Bharat Our Land
Class IX – Kaveri (NCERT)
Bharat Our Land
Poet: Subramania Bharati
Introduction
Bharat Our Land is a beautiful patriotic poem in which the poet, Subramania Bharati, expresses his immense love and admiration for India. He praises India’s majestic mountains, sacred rivers, ancient scriptures, brave warriors, wise sages, and rich spiritual heritage. Through this poem, he reminds every Indian that our country is unique and deserves our respect, gratitude, and pride.
About the Poet
Subramania Bharati was a renowned Tamil poet, journalist, freedom fighter, and social reformer. His poems inspired people with patriotism, courage, equality, and love for the motherland. He believed that education, unity, and freedom were essential for the progress of the nation.
Reflect and Respond
Before reading the poem, the textbook encourages students to think about India’s identity and discuss it with classmates. These activities help students connect their prior knowledge with the poem.
Activity I
Recall the lines of the National Anthem and complete the table with the names of the states, mountain ranges, and rivers mentioned in it.
Explanation
The National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana, mentions several geographical features of India. This activity reminds students that India is a land of diverse regions connected by one national identity.
Answer
Discuss what the words “जय हे (Jaya He)” in the last two lines of the National Anthem convey.
Explanation
The words “Jaya He” mean “Victory to You” or “All Glory to You.” They express deep respect, admiration, and gratitude towards the nation. They also inspire feelings of patriotism and national unity.
Answer
The words “Jaya He” express victory, honour, and praise for our motherland. They remind us to love, respect, and serve our country with pride.
Reflect and Respond
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!
Answer: Valuable
2. Many a sage has sanctified this land.
Answer: Applauded
3. And here all auspicious things are found.
Answer: Fantastic
4. Of hoary antiquity is Bharat.
Answer: Recent past
Check Your Understanding
I. Fill in the blanks by choosing appropriate words from the box given below to complete the summary of the poem.
Words given: warriors, peerless, Upanishads, Ganga, Buddha, Himavant, sages, praise, historical greatness, Brahma-knowledge
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.
Answers
1. historical greatness
2. Himavant
3. Ganga
4. Upanishads
5. warriors
6. sages
7. Brahma-knowledge
8. Buddha
9. peerless
10. praise
II. Complete the following features about the poem.
1. The impact on the readers (mood):
Patriotic, inspiring and admiring.
2. The poet’s attitude (tone):
Proud, respectful and appreciative.
3. The rhyme scheme:
There is no fixed rhyme scheme. It is written in free verse.
4. Examples of personification:
“This sunny golden land is ours—she’s peerless, let’s praise her!”
India is referred to as “she”, giving the country human qualities.
III. What is the impact of the refrain, “she’s peerless, let’s praise her!”
Answer:
The repeated refrain emphasises India’s unmatched greatness and fills the readers with pride, admiration, and patriotism. It reinforces the poet’s message that India is unique and deserves to be praised.
IV. Complete the following sentence appropriately.
India is metaphorically described as “this sunny golden land,” suggesting that it is ____________.
Answer:
A land of prosperity, beauty, warmth, and abundant natural wealth.
V. The poet uses symbolism. Match the symbols in Column 1 to what they suggest in Column 2.
Answer
1. Himavant — (v) Strength and permanence
2. Ganga — (iii) Purity and generosity
3. Upanishads — (ii) Spiritual and philosophical legacy
4. Gallant warriors and sages — (vi) Courage and wisdom
5. Brahma-knowledge and Buddha’s Dhamma — (i) Knowledge and enlightenment
6. Sunny golden land — (iv) 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:
“The mighty Himavant is ours.”
“This sunny golden land is ours.”
VII. What is the impact of the use of hyphens in the first stanza? Select the options that are true.
Answer:
1. Creates deliberate pauses to reinforce the sense of admiration and pride.
3. Lends to the lyrical quality, giving it a measured, chant-like rhythm.
5. Presents a key element of India’s greatness before the hyphen and makes a strong assertion about its uniqueness after the hyphen.
IX The poem is an ode.
An ode is a lyrical poem that expresses deep admiration, praise, or reverence for a person, place, object, or idea. It is often written in an elevated and formal style, celebrating the subject with enthusiasm and emotion. An ode’s language is often grand and expressive; and it seeks to highlight the extraordinary qualities of its subject.
Now, identify examples from the poem that correspond to it being an ode.
Answer:
“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?”
“This sunny golden land is ours—she’s peerless, let’s praise her!”
X The poet uses allusion in the poem.
Allusion is a literary device where a writer makes an indirect reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or cultural element without explicitly mentioning it. The reader is expected to recognise and understand the reference based on prior knowledge. Allusions can come from mythology, religion, literature, history, or popular culture.
For example: He is a real Einstein in the mathematics class. (This alludes to Albert Einstein, meaning the student is very intelligent, especially in mathematics or science.)
Now, read the explanations and identify the matching allusions from the poem for the following.
An allusion to the ancient Indian scriptures that form the philosophical core and symbolise deep wisdom and enlightenment.
Answer: The sacred Upanishads.
An allusion to the concept of spiritual knowledge associated with self-realisation and ultimate truth.
Answer: Brahma-knowledge.
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: Buddha’s dhamma.
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.
Answer: Strength and grandeur.
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
Answer: (ii) emphasise a point
3. The poet uses the word ‘generous’ to describe the Ganga. Why?
Answer: The poet calls the Ganga generous because it provides water, supports life, nourishes the land, and benefits millions of people.
4. Why has the movement of the river been described as graceful?
Answer: The movement of the river is described as graceful because it flows smoothly, calmly, and beautifully.
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: unmatched.
II. Answer the following questions.
1. How does the poem reflect a strong connection to cultural identity and heritage?
Answer:
The poem reflects India’s cultural identity and heritage by praising its mighty Himalayas, sacred Ganga, Upanishads, brave warriors, wise sages, Brahma-knowledge, and Buddha’s Dhamma. These symbols represent India’s rich history, spirituality, wisdom, and traditions.
2. What can you infer about the poet’s attitude towards India from the repeated phrase ‘she’s peerless, let’s praise her!’?
Answer:
The repeated phrase shows that the poet has deep love, pride, and admiration for India. He believes that India is unique and incomparable and encourages everyone to honour and praise their motherland.
3. What does the line ‘many a sage has sanctified this land’ suggest about India’s spiritual heritage?Answer:
The line suggests that India has been blessed by many great sages whose wisdom, teachings, and spiritual practices have made the country holy and spiritually rich.
4. How does the poet connect warriors and music to India’s greatness?
Answer:
The poet connects warriors with bravery and courage, and music with India’s rich cultural and artistic heritage. Together, they highlight the country’s strength, wisdom, and cultural excellence.
5. How does this poem foster a sense of national pride?
Answer:
The poem fosters a sense of national pride by celebrating India’s natural beauty, ancient wisdom, spiritual heritage, brave warriors, and glorious traditions. It inspires readers to respect, admire, and feel proud of their country.
Vocabulary in Context
I. Complete the table by choosing words from the poem.
1. -ous (full of, having the qualities of kindness)
Answer: generous
2. -ity (the state of being very old or ancient)
Answer: antiquity
3. -est (superlative form)
Answer: greatest
4. -less (without something)
Answer: peerless
II. Complete the following table by adding a different suffix to form new words. Also, create a sentence using the created word. One example has been done for you.
1. -ive (quality or nature of)
Answer: admire → admirable
Sentence: India has an admirable cultural heritage
2. -ment (the action or result of)
Answer: develop → development
Sentence: Education plays an important role in the development of a nation.
3. -ed (past-tense version of a verb)
Answer: sanctify → sanctified
Sentence: Many sages sanctified this land with their wisdom.
Writing Task
I. Write a paragraph about a place that you have visited which has stayed in your memory.
Remember to mention the following:
Why did you go there?
Who did you travel with?
How did you prepare for the travel?
Where did you stay?
What activities did you do there?
Answer:
Last summer, I visited Manali with my family during our vacation. We planned the trip in advance and packed warm clothes and other essentials. We stayed in a comfortable hotel near the mountains. During our visit, we enjoyed sightseeing, visited beautiful temples, explored the local market, and admired the snow-covered hills. We also clicked many photographs and spent quality time together. The natural beauty, pleasant weather, and peaceful surroundings made this trip one of the most memorable experiences of my life.
