Historical Places

UNIT 1

Historical Places

Learning Objectives

Childern will be able to:

* list the historical places in Tamil Nadu.

* recognise the picture and name the place in Tamil Nadu.

* understand that every historical place has a history (story).

Chandru, a school boy goes to stationery shop to buy picture charts and sketch pens for his project.

Let us see the conversation he had with the shop keeper.

STATIONERY SHOP

 Chandru : Uncle, do you have sketch pens?

Shopkeeper : Yes.

Chandru looks around the shop and he finds maps and different picture charts.

Chandru : Uncle, what does this chart have?

Shopkeeper : This chart has pictures of historical places in Tamil Nadu.

Chandru : What are historical places?

Shopkeeper : These are the places where buildings, idols and arts were made long ago. The government keeps them safe. So that we can learn about them.

Chandru points to a picture on the chart.

Chandru : I have gone to Mahabalipuram with my parents. It is near Chennai.

Shopkeeper : Yes. It has four different styles of architectures.

Chandru : Is it? Who built it?

Shopkeeper : Yes. It was built by Pallavas.

Chandru : My mother told me that most of the monuments were made out of just one stone.

Shopkeeper : Yes correct.

Shopkeeper : Do you know something? Why the Shore temple is called so?

Chandru : No.

Shopkeeper : The Sea Shore Temple is so named because it over looks the shore of the Bay of Bengal.

Chandru : Oh! Is it! great.

LET US KNOW

Temples at Mahabalipuram were built by thre generations of the Pallava Kings and it took nearly 200 years to plan and create the site.

ACTIVITY

Let us write

List any five places you have visited. Stick the photo of any one place.

Mahabalipuram

Chettinad

Kanyakumari

Tirunelveli

Madurai

Chandru points to another picture on the chart.

Chandru : Where is fort St. George?

Shopkeeper : It is also in Chennai. It is the first English fort in India.

Chandru : What else is there inside the fort?

Shopkeeper : The fort has a museum and a church. The Secretariat of Tamil Nadu is also inside the fort.

Chandru : I like to go to museums. I am surely going to visit the fort.

Shopkeeper : Yes you should.

Shopkeeper points to another picture on the chart

Shopkeeper : Look at this picture. Do you know whose statue is this?

Chandru : Of course. He is Thiruvalluvar who wrote the famous Thirukural.

Shopkeeper : Yes, good.

Chandru : Where is this statue?

Shopkeeper : This is in Kanyakumari.

Chandru : The statue is so tall.

Shopkeeper : Yes, is 133feet tall. Does 133 remind you of anything?

Chandru : Thirukural has 133 adhikarams or chapters.

Shopkeeper : Well done. That statue‛s height denotes the number of chapters in Thirukural.

Chandru : What is the name of the sea that surrounds the statue?

Shopkeeper : The statue is built on the rock which is surrounded by Arabian sea, Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal.

Chandru : Wow! The statue looks majestic.

ACTIVITY

Let us discuss and write

Have you seen the monuments with names and drawings scribbled by people? Do you think is it correct to do this? Write your views.

Yes , I have seen monuments with names and drawing scribbled by people. I do not think it is correct. These ancient buildings and monuments are a great historical value. We should not damage them by writing on them. We should protect them because they are a part of our cultural heritage.

Chandru points to a picture on the chart

Chandru : What is the name of this temple?

Shopkeeper : This is the very famous Thanjavur PeriyaKovil also known as Brihadeeshwara Temple.

Chandru : Who built it?

Shopkeeper : It was built by Raja Raja Cholan. Do you know that the Nandi inside the temple was built using a single stone?

Chandru : Is it?

Shopkeeper : Yes. Another interesting fact about the temple is that the shadow of the main temple does not fall on the ground.

Chandru : How wonderful! It is so interesting to see them. I would like to go there.

Shopkeeper : Yes, you must visit. I have gone there when I was a child and I would like to go there again.

Think

Have you seen the carvings at monument or temple?

ACTIVITY

Let us write

Discuss with your friends and write down your favourite tourist places in Tamil Nadu.

❖ Kanyakumari

❖ Ooty

❖ Madurai

❖ Mahabalipuram

❖ Chennai

Chandru : This is the last picture on the chart and it looks like a fort.

Shopkeeper : Yes, you are correct. This is Gingee fort in Villupuram district.

Chandru : Wow! is it?

Shopkeeper : Yes, this is one of the oldest forts in Tamil Nadu.

Chandru : I can also see hills. I would like to see the Gingee fort.

Shopkeeper : All of us must visit these places as they have so much history behind and we must take pride in them.

Shopkeeper : That is nice. Please take Tamil Nadu monument chart and sketch pens.

Chandru : Yes, I will hang it in my house and talk about it to all my friends. Thank you, Uncle!

Glossary

Architecture : The art of making buildings is called Architecture

Monuments : A building, structure or site that is of historical importance.

Museum : Place of exhibition.

Recap

* There is a history (story) behind every monument.

* Monuments in Mahabalipuram were built by Pallavas.

* Fort St. George is the first English fort in India.

* Thiruvalluvar statue is situated in Kanyakumari.

* Thanjavur Periya Kovil was built by Raja Raja Cholan.

* Gingee fort in Villupuram district.