Chapter 3

Celebrating Festivals

Festival of Flowers

My name is Rishi. I am from Jammu. I am travelling to the Himalayas with my parents. We are going to visit my Mama (mother’s brother), Mami (Mama’s wife) and my cousins, Chiya and Nonikaa. They live in a small village near the mountains. We are travelling by bus. I am enjoying the bus ride and the view outside the window is beautiful. The roads have hairpin turns and the hills are covered with colourful flowers. Far off, I can also see a variety of tall trees.

DISCUSS

• Have you ever travelled in a bus? If yes, share the experience with your classmates.

• What types of trees and flowers did you see during your trip?

• What safety measures should you take while travelling?

• What safety measures should you take while riding a bicycle and while walking on the road?

ACTIVITY 1

Match the Column A signboards with their meanings in Column B.

Coloumn A Column B

No Parking

No Horn Please

Speed Breaker

No U-Turn

Men at Work

School Ahead

DRAW

You would have observed many signboards on the road. Draw and label any three road signboards that are not listed above.

DRAW

After some time, we reached the bus stop near my Mama and Mami’s village. We got down. Mamaji was there to receive us. We started on a broad concrete road which later led to a narrow mud road closer to their house. As we entered the main gate, I could see a row of colourful flowers in their garden. I could recognise and name a few of them like rose, marigold and hibiscus. However, I was amazed by the beauty of the flowers which was unlike anything I had seen before. “Please can you tell me the names of these flowers?” I asked Nonikaa.

Pointing to a flower, Nonikaa said, “This flower is a tulip.” Mami then called the children in for lunch. All of them had a Kashmiri dish haakh (a kind of leafy vegetable) with hot rice. It was really tasty! “Do you know we have a Kashmir tulip festival at this time of the year?” said Nonikaa over lunch.

“We too have lovely red flowers that bloom in spring at our place. They are called buransh (Rhododendron)”, I said. I told Chiya and Nonikaa about the spring festival that we celebrate at our place. I shared with them how we place mustard and buransh flowers at the doorstep of each home in our neighbourhood. The elders bless us and also give us toffees and sweets.

Chiya said excitedly, “My friend Unni from Kerala celebrates a festival called Vishu at this time. They use a lot of yellow amaltas flowers, fruits and vegetables to make Vishu Kani*.” Mami joined in and said, “Spring is a celebration of nature. After the harsh winters, the sun shines brightly and we see

flowers blooming around us, the grass growing and the new leaves in the trees.” I shared with Mami, Chiya and Nonikaa how happy I feel when I see the beautiful and colourful flowers around me. We returned home after a few days. It was a wonderful vacation and visit with family!

*Vishu Kani is an auspicious ritual observed on first day of the Malayali new year. At sunrise the sighting of auspicious items is supposed to bring fruitful and prosperous year ahead.

ACTIVITY 2

Sing and enjoy!

Oh! Spring is in the air,

Happy children are everywhere,

New leaves appear on the trees,

As flowers sway in the breeze.

The sun shines bright in the sky,

Squirrels and birds share the joy,

Spring is here, let’s dance and sing,

Hope and cheer to all it will bring.

WRITE

1. Ask your elders about the names of festivals celebrated in your locality for each of the seasons given below.

2. Make a list of the special food prepared during these festivals.

Seasons	Festivals	Special food prepared
Spring
Summer
Monsoon
Winter

3. What special dresses do you wear during festivals?

____________________________________

ACTIVITY 3

Match the name of the food with the festival from the list given below.

Bihu Chhath Puja Christmas Eid-ul-Fitr Holi Onam Ugadi

Activity 2 can be done on the classroom floor, under supervision.

Food prepared during festivals	Name of the festivals
Thekua	Chhath Puja
Pitha
Plum Cake
Gujiya
Sadya
Holige
Seviyan

• Do you think everyone celebrates festivals with a variety of special food and new clothes? .

• Are there any mountains, rivers or streams close to where you live? Have you ever visited relatives in a far away place? How does it feel there?

Let us reflect

A. Discuss

1. What are the different modes of transport used during travel?

2. How can one be safe during travels?

3. What special foods are prepared during festivals?

4. How do festivals and celebrations bring us together?

5. Do you feel happy spending time in nature? What about nature makes you feel happy?

B. Write

1. Name any two relatives you have visited recently.

2. How do you spend time with your cousins and relatives?

Fill in the blanks

1. Chiya and Nonikaa live in a small village near the _________________.

2. The bus went along the _________________ roads where the hills were covered with colourful flowers.

3. Rishi and his family walked to his Mama’s house through a narrow _________________ road.

4. The red flowers that bloom in spring are called _________________.

5. _________________ is a kind of leafy vegetable eaten with hot rice.

C. Draw

Take a chart paper and draw signboards for the following. You can use any image and colour of your choice for creating the sign boards. Explain what you have created.

• School library

• Toilet

• Assembly

• Drinking water point

• Playground

• My classroom

• Stairs

Enjoy!

Do you know

The most majestic mountains in the world lie in the northern areas of India and are known as the Himalayas (meaning ‘home of snow’). The highest mountain peak in the world is Mount Everest and it lies in our neighbouring country, Nepal. The height of Mount Everest is about 8,848 metres!

DO YOU KNOW

Sarhul: A spring festival The Sarhul festival is also celebrated in the spring season of the year in Jharkhand. People wear their traditional clothes and walk in a procession to the sakhua tree. They carry freshly germinated grains and sakhua flowers. Offerings are made to the Earth and the Sun with reverence and gratitude. They celebrate Sarhul by singing and dancing together to the tune of drums (dhol, nagada, etc.) and other local musical instruments.

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