Think and find out :
1. Why were bastions made in the fort wall.
Ans: They were made to ensure the security in the fort.
2. Why were big holes made in them.
Ans: Big holes were made in them to increase the viewing area. Soldiers could look through these holes and could keep a better vigilance.
3. What difference would be there if you were to look from a straight flat wall or a bastion at a height. How would the soldiers find peeping from the holes in the bastions useful while attacking.
Ans: Bastions ensured better safety of soldiers. It was provided a better advantage point from where a large area could be seen. It would not have been possible from a flat wall.
4. How would the fountains have worked.
Ans: Fountains would have got water supply from a large reservoir.
5. What arrangements would have been made in the building for air and light.
Ans: Large windows, doors and ventilators allowed natural sunlight to enter the building. These also allowed lot of fresh air to come in.
6. look carefully at the picture of the beautiful carving on the wall. What kind of tools would have been used for such carving.
Ans: These carving would have been made using chisel and hammer which were made of iron.
7. Imagine what would happen if there was no electricity for one week. What are the things that would be difficult to manage without it.
Ans: Life will been difficult without electricity because our each and every activity depends on electricity directly or indirectly .
For example water, fans, bulb, etc.
8. At the place you are, where does the sun rise. Where does it set. Where you are standing, find out what all is there to your east.And what all things to your west. Also find out, what places are to your North and South.
Ans: The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. I am standing in my balcony. I can see a huge park in the east. I can see an old ruin in my west.
9. Look carefully at the map of Golconda. On the map, arrow show all the four directions :
i) If you are peeping aside from Bodli Darwaza, in which direction from you is Katora Hauz?
Ans: In the north direction.
ii) If someone is entering from Banjara Darwaza, in which direction from her is Katora Hauz.
Ans: In the south direction.
iii) In which direction will you walk from Bala Hisar to reach Moti Mahal.
Ans: In the east direction .
iv) How many gates can you see on the outer walls of the fort.
Ans: There are nine gates.
v) Count how many palaces are there in the fort.
Ans: There are three palaces.
vi) What arrangements for water can you see inside the fort? For example, wells, tanks, stepwells.
Ans: There are five baolis and three hauz for water.
10. On the map the distance between Bala Hisar and Fateh Darwaja is ___ cm. On the ground, the distance between the two would be ____ metres
Ans: On the map, the distance between Bala Hisar and Fateh Darwaza is 8cm . On thr ground the distance between the two would be 880 metres.
11. How far is Makai Darwaza from Fateh Darwaza?
Ans: About 100 metres.
12. Have you recently read or heard about any country?
Ans: Yes, recently the USA had attacked Iraq.
13. Find out what was the reason for this war.
Ans: The USA wanted to topple the Iraqi President Saddam Hussain.
14. What kind of weapons were used in this war.
Ans: Many sophisticated fighter planes, tanks, helicopter, machines – guns, missile, etc. were used in this war.
15. What kind of destruction was caused because of this?
Ans: There was a huge loss of life and property. Thousands of people were killed and numerous buildings were damaged.
16. The big gun that Shreedhar saw was made of bronze :
i) Have you seen anything made of Bronze? What?
Ans: Yes, I have seen diyas and statues made of bronze.
ii) Find out from the elders about some of the things made from bronze that were, or still used in your house. From its colour try to identify which one of them is made from copper, which from brass and which from bronze.
Ans: I could find following items:
i) Copper items: Lota, Tumbler .
ii) Brass: Lota, Puja Thali.
iii) Bronze: Statue of Natraja .
Arrangements of water:
17. The Picture shown here is made after seeing a very old painting of those items. Can you think why bullocks have been used here.
Ans: The bullocks have been used to draw water.
i) Use your hands movement to show in which direction the drum attached to the rod moves when the bullocks move.
Ans: The drum moves in the anticlockwise direction.
ii) In which direction the toothed wheel move.
Ans: In clockwise direction.
18. Now imagine, how would this garland of pots lift water from the well.
Ans: The garland of plant connected with the “toothed wheel” and thus the garland of pots moves. Once a pot is in water, it gets filled with water. The pot move upward, carrying water along with it. Once the pot reaches the level of the canal, water is emptied in the canal.
19. Do you now get some idea about how the tanks could have been filled by lifting water from hewells.
Ans: Yes, bullocks could have been used to move the garland of pots to lift water up to the tank.
20. Where else have you seen such wheels attached to each other.For example, in the gear of a cycle or somewhere else.
Ans: I have seen such arrangements in mechanical watches, sewing machine, heavy machines and toy cars.
21. Look around and find out how water is pumped up from the ground to higher places.
Ans: These days, electric water pumps are used for lifting water to a higher place. in some villages bullocks are still in use for the purpose.
22. How is water pumped up using electricity. How is water lifted without electricity.
Ans: The electric motor runs the water pump which suck water from under the ground or from the tank. In the absence of electricity, hand pumps and pulleys are used for lifting water.
23. What is the Sultan doing in the palace. What kind of clothes he is wearing. What dishes are being offered to him. But why does he seem so worried. And in what language he is talking.
Ans: The Sultan is holding a meeting with his ministers. He is wearing traditional dress and lots of jewellery. Many types of Mughlai food, drinks and sweets dishes offered to him. He seems to be worried about the possible attack from the enemy kingdoms. He is talking in Persian.
24. Imagine the rooms in the palaces the beautiful carpets and curtains, the fountains on the terrace and the sweet smell of roses an chameli where is this coming from.
Ans: The rooms are looking grand. There are beautiful Persian carpets with intricate designs. Curtains are embroidered with gold. There is a beautiful garden on the terrace from where the sweet smell of roses and chameli is coming.
25. What are the different kinds of factories you can see. How many people are working there. What are they doing. What are they wearing. How long do you think they work.
Ans: I can see factories where clothes, utensils, idols, artifacts and arms are being made. About 20 people are working in a factory. They are working with their tools. They are wearing dhoti. I think they work for long hours, right from the early mornings to late evenings.
26. Look there! See how finely those craftsmen are carving the stones using chisel and hammer. Can you see the stone dust in the air. Do you think this stone dust would harm them in some way.
Ans: Yes I can see stone dust in the air. Stone dust can harm them. If they do not take precautions. I can see that the most of them have wrapped a cloth around their nose.
27. What kind of pots have you seen around you.
Ans: I have seen pots of different items like Steel, Aluminium, Brass, Copper and Plastic.
28. Try to find out from your grandparents about the other kinds of pots and pans they used in their time.
Ans: During my grandparents time most of the pots were made from brass, and they were quite heavy. Some of the pots were also made from clay. Copper was also used to make pots.
29. Have you ever been to some museum.Or heard about it. What all things are there in museum.
Ans: Yes, I had visited the Salar jung Museum in Hyderabad. There are many antique artifacts, manuscripts and garments kept in the museum.
30. Is there any old building or monument near your house which people come to see. If yes name it.
Ans: Yes, I live in Mehrauli in Delhi and Qutub Minar is near my house. It is a historical monument. A large number of people come to visit it.
31. Have you ever gone to seean old monument.Which was that.Did you feel it told you a story. What could you know about those times from it.
Ans: Yes, I had gone to see the Red Fort in Delhi. When I was in Red Fort complex, I could know about architecture of the time when this fort was built.
i) Had old was it. How did you know.
Ans: This is about 400 years old. I have read about it in a book.
ii) What was it made of.
Ans: The Red fort is made of red sandstone.
iii) What colour was it.
Ans: It is of Red colour.
32. Were there any special kind of designs on the building. Draw them in your note book.
Ans: Yes there were special geometrical designs on the building.
33. Who used to live there in the olden days.
Ans: The Mughal kings, right from Shah Jahan to Bahadur Shah Jafar used to live there.
34. What kind of activities took place there.
Ans: It was bustling with activities, Bazaars and martial exercises.
35. Do some people still live there.
Ans: Now nobody lives there.
36. Look at the Painting and tell :
i) What kind of work are people doing.
Ans: Most of the people are working on construction site. Some people are carrying water, and some are fixing bricks.
ii) How many men and women are working.
Ans: About 24 men are working and 3 women are working.
iii) See how they are taking the huge pillar up along the slope. Is it easier to lift a heavy thing straight up or along the slope.
Ans: It is easier to lift a heavy object on a slope rather than a straight up.
iv) Were you able to see the man carrying water in the mashak (Leather bag)
Ans: Yes, I could see the man carrying water in a mashak.
37. Sangeeta thinks it is useless to keep old things in a museum. How would you convince her that it is important to have a museum.
Ans: Many different types of antique things are there in museum. They tell us many stories about ancient times and even we get to know their culture by looking at them. Hence it is very important for us.
38. Why do you think chapter named, ‘Walls Tell Stories’.
Ans: The chapter is about the historical structures which had been witnesses to their times. They tell us story about the past and even about the people, art, culture, craft, technology and events of the that period. Hence the name ‘Walls Tells Stories’ is suitable for this chapter.
39. Fill in the blanks :
1. Golconda fort was the capital of Medieval Sultanate of __________ dynasty. (1518-1687)
2. Golconda is situated in Hyderabad district of ___________, India.
3. _________ fort was the first built by kaktiya dynasty.
4. _________ is an extension of Golconda fort.
Answers :
1. Qutubshashi 3. Golconda Fort
2. Telangana 4. NayaQuila .
40. Match the Columns :
| Column A | Column B |
| 1. Big gun | Bronze |
| 2. Copper and tin alloy | Mankal |
| 3. Copper and Zinc alloy | Cannon |
| 4. Golconda was originally known as | Expanded the fort |
| 5. Qutub Shashi Sultans | Rebuilt the fort . |
Answers :
1. Cannon 2. Bronze 3. Rebuilt the fort 4. Mankal 5. Expanded the fort