Food for All

Class 6 Social Science · Chapter 8: Unity in Diversity, or 'Many in the One' · NCERT Exploring Society: India and Beyond section 8.2

Learn

On the train, Pranav had parathas for breakfast near Delhi. By the next morning, in the south, it was idli and sambar! Food in India changes with what grows locally, and that depends on the land and the climate.

Where rain is plentiful (much of the south, east and the coasts), rice is the main grain. In the cooler, drier north-west, wheat is common. In dry regions like parts of Rajasthan and the Deccan, millets such as bajra, jowar and ragi are eaten. Coastal people enjoy fish and coconut.

Yet beneath the differences there is a lot in common. A dish like khichdi (rice and lentils cooked together) is made almost everywhere, with a different name and flavour in each region. Spices like turmeric, ginger and pepper, many grown in India for thousands of years, flavour food across the country.

Customs around food are shared too: sharing food with guests ("the guest is like a god"), offering food at festivals and places of worship, and community meals like langars and temple kitchens that feed anyone who comes.

Explore: which main grain?

1. Sort each dish by its main grain.

Remember

• Main grains vary: rice where rain is plentiful, wheat in the north-west, millets in dry areas.
• Dishes like khichdi, shared spices, and customs like feeding guests unite India.

Quick check

Why is rice the main grain in much of south and east India?

1. Rice needs lots of water, and these areas get plenty of rain
2. It is a law
3. Wheat is not allowed there
4. By chance

Think about it

What is khichdi called in your home or region, and how is it made?

Practice

Practise with fresh questions at three levels (easy, medium, hard), some answered hands-on, with hints and worked answers. Get 4 of your last 5 right to finish the topic.