NCERT Class 6 Civics Chapter 1 - Understanding Diversity

Chapter 1 - Understanding Diversity

Question 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: Some of the festivals celebrated are Onam, Diwali, Holi, Krishna Janmasthami, Dussehra, Vasant Panchami, Independence Day, Republic Day, Gandhi Jayanti and Christmas. Independence Day, Republic Day, Gandhi Jayanti are our national festivals, so every Indian celebrates them irrespective of region and religion.

Question 2: What do you think living in India with its rich heritage of diversity adds to your life?
Answer: Yes, living in India with its rich heritage of diversity adds to our life because we know different people, their culture, customs, traditions, backgrounds. These diverse things add to our life, geographical diversities decide our way of life, our food, our occupations and many other things and we relish our customs and traditions.

Question 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: Yes, we think that the term ‘unity in diversity’ is an appropriate term to describe India.
Diversity: Geographical diversities like different physical features, climate, vegetation etc. Cultural diversities like different languages, religions, communities, customs, traditions, festivals, rituals, etc. Despite all these diversities there is unity among the people.
Unity: They are one. They stood against the British and threw the mighty empire by adopting Ahimsa and peaceful means. All the people belonging to various regions are one when the country’s interests are involved. In natural disasters they whole-heartedly contribute for mitigating the sufferings of the people.

Question 4: Underline the line in the poem sung after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, which according to you, reflects India's essential unity.
Answer:
Don't forget the days of blood, O friend
In the midst of your happiness remember to shed a tear for us
The hunter has torn away every single flower
Do plant a flower in the desert garden dear friend
Having fallen to bullets we slept in Jallianwala Bagh
Do light a lamp on this lonely grave O friend
The blood of Hindus and Muslims flows together today
Do soak your robe in this river of blood dear friend
Some rot in jails while others lie in their graves
Do shed a few tears for them O friend.

Question 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: It lies in the regions of Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta. It stretches from the Himalayas in the north to the Bay of Bengal in the South. A small coastal region is on the extreme south, while the Sundarbans forests is a remarkable landmark at the Ganges delta.
Historical factors: It has close relations with geographical factors. The major population depends on agriculture or mainly the cultivation of rice due to fertile lands of Delta. The people of Bengal supported Bangladesh Liberation war. Durga puja of Hindu and Eid of Muslims are two main festival celebrated in Bengal.

Region: Kerala
Geographical Features: Situated between the Lakshadweep Sea and the Western Ghats. It has a wet and maritime tropical climate influenced by the seasonal heavy rains. The Western Coastal Belt is relatively flat compared to the Eastern region and have many lakes and canals.
Historical factors: Due to coastal areas, export and import were prevalent and thus there are people from many religions. The state has nearly equal population from Hinduism, Muslim and Christian regions. Festivals like Onam, Eid, and Christmas etc. are celebrated. The geographical features helped in the cultivation of spices.