortably in the palm. I love that I am completely eco-friendly and require no electricity to function — I am powered only by the gentle movement of a human hand. My weakness, I must admit, is that I cannot cool a large room the way an electric fan can, and I require effort to use. But what makes me truly unique is my story — every stitch of my embroidery carries the skill of a craftsperson who spent hours creating me. I am not just a fan — I am a piece of living art, a fragment of India’s cultural heritage. No ceiling fan or handheld electric device can claim that.”

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WRITING TASK — Factual Description (Page 80)

Sample Description of a Craft Artefact (Clay Diya):

The object I made in craft class is a small clay diya, a traditional Indian oil lamp. It is roughly circular in shape, approximately five centimetres in diameter, with a shallow depression in the centre and a small curved spout on one side where the cotton wick is placed. The surface is smooth on the inside and slightly textured on the outside where thumb impressions remain from the shaping process. The colour is a warm terracotta orange-brown, which deepens to a darker rust shade around the rim where it was fired.

The diya is made from natural clay mixed with water and shaped by hand on a flat surface. After forming, it was left to dry in the sun for two days before being fired in a small kiln. No glaze or chemical coating was applied — the natural colour of the fired clay forms its final appearance. The total height is approximately two centimetres.

The finished diya can hold approximately three millilitres of oil and a cotton wick of four centimetres length. It is placed on a flat, non-flammable surface during use. The shape, size, and material are identical to traditional diyas used across India during festivals, religious ceremonies, and daily prayers.

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LEARNING BEYOND THE TEXT — The Last Leaf by O. Henry (Pages 82–85)

Summary for classroom discussion:
The Last Leaf is a deeply moving story about the redemptive power of art and selfless love. Johnsy, a young artist suffering from pneumonia, has given up the will to live and ties her fate to the falling leaves of an ivy vine. When the last leaf falls, she believes she will die. Her friend Sue tries desperately to revive her spirit. Behrman, an old painter who has never fulfilled his dream of painting a masterpiece, secretly goes out into a stormy night and paints a realistic ivy leaf on the wall — replacing the last fallen leaf. The leaf remains through storms, giving Johnsy hope and the will to live. She recovers. Behrman, however, contracts pneumonia on that stormy night and dies. The painted leaf was his masterpiece — created not for fame but to save a life.

Key themes:

• The life-giving power of art
• Selfless sacrifice and compassion
• The role of hope and will in recovery
• The irony that the greatest art is often born from the greatest personal cost

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POEM: Canvas of Soil by Maya Anthony

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REFLECT AND RESPOND (Page 86–87)

I. What we see in a garden:
Flowers, trees, grass, leaves, butterflies, birds, insects, soil, paths, pots, fences, water features, fruit, vegetables, weeds. Colours seen: red and pink (roses, bougainvillea), yellow (marigolds, sunflowers), green (grass, leaves), purple (lavender, jacaranda), white (jasmine, lilies), blue (morning glory).

II. Similarities between garden and painting:

• Just as a garden is composed of different colours and shades arranged together, similarly, a painting uses varied pigments and hues placed side by side to create a unified image.
• A garden and a painting both require creative vision, skilled hands, and careful attention to composition and colour.
• Colour is common to both a garden and a painting.
• Like a garden, a painting too creates beauty by combining contrasting elements harmoniously.

III. Palette, Canvas, and Hue in the painting:

• Palette — the range of colours the painter has used (visible in the colour chart/swatches beside the paintings)
• Canvas — the painting itself, the surface on which the image is created
• Hue — a specific shade visible in the painting, such as the vivid green of trees or the crimson of flowers

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CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING (Pages 87–88)

I. Stanza Summaries:

1. The earth/soil is portrayed as a rich palette where gardeners’ dreams flourish in the form of seeds, awaiting spring.
2. The garden flowers bloom into a beautiful display of different b_l_o_s_s_o_ms, resembling a painting/artwork by Mother Nature, in the light of morning.
3. Each garden is likened to a wide ca_n_v_a_s, integrating art and life. Through the efforts of gardeners, gardens transform into still-life paintings.

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II. Appropriate Titles for Each Stanza:

• Stanza 1: 4. Earth and Possibilities
• Stanza 2: 1. Nature’s Work of Art
• Stanza 3: 3. Gardens as Living Canvases

(Extra titles not used: 2. Sweet-smelling Blossoms and 5. The Painter’s Canvas)

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III. Poetic Devices — Matching:

Column 1	Column 2
1. Imagery	(iv) colours, brushstrokes, blossoms, shades of green
2. Metaphor	(vi) garden as a painting, plot as canvas, seeds as brushstrokes
3. Rhyme Scheme	(ii) AABB
4. Tone	(i) appreciative
5. Mood	(vii) joyful
6. Speaker	(v) a gardener
7. Alliteration	(iii) ‘Blossoms bloom’

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CRITICAL REFLECTION (Pages 89–91)

I. Extract-Based Questions:

Extract 1:

(i) B. “She has a heart of gold.”
This is a metaphor because it directly equates the heart to gold (a precious metal representing goodness) without using “like” or “as.” Option A uses normal description, C uses a simile-like comparison with “dance,” and D is a straightforward statement.

(ii) The phrase “planted true” is significant because it implies that the seeds are sown with purpose, care, and sincerity — planted in the right way, at the right time, in the right place — suggesting that the gardener’s effort is deliberate and hopeful, much like an artist making intentional brushstrokes on a canvas.

(iii) The poet has used the word “hue” instead of “colours” because “hue” is a more precise, artistic term associated with painting and visual art — it refers to a specific shade or tone of a colour. Using “hue” instead of “colours” strengthens the central metaphor of the poem (the garden as a painting) and gives the poem a more lyrical, elevated quality. It also rhymes better with “true” in the previous line.

(iv) Summer: hot :: Spring : vibrant

(v) B. Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
Gardeners do wait for spring — because spring is the season of growth, renewal, and blooming, when the seeds planted in soil begin to flourish (A is true). Gardens are also worth painting in spring due to their colourful beauty (R is also true). However, gardeners wait for spring primarily because it is the growing season, not primarily because gardens look paintworthy — so R is not the correct explanation of A.

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Extract 2:

(i) “Each plot” refers to each individual section or patch of land in a garden — a specific area of soil designated for growing plants. By extension, it also metaphorically suggests any creative space or individual human effort.

(ii) A. beautiful and clear / laughter and cheer
The rhyme scheme of the extract is AA (wide/coincide — both end lines rhyme with each other). Option A has “clear” and “cheer” rhyming, matching the AA pattern. Option B has “clear” and “tears” which do not rhyme.

(iii) The line that conveys that gardening blends aesthetic beauty with natural growth: “Where art and life coincide.”
This line directly states that art (aesthetic/creative activity) and life (natural growth, living processes) meet and overlap in the garden.

(iv) The plot is likened to a canvas suggesting that the garden is a space where creativity and nature work together — just as an artist has a canvas on which to express their vision, a gardener has a plot of earth on which to shape and grow something beautiful. The garden, like a canvas, is a blank space transformed into something meaningful through skilled, purposeful effort.

(v) The poet has most likely used “wide” instead of “long” because “wide” suggests breadth, openness, and expansiveness — a canvas that stretches out before the viewer like a panorama, inviting the eye to take in all its colours at once. “Wide” also suggests possibility and creative freedom. “Long,” on the other hand, would suggest a narrow, linear dimension that doesn’t capture the full, open quality of a garden spread before one. “Wide” also rhymes more naturally with the lyrical flow of the poem.

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II. Reasons for Comparisons:

1. A painter is compared to a gardener because both use their creative vision, skills, and tools to transform a blank surface (canvas/soil) into something beautiful — both are artists who work with colour, composition, and patience to produce a meaningful, pleasing result.
2. A palette is like earth as both serve as the source and mixing ground for colour — a painter draws from and blends colours on a palette, just as a gardener draws from the earth to produce a variety of colours in the form of different flowers and plants.
3. The brushstrokes are like seeds because just as a painter makes deliberate, purposeful strokes to create an image, a gardener plants seeds with intention and care — each seed, like each brushstroke, is a small act of creation that will contribute to the final beautiful whole.
4. A canvas is similar to a garden plot as both are the surface or space upon which creation takes place — both are wide, open, and waiting to be transformed by the hand of a creator (painter or gardener) into a work of beauty and meaning.

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III. Long Answer Questions:

1. The metaphor “Brushstrokes of seeds” elevates gardening from a mere agricultural activity to an art form. By comparing the act of planting seeds to an artist making brushstrokes, the poet suggests that gardening requires the same intentionality, precision, and creative vision as painting. Each seed placed in the soil is like a deliberate mark on a canvas — placed with care, with a mental image of the final result in mind. This metaphor invites the reader to see gardeners not merely as labourers but as artists who use the earth as their medium, which deepens our appreciation for the skill, patience, and creativity that gardening requires.

2. From the lines “Each plot, a canvas wide / Where art and life coincide,” we can infer that the poet sees nature and creativity as fundamentally inseparable. The poet believes that creativity does not exist in isolation from the natural world — rather, nature itself is a form of art, and human artistic activity is most meaningful when it aligns with natural processes. The garden, where living plants grow and change with the seasons, is also a place of artistic expression. This perspective suggests the poet holds a deeply harmonious view of the relationship between human creativity and the natural world — neither is complete without the other.

3. Yes, the imagery in the poem successfully paints a vivid picture in the reader’s mind. The poem uses visual imagery throughout — “Shades of green, red, and blue,” “Blossoms bloom, a painted sight,” “Brushstrokes of seeds” — to create a rich sensory picture of a blooming garden. The comparison of the garden to a painting is consistently maintained, which helps the reader visualise the colours, shapes, and textures of plants as if they were elements of an artwork. The imagery is concrete enough to be clearly pictured yet poetic enough to carry deeper meaning, making it both evocative and effective.

4. The poet mentions shades of green, red, and blue, but the addition of yellow would have significantly strengthened the visual imagery. Yellow is one of the most vibrant and commonly seen colours in a garden — sunflowers, marigolds, daffodils, mustard flowers, and autumn leaves all display striking shades of yellow. As a warm, bright colour, yellow would have added another dimension of contrast to the “shades of green, red, and blue” mentioned, making the palette feel more complete and realistic. Yellow is also the colour of sunlight and warmth, which would have reinforced the poem’s joyful, celebratory mood and enhanced the metaphor of the garden as a painting full of complementary and contrasting colours.

5. The line “Gardens become paintings still” suggests that the poet sees nature’s beauty as timeless and enduring. The word “still” carries a double meaning — it means “even now” (gardens continue to be paintings) and also “motionless” (like a still-life painting that captures a moment forever). The poet implies that the beauty created by gardeners does not fade or become irrelevant — it transcends time, much like a great work of art. Gardens, through the changing seasons and years, continue to offer the same profound visual experience. This reflects the poet’s view that nature’s beauty is not temporary but eternal, always renewing itself and always worth appreciating.

6. The title “Canvas of Soil” is perfectly apt and richly meaningful. The word “canvas” refers both to the surface on which a painting is made and to the painting itself. By replacing the artist’s canvas with “soil,” the poet makes the central argument of the poem explicit: the earth itself is the artist’s canvas. The title suggests that gardening is a form of painting — the soil is the medium, seeds are the brushstrokes, and the blooming garden is the artwork. The title also carries an earthy, grounded quality — “soil” is humble and real, reminding us that this art form is not found in galleries but under open skies, accessible to all. The combination of the elevated “canvas” and the fundamental “soil” captures both the artistic dignity and the natural simplicity that the poem celebrates throughout.

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VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT (Pages 92–93)

I. Colour Associations:

Shades of Red:

• Crimson — red roses, lips, blood
• Scarlet — poppies, fire engines
• Vermilion — sindoor, sunsets
• Salmon — certain flowers, fresh fish flesh
• Rusty red — old iron, autumn leaves
• Blood red — pomegranate seeds, certain tulips

Shades of Green:

• Pine green — conifer trees, dark forests
• Jade — jade stones, deep still water
• Olive — unripe olives, military uniforms
• Apple green — fresh leaves, Granny Smith apples
• Pistachio — pistachio nuts, light spring leaves
• India green — the colour on India’s national flag

Shades of Blue:

• Navy blue — school uniforms, deep ocean
• Cobalt blue — pottery glaze, clear midday sky
• Indigo — denim fabric, the night sky
• Sky blue — clear daytime sky, forget-me-not flowers
• Ice blue — glaciers, frozen ponds

Two things associated with each colour (sample):

• Crimson: red roses, autumn maple leaves
• Pine green: tall forest trees, pine needles
• Navy blue: school uniforms, deep sea water

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II. Painting-Related Words — Meanings:

• Easels — I think easels means a wooden frame or stand that holds a canvas upright while an artist paints, because the passage talks about painters approaching their easels and framing a canvas to work on.
• Tonal range — I think tonal range means the variety of light and dark shades of colour available in a painting, because the passage talks about the teacher encouraging students to experiment with different shades and hues to bring their paintings to life.
• Underpainting — I think underpainting means a first layer of paint applied to a canvas before the final colours are added, because the passage talks about the student first doing careful underpainting and then filling in the final colours.
• Mural — I think mural means a large painting done directly on a wall, because the passage describes a student working on a painting that depicted a Spring Day on the right wall of the classroom.

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LISTEN AND RESPOND (Pages 93–94)

(Based on transcript on page 264)

I. She does NOT talk about: 2 (the water hose/watering system — she does not describe it)

II.

#	Statement	Answer
1	The colour of flowers in the first row	white
2	The type of flowers in the second row	marigold
3	Position of the useful plants	left and right corners
4	The number of potted evergreen plants	20
5	The paint colour on the bricks bordering the garden	white and red
6	Type of tree in the centre of the garden	peepal
7	Things created with waste material	bird houses

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SPEAKING ACTIVITY (Page 94)

I. Advantages of Flower Garden vs Vegetable Garden:

Flower Garden	Vegetable Garden
Beautifies the home	Provides fresh food for the family
Attracts butterflies and bees	Saves money on groceries
Improves mental well-being	Teaches children about food and nutrition
Can be gifted to others	Reduces dependence on market produce
Requires relatively simple maintenance	Gives a sense of achievement and productivity

II. Sample Preference Dialogue:

“I prefer a vegetable garden to a flower garden because it serves a practical purpose alongside being enjoyable to maintain. For me, it is a more productive choice instead of a purely aesthetic one due to the fact that every week I can harvest tomatoes, spinach, or herbs for my family’s kitchen. If I had a choice I’d rather have a vegetable garden than a flower garden as it connects me to the source of my food and makes me more aware of sustainable living. I would prefer growing my own vegetables rather than buying them from the market since home-grown produce is fresher, chemical-free, and far more satisfying.”

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WRITING TASK — Descriptive Garden Writing (Page 94)

Sample Descriptive Paragraph:

The garden I visited most recently was the rose garden in our school campus during the spring season. The moment one steps inside, the eye is drawn immediately to a sweeping bed of red roses — deep crimson blooms interspersed with softer scarlet ones — that run along the entire southern wall. Against this warm intensity, the bordering shrubs of varying greens create a visual relief: the dark pine green of the neem hedges on one side contrasts sharply with the lighter, almost lime green of the newly sprouted grass underfoot.

Moving deeper into the garden, the eye encounters the blue of a small cluster of morning glory creeping over a trellis. These ice-blue flowers, almost translucent in the morning light, seem to vibrate against the rust-red of the brick pathway beside them. The textures here are as varied as the colours — the velvet softness of a rose petal against the leathery roughness of a cactus pad nearby, the silky sheen of new leaves versus the dry crinkle of older ones at the base of plants.

In the late afternoon, when the sun falls at an angle, the entire garden transforms. The reds deepen to blood-red, the greens take on golden undertones, and even the white jasmine blossoms seem to glow faintly amber. One realises that a garden’s colours are never fixed — they shift with light, hour, and season, making every visit feel like viewing a new painting hung in the same familiar frame.

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LEARNING BEYOND THE TEXT — A Sea of Foliage Girds Our Garden Round by Toru Dutt (Page 96)

Notes for classroom discussion:
This sonnet by Toru Dutt is a masterpiece of Indian English poetry. The poet describes her garden in vivid, sensory detail — the tamarinds, mango clumps, palms, seemul trees with their red flowers, bamboo groves, and the white lotus reflected in moonlight. The poem moves from the visual richness of daytime colours to the magical beauty of moonlit bamboo and the lotus transforming into “a cup of silver.” The final lines suggest that the garden at such a moment resembles Eden — a paradise so beautiful it could cause one to swoon or stand in speechless amazement.

Connections to “Canvas of Soil”:
Both poems treat the garden as a space of extraordinary beauty. While “Canvas of Soil” uses the metaphor of painting to celebrate the garden, Toru Dutt uses rich visual imagery and a sonnet form to paint the garden with words. Both poems suggest that the natural world is itself a form of art — and both invite us to look more carefully at the beauty around us.

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CHAPTER: The Pot Maker by Temsula Ao

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REFLECT AND RESPOND (Page 33)

I. Vocations shown in the pictures:
Basket weaving, pot making (pottery), weaving (loom), carpentry/woodwork.

Five more vocations: Farming, blacksmithing, tailoring, painting, fishing.

II. Discussion Questions:

1. All the pictures show people engaged in traditional, skill-based, handmade crafts that require training and practice.
2. We refer to such skill-based work as v_o_c_a_t_i_o_n_s.
3. Differences between handmade and machine-made products:

Handmade	Machine-made
Each piece is unique	Identical, mass-produced
Requires skilled craftsmanship	Requires minimal human skill
Time-consuming to produce	Produced quickly in large quantities
Higher artistic and cultural value	Lower individual character
Often more expensive	Generally cheaper

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CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING — PART I (Page 37)

I. Is pot making easy?
No, pot making is not easy at all. The story describes how the clay source is sixteen kilometres away and requires a steep climb. The clay must be dug, loaded, soaked, pounded in bamboo cylinders, shaped carefully on a rotating wheel, dried, and then fired in a kiln — a process that takes months. Even a small error during firing can ruin an entire batch. It requires physical strength, patience, skill, and great concentration.

II. Would Sentila be able to fulfil her dream?
Yes, Sentila would eventually be able to fulfil her dream. She is deeply passionate and dedicated — she secretly visited expert potters, observed them carefully, and persisted despite her mother’s opposition and her own initial failures. With Onula’s guidance and her mother’s indirect teaching through observation, Sentila finally creates a full batch of pots matching her mother’s quality. The story ends confirming: “A new pot maker was born.”

III. Would Mesoba and Arenla support Sentila?
Yes, ultimately they would. Mesoba already showed support by telling the village council that Arenla would teach Sentila. Arenla, despite her apparent reluctance, eventually took Sentila to the riverbank, taught her the process, and on that final day deliberately left Sentila alone to work — suggesting she knew Sentila was ready. Both parents’ actions, though indirect, ultimately supported their daughter’s dream.

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CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING — PART II (Page 41)

I. Did Onula’s support help Sentila?
Yes, Onula’s support was crucial in helping Sentila. When Sentila was struggling alone and feeling tense, Onula recognised that her anxiety was the obstacle, not her inability. She encouraged Sentila with kind words, demonstrated the correct technique, and crucially told her to watch her mother shaping the mouth of the pot. This specific guidance removed Sentila’s mental block and gave her the missing technical knowledge. Without Onula’s intervention, Sentila might never have overcome her frustration.

II. What does Sentila observing her mother tell us?
This tells us that Sentila is an extremely attentive, patient, and determined learner. Even when formal instruction fails her, she turns to careful observation as her learning tool. It shows her intelligence — she understands that watching an expert closely can teach what words cannot. It also reveals her deep commitment to mastering the craft despite repeated failures.

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III. Correct Sequence of Events:

4 → 6 → 3 → 1 → 8 → 5 → 2 → 9 → 7

1. Sentila was passionate about pottery but did not share it with her mother. (4)
2. Sentila overheard her mother saying that pot making was a tiring job. (6)
3. Sentila observed how other expert potters crafted beautiful pots. (3)
4. The village council called Mesoba to know about Arenla’s unwillingness. (1)
5. Sentila learnt the art of pot making for a year from her mother, but was unsuccessful. (8)
6. Onula guided Sentila in the art of pot making. (5)
7. Arenla made a new batch of pots and asked Sentila to continue the work as she was unwell. (2)
8. Sentila was able to make pots quickly and skillfully, just one less than her mother’s. (9)
9. Onula observed two rows of pots inside the work shed. (7)

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CRITICAL REFLECTION (Pages 42–44)

I. Extract-Based Questions:

Extract 1:

(i) A. The process of pot making is quite tiresome and long, and one hardly earns much.
This correctly supports the assertion that effort far exceeds return.

(ii) Arenla wants Sentila to learn weaving because it is cleaner, can be done indoors in all seasons, takes less time per piece, and earns significantly more money. She also believes weaving will provide enough cloth for the family.

(iii) One advantage weaving has over pot making: Weaving can be done indoors in all seasons and is not messy, unlike pot making which requires going to a distant riverbank and working with wet clay outdoors.

(iv) B. “They will make a handsome profit selling this property.”
Here, “handsome” means substantial/considerable (returns), which matches its use in the extract where it refers to good financial returns from weaving.

(v) The author uses the question mark in “And the reward?” to create a dramatic rhetorical effect. It draws the reader’s attention to the sharp contrast between the enormous effort involved in pot making and the meagre financial reward. The question implies that the reward is so little it is almost not worth mentioning — it expresses frustration and irony.

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Extract 2:

(i) Onula feels Sentila’s effort at making a pot is clumsy because she is too tense and anxious, which makes it impossible for her to handle the clay with the relaxed, fluid movements that successful pot making requires.

(ii) C. thoughtful and generous
Onula is thoughtful (she notices Sentila’s problem and diagnoses the cause) and generous (she offers freely to teach Sentila despite no obligation to do so).

(iii) A. “As a result, the clay seemed unable or unwilling to yield the right shape.”
This is the effect — the cause being Sentila’s excessive tension while trying to shape the pot.

(iv) The word “fashioned” means created.

(v) When Sentila saw the misshapen lump fall flat, she would have felt a mixture of deep frustration, shame, helplessness, and discouragement. After trying so hard for so long, seeing another failed attempt must have been demoralising. She may also have felt a growing fear that she would never succeed in learning the craft she loved so deeply.

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II. Long Answer Questions:

1. Process of pot making as observed by Sentila:
The process of pot making is complex and lengthy. First, grey and red clay is dug from the riverbank using a dao and carried uphill in baskets. The clay is soaked in a trough and then stuffed into bamboo cylinders where it is pounded repeatedly to soften it into malleable dough. The potter then pushes the left hand into a lump of softened clay while rotating it and uses a spatula in the right hand to shape it. After the basic shape is formed, the pot is given a final touchup after two or three days, including careful shaping of the mouth by slackening rhythm and adding a strip of elongated dough for the rim. The pots are then dried in the sun, loaded onto a kiln in a uniform pattern on a bed of hay and dried bamboo, covered with another layer, and fired carefully to avoid over-firing or under-firing.

2. Warning given to Mesoba by the village council:
The village council cautioned Mesoba that it was Arenla’s duty to teach her daughter the skill of pot making that had been handed down from generation to generation. They emphasised that skills like pot making did not belong to any individual — they belonged to the community. Experts were obliged to pass on their skills not only to their own children but to anyone who wished to learn, so that such traditions would not die out.

3. How Sentila felt after a year of failed training:
After a year of trying to learn from her mother without success, Sentila felt deep shame and frustration. She repeatedly hung her head when her attempts failed while her mother effortlessly transformed the same lump of clay into a beautiful pot. The continuous failure, despite her passion and effort, must have been emotionally exhausting. She was determined not to give up, but she was also bewildered as to why the skill would not come to her despite observation and practice.

4. “Onula stood there for a long time as if trying to absorb a new phenomenon”:
When Onula entered the work shed after Arenla’s death, she found two neat rows of newly-made pots standing side by side in perfect symmetry. She could find nothing to tell one batch from the other. This meant that Sentila’s pots were indistinguishable from her mother’s in quality, shape, and craftsmanship. For Onula, who knew how long and painfully Sentila had struggled, this was astonishing — almost a miracle. She stood still, trying to take in the profound significance of what she was seeing: that in her mother’s final hours, Sentila had somehow absorbed all her skill and produced work of equal quality. It was both a moment of wonder and of deep emotion.

5. “The tradition and history of the people did not belong to any individual”:
This statement symbolises the idea that traditional skills are a collective cultural heritage, not private property. Pot making in Sentila’s community is not merely a livelihood — it represents the identity, history, and continuity of the people. By saying it does not belong to any individual, the village elders assert that knowledge and craft must be shared freely for the sake of cultural preservation. This also carries a deeper message: that withholding inherited wisdom is a form of cultural harm, and that the true custodians of tradition are those who keep it alive by passing it on.

6. Significance of “A new pot maker was born”:
This concluding line is deeply symbolic on multiple levels. Literally, it announces that Sentila has mastered the craft and become a skilled potter. Symbolically, it suggests a kind of spiritual inheritance — as if Arenla’s skill passed into Sentila at the moment of her death. It also celebrates the continuity of tradition: the craft will not die with Arenla but lives on in Sentila. The simplicity of the line gives it enormous weight — it is the culmination of years of passion, failure, perseverance, and grief. The word “born” is significant — it suggests not just learning but transformation.

7. Role of perseverance in pursuing one’s dreams — with reference to Sentila:
Sentila’s journey is a perfect illustration of how perseverance transforms passion into mastery. Despite her mother’s opposition, the village’s gossip, and repeated failures even after a year of formal training, Sentila never abandoned her dream. She secretly watched expert potters, carried clay in her basket, practised alone in the dormitory at night, and observed her mother’s technique with painstaking attention. Each failure taught her something new. Her persistence eventually enabled her to break through — on the day she worked alone, something clicked, and she produced pots matching her mother’s standard. The story teaches that dreams worth having are rarely achieved quickly or easily; it is the refusal to give up that ultimately makes the difference.

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VOCABULARY AND STRUCTURES IN CONTEXT (Pages 45–48)

I. Classification Table:

Tools/Implements	Raw Materials	Process
dao	dough	pounding
spatula	clay	rotating
kiln	bamboo	shaping
basket	bed of hay	—
cylinders	—	—

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II. Economic Words — Meanings and Sentences:

Word	Meaning	Sentence
bankrupt	financially ruined; unable to pay debts	The old shop went bankrupt when large companies took over the market.
credit	ability to borrow money; trust in repayment	She bought the raw materials on credit from the supplier.
currency	the money system of a country	The currency of India is the rupee.
debt	money owed to someone	The potter took a loan and was in debt for two years.
fiscal	relating to government finances and taxation	The government announced a new fiscal policy to support artisans.
inflation	general rise in prices over time	Due to inflation, the cost of raw clay has doubled.
investment	money put into a business expecting returns	She made a wise investment by buying a better kiln.
interest	charge paid for borrowing money	He paid ten percent interest on his business loan.

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III. Clauses:

1. Complete with suitable noun clauses:

(i) The elders emphasised that pot making was a tradition that belonged to the entire community and must be passed on to future generations.

(ii) Mesoba explained why Arenla had not yet begun teaching Sentila and that it was only because she had been unwell.

(iii) Onula’s promise was that she would teach Sentila how to make a perfect pot.

(iv) Sentila observed her mother carefully when she was shaping the mouth of the pot, which helped her learn the technique of slackening the rhythm and adding a strip of dough to form the rim.

(v) The kiln, where the pots were placed on a bed of hay and dried bamboo and fired carefully, required careful attention to prevent over-or-under firing.

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2. Underline main clause, circle subordinate clause:

(i) Arenla took Sentila to the riverbank (where the grey and red clay was found).

(ii) She started on the next one, and like (a sprinter who had suddenly found momentum)…

(iii) …skills such as pot making, (which not only catered to the needs of the people)…

(Note: In (ii) and (iii), the relative/subordinate clauses are circled as shown.)

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3. Complete with suitable relative clauses:

(i) Sentila, whose passion for pottery had been kindled since childhood, practised the craft diligently.

(ii) The village council, where elders gathered to discuss matters of community concern, sought an explanation for Arenla’s reluctance.

(iii) The potter’s hands, which moved with skill and dexterity built over years of practice, shaped the clay into beautiful creations.

(iv) Arenla, her mother, wanted her to learn weaving, which was more profitable and less physically demanding than pot making.

(v) Mesoba went home and discussed the matter with Arenla, who agreed to begin teaching Sentila the art of pot making.

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4(i) More determiners from the text:
her, their, the, a, an, one, all, another, no, several, next, same, both, little, more, each

4(ii) Fill in the blanks with determiners:

A. The florist arranged five bouquets for her clients, that were displayed in her elegant floral shop.

B. The carpenter crafted several unique tables, and one became the centrepiece in his furniture collection.

C. Each of the apprentices in the culinary class demonstrated their knife skills during the intense cooking session.

D. Many of the sculptures were displayed at the art exhibition, showcasing their diverse artistic skills.

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LISTEN AND RESPOND (Pages 48–49)

(Based on transcript on page 261 — classroom listening activity)

I.

1. A statue is carved to create a shape that is three-dimensional / unique / lifelike.
2. Among the many things stone is used for, making stone statues/sculptures is one of them.
3. India has some of the most magnificent/exquisite/elaborate stone sculptures.

II. Six correct steps in making stone statues:

1. choose the stone ✓
2. set up the different tools ✓
3. carve to remove large unwanted portions of the stone ✓
4. work to bring out the imagined shape ✓
5. refine the creation within the stone ✓
6. detach the creation from the stone as the final statue ✓

(Steps 3, 4, and 7 — “begin carving from the centre,” “measure the weight and dimensions,” and “leave the statue in water to firm up overnight” — are not correct.)

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SPEAKING ACTIVITY — Role Play (Page 49)

Sample Role Play: Sentila and Onula

Sentila: I feel so frustrated, Onula aunty. I have been trying for a whole year but I cannot make a single proper pot. I wish I could just give up, but this craft is all I have ever wanted.

Onula: I can see your struggle, Sentila. But I noticed something — when you work with clay, you are too tense. Your hands are gripping instead of guiding. When you said you wanted to give up, it made me think you are closer to success than you realise.

Sentila: But how can I improve when I cannot even hold the lump properly?

Onula: Let me show you. Watch how I let the clay respond to my hands rather than forcing it. [demonstrates] Now you try — with confidence, not fear.

Sentila: [tries] I made a pot! I actually made one!

Onula: Yes! But the mouth needs work. When you work with your mother next time, watch exactly how she shapes the rim. You are a quick learner — you will do well.

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WRITING TASK — Reflective Writing (Pages 50–51)

Sample Reflective Write-up:

Introduction: One of my deepest passions is sketching and visual art. Ever since childhood, I have loved translating what I observe into drawings. The act of creating something visual from nothing gives me a sense of calm and achievement that few other activities do.

Describing skills: I practise sketching every evening for about thirty minutes, drawing subjects ranging from nature to portraits. I have attended a summer workshop in watercolour painting and regularly participate in my school’s art club.

Passion into profession: I believe illustration and graphic design could turn my passion into a profession. Visual communication is increasingly valued in advertising, publishing, and digital media. My ability to observe carefully and represent ideas visually could be a significant professional advantage.

Examples and reflection: Last year, I designed the poster for our school’s annual function. Seeing my work displayed for the whole school was a turning point — it made me realise that art is not just personal but communicative. This experience shaped my interest in pursuing design studies.

Conclusion: This exercise has helped me see that passion and profession are not opposites. What I enjoy doing most might also be what I am naturally suited for. I now understand the importance of developing my skill deliberately and seeking opportunities to grow beyond my comfort zone.

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LEARNING BEYOND THE TEXT (Pages 51–52)

I. Matching Pottery Styles with Pictures:

Based on visual characteristics:

• Khurja pottery — brightly coloured glazed ceramics (image 1: colourful plates/bowls)
• Blue pottery from Jaipur — distinctive blue and white patterns (image 2: blue vases)
• Terracotta from West Bengal — reddish-brown unglazed clay figurines (image 3: terracotta figurines)
• Andretta pottery from Himachal Pradesh — earthy toned wheel-thrown pottery (image 4: earthy bowls)
• Karigari pottery from Tamil Nadu — fine red clay work (image 5: small clay pots)
• Longpi Black pottery from Manipur — dark grey/black stone pottery without use of a wheel (image 6: black pots)

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SUPPLEMENTARY READING: Quality by John Galsworthy

(Summary and discussion notes for teacher reference — students read the full text on pages 52–56)

Summary for classroom discussion:
Quality is a poignant story about Mr Gessler, a German cobbler in London who makes extraordinarily fine, custom boots. He is a master craftsman who cares deeply about quality — using only the best leather and making each pair by hand. The narrator, who has been his customer since childhood, observes Gessler’s gradual decline as large advertising-driven firms take away his customers. Eventually, Gessler’s elder brother dies, and Gessler himself dies of slow starvation — having devoted every penny and every waking hour to making the finest boots, refusing to compromise his craft even as the world moved on without him. The final boots the narrator receives are the best Gessler ever made. The young man who has taken over the shop tells the narrator that Gessler starved himself working late into the night, never advertising, never accepting inferior leather, never letting anyone else touch his boots.

Key themes for presentation (Learning Beyond the Text II):

• The decline of traditional craftsmanship under industrial competition
• The conflict between artisanal integrity and commercial survival
• The dignity of skilled labour
• The tragic irony that the best craftsman starves while inferior mass-produced goods thrive
• The human cost of refusing to adapt vs. the moral value of maintaining standards

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POEMS: Gifts of Grace: Honouring Our Vocations

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REFLECT AND RESPOND — Riddles (Page 57)

I. Riddle Answers:

1. A farmer (sows seeds in furrows and watches them grow)
2. A potter (works from wheel to kiln)
3. A mason/builder (lays foundations brick by brick)
4. A cook (works with pots, pans, and spices)

II. Role and relevance:

• Farmer: Provides food for the entire nation; backbone of agriculture.
• Potter: Creates essential vessels; preserves cultural traditions.
• Mason/Builder: Constructs homes, schools, hospitals — the infrastructure of society.
• Cook: Nourishes families and communities; preserves culinary heritage.

All these vocations are essential to human life and social functioning. Without them, modern society could not exist.

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CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING — POEM (Pages 60–62)

I. True or False:

#	Statement	Answer
1	The poem highlights the skilled work of craftspersons.	True
2	The poet shares that musicians express emotions through their instruments.	True
3	The carpenters in the poem are admired for their logical work.	False — They are admired for their mathematical precision in creating things out of wood — it is their craftsmanship combined with precision, not purely logical work.
4	The electricians are recognised for their crucial role in lighting up lives.	True
5	The poem pays homage to shoemakers who manufacture quality footwear.	True
6	The poem celebrates the patriotism of the people of Bharat.	False — The poem celebrates the vocations and the identity of the working people of Bharat, not patriotism specifically. Rectified: The poem celebrates the diverse vocations and the pride of skilled workers who form the cultural fabric of Bharat.
7	The poet feels that each vocation deserves to be respected.	True

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II. Appreciation of the Poem:

1. Rhyme Scheme and Lineation:

(i) The poem is written in free verse. It does not strictly adhere to a rhyme scheme — lines do not end with rhyming words in any consistent pattern.

(ii) The varying length of lines mirrors the variety of vocations being described — some vocations require more words to explain, reflecting the richness and complexity of each craft. The varied lengths also create a natural, conversational rhythm that feels inclusive rather than rigid.

(iii) Most lines follow the pattern of naming a vocation followed by describing their action or contribution — for example, “The carpenters celebrating; they create anything out of wood with mathematical precision.” This structure is consistent and gives the poem a catalogue-like, celebratory quality.

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2. Speaker:

(i) The speaker appears to be a proud, observant citizen of India (Bharat) — perhaps the poet themselves. The speaker’s role is that of a witness and celebrant, someone who listens to and honours the sounds of Bharat’s working people. The speaker is not part of any one vocation but stands in appreciation of all of them.

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3. Tone and Mood:

A. The tone is celebratory and reverential, depicting a sense of admiration and respect for the artisans and craftspersons.

B. There is a joyful mood throughout the poem, capturing the vibrancy and richness of cultural traditions and skills.

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4. Imagery:

(i) Two descriptions evoking visual images:

• “The boatmen gathering their nets from the shore, sailing, and singing while at work” — vivid image of fishermen at sea.
• “The carpenters celebrating; they create anything out of wood with mathematical precision” — image of a craftsman carefully measuring and shaping wood.

(ii) Auditory imagery:
The poem includes auditory imagery through mentions of artisans with lutes, the delicious singing of the cook, and the electricians humming, emphasising the sounds associated with each vocation.

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5. Metaphor:

(i) True. The phrase “delicious singing” is indeed a metaphor. “Delicious” is a word normally used for food and taste, but here it is applied to singing, implying the cook’s voice (or the joy in their work) is as pleasing as good food. The metaphor blends the senses (a form of synesthesia) to suggest that every aspect of the cook’s work — even their singing — is nourishing and pleasurable.

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6. Personification:

(i) The line that personifies vocations: “The voice of their vocation is the voice of their identity.”
Here, “vocation” is given a human quality — a “voice” — as if the craft itself speaks. This personification suggests that a person’s work is not separate from who they are; it speaks for them and defines them.

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7. Repetition:

(i) The poet begins and ends with “I hear Bharat celebrating, the varied vocations I hear!” to create a circular, unified structure that frames the entire poem. The repetition reinforces the central message — that the many voices of India’s working people together constitute the nation’s identity. It also gives the poem a chant-like, anthem quality, suggesting that celebrating these vocations is ongoing and eternal.

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8. Alliteration:

(i) Two examples:

• “celebrating their craft, woven with colours” — repetition of the ‘c’ sound
• “boatmen…sailing, and singing” — repetition of the ‘s’ sound

(Additional example: “carpenters celebrating; they create” — repetition of ‘c’)

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9. Symbolism:

(i) Each vocation in the poem symbolises identity, dignity, and cultural continuity. Beyond just a job, each vocation represents a unique human story, a contribution to society, and a thread in the cultural fabric of Bharat. The carpenter’s precision symbolises rational creativity; the boatmen’s singing symbolises joy in labour; the shoemaker’s craft symbolises care for human movement and freedom. Collectively, the vocations symbolise the truth that every form of honest work is valuable and that a nation’s greatness lies in the dignity of its working people.

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CRITICAL REFLECTION — POEM (Page 62)

I. Extract-Based Questions:

1. (ii) to declare with confidence — “affirm” here means the shoemakers proudly and confidently assert the quality of what they have made.

2. Quality shoes help people walk, dance, run, jump, and return home comfortably and safely. The poet suggests that good footwear enables human movement and activity — essentially supporting the full range of human life.

3. “Return home” symbolises, beyond the literal act, the completion of a journey, the safety of the worker, and the concept of belonging. It suggests that quality shoes protect those who go out into the world to earn a living and that home is where one ultimately returns — making the shoemaker’s work a guardian of that journey.

4. The phrase “each celebrating what belongs to them and to none else” tells us that every worker’s contribution is distinct, unique, and irreplaceable.

5. “…for the feet that walk, dance, run, jump, return home” refers to all human beings in their daily activities and movements through life — the shoemaker’s work ultimately serves all of humanity.

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II. Long Answer Questions:

1. The poet says “I hear Bharat celebrating, the varied vocations I hear” because India is a land of extraordinary diversity in work and craft. Every corner of the country resonates with the sounds and sights of people engaged in skilled vocations — craftspersons, artisans, carpenters, electricians, fishermen, cooks, and many more. The poet hears in these varied workers a collective celebration — not of festivals but of daily work done with skill and pride. The line reflects the poet’s view that labour itself is a form of joy and identity.

2. The electrician “humming” while getting ready for work suggests cheerfulness, dedication, and contentment in one’s work. It implies that the electrician approaches their job with a positive spirit — they are not burdened by their labour but find a kind of music in it. The humming also conveys that work, when done with purpose, has its own rhythm and harmony.

3. The line “The voice of their vocation is the voice of their identity” is profoundly significant. It means that what a person does for their livelihood is not separate from who they are — it defines them, speaks for them, and gives them a place in the world. A potter is not just someone who makes pots; they carry within them the tradition, the skill, and the cultural memory of generations. This line asserts the dignity of every profession and challenges the social tendency to rank certain jobs above others. It suggests that all vocations are equally valid expressions of human identity.

4. Yes, the role of all people belonging to different vocations is absolutely important in our daily lives. Every service we use, every object we own, every structure we inhabit is the result of someone’s skilled labour. Without farmers, we have no food; without electricians, we have no power; without carpenters, no furniture; without shoemakers, no footwear. Each vocation fills a specific need in society, and the absence of any one would be felt by all. Society functions as an interconnected web of vocations, and respecting each one is essential to social harmony and gratitude.

5. The poet celebrates all vocations because every one of them represents a unique human gift and a vital contribution to community life. In our own context, we can see this everywhere — the auto-rickshaw driver who takes us to school, the dhobhi who keeps our clothes clean, the street food vendor who feeds hundreds daily, the construction worker who builds our homes. Each of these people has a skill, a story, and a dignity that deserves recognition. The poet invites us to move beyond the tendency to value only white-collar professions and see the extraordinary in the ordinary lives of working people.

6. The poet uses multiple forms of sensory imagery to bring out the beauty of everyday work. Auditory imagery appears in the humming of electricians, the singing of boatmen, and the lutes of artisans — making us hear the workplace. Visual imagery appears in the craftsperson’s colourful work and the boatmen gathering nets at the shore — making us see the scene. Even the phrase “delicious singing” blends taste and sound, suggesting that work, when done with joy, appeals to all the senses. This sensory richness transforms mundane labour into something vibrant and worth celebrating.

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VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT (Pages 63–64)

I. Matching Vocations:

1. A person who studies or grows garden plants: horticulturist
2. A trained female community health worker: ASHA worker
3. A producer of raw silk: sericulturist
4. A person whose job is making or selling sweets and chocolates: confectioner
5. A metalworker who specialises in working with precious metals: goldsmith
6. A person who fuses materials together: welder

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II. Word NOT a synonym:

Column 1	Word NOT a synonym
1. myriad	countable (myriad means innumerable; countable is the opposite)
2. hues	drawing (drawing is not a synonym of hues/shades/colours)
3. precision	calculation (calculation is a process, not a synonym of exactness/accuracy)
4. varied	uniform (uniform means same/consistent, which is the opposite of varied)
5. delicious	inedible (inedible means cannot be eaten, which is the opposite of delicious)

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LISTEN AND RESPOND (Page 64)

(Based on transcript on page 262)

I. The boy uses a manual / instruction booklet / reference guide to understand the details of the tools.

II.

1. (i) happy
2. (iii) responsibility
3. (iii) realises
4. (ii) wish

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WRITING TASK — Poster (Page 66)

Sample Completed Poster:

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SUNRISE PUBLIC SCHOOL
announces

CAREER MELA
to spread awareness about various careers

on 25 February from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
at School Auditorium, Sunrise Public School

Highlights:

• Details, information and brochures provided for all streams
• Counsellors for all subjects and career paths
• Interactive sessions and workshops with professionals

CHART YOUR FUTURE AT CAREER MELA

Entry: FREE

Supported by: Career Foundation India
Sunrise Public School

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(Poster features: placed in a box, visually attractive, varied font sizes for headings, proportionate spacing, word limit ~50)

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LEARNING BEYOND THE TEXT (Pages 67–68)

I. The Lamplighter — Discussion:
The poem by R.L. Stevenson captures a child’s fascination with Leerie, the lamplighter — a man who goes door to door lighting street lamps every evening. While the child’s friends and family aspire to higher-status professions (driver, sailor, banker), the child romantically desires to light lamps alongside Leerie. The poem celebrates the dignity of ordinary work and the wonder that a child’s eye can find in simple, everyday vocations. This connects beautifully with the theme of Gifts of Grace: Honouring Our Vocations.

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III. Sample Haiku Poem on a Vocation:

(About a potter)
Clay on spinning wheel —
Hands shape a world from the earth,
Fire gives it new life.

(5 syllables — 7 syllables — 5 syllables)

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(Additional sample on a farmer)
Seeds touch the dark soil —
Sun, rain, and patient labour,
Harvest sings at last.

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CHAPTER 1: How I Taught My Grandmother to Read

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REFLECT AND RESPOND (Page 1)

I. Word Web — “Why is it important to learn how to read and write?”

Possible answers for the word web boxes:

• It helps us become independent and self-sufficient.
• It enables us to access information and knowledge.
• It allows us to communicate effectively with others.
• It opens doors to better opportunities and employment.

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II. Discussion Questions (Suggested Answers):

1. My grandparents speak [regional language — e.g., Bhojpuri/Hindi/Tamil/Bengali]. (Students answer based on personal experience.)
2. They spend time in prayer, gardening, watching TV, or meeting friends. I spend time listening to their stories, playing games, or having meals with them.
3. My favourite experience is when my grandmother tells me folk tales at bedtime.
4. My elderly relatives cannot use a smartphone easily but love watching me play games or video call relatives on it.

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READING FOR MEANING — PRE-READING VOCABULARY (Page 2)

III. Match Highlighted Words with Meanings:

Word	Meaning
(i) protagonist	7. main character
(ii) debate	4. discussion
(iii) episode	5. a part of a story
(iv) community	3. people living in one particular area
(v) concentration	6. focus
(vi) eagerly	1. excitedly
(vii) convincing	2. believable
(viii) guided	8. directed

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CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING — PART I (Page 6)

I. Cause and Effect Table:

#	Cause	Effect
1	The transport system in the village was poor.	(i) The morning papers arrived late in the day and weekly magazines would come one day late.
2	The grandmother, Krishtakka, never went to school.	(ii) She could not read and depended on the narrator to read Kashi Yatre to her.
3	(iii) The grandmother deeply related to the protagonist of Kashi Yatre, as she too had never gone to Kashi.	She was deeply interested in the story and discussed it with her friends.
4	The narrator went to a wedding for a week.	(iv) The grandmother missed the episode of Kashi Yatre and was found in tears on the narrator’s return.
5	(v) Girls were not considered worthy of education in those times, and the grandmother lost her mother early.	The grandmother never went to school.
6	The grandmother regretted not going to school.	(vi) She was determined to ensure all her children and grandchildren studied well, and she decided to learn to read herself.

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II. No, the narrator did not expect to see her grandmother in tears. The narrator mentions that she had never seen her cry even in the most difficult situations, which shows the grandmother was emotionally very strong. So finding her in tears was completely unexpected and deeply surprising to the narrator.

III. The narrator could help her grandmother by:

• Teaching her the Kannada alphabet patiently, letter by letter.
• Using the serial story Kashi Yatre as reading material since the grandmother was already familiar with it and motivated by it.
• Giving her daily practice exercises in reading, writing, and reciting.
• Setting a realistic deadline (like Saraswati Puja) to keep her motivated.

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CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING — PART II (Page 9–10)

I. True or False:

#	Statement	Answer
1	The grandmother wanted to learn the Kannada alphabet to gain independence.	True
2	The grandmother asked someone in the village to read Kashi Yatre to her while the narrator was away.	False (She was too embarrassed to ask anyone.)
3	The narrator was the grandmother’s first teacher and taught her how to read Kannada.	True
4	The grandmother believed that there was no age limit for learning.	True
5	The grandmother touched the narrator’s feet as a mark of respect for her as a teacher.	True
6	The narrator was disappointed with the progress her grandmother made in learning to read.	False (The narrator was amazed and proud of her grandmother’s progress.)

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CRITICAL REFLECTION (Pages 10–12)

I. Extract-Based Questions:

Extract 1:

(i) A. strong-willed

(ii) The grandmother did not reply because she might have been too emotional to respond.

(iii) The clue indicating a rural setting with traditional customs: “we were sleeping in the open terrace of our house” — sleeping on open terraces is a traditional practice in rural India, especially in summer.

(iv) The lines that establish a tender atmosphere: “Avva came and sat next to me. Her affectionate hands touched my forehead.” — These lines reflect a gentle, loving bond between the grandmother and the narrator.

(v) C. the grandmother’s regret over her lack of education — This is NOT emphasised in this particular extract. (It is revealed later in the conversation, not in this extract.)

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Extract 2:

(i) B. She desires self-sufficiency. — Her statement “I want to be independent” reveals her deep desire to not depend on others for something as basic as reading.

(ii) The grandmother’s determination shows that learning has no age limit.

(iii) The narrator laughs at her grandmother’s decision because she thinks it is impractical and even amusing for a sixty-two-year-old woman with grey hair, wrinkled hands, and spectacles to start learning the alphabet from scratch. The narrator was being childish and judging by appearances rather than understanding her grandmother’s inner strength.

(iv) Two qualities displayed by the grandmother:

• Determination / strong willpower — She sets a clear goal and deadline.
• Courage / self-belief — She ignores mockery and stays firm in her resolve.

(v) The narrator is making assumptions by pointing to the grandmother’s age, physical appearance (grey hair, wrinkled hands, spectacles), and household responsibilities as reasons why she cannot learn. These are all external factors and the narrator wrongly assumes they limit the grandmother’s ability to learn — without considering her inner motivation and intelligence.

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II. Long Answer Questions:

1. The grandmother felt embarrassed to ask someone else to read to her because she was a respected member of her family and community. Admitting that she could not read would have made her feel dependent and exposed her inability in front of others. She had a sense of self-respect and did not want to appear helpless to her neighbours.

2. The narrator initially laughs because she is twelve years old and thinks in a childish, surface-level way. She sees her grandmother as old — with grey hair, wrinkled hands, and spectacles — and assumes that at sixty-two, learning is neither possible nor practical. She does not yet understand the power of determination and is making immature assumptions.

3. Kashi Yatre acts as a bridge between the grandmother and the narrator in two ways. First, it is the story that the grandmother connects with deeply — like the old lady in the novel who sacrifices her dream of visiting Kashi for a greater cause, the grandmother too had sacrificed her dreams. The serial becomes the emotional trigger for her desire to learn to read. Second, it becomes the proof of the grandmother’s success — when she reads the title Kashi Yatre on the book given by the narrator, it shows she has truly learnt to read independently.

4. The grandmother’s desire to learn the Kannada alphabet reflects her strong spirit, determination, and hunger for independence. Despite a lifetime of not having had access to education, she refuses to accept illiteracy as a permanent condition. It shows that the desire to learn is not limited by age or circumstance, and that true independence comes from knowledge and self-reliance.

5. The grandmother touching the narrator’s feet teaches us several important lessons:

• Knowledge and the act of teaching deserve deep respect, regardless of the teacher’s age or gender.
• True gratitude must be expressed openly and sincerely.
• Education transforms relationships — here, the granddaughter becomes the teacher.
• Indian cultural tradition holds that a teacher (guru) is to be honoured above all, as even the scriptures confirm.

6. The line “For a good cause if you are determined, you can overcome any obstacle” reflects the story’s central theme: that willpower and determination can triumph over all limitations — be they age, social barriers, or lack of opportunity. It conveys that the key to achievement lies not in external conditions but in one’s inner resolve.

7. The story effectively highlights the value of education through the grandmother’s transformation. Before she learnt to read, she felt helpless, dependent, and emotionally distressed — unable to access something as basic as a magazine. After learning, she gains confidence, independence, and dignity. The story shows that education is not just about acquiring skills; it is about reclaiming one’s freedom and self-worth. The grandmother’s journey from tears to touching the feet of her teacher with pride is a powerful testimony to education’s transforming power.

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VOCABULARY AND STRUCTURES IN CONTEXT (Pages 13–16)

I. Binomials — Matching:

Column 1	Column 2
1. sink or swim	(vii) succeed or fail without help
2. on and off	(v) sometimes, occasionally
3. mix and match	(i) put different things together to get a range of possibilities
4. all or nothing	(viii) something to be done completely or not at all
5. part and parcel	(ii) complete part of or belong to
6. pick and choose	(iii) choose only the best
7. sooner or later	(iv) at sometime in the future
8. leaps and bounds	(vi) increase or develop very quickly

Sample Sentences using five binomials:

1. Sink or swim — When she moved to a new city alone, it was truly a sink or swim situation.
2. Leaps and bounds — The student’s reading ability improved by leaps and bounds after regular practice.
3. Part and parcel — Facing challenges is part and parcel of growing up.
4. Sooner or later — Sooner or later, hard work always pays off.
5. On and off — She had been practising the piano on and off for two years.

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II. Prefix Table:

Column 1	Column 2
1. popular	(i) unpopular
2. belief	(ii) disbelief
3. important	(iii) unimportant
4. respect	(iv) disrespect
5. correct	(v) incorrect
6. continue	(vi) discontinue
7. understand	(vii) misunderstand
8. ordinary	(viii) extraordinary
9. interesting	(ix) uninteresting
10. possible	(x) impossible

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III. Five words with prefixes from the story + sentences:

1. Unfortunately — Unfortunately, the bus was late and we missed the train.
2. Independent — She worked hard to become financially independent.
3. Unusual — It was unusual for him to miss school.
4. Unhappy — The child looked unhappy when her favourite toy broke.
5. Irrespective — Irrespective of age, everyone deserves the right to learn.

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IV. Idioms related to ‘learning’ — Matching:

Column 1	Column 2
1. to hit the books	(iii) to study seriously
2. to draw a blank	(v) to be unable to remember
3. to learn the ropes	(vi) to understand how to do an activity
4. to rack one’s brain	(ii) to think very hard
5. to learn by heart	(i) to memorise something
6. burn the midnight oil	(iv) to study or work late into the night

Sample Sentences:

1. She had to hit the books hard before her board exams.
2. During the quiz, he completely drew a blank when asked the capital of Mongolia.
3. The new intern is still learning the ropes of the office.
4. She racked her brain to remember where she had kept her notes.
5. He learnt the poem by heart in just two days.
6. The students burnt the midnight oil to finish their project on time.

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V. Tense Exercises:

(i) Simple Past & Past Perfect:

A. When the delegates arrived at the conference, the keynote speaker had already begun the session.

B. After the students had learnt how to identify fake news online, they started verifying information before sharing it.

C. Before Kiran started using digital payment platforms, she had ensured her understanding of online fraud prevention.

D. By the time Varun recognised the importance of budgeting, he had exhausted most of his savings.

E. When Raghu logged in to the cybersecurity webinar, the instructor had already discussed the importance of strong passwords.

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(ii) Correct verb forms:

A. took
B. reviewed
C. had spent
D. had discussed
E. opened
F. set
G. had already introduced
H. hurried
I. had completed
J. enjoyed

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LISTEN AND RESPOND (Page 17)

(Based on the transcript on page 259 of the textbook — answers for classroom listening activity)

1. Literacy these days includes the ability to use digital devices / technology.
2. Digital literacy is also about protecting personal data / privacy.
3. Digital literacy enables the elderly to stay connected / access services independently.
4. Digital literacy encourages using the internet safely by helping us recognise fake news and online scams / cyber threats.
5. The National Digital Literacy Mission helps people across the country by imparting basic digital skills.

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SPEAKING ACTIVITY — Turncoat Debate (Page 17–18)

Topic 2: Learning can happen only when you are young.

FOR (1 minute):
To begin with, I would like to speak for the topic — Learning can happen only when you are young. My first argument in favour of this is that young brains are naturally more plastic and adaptable, making it easier to absorb new languages, skills, and concepts. Most importantly, I want to mention that habits formed in youth are retained lifelong. In addition to that, young learners have fewer responsibilities and more time to dedicate to education. I strongly feel that the foundation of all lifelong learning is built in childhood and youth.

AGAINST (1 minute):
On the contrary, I believe learning is a lifelong process that has no age barrier. There are two sides to this topic, and now I would like to argue against it. There’s no doubt that motivated adults can and do learn new skills — as we saw with the grandmother in our story, who learnt to read at sixty-two. I am pretty sure that what matters is not age but dedication. If I could make a point here — experience actually makes adult learners more effective, as they connect new knowledge to what they already know. So, to put it in a few words, learning happens whenever there is a will to learn.

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WRITING TASK (Pages 19–20)

Letter to the Editor:

Riya Sharma
Student, Class IX
Green Valley School
Bengaluru — 560001

25 April 2026

Subject: Students’ Role in Promoting Adult Literacy

To,
The Editor,
The Deccan Herald
Bengaluru

Sir/Madam,

This is with reference to a recent report on adult illiteracy in India published in your esteemed newspaper. As a concerned citizen, I would like to draw your attention to the significant role that school students can play in promoting adult literacy through organised camps and drives.

The issue at hand affects a large section of our society. Despite government efforts, many adults — particularly women in rural areas — remain unable to read or write. This severely limits their independence, economic participation, and ability to access health and civic services. It is imperative that we address this gap not just through policy but through community involvement.

It would be beneficial if students were encouraged to volunteer at adult literacy camps conducted by organisations like the National Literacy Mission. By engaging in these programmes, students not only serve their communities but also develop empathy, communication skills, and a sense of social responsibility. Such initiatives nurture a sense of civic duty in young minds. Schools could integrate volunteering hours into their annual curriculum and recognise students’ contributions meaningfully.

A possible solution to this issue could be organising monthly literacy drives where senior students teach basic reading and writing to adults in their neighbourhood. Authorities could consider implementing student-led awareness campaigns in local communities. I trust this matter will be considered seriously for the benefit of all.

I hope this letter gets published in the columns of your esteemed daily.

Yours truly,
Riya Sharma

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LEARNING BEYOND THE TEXT (Pages 20–22)

I. Words in Five Indian Languages:

	1. Kannada	2. Hindi	3. Tamil	4. Bengali	5. Telugu
Grandmother	Avva	Dadi/Nani	Paati	Dida/Thakuma	Naana/Avva
Grandfather	Ajja	Dada/Nana	Thaatha	Dadu/Thakurda	Thaatha
Mother	Amma	Maa	Amma	Maa	Amma
Father	Appa	Pitaji/Papa	Appa	Baba	Nanna
Sister	Akka (elder)	Didi/Behen	Akka (elder)	Didi/Bon	Akka (elder)
Brother	Anna (elder)	Bhai/Bhaiya	Anna (elder)	Dada/Bhai	Anna (elder)

(Note: Kannada “Avva” = mother, but in north Karnataka dialect it is also used for grandmother.)

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CHAPTER 2: Bharat Our Land — Poem by Subramania Bharati

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REFLECT AND RESPOND (Page 23)

I. National Anthem — States, Mountain Ranges, Rivers:

States/Provinces	Mountain Ranges	Rivers
Punjab	Vindhyas	Sindhu (Indus)
Sindh	Himalayas	Ganga
Gujarat	—	Yamuna
Maratha	—	—
Dravida	—	—
Utkala (Odisha)	—	—
Banga (Bengal)	—	—

(The National Anthem refers to these regions and rivers poetically.)

II. What do ‘जय हे’ (Jaya he) convey?
The words “Jaya he” mean “Victory to you” or “Long live”. They convey a spirit of triumph, celebration, and reverence for India. The words are a rallying call of pride and nationalistic devotion, expressing the hope that India shall always flourish and prevail.

III. Odd one out:

1. peerless → valuable (valuable does not mean without equal; the others — incomparable, unmatched — do)
2. sanctified → applauded (applauded means praised publicly, not spiritually purified)
3. auspicious → fantastic (fantastic is informal and does not carry the sense of being spiritually favourable)
4. hoary antiquity → recent past (it means ancient times, not recent past)

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CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING (Page 25)

I. Fill in the blanks — Summary:

1. historical greatness
2. Himavant
3. Ganga
4. Upanishads
5. warriors
6. sages
7. Brahma-knowledge
8. Buddha
9. peerless
10. praise

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II. Features of the poem:

1. Mood (impact on readers): The poem creates a mood of pride, reverence, and patriotic inspiration. Readers feel a deep sense of admiration and belonging.
2. Tone (poet’s attitude): The tone is celebratory, reverential, and nationalistic. The poet speaks with deep love and admiration for India.
3. Rhyme scheme: The poem does not follow a strict rhyme scheme in every line, but there is a loose alternate rhyme (ABCB pattern) in some stanzas, along with a repeated refrain.
4. Examples of personification: India (Bharat) is personified as a woman — “she’s peerless, let’s praise her!” The Ganga is personified as “generous” and given human qualities of grace.

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III. The refrain “she’s peerless, let’s praise her!” creates a unifying, chant-like effect. Its repetition reinforces the central message — that India is incomparable — and builds emotional intensity with each stanza. It also invites the reader to actively participate in the act of celebration, making the poem feel like a collective tribute rather than a solitary observation.

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IV. India is metaphorically described as “this sunny golden land”, suggesting that it is a land of warmth, prosperity, abundance, and spiritual radiance — a place that is both physically beautiful and spiritually luminous.

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V. Symbolism — Matching:

Column 1	Column 2
1. Himavant	(v) strength and permanence
2. Ganga	(iii) purity and generosity
3. Upanishads	(ii) spiritual and philosophical legacy
4. Gallant warriors and sages	(vi) courage and wisdom
5. Brahma-knowledge and Buddha’s Dhamma	(i) knowledge and enlightenment
6. Sunny golden land	(iv) richness and glory

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VI. Examples of imagery:

1. “The mighty Himavant is ours” — visual imagery of the towering, majestic Himalayas.
2. “The generous Ganga is ours — which other river can match her grace?” — visual and kinesthetic imagery evoking the flowing, life-giving river.

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VII. Impact of hyphens in the first stanza:

The true statements are:

• 1. Creates deliberate pauses to reinforce the sense of admiration and pride ✓
• 3. Lends to the lyrical quality giving it a measured, chant-like rhythm ✓
• 5. Presents a key element of India’s greatness before the hyphen and makes a strong assertion about its uniqueness after the hyphen ✓

(Statements 2 and 4 are false.)

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VIII. Hyperbole in the poem:

Examples of hyperbole:

• “there’s no equal anywhere on earth” — An extreme claim to emphasise the Himalayas’ unparalleled greatness.
• “what scriptures else to name with them?” — An exaggerated rhetorical claim about the Upanishads being beyond compare.

These are not literally true but are used to intensify the poet’s admiration for India’s natural and cultural wealth.

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IX. The poem as an Ode:

Examples from the poem that correspond to it being an ode:

• The language is elevated and formal — words like “sanctified,” “divinest,” “antiquity,” “auspicious” reflect a grand style.
• The poem celebrates India with deep admiration — every stanza praises a different aspect of India’s greatness.
• The refrain “she’s peerless, let’s praise her!” is a direct call to reverence, characteristic of odes.
• The poet treats India as a worthy subject of praise, addressing both her natural and spiritual dimensions with enthusiasm and emotion.

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X. Allusions in the poem:

• “The sacred Upanishads are ours” — An allusion to the ancient Indian scriptures that form the philosophical core, symbolising deep wisdom and enlightenment.
• “Here Brahma-knowledge has taken root” — An allusion to Brahmavidya, the concept of spiritual knowledge associated with self-realisation and ultimate truth.
• “the Buddha preached his dhamma here” — An allusion to Gautama Buddha’s teachings, which include compassion, non-violence, and enlightenment, highlighting India’s role in shaping major religious and philosophical traditions.

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CRITICAL REFLECTION — POEM (Pages 28–29)

I. Extract-Based Questions:

1. The word “mighty” refers to the immense size, height, and power of the Himavant (Himalayas).

2. (ii) emphasise a point — The question marks are rhetorical questions, not expressions of doubt. They assert that nothing can match the Ganga’s grace or the Upanishads’ wisdom.

3. The poet uses “generous” to describe the Ganga because the river freely and abundantly nourishes the land and its people — providing water for agriculture, sustaining civilisations, and being spiritually generous to millions who seek purification in its waters.

4. The river Ganga’s movement is described as graceful because its flowing, gentle, and majestic course across the plains resembles the dignified movement of a graceful being. It moves with calm authority and beauty, much like a dancer’s fluid motion.

5. The poet is implying that the Upanishads are unmatched in their wisdom and spiritual depth.

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II. Long Answer Questions:

1. The poem reflects a strong connection to cultural identity and heritage by celebrating India’s natural landmarks (Himalayas, Ganga), sacred texts (Upanishads), spiritual traditions (Brahma-knowledge, Buddha’s Dhamma), and human legacy (gallant warriors, sages, and divine music). Every element the poet praises is deeply embedded in Indian cultural consciousness, reinforcing the idea that India’s greatness is inseparable from its heritage.

2. The repeated phrase “she’s peerless, let’s praise her!” shows that the poet has an attitude of deep, unshakeable pride and reverence towards India. By calling India “peerless” (without equal) repeatedly, the poet asserts that no other land in the world matches India’s grandeur. The use of “let’s” also shows the poet’s desire to make this admiration collective and universal.

3. The line “many a sage has sanctified this land” suggests that India has been a sacred land blessed by the presence and spiritual energy of countless holy men across centuries. It implies that India’s spiritual heritage is not incidental but is the result of dedicated seekers who lived, taught, and contributed wisdom to the civilisation here.

4. The poet connects warriors to India’s strength, bravery, and protective spirit — they represent the physical courage that guarded the land. Music is connected to India’s artistic and divine soul — “the divinest music has been heard here” suggests that India is not just a land of battle, but of beauty, harmony, and spiritual expression. Together, they show India’s greatness is both material (martial) and immaterial (artistic and spiritual).

5. The poem fosters national pride by reminding readers of all that India has uniquely offered the world — the mightiest mountains, the most graceful rivers, the most sacred scriptures, the wisest sages, and the deepest spiritual traditions. By repeatedly calling India “peerless” and urging the reader to “praise her,” the poet stirs a sense of ownership, gratitude, and devotion in every Indian heart.

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VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT (Pages 29–30)

I. Suffix Table — Words from the poem:

Suffix	Meaning	Examples
-ous	full of, having the qualities of	1. generous (generous + ous)
-ity	the state of being very old or ancient	2. antiquity
-est	superlative form	3. divinest
-less	without something	4. peerless

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II. Suffix — New Words + Sentences:

Suffix	Sentence
-tion	educate → education — Education is the most powerful tool to change the world.
-ive	create → creative — She is a very creative student who loves painting.
-ment	achieve → achievement — Winning the national award was her greatest achievement.
-ed	inspire → inspired — The grandmother’s story inspired many students to help others learn.

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WRITING TASK — POEM SECTION (Page 32)

Sample Paragraph about a memorable place:

Last summer, I visited the hill station of Coorg in Karnataka with my family. We went there during the school vacation to take a break from the city heat. We travelled by road, packing warm clothes and rain gear since Coorg is often misty. We stayed in a cosy homestay surrounded by coffee plantations. Each morning, we woke up to birdsong and the smell of fresh coffee. We went trekking to the Abbey Falls, visited the Raja’s Seat to watch the sunset, and explored a spice garden. The lush greenery, cool air, and warm hospitality of the people made this trip truly unforgettable. Even today, whenever I close my eyes, I can picture the silver mist rolling over the mountains — Coorg remains, in my memory, a place of pure magic.

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