• Chapter Name: Bharat Our Land
• Textbook Name: Class 9 English Kaveri
• Related Stud material: Class 9 Kaveri NCERT Solutions

Bharat Our Land (Poem) NCERT Solutions Class 9 English

Page No. 23

Reflect and Respond

I. Recall the lines of the National Anthem and complete the table given below with the names of the states, mountain ranges, and rivers mentioned in it.

Answer

II. Work in pairs. Discuss what the words ‘जय हे’ (Jaya he) in the last two lines of the National Anthem convey. Share your answer with your classmates and teacher.

Answer

The words “जय हे” (Jaya he) convey a feeling of victory, praise, and deep respect for the nation. They express admiration for India’s unity, strength, and greatness. It is a way of saluting the country and celebrating its glory. The phrase inspires patriotism and pride among citizens and reflects devotion towards the nation.

III. Read the underlined words in the given lines of the poem. Choose the odd one out that does not correspond with the meaning of the underlined word.

1. She’s peerless, let’s praise her!
   valuable, incomparable, unmatched
2. Many a sage has sanctifiedthis land.
   blessed , purified, applauded
3. And here all auspiciousthings are found.
   fortunate, fantastic, favourable
4. Of hoary antiquityis Bharat,
   ancient times, recent past, time immemorial

Answer

1. valuable
"Peerless" means having no equal or match. "Incomparable" and "unmatched" both carry the meaning of having no equal. However, "valuable" means something worth a lot.

2. applauded
"Sanctified" means made holy, blessed, or purified. "Blessed" and "purified" both relate to making something sacred. "Applauded" means praised or clapped for.

3. fantastic
"Auspicious" means favourable, of good omen, or fortunate. "Fortunate" and "favourable" both align with this meaning. "Fantastic" means extremely good or imaginative.

4. recent past
"Hoary antiquity" means extremely ancient or very old times. "Ancient times" and "time immemorial" both refer to the very distant past. "Recent past" means the near/contemporary past.

Page No. 25

Check Your Understanding

I. Fill in the blanks by choosing appropriate words from the box given below to complete the summary of the poem.

The poem is a tribute to India, celebrating its natural beauty, spiritual heritage, and 1. _______. The poet praises the 2. _______, describing it as mighty and unparalleled. The 3. _______ is depicted as generous and graceful, while the 4. _______ are honoured as sacred and unmatched. The poem highlights the contributions of 5. _______ and 6. _______ who have enriched the land with their bravery and wisdom. It also acknowledges the presence of 7. _______ and the teachings of 8. _______, highlighting India’s deep-rooted spiritual and philosophical traditions. The poet repeatedly asserts that India is 9. _______, urging everyone to 10. ________ her.

Answer

The poem is a tribute to India, celebrating its natural beauty, spiritual heritage, and 1. historical greatness. The poet praises the 2. Himavant, describing it as mighty and unparalleled. The 3. Ganga is depicted as generous and graceful, while the 4. Upanishads are honoured as sacred and unmatched. The poem highlights the contributions of 5. warriors and 6. sages who have enriched the land with their bravery and wisdom. It also acknowledges the presence of 7. Brahma-knowledge and the teachings of 8. Buddha, highlighting India's deep-rooted spiritual and philosophical traditions. The poet repeatedly asserts that India is 9. peerless, urging everyone to 10. praise her.

II. Complete the following features about the poem.

1. The impact on the readers (mood): ________

2. The poet’s attitude (tone): ________

3. The rhyme scheme: _________

4. Examples of personification: _______

Answer

1. The impact on the readers (mood):
The mood is patriotic, uplifting, and inspiring, as the poem fills readers with pride in India’s greatness and heritage.

2. The poet’s attitude (tone):
The tone is admiring and reverential, as the poet praises India’s natural beauty, culture, and spiritual richness.

3. The rhyme scheme:
The rhyme scheme is irregular (free verse), as the poem does not follow a strict rhyming pattern.

4. Examples of personification:
Examples include:

• The Ganga is personified as a generous, graceful woman: "The generous Ganga is ours — which other river can match her grace?"
• India (Bharat) is personified as a woman: "she's peerless, let's praise her!"
• The Himavant is implied to have human-like matchless qualities.

III. What is the impact of the refrain, ‘she’s peerless, let’s praise her!’?

Answer

The refrain “she’s peerless, let’s praise her!” creates a strong sense of patriotism and admiration in the poem. By repeating this line, the poet emphasises that the nation is unique and incomparable. It reinforces pride in the country’s natural beauty, culture, and heritage. The repetition also makes the poem more rhythmic and memorable, leaving a lasting impact on the reader. Overall, the refrain unites the ideas of the poem and inspires readers to respect and celebrate their nation.

IV. Complete the following sentence appropriately.

India is metaphorically described as ‘this sunny golden land,’ suggesting that it is _______.

Answer

India is metaphorically described as “this sunny golden land,” suggesting that it is bright, prosperous, and full of richness and warmth.

V. The poet uses symbolism. Match the symbols in Column 1 to what they suggest in Column 2.

Answer

• Himavant symbolises strength and stability.
• Ganga represents purity and generosity.
• Upanishads reflect deep philosophical traditions.
• Warriors and sages stand for bravery and wisdom.
• Brahma-knowledge and Buddha’s teachings indicate enlightenment.
• Sunny golden land highlights India’s richness and glory.

VI. The poet uses imagery (descriptive language to create vivid mental pictures that appeal to the senses). Give any two examples from the poem.

Answer

• Example 1 (Visual imagery): "The mighty Himavant is ours" — creates a vivid mental picture of the towering, snow-covered Himalayan mountains, inspiring awe and pride.
• Example 2 (Visual/Sensory imagery): "This sunny golden land" — evokes a picture of sun-drenched, golden fields and landscapes, creating a warm, rich, radiant image of India.
• Example 3 (Auditory imagery): "The divinest music has been heard here" — appeals to the sense of hearing, invoking the sound of sacred and beautiful Indian music.

VII. What is the impact of the use of hyphens in the first stanza? Select the options that are true.

1. Creates deliberate pauses to reinforce the sense of admiration and pride.

2. Emphasises the contrast between India’s strengths and weaknesses.

3. Lends to the lyrical quality giving it a measured, chant-like rhythm.

4. Suggests hesitation or uncertainty in the poet’s claims about India.

5. Presents a key element of India’s greatness before the hyphen and makes a strong assertion about its uniqueness after the hyphen.

Answer

1. True
The hyphen forces a pause, allowing the reader to absorb the claim of ownership ("is ours") before the poet delivers the assertion of uniqueness.

2. False
The poem has no mention of weaknesses, it is entirely celebratory.

3. True
The hyphens create a rhythmic pause that gives the poem a chant-like, devotional quality.

4. False
The poet is entirely confident, the hyphens do not express doubt.

5. True
Each line presents an important feature of India before the hyphen and then strongly asserts its uniqueness after it.

VIII. The poet uses hyperbole in the poem.

Identify examples of hyperbole from the poem.

Answer

• Example 1: "there's no equal anywhere on earth" — An exaggeration asserting the Himalayas are literally unequalled anywhere on the entire earth. The purpose is to stress the Himalayas' extraordinary greatness.
• Example 2: "which other river can match her grace?" — Implies that NO river anywhere can match the Ganga — an exaggeration for rhetorical effect.
• Example 3: "what scriptures else to name with them?" — Implies no scripture in the world can be compared to the Upanishads — another hyperbolic assertion.
• Example 4: "here all auspicious things are found" — "ALL" auspicious things — an exaggeration suggesting India contains every sacred and favourable thing in existence.

IX. The poem is an ode.

Now, identify examples from the poem that correspond to it being an ode.

Answer

An ode is a lyrical poem expressing deep admiration, praise, or reverence for its subject, often in elevated language.

• Example 1: “The mighty Himavant is ours — there’s no equal anywhere on earth.”
  → This line praises India’s natural greatness.
• Example 2: “The generous Ganga is ours — which other river can match her grace?”
  → It glorifies the sacred river Ganga with admiration.
• Example 3: “The sacred Upanishads are ours — what scriptures else to name with them?”
  → This highlights India’s rich spiritual and philosophical heritage.
• Example 4: “This sunny golden land is ours — she’s peerless, let’s praise her!”
  → This directly expresses reverence and admiration for the nation.
• Example 5: “Many a sage has sanctified this land.”
  → It honours India’s spiritual legacy and wise figures.

X. The poet uses allusion in the poem.

Now, read the explanations and identify the matching allusions from the poem for the following.

1. An allusion to the ancient Indian scriptures that form the philosophical core and symbolise deep wisdom and enlightenment.
2. An allusion to the concept of spiritual knowledge associated with self-realisation and ultimate truth.
3. An allusion to Gautama Buddha’s teachings, which include compassion, non-violence, and enlightenment. This highlights India’s role in shaping major religious and philosophical traditions.

Answer

1. “The sacred Upanishads are ours”
2. “Here Brahma-knowledge has taken root”
3. “The Buddha preached his dhamma here”

These lines refer to important elements of India’s spiritual and philosophical heritage. The Upanishads represent ancient wisdom, Brahma-knowledge signifies ultimate truth and self-realisation, and Buddha’s dhamma reflects teachings of compassion and enlightenment.

Critical Reflection

I. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.

The mighty Himavant is ours-
there’s no equal anywhere on earth.
The generous Ganga is ours-
which other river can match her grace?
The sacred Upanishads are ours-
what scriptures else to name with them?

1. Complete the sentence.

The word ‘mighty’ refers to the ________ of the Himavant.

2. Choose the correct option to complete the sentence given below.

The question mark at the end of the fourth and sixth line of the extract is used to ________.

(i) show doubt and uncertainty
(ii) emphasise a point
(iii) highlight confusion and hesitation
(iv) reveal inquiry and curiosity

3. The poet uses the word ‘generous’ to describe the Ganga. Why?

4. Why has the movement of the river been described as graceful?

5. Fill in the blank with the correct option from the words given in the brackets.

The poet is implying that the Upanishads are _______ (unmatched/abundant) in their wisdom and spiritual depth.

Answer

1. The word ‘mighty’ refers to the strength and immense size of the Himavant.

2. (ii) emphasise a point
The question marks are rhetorical and are used to strongly assert that nothing can equal India’s greatness.

3. The Ganga is called generous because it provides water, supports life, and nurtures civilisation. It gives continuously without expecting anything in return, symbolising selflessness.

4. The river’s flow is described as graceful because it moves smoothly and beautifully. The word "grace" also has spiritual connections, the river is a source of divine grace (blessings). This reflects its calm, pure, and divine nature, enhancing its sacred image.

5. The poet is implying that the Upanishads are unmatched in their wisdom and spiritual depth.

II. Answer the following questions.

1. How does the poem reflect a strong connection to cultural identity and heritage?

2. What can you infer about the poet’s attitude towards India from the repeated phrase ‘she’s peerless, let’s praise her!’?

3. What does the line ‘many a sage has sanctified this land’ suggest about India’s spiritual heritage?

4. How does the poet connect warriors and music to India’s greatness?

5. How does this poem foster a sense of national pride?

Answer

1. The poem highlights India’s cultural identity by referring to its ancient scriptures like the Upanishads, spiritual teachings, and historical figures. It celebrates traditions, values, and philosophical richness that have shaped the nation. The mention of sages, warriors, and sacred rivers reflects India’s deep-rooted heritage. Thus, the poem connects strongly with the country’s cultural and spiritual past.

2. The repeated phrase shows that the poet has deep admiration and pride for India. By calling the country “peerless,” he suggests that it is unique and unmatched. The use of “let’s” invites everyone to join in celebrating the nation. This reflects a respectful, patriotic, and appreciative attitude.

3. This line suggests that India has been the home of great sages and spiritual leaders. Their presence and teachings have made the land sacred and spiritually rich. It highlights India’s long tradition of wisdom and moral values. Thus, it emphasises the country’s deep spiritual heritage.

4. The poet mentions gallant warriors to highlight courage and bravery in India’s history. At the same time, he refers to divine music to show cultural richness and artistic excellence. Together, they represent both strength and creativity. This combination reflects the balanced greatness of the nation.

5. The poem praises India’s natural beauty, spiritual depth, and cultural achievements. It repeatedly emphasises that the country is unique and worthy of admiration. Such descriptions inspire readers to feel proud of their nation. The tone and imagery together create a strong sense of patriotism.

Answer

• Student 2: One thing that I find truly wonderful about my city is its rich cultural heritage. Festivals are celebrated with great enthusiasm, and they bring people together.
• Student 1: That sounds great! If I had to describe my town in one word, it would be peaceful. It’s surrounded by greenery, and life there feels calm and refreshing.
• Student 2: I have always been fascinated by the way people in my city maintain traditions while also adapting to modern life.
• Student 1: That’s true. What I want other people to know about my town is that it may be small, but it has a strong sense of community and warmth.
• Student 2: When it comes to scenery, my city truly shines because of its parks, rivers, and historical monuments.
• Student 1: In my town, the fields and natural landscapes make it very beautiful and relaxing.
• Student 2: I feel a deep sense of pride when I think about my city because it represents culture, diversity, and progress.
• Student 1: I feel the same about my town. No matter where we go, our hometown will always remain special to us.

Answer

I visited Manali last summer, and it has stayed in my memory as one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. I went there during my school holidays with my family. Before the trip, we planned our itinerary, packed warm clothes, and booked our hotel in advance. We stayed in a cosy hotel surrounded by mountains, which offered a stunning view of the valley. During our stay, we visited places like Solang Valley and Rohtang Pass, where we enjoyed snow activities such as skiing and playing in the snow. We also explored local markets and tasted delicious food. The fresh air, scenic beauty, and peaceful environment made the trip unforgettable. It was a refreshing experience that I will always cherish.