PU–Question Bank Everything I Need to Know I learned in the Forest (Challapalli Swaroopa Rani)

I. Answer the following in a word, a phrase of a sentence carrying one mark each.
1. Where, according to Vandana Shiva, should we look for lessons in freedom?
Answer: Nature and the forest
2. According to women of Garhwal, „the real value of forest‟ was ___________ .
(a) Timber from dead trees (b) Springs and Streams (c) Fodder and Fuels
Answer: (b) Springs and Streams
3. In which of her books does Vandana Shiva describe the failure to understand bio – diversity?
Answer: Monocultures of the Mind.
4. Where according to the speaker did she start her ecological journey?
Answer: In the forest of the Himalayas.
5. Which nation as mentioned by Vandana Shiva has recognized the “rights of nature‟ in its constitution?
Answer: Ecuador
6. Name the woman who led the resistance against her own husband?
Answer: Bachni Devi
7. When according to speaker did the war against the earth begin?
Answer: With the idea of separateness of human from nature.
8. Vandana Shiva‟s father was a ____________
(a) Farmer (b) Forest Conservator (c) Scientist
Answer: (b) Forest Conservator
9. Which movement inspired Vandana Shiva towards ecological movement?
Answer: Chipko Movement
10. From which region of Himalayas did the peasant woman come-out in defence of the movement?
Answer: Garhwal Himalayas
11. Name any two effects of logging.
Answer: Landslides, floods, scarcity of water.
12. What did Vandana Shiva learn from Chipko?
Answer: Learnt about bio-diversity based living economies.
13. Which book did Vandana Shiva write mentioned in the lesson?
Answer: Monocultures of the Mind.
14. When and where was Navdanya Farm started?
Answer: In 1994 in Doon valley.
15. ________ was the movement for bio-diversity conversation and organic farming.
Answer: Navdanya.
16. Bio-diversity has been my teacher of ________ and ________
Answer: Abundance and freedom.
17. Which country initiated Universal Declaration of the Rights?
Answer: Bolivia
18. Which South African environmentalist pointed out apartheid means separateness?
Answer: Cormac Cullinan
19. Apartheid means ________ according to Cormac Cullinan.
Answer: Separateness
20. ________ replaced diversity.
(a) Monoculture (b) Apartheid (c) Separateness
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PU–Question Bank Everything I Need to Know I learned in the Forest (Challapalli Swaroopa Rani)

Answer: (a) Mono-culture.

21. What does Terra Madre means?
Answer: Mother Earth
22. Name the two things that replaced vibrant Earth.
Answer: “Raw materials” and “dead matter”.
23. Who was called the father of modern science?
(a) Cormac Culliman (b) Carolyn Merchant (c) Francis Bacon
Answer: Francis Bacon.
24. What does Carolyn Merchant believe about Mother Earth?
Answer: “One does not readily slay a mother, dig into her entrails for gold, or mutilate her body”
25. The Earth University teaches ________
Answer: Earth Democracy
26. Name two most popular courses at Navdanya.
Answer: “A-Z of Organic Farming and Agro-ecology‟
27. Earth University is inspired by the Nobel Prize winner, ________.
Answer: Rabindranath Tagore
28. Name Tagore‟s essay referred in the lesson.
Answer: Tapovan
29. What does forest teach us?
Answer: Union, compassion and enoughness(anyone).
30. The end of ________ and ________ is the beginning of the joy of living
Answer: Consumerism and accumulation.
II. Answer the following in 80-100 words carrying 4 marks each.
1. How does the writer bring out the importance of „The Earth‟ Democracy in “Everything I need to know I
learned in the forest”? Explain.
Answer: Vandana Shiva is an internationally renowned activist for biodiversity and against corporate
globalization. Vandana Shiva explains that the idea of earth democracy is a shift from anthropocentrism to
ecocentrism. The Earth University teaches Earth Democracy, which is the freedom for all species to evolve within
the web of life, and the freedom and responsibility of humans, as members of the earth family, to recognize protect
and respect the rights of other species Earth Democracy is a shift from anthropocentrism to eco-centrism. And since
we all depend on the earth, Earth Democracy translates into human rights of food and water, to freedom from
hunger and thirst.
2. Bring out Cormac Cullinan‟s views about apartheid in the lesson.
Answer: Cormac Cullinan is a former anti-apartheid activist. Cormac is a leading voice in the global rights of
nature movement. He emphasized Separatism is indeed at the root of disharmony with nature and violence against
nature and people. Cormac Cullinan points out that apartheid means separateness. The world joined the anti-
apartheid movement to end the violent separation of people on the basis of colour. People need to overcome the
wider and deeper apartheid – an eco-apartheid based on the illusion of separateness of human from nature in our
minds and lives.
3. Give an account of Vandana Shiva‟s ecological journey?
Answer: Vandana Shiva „s ecological journey started in the forest of Himalayas. Her father was a forest conservator
and mother, a farmer. Her mother used to compose, songs and poem about trees, forests and India „s forest
civilizations.
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PU–Question Bank Everything I Need to Know I learned in the Forest (Challapalli Swaroopa Rani)

Her involvement in the contemporary ecological movement began with Chipko. Before leaving to Canada to do her
PhD, when she went to the forests she understood that forests were gone. So, she decided to become a volunteer for
Chipko movement. Then she spent her holidays doing padayatras, documenting the Deforestation and spreading
the message of Chipko. From Chipko she learned about Bio -diversity and biodiversity-based economics. She
needed a farm to demonstrate. So she started a farm named it as „Navadanya Farm„ in 1994 in Doon valley, region
of Uttarakhand.
4. How did the women led by Bachni Devi put up resistance to felling of trees?
Answer: One of the dramatic Chipko actions took place in the Himalayan village of Adwani. In the year 1977 a
village woman named Bachni Devi led resistance against her own husband who had obtained a contract to cut
trees. When the officials came there, the woman held up lighted lanterns although it was broad daylight. According
to them they wanted to teach the men forestry. They wanted to show the real value of natural resources. According
to men forest bear profit, resin and timber. But the women sang back in chorus forests bear soil, water and pure
air.
5. Why is it important to promote biodiversity intensive farming? How did Vandana Shiva achieve it?
OR
Write a note on „The Navadanya farm‟ started by Vandana Shiva.
Answer: Vandana Shiva learnt about biodiversity and biodiversity based living economies from Chipko. In her
book „Monocultures of the mind‟ she mentioned, the failure to understand biodiversity is the root cause of
impoverishment of nature and culture. She learnt and supported biodiversity, started saving seeds. She needed a
farm to demonstrate biodiversity, so they bought a farm and named it as „Navadanya Farm „in 1994 in Doon valley
region of Uttarakhand province.
Later she proved that they could conserve and grow 630 varieties of rice ,150 varieties of wheat and hundreds of
other species. They practiced and promoted biodiversity intensive farm that could produce more food and
nutrition per acre. And this became the answer to food and nutrition crisis. They also helped farmers to make a
transition from fossil -fuels and chemical based monocultures. Biodiversity became her teacher of abundance and
freedom, co-operation and mutual giving.
6. What according to the author, Vandana Shiva, is eco-apartheid? Why is it important to end this?
Answer: According to the author, eco-apartheid is the illusion of separateness of humans from nature in our minds
and lives. In her view separatism is the root of disharmony with nature and violence against nature and people. She
says, that Ecuador has recognized the rights of nature in its constitution. The united nations general assembly
organized a conference on “Harmony with nature” as part of earth day celebrations. This conference stressed that
man has to recognize that human beings are inseparable part of nature and that if we destroy it, we are destroyed.
7. How do the views of Carolyn Merchant differ from that of Francis Bacon?
Answer: The war against the earth began with the idea of separateness. Industrial revolution is the event that
marked separateness of humans from nature. Earth was considered as dead matter. Francis Bacon, the father of
modern science, said that science and inventions are the results of exploitation and usage of nature. Science has the
power to conquer and subdue her, to shake her to her foundations.
Carolyn Merchant, a philosopher and a historian points out that nature is our mother, we should not consider her
as a dead, inert and manipulable matter. Deforestation may lead to capitalism. According to him “One does not
readily slay a mother dig into her entrails for gold, or mutilate her body”.
8. What does the idea of Earth University convey? How is it different from other universities? Or How does
Rabindranath Tagore highlight the importance of forest according to Vandana Shiva?

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PU–Question Bank Everything I Need to Know I learned in the Forest (Challapalli Swaroopa Rani)

Answer: Earth university is located at Navadanya which was inspired by Rabindranath Tagore‟s learning center at
Shantiniketan in West Bengal.
Earth democracy, which is the freedom for all species to evolve within the web of life and the freedom and
responsibility of humans, as a part of earth family to recognize and respect the rights of other species.
Tagore‟s thoughts about harmony between man and nature is illustrated in his essay „Tapovan‟. He wrote that the
forest teaches us to enjoy nature without exploitation and accumulation. Vandana Shiva supports his views and
says it is only the forest which can teach compassion and co-operation.
III. Answer the following in about 200 words carrying six marks each.
1. Write about Vandana Shiva‟s ecological journey.
Answer: Vandana Shiva an environmentalist and renown activist for biodiversity had written in her article WHAT
WOULD NATURE DO about her ecological journey. Her ecological journey began when her parents came to live in
India close to the Himalayan forests after the partition of India and Pakistan. Her father was a forest conservator
and her mother who was a farmer, through her songs and stories enabled her to observe India‟s forest civilization.
Chipko movement which started in 1970‟s was an eye opener to her as she realised the value of the forests and
biodiversity, which can provide solutions to the impoverishment of our culture and nature She contributed to the
Chipko movement by documenting the work of forest activists and spread the message of Chipko by taking pad
yatras.
Through her ecological journey she realised that due to monoculture of mind we are facing malnutrition and food
crisis. So Vandana Shiva started the Navdanya Movement in 1987 for biodiversity conservation and organic
forming. She worked with farmers across India to setup 100 community seed banks where 3000 rice varieties have
been saved. Thus farmers could bring a transition from fossil fuel and chemical based monoculture to biodiversity
based ecological system nourished by the sun and the soil.
Vandana Shiva started the Navdanya Farm in 1994 in the Doon valley of the lower elevated regions of the
Uttarakhand province, where they produce 630 varieties of rice,150 varieties of wheat and hundreds of other
species through biodiversity intensive farming and produce more food and nutrition per acre. Thus biodiversity
has been her teacher of abundance and freedom, of cooperation and mutual giving. Inspired by Rabindranath
Tagore‟s Shantiniketan the forest school, she started the Earth University in the Navdanya farm to promote earth
democracy and an ecological shift from considering earth to be a dead matter exploited fir her resources to
respecting the rights of nature, accepting nature to be our teacher.
Vandana Shiva has learnt from her ecological journey to live in harmony with nature, inspiring us to shift from
being anthropocentric to eco-centric understanding the conflict between greed and compassion; conquest and
cooperation; violence and harmony that Tagore wrote about in his essay Tapovan
2. What does nature teach us according to Rabindranath Tagore and Vandana Shiva?
Answer: Nature teaches us to live a cultured life respecting every species that evolve within the web of life on
earth, according to Vandana Shiva which she had learnt from Rabindranath Tagore‟s essay Tapovan. Vandana
Shiva had explained this in her essay “Forest and Freedom” which complies with Tagore, who ran the nature
school in shantineketan.
Vandana Shiva teaches earth democracy through her Earth University started in the Navdanya Farm of Doon
valley in Uttarkhand Province. Earth democracy stresses the responsibility of humans, as members of earth family
to recognise, protect and respect the rights of other species.it helps us to shift from anthropocentrism to eco
centrism, translating human rights to food and water, to freedom from hunger and thirst.

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PU–Question Bank Everything I Need to Know I learned in the Forest (Challapalli Swaroopa Rani)

Rabindranath Tagore who inspired Vandana Shiva to accept nature to be the teacher had explained that Indian
civilization has emerged from locating its sources of regeneration, material and intellectual from the forest. The
culture of forest has fuelled the culture of Indian society.
The unifying principle of life in diversity, of democratic pluralism, became the principal of Indian civilization by
observing the play of various species by sight sound and smell from season to season.
They both have understood from the forest that unity in diversity is the unifying principle of both ecological
sustainability and democracy. We humans if learn to be united with forest and in turn nature shall enjoy peace,
prosperity and harmony. As forest is the source of knowledge and freedom, beauty and joy, art and aesthetics,
harmony and perfection. Forest teaches us enoughness, union and compassion, principal of equity and how to
enjoy the gifts of nature without greed conquest and violence. Thus according to Tagore and Vandana Shiva end of
consumerism and accumulation is the beginning of the joy of living.
3. "Tagore saw unity with nature as the highest stage of human evolution." Do you think consumerism and
accumulation of wealth come in the way of realizing Tagore's vision of human evolution?
Answer: Yes. Undoubtedly consumerism and accumulation of wealth come in the way of realizing Tagore's vision
of human evolution. Tagore firmly believed that Indian civilization found its source of regeneration - both material
and intellectual - in the forest. Tagore was convinced that India's best ideas have come from the place where the
man was in communion with trees and rivers and lakes, away from the crowds. The peace of the forest has helped
the intellectual evolution of man. The culture that has arisen from the forest has been influenced by the diverse
processes of renewal of life, which are always at play in the forest, varying from species to species, from season to
season, in sight, sound and smell. Thus, the unifying principle of life in diversity, of democratic pluralism, became
the principle of Indian civilization. It is this unity in diversity that supports ecological sustainability and
democracy.
On the contrary, consumerism and accumulation work against the idea of unity in diversity and ecological
sustainability, because both consumerism and accumulation of wealth are external manifestations of our vices like
gluttony, greed, avarice, self-indulgence, self-centeredness, domination and exploitation. These vices ultimately
lead to ruthless and barbaric exploitation of nature and cause impoverishment of nature and culture.
4. "The conservation of biodiversity is the answer to the food and nutrition crisis." Do you agree? OR
"Biodiversity-based intensive farming is the answer to the food and nutrition crisis". Discuss.
Answer: The conservation of biodiversity is the right step to help the people overcome the nutrition crisis because
bio-diversity works on the paradigm of Earth Democracy and democratic pluralism wherein there is freedom for
all species to evolve within the web of life. As members of the Earth family, it is the freedom and responsibility of
humans to recognize, protect and respect the rights of other species. This way we bring into play the principle of
equity. No species in such an ecosystem appropriates the share of another species and every species sustains itself
in co-operation with others.
Bio-diversity sustains democratic pluralism because there are diverse processes of renewal of life always at play in
natural eco-systems and they vary from species to species and from season to season in sight, sound and smell. All
the species live in perfect harmony. Thus bio-diversity paves the way for enrichment of the web of life leading to
abundance.
5. “Conservation of diversity is crucial for the sustenance of both nature and human society.” Discuss its validity.
Answer: In the thought provoking essay, Vandana Shiva highlights on how she had learnt the major ideas of a
good life from the forests. But looking at it beyond our narrow, human perspective, forests provide habitats to
diverse animal species, and they also form the source of livelihood for many different human settlements as well as
for the governments.
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PU–Question Bank Everything I Need to Know I learned in the Forest (Challapalli Swaroopa Rani)

They offer watershed protection, timber and non-timber products, and various recreational options. They prevent
soil erosion, help in maintaining the water cycle, and check global warming by using carbon dioxide in
photosynthesis. Yet, we are losing them. Over the past 50 years, about half the world's original forest cover has
been lost, the most significant cause for that being humans beings' unsystematic use of its resources. When we take
away the forest, it is not just the trees that go, the entire ecosystem begins to fall apart, with dire consequences for
all of us.
She admits that she had learnt the diversity of life forms and need to accept diversity as the principle of life. She
argues for the need to accept the Earth as our Mother Earth (Terra Madre) and not as raw material (Terra Nullius)
to be exploited. Man must learn to live in harmony with nature. She asserts for Earth‟s Democracy – by respecting
the freedom of all species to live, to evolve together – (Live and let live). She accords Tagore‟s idea that the culture
of the forest is the true Indian culture. She asserts how forests teach us the value of diversity, freedom and co-
existence.
The author recommends for Earth University, inspired by Rabindranath Tagore the most. He advocates that we
must take inspiration from nature so as to create cultural renaissance in India. His school became a University
growing into one of the India‟s famous centers of learning. We need to discover the source of moral and spiritual
regeneration from nature. Man must learn from nature. Nature imparts lessons. It inspires, motivates, enchants and
enthralls man. Forests are the source of bliss. There is unity and renewal of life in nature. There is revival and
rejuvenation in the forest life. There is the unifying principle of life in diversity. It demonstrates pluralism which
became the principle of Indian civilization. Diversity has inherent principle of unity in it. We are united with the
forest or nature through our relationship. Diversity without unity becomes the source of contest and conflict. Unity
without diversity becomes the ground for external control. Forest is the source of life and a source of beauty and
joy, of art and architecture, of harmony and perfection. It teaches us unity and compassion. It teaches enoughness
as a principle of equity and how to enjoy the gifts of nature without accumulation and exploitation. The end of
consumerism and accumulation is the beginning of the joy of living which man has to discover in his relationship.
process ceases, life will lose its vitality and colour and aesthetic sensibility. In turn, life turns dull and monotonous.
6. Write a note on the essay of Tagore.
Answer: The Earth University is inspired by Rabindranath Tagore who started a learning center in Shantiniketan,
in West Bengal, India, as a forest school-both to take inspiration from nature and to create an Indian culture
renaissance. In his essay “Tapovan” (Forest of purity), he writes: “Indian civilization has been distinctive in
locating its source of regeneration, material and intellectual, in the forest, not the city. The peace of the forest has
helped the intellectual evolution of man. India‟s best ideas have come where man was in communion with trees
and rivers and lakes, away from the people. The culture of the forest has fuelled the culture of the society. The
unifying principle of life in diversity, of democratic pluralism, thus became the principle of Indian civilization”.
Tagore‟s writings, the forest was not just the source of knowledge and freedom; it was the source of beauty and joy,
of art and aesthetics, of harmony and perfection. The forest teaches us union and compassion. Tagore quotes from
the ancient texts written about the forest: “know all that moves in this moving world as enveloped by God; and
find enjoyment through renunciation, not through greed of possession.”

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