Unit 5 Poorvi · Grade 6 · English
Culture and Tradition
Complete, exam-ready solutions to every question in Unit 5 — Hamara Bharat, Kalakritiyon ka Bharat, The Kites, Ila Sachani and National War Memorial. Detailed, easy-to-read answers with the book’s own figures.
Reading 1
Hamara Bharat — Incredible India!
Let us discuss
In-text1What has Bharat always been known for?
Bharat has always been known worldwide as a land of wise and heroic (brave) individuals. Because of its rich and diverse culture, it has attracted numerous travellers since ancient times.
2What is attractive about Bharat?
Its rich and diverse culture attracts travellers from all over the world. Bharat is also full of natural beauty — rivers, lakes, high mountains and green forests that are home to many plants, insects, birds and animals.
3What is special about the fact that the people live here in unison?
Even though people belong to many different religions, languages and cultures, they still live together in harmony. This presents to the whole world a beautiful example of “unity in diversity.”
4What geographical features does the passage mention?
The passage mentions rivers, lakes, high mountains and green (dense) forests.
5What is the advice given to everyone?
As inhabitants of Bharat, we should continue to work hard and make sure that our country keeps prospering and is respected globally.
Reading 2
Kalakritiyon ka Bharat
Before we read — Complete with vowels
In-textFill each word with the correct vowels (A, E, I, O, U).
1. We decorate our homes with our folk art (folk art).
2. Our culture consists of our ideas, customs, traditions, values, arts and languages.
3. All of us celebrate our festivals together.
4. We tell stories about our culture, history and legends.
5. We have our own languages to talk to each other.
2. Our culture consists of our ideas, customs, traditions, values, arts and languages.
3. All of us celebrate our festivals together.
4. We tell stories about our culture, history and legends.
5. We have our own languages to talk to each other.
Section I — Let us discuss
In-text1What is the Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat programme all about?
It is about knowing that we all belong to one nation and share that bond. It celebrates our unity in diversity, which makes India the most wonderful country in the world.
2Why is this programme being conducted?
It is conducted so that students and citizens from all over the country can meet, understand one another and feel emotionally connected as one nation — strengthening the feeling of unity in diversity.
Let us discuss — Complete the art-forms table
ExerciseBased on what each speaker said about their art form.
| Name | State | Art form | Things needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akanksha | Uttarakhand | Aipan | white rice-flour paste, geru (red clay), brick-red walls / floors |
| Priyaranjan | Odisha | Dhokra | clay, brass scrap, wax, fire |
| Chitra | Kerala | Coconut shell craft | coconut shell, sandpaper / machine, a base, wood polish |
| Balamurali | Andhra Pradesh | Kondapalli | soft wood, makku (tamarind-seed powder + sawdust), dyes / enamel paints |
Let us think and reflect
ExerciseIFill in the blanks.
1. The designs for Aipan are taken from cultural traditions and observations of nature.
2. Dhokra metal craft is very old because it is 4000 years old.
3. A base is needed for coconut shell craft to make it stable.
4. Soft wood, makku (tamarind-seed powder and sawdust) and colours are used to make Kondapalli toys.
2. Dhokra metal craft is very old because it is 4000 years old.
3. A base is needed for coconut shell craft to make it stable.
4. Soft wood, makku (tamarind-seed powder and sawdust) and colours are used to make Kondapalli toys.
IIWhy does Akanksha’s family make Aipan?
Her family makes Aipan on family functions and festivals. It is drawn on the floors and walls of puja rooms and outside the main door of the home. It is a traditional folk art made by the women, based on their cultural traditions and observations of nature.
IIIIn Dhokra, why does wax come out of the small openings?
After the wax figure is covered with clay, it is put in the fire. The heat melts the wax, and the melted wax flows out through the small openings. This leaves a hollow (empty) space that is later filled with molten brass.
IVWhat is common between the toys of Balamurali’s village and the coconut shell craft of Kerala?
Both are handmade crafts made from natural materials (soft wood / coconut shell). In both, the material is first shaped or carved, then smoothed, polished and coloured to finish it. Both are also eco-friendly.
Let us learn
ExerciseIOrder words — “How I Get Ready for School” (use each once).
1. First, I get up and go to take a shower.
2. Next, I wear my school dress.
3. After that, I eat my food.
4. Then, I wear my shoes.
5. Finally, I pick up my bag and go out of my home.
2. Next, I wear my school dress.
3. After that, I eat my food.
4. Then, I wear my shoes.
5. Finally, I pick up my bag and go out of my home.
Order words in the box: to begin, first, then, next, after that, finally, at last.
IIMake five present-tense sentences (use -s/-es with he, she, it).
- We ask questions to understand.
- You draw beautiful flowers.
- She tells a story every day.
- They make paintings in free periods.
- It practises spellings on Friday.
Notice how -s / -es is added for he, she, it: “She tells”, “He speaks”, “It practises”.
Let us listen — Gakkad Bharta
ExerciseAnswers based on Sushil’s description (transcript, p.162).
IComplete the notes.
1. Name of the speaker : Sushil
2. The town of the speaker : Jabalpur
3. The state he belongs to : Madhya Pradesh
4. The name of the food item : Gakkad Bharta
5. Vegetables roasted for bharta : brinjals and tomatoes
2. The town of the speaker : Jabalpur
3. The state he belongs to : Madhya Pradesh
4. The name of the food item : Gakkad Bharta
5. Vegetables roasted for bharta : brinjals and tomatoes
IIComplete the flowchart — how to make gakkad bharta.
1
To make gakkad, make balls of wheat dough and roast them on high heat.
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2
To make bharta, roast brinjal and tomatoes and garnish with chopped onions, coriander, green chillies and salt.
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3
To serve, crumble the gakkad, put some bharta on it and add one spoon of ghee.
Let us explore — Madhubani painting
ExerciseMadhubani is a traditional art form from Bihar, made with natural colours on the walls of houses. You can make natural colours like this: yellow from haldi, green from leaves, red from red flowers / geru / sindoor, orange from flowers, and blue from neel / indigo powder. Colour the given painting using these.
Poem
The Kites
Before we read
In-textIIILook at the picture and complete the sentences (word box: windy, kite, flying, birds, sky, looking, has ribbons).
1. I can see a kite, birds and the sky in the picture.
2. The weather in the picture is windy.
3. The kite is flying high in the sky.
4. The child is looking from below.
5. The tail of the kite has ribbons.
2. The weather in the picture is windy.
3. The kite is flying high in the sky.
4. The child is looking from below.
5. The tail of the kite has ribbons.
I & IVPersonal / discussion questions (sample answers).
Sample response
Yes, I have flown a kite on the terrace during Makar Sankranti. My kite was red and yellow, diamond-shaped, with a long ribbon tail. When I saw it high in the sky, I felt excited and free, as if I were flying too.
IV.2 If I were the child, I would hold the string tightly and run to make the kite go higher.
IV.3 If I were the kite, I would dance happily in the wind and touch the clouds.
IV.2 If I were the child, I would hold the string tightly and run to make the kite go higher.
IV.3 If I were the kite, I would dance happily in the wind and touch the clouds.
Let us discuss
ExerciseIMark the statements True or False.
| Statement | T / F |
|---|---|
| 1. The child is looking at the kites. | True |
| 2. The kites look like birds of different colours. | True |
| 3. It was a rainy day. | False |
| 4. The child wants to be like a kite. | False |
| 5. The child wishes to climb on a kite. | True |
| 6. The kite is made of cloth and plastic. | False |
| 7. The child wants to ride the kite. | True |
| 8. The child knows they would have fun. | True |
| 9. The child wants to look at the kite from a rooftop. | False |
| 10. The child would like to look at people down below. | True |
| 11. The child knows that the people would stare. | True |
Why 3 & 6 are False: the sky is “wind-whipped” (windy, not rainy) and the kite is made of paper (“paper wings”), not cloth or plastic. Why 4 & 9 are False: the child wants to be light like air to ride a kite (not to become a kite), and wants to look down at the rooftops from the sky (not look at the kite from a rooftop).
IIComplete the sentences.
1. The kites have been compared to birds because they are colourful and fly high in the sky.
2. The child wishes to be as light as air. The child wishes this to be able to climb on a kite and fly.
2. The child wishes to be as light as air. The child wishes this to be able to climb on a kite and fly.
IIIAlliteration.
Stanza 1: the words wind-whipped — both begin with the ‘w’ sound.
Stanza 3: the words wild wind — both begin with the ‘w’ sound.
Stanza 3: the words wild wind — both begin with the ‘w’ sound.
4 sets you can create
- big blue balloon
- pretty pink peacock
- silly snake slid slowly
- tall trees tremble together
IVThe two repeated words in the last stanza.
The poet repeats “high, high” to tell us the kite is flying very high (very high).
VUnderline the rhyming end-words; circle the ones that do not rhyme.
Rhyming pairs (end of lines 2 & 4 in each stanza):
- Stanza 1 — fly / sky
- Stanza 2 — air / there
- Stanza 3 — wings / sings
- Stanza 4 — down / town
- Stanza 5 — stare / air
Let us think and reflect
ExerciseI.1Circle the word that does not share the feeling of ‘fun’: joy, excitement, care, happiness.
The odd word is care. Joy, excitement and happiness are all happy feelings like ‘fun’, but ‘care’ is not.
I.2Which line tells us that the poet was somewhere above?
The line “To look right down” (over the park and the rooftops of town) tells us the poet imagines being high up, above everything.
I.3Choose the scene the child saw.
The correct scene is (ii) — the top view of the rooftops of the town and the park, exactly what one would see when looking “right down” from high up on a kite.
II.1How does the poet describe the kites in the first two lines?
The poet describes the kites as colourful birds flying up in the air in the wind-whipped sky (“Like coloured birds”).
II.2Why does the child say that they have to climb a tree first to get onto the kite?
Because the kite is flying very high in the sky. The child imagines that to reach something so high, one would first have to climb up high (just as one climbs a tall tree) — so the child wishes to be small and light to climb onto it. (Imaginative answer — accept similar ideas.)
II.3What are the songs that the child hears when flying atop the kite?
The songs that the wild wind sings (“And hear the songs / That the wild wind sings”).
II.4Why did the people look up at the child and stare? What feelings would you have?
They stared because it is amazing and surprising to see a child flying so high on a kite; they wished they could be the child. My feelings If I looked up and saw that, I would feel wonder, excitement and a little envy — and I would wish I could fly up there too.
II.5If you were the kite carrying the child, what would you tell them?
Sample“Hold on tightly and don’t be afraid! Enjoy the cool wind and the beautiful view of the town below. I will carry you safely — let’s touch the clouds together!”
Let us learn
ExerciseIComplete the conversation with parts of a kite.
Bina: I like the long tail at the end of my kite…
Saroj: My kite’s cover is bright. The spine is black.
Bina: My kite’s line is attached to the reel that wraps it…
Saroj: Did you know the tip of a kite is called a nose?
Saroj: My kite’s cover is bright. The spine is black.
Bina: My kite’s line is attached to the reel that wraps it…
Saroj: Did you know the tip of a kite is called a nose?
IICreate a cinquain poem.
Sample cinquain
Rain
soft, cool
falling, splashing, dancing
gently on the rooftops
shower
soft, cool
falling, splashing, dancing
gently on the rooftops
shower
Structure: line 1 = a noun; line 2 = two describing words; line 3 = three action words; line 4 = two words describing the action; line 5 = one synonym of the subject.
III.1Circle the words that match the ‘drift’ movement.
Words that match drift (gentle, slow, floating): slow, downward, round and round, float.
III.2What type of movement do these words show?
- glide — smooth, gentle movement through the air
- dive — a fast downward movement
- soar — flying high and upward
- swoop — a sudden, fast downward movement
- circle — moving round and round
IVMake sentences using these expressions.
Samples
- up in the air — The balloons floated up in the air.
- look right down — From the hill I could look right down at the valley.
- stay up there — The bird will stay up there on the tall branch.
- stand and stare — The children stand and stare at the fireworks.
Let us listen — Kite Festival
ExerciseCircle the words that are not correct, then write the correct word (based on transcript, p.163).
| # | Wrong word | Correct word |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | June | January |
| 2 | Eastern India | Western India |
| 3 | Maharashtra | Rajasthan |
| 4 | ✔ Correct — kites of different shapes, sizes and colours | |
| 5 | ✔ Correct — Karnataka Tourism Department organises it | |
| 6 | ✔ Correct — Punjab celebrates Basant Panchami & Baisakhi | |
| 7 | Earth Day | Independence Day |
The Kite Festival takes place during Makar Sankranti in January, is called Uttarayan in Western India (mainly Gujarat, also Rajasthan and Telangana).
Let us write & explore
Exercise✎“I am a Kite” — sample paragraph.
Sample (about 100 words)
I am a bright diamond-shaped kite made of thin paper and light sticks. My body is red and yellow, and I have a long, colourful ribbon tail that I am very proud of. I belong to a cheerful little girl who flies me on her terrace. My friends are the other kites and the birds who share the sky with me. On windy days I climb high, dance in the air and look down at the rooftops of the town. My message for humans is simple: be free, dream big, and enjoy the journey — just like me up in the sky!
?Types of kites — which is commonly seen?
The diamond-shaped kite is the one most commonly seen in India.
Reading 3
Ila Sachani: Embroidering Dreams with her Feet
Before we read
In-text
IDiscuss about Pranav (sample answers).
1. No, Pranav’s task is not simple — he was born without both hands, so painting, singing and playing sports need great effort and practice.
2. His ability makes me feel inspired and amazed.
3. Important qualities: determination, patience, hard work, courage and a positive attitude.
4. His story gives the message that physical challenges cannot stop a determined person from achieving their dreams.
2. His ability makes me feel inspired and amazed.
3. Important qualities: determination, patience, hard work, courage and a positive attitude.
4. His story gives the message that physical challenges cannot stop a determined person from achieving their dreams.
IIKathiawar embroidery — discuss the steps.
Steps: choose the cloth and design → thread the needle → stitch the design (chain stitch) → add small mirrors → finish and neaten the edges.
Doing these with the feet instead of hands would need a lot of practice, balance, focus and patience, but as Ila Sachani shows, it is possible.
Doing these with the feet instead of hands would need a lot of practice, balance, focus and patience, but as Ila Sachani shows, it is possible.
Let us discuss — Main idea & supporting details
Exercise| Para | Main idea | Two supporting details |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to Ila Sachani’s colourful embroidery | (i) Examples of embroidered things (ii) Ila’s use of a shiny needle |
| 2 | Early challenges and family support | (i) Born without the use of her hands into a farmer’s family (ii) She wondered why she could not draw or pluck flowers like other children |
| 3 | Learning embroidery and daily tasks with her feet | (i) Mother & grandmother taught her Kathiawar embroidery (ii) Parents helped her eat and comb hair with her legs |
| 4 | Becoming an expert and learning many styles | (i) She did not give up and became an expert young (ii) Learned Kachhi, Kashmiri, Lucknawi styles |
| 5 | Embroidery becomes self-expression; admiration spreads | (i) Family & friends were awestruck by her talent (ii) Villagers discovered her skill |
| 6 | Recognition at a state exhibition | (i) Surat office displayed her samples (ii) People bought her creations and she became famous |
| 7 | National recognition and awards | (i) Took part in national exhibitions (ii) Received awards including the President’s Medal |
| 8–9 | Independence, joy and the power of art | (i) Financial independence and joy (ii) Challenges can be turned into victories |
Let us think and reflect
ExerciseI.1‘Unlike other children’ means that Ila was ______ (unaware / different / simple).
Ila was different.
I.2What could Ila have felt when she could not join others?
She could have felt sad, left out, lonely and different from the other children.
I.3Ila could not draw figures on the slate because ______.
…because she could not use her hands (her hands hung loose by her sides), so she could not hold the chalk.
IIWhat creative ways did Ila and her family use to overcome the challenges?
They used her feet and legs. Her mother and grandmother taught her Kathiawar embroidery with her feet, her parents helped her eat and comb her hair with her legs, and her younger brother and sister helped her too.
IIIHow did ‘new independence’ help Ila?
Through her skill she earned a regular income and also found joy in doing what she loved. She became self-reliant and no longer had to depend on others.
IVWhy was the first state exhibition an important event in Ila’s life?
It opened new doors for her. People saw the beauty woven by her feet and readily bought her creations. She was no more a hidden talent, but famous.
VWhat does “art has the power to rise above physical boundaries and touch the soul” tell us?
It tells us that true art is not limited by any physical disability. Good art connects deeply with people’s hearts and feelings, no matter what difficulties the artist faces.
VIHow can we be helpful and encouraging like Ila’s family and friends?
We can support and believe in them, teach them useful skills, stay patient, and praise their efforts instead of pointing out their weaknesses.
VIIHow can Ila’s story help others to overcome challenges?
It teaches that with focus, hard work, positivity and never giving up, even the biggest challenges can be turned into victories.
Let us learn
ExerciseIMatch each word to its synonym (two synonyms are extra).
| Word (Column A) | Synonym (Column C) |
|---|---|
| tiny | small |
| wonderful | fantastic |
| quiet | silent |
| task | work |
| tough | difficult |
Extra (unused) synonyms: happy and dangerous.
IIUnscramble the antonyms.
1. tiny → E G H U = HUGE
2. wonderful → R E E B L I T R = TERRIBLE
3. quiet → I Y N S O = NOISY
4. task → S I A E M T P = PASTIME
5. tough → S E Y A = EASY
2. wonderful → R E E B L I T R = TERRIBLE
3. quiet → I Y N S O = NOISY
4. task → S I A E M T P = PASTIME
5. tough → S E Y A = EASY
Use in sentences, e.g. “The elephant is huge.” · “That was a terrible storm.” · “The market was very noisy.” · “Reading is my favourite pastime.” · “The test was easy.”
III.1The highlighted words (lots of, many) tell us about — (i) Unmentioned quantity / (ii) Large quantity.
They show a (ii) Large quantity.
III.2Fill in the words of quantity.
(i) We saw many buses on the road. (countable)
(ii) How much milk do you want? (uncountable)
(iii) There is some milk needed. (uncountable)
(iv) I need a few examples. (countable)
(v) I have some energy left. / She picked some flowers. (both)
(vi) I ate some rice. (uncountable)
(ii) How much milk do you want? (uncountable)
(iii) There is some milk needed. (uncountable)
(iv) I need a few examples. (countable)
(v) I have some energy left. / She picked some flowers. (both)
(vi) I ate some rice. (uncountable)
Let us listen — Kathiawar embroidery
ExerciseCircle the correct option (based on transcript, p.164).
1. Form — (i) old
2. Colours — (ii) bright
3. Stitches — (ii) chain stitch
4. Seen on — (i) children’s caps
5. Things used — (i) small mirrors
6. Designs — (ii) squares and triangles
2. Colours — (ii) bright
3. Stitches — (ii) chain stitch
4. Seen on — (i) children’s caps
5. Things used — (i) small mirrors
6. Designs — (ii) squares and triangles
Poem
National War Memorial
About the poem & activities
Exercise
The National War Memorial, New Delhi was established in February 2019. It is a national monument built by the Government of India in honour of our brave soldiers. The poem pays respect to the soldiers whose names are etched in stone, remembers the eternal flame (Amar Jawan Jyoti) that glows in their memory, and reminds us to always remember their sacrifice with pride and gratitude.
Let us do these activities: read the poem aloud, recite it with your classmates and teacher, and remember it. Let us explore: visit the memorial’s website (mygov.in) and plan a visit with your teacher or parents.
All figures are taken from the NCERT textbook for study purposes · Solutions for learning practice.