Hamara Bharat

Unit 5 of your book, Poorvi, is called Culture and Tradition. It opens on page 131 with a short passage, 'Hamara Bharat—Incredible India!' Incredible means so wonderful it is hard to believe. Here is what the passage says, in short.

Bharat has long been known all over the world as a land of wise and heroic people. Its rich and varied culture has drawn travellers here since ancient times. Bharat is rich in rivers, lakes and high mountains, and its green forests are home to many plants, insects, birds and animals.

The people of Bharat live in unison: together, as one. And so they show the world unity in diversity. Think of the food alone: dosa in the south, sarson ka saag in Punjab, litti chokha in Bihar. Clothes, languages, festivals and arts change from state to state too. Many different ways of life, but one people.

The passage ends with advice for all of us: we must keep working hard so that our country goes on doing well.

Next comes a story, 'Kalakritiyon ka Bharat' (page 133). Students sit in a big hall, ready to meet friends from all over the country. The teacher asks which programme they are there for, and they answer together: Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat. Renu explains it with a smile: it is about knowing that we all belong to one nation, and that is the bond we share; our unity in diversity makes ours a wonderful country. Then Bala points out that the video has started, and children from different states appear on the big screen.

On page 140 a box tells you more about the programme. Bharat has many languages, foods, kinds of music and dance, crafts, sports, festivals and paintings. The Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat programme pairs states and Union Territories (UTs) with each other, so that people from different states meet, talk and understand each other better. It helps us celebrate unity in diversity, grow closer as citizens, and feel that we share one identity as a nation.