Solutions: Pages 23–32 — Bharat Our Land
Reflect and Respond (Page 23)
I. Recall the lines of the National Anthem and complete the table with states, mountain ranges, and rivers.
Answer:
| States/Provinces | Mountain Ranges | Rivers |
|---|---|---|
| Punjab | Vindhya | Sindhu (Indus) |
| Sindh | Himachala | Ganga |
| Gujarat | — | Yamuna |
| Maratha | — | — |
| Utkala (Odisha) | — | — |
| Banga (Bengal) | — | — |
II. Discuss what the words ‘जय हे’ (Jaya he) convey.
Answer: The words ‘जय हे’ mean ‘Victory to you’ or ‘Long live.’ They convey a strong sense of national pride, devotion, and celebration of India’s glory. They express the people’s reverence for the nation and their wish for India’s eternal triumph and prosperity.
III. Choose the odd one out.
1. She’s peerless, let’s praise her! valuable, incomparable, unmatched
Answer: valuable (Peerless means without equal/unmatched; ‘valuable’ refers to worth, not uniqueness.)
2. Many a sage has sanctified this land. blessed, purified, applauded
Answer: applauded (Sanctified means made holy/blessed/purified; ‘applauded’ means clapped or praised, not made sacred.)
3. And here all auspicious things are found. fortunate, fantastic, favourable
Answer: fantastic (Auspicious means favourable/fortunate; ‘fantastic’ means extraordinary or unreal, not necessarily of good omen.)
4. Of hoary antiquity is Bharat, ancient times, recent past, time immemorial
Answer: recent past (Hoary antiquity refers to great age/ancient times; ‘recent past’ is the opposite.)
Check Your Understanding (Page 25)
I. Fill in the blanks to complete the summary of the poem.
Answer:
- historical greatness
- Himavant
- Ganga
- Upanishads
- warriors
- sages
- Brahma-knowledge
- Buddha
- peerless
- praise
II. Complete the following features about the poem.
1. The impact on the readers (mood):
Answer: The poem creates a mood of pride, awe, and deep admiration. Readers feel inspired and emotionally connected to India’s rich heritage and natural beauty.
2. The poet’s attitude (tone):
Answer: The tone is reverential, celebratory, and patriotic. The poet speaks with deep love, pride, and admiration for India.
3. The rhyme scheme:
Answer: The poem follows an irregular rhyme scheme. In the first stanza, alternate lines rhyme loosely. The second and third stanzas follow an ABAB pattern in places. Overall the rhyme is not strictly fixed.
4. Examples of personification:
Answer: The Ganga is personified through the word ‘generous’ and described as having ‘grace,’ as if she were a kind and elegant woman. India herself is referred to as ‘she,’ treating the nation as a living, praiseworthy person.
III. What is the impact of the refrain, ‘she’s peerless, let’s praise her!’?
Answer: The refrain acts as a unifying thread throughout the poem. By repeating it, the poet reinforces the central idea that India is unmatched and deserving of constant praise. It creates a chant-like, celebratory rhythm and stirs a strong sense of collective national pride in the reader. It also gives the poem the quality of a hymn or an ode.
IV. Complete the following sentence appropriately.
India is metaphorically described as ‘this sunny golden land,’ suggesting that it is _________.
Answer: India is metaphorically described as ‘this sunny golden land,’ suggesting that it is radiant, prosperous, and full of warmth, vitality, and richness — a land blessed with abundance and brightness both literally and spiritually.
V. Match the symbols in Column 1 to what they suggest in Column 2.
Answer:
| 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 |
VI. Give any two examples of imagery from the poem.
Answer:
- “The mighty Himavant is ours — there’s no equal anywhere on earth.” — This creates a vivid visual image of the grand, towering Himalayas, appealing to the sense of sight and scale.
- “The divinest music has been heard here” — This appeals to the sense of hearing, painting a picture of India as a land filled with sacred and beautiful sound.
VII. What is the impact of the use of hyphens in the first stanza? Select the options that are true.
Answer: The correct options 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. ✓
Options 2 and 4 are NOT true — the hyphens do not suggest contrast with weaknesses or hesitation.
VIII. Identify the use of hyperbole in the poem.
Answer: The line “there’s no equal anywhere on earth” (referring to the Himavant) is an example of hyperbole. While the Himalayas are indeed magnificent, saying there is absolutely no equal anywhere on earth is an exaggeration used to emphasise the poet’s deep admiration and pride. Similarly, calling the Ganga unmatched by any other river in grace is a hyperbolic expression of reverence.
IX. Identify examples from the poem that correspond to it being an ode.
Answer:
- The poem expresses deep admiration and reverence for India as a nation — a hallmark of an ode.
- The language is elevated and grand: words like ‘mighty,’ ‘sacred,’ ‘divinest,’ and ‘peerless’ reflect the formal, celebratory style of an ode.
- The repeated refrain “she’s peerless, let’s praise her!” is a direct call to honour the subject, which is characteristic of an ode.
- The poet praises India’s natural wonders, spiritual heritage, and cultural greatness with enthusiasm and emotion, fulfilling the purpose of an ode.
X. Identify the allusions from the poem.
Answer:
- “The sacred Upanishads are ours” — This is an allusion to the ancient Indian philosophical scriptures that form the core of Hindu thought, symbolising deep wisdom and enlightenment.
- “Here Brahma-knowledge has taken root” — This alludes to the concept of Brahmavidya, the supreme spiritual knowledge associated with self-realisation and the understanding of ultimate truth.
- “And the Buddha preached his dhamma here” — This alludes to Gautama Buddha and his teachings of compassion, non-violence, and the path to enlightenment, highlighting India as the birthplace of Buddhism.
Critical Reflection (Pages 28–29)
I. Read the extract and answer the questions.
1. Complete the sentence: The word ‘mighty’ refers to the __________ of the Himavant.
Answer: The word ‘mighty’ refers to the immense power, grandeur, and towering stature of the Himavant (Himalayas).
2. The question mark at the end of the fourth and sixth lines is used to __________.
Answer: (ii) emphasise a point. These are rhetorical questions — the poet is not seeking an answer but strongly asserting that no other river can match the Ganga’s grace and no other scripture can equal the Upanishads.
3. The poet uses the word ‘generous’ to describe the Ganga. Why?
Answer: The Ganga is called ‘generous’ because she freely gives water to millions of people, nourishing the land, supporting agriculture, and sustaining life across a vast region. Like a generous person who gives without expectation, the river offers her bounty endlessly to all.
4. Why has the movement of the river been described as graceful?
Answer: The Ganga flows smoothly and majestically across the plains, winding through the landscape with a natural elegance. The poet personifies the river as a graceful woman whose movement is gentle, fluid, and beautiful — inspiring reverence and admiration in all who witness it.
5. Fill in the blank: The poet is implying that the Upanishads are _________ in their wisdom and spiritual depth.
Answer: unmatched
II. Answer the following questions.
1. How does the poem reflect a strong connection to cultural identity and heritage?
Answer: The poem draws upon India’s most iconic elements — the Himalayas, the Ganga, the Upanishads, ancient warriors, sages, sacred music, Brahma-knowledge, and the Buddha’s teachings — all of which are deeply rooted in India’s cultural and spiritual identity. By celebrating these, the poet affirms that India’s greatness is inseparable from its rich heritage, and he urges readers to take pride in this shared identity.
2. What can you infer about the poet’s attitude towards India from the repeated phrase ‘she’s peerless, let’s praise her!’?
Answer: The repeated phrase reveals that the poet holds India in the highest reverence. He sees India not merely as a geographical territory but as a living, extraordinary entity deserving of worship and celebration. The use of ‘let’s’ also shows that this admiration is not just personal — the poet wishes to unite all people in collectively honouring their homeland.
3. What does the line ‘many a sage has sanctified this land’ suggest about India’s spiritual heritage?
Answer: The line suggests that India has been home to countless wise and holy men whose spiritual practices, meditations, and teachings have made the land sacred. It implies that India’s soil itself has been blessed and purified by generations of seekers of truth, giving it a divine quality that goes beyond the physical.
4. How does the poet connect warriors and music to India’s greatness?
Answer: The poet mentions ‘gallant warriors’ who fought bravely to protect the land, and ‘the divinest music’ that has been heard here, representing India’s strength and its artistic and spiritual refinement. Together, they show that India’s greatness lies both in physical courage and in cultural and artistic achievement — it is a land of both power and beauty.
5. How does this poem foster a sense of national pride?
Answer: The poem fosters national pride by reminding readers of India’s unmatched natural wealth, unrivalled spiritual literature, heroic past, wise traditions, sacred knowledge, and universal religious teachings. The refrain ‘she’s peerless, let’s praise her!’ actively invites readers to feel proud and to celebrate their nation together.
Vocabulary in Context (Page 29)
I. Complete the table by choosing words from the poem.
Answer:
| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -ous | full of, having the qualities of | generous |
| -ity | the state of being very old or ancient | antiquity |
| -est | superlative form | divinest |
| -less | without something | peerless |
II. Complete the table by adding a different suffix to form new words and create sentences.
Answer:
| Suffix | Meaning | Sentences |
|---|---|---|
| -tion | the action or process of | celebrate → celebration: The celebration of our national festival filled everyone with joy. |
| -ive | quality or nature of | create → creative: She is a very creative student who always finds new ways to solve problems. |
| -ment | the action or result of | achieve → achievement: Winning the science competition was a great achievement for the school. |
| -ed | past-tense version of a verb | sanctify → sanctified: Many a sage has sanctified this land with their wisdom and prayers. |
Listen and Respond (Page 30)
I. Write the speaker number for the two pictures.
Answer:
- Picture 1 (trekker in green surroundings): Speaker No. 1
- Picture 2 (rocky mountain climbing): Speaker No. 4
II. Match the given statements to the speaker.
Answer:
| Statement | Speaker |
|---|---|
| 1. The green surroundings look beautiful visually. | Speaker 1 |
| 2. The group visits make even the difficult areas seem easy. | Speaker 2 |
| 3. The quietness of the environment here leads to a peaceful experience. | Speaker 3 |
| 4. The risk and thrill in such an area is what is most appealing. | Speaker 4 |
| 5. The dry expanse promises to appeal to the spirit of exploration. | Not needed |
| 6. The sight of such beauty is very inviting and has to be captured. | Not needed |
Speaking Activity (Page 31)
I. Speak about the aspects of your village/town/city that are an asset.
Answer: (Model answer — students should personalise this)
“One thing that I find truly wonderful about my city, Indore, is its remarkable food culture. If I had to describe Indore in one word, it would be ‘vibrant.’ I have always been fascinated by the way the people of my city celebrate every festival with great enthusiasm. What I want other people to know about Indore is that it is consistently ranked as one of the cleanest cities in India. When it comes to scenery, Indore truly shines because of the beautiful Rajwada palace and the serene Ralamandal sanctuary nearby. I feel a deep sense of pride when I think about how my city blends its rich historical heritage with modern development.”
Writing Task (Page 32)
I. Write a paragraph about a place you have visited which has stayed in your memory.
Answer: (Model answer)
Last summer, my family and I visited the hill station of Pachmarhi in Madhya Pradesh, and it is a journey I will never forget. We planned the trip during the school vacation to escape the scorching summer heat, and the entire family was eager for a break. We traveled by car, and I remember feeling a growing excitement as the plains gradually gave way to winding mountain roads lined with tall trees. We stayed at a small guesthouse near Bee Falls. During our time there, we trekked through dense forests, stood in awe at the edge of the Dhupgarh sunset point, and explored ancient caves adorned with prehistoric paintings. The cool breeze, the sound of waterfalls, and the sight of mist rolling across green hills created a sense of peace I had never felt before. Even now, whenever I close my eyes and think of Pachmarhi, I can almost hear the rustling of leaves and feel the gentle mountain air — a memory I will carry with me always.