Chapter 7 – Glimpses of India

Let’s Begin:

In the ‘Glimpses of India’ (First Flight, Class X textbook, NCERT) you have read about
interesting people and places. India is a place of diversity in terms of culture,
language, food, traditions, etc. There are many stories unknown to us about the way
of life of people. Work in groups of four and find out about the following in any five
Indian states.

• Their regional cuisine

• Dance form and music
• Art form
• Any other information

Mark these five places on a map and represent the information highlighting the
interesting facts.

Reading Comprehension:

Text I

The following is an excerpt about the Parsi community in India and their food.
Read the passage and answer the questions.

“Aavoji, aavo, aavol Welcome to Delhi! Let me show you my beautiful city.” The
booming voice of Nowrosji Kapadia could be heard across the length and breadth of
the platform. It was Nowrosji’s favourite pastimd: a walk to the Old Delhi railway
station to greet the Frontier Mail as it chugged into Delhi from Mumbai to Peshawar.
With this refrain, an eager Nowrosji would cajole Parsi visitors off the train and take
them home for a meal and often persuade some to stay overnight or for a few days.
He would use this opportunity to tell them about the advantages of shifting to Delhi.
Though his wife Jer Bai would occasionally object to unknown visitors, she was
always overruled. This was the beginning of the community of Parsis in Delhi….

…Writing about Parsis in the Delhi of old is not easy. There are memories of my
grandparents and parents – a collective memory of generations past and people long
gone, yet here in spirit….
During festive gatherings, the women went to town with the food; outside catering
was unheard of. The poorer members of the community never knew who had paid
for what. This tradition continued in the northern cities of Lucknow, Kanpur, and
Allahabad well into the ‘70s. Sadly, that kind of life has almost gone forever.

Food preparations began two days in advance. Dor ni pori (rich pastry stuffed with
sweetened lentils) and malido (halwa) were carried in big vatus (pots) and served
with puris. Anyone who has made malido can vouch for the fact that you need
strong biceps; it is an exhausting exercise. The first time I made it under my
grandmother’s supervision was also the last. I could hardly move my arms for the
next two days! Since then, I gained a healthy respect for . my dainty grandmother.

The menu was extensive. Breakfast would start with either sev—brown vermicelli
cooked in milk and served with fresh cream – or ravo, semolina pudding, Mithu dahi
or sweetened curd made with full cream milk was an absolute must. This was
followed by bafellaeeda, hard-boiled eggs, and kheemo kaleji, mutton mince with
liver. For lunch, there was almost always smori dal chawal and macchi no patio —
white boiled rice with yellow dal offset by a tart and tangy fish curry.

Teatime was special at our home. My grandmother made it a point to dress for tea; I
was made to do the same. Once we were ready, out came the treats: Parsi biscuits –
batasa; nan-khatai and flaky khari; patrel, rolled, steamed arbi leaves stuffed with
besan masala-, kumas, rich Parsi cake; and my favourite, bhakra, sweet deep fried
doughnuts. That tradition has stayed with me. I certainly don’t dress up, but I still
need a snack with at least three cups of tea!…
(Source: ‘Down Memory Lane with the Parsis of New Delhi’, Shernaz Italiah, The
Wire)

Question 1.
Infer the meaning of the following expressions
(а) Nowrosji would cajole Parsi visitors off the train.
(b) Jer Bai would occasionally object to unknown visitors, she was always overruled.
(c) …outside catering was unheard of.
(d) I gained a healthy respect for my dainty grandmother.

Answer:
(a) Nowrosji requested/persuaded the Parsi visitors to get down from the train and
go with him to his house in Old Delhi.
(b) Jer Bai did not like unknown visitors in her home. She was against this practice
but she was silenced by Nowrosji.
(c) Eating outside in a hotel or dhaba was not is practice then; people ate home
made food only.
(d) malido making is an exhaustive exercise. When the author, under the
supervision of her grandmother made it, she could not move her arms for two days.
Seeing the exhaustion involved in it, she developed a particular kind of respect for
her grandmother who made it frequently.

Question 2.
Answer the following questions.
(a) “Aavoji, aavo, aavo! Welcome to Delhi! Let me show you my beautiful city.” Who
said this and why?
(b) Why were Jer Bai’s arguments always overruled?
(c) Why do you think outside catering was unheard of? ‘
(d) According to the writer what “kind of life has almost gone forever?
(e) What has made the writer more respectful to her grandmother?
(f) What was special about the tea time in the writer’s home?

Answer:
(a) Nowrosji used to say this on the Old Delhi Railway platform in order to take
Parsi visitors home.

(b) Jer Bai’s arguments were overruled by Nowrosji because he was intensely
inclined to persuade them to settle in Old Delhi.

(c) People might be having plenty of time to cook and eat. Hotels might be few in
service. They possessed scanty money. Maybe they thought homemade food was
more healthy and hygienic.

(d) During festive gatherings women went to town with food. They fed the poorer
community. But their members never could conjecture who had paid for what. This
tradition or the way of life has almost gone forever.

(e) Malido making was an exhaustive exercise which grandmother, out of love for
children, undertook. When the author made it once her, arms became rigid for two
days. Realisation of the difficulties in making malido made the writer more
respectful to her grandmother.

(f) Tea time was special at the author’s home. Grandmother had made it a point to
dress for tea. Once they were ready; out came the treats.

Question 3.
Tick the correct answer. What is “an
Answer:
(a) Preparing for the festival. ( )
(b) Travelling from Mumbai to Peshawar. ( )
(c) Writing about Parsis in old Delhi. ( )
(d) Cooking malido, the Parsi style halwa. ( )

Answer:
(a) X
(b) X
(c) X
(d) ✓

Question 4.
Make a list of Parsi delicacies as mentioned in the passage. A few are given above (in
Workbook Page 87). You can add more to the list. Find the words for Mithu dahi in
your language.

Answer:
List of Parsi delicacies:

Patara ni Machhi, Dhanshak, Lagan nu Custard, Ravo, Parsi Malido, Dar ni pori, sev,
semolina pudding, Mithu dahi, bafellaeeda, hard boiled eggs, Kheemo Kaleji, mutton
mince with liver, smori dal, chawal, machhi na patio, fish curry, parsi biscuits,
batasa, nan khatai, flaky khari, patrel, rolled steamed arbi leaves, kumas, Parsi cake,
bhakhra, sweet deep fried doughnuts.

Text II
You have read about Coorg, its rainforests, and coffee and tea from Assam in
‘Glimpses of India’ (First Flight, Class X textbook, NCERT). The following extract is
about the cultivation of coffee in Araku valley in Andhra Pradesh. The story of Araku
Valley traverses an unusual trajectory through Adivasi empowerment, hot-air
balloons and some of the best coffee in the world.

Read the passage given below and answer the questions.

Located at about 1,200m above sea level, the valley, tucked away in the north-
eastern corner of Andhra Pradesh, shares a border with Odisha. For guests and
participants at the Araku Balloon Festival (ABF), held between 18-20 January every
year, this is sightseeing like nothing else.
The drive to far-flung coffee estates takes us through the five northern mandals of
Anantha giri, Dumbriguda, Hukumpeta, Munchingi Puttu and Araku valley. The
name Araku for the coffee was chosen simply because it sounded poetic. The view
from the ground level is as impressive as the one from above – the landscape
changes from densely forested hills to sweeping valleys and terrace farms
surrounding occasional village clusters. The journey of Araku Coffee from a
livelihood initiative by the Naandi Foundation to a globally appreciated product has
been in the making for over a decade. It is also intrinsically tied to the history of how
coffee arrived in this valley. It was a British civil servant, N.S. Brodie, who
introduced coffee to these hill tracts in 1898.

Today, Araku coffee is a brand that works with 517 villages and 10,986 farmers, all
of whom are estate owners and entrepreneurs with a stake in the business. The
reason the coffee is of such high quality is that it follows the best practices of bio-
dynamic farming by creating an interconnected and symbiotic ecosystem. The soil is
enriched through composting and a variety of shade trees are planted, including
cash-yielding fruit trees like mango and jackfruit. Terroirs are assessed and careful
standard operating procedures are put in place from “sapling to savouring”, which
ensures healthier plants and sweeter cherries and eventually a far superior coffee
aroma and flavour.

(Source: ‘What’s Brewing in Araku Valley?’ by Diya Kohli, livemint, 23 Feb. 2019)

Question 1.
Infer the meaning of the following:
(а) traverses an unusual trajectory
(b) The drive to far-flung coffee estates
(c) densely forested hills
(d) village clusters

Answer:
(a) It means that the story of Araku Valley does not move in a straight line; instead it
moves through different points of concern.
(b) It means that a journey by car to coffee estates which are located in remotest
part of the land is cumbersome.
(c) It means that the hills there, are thickly afforested; many trees of many kinds are
there to behold.
(d) It means that the villages there, are in groups surrounded by forests.

Question 2.
Find words from the text which mean the following:
(a) in a place that is hidden (paragraph one)
(b) distant or remote (paragraph two)
(c) to improve the quality or flavour of something (paragraph four)
(d) a smell specially a pleasant one (paragraph four)

Answer:
(a) tucked away
(b) far flung
(c) enriched
(d) flavour

Question 3.
Answer the following questions.
(a) What is unique about the Araku valley as stated in paragraph one?
(b) Where is Araku valley?
(c) Underline and write below the sentences, words, and expressions which indicate
that Araku coffee has moved ahead of being the only means of livelihood.
(d) State a historical fact about the coffee in the valley?
(e) There are specific terms being used in the passage for the cultivation of coffee
for example, terrace farms, biodynamic farming, etc. Find more such terms and their
meanings.

Answer:
(a) The unique thing is that the story of Araku Valley traverses an unusual trajectory
through Adivasi empowerment, hot air balloons and some of the best coffee in the
world.

(b) Located at about 1200 m above sea-level, the valley is tucked away in the north
eastern corner of Andhra Pradesh.

(c) Some lines are…

• The name Araku was chosen for the coffee for it being poetic.
• The journey of Araku coffee from a livelihood initiative to a globally
appreciated product…

(d) The Araku coffee is a brand that works with 517 villages and 10,986 farmers…

(e) Words are bio dynamic, enterpreneurs, terroirs, trajectory, traverses, tucked etc.
Question 4.
The expression “sapling to savouring” in paragraph four means: (Tick the right
answer)
(a) Coffee plants are taken care of from the stage of plantation till its beans are
ready for an enjoyable cup of coffee. ( )
(b) Coffee saplings are very delicate hence a lot of care is being taken of them. ( )
(c) The growth of coffee plants is dependent on shady trees. ( )
(d) Coffee plant can give a cup of enjoyable coffee. ( )

Answer:
(a) ✓
(b) X
(c) X
(d) X

Vocabulary:

Question 1.
Match the sounds in Column A with the appropriate words from Column B.

Example : rustling of silk

The meanings of some words are given below which will help you to find out the
words.

A B
(a) Shuffling of chains
(b) Striking of leaves
(c) Puffing of feet
(d) clanking of a match
(e) sighing of the door
(f) rustling of the wind
(g) banging of an engine
(h) gurggling of hyenas
(i) howling of water
Answer:

A B
(a) Shuffling of feet
(b) Striking of a match
(c) Puffing of the wind
(d) clanking of chains
(e) sighing of an engine
(f) rustling of leaves
(g) banging of the door
(h) gurggling of water
(i) howling of hyenas

Grammar:

Question 1.
You have read about-ing and -ed adjectives in the textbook, the First Flight, page
number 97. Read it again to understand how these adjectives are used. These are
also the present participles (-ing forms) and past participles (-ed forms) of verbs
and are used as adjectives. Read the following sentences to know this.

• Rita gave me a welcoming cup of coffee.

• Her performance in the test was pleasing.
• She appeared delighted with the gift.
• The bored students became restless.

Now fill in the blanks of the sentences with past participle from one of the following
words.

(infect, take, quote, use, watch, frighten, propose)

(a) People demonstrated against the changes __________
(b) The loud cheer went up from the students __________
(c) After the editor read the article, she checked all the examples __________.
(d) Rub the antiseptic cream in the __________ area.
(e) My wallet was among the things __________.
(f) Cyclone Fani was a __________ experience.
Answer:
(a) proposed
(b) unwatched
(c) used
(d) infected
(e) taken
(f) frightening

Question 2.
Rewrite in the past tense the following excerpt from the ‘Glimpses of India’ (First
Flight, Class X textbook) and check your answers with a partner.
Birds, bees, and butterflies are there to give you company. Macaques, Malabar
squirrels, langurs, and slender loris keep a watchful eye from the tree canopy. I do,
however, prefer to step aside for wild elephants. The climb to the Brahmagiri hills
brings you into a panoramic view of the entire misty landscape of Coorg. A walk
across the rope bridge leads to the sixty-four acre island of Nisargadhama. Running
into Buddhist monks from India’s largest Tibetan settlement, at nearby Bylakuppe,
is a bonus. The monks, in red, ochre, and yellow robes are amongst the many
surprises that wait to be discovered by visitors searching for the heart and soul of
India, right here in Coorg.

Answer:
Birds, bees, and butterflies were there to give you company. Macaques, Malabar
squirrels, langurs, and slender loris kept a watchful eye from the tree canopy. I did,
however, prefer to step aside for wild elephants. The climb to the Brahmagiri
hills brought you into a panoramic view of the entire misty landscape of Coorg. A
walk across the rope bridge led to the sixty four acre island of Nisargadhama.
Running into Buddhist monks from India’s largest Tibetan settlement, at nearby
Bylakuppe was a bonus. The monks, in red, ochre, and yellow robes were amongst
the many surprises that waited to be discovered by visitors searching for the heart
and soul of India, right here in Coorg.

Editing:

Question 1.
Some words have been wrongly spelt in the paragraph given on Textbook Pg 93.
Correct the words and read the paragraph aloud.
Answer:

Line No. Incorrect Correct

 3 height way highway

4 varity variety
magnifiscent magnificent

6 idyll ideal
7 cigarete cigarette
trakking trekking

8 delikate delicate
9 compeled compelled
mountainering mountaineering
10 grasing grazing
11 privent prevent
12 Incorrect Correct

Listening:

Ask your classmate or teacher to read aloud the following passage from the text
‘Glimpses of India’ (First Flight, Class X textbook). Listen carefully, and note down
the keywords, main ideas and interesting expressions in your notebook while
listening.

During our childhood in Goa, the baker used to be our friend, companion and guide.
He used to come at least twice a day. Once, when he set out in the morning on his
selling round, and then again, when he returned after emptying his huge basket. The
jingling thud of his bamboo woke us up from sleep and we ran to meet and greet
him. Why was it so? Was it for the love of the loaf? Not at all. The loaves were bought
by some Paskine or Bastine, the maid¬servant of the house! What we longed for
were those bread-bangles which we chose carefully. Sometimes it was sweet bread
of a special kind.

The baker made his musical entry on the scene with the ‘jhang, jhang – sound of his
specially made bamboo staff. One hand supported the basket on his head and the
other banged the bamboo on the ground. He would greet the lady of the house with
a “Good morning” and then place his basket on the vertical bamboo.

We kids would be pushed aside with a mild rebuke and the loaves would be
delivered to the servant. But we would not give up. We would climb a bench or the
parapet and peep into the basket, somehow. I can still recall the typical fragrance of
those loaves; loaves for the elders and the bangles for the children. Then we did not
even care to brush our teeth or wash our mouths properly. And why should we ?
Who would take the trouble of plucking the mango leaf for the toothbrush ? And
why was it necessary at all ?

The tiger never brushed his teeth. Hot tea could wash and clean up everything so
nicely, after all!

Now summarise the paragraph using your notes.

Answer:
During our child hood, the baker:

• was friend, companion and guide.

• visited twice a day.
• jingling thud of his bamboo woke us.
• we surrounded him for bread bangles.
• made a musical entry.
• greeted the lady with good morning.
• pushed aside the kids.
• delivered loaves to servants.
• Eager and impatient, we climbed a bench or the parapet.
• delivered loaves for elders and bangles for children
• we did not brush teeth – ate bangles.

Summary:

During our childhood, the baker was our friend, companion and guide because he
delivered to us bread bangles. He visited our place twice a day. He made a musical
entry and greeted the ladies with good morning. He delivered the loaves to elders
and bangles to children. In impatience, we did not brush teeth and ate the bangles.
After all the tiger too never brushes his teeth.
It is just a graphical representation. Map not to scale.

Speaking:

Question 1.
Excursions give opportunities to explore nature, places of historical interest, etc.
Tourists are interested in meeting people, understanding their culture, and enjoying
the variety in food. The Indian Railways have recently introduced glass Vistadome
coach in train to provide a delightful travelling experience to the picturesque valley
of Araku in Vishakhapatnam.

In groups of four, discuss and plan a budget trip to Araku valley. You may keep the
following in mind while planning. Add more points to the following as per your
requirement.
 • Find out the location (look up the map) and accessibility to the places
to be visited.
• Calculate the cost of the stay.
• Search for an economic and safe accommodation, perhaps a home stay.
• Find out the modes of transport and booking

Now, prepare an itinerary of your excursion to Araku valley and share with the
class.

Answer:
Location : Araku valley is a hill station in Vishakhapatnam district in Indian state of
Andhra Pradesh lying 111 km west of Vishakhapatnam. This place is often referred
to as Ooty of Andhra. It is a valley in the Eastern Ghats inhabited by different tribes.

Places to Visit : INS Kurusura Submarine Museum, Borra Caves, Simhachalam

Temple. Kailasagiri Park, Rama Krishna Beach, Araku Valley, Dushikonda Beach,
Yarada Beach, Dolphin’s nose, Vuda Park, Sri Kanaka Mahalakshmi Temple,
Kothopally Waterfalls, Kondkarla Ava Beach, Bheemunipatnam Beach, Matsya
Darshini Acquarium, Katiki Falls, Sivaji Park etc.

Per head cost of stay : ₹ 1750/ night (cheapest)

Modes of transport and booking : Train; booking can be done online.

Question 2.
Try repeating some of these tongue twisters :
(a) Pre shrunk shirts
(b) Six slim slick slender saplings
(c) The sixth sheikh’s sixth sheep’s sick
(d) Tie twine to three twigs
(e) Double bubble gum bubbles double

Answer:
Do it yourself (Tongue twisters)

Writing:

Question 1.
Infer the meaning of the following expressions in the passage on Parsi community.
“Aavoji, aavo, aavo! Welcome to Delhi.”
 • length and breadth
• chugged into
• vouch for
• long gone
• out came the treats

Now, write an account of a travel by train using these expressions.

Describe the journey by giving details of distance, booking of tickets, facilities
available, and suggestions for improvement. You can add pictures of places, people,
etc.

Answer:
“Aavoji, aavo, aavo! Welcome to Delhi.” means please come, come, come! You are
welcomed in Delhi.

• length and breadth – the whole extent of

• chugged into – moved into, enter.
• vouch for – confirm (a truth/appropriacy)
• long gone – Something that is gone long ago.
• Out came the treats — grandmother brought on table many delicious
things to eat.

An account of a travel by train.

From Pathankot to Miranda Station, H.P. it is around 60 km journey in length and

breadth. Hardly had I reached the station when the toy train chugged into the
platform; I got into it. Although I cannot vouch for total comfort in the train, I am
sure, no one can feel boredom, because picturesque land around is replete with
forests and at every other station, there are hawkers and vendors to fietch all you
need. When did the train cross the border of the Punjab and entered into Himachal
Pradesh, I could not notice due to my deep involvement in outside scenery. Long
gone were the hustle and bustle of the Punjab and the serenity and tranquillity were
spread all over. I reached my sister’s house and got fresh. Then out came the treats
with a steaming cup of coffee; I felt I am in heaven.

Palampur is a beautiful place where mountain peaks at a distance remain covered

with snow always. It takes 6 hrs to reach there from Pathankot. Ticket booking is
similar to the ordinary train ticket booking. So far the facilities are concerned, one
can book a ticket in first class compartment. Rest everything is same. The Railways
should come up with some good trains which run faster and look nicer. A waiting
hall should be constructed there for the passengers.
Question 2.
Write an advertisement for your favourite tea or coffee.

Answer:

Poster:

Question 3.
You have read about breads and bakers in Goa. (First Flight, Class X).
Traditional breads are famous in Kashmir as well. It is said that a Kashmiri’s day
starts with a cup of piping hot nun chai (salty pink tea) and a crisp, freshly baked
bread from the Kandur (the traditional baker). In Kashmir, the Kandur shop isn’t
just a place where one goes to buy the morning and evening breads, it is a social
hub. It is a place where you get to hear and participate in discussions that range
from gossip to political discourses. The Kandur shop or Kandur waan as it is called
in Kashmiri has variety of breads for different occasions that are baked in the
Kandur’s oven.

Read about some of the Kashmiri breads:

→ Tsot-Girda : is a medium sized round everyday bread that is a must on every
breakfast table in Kashmir.

→ Lavasa : is a puffy level bread made from maida.

→ Tsochwor or Tilvor : is a bagel shaped, slightly hard bread with a sprinkling of

sesame seeds on top. The baker prepares ‘tsochwor’ at noon time to be enjoyed with
the afternoon tea.
→ Kulcha : These are crispy palm-sized breads sprinkled with poppy seeds. These
are mith (sweet) and namkeen (savoury). The bread is taken with some traditional
Dodh Kehva (rifilk Kehva).

→ Sheermal : is another type of bread from Kashmir. It is mildly sweet.

→ Roath : The sweet bread with a cake like texture is baked in traditional tandoor
and is topped with dry fruits. However, this one bread is made for grand occasions
like weddings, child birth or engagements and served with Kehva.
→ Now, collect information about breads,parathas, rotis in different parts of the
country.

→ You can talk to peers, teachers, parents, grandparents, community members and
make use of internet.

→ Make an interesting collage using pictures and write a few sentences about each
brfead based on the information you have gathered.

Answer:
→ Information collected about breads, rotis and Parathas:
It is most often made from wheat flour, cooked on a flat or slightly concave iron
griddle called tawa. Traditionally rotis have also been made from the flour of millet,
corn, jowar and even rice. Like breads around the world, roti is a staple
accompaniment to other foods. Parathas are similar to rotis; they are sometimes
stuffed with vegetables.

→ Variations : Chapati, Makki di roti, rumali roti, tandoori roti, wrap roti.

→ main ingredients : Atta (wheat) flour.

→ place of origin : Indian subcontinent.

→ Different types of bread prevalent in India

• Roti: The rotis that we eat daily is a kind of bread which is made from
wheat flour mainly.
• Poori: This is too a bread; it is made on happy occasions. Poori is
unleavened and made with whole wheat dough and is deep fried.
• Luchi : This is almost like Poori; it is more popular in Bengal and uses
refined flour instead of whole wheat flour.
• Paratha : Paratha separates into layers. Its shape differs. Some of them
are stuffed with veggies to meat.
• Naan : This is soft spongy leavened bread which came to India from
central Asia. It is cooked in tandoor; milk instead of water is used to
knead the dough.
• Kulcha : It is punjabi variation of naan; it is a leavened flat bread made
with refined flour and cooked in tandoor.
• Appam: This is a south Indian flat bread made with rice and coconut
milk batter. It has several variations.
• Bhaturft : -Deep fried and served with chole, this leavened bread is
crispy and much larger in size than poori.
• Puran Poll: A popular Maharashtrian delicacy, it is a kind of paratha
stuffed with chana dal, jaggery and coconut mixture and then cooked
with ghee.
• Sheermal: An inseparable part of traditional Awadhi and Nizami
cuisine, Sheermal is a leavened bread cooked in tandoor. It is flavoured
with saffron and has a mildly sweet taste.
• Bakarkhani: It is a leavened bread and has a biscuit like texture. It is
mildly spiced, is sweet and flavoured with saffron. It is a part of Eid
celebrations.
• Pathiri: This white, thin pancake made with rice flour is popular with
Malabari Muslims and is an essential part of iftaar during Ramzaan.
• Parotta : It is a layered flat bread mid way between Lachha paratha and
tikona Paratha and is popular in Kerala.
• Lachha Paratha : It is a round bread that has several layers which are
made by applying ghee while rolling the dough.
• Roti/Chapati: Round and soft, roti or chapati is made with whole wheat
flour and is part of our daily diet.
• Bhakri : Hard and crisp, it is an unleavened bread made with flour and
is popular in Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat.
• Tandoori roti: Similar to naan, this bread is made of whole wheat and is
cooked in clay oven at a high temperature.
• Baati: It is a Rajasthani preparation served with daal and choorma.
• Litti: It is a popular Bihari dish. It looks like a ball which is baked in clay
oven and is stuffed with Sattu. It is served with chokha made with
brinjal and potatoes.
• Kachori : Kachori is a festival item; it is thicker than poori. It is stuffed
with a variety of ingredients.
• Thalipeeth : It is made with rice, wheat, jowar, bajra, urad and chana. It
is spicry and savoury.
 • Thepla : Made with whole wheat flour, gram flour, fenugreek leaves
and spices, this Gujarati bread is soft and has a longer shelf life than
most breads.

“Project”:

Question 1.
The Frontier mail, the train mentioned in the passage on the Parsi community was
the prestigious and luxurious train which was flagged off in 1928 from Bombay to
Peshawar. It was the fastest train known for its punctuality. It covered the distance
of 2,335 kms in record time of seventy two hours.
The train used to depart from Ballard Pier Mall Station at Bombay harbour for
passengers arriving from England by ship and for the collection of mail brought in
from steamers from Europe. It was fashionable to travel by Frontier Mail in those
days!
→ Our railways have undergone magical transformation since independence from
electrification to high speed etc. Find more about Indian Railways and prepare a
write up. You can add experiences of rail travel of the people.
→ Collect the pictures and information about vintage, royal and luxury trains in
India.

Answer:
A write-up on the Indian Railways:
Founded on 8th May 1845, the Indian Railways is India’s national railway system
operated by the Ministry of Railways. It is the fourth largest network in the world by
size. It has a route length of 67,368 kilometre and total track length of 121,407
kilometre as of March 2017. Routes are electrified with 25 KV AC electric traction
while thirty three per cent of them are double or multi-tracked.

More than 20,000 passenger trains are run by the Indian Railways daily on long
distance as well as on suburban routes from 7,349 stations across India. All the
trains have been a 5 digit number for identification. The most common type of trains
mail or express – run at an average speed of 50.6 kilometres per hour. The Indian
Railways runs more than 92,000 trains daily in the freight segment; these trains run
at an average speed of 24 kms per hours.

The Indian Railways consists of 277,987 freign wagons, 70,937 passenger coaches
and 11,452 locomotives. At several places in India, the Indian Railways has coach
production and locomotive facilities. Being the world’s eighth largest employer, it
has 1,308 million employees as on March 2017.

In the year that ended on March 18, the Indian Railways carried 8.26 billion
passengers and transported 1.16 billion tonnes of freight. In the fiscal year 2017-18,
the Indian Railways is projected to have revenue of 1.874 million consisting of 1.175
trillion in freight revenue with an operating ratio of 96.0 per cent.

Information and Pictures About Luxury Trains:

Luxury trains are designed to offer a very comfortable ride and evoke an association
with history and heritage. Operating in several countries, they are premium, travel
option. Although some luxury trains promote tourism in destinations across
continent, others such as Maharaja Express take passengers on a long, leisurely ride
through a single country.

Although air travel can be monotonous, passengers on a luxury train can see the
local environment, social and economic conditions and a myriad of colours during
their travels. Unlike airplanes, luxury trains are spacious, and have restaurants and
bars, comfortable seating and sleeping areas and bathrooms.

Information And Pictures about Royal Trains:

The British Royal Train is used to convey senior members of the British Royal family
and associated staff of the Royal Household around the railway network of Great
Britain. Owned by Network Rail, it is maintained and operated by DB Cargo UK.

Information and Pictures About Vintage Trains:

A steam locomotive is a type of railway locomotive that produces its pulling power
through a steam engine. Steam engines were first developed in United Kingdom
during the early 19th century. Richard Trevithick built the first steam locomotive in
1802. The first commercially successful steam locomotive was built in 1812-13 by
John Blenkinsop. Locomotion No. 1 built by George Stepheson and his son Robert’s
company Robert stephenson and company was the first steam locomotive to haul
passengers on a public railway, the stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825. In
1830, George Stephenson opened the first public inter-city railway, the Liverpool
and Manchester Railway.