Glimpses of the past

Summary of Glimpses of the Past

This lesson is about the events and the circumstances that took place in India during the year 1757 to 1857. The author wants to clarify the conditions prevailing during that period which led to the event known as the First War of Independence in 1857.

Lacked Unity

Indian states and princes were short sighted and were often busy fighting with each other. They often sought British help and britishers took full advantage of it. They followed 'Divide and Rule' and subdued the princess. But a far -seeing ruler like the brave Tipu of Mysore fought with them till he died fighting. British also divided Indians on the name of caste and religion.

 Evil Social Practice

There were many social evils practicing in the society such as untouchability, child marriages,sati pratha etc.They believe that if anyone would cross the river their religion would be lost, all the misery in the world is due to women.

Imposed heavy taxes

Being merchants, the British wanted quick profits so they increased taxes. Thus many farmers were forced to abandon their fields.Famines also followed between 1822 and 1836 due to which fifteen lakh Indians died of starvation. They made such policies which ruined the expert artisans and their business..Also the imports from England were tax free. The conditions of Indians deteriorated.By 1829, the value of British exports was worth seven crore rupees. While the Indian industries were ruining, the British were prospering. 

Regulation 3

British continued to oppress Indians. In 1818, they passed Regulation 3. According to it ,an Indian could be sent to jail even without trail in the court . Through this policy no one could oppose them. They cared little about the needs of Indians.

Ram Mohan Roy

He was a learned man from Bengal. He understood what was wrong with the country. He motivated Indians and started his efforts to reform our society. He was attracted by science and modern knowledge. He established Brahmo Samaj for this purpose. He propagated the idea that principles of all religions are the same. He was against Sati Pratha,child marriage and caste system. Also he started newspapers in India.

Education Policy

It seems this was not enough so the British now aimed at preparing clerks for running the administration. Thus, in 1835, Lord Macaulay recommended that the medium of education should be English. This education policy also generated some intellectuals who understood the evils of British Raj and educated the fellow Indians.

By 1856, India had become a fully controlled British Colony. The suppression was at its peak and thus it led to revolts. In 1855, the Santhals rebelled and killed the British as well as their servants. In 1857, the first Sepoy Mutiny started with the execution of Mangal Pandey. The sepoys marched towards Delhi shouting slogans in favour of Bahadur Shah Zafar. The landlords also joined this movement. People circulated chapattis with the message that their native ruler needs their help. Similarly, a lotus flower was distributed among the Indian soldiers.

Many rulers like Hazrat Mahal of Lucknow, Maulvi Ahmadullah of Faizabad, Tatya Tope, and Peshwa Nana Saheb of the Maratha empire and Kunwar Singh of Bihar also joined the revolt. This was the beginning of the Indian freedom struggle.

This chapter teaches us that ‘United we stand, Divided we fall’. It also teaches us that in order to be successful in anything we do, we need to be organized.

यह पाठ 1757 से 1857 के दौरान भारत में हुई घटनाओं और परिस्थितियों के बारे में है। लेखक उस अवधि के दौरान प्रचलित स्थितियों को स्पष्ट करना चाहता है जिसके कारण 1857 में प्रथम स्वतंत्रता संग्राम के रूप में जाना जाता है।

 

एकता का अभाव

भारतीय राज्यों और प्रधानों को कम देखा गया और वे अक्सर एक-दूसरे के साथ लड़ने में व्यस्त थे। उन्होंने अक्सर ब्रिटिश मदद मांगी और ब्रिटिश लोगों ने इसका पूरा फायदा उठाया। उन्होंने 'डिवाइड एंड रूल' का पालन किया और राजकुमारी को वश में कर लिया। लेकिन मैसूर के बहादुर टीपू जैसे दूर-दूर के शासक उनके साथ आख़िर तक लड़ते रहे अंग्रेजों ने भारतीयों को जाति और धर्म के नाम पर भी विभाजित किया।

बुराई सामाजिक प्रथा समाज में अस्पृश्यता, बाल विवाह, सती प्रथा इत्यादि जैसी कई सामाजिक बुराइयाँ प्रचलित थीं। उनका मानना ​​है कि अगर कोई नदी पार करेगा तो उनका धर्म खो जाएगा, दुनिया में सभी दुख महिलाओं के कारण हैं। भारी कर लगाया व्यापारी होने के कारण, अंग्रेजों को शीघ्र लाभ चाहिए था इसलिए उन्होंने करों में वृद्धि की। इस प्रकार कई किसानों को अपने खेतों को छोड़ने के लिए मजबूर किया गया। 1822 और 1836 के बीच भी फेमिनियों का पालन किया गया, जिसके कारण पंद्रह लाख भारतीय भुखमरी से मर गए। उन्होंने ऐसी नीतियां बनाईं, जिन्होंने विशेषज्ञ कारीगरों और उनके व्यवसाय को बर्बाद कर दिया..इसके अलावा इंग्लैंड से आयात कर मुक्त थे। भारतीयों के हालात बिगड़ गए। 1829 में, ब्रिटिश निर्यात का मूल्य सात करोड़ रुपये था। जब भारतीय उद्योग बर्बाद हो रहे थे, अंग्रेज समृद्ध थे। नियमन ३ अंग्रेज भारतीयों पर अत्याचार करते रहे। 1818 में, उन्होंने नियमन 3. पारित किया। इसके अनुसार, एक भारतीय को अदालत में ट्रायल के बिना भी जेल भेजा जा सकता था। इस नीति के माध्यम से कोई भी उनका विरोध नहीं कर सकता था। उन्होंने भारतीयों की जरूरतों के बारे में बहुत कम देखभाल की।

राम मोहन राय

वे बंगाल के एक विद्वान व्यक्ति थे। वह समझ गए कि देश का क्या कसूर था। उन्होंने भारतीयों को प्रेरित किया और हमारे समाज में सुधार के लिए अपने प्रयास शुरू किए। वह विज्ञान और आधुनिक ज्ञान से आकर्षित थे। उन्होंने इस उद्देश्य के लिए ब्रह्म समाज की स्थापना की। उन्होंने इस विचार का प्रचार किया कि सभी धर्मों के सिद्धांत समान हैं। वह सती प्रथा, बाल विवाह और जाति व्यवस्था के खिलाफ थे। साथ ही उन्होंने भारत में समाचार पत्रों की शुरुआत की। 

शिक्षा नीति

ऐसा लगता है कि यह पर्याप्त नहीं था इसलिए अंग्रेजों ने अब प्रशासन चलाने के लिए क्लर्क तैयार करने का लक्ष्य रखा। इस प्रकार, 1835 में, लॉर्ड मैकाले ने सिफारिश की कि शिक्षा का माध्यम अंग्रेजी होना चाहिए। इस शिक्षा नीति ने कुछ बुद्धिजीवियों को भी उत्पन्न किया जिन्होंने ब्रिटिश राज की बुराइयों को समझा और साथी भारतीयों को शिक्षित किया।

1856 तक, भारत पूरी तरह से नियंत्रित ब्रिटिश कॉलोनी बन गया था। दमन अपने चरम पर था और इस तरह इसने विद्रोह का नेतृत्व किया। 1855 में, संथालों ने विद्रोह कर दिया और अंग्रेजों के साथ-साथ उनके नौकरों को भी मार डाला। 1857 में, मंगल पांडे की हत्या के साथ पहली सिपाही विद्रोह शुरू हुआ। सिपाहियों ने बहादुर शाह जफर के पक्ष में नारे लगाते हुए दिल्ली की ओर मार्च किया। जमींदार भी इस आंदोलन में शामिल हो गए। लोगों ने इस संदेश के साथ चपातियों को परिचालित किया कि उनके मूल शासक को उनकी सहायता की आवश्यकता है। इसी प्रकार, भारतीय सैनिकों के बीच एक कमल का फूल वितरित किया गया था।

लखनऊ के हजरत महल, फैजाबाद के मौलवी अहमदुल्ला, तात्या टोपे और मराठा साम्राज्य के पेशवा नाना साहब और बिहार के कुंवर सिंह जैसे कई शासक भी विद्रोह में शामिल हुए। यह भारतीय स्वतंत्रता संग्राम की शुरुआत थी।‌‍

यह हमें  सिखाता है कि हम जो कुछ भी करते हैं उसमें सफल होने के लिए, हमें संगठित होने की आवश्यकता है।

The Tsunami Class - 8 CBSE English

The Tsunami Class - 8

Summary

A tsunami is a very large and powerful wave caused by earthquakes under the sea. On 26 December 2004, a tsunami hit Thailand and parts of India such as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and the Tamil Nadu coast.This part gives us some important and inspiring incidents.

 

Fearless Ignesious

The first story is about Ignesious. His wife woke him up at 6 a.m. because she felt an earthquake. Ignesious put the television on the ground so that it may not fall and break. Then all the members of the family rushed out. When the tremors stopped, they saw the sea rising. In confusion they ran but in opposite directions. His wife was swept away. Her two children along with her father and brother were also lost. Thus Ignesious lost his wife, two children, his father-in-law and his brother-in-law in the tsunami.

Courageous Sanjeev

Sanjeev was a policeman. He managed to save himself, his wife and his baby daughter from the waves. Then he heard the cries for help from John’s wife . John was the cook of the guest house . Sanjeev jumped into the water to save her. But the huge waves swept away both of them.

Blessed Meghna

Meghna was 13 years old. She was swept away along with her parents and seventy-seven other people. She held on to a wooden door and kept floating on it for two days. She was brought to the shore by a wave and saved.

The story of Almas

Almas was ten years old. She was a student of Carmel Convent in Port Blair.The family  had gone there to celebrate Christmas.The family was sleeping but her father had woken up. He saw the water receding after the tremors. He knew it would come back with great force. He woke up everyone and trie to rush to a safer place. As they ran her grandfather fell down. To help him her father rushed toward him. Then came a giant wave and swept both of them away. Her mother and aunts were washed away too. They were swept away with the tree they were holding on to. Somehow Almas climbed onto a log of wood and saved.

II

Quick-witted Tilly

This is a story from Thailand.Tilly’s family had come to Thailand from England to celebrate Christmas. It was December 26. She was standing with her family on the beach. Tilly and her mother Penny Smith both saw the water swelling. The beach was getting smaller and smaller every moment. They saw the sea slowly rise and start to foams. Tilly remembered the video which was shown by her geography teacher.She started screaming loudly and warmed everybody about the tsunami. Her mother also did not know about it but realizing something danger they all immediately left the beach and took shelter in the third floor of the hotel.Many other tourists also followed them and saved themselves from the big waves.

    

III

The Animal Sense

Some people believe that animals possess a sixth sense. Tsunami killed 1,50,000 people but only a few animals died. In Yala National Park in Sri Lanka sixty visitors were washed away but only two animals died. In the same Park people had observed three elephants run away from the beach an hour before the tsunami hit. A man on the coast near Galle in Sri Lanka had two dogs. On that fatal day of tsunami they refused to go to the beach with their master. So the master too stayed back. Thus the dogs had saved his life also.

एक सुनामी एक बहुत बड़ी और शक्तिशाली लहर है जो समुद्र के नीचे आने वाले भूकंपों के कारण होती है। 26 दिसंबर 2004 को, एक सुनामी ने थाईलैंड और भारत के कुछ हिस्सों जैसे अंडमान और निकोबार द्वीप समूह और तमिलनाडु तट पर मारा। यह हिस्सा हमें कुछ महत्वपूर्ण और प्रेरक घटनाएं देता है। 

निर्भय इग्नेसियस

पहली कहानी इग्नेसियस के बारे में है। उनकी पत्नी ने उन्हें सुबह 6 बजे जगाया क्योंकि उन्हें भूकंप महसूस हुआ। इग्नेसियस ने टेलीविजन को जमीन पर रख दिया ताकि वह गिर न जाए और टूट न जाए। तब परिवार के सभी सदस्य भाग निकले। जब झटके थम गए तो उन्होंने समुद्र को उठते देखा। असमंजस में वे भागे लेकिन विपरीत दिशाओं में। उसकी पत्नी बह गई। उसके पिता और भाई के साथ उसके दो बच्चे भी खो गए। इस प्रकार इग्नेसियस ने सुनामी में अपनी पत्नी, दो बच्चों, अपने ससुर और अपने बहनोई को खो दिया। 

साहसी संजीव

संजीव पुलिसकर्मी था। वह खुद को, अपनी पत्नी और अपनी बेटी को लहरों से बचाने में कामयाब रहा। फिर उसने जॉन की पत्नी से मदद के लिए रोना सुना। जॉन गेस्ट हाउस का रसोइया था। उसे बचाने के लिए संजीव पानी में कूद गया। लेकिन विशाल लहरों ने दोनों को बहा दिया। 

धन्य मेघना

मेघना 13 साल की थी। वह अपने माता-पिता और सत्ताईस अन्य लोगों के साथ बह गई थी। वह लकड़ी के दरवाजे पर बैठी रही और दो दिनों तक उस पर तैरती रही। उसे एक लहर द्वारा किनारे पर लाया गया और बचाया गया।

अल्मास की कहानी

अलमास दस साल का था। वह पोर्ट ब्लेयर में कार्मेल कॉन्वेंट की छात्रा थी। परिवार क्रिसमस मनाने के लिए वहां गया था। परिवार सो रहा था लेकिन उसके पिता जाग गए थे। उसने झटके के बाद पानी को पलटते हुए देखा। वह जानता था कि यह बड़ी ताकत के साथ वापस आएगा। उन्होंने सभी को जगाया और सुरक्षित स्थान पर पहुंचने की कोशिश की। जब वे दौड़े तो उसके दादा नीचे गिर गए। उसकी मदद करने के लिए उसके पिता उसकी ओर दौड़े। फिर एक विशाल लहर आई और दोनों को बहा ले गई। उसकी मां और मौसी भी बह गईं। वे जिस पेड़ को पकड़ रहे थे, उसी से बह गए थे। किसी तरह अल्मास लकड़ी के एक लॉग पर चढ़ गया और बच गया।

 यह थाईलैंड की एक कहानी है। क्रिसमस मनाने के लिए इंग्लैंड से थाईलैंड 

का परिवार आया था। यह 26 दिसंबर था। वह समुद्र तट पर अपने परिवार 

के साथ खड़ी थी। टिली और उसकी मां पेनी स्मिथ दोनों ने पानी में सूजन

देखी। समुद्र तट हर पल छोटा और छोटा होता जा रहा था। उन्होंने देखा कि 

समुद्र धीरे-धीरे उठता है और झागों के लिए शुरू होता है। टिली ने उस 

वीडियो को याद किया जो उसके भूगोल शिक्षक ने दिखाया था। उसने जोर

 से चिल्लाना शुरू कर दिया और सूनामी के बारे में सभी को गर्म कर दिया। 

उसकी माँ को भी इसके बारे में नहीं पता था लेकिन कुछ खतरे का एहसास 

होने पर वे सभी तुरंत समुद्र तट से निकल गए और होटल की तीसरी मंजिल 

में शरण ली। फिर भी अन्य पर्यटकों ने भी उनका पीछा किया और बड़ी 

लहरों से खुद को बचाया।

 द एनिमल सेंस

 कुछ लोगों का मानना ​​है कि जानवरों के पास छठी इंद्रिय होती है। सुनामी ने

1,50,000 लोगों की जान ली लेकिन कुछ ही जानवरों की मौत हुई। श्रीलंका 

में याला नेशनल पार्क में साठ आगंतुक आए, लेकिन केवल दो जानवरों की 

मौत हो गई। उसी पार्क में लोगों ने सुनामी की मार से एक घंटे पहले तीन 

हाथियों को समुद्र तट से दूर भागते देखा था। श्रीलंका में गाले के पास तट पर

 एक व्यक्ति के पास दो कुत्ते थे। सुनामी के उस घातक दिन पर उन्होंने अपने 

गुरु के साथ समुद्र तट पर जाने से मना कर दिया। तो गुरु भी पीछे रह गया। 

इस प्रकार कुत्तों ने उसकी जान भी बचा ली थी।

 

The Best Christmas Present in the World

Captain Macpherson

The theme of the story the best Christmas present in the world depicts the brotherhood and focuses on the lives of soldiers that they do not hate their enemies besides in enemy camps want peace and harmony. They want to live with their families. They wish to celebrate and play together. The female character waited long for their husband to return from the war front.And how when the soldiers met during Christmas Day forgot their enmity and behaved like best friends.

The Best Christmas Present in the World Summary of the Lesson

The narrator went to a junk shop in Bridport looking for a roll-top desk. The junk-seller informed him that the desk he picked up was made of oak and need some repairing. The narrator found it cheaper than the others he had seen.

Although the desk was, not in proper shape yet he bought it and started working on it. He took out the damaged cover. He observed that water and fire spoiled the desk. He removed the roll-top completely and pulled out the drawers but for the last one, he had to apply force.

He took out a black tin box which had sello-tape on the top of it.There was a note on it with instructions to bury the letter with her when the time comes. Out of curiosity, he read the letters that mention the address of the lady Macpherson. It was written in pencil. He read the letter.

Her husband was happily narrating an incident. It was Christmas morning and they were standing in their trenches.

He observed a white flag waving from the side of German soldiers. They called out ‘Happy Christmas’ loudly. Soldiers from his side also wished them back cheerfully.

However, the air of confusion was offering them to share schnapps and sausage. About twelve soldiers started coming towards them in no man’s land. Initially, the narrator was apprehensive yet he made no efforts to stop them.

He was rather happy that they were celebrating happiness with his enemy soldiers. He further added that he liked the way the German officer came towards him and introduced him.

He wished him ‘Happy Christmas’ and told him that he was from Dusseldorf and he played the cello in the orchestra. Mr. Macpherson greeted him and replied that he was a school teacher from Dorset,in the west of England. 

He spoke almost perfect English. He was surprised to see Dusseldorf speaking good English and knew about Dorset where he never went. The source of his information was from reading English books.

They talked  about Bathsheba, Gabriel Oak, Sergeant Troy, and Dorset. They agreed on many things and also talked about their families. Jim shared his rum ration and his excellent sausage.

In the letter Jim was describing how did he celebrated with the enemy on the Christmas Eve.Then they played a game of football. 

Hans Wolf and Jim Macpherson wanted to resolve the differences and would not harm their families. Macpherson was sure of winning a game of cricket. The game was won by Germans and to his surprise, Hans Wolf admitted that their goal was wider than theirs

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Soldiers of both the sides bade goodbye to each other and felt that the night was a memorable one. They exchanged carols, ‘Stille Nacht from German’s side and While Shepherd’s Watched’ from England side. Jim concluded the letter by saying that both armies wanted for peace.

After reading the letter, the author couldn’t sleep and decided to drive to Bridport. He asked a boy the address when he went there, an old man told him that he knew about Ms. Macpherson.

Her house was burnt. She used – candles instead of electricity considering it to be cheap. She was in a nursing home named ‘Burlington House’ on the Dorchester road.

When he entered he saw hallway and a lighted Christmas tree kept in a corner with a lopsided angel on top. He asked for Mr. Macpherson while waiting to observe that everyone in the dining room was singing and wearing a paper hat.

The matron offered a mince pie and took him along the corridor. She told him that  She would be happy to have a visitor as she didn’t have a family.

He saw an old lady sitting in a wheelchair. She folded hands in her lap. Her hair was folded in a wispy bun. The visitor wished her Merry Christmas Connie and gave her the tin box.

He described her how he discovered that. But she paid no heed to all his conversation. Rather she was smiling. She came forward with tearful eyes. She mistook him for her husband Jim.

She asked him to sit near her and read the letters himself. She wanted to hear his voice. She told him that she would make Christmas cake and marzipan.