Notes Things We Make and Do - EVS & Pedagogy Paper 1 for CTET & TET Exams

Art and Craft

In India, diverse kinds of culture, arts and crafts are found. Each region of the country has unique and traditional crafts and art forms. These arts are part of the cultural heritage, passed down from one generation to the next. Art and craft include visual arts, textile traditions, handwoven products, performing arts and many region-specific practices.

Painting

The tradition of painting has been carried on the Indian subcontinent since ancient times. Paintings often tell stories, show daily life, depict nature, religious themes, or record historical events. Many regional painting styles use natural colours and traditional materials.

Different types of paintings are given below:

• Chitra Kathi Painting: A traditional painting style from Maharashtra that often depicts stories. Natural colours are typically used.
• Kalamkari Painting: A painting and textile printing tradition from Andhra Pradesh; natural dyes are used and designs are done on cloth using hand processes and block-printing techniques.
• Madhubani Painting: Originating in Bihar, this style depicts natural motifs such as leaves, flowers, animals, birds and humans. Natural dyes from indigo, turmeric and flowers are used. Artists sometimes use a paste made of ground rice to give texture and highlight details.
• Pata (Pattachitra) Painting: Found in Odisha, this traditional form uses natural colours made from minerals and vegetables and is painted on cloth or specially prepared paper or canvas.
• Phad Painting: A traditional narrative cloth painting from Rajasthan. Paintings are made on long pieces of cloth and often tell stories of local deities and heroes.

Traditional Art

Art is part of culture. It is a skill and body of knowledge passed down through generations. Traditional art forms often reflect local materials, climate, beliefs, and social life. They include textile crafts, weaving, pottery, metalwork, paintings, woodwork and more.

Some Traditional Art Forms:

The World Famous Pashmina

• Pashmina shawl is as warm as six sweaters. It is very thin and warm because of the fine wool from special goats found at very high altitudes (about 5,000 metres).
• During winter the temperature at these high altitudes can drop as low as −40°C. The goats grow a thick coat of fine hair to protect them from extreme cold.
• In summer the goats shed their fine undercoat. This fine hair is extremely thin - six strands of this hair equal the thickness of one human hair.
• The fine hair cannot be woven on ordinary machines; weavers in Kashmir make these shawls by hand. It is a long and intricate process. After almost 250 hours of careful weaving, one plain pashmina shawl is produced.

Special Dresses of Different Regions of India

Different regions of India have characteristic styles of dress that reflect climate, culture, customs and available materials. Traditional costumes include sarees, dhotis, lungis, churidars, turbans, shawls and regional embroidery or weaving styles.

Languages

India recognises 22 constitutionally recognised languages. Besides these, there are hundreds of dialects and local languages spoken across the country. Hindi and English are widely used for communication across regions, while many states have their own official language(s) used for administration and education.

Common major languages include:

• Hindi
• Bengali
• Telugu
• Marathi
• Tamil
• Urdu
• Gujarati
• Kannada
• Malayalam
• Odia
• Punjabi
• Assamese

Braille Script: It is a special way of reading and writing for people who cannot see. It is written on thick paper by making rows of raised points with a pointed tool. Braille script is based on six points and is read by running the fingers over the raised dots. Louis Braille of France invented this script for visually disabled people and it is known as Braille script.

Tribes

A tribe is a group of people who are distinct in language, culture and way of living. Many tribal communities depend on their land and natural resources for livelihood, remain largely self‐sufficient and have not been fully integrated into mainstream society. They follow their own traditions, social organisation and cultural practices.

Famous tribes of India (examples):

• Gonds
• Santhals
• Bhils
• Nagas

Professions

The word 'profession' means a paid occupation - any type of job or work that needs training or particular skills. A profession provides income and a source of livelihood. Professions may be formal (requiring certification or qualification) or informal (skilled trades and local services).

Different kinds of Professions

1. Agriculture

• Agriculture is the practice of farming, including cultivation of the soil for growing crops and rearing animals for food, milk, meat, wool and other products.
• A large section of the Indian population depends on agriculture for employment and for supplying food to the country.
• For proper farming, farmers need access to good quality seeds, reliable irrigation facilities, appropriate tools and machinery, and knowledge of improved techniques.
• Use of organic manure and sustainable practices should be promoted to maintain soil health.
• Use of excessive chemical fertilisers and pesticides should be reduced because they cause soil and water pollution. Practices such as inter‐cropping or mixed cropping can help replenish soil nutrients and reduce pest damage.
• Mono‐cropping and excessive use of fertilisers can lead to soil exhaustion and reduced fertility.
• To improve the yield and quality of milk, meat and wool, selective breeding of domesticated animals with superior traits is important.

Famous Sports and Sportsperson

Note: Karnam Malleshwari: Karnam Malleshwari is a weightlifter. She lives in Andhra Pradesh and her father is a constable. She started lifting weights when she was only 12. She even lifted a weight of 130 kilograms. Karnam has won 29 medals in international events.

2. Dance

• Dance is a performing art that uses selected human movement for expression, storytelling and celebration.
• Dance has aesthetic and symbolic value and is an important part of culture.
• Dances provide entertainment and are performed during festivals, social events and rituals.

Different kinds of dances in India (examples):

• Classical dances: Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Manipuri.
• Folk dances: Bhangra (Punjab), Garba (Gujarat), Bihu (Assam), Lavani (Maharashtra) and many local forms across states.

3. Festivals in India

• Festival: An event usually celebrated by a community, centring on important aspects of their religion, traditions, harvest or history. Festivals are often marked as local or national holidays and include rituals, feasts, dances, music and social gatherings.

Specific festivals of particular regions (examples):

• Diwali - widely celebrated across India as the festival of lights.
• Pongal - harvest festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu.
• Baisakhi - harvest festival celebrated in Punjab.
• Onam - harvest festival celebrated in Kerala.
• Lohri - popular in northern India, associated with harvest and winter solstice celebrations.

Summary

This chapter introduced how people make and do things across India: traditional arts and crafts, regional painting styles, famous textiles like pashmina, regional dresses, languages and scripts including Braille, tribal communities, and common professions such as agriculture. It also covered performing arts (dance), sports, and festivals. The emphasis is on understanding cultural diversity, traditional knowledge systems, sustainable practices in professions like agriculture, and how crafts and arts form an essential part of everyday life and identity.