We Are All Indians: NCERT Class 2 English Lesson (Mridang Unit 5)

etmantra3 Nov 20264 min read

A colourful trip across India through the voices of children. Your child will hear about many languages, dances and places, and learn that being different is what makes us special.

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From NCERT’s new English book Mridang for Class 2, unit “Harmony”. Unit 5.

What your child learns

Introducing yourself: 'My name is... I come from... I speak...'
Names of Indian states and languages
Joining sentences with 'but'
Polite words for school: 'May I come in?', 'Sorry', 'Thank you'

What the lesson is about

Children from different states introduce themselves. Ramu from Gujarat speaks Gujarati and dances the Garba. Meenakshi from Tamil Nadu loves Pongal. Gulabo from Rajasthan enjoys puppet shows, and Badal from Bengal studies at Santiniketan. We also meet Surinder from Punjab, Vibha from Maharashtra, Kamala from Karnataka who plays the mridang, Neerja from Uttar Pradesh, Nonglik from Manipur, Bharti from Andhra Pradesh, two sisters from Odisha and Unni from Kerala. Each child asks the reader a question too.

The lesson ends by saying that we are all Indians and each of us is unique. The chapter also has a short play, 'Something New', where a class finds a charkha and learns that Mahatma Gandhi used it to spin thread. It closes with short notes on festivals such as Phool Dei, Sharad Poornima, Pang Lhabsol and Aadi Perukku.

New words, with Hindi meanings

festival: a special day when people celebrate (हिंदी: त्योहार)
puppet: a doll moved with strings or hands (हिंदी: कठपुतली)
travel: to go from one place to another (हिंदी: यात्रा करना)
painting: making pictures with colours (हिंदी: चित्रकारी)
neighbour: a person who lives next to you (हिंदी: पड़ोसी)
monument: a famous old building (हिंदी: स्मारक)
unique: the only one of its kind (हिंदी: अनोखा)
spinning wheel: a wheel used to make thread (हिंदी: चरखा)

Talk about it

Ask these aloud after reading or watching. Let your child answer in English if they can, or mix in their home language. Both help.

Which language does Meenakshi speak?
Which musical instrument does Kamala play?
What is the charkha used for?
What language do you speak at home?

Answers for parents

Meenakshi speaks Tamil.
Kamala plays the mridang.
It is used to spin thread. Mahatma Gandhi used it.
For example: I speak Hindi at home, and I am learning English at school.

Grammar corner: Joining sentences with 'but'

We use 'but' to join two ideas that are different. For example, the children speak different languages, but they are all Indians. 'But' shows a change or a surprise.

Ramu speaks Gujarati, but Unni speaks Malayalam.
I like Garba, but my sister likes Bhangra.
We live in different states, but we are all Indians.

Practice at home

Join with 'but': I like milk. I don't like tea.
Match the child to the state: Ramu, Unni, Nonglik — Kerala, Manipur, Gujarat.
Say aloud about yourself: My name is ___. I come from ___. I speak ___.

Answers: 1. I like milk but I don't like tea. · 2. Ramu - Gujarat, Unni - Kerala, Nonglik - Manipur · 3. Sample: My name is Riya. I come from Bihar. I speak Hindi.

Try this

Play 'Hello India'. Each family member pretends to be one of the children from the lesson and introduces themselves in English: name, state, language and one thing they like. Others guess the state. End by each person saying a word of greeting in any Indian language they know.

Tip for parents

Tell your child which language your family speaks and where your grandparents come from, in Hindi or your home language. Then help them say it in English: 'I speak Hindi. My grandparents come from ___.' Show that knowing more than one language is something to be proud of.

Questions parents ask

What is the lesson We Are All Indians about?

Children from different states share their language, dances, festivals and places. The lesson shows that each of us is unique, yet we are all Indians.

Which states are in We Are All Indians?

Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Bengal, Punjab, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Kerala, with Kashmir also mentioned.

What is the play Something New about?

It is a short play in the same chapter. A Class 2 class finds a charkha on the teacher's table, and the teacher explains that Mahatma Gandhi used it to spin thread.

Learn every Class 2 lesson with CALP

Every lesson of Mridang, NCERT’s new book, with read-along videos, new words with Hindi meanings, and listen-and-say practice with a score, made for young children with a parent nearby. ₹999 for the whole year.

See the free lessons and enrol →