The Great Indian Desert

4 TheThe GreatGreat IndianIndian DesertDesert

In this lesson, we will learn about : F >ŽĐĂƟŽŶŽĨƚŚĞ'ƌĞĂƚ/ŶĚŝĂŶĞƐĞƌƚ F /ƚƐĐůŝŵĂƚĞ͕ǀĞŐĞƚĂƟŽŶ͕ĂŶĚŝƌƌŝŐĂƟŽŶƐǇƐƚĞŵ͘ FĂŵĞůʹ͚^ŚŝƉŽĨƚŚĞĞƐĞƌƚ͛ F >ŝĨĞŽĨƉĞŽƉůĞĂŶĚƉůĂĐĞƐŽĨƚŽƵƌŝƐƚŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚŝŶZĂũĂƐƚŚĂŶ͘

As you know, a desert is a flat area covered the western part is rocky and sandy. The river with sand. It has very little vegetation. It Chambal flows in the eastern part. receives little or no rainfall. The western part of Rajasthan is known as Rajasthan lies to the south-west of Northern the Indian Desert or the Thar Desert. The Plains. The map shows that a huge area of Thar Desert was formed due to low rainfall and Rajasthan is a desert. heavy soil erosion. The Thar Desert spreads The Aravalli Hills divide Rajasthan into two from the Aravalli Hills to the border of Pakistan parts. The eastern part is quite fertile while in the west and from Rann of Kachchh in the south-west to the border of Haryana in the north. In the west it forms a part of Sind desert in Pakistan. Climate The desert region remains hot and dry throughout the year. In summers, the nights are cool and days are hot. In winters, the days are warm and the nights are very cold. There is very little rainfall in this region because the Aravalli Hills lie in the direction of rain-bearing winds and are not able to stop the winds to cause rain. In the deserts, wind shifts sand /ŶĚŝĂ͗dŚĂƌĞƐĞƌƚ from one place to another

30 to form small mounds called sand dunes . Indira Gandhi Canal Sometimes strong winds blow away the sand The Government is trying to provide water to with great speed. They are called sand storms. Rajasthan for irrigating fields and for daily use. The winds cause great damage to the soil. They The water from Satluj has been brought to blow away the topsoil. This type of damage the desert through the Rajasthan Canal, also to the soil is called soil erosion . Due to called the Indira Gandhi Canal . It is the soil erosion, the large area of desert is dry ZRUOG¶V ORQJHVW FDQDO $W SUHVHQW LW ZDWHUV and barren. Trees do not grow in the desert Ganganagar and Bikaner districts. Many areas because the climate is very hot and dry and around Rajasthan Canal have turned green it rains little. Sometimes, it does not rain for with the planting of trees, shrubs and other many years. kinds of vegetation. There are some saltwater lakes in Rajasthan. Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan It has scattered bushes and thorny shrubs at LV ,QGLD¶V ODUJHVW VDOW ODNH %HVLGHV WXEHZHOOV some places. there are streams which are filled up with rainwater.

ŶŽĂƐŝƐ At some places, palm, babool, cactus, and /ŶĚŝƌĂ'ĂŶĚŚŝĂŶĂů thorny kikar are also found. These plants require little water. The farmers grow wheat, gram, jowar and bajra on their fields. The JRYHUQPHQW KDV VHW XS RXU FRXQWU\¶V ODUJHVW wheat farm at Suratgarh. Water is, however, found at some places in the desert. The water comes mostly from small amount of rainwater that collects in streams and ponds or underground water that comes to the surface and forms a pool. This pool is called an oasis. An oasis is a fertile spot in a ĂŵĞůŝƐƚŚĞĐŚŝĞĨŵŽĚĞŽĨƚƌĂŶƐƉŽƌƚŝŶĂĚĞƐĞƌƚ desert. Most of the villages in deserts come up around such an oasis. Date palm trees are The camel is among the few domesticated found at such places. animals found in the desert. It is also called the

31 µ6KLSRIWKH'HVHUW¶EHFDXVHLWFDQPRYHHDVLO\ region. Rajasthani craft items and tie and dye on the sand and is used as the chief means of fabrics are admired everywhere. transport in a desert. Its padded hooves do not sink into the sand. The camel has a lump of fat in its hump. The fat provides nourishment to the body when there is no water to drink. By destroying forests and allowing overgrazing by animals, we are increasing the desert area. There is a need to stop cutting of trees and overgrazing of grasslands. We should also grow grass and plant more trees. ĂƌĂǀĂŶ The dryness of the air, sand storms and In the western part of Rajasthan, people sand dunes have influenced the dress of domesticate goats, sheep and camel, and the people. Both men and women cover feed them with small bushes or dry food. their heads to protect themselves from the They move from one place to another in scorching heat of the sun and sand storms search of water and also to sell milk products, during the day. The men wear a turban. The animal skin and handicrafts. As they keep women wear ghagra-choli with odhni . They moving with their belongings, they are called like to wear clothes of bright colour with dark nomads . spots and jewellery. They speak Rajasthani, a dialect of Hindi.

EŽŵĂĚƐŽĨZĂũĂƐƚŚĂŶ Even today people move across the desert in groups with camels called a caravan . 'ĂŶŐĂƵƌ&ĞƐƟǀĂů Dussehra, Diwali, Holi and Eid are celebrated In the eastern part of Rajasthan, farming and in Rajasthan. Teej and Gangaur are festivals in animal rearing are common. Water stored in which women take part heartily while swaying tanks and wells helps to irrigate the land. on swings and singing songs. Ghoomar dance People are employed in mica, copper and zinc is a famous folk dance performed by women mines. Marble and sandstone are found in the on festive occasions.

hĚĂŝƉƵƌ>ĂŬĞWĂůĂĐĞ ,ĂǁĂDĂŚĂů ŵďĞƌĨŽƌƚ

Famous places of tourist attraction are historical cities. Mount Abu is a hill station Udaipur and Jaipur. Lake Palace at of Rajasthan. Many devotees visit the Dargah Udaipur, Hawa Mahal and Amber Fort at Ajmer . Jaipur the capital of Rajasthan is at Jaipur and cities of Jodhpur and Bikaner are called the Pink City as most of the buildings well known. Kota, Alwar and Chittor are here are of pink colour. Raja Jai Singh was the founder of Jaipur.

l Soil erosion — >ŽƐƐŽĨƚŽƉƐŽŝůĚƵĞƚŽĂĐƟŽŶŽĨǁŝŶĚĂŶĚƌƵŶŶŝŶŐǁĂƚĞƌ͘ l Sand dunes — ^ŵĂůůŵŽƵŶĚƐŽĨƐĂŶĚ͘ l Oasis — ĨĞƌƟůĞƐƉŽƚŝŶĂĚĞƐĞƌƚŚĂǀŝŶŐĂƉŽŽůŽĨǁĂƚĞƌĂŶĚƉĂůŵƚƌĞĞƐ͘ l Salt lake — ůĂŬĞŚĂǀŝŶŐƐĂůƚǇǁĂƚĞƌ͘ l Caravan — ŐƌŽƵƉ ŽĨ ĐĂŵĞůƐ ŵŽǀŝŶŐ ĨƌŽŵ ŽŶĞ ƉůĂĐĞ ƚŽ ĂŶŽƚŚĞƌ͕ ĂŶĚ ůĂĚĞŶ ǁŝƚŚ ŐŽŽĚƐĂŶĚƉĞŽƉůĞ͘

1. dŚĞ'ƌĞĂƚ/ŶĚŝĂŶĞƐĞƌƚĂůƐŽĐĂůůĞĚdŚĂƌĞƐĞƌƚĞǆƚĞŶĚƐĨƌŽŵƚŚĞZĂŶŶŽĨ<ĂĐŚĐŚŚƚŽ ƚŚĞďŽƌĚĞƌƐŽĨ,ĂƌǇĂŶĂ͘ 2. dŚĞůĂŶĚŝƐƌŽĐŬǇĂŶĚŚĂƐƐŵĂůůŵŽƵŶĚƐŽĨƐĂŶĚĐĂůůĞĚƐĂŶĚĚƵŶĞƐ͘ 3. ^ŵĂůůƚŚŽƌŶǇďƵƐŚĞƐĂŶĚĐĂĐƚƵƐŐƌŽǁŝŶƐŽŵĞƉĂƌƚƐŽĨĂĚĞƐĞƌƚ͘ 4. ŶŽĂƐŝƐŝƐĂƉůĂĐĞŝŶƚŚĞĚĞƐĞƌƚǁŚĞƌĞǁĂƚĞƌŝƐĨŽƵŶĚ͘ 5. dŚĞZĂũĂƐƚŚĂŶĂŶĂůďƌŝŶŐƐǁĂƚĞƌĨƌŽŵ^ĂƚůƵũƚŽůĂƌŐĞƉĂƌƚƐŽĨƚŚĞ/ŶĚŝĂŶĞƐĞƌƚ͘ 6. dŚĞĐĂŵĞůŝƐĐĂůůĞĚƚŚĞΖ^ŚŝƉŽĨƚŚĞĞƐĞƌƚ͛͘ 7. DĂŶŝƐƌĞƐƉŽŶƐŝďůĞĨŽƌƚŚĞƐƉƌĞĂĚŽĨĚĞƐĞƌƚƐ͘ 8. ZĂũĂƐƚŚĂŶŝƐƚŚĞŽŶůǇƐƚĂƚĞǁŚŝĐŚŚĂƐĂĚĞƐĞƌƚ͘ 9. dŚĞǀĞŐĞƚĂƟŽŶŝŶZĂũĂƐƚŚĂŶŐĞƚƐǁĂƚĞƌĨƌŽŵƚŚĞ/ŶĚŝƌĂ'ĂŶĚŚŝĂŶĂů͘ 10. WĞŽƉůĞƐƉĞĂŬZĂũĂƐƚŚĂŶŝǁŚŝĐŚŝƐĂĚŝĂůĞĐƚŽĨ,ŝŶĚŝ͘ 11. dŚĞƌĞĂƌĞŵĂŶǇƉůĂĐĞƐŽĨƚŽƵƌŝƐƚŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚŝŶ:ĂŝƉƵƌĂŶĚhĚĂŝƉƵƌ͘ 33

A. Tick ( ) the correct answers. 1. tŚŝĐŚƌŝǀĞƌŇŽǁƐŝŶƚŚĞĞĂƐƚĞƌŶƉĂƌƚŽĨZĂũĂƐƚŚĂŶ͍ ;ĂͿĞƚǁĂ ;ďͿŚĂŵďĂů ;ĐͿ^ŽŶĞ 2. dŚĞŐŽǀĞƌŶŵĞŶƚŚĂƐƐĞƚƵƉ/ŶĚŝĂ͛ƐůĂƌŐĞƐƚǁŚĞĂƚĨĂƌŵĂƚ ;ĂͿ:ĂŝƉƵƌ ;ďͿhĚĂŝƉƵƌ ;ĐͿ^ƵƌĂƚŐĂƌŚ 3. dŚĞZĂũĂƐƚŚĂŶĂŶĂůĚƌĂǁƐǁĂƚĞƌĨƌŽŵǁŚŝĐŚƌŝǀĞƌ͍ ;ĂͿĞĂƐ ;ďͿŚĞŶĂď ;ĐͿ^ĂƚůƵũ 4. tŚŝĐŚŝƐ/ŶĚŝĂ͛ƐůĂƌŐĞƐƚƐĂůƚůĂŬĞ͍ ;ĂͿtŽŽůĂƌ>ĂŬĞ ;ďͿ^ĂŵďŚĂƌ>ĂŬĞ ;ĐͿŚŝůŝŬĂ>ĂŬĞ 5. tŚŝĐŚŽĨƚŚĞĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐŵŝŶĞƌĂůƐŝƐĨŽƵŶĚĂďƵŶĚĂŶƚůǇŝŶZĂũĂƐƚŚĂŶ͍ ;ĂͿDĂƌďůĞĂŶĚƐĂŶĚƐƚŽŶĞ ;ďͿ/ƌŽŶ ;ĐͿ^ŝůǀĞƌ 6. tŚŝĐŚŝƐƚŚĞŽŶůǇŚŝůůƐƚĂƟŽŶŽĨZĂũĂƐƚŚĂŶ͍ ;ĂͿŚŝƩŽƌ ;ďͿDŽƵŶƚďƵ ;ĐͿhĚĂŝƉƵƌ 7. tŚŝĐŚƉŽƉƵůĂƌĨŽůŬĚĂŶĐĞŝƐƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĞĚďǇǁŽŵĞŶŽĨZĂũĂƐƚŚĂŶŽŶĨĞƐƟǀĞ ŽĐĐĂƐŝŽŶƐ͍ ;ĂͿ'ĂŶŐĂƵƌ ;ďͿ'ŚŽŽŵĂƌ ;ĐͿ:ĂƚƌĂ B. Match the following columns. 1. ĂƌŐĂŚ ;ĂͿ &ĞƐƟǀĂů 2. ,ĂǁĂDĂŚĂů ;ďͿ ŝĂůĞĐƚ 3. 'ĂŶŐĂƵƌ ;ĐͿ ĞƐĞƌƚǀĞŐĞƚĂƟŽŶ 4. ZĂũĂƐƚŚĂŶŝ ;ĚͿ ^ŵĂůůŚŝůůƐŽĨƐĂŶĚ 5. WĂůŵ͕ďĂďŽŽů͕<ŝŬĂƌ ;ĞͿ :ĂŝƉƵƌ 6. ^ĂŶĚĚƵŶĞƐ ;ĨͿ ũŵĞƌ C. Fill in the blanks. Choose words from the box. Oasis longest Aravalli desert Camel 1. ______ŚŝůůƐĚŝǀŝĚĞZĂũĂƐƚŚĂŶŝŶƚŽƚǁŽƉĂƌƚƐ͘ 2. dŚĞtĞƐƚĞƌŶWĂƌƚŽĨZĂũĂƐƚŚĂŶŝƐĂ ______͘ 3. Ŷ ______ŝƐĂĨĞƌƟůĞƐƉŽƚŝŶĂĚĞƐĞƌƚ͘ 4. /ŶĚŝƌĂ'ĂŶĚŚŝĂŶĂůŝƐƚŚĞǁŽƌůĚ͛Ɛ ______ĐĂŶĂů͘ 5. ______ŝƐĐĂůůĞĚƚŚĞƐŚŝƉŽĨƚŚĞĚĞƐĞƌƚ͘

34 D. Write T for the true and F for the false statements. 1. WĞŽƉůĞŵŽǀĞĂĐƌŽƐƐƚŚĞĚĞƐĞƌƚŝŶŐƌŽƵƉƐǁŝƚŚĐĂŵĞůƐĐĂůůĞĚĂĐĂƌĂǀĂŶ͘ 2. ŵďĞƌ&ŽƌƚŝƐůŽĐĂƚĞĚŝŶhĚĂŝƉƵƌ͘ 3. :ĂŝƉƵƌŝƐĐĂůůĞĚƚŚĞ'ƌĞĞŶĐŝƚǇ͘ 4. ZĂũĂ:ĂŝŵĂůǁĂƐƚŚĞĨŽƵŶĚĞƌŽĨ:ĂŝƉƵƌ͘ 5. ĂƐƚĞƌŶƉĂƌƚŽĨZĂũĂƐƚŚĂŶŝƐĨĞƌƟůĞ͘ ͘ŶƐǁĞƌƚŚĞƐĞƋƵĞƐƟŽŶƐ͘ 1. ĞƐĐƌŝďĞƚŚĞůŽĐĂƟŽŶĂŶĚĞǆƚĞŶƚŽĨƚŚĞdŚĂƌĞƐĞƌƚ͘ 2. tŚĂƚŝƐĂƐĂŶĚƐƚŽƌŵ͍ 3. ǆƉůĂŝŶƚŚĞŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶĐĞŽĨĂŶŽĂƐŝƐ͘ 4. ,ŽǁŚĂƐƚŚĞ/ŶĚŝƌĂ'ĂŶĚŚŝĐĂŶĂůŚĞůƉĞĚƚŚĞĨĂƌŵĞƌƐŽĨZĂũĂƐƚŚĂŶ͍ Ίs>h^Yh^d/KE΋ 5. EĂŵĞŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶƚƉůĂĐĞƐŽĨƚŽƵƌŝƐƚĂƩƌĂĐƟŽŶŝŶZĂũĂƐƚŚĂŶ͘ 6. tŚǇŝƐƚŚĞĐůŝŵĂƚĞŽĨƚŚĞdŚĂƌĚĞƐĞƌƚŚĂƌƐŚ͍ Ί,Kd^Ή

F. On an outline map of India, mark the Thar desert and colour it. Label the neighbouring states also.

'͘ ŽůůĞĐƚ ĮǀĞ ƉŝĐƚƵƌĞƐ ŽĨ ŵŽŶƵŵĞŶƚƐ ŽĨ ZĂũĂƐƚŚĂŶ͘ WĂƐƚĞ ƚŚĞŵ ŝŶ ǇŽƵƌ ƐĐƌĂƉďŽŽŬ͘ tƌŝƚĞ two lines about each monument.

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thar_Desert ǁǁǁ͘ďŚĂƌĂƚŽŶůŝŶĞ͘ĐŽŵͬƌĂũĂƐƚŚĂŶͬƚŚĂƌͲĚĞƐĞƌƚͬŝŶĚĞŶ͘Śƚŵů

DĂŬĞ Ă ŵŽĚĞů ŽĨ ĂŶ KĂƐŝƐ͘ dĂŬĞ Ă ďŝŐ ƚƌĂǇ ĂŶĚ Įůů ŝƚ ǁŝƚŚ ƐĂŶĚ͘ DĂŬĞ Ă ƉĂƌƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƚƌĂǇ ĞŵƉƚǇ ďǇ ƵƐŝŶŐ Ă ƉůĂƐƟĐ ƉĂƌƟƟŽŶ͘ WƵƚ ƐŽŵĞ ǁĂƚĞƌ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĞŵƉƚǇ ƉĂƌƚ͘ dĂŬĞ ƐŵĂůů ƉůĂŶƚƐ ĂŶĚŵĂŬĞƚŚĞŵƐƚĂŶĚŝŶƚŚĞƐĂŶĚ͘dŚĞŵŽĚĞůŽĨĂŶKĂƐŝƐŝƐƌĞĂĚǇ͘