Chapter 9: Different Lands, Different Lives
Chapter at a Glance
After the holidays, four classmates share their travel stories, each from a different kind of land. Gurpreet visited his grandparents in Amritsar, Punjab, which lies in the plains. The land there is flat and fertile, so many people are farmers. People enjoy makki di roti, sarson da saag and lassi. The Golden Temple (Sri Harmandir Sahib) is gold-plated, surrounded by a sarovar, and runs one of the world’s largest langars, where volunteers serve free meals to everyone.
Ritika went to the desert of Rajasthan, a dry land with very little rain. Plants like cactus, khejri and babool survive on little water, and the cactus stores water in its stem. Camels, called the ‘ship of the desert’, lizards, wild cats and eagles live there. Houses are made of mud with thatched roofs and have tankas to store rainwater. People wear colourful turbans, ghaghras and bandhani dupattas, and play the khartal and sarangi. Popular foods are dal-baati-churma and ker sangri, and the golden Jaisalmer Fort is famous. Chandni visited Puri, a coastal city in Odisha, with its sand art, sea shells, fishermen, turtles, Sambalpuri sarees and foods like dalma, pakhala and chhena poda. Puri is known for the Jagannath Temple and the Rath Yatra. Coastal areas also face cyclones, and Odisha has won awards for saving lives through early warnings.
Nayan visited Gangtok in Sikkim, among the Himalayan mountains. Mountains are high, rocky and cold, with steep slopes and valleys, and some peaks are covered in snow. He saw Mount Kangchenjunga glowing golden, ate thukpa and sel roti, rode a yak, and saw people in traditional dresses like the bakhu. Oak, pine, walnut and chestnut trees grow there. Houses are made of wood with sloping roofs. The Loosong and Namsoong festival marks the Sikkimese New Year. The chapter shows how landforms shape people’s food, clothing, houses, festivals and way of life.
Word Meanings
| Word | Simple Meaning |
|---|---|
| Landform | A natural shape of land, like a mountain, plain or desert |
| Plains | Large areas of flat land |
| Fertile | Soil that is good for growing crops |
| Desert | A dry, sandy place with very little rain |
| Coastal region | Land next to the sea |
| Mountain | High, rocky land that rises far above the ground |
| Valley | Low land between hills or mountains |
| Slope | A surface that goes up or down |
| Sarovar | A holy water tank or pond |
| Langar | A community kitchen that serves free food to all |
| Tanka | An underground tank for storing rainwater in the desert |
| Thatched roof | A roof made of dry grass or straw |
| Scarce | Available in very small amounts |
| Livelihood | The way a person earns money to live |
| Cyclone | A very strong, spinning storm with heavy rain and wind |
| Landslide | When rocks and soil slide down a mountain |
| Yak | A long-haired, ox-like animal of cold mountains |
Important Topics
1. Four Children, Four Landforms
| Child | Place visited | Landform |
|---|---|---|
| Gurpreet | Amritsar, Punjab | Plains |
| Ritika | Rajasthan | Desert |
| Chandni | Puri, Odisha | Coastal region |
| Nayan | Gangtok, Sikkim | Mountains |
2. Life in the Plains (Punjab)
- Flat, fertile land; most people are farmers.
- Food: makki di roti, sarson da saag, lassi.
- Golden Temple (Sri Harmandir Sahib): gold-plated, surrounded by a sarovar; its langar serves free meals to all.
- Greeting: ‘Jee aayan nu’ means ‘Welcome’.
3. Life in the Desert (Rajasthan)
- Very little rainfall; water is scarce.
- Plants: cactus, khejri, babool (cactus stores water in its stem).
- Animals: camel (ship of the desert), lizard, wild cat, python, eagle.
- Houses: mud walls, thatched roofs, tankas for storing water.
- Clothes: colourful turbans, ghaghras, bandhani dupattas, bangles.
- Music: khartal and sarangi. Food: dal-baati-churma, ker sangri.
- Jaisalmer Fort: made of golden sandstone; people still live in it; shown in Satyajit Ray’s film ‘Sonar Kella’.
4. Life on the Coast (Odisha)
- Many people earn their living by fishing.
- Sea creatures: sea turtle, crab, dolphin, starfish, corals, seaweed.
- Sand art on beaches; conch shells (shankh) used in worship.
- Food: dalma, pakhala, chhena poda, rasagola. Clothing: Sambalpuri saree.
- Jagannath Temple, Puri: famous for the Rath Yatra of Jagannath, Subhadra and Balabhadra.
- Cyclones: strong winds harm people, animals and trees; Odisha saves lives by early warnings and preparation.
5. Life in the Mountains (Sikkim)
- High, rocky, cold land with steep slopes and valleys; some peaks are snow-covered.
- View of Mount Kangchenjunga.
- Trees: oak, pine, walnut, chestnut. Animal: yak, used for travel.
- Food: thukpa, sel roti. Dresses: bakhu, dumdyam, gunyo cholo.
- Houses: wooden with slanting roofs.
- Festival: Loosong and Namsoong (Sikkimese New Year), with the chaam mask dance.
- Landslides are common in the rainy season.
6. Comparing the Four Landforms
| Category | Plains | Desert | Coastal | Mountains |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trees | Mango, neem, peepal | Cactus, khejri, babool | Coconut, palm, casuarina | Pine, oak, walnut, chestnut |
| Animals | Cows and buffaloes with short fur | Camel, lizard | Fish, crab, turtle | Yak, mountain goat |
| Housing | Brick and cement houses | Mud houses, thatched roofs | Houses on raised platforms, sloping roofs | Wooden houses with sloping roofs |
| Clothing | Cotton kurta, salwar, turban | Colourful turbans, ghaghra | Light cotton, Sambalpuri saree | Warm woollen clothes, bakhu |
| Food | Makki di roti, sarson da saag | Dal-baati-churma, ker sangri | Fish, rice, dalma, pakhala | Thukpa, sel roti |
| Festivals | Lohri, Baisakhi | Teej, Gangaur | Rath Yatra | Loosong and Namsoong |
| Art forms | Phulkari, Bhangra | Ghoomar, puppetry | Sand art, Odissi | Chaam mask dance |
Question-Answers
Very Short Answer Questions
- Which place did Gurpreet visit? Amritsar, Punjab.
- What is the Golden Temple also called? Sri Harmandir Sahib.
- What is a langar? A community kitchen that serves free meals to all.
- Which animal is called the ship of the desert? The camel.
- Which desert plant stores water in its stem? Cactus.
- What are tankas? Tanks for storing water in desert houses.
- Which fort is made of golden sandstone? Jaisalmer Fort.
- Which coastal city did Chandni visit? Puri, Odisha.
- Which festival is Puri famous for? Rath Yatra.
- Name a traditional saree of Odisha. Sambalpuri saree.
- Which mountain peak did Nayan see? Mount Kangchenjunga.
- Which animal is used for travel in Sikkim’s mountains? The yak.
- Name a Sikkimese food. Thukpa (or sel roti).
- Which festival marks the Sikkimese New Year? Loosong and Namsoong.
Short Answer Questions
Q1. Why are many people in Punjab farmers?
Punjab lies in the plains, where the land is flat and the soil is rich and fertile. This makes it good for growing crops like wheat and corn.
Q2. How do desert plants survive with little water?
Desert plants like cactus, khejri and babool need very little water. The cactus stores water in its thick stem and has spines instead of leaves to lose less water.
Q3. Why is water scarce in the desert?
Deserts get very little rain, and the hot sun dries up whatever water there is. There are also very few rivers or lakes.
Q4. How do people in coastal areas earn their living?
Many people in coastal areas depend on fishing. Others earn by selling sea shells, making sand art, boating and through tourism.
Q5. Why do houses in Sikkim have slanting roofs?
Sikkim gets heavy rain and snow. Slanting roofs let rainwater and snow slide off easily so that the roof does not get damaged.
Q6. Why are landslides common in mountains during the rainy season?
Heavy rain makes the soil on steep slopes loose and wet. The loose soil and rocks then slide down the mountain.
Long Answer Questions
Q1. Describe life in the desert of Rajasthan.
A desert is a dry place with very little rain. Plants like cactus, khejri and babool grow there, and animals like camels, lizards and eagles live there. Houses are made of mud with thatched roofs and have tankas to store water. Men wear colourful turbans, and women wear ghaghras, bandhani dupattas and bangles. People enjoy dal-baati-churma and ker sangri, and play the khartal and sarangi. The Jaisalmer Fort, made of golden sandstone, is a famous landmark.
Q2. What problems do people in coastal areas face? How can they be prepared?
Coastal areas are often hit by cyclones with strong winds and heavy rain. Cyclones destroy houses, uproot trees, harm animals and cause floods. People can prepare by listening to early warnings on radio, TV and phones, moving to safe shelters in time, storing food, water and medicines, and building strong houses. The Odisha government has won awards for saving lives through such planning.
Q3. How does the cold climate of mountains affect people’s lives?
People in the mountains wear warm woollen clothes, like the bakhu in Sikkim. Houses are made of wood with slanting roofs so that snow and rain slide off. They eat warm food like thukpa. Yaks are used for travel on steep slopes. Trees like pine, oak and walnut, which suit cold weather, grow there. People also have to be careful about landslides during the rainy season.
Textbook Exercise Answers
Q1. Compare life in the four landforms.
See the comparison table in Important Topics, section 6.
Q2. Design your own landform (sample).
My landform has green plains for farming, a river flowing from nearby mountains, and a sandy beach on one side.
(a) I chose these features so that people get food, water, fresh air and a place to enjoy.
(b) Plains give crops, mountains give fresh water and forests, and the beach gives fish and fun.
(c) People may face floods from the river, landslides near the mountains and cyclones near the coast.
Other in-text questions
- Why is it important to keep beaches clean? Plastic and garbage harm turtles, fish and other sea creatures, and a dirty beach spoils its beauty.
- Coastal life vs desert life: the coast has plenty of water, humid air, coconut trees and fishing; the desert has little water, dry heat, cactus and camels.
- Adverse effects of a cyclone: houses and trees are destroyed, floods occur, electricity is cut, and people and animals are hurt.
- Why do pine and oak grow well in mountains? They can bear cold weather and snow; pine’s thin needle leaves let snow slide off.
- How does the yak survive the cold? It has long, thick hair and a strong body that keeps it warm.
- How can we keep people safe during landslides? Plant trees on slopes, avoid building on steep, loose land, and move people to safe places during heavy rain.
- How can communities help disaster-affected people? Give food, clothes and shelter, donate money, and help rebuild their homes.