Our Country Notes | Study General Knowledge Olympiad for Class 1 - Class 1

India is a part of Asia. It is the seventh largest country in the world. India has the second highest population in the world. The capital of India is New Delhi.

Festivals

A festival is an occasion of celebration or feasting. We celebrate various festivals in our country. Some of them are:

Religious Festivals

1. Diwali: Diwali is a festival of lights. On this day people decorate their houses with clay lamps and candles. People also wear new clothes and worship Goddess Lakshmi. Family members give sweets and gifts to each other.
   
2. Holi: Holi is a festival of colours as we play holi by applying ‘Gulal’ and throwing coloured water on each other. People prepare gujiya, mathri, thandai, etc. for family members, close friends and relatives.
3. Eid: Eid is celebrated by people who follow the Islam religion. It is celebrated after the completion of 30 days long fast of Ramadan. People wear new clothes, exchange gifts with each other and greet each other with ‘Eid Mubark’ and formal embraces. They also distribute food to needy people. People also pray in large groups in the mosque and prepare delicious ‘meethi sevaiyaan’.
4. Christmas: Christmas is celebrated by Christians on 25th December every year to honour the birthday of Jesus Christ. People wear new clothes, decorate Christmas tree, exchange gifts and eat festive meals.
5. Gurpurab: Gurpurab is celebrated to honour the birthday of Guru Nanak Dev. This day is also know as Guru Nanak jayanti. It is celebrated by Sikhs. People wear new clothes, pray in Gurudwara and arrange free langers for all.
6. Lohri: It is celebrated mostly by the punjabis and by the people living in the Northern part of India. The festival celebrates the cropping season as well as bidding goodbye to the chilling winters. People do bonfire and sing and dance around it. People also eat sweets made of til, jaggery, etc., on this day.
   
7. Raksha Bhandhan: It is a festival of celebrating love and duty between brother and sister. On this day, sister ties ‘rakhi’ on the wrist of brother to protect him from all evil influences and pray for his well-being and prosperity. In return, the brother promises to protect his sister under all circumstances.

National Festivals

1. Independence Day: It is celebrated on 15th August every year. On 15 August, 1947, India got independence from British Rule. On the Independence Day, Prime minister hoists National Flag and gives speech at the Red Fort in Delhi.
2. Republic Day: It is celebrated on 26th January every year. On 26 January, 1950, the Constitution of India came into force. The President of India raises the National Flag at Rajpath in New Delhi. It is followed by parades cultural programs.
3. Gandhi Jayanti: It is celebrated on 2nd October every year to honour the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. His full name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. People pay tribute by offering flowers on his Samadhi at Raj ghat in New Delhi.

Famous Personalities

1. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam: A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was the 11th president of India. He is also known as the ‘Missile Man’ of India. We all celebrate his birth anniversary as ''World Students’ Day''.
2. Mahatma Gandhi: Mahatma Gandhi is popularly known as the Father of the Nation. He is also known as ‘Bapu’ or ‘Gandhiji’. He was the pioneer of Indian Independence Movement against the British Rule.
3. B. R. Ambedkar: B. R. Ambedkar was the first Law Minister of India. He is known as the ''Father of the Indian Constitution''.
   
4. Sachin Tendulkar: Sachin Tendulkar is an Indian cricketer and is the highest run-scorer in Test cricket. He started playing cricket in international matches at the age of 16. 
5. Jawaharlal Nehru: Jawaharlal Nehru was a political leader and a freedom fighter. He was the first Prime Minister of independent India. He is popularly known as ‘Chacha Nehru’ among children.
6. Lata Mangeshkar: Lata Mangeshkar is a magnificent playback singer and music director of India . She has sung over 50,000 songs in 20 Indian languages. She was awarded with the title ''Daughter of The Nation'' on her 90th birthday.
7. Mary Kom: Mary Kom is the first Indian female boxer who won gold medal in Asian Games.

Famous Monuments

1. Taj Mahal is located in Agra.
2. Red Fort is located in Delhi.
3. India Gate is located in Delhi.
   
4. Kutub Minar is located in Delhi.
5. Jama Masjid is located in Delhi.
6. Hawa Mahal is located in Jaipur.
7. Golden Temple is located in Amritsar.
8. Victoria Memorial is located in Kolkata.
9. Gol Gumbaz is located in Karnataka.
10. Charminar is Hyderabad.
11. Lotus Temple is located Delhi.

Famous Dance Forms

1. Bharatanatyam: Dance of Tamil Nadu.
2. Kathakali: Dance of Kerala.
3. Kathak: Dance of Uttar Pradesh.
   
4. Manipuri: Dance of Manipur.
5. Kuchipudi: Dance of Andhra Pradesh.
6. Odissi: Dance of Odisha.

1. National Flag: Tiranga, a rectangular flap consists of three colors -- saffron at top, white in the middle with Ashoka Chakra(blue) having 24 spokes at the center and green at the bottom.
   
2. National Anthem: ‘Jana Gana Mana’, was composed by Rabindranath Tagore. 
3. National Song: Song ‘Vande Mataram’, was composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee.
4. National River: River Ganga' or 'Ganges', the longest river of India.
5. National Emblem: The Lion capital of Ashoka, having four lions sitting back to back, fourth one remains hidden.
6. National Bird: Peacock 
7. National Flower: Lotus
8. National Fruit: Mango
9. National Animal: Tiger
10. National Tree: Banyan Tree