WALLS TELL STORIES

TLO:
 To know a historical monument to introduce children to the techniques, design uses
of metals, water arrangements of earlier times.
 To identify the monuments.
 Know about the history of Golconda fort.
 Identify the various sign in the map.
 Knowledge of creating own map.
Points to ponder:
 The Golconda fort, located in Hyderabad, is huge and has beautiful architecture.
 Qutubshahi Sultans ruled the fort from 1518-1687.
 There were many palaces inside the fort which are indicated on a map of the fort.
 Guns and cannons are outdated. Nowadays many countries have nuclear bombs
which can cause a lot of destruction.
 In olden times there were very good arrangements for lifting and carrying water.
 Some people get fun in writing their names all over the place like this, which is
wrong.
 Some people get fun in writing their names all over the place like this, which is
wrong.
 The museum in Hyderabad has many old items of the fort.
 Through all these old things we come to know how people of those times lived, what
they used and what things they made.
Fill in the blanks.
a. The walls of the fort are very huge.
b. The outer wall of the fort has 87 burj (bastion).
c. Canon is big gun.
d. Nuclear bombs cause a lot of destruction.
e. Qutub Shahi Sultans ruled the fort from 1518-1687.
f. The walls of the fort have beautiful carving.
Answer the following:

1. .Where is Golconda fort located?

Ans. Golconda fort is located in Hyderabad.
2.Why were bastions made in the fort wall?
Ans. They were made to ensure security of the fort.
3. 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.
4. 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. Bastion ensured better safety of soldiers. It also provided a better vantage point from
where a larger area could be seen. It would not have been possible from a flat wall.
5. How would the fountains have worked?
Ans. Fountains would have got water supply from a large reservoir.
6. 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.
7. 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.
Look carefully at the map of Golconda. On the map, arrows show all the four directions:

1.If you are peeping inside from Bodli Darwaza, in which direction from you is Katora Hauz?
Ans. In the north direction.
2.If someone is entering from Banjara Darwaza, in which direction from her is Katora Hauz?
Ans. In the south direction.
3.In which direction will you walk from Bala Hisar to reach Moti Mahal?
Ans. In the east direction.
4.How many gates can you see on the outer walls of the fort?
Ans. There are nine gates.
5.Count how many palaces are there in the fort?
Ans. There are three palaces.
6.What arrangements for water can you see inside the fort? For example; wells, tanks,
stepwells.
Ans. There were five baolis and three hauz for water.

Find out:
a. Who built Taj Mahal? Saha Jahan
b. Who built Hawa Mahal? Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh
c. Where is Char Minar? Hyderabad
d. Where is India Gate? Delhi
e. Where is Gateway of India? Mumbai

Answer in details:
1. Why do you think, the chapter is named ‘Walls Tell Stories’?
Ans. The chapter is about historical structures which had been witnesses to their
times. They tell a lot about the people, art, culture, craft, technology and events of
the historical period. Hence the name ‘Walls Tell Stories’ is appropriate for this
chapter.
2. Write about Golconda Fort.
Ans. Golconda Fort is located in Hyderabad. The original fort was built by Kakatiyas in
1143. It went to the hands of Bahamani Sultans. Quli Qutub-ud-Mulk declared Golconda
as independent kingdom and assumed the title of Sultan. The walls and bastions of the
fort built of large blocks of masonry some weighing 7 tons. The fort’s outermost walls
have 87 semi-circular bastions and 8 huge gates. The majority of people live within the
fort walls. Golconda was a flourishing market of priceless gems. The famous Kohinoor
diamond which now adorns the British Crown went to the hands of Aurangzeb from
here.
3. Write how can u identify the directions by using the sun.
Ans. When we stand facing the rising Sun, we are looking towards East. Behind us is the
West where the Sun sets. On the left hand side is the North. The right hand points to the
South.

Activity:
Write the names of seven ‘Modern Wonders of the World’.
Write the names of any ten historical monuments of India.