Celebrating Festivals — Class 3 EVS (CBSE)

From the current NCERT Our Wondrous World Grade 3 book, Unit 1: Our Families and Communities, Chapter 3. India is a land of many festivals that fill our year with joy and togetherness.

1. Why this chapter matters

Festivals bring families and communities together. Learning about them helps children understand why we celebrate, how different communities celebrate, and the value of respecting all festivals — the spirit of unity in diversity.

2. Key ideas

• A festival is a special day or time that people celebrate together with joy.
• Harvest festivals thank nature for a good crop — for example, Pongal, Baisakhi, Bihu, Lohri, and Onam.
• Religious festivals are celebrated by different communities — for example, Diwali, Holi, Eid, Christmas, and Guru Nanak Jayanti.
• National festivals are celebrated by the whole country — Independence Day (15 August), Republic Day (26 January), and Gandhi Jayanti (2 October).
• We celebrate by wearing new clothes, eating special food, decorating homes, lighting lamps, and sharing gifts and greetings.
• We respect the festivals of all communities — this is unity in diversity.

3. Let's understand

India has festivals all year round. Some are harvest festivals that thank nature when crops are ready — farmers and families celebrate with food, songs, and dance. Others are religious festivals celebrated by different communities, each with its own customs, sweets, and prayers.

A few festivals belong to the whole nation. On Independence Day and Republic Day we hoist the flag and remember our freedom fighters; on Gandhi Jayanti we remember Mahatma Gandhi.

However we celebrate, festivals are a time to share joy — new clothes, tasty food, lights, rangoli, and gifts. Most of all, they bring people together and teach us to respect every community's way of celebrating.

4. New words

5. Activity corner

Make a simple festival calendar. Pick three festivals and write:

• The name of each festival and the month it comes in
• Whether it is a harvest, religious, or national festival
• One way it is celebrated

6. Common mistakes

• Mistake: Thinking all festivals are religious. Fix: Festivals can be harvest, religious, or national.
• Mistake: Mixing up Independence Day and Republic Day. Fix: Independence Day is 15 August; Republic Day is 26 January.
• Mistake: Saying only "my" festival is important. Fix: We respect the festivals of all communities — unity in diversity.

7. Let Us Think

1. What is a festival? A special day or time that people celebrate together with joy.

2. Give one example each of a harvest, religious, and national festival. Harvest: Pongal (or Baisakhi); Religious: Diwali (or Eid); National: Independence Day.

3. Why do we celebrate harvest festivals? To thank nature for a good crop.

4. Name our three national festivals. Independence Day, Republic Day, and Gandhi Jayanti.

5. What does "unity in diversity" mean here? Many different communities celebrate different festivals, and we respect them all.

8. Answer key

1. A special day celebrated together with joy.
2. Harvest: Pongal; Religious: Diwali; National: Independence Day.
3. To thank nature for a good harvest.
4. Independence Day, Republic Day, Gandhi Jayanti.
5. Respecting the many different festivals and customs of all communities.

9. Quick revision

• A festival is a special day celebrated together with joy.
• Three kinds: harvest, religious, and national festivals.
• National festivals: Independence Day (15 Aug), Republic Day (26 Jan), Gandhi Jayanti (2 Oct).
• We celebrate with new clothes, food, decorations, and sharing.
• We respect all festivals — unity in diversity.

Unit 1: Our Families and Communities

This chapter is part of Unit 1: Our Families and Communities. The three chapters in this unit are:

• Chapter 1: Family and Friends
• Chapter 2: Going to the Mela
• Chapter 3: Celebrating Festivals