Chapter 8
Our Festivals
1. Question Where was Gautam living when he wrote the letter to Satish?
Answer: Gautam was living at 172, Narmada Marg, Saket Nagar, Dewas (M.P.) when he wrote the letter to his friend Satish.
2. Question On which date did Gautam write the letter to Satish?
Answer: Gautam wrote the letter to Satish on 30th October, 2008.
3. Question Why did Gautam write the letter to Satish?
Answer: Gautam wrote the letter to Satish in response to his earlier letter in which Satish had asked for a detailed account of Diwali and Eid celebrations.
4. Question Why is India called a land of festivals?
Answer: India is called a land of festivals because people celebrate many festivals such as Diwali, Eid, Christmas and Guru Purva with great joy and enthusiasm.
5. Question In which month is Diwali celebrated?
Answer: Diwali is celebrated in the month of Kartik, especially on the night of Kartik Amavasya.
6. Question Why is Diwali celebrated in India?
Answer: Diwali is celebrated to recall Lord Ram’s return to Ayodhya after his victory over Ravan.
7. Question How do people decorate their houses during Diwali?
Answer: People get their houses whitewashed and decorate them with earthen lamps and electric bulbs during Diwali.
8. Question What preparations did Gautam’s family make for Diwali?
Answer: Gautam’s family whitewashed the house, decorated it with lamps and bulbs, and his mother prepared delicious sweets for the festival.
9. Question With whom did Gautam celebrate the festival of Diwali?
Answer: Gautam celebrated Diwali with his parents, grandparents, and his younger sister Pooja.
10. Question What did everyone wear during the celebration of Diwali?
Answer: Everyone in Gautam’s family wore new clothes during the celebration of Diwali.
11. Question Which goddess is worshipped on the night of Diwali?
Answer: On the night of Diwali people worship the goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity.
12. Question What activities did Gautam’s family do after worshipping Goddess Lakshmi?
Answer: After worshipping Goddess Lakshmi, they distributed sweets, ate sweets and let off fireworks.
13. Question How did Gautam feel after celebrating the festival?
Answer: Gautam felt that celebrating Diwali with his family was a great and memorable experience.
14. Question What does Diwali symbolize according to the letter?
Answer: Diwali symbolizes the festival of lights and happiness.
15. Question Which other festival did Gautam describe in his letter?
Answer: Gautam also described the festival of Eid in his letter.
16. Question What kind of festival is Eid?
Answer: Eid is a festival of happiness and brotherhood.
17. Question Who told Gautam about the celebration of Eid?
Answer: Gautam’s friend Anees told him about the celebration of Eid.
18. Question What do people do during the month of Ramazan?
Answer: During the month of Ramazan, people observe fast and pray to the Almighty.
19. Question When is Eid celebrated?
Answer: Eid is celebrated at the end of the holy month of Ramazan.
20. Question Where do people gather to offer prayers on Eid?
Answer: People gather in the Eidgah to offer prayers to the Almighty on Eid.
21. Question What do people wear on the festival of Eid?
Answer: People wear new clothes on the festival of Eid.
22. Question How do people greet one another on Eid?
Answer: People greet each other by saying “Eid Mubarak” and by hugging one another.
23. Question What special dishes are served on Eid?
Answer: Special Sewai and sweets are served to guests and visitors on Eid.
24. Question What did Gautam say about the festive season in his letter?
Answer: Gautam wrote that the festive season was over and their half yearly exams were ahead.
25. Question What did Gautam say about his friend John?
Answer: Gautam said that he had written a letter to his friend John to ask how he celebrated Christmas.
26. Question Whom did Gautam send regards and love in the letter?
Answer: Gautam asked Satish to convey his regards to uncle and aunt and love to little Chinky.
27. Question What did Satish’s mother say after listening to the letter?
Answer: Satish’s mother said that it was very nice and asked him to convey her love and blessings whenever he wrote back.
28. Question What did Satish want to do after reading the letter?
Answer: After reading the letter, Satish wanted to go out to play with his friends.
29. Question Why did Satish’s mother ask him to wait before going out?
Answer: She asked him to wait because she had prepared sweets for him.
30. Question What advice did Satish’s mother give him before going to play?
Answer: She advised him not to be late because his exams were near and he should concentrate on his studies.
31. Question What did Satish do after taking the sweets?
Answer: After taking the sweets, Satish rushed to the playground to meet his friends.
32. Question Whose birth anniversary was celebrated in Simaran’s diary?
Answer: Simaran celebrated the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, known as Guru Purva.
33. Question Where did Simaran go in the morning?
Answer: Simaran went to the Gurudwara in the morning.
34. Question Whom did Simaran meet at the Gurudwara?
Answer: She met her friends and relatives at the Gurudwara.
35. Question What was the Granthi doing in the Gurudwara?
Answer: The Granthi was reciting verses from the holy Guru Granth Saheb.
36. Question What did Simaran do in the Gurudwara?
Answer: Simaran offered prayers, took Prasad, listened to the recitation, and sang holy songs of Guru Nanak Ji.
37. Question What did Simaran do after the prayers?
Answer: After the prayers, she participated in the Langar.
38. Question Why did Simaran spend the whole day in the Gurudwara?
Answer: She spent the whole day there because it was a holiday.
39. Question When did Simaran return home?
Answer: Simaran returned home at 5 pm when the ceremony was over.
40. Question What does the diary entry show about the celebration of Guru Purva?
Answer: The diary entry shows that Guru Purva is celebrated with prayers, recitation of holy verses, singing of hymns, and community meals in the Gurudwara.
Answer by Mrinmoee
