Bharat Our Land Class 9: Explanation, Themes and Questions
Updated 15 October 2026 · Fact-checked
Bharat Our Land by Subramania Bharati, the poem in Unit 1 of Kaveri, is an ode in praise of India. It celebrates the Himalayas, the Ganga, the Upanishads, warriors, sages, music and the Buddha, and repeats the refrain 'she's peerless, let's praise her!' to show the poet's pride in his motherland.
What Bharat Our Land is about
Bharat Our Land is a short patriotic poem by Subramania Bharati, the great Tamil poet and freedom fighter, given in English in Kaveri, Unit 1. It has sixteen lines in two parts. The first part lists what 'is ours': the Himavant (Himalayas), the Ganga, the Upanishads and this 'sunny golden land'. The second part praises the people and ideas that have made India great: warriors, sages, music, Brahma-knowledge and the teachings of the Buddha. Both parts end with the refrain 'she's peerless, let's praise her!'
The textbook calls the poem an ode, a lyric that praises its subject in a lofty, emotional style, and asks students to notice its refrain, rhetorical questions, personification, hyperbole, symbolism, imagery and allusion. In the R1 paper, a poetry extract (Q11, 5 marks) may come from it, as well as a 2-mark short answer (40-50 words) or a 5-mark long answer (120-150 words) on national pride and heritage.
Weightage: Class 9 English is a school examination of 80 marks, but CBSE prescribes the paper design. Section C (Literature, 30 marks) in R1: one prose/drama extract and one poetry extract (5 marks each), five of six short answers (40-50 words, 2 marks each) and two long answers (about 120-150 words, 5 marks each). R2 has three extracts, five of seven short answers and one long answer.Source: CBSE English Language syllabus, Class IX 2026-27, Question Paper Design R1 and R2
Bharat Our Land: explanation
In our own words, in the order of the text. Read the NCERT text itself too: the board quotes from it.
Lines 1-2: the Himalayas. The poet begins with pride: the 'mighty Himavant' (the Himalayas) is ours, and nothing on earth equals it. The mountain stands for strength and permanence.
Lines 3-4: the Ganga. The 'generous Ganga' is ours too. The poet asks which other river could match her grace. The river is pictured as a woman who gives freely; her water feeds the land and its people.
Lines 5-6: the Upanishads. The 'sacred Upanishads', ancient texts of Indian philosophy, are ours, and the poet asks what other scriptures could be named beside them. Here he moves from nature to India's wisdom.
Lines 7-8: the golden land and the refrain. India is a 'sunny golden land', a metaphor for its warmth, richness and glory. The first part closes with the refrain: she has no equal, so let us praise her.
Lines 9-12: people and culture. Brave warriors have lived here, and many sages have made the land holy. The 'divinest music' has been heard here, and every auspicious, fortunate thing is found here. India's greatness now lies in its people and its arts, not only in nature.
Lines 13-16: knowledge and antiquity. Brahma-knowledge, the spiritual knowledge of the ultimate truth, has taken root in India, and the Buddha preached his dhamma here. Bharat is of 'hoary antiquity', that is, very ancient. The poem ends with the same refrain, asking everyone to praise the peerless land.
Central idea: The poet celebrates India as a land without equal in natural grandeur, spiritual wisdom, courage, music and age-old civilisation. The repeated 'ours' and the refrain invite every reader to share this pride and to praise the motherland.
Themes and message
Pride in the motherland
The whole poem is an act of praise. The repeated word 'ours' makes the reader a joint owner of the mountains, the river and the scriptures. The refrain turns private admiration into a call to all: 'let's praise her'. We can infer that Bharati, writing as a patriot, wanted to awaken national pride.
From the text: 'This sunny golden land is ours-' and the refrain 'she's peerless, let's praise her!'
Natural grandeur
The poet opens with nature: the Himalayas, described as 'mighty' and without equal, and the Ganga, 'generous' and graceful. These symbols of strength and generosity root India's greatness in its land and rivers.
From the text: 'The mighty Himavant is ours-' and 'The generous Ganga is ours-'
Spiritual and philosophical heritage
The Upanishads, the sages, Brahma-knowledge and the Buddha's dhamma show that India's greatness is also in its ideas. The poet alludes to these to show that India has given the world deep wisdom and paths to truth and compassion.
From the text: 'many a sage has sanctified this land' and 'the Buddha preached his dhamma here'
Courage, culture and an ancient civilisation
Warriors stand for courage, the 'divinest music' for the arts, and 'hoary antiquity' for a civilisation thousands of years old. Together they suggest a balanced greatness: strength, beauty and age-old wisdom.
From the text: 'Gallant warriors have lived here,' and 'Of hoary antiquity is Bharat,'
The speaker and the people in the poem
The speaker (the poet, Subramania Bharati)
A proud patriot who lists India's glories and urges everyone to praise her.
- Patriotic and proud: claims every glory as 'ours'
- Reverent: treats the land as holy, sanctified by sages
- Enthusiastic: uses exclamations and rhetorical questions
- Inclusive: 'let's praise her' invites all readers to join
'This sunny golden land is ours-'; 'which other river can match her grace?'; 'she's peerless, let's praise her!'
Bharat (India), personified
The subject of the ode, addressed as 'she', a mother figure.
- Peerless and ancient
- Generous, through the Ganga
- Wise and holy, through sages, the Upanishads and the Buddha
'she's peerless'; 'Of hoary antiquity is Bharat'.
Poetic devices
| Device | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Refrain | 'she's peerless, let's praise her!' (lines 8 and 16) | The repeated line closes each part, stresses the main message and gives the poem a song-like, chant-like quality. |
| Rhetorical question | 'which other river can match her grace?'; 'what scriptures else to name with them?' | No answer is expected. The questions emphasise that nothing can match the Ganga or the Upanishads. |
| Personification | 'The generous Ganga'; 'her grace'; India as 'she' | The river and the land are given human, motherly qualities, which makes the reader feel love and gratitude towards them. |
| Hyperbole | 'there's no equal anywhere on earth'; 'The divinest music'; 'here all auspicious things are found' | Deliberate exaggeration expresses the strength of the poet's admiration. |
| Metaphor and imagery | 'This sunny golden land' | Suggests warmth, prosperity and glory, and creates a bright visual picture of India. |
| Allusion | The Upanishads, Brahma-knowledge, the Buddha's dhamma | Brief references to scriptures and teachings that readers are expected to know; they show India's spiritual legacy. |
| Repetition and parallel structure | '... is ours-' at the end of lines 1, 3, 5 and 7; 'here' in lines 9-14 | Builds a rhythm of proud listing and fixes the idea of shared ownership. The dashes create pauses before a strong claim. |
Key quotations
Short lines worth knowing by heart: who says them, when, and why they matter.
The mighty Himavant is ours-
Poet: The opening line.
Begins the list of India's glories with the Himalayas, a symbol of strength and permanence.
which other river can match her grace?
Poet: About the Ganga.
A rhetorical question with personification; the Ganga is pictured as graceful and unmatched.
she's peerless, let's praise her!
Poet: The refrain ending both parts.
States the central idea and calls readers to join in praise.
many a sage has sanctified this land
Poet: In the second part, about the people of India.
Shows that wise and holy people have made India sacred.
Of hoary antiquity is Bharat,
Poet: Second-last line.
'Hoary antiquity' means very great age: India's civilisation is ancient.
Bharat Our Land in real life
Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.
Pride in heritage brings responsibility
Suppose your class visits a ghat on the Ganga and finds plastic floating near the steps, while a guide speaks proudly of the river's history.
How does the poet's phrase 'The generous Ganga is ours' apply to what you see? Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- 'Ours' means shared ownership.
- Owners must care for what they own.
- Act: avoid plastic, join clean-up drives.
Answer: If the Ganga is 'ours', then its care is also ours. Praising the river's grace means little if we throw plastic into it. We can refuse single-use plastic, join clean-up drives and remind others, so the river stays as generous as the poet describes.
Memory hook: If it is ours, its care is ours too.
The refrain as a call to join in
Imagine your school is planning an assembly on Republic Day and you must choose a closing line that everyone can repeat together.
Why would a refrain like 'she's peerless, let's praise her!' work well? Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- A refrain is short and memorable.
- 'let's' includes everyone.
- Repetition builds shared emotion.
Answer: A refrain is short, easy to remember and repeated, so the whole school can say it together. The word 'let's' includes everyone, and repeating it at the end of each part builds shared pride, just as Bharati's refrain does in the poem.
Memory hook: Say it twice, and everyone joins in.
India's greatness in ideas, not only in nature
Suppose a foreign pen-friend writes that India is famous only for the Himalayas and the Taj Mahal.
Using the second part of the poem, what would you add? Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Second part: warriors, sages, music.
- Brahma-knowledge and the Buddha's dhamma.
- India gave the world ideas.
Answer: I would tell my friend that, as Bharati says, India's glory also lies in its people and ideas: brave warriors, sages, classical music, the Upanishads and the Buddha's teachings of compassion. India has given the world wisdom as well as wonders.
Memory hook: Mountains make India grand; ideas make her great.
Topics in this chapter
How the school exam asks Bharat Our Land
The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.
| Question type | How it is asked | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Poetry extract (Q11 in R1, 5 marks) | Six to eight lines with five parts: meaning of a word ('mighty', 'generous', 'sanctified'), the purpose of a question mark or dash, a device (personification, hyperbole, refrain), fill-ins with options in brackets and one inference part. | Name the device and quote the words. For punctuation questions, remember: the question marks emphasise (rhetorical); the dashes pause before a strong claim. |
| Short answer (Q12, 2 marks, 40-50 words) | The effect of the refrain, why the Ganga is called generous, what the line about sages suggests, or how warriors and music add to India's greatness. | Give the meaning in one sentence and the effect or reason in the second, with one short quotation. |
| Long answer on theme (Q14, 5 marks, 120-150 words) | How the poem builds national pride, or how it presents India's natural and spiritual heritage. | Organise by the poem's two parts: nature and scripture (lines 1-8), people, culture and antiquity (lines 9-16). Add the role of 'ours' and the refrain. Conclude with the message. |
| Extrapolation (Q13, 5 marks, 120-150 words) | Pride in your own region, or how young people can protect the heritage the poem praises (for example, keeping the Ganga clean). | Link one or two images from the poem to a present-day action or place. Keep a clear opinion and a concrete example. |
| Vocabulary from the unit | Suffixes from the poem: -ous (generous), -ity (antiquity), -est (divinest), -less (peerless). | Know the meaning of each suffix: full of, state of, superlative, without. |
Tricks to remember Bharat Our Land
Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.
H-G-U-S: the first part
Himavant, Ganga, Upanishads, Sunny golden land, then the refrain.
Use it when: Recall the order of lines 1-8.
W-S-M-A-B-B: the second part
Warriors, Sages, Music, Auspicious things, Brahma-knowledge, Buddha, then 'hoary antiquity' and the refrain.
Use it when: Recall lines 9-16 for extract questions.
Suffix set from the poem
gener-OUS, antiqu-ITY, divin-EST, peer-LESS.
Use it when: Vocabulary questions on suffixes.
Device checklist: R-R-P-H-A
Refrain, Rhetorical question, Personification, Hyperbole, Allusion.
Use it when: Name five devices quickly in a long answer.
Bharat Our Land: extract-based questions
Read the extract, answer every part on paper, then open the answers.
Extract 1: Mountain, river, scripture
The mighty Himavant is ours-
there’s no equal anywhere on earth.
The generous Ganga is ours-
which other river can match her grace?
The sacred Upanishads are ours-
what scriptures else to name with them?
This sunny golden land is ours-
she’s peerless, let’s praise her!
(1) · 1 mark · MCQ
The word 'mighty' refers to the Himavant's:
(a) beauty
(b) strength and greatness
(c) coldness
(d) distance(2) · 1 mark · MCQ
The question marks at the end of lines 4 and 6 are used to:
(a) show doubt
(b) ask for information
(c) emphasise that nothing can match them
(d) show confusion(3) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Identify the figure of speech in 'which other river can match her grace?'
(4) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Fill in the blank: The phrase 'sunny golden land' suggests that India is ________ (poor and dry / rich and glorious / cold and distant).
(5) · 1 mark · Short answer
Why does the poet call the Ganga 'generous'?
Show the answersAnswers
- (b) strength and greatness
- (c) emphasise that nothing can match them
- Personification (also a rhetorical question): the Ganga is given a woman's grace.
- rich and glorious
- Because the river gives freely: its water nourishes the land, crops and people along its banks.
Extract 2: Warriors, sages and the Buddha
Gallant warriors have lived here,
many a sage has sanctified this land.
The divinest music has been heard here,
and here all auspicious things are found.
Here Brahma-knowledge has taken root,
and the Buddha preached his dhamma here.
(1) · 1 mark · MCQ
The word 'sanctified' means:
(a) made holy
(b) made famous
(c) made rich
(d) conquered(2) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Which word is repeated in these lines to stress that all these glories belong to India?
(3) · 1 mark · MCQ
'The divinest music' is an example of:
(a) simile
(b) hyperbole
(c) onomatopoeia
(d) alliteration(4) · 1 mark · Assertion-reason
Assertion (A): The lines contain allusions.
Reason (R): They refer to Brahma-knowledge and the Buddha's dhamma without explaining them.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true but R is false.
(d) A is false but R is true.(5) · 1 mark · Short answer
How do warriors and music together add to India's greatness?
Show the answersAnswers
- (a) made holy
- 'here'
- (b) hyperbole
- (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
- Warriors show courage and strength; music shows art and beauty. Together they show India is great in both valour and culture.
Bharat Our Land: exam-level solved questions
Ordered from exam level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.
Example 1: The effect of the refrain · 2 marks · Short answerExam level
What is the impact of the refrain 'she's peerless, let's praise her!'? Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- It ends both parts of the poem.
- It sums up the message: India has no equal.
- 'let's' invites every reader to join in praise; chant-like rhythm.
Answer: The refrain closes both parts of the poem and sums up its message that India has no equal. The word 'let's' turns the poet's admiration into a shared call, inviting every reader to join in praise. Its repetition also gives the poem a chant-like, musical rhythm.
Example 2: Sages and the land · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level
What does the line 'many a sage has sanctified this land' suggest about India's spiritual heritage? Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Sanctified = made holy.
- Many wise and holy people lived and taught here.
- The land itself is seen as sacred because of them.
Answer: The line suggests that India's holiness comes from its many sages, wise and saintly people who lived, meditated and taught here. Their presence has 'sanctified', or made holy, the land itself. India's spiritual heritage is therefore long, rich and part of the very soil.
Example 3: Hyphens in the first part · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level
What is the effect of the hyphens (dashes) after 'is ours' in the first part of the poem? Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- They create deliberate pauses.
- Before the dash: a glory of India; after it: a strong claim of uniqueness.
- They add a measured, chant-like rhythm.
Answer: The dashes create deliberate pauses that build pride. Each line first names a glory, such as the Himavant or the Ganga, and after the dash makes a strong claim that it is unmatched. The pauses also give the first part a measured, chant-like rhythm.
Example 4: How the poem fosters national pride · 5 marks · Long answerHarder exam level
How does Bharat Our Land foster a sense of national pride? Answer in about 120-150 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Shared ownership through 'ours'.
- Nature: mighty Himavant, generous Ganga.
- Wisdom: Upanishads, sages, Brahma-knowledge, the Buddha.
- Courage, music and antiquity.
- Refrain and rhetorical questions; conclusion.
Answer: Subramania Bharati builds national pride first through the repeated word 'ours'. The 'mighty Himavant', the 'generous Ganga' and the 'sacred Upanishads' are not described as distant wonders but as possessions every Indian shares. He then widens the praise to people and ideas: gallant warriors, sages who 'sanctified this land', the 'divinest music', Brahma-knowledge and the Buddha's dhamma. India is shown as great in nature, courage, art and wisdom, and as a land of 'hoary antiquity'. Rhetorical questions such as 'which other river can match her grace?' leave no room for doubt. Finally, the refrain 'she's peerless, let's praise her!' turns admiration into a shared call. A reader finishes the poem feeling both proud of India's heritage and responsible for honouring it.
Example 5: Nature and spirit · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
The poem praises both India's natural features and its spiritual heritage. Show how the poet balances the two. Answer in about 120-150 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- First part: nature (Himavant, Ganga) placed beside scripture (Upanishads).
- Symbols: mountain = strength, river = generosity, scripture = wisdom.
- Second part: people (warriors, sages), arts (music), ideas (Brahma-knowledge, dhamma).
- The 'sunny golden land' joins the physical and the spiritual.
- Judgement: greatness is complete only when both are present.
Answer: Bharati moves smoothly between the physical and the spiritual. In the first part he places the 'mighty Himavant' and the 'generous Ganga' beside the 'sacred Upanishads', as though mountains, rivers and scriptures were equal treasures. The mountain suggests strength, the river generosity and the scriptures wisdom. The 'sunny golden land' then gathers all of these into one bright image. In the second part the focus shifts to what people have built on this land: warriors' courage, sages' holiness, divine music, Brahma-knowledge and the Buddha's dhamma. The land is called 'sanctified' because of its sages, so nature and spirit are joined. In my view this balance is the poem's strength: it suggests that India's greatness lies not in geography alone, but in what its people have thought and lived.
Example 6: Praising your own place · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Suppose a visitor from abroad asks why you are proud of your town or village. Using the method of Bharat Our Land (listing features, rhetorical questions, a refrain), write your answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- List two or three features: nature, people, culture.
- Add one rhetorical question.
- End with a refrain-like line.
Answer: Our river Kaveri flows past green paddy fields; which other stream sings so softly at dusk? Our weavers make silk famous across the world, and our temple bells ring at dawn. Ancient and kind is our town. It is matchless, so let us praise it!
Where the marks are
How a typical answer is marked: the value points the examiner looks for and the marks each earns.
Why has the poet described the Ganga as generous? Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks)
| Step | Marks |
|---|---|
| Content: the Ganga gives freely, nourishing land, crops and people; personified as a giving mother. | 1 |
| Expression: clear sentences within the word limit, with a short quotation. | 1 |
How does the poem reflect a strong connection to cultural identity and heritage? Answer in about 120-150 words. (5 marks)
| Step | Marks |
|---|---|
| Content: natural symbols (Himavant, Ganga) and shared ownership ('ours'). | 1 |
| Content: spiritual heritage (Upanishads, sages, Brahma-knowledge, the Buddha) and antiquity. | 1 |
| Content: devices (refrain, rhetorical questions) and a concluding judgement. | 1 |
| Expression: organised, linked paragraph. | 1 |
| Accuracy: spelling, grammar and exact quotations. | 1 |
Where students lose marks in Bharat Our Land
The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.
Mistake: Calling the questions in the poem real doubts
Students read a question mark literally.
Wrong working
The poet is unsure whether another river can match the Ganga.
Right working
The rhetorical question emphasises that no river can match the Ganga.
Do this: Rhetorical questions emphasise; they do not express doubt.
Usually costs: 1 mark in the extract.
Mistake: Misquoting the refrain
Writing from memory.
Wrong working
'She is great, let us praise her.'
Right working
'she's peerless, let's praise her!'
Do this: Learn the refrain exactly; it is the most quoted line.
Usually costs: Accuracy mark.
Mistake: Explaining 'Himavant' as a person or god
Unfamiliar word.
Wrong working
Himavant was a great king of India.
Right working
Himavant is the Himalayas, the mountain range.
Do this: Remember the textbook's symbol table: Himavant = strength and permanence.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Listing images without saying what they show
Students copy lines instead of interpreting them.
Wrong working
The poem mentions the Ganga, the Upanishads and warriors.
Right working
The Ganga stands for generosity, the Upanishads for wisdom and warriors for courage, together showing India's complete greatness.
Do this: For each image, add 'which shows/suggests...'.
Usually costs: Content marks in 2- and 5-mark answers.
Practice questions on Bharat Our Land
Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.
Q1 · 1 mark · MCQExam level
Which river does the poet call 'generous'?
(a) Yamuna
(b) Kaveri
(c) Ganga
(d) GodavariHint
Line 3.
Answer
(c) Ganga
Q2 · 2 marks · Short answerExam level
What does the poet say about the Upanishads? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Look at the adjective and the question that follows.
Answer
Value points: called 'sacred'; rhetorical question 'what scriptures else to name with them?'; unmatched in wisdom and spiritual depth; part of India's heritage.
Model answer: The poet calls the Upanishads 'sacred' and asks what other scriptures could be named beside them. The rhetorical question shows he thinks they are unmatched in wisdom and spiritual depth. They represent the philosophical heritage that makes India great.
Q3 · 1 mark · Very short answerExam level
Write the meanings of: (a) peerless (b) auspicious (c) hoary.
Hint
Use the textbook's odd-one-out exercise.
Answer
(a) without an equal, unmatched (b) fortunate, favourable (c) very old, grey with age
Q4 · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level
Pick out two examples of hyperbole from the poem and explain why the poet uses them. Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Look for claims no one can measure.
Answer
Value points: 'there's no equal anywhere on earth'; 'The divinest music'; 'all auspicious things are found'; exaggeration expresses intense admiration and pride.
Model answer: 'There's no equal anywhere on earth' and 'The divinest music has been heard here' are hyperboles. They are not meant literally. The poet exaggerates to express the intensity of his love and pride for India, making its glory sound grand and unmatched.
Q5 · 1 mark · Very short answerHarder exam level
Form words with the suffixes from the poem and use one in a sentence: (a) generous → noun with -ity (b) peer + -less.
Hint
-ity makes a noun of state; -less means without.
Answer
(a) generosity: The villagers' generosity fed every traveller. (b) peerless (without an equal).
Q6 · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level
Why do you think the poet mentions the Buddha in a poem about India? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Think of what the Buddha's teachings gave the world.
Answer
Value points: allusion to the Buddha's dhamma; compassion, non-violence, enlightenment; India's teachings spread across the world; pride in spiritual contribution.
Model answer: By saying 'the Buddha preached his dhamma here', the poet reminds us that teachings of compassion, non-violence and enlightenment began in India and spread across Asia. The allusion shows that India's greatness lies in the wisdom it has given the world, not only in its rivers and mountains.
Q7 · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
Is it enough to praise one's country, as the poem does, or must we also act for it? Answer in about 120-150 words with reference to the poem.
Hint
Take a stand; use the Ganga, sages and warriors as links to action.
Answer
Value points: praise inspires pride (refrain, 'ours'); but heritage needs care; the 'generous Ganga' needs protection from pollution; warriors and sages acted, not just admired; actions: cleanliness, preserving monuments, learning classical arts, respecting diversity; conclusion: praise plus responsibility.
Model answer: Praise is a good beginning. Bharati's refrain, 'she's peerless, let's praise her!', fills readers with pride and a sense that the land is 'ours'. But ownership also brings responsibility. The 'generous Ganga' he admires today suffers from pollution, and many old monuments and art forms are fading. The poem itself honours people who acted: gallant warriors who defended the land and sages who 'sanctified' it through their lives. So true patriotism means joining praise with action, such as keeping rivers clean, protecting heritage sites, learning our music and languages and respecting every community. Praise without action is only words. I think the best way to praise India is to make it a place future poets can still call peerless.
Q8 · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Suppose you are asked to add two lines to the poem about a modern achievement of India. Write them in the poem's style and explain your choice in 40-50 words.
Hint
Use 'here' or 'ours', a dash, and a rhetorical question or exclamation.
Answer
Value points: imitates the style ('is ours-', rhetorical question); modern achievement (space mission, vaccines, digital payments); explains link to theme of pride.
Model answer: 'Our rockets touch the moon's far side- / which other land reached there with such pride?' I chose India's lunar mission because, like the Himavant and the Ganga, it is a source of shared pride, and the dash and rhetorical question copy Bharati's style.
Q9 · 5 marks · Long answerExam level
Writing task: Write a paragraph (about 120 words) about a place you have visited which has stayed in your memory, as in the unit's Writing Task.
Hint
Why you went, with whom, how you prepared, where you stayed, what you did.
Answer
Value points: a clear topic sentence naming the place; purpose of the trip; companions; preparation; stay; two or three activities with sensory details; a closing line on why it stayed in memory. Language: past tense, linking words (first, then, finally), vivid adjectives.
Test your recall
Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.
1.Who wrote Bharat Our Land?Show answer
Subramania Bharati.
2.What is Himavant?Show answer
The Himalayas.
3.Which adjective describes the Ganga?Show answer
'generous'.
4.Which scriptures are mentioned?Show answer
The Upanishads.
5.What is the refrain?Show answer
'she's peerless, let's praise her!'
6.What does 'sanctified' mean?Show answer
Made holy.
7.Whose teaching is called dhamma in the poem?Show answer
The Buddha's.
8.What kind of poem does the textbook call it?Show answer
An ode.
Quick revision checklist
The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?
- Can you list the four things the poet calls 'ours' in the first part?
- Can you name five devices with one example each?
- Can you explain the effect of the refrain and of the dashes?
- Can you explain the three allusions?
- Can you write the meaning of peerless, sanctified, auspicious and hoary antiquity?
- Can you plan a 120-150 word answer on how the poem builds national pride?
Bharat Our Land: frequently asked questions
Who wrote Bharat Our Land?
Subramania Bharati, the Tamil poet and freedom fighter. In Class 9 it is the poem in Unit 1 of the NCERT textbook Kaveri.
What is the refrain in Bharat Our Land and what is its effect?
The refrain is 'she's peerless, let's praise her!' It ends both parts of the poem, sums up the poet's message that India has no equal, and invites everyone to join in praising her. It also gives the poem a chant-like rhythm.
Why is the poem called an ode?
An ode is a lyric poem that praises a person, place or idea in an elevated, emotional style. Bharat Our Land praises India's mountains, river, scriptures, people and history with enthusiasm, so it is an ode.
What does 'hoary antiquity' mean?
It means very great age. 'Hoary' suggests grey with age, and 'antiquity' means ancient times. The poet says India's civilisation is extremely old.
Which allusions does the poem contain?
It alludes to the Upanishads (ancient philosophical scriptures), Brahma-knowledge (spiritual knowledge of the ultimate truth) and the Buddha's dhamma (his teachings of compassion and enlightenment).
Does Bharat Our Land have a rhyme scheme?
No regular rhyme scheme is followed in the English version. Its music comes from repetition ('is ours-', 'here'), parallel lines and the refrain.
Based on: CBSE English Language syllabus, Class IX 2026-27 (R1 and R2); NCERT Kaveri, Textbook of English for Grade 9 (First Edition 2026), Unit 1: Bharat Our Land