1. Draw up a list of the different festivals celebrate in your locality. Which of these celebrations are shared by members of different regional and religious communities?
The festivals celebrated by members of different regional and religious communities include Holi, Diwali, Dushera, Rakshabandhan, Chrismtas, Id-ul-Zuha, Lohri, etc.
2. What do you think, living in India with its rich heritage of diversity adds to your life?
Living in India with its rich heritage has added colours to our life. Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs celebrate their festivals together. Various cultures are found in India. All these diversities have intermingled with each other adding to India’s rich cultural heritage.
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’?
‘Unity in diversity’ is an appropriate term for India. What Nehru means here is that unity in India is not imposed from outside, it is a feeling which has come from the depth of heart.
4. Underline the line in the poem sung after the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre, which according to you, reflects India’s essential unity.
The line is: ‘The blood of Hindus and Muslims flows together today’.
5. What is diversity?
By nature, mankind inherits a variety of things. Seasonal cycle of summer, monsoon, autumn, winter and spring reflects the diversity of nature. Nature thus provides diversity. Human beings also reflect different kinds of traits or attributes. This different is termed as diversity.
6. What is the food of Ladakh people? What do they own?
The staple food of people living here is meat and milk products like cheese and butter. Goats, cows and dogs (Yak-cows) are owned by each family.
7. What are the different kinds of religions in Kerala?
As a result of several historical influences, people of Kerala practice different religions such as Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism.
8. Examine the main occupations practiced in Kerala.
(i) The main occupations are cultivation and fishing. (ii) They grow spices like pepper, cloves and cardamoms. (iii) They are good traders also.
9. How is India a diverse Land?
India is a vast country with a variety of geographical and climatic conditions. People of different regions have their own food habits, language, ways of life and so on.