Chapter 1: Understanding Diversity (Solutions)
Posted on : 19-11-2017 Posted by : Admin

Link to Notes on this topic

1. Draw up a list of the different festivals celebrated in your locality. Which of these celebrations are shared by members of different regional and religious communities?

Answer: List of the different festivals celebrated in different regions of India are:

2. What do you think living in India with its rich heritage of diversity adds to your life?

Answer: Yes, indeed living in India with its rich and varied heritage definitely adds colors to our life. This is because of the following reasons:

• We can meet and interact with people of different languages.
• We can taste and eat large variety in food.
• We can celebrate various festivals along with our friends.
• We can respect the cultural traditions of various religions and regions.
• We can enjoy variety of dance and music forms.
• We can see variety of dressing styles and clothes of various regions.

3. Do you think the term "unity in diversity" is an appropriate term to describe India? What do you think Nehru is trying to say about Indian unity in the sentence quoted above from his book The Discovery of India?

Answer: The term Unity in Diversity is very much appropriate to describe India. In his book “The discovery of India” Nehru is trying to describe that India's diversity has always been a source of its strength. People from different cultural, religious and regional backgrounds united to oppose the British rule. India's freedom movement had thousands of people of different backgrounds in it. They worked together to decide joint actions, they went to jail together, and they found different ways to oppose the British.

Though British thought they could divide Indians because they were so diverse, the people showed how they could be different and yet be united in their battle. Unity and diversity run parallel to each other in India. In India we find people speaking various languages, celebrating different festivals, eating different cuisines, practicing different religions but still all live together happily as Indians.

4. Underline the line in the poem sung after the Jallianwalla massacre, which according to you, reflects India's essential unity.

Answer: From the poem sung after Jallianwalla massacre, the lines, “The blood of Hindus and Muslims flows together today” reflects the unity of India.

5. Choose another region in India and do a similar study of the historical and geographical factors that influence the diversity found there. Are these historical and geographical factors connected to each other? How?

Answer: Region: West Bengal

Geographical factors: Lies in Ganga-Brahmaputra delta region. It stretches from Himalayas in the north to the Bay of Bengal in the south. The main river in West Bengal is the Ganges, which divides into two branches. One branch enters Bangladesh as the Padma while the other flows in West Bengal as river Bhagirathi and Hooghly. Sundarbans mangrove forests are geographical milestone at the Ganges delta.

Historical factors: Some areas of Bengal were invaded by King Rajendra Chola I of the Chola dynasty. Islam religion was brought by Sufi missionaries into Bengal during the 12th century. Consequent Muslim conquests helped the spread Islam throughout the region. Several European traders reached this area late in the 15th century.

Economy: Majority of the population in West Bengal depends on agriculture as main occupation. This state cultivates rice due to the fertile lands of Ganga delta.

Culture: Durga puja celebrated by Hindus and Eid celebrated by Muslims are the main festivals of West Bengal.