Hamara Bharat—Incredible India — NCERT Solutions

Dhokra metal craft is very old because it is 4,000 years old.

Dhokra is one of the earliest known methods of non-ferrous metal casting and has been practised in India for thousands of years.

A base is needed for coconut shell craft to make it stable (or sturdy/strong).

Since the coconut shell is curved, a base is attached so that the craft item can stand properly without toppling over.

Soft wood, saw dust and colours are used to make Kondapalli toys.

Kondapalli toys from Andhra Pradesh are made from a special soft wood called Tella Poniki. Saw dust mixed with glue is used to give shape to the finer details, and then the toys are painted with bright colours.

Akanksha's family makes Aipan as part of their cultural and religious tradition. Aipan is made on auspicious occasions such as festivals, religious ceremonies, and celebrations. It is a way of welcoming prosperity and good fortune into the home. It is also a means of preserving and passing on their traditional art form from one generation to the next.

In Dhokra metal craft, the design is first made in wax and then covered with layers of clay. When the clay mould is heated, the wax inside melts due to the high temperature and flows out through the small openings left in the clay. This process is called the lost-wax technique (or cire perdue). The empty space left by the melted wax is then filled with molten metal (brass), which takes the shape of the original wax design.

What is common in both Kondapalli toys (from Balamurali's village in Andhra Pradesh) and coconut shell craft (from Kerala) is that both are traditional handicrafts that use natural materials. Both art forms involve skilled craftsmanship passed down through generations. Additionally, both require painting or colouring as a finishing step to make the final product attractive and colourful. Both are examples of India's rich tradition of using locally available natural materials to create beautiful and functional art objects.

Here is the completed paragraph using appropriate sequencing words:

How I Get Ready for School

1. To begin, I get up and go to take a shower.
2. Then, I wear my school dress.
3. After that, I eat my food.
4. Next, I wear my shoes.
5. Finally, I pick up my bag and go out of my home.

(Note: Other valid sequencing words from the box may also be used as long as each word is used only once and the order makes logical sense.)

Here are five sentences made using the words from the table, with correct use of -s/-es:

1. We ask questions to understand.

(We + ask — no -s/-es needed with 'we')

2. You draw beautiful flowers.

(You + draw — no -s/-es needed with 'you')

3. She tells a story every day.

(She + tell → tells — -s added with 'she')

4. They practise spellings on Friday.

(They + practise — no -s/-es needed with 'they')

5. It makes paintings in free periods.

(It + make → makes — -s added with 'it')

Rule used: With pronouns he, she, it (third person singular), we add -s or -es to the verb in the present tense. With I, you, we, they, the verb remains in its base form.

(Note: This is a listening activity. The answers are based on the transcript provided on page 162 of the textbook.)

1. Name of the speaker: Arjun (or as given in the transcript)
2. The town of the speaker: Raipur (or as given in the transcript)
3. The state he belongs to: Chhattisgarh
4. The name of the food item: Gakkad Bharta
5. Vegetables roasted for bharta: Brinjal (baingan) and tomatoes

(Note: This is a listening activity based on the transcript on page 162.)

The completed flowchart is:

1. To make gakkad, make balls of wheat dough and roast them on high heat.

2. To make bharta, roast brinjal and tomatoes and garnish with chopped onions, coriander, green chillies and salt.

3. To serve, crumble the gakkad, put some bharta on it and add one spoon of ghee.

Here is a sample speech about a local art form that students can use as a model:

I know about the art form called Rangoli.

Rangoli is a beautiful and colourful art form that is made in many parts of India, especially during festivals like Diwali, Onam, and Pongal.

They need coloured powders, rice flour, flower petals, chalk, and sometimes diyas (small lamps) to make rangoli.

To make it, first the floor is cleaned and a base outline is drawn with chalk or white powder. After that, different colours are filled inside the outline carefully. Next, flower petals or diyas are added to make it more beautiful. Then, the borders are made neat and clean. At last, the rangoli is ready to decorate the home and welcome guests.

Rangoli is not just decoration — it is a way of expressing joy, creativity, and our cultural traditions.

(Students should replace the above with their own local art form and personalise the speech accordingly.)

Here is a sample paragraph that students can use as a model:

My Favourite Art Form — Aipan

Out of all the art forms I heard about, I liked Aipan from Uttarakhand the most. I liked it because the designs are very beautiful and are inspired by nature and religious symbols. It is made using simple materials like rice paste and a red background, which makes it easy to try at home. I also liked the fact that it is made during festivals and special occasions, which shows how art is a part of everyday life in Uttarakhand. Aipan reminds me that our traditions are precious and we must keep them alive for future generations.

(Students should write their own paragraph based on the art form they personally liked the most, giving genuine reasons.)

About Madhubani Painting:

Madhubani painting (also called Mithila painting) is a traditional folk art from the Mithila region of Bihar. It is characterised by geometric patterns, depictions of nature (flowers, birds, fish, animals), and scenes from Hindu mythology.

Natural colours that can be used:

• Yellow — from haldi (turmeric)
• Green — from crushed leaves
• Red — from red flowers, geru, or sindoor
• Orange — from marigold or other orange flowers
• Blue — from neel (indigo powder)

Activity Instructions for Students:

1. Collect the natural materials listed above.
2. Grind or crush them to extract the colour.
3. Mix with a little water to make a paste.
4. Use a thin brush or a twig to carefully fill in the Madhubani design given in the book.
5. Allow it to dry completely.

(This is a hands-on activity. Students should colour the given Madhubani painting using natural or other colours as instructed.)

The Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat Programme aims to:

1. Enhance interaction and promote mutual understanding between people of different states and Union Territories (UTs) through the concept of state/UT pairing.

2. Celebrate unity in diversity and strengthen the emotional bonds between the citizens of India.

3. Enable people to develop a sense of common identity by sharing best practices and experiences from different regions.

4. Contribute to nation building by highlighting the inter-connectedness between various cultures and traditions across India.

In short, the programme brings together people from different parts of India so that they can learn about each other's languages, cuisines, music, dance, handicrafts, festivals, and traditions, thereby building a stronger and more united nation.