Our National Symbols
Every independent country of the world has some national symbols of its own. These symbols inspire and unite its people. They stand for the various cultural features and values of that nation. These symbols play an important role in motivating the people of the nation to work together. They constantly remind the people of their great cultural and national values.
The national symbols of our country are:
1. Our National Flag
2. Our National Emblem
3. Our National Anthem
4. Our National Song
5. Our National Animal
6. Our National Bird
7. Our National Flower.
Our National Flag is called the Tiranga or the Tricolour. It has three colours – saffron, white and green. The saffron is at the top. The green is at the bottom. Between the saffron and the green, there is the white colour. In the middle of the white part, there is a navy blue wheel with twenty-four spokes. We call it the Ashoka Chakra. The saffron colour of our flag stands for courage and sacrifice. The white colour stands for truth and peace. The green stands for fertility and prosperity. The wheel stands for peaceful change. It is a symbol of our ancient culture also. Thus our Tricolour is a symbol of peace, progress and hope for the future. It fills us with pride. It reminds us of the great sacrifices of those who got us our freedom. We salute our national flag. We salute our great freedom fighters.
Our National Emblem is a replica (a very great and exact copy) of the Capitol (top or head) of Ashoka’s pillar at Sarnath. It was at Sarnath that Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon after his Enlightenment. Our National Emblem has two parts, the top and the base. The top has four lions, sitting back to back, with their faces in different directions. The base has a horse on the left, a wheel in the middle, and a bull on the right. Below these three figures, the words ‘Satyameva Jayate’ (truth alone triumphs) are inscribed. Our National Emblem is also the Seal of the Government of India. We have it on all our currency, stamp papers, revenue stamps, official documents, and all official publications. It was adopted by the Government of India on 26 January 1950.
Our National Anthem (Jana Gana Mana) is a song that is highly melodious and deeply meaningful. It was written and composed by Rabindranath Tagore. He was a great poet and was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1913. Our National Anthem is sung on all ceremonial occasions. It is also sung at the time of morning prayers in our educational institutions. It gives the message of peace, patience, tolerance and national unity. We should stand at attention when the National Anthem is being played or sung.
Our National Song (Vande Mataram) was written by Bankimchandra Chatterji. The song is in the form of a son’s respectful homage to his motherland. During the struggle for India’s freedom, this song was a source of great inspiration for our great freedom fighters.
Our National Animal is the Tiger. This animal is a symbol of grace, strength, agility and fearlessness. Since November 1972, the tiger has been adopted as our National Animal.
Our National Bird is the Peacock. This bird is deeply loved for its lovely and colourful plumage and for its graceful dance. Since 1963, it has been adopted as our National Bird. The hunting of the peacock and of the tiger has now been banned.
Our National Flower is the Lotus. This lovely flower symbolizes purity and righteousness. Many Hindu gods and goddesses are shown holding this flower or seated on it. The grace and beauty of this flower is unmatched. All these National Symbols play a vital role in our life. They inspire us to remain united. They encourage us to uphold the great traditions and values of our culture.
New Words / Phrases and their Use
1. independent (having its own government) – India became an independent country in 1947.
2. motivate (to make somebody want to do something) – She is very good at motivating her students.
3. inspire (to give somebody the desire to do well) – Gandhiji inspired us to follow the path of non-violence.
4. stand for (to be a symbol of something) – The white colour in our flag stands for peace and truth.
5. symbol (a sign that has a fixed meaning) – The red colour is a symbol of danger.
6. progress (the process of improving or developing) – India has made a great progress since Independence.
7. revenue (money that a government receives through taxes) – There has been a shortfall in government revenues this year.
8. document (an official paper that can be used as proof) – You will have to produce all these documents in the court.
9. plumage (the feathers covering a bird’s body) – The peacock has a lovely plumage.
Textual Comprehension
I. Answer the following questions in your own words:
1. Name the various National Symbols of our country.
2. What are the different colours in our national flag?
3. What is the saffron colour in our flag a symbol of?
4. What is written on the base of our National Emblem?
5. On what occasions is our National Anthem sung?
6. What should we do when our National Anthem is being sung?
7. What do you know about the writer of our National Anthem?
8. Why is the hunting of peacocks prohibited in our country?
9. What is the importance of our national symbols in our life?
10. What do you know about our national animal?
11. Where do we have the Ashoka Pillar?What is its importance?
12. What is the Seal of the Government of India? What is it used for?
II. Choose words from the box to complete each sentence:
1. Our national flag fills us
2. We have the green colour__
3. The peacock is loved for its
4. We have the Ashoka Chakra
5. Our National Emblem is the
6. Many Hindu gods are shown
7. We sing the National Anthem
8. We should stand at attention when
• with a feeling of pride. • holding the lotus in their hand. • at the bottom of our national flag. • the national anthem is being sung. • lovely plumage and graceful dance. • in the white part of our national flag. • official Seal of the Government of India. • during the morning assembly of our school. |
III. Tick (✓) the correct choice to complete each sentence:
1. The Ashoka Chakra has
a. thirty-six spokes.
b. twenty-four spokes.
c. forty-eight spokes.
2. Rabindranath Tagore was awarded the Nobel Prize
a. in 1913.
b. in 1931.
c. in 1950.
3. Our National Anthem is
a. Vande Mataram.
b. Jana Gana Mana.
c. Satyameva Jayate.
4. The peacock has been our national bird
a. since 1947.
b. since 1950.
c. since 1963.
5. Our National Anthem was written by
a. Rabindranath Tagore.
b. Swami Vivekananda.
c. Bankimchandra Chatterji.
Vocabulary Enrichment
I. Find the odd one out in each group:
1. chirp bark mew speak ________
2. nurse driver bike pilot ________
3. dumb silent calm quiet ________
4. glad happy slow joyful ________
5. smile sing laugh giggle ________
6. corn rice wheat farmer ________
7. lovely pretty beautiful truthful________
I. Fill in the blanks with suitable words from the box:
at, up, for, out, after, down, into, forward |
1. Do not look ____ upon the poor.
2. Look the blackboard, please.
3. Children always look to holidays.
4. Look this word in the dictionary.
5. She is looking a job near her house.
6. Tom gets ill very soon; please look him.
7. Look for the shark when you are in the sea.
8. The inspector said, “I will look the matter.”
III. There is one misspelt word in each of the following sets. Underline the
misspelt word and write it correctly on the given space:
1. unity offical emblem patience
2. salute anceint sacrifice national
3. stamp fertility ravenue motivate
4. people remind homage curency
5. safron symbol country direction
6. reform anthem peaceful documant
7. inspire courage freedom goverment
Grammar in Use
I. There is one mistake in each line of the passage given below.
Underline the mistake and write it correctly on the given space:
Tigers are the bigger members of the cat family.
They live into the forests of Asia and Indonesia.
Tigers hunt deers or large cattle. They usually
lie still during the day, and hunting alone by
night. They are very stronger. One tiger can
pull a dead buffalo which even a groups of
people would finding difficult to move.
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II. You have already learnt on page 37 the Passive Form of verb in three
tenses. Now learn the passive form of the verb in three other tenses:
Present Continuous Past Continuous Future Perfect
Active is/am/are+V1-ing was/were+V1-ing has/have+V3
Passive is/am/are+being+V3 was/were+being+V3 has/have+been+V3
Fill in the blanks with the Passive Form of the italicised verbs:
1. They are planting trees along the road.
Trees along the road.
2. They were planting trees along the road.
Trees along the road.
3. They have planted trees along the road.
Trees along the road.
4. Someone is stealing money from my drawer daily.
Money from my drawer daily.
5. Someone was stealing money from my drawer daily.
Money from my drawer daily.
6. Someone has stolen money from my drawer.
Money from my drawer.
III. Complete these sentences, using the Passive Form of the verb in brackets:
1. Dogs in the garden.
(not allow)
2. This bridge last year.
(build)
3. I by my grandparents.
(bring up)
4. This film by Raj Kapoor.
(direct)
5. Pure ghee and milk in this stop.
(sell)
6. Today’s match because of the rain.
(cancel)
7. Three people in a road accident yesterday.
(kill)
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Pronunciation Practice
Rule : When the letter g is followed by the vowels a, o, or u, it has a
hard sound. When g is followed by e, i, or y, it usually has a soft sound.
Soft g has the sound you hear at the beginning of ‘jam’, and a hard sound
at the beginning of ‘gate’.
gain got gum age giant gypsy
Now say these words aloud. Put them in two groups according to the
sound of ‘g’ (hard or soft).
ago page game engine
flag stage organ pigeon
god guru figure orange
gold large gutter change
gym sugar giraffe arrange
Composition Writing
I. Prepare for your classroom a colourful chart of as many national
symbols of ours as you can.
II. We had a number of freedom fighters who laid down their lives for their
motherland. Write a brief paragraph on any one who you think was the
greatest of them.
III. As a citizen of India, write three things you would always do, and three
that you would never do.
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
3.
I shall always follow the laws of my country.
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This is my prayer to thee, my Lord.
Strike, strike at the root of penury in my heart.
Give me the strength lightly to bear my joys and sorrows.
Give me the strength to make my love fruitful in service.
Give me the strength never to disown the poor or bend
my knees before insolent might.
Give me the strength to raise my mind high above
daily trifles.
And give me the strength to surrender my strength to
Thy will with love.
– Rabindranath Tagore
