CBSE Class 5 Hindi Chapter 12 Ganga Ki Kahani Notes 2025-26

Nisha’s aunt promised her a trip to see Ajanta and Ellora during the vacations. Nisha had always read about these places in her books and was very curious to see what the caves would be like. As soon as the school holidays began, Nisha and her aunt made a program to visit Ajanta and Ellora. They reserved their train seats up to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, a city in Maharashtra. On reaching there late at night, they stayed at the station rest house and left for Ajanta by bus in the morning.

Nisha found the first view of Ajanta very beautiful. There was a small river with big rocks, a hill where 29 caves stood in a line, and a pond filled with water just under the cave. The caves face the east so the morning sun rays shone beautifully on them. In the valley, colorful flowers were blooming everywhere.

Nisha entered the caves with her aunt and was amazed by the beautiful paintings on the walls. The scenes showed Buddha leaving home for meditation, monks receiving teachings, and even monks asking for alms. There were also paintings of trees, animals, birds, and women, all made with vivid, natural colors that still looked fresh even after two thousand years.

When Nisha asked how the colors had stayed bright, her aunt explained that the artists used natural materials like leaves, herbs, and flowers to make colors. Nisha was mesmerized by the fine details in the paintings – hand gestures, expressions, graceful bodies, and emotions like happiness and sadness on the faces. The art looked so real, it seemed as if the figures would start speaking.

Some caves were large and spacious, while others were smaller. The most surprising thing for Nisha was discovering that these caves and the sculptures inside were all carved into the rock of the hills, not built from separate stones. The sculptures, especially, were made by carefully carving the mountain stone.

After seeing Ajanta, Nisha and her aunt returned to Sambhajinagar and left early the next day to see the Ellora caves, about 40 kilometers away. Here, Nisha saw nearly thirty temples carved into the rocks. Unlike Ajanta, the Ellora caves have sculptures not only of Buddhism but also Hindu and Jain traditions.

The craftsmanship was amazing – huge structures and splendid sculptures carved from single rocks. Nisha was especially impressed by the famous Kailash Temple, which was made by cutting from top of the mountain downward. Her aunt said it was a matter of pride that even thousands of years ago, Indian craftsmen had reached such high levels of art.

• When do your holidays occur? Where do you go during vacations?
• Beautiful paintings are seen inside Ajanta and Ellora. What kind of pictures or artwork do you see at your home or neighborhood?
• Who paints or draws in your home? On what surfaces (paper, ground, walls, clay items, clothes)?
• Why did Nisha exclaim “Wah!” on seeing the paintings? When do you say “Wow!”?

• Why was Nisha excited to go to Ajanta and Ellora?
  • She had read about these caves in books.
• How did Nisha feel after seeing Ajanta and Ellora caves?
  • She was surprised and amazed.
• Why have the colors in Ajanta caves not faded after so many years?
  • They were made using natural things like flowers, plants, etc.
• Why did Nisha keep remembering the artwork even after returning?
  • Because the artworks were very attractive.

• What did Nisha see in Ajanta?
• What is the most amazing thing you learnt about Kailash Temple?
• What did aunt say about big and small caves?
• Why are Ajanta caves facing east?
• Which transport options help you reach Ajanta and Ellora?

• If the paintings on Ajanta’s walls could speak, what stories would they tell?
• If you could draw on the cave walls thousands of years ago, what would you paint, and why?

• Match words with similar meanings:
  • शिलाखंड – big stone, rock
  • गुफा – cave
  • कुंड – pond, water reservoir
  • भिक्षु – monk
• ‘विश्रामगृह’ is a compound word (विश्राम + गृह). Find more such words.
• ‘ज्यों का त्यों’ means “as it is.” Use similar phrases like “जैसे का तैसा,” “वैसा का वैसा” in sentences.
• Make sentences with: रंग रह जाना, आँखें न हट पाना, मन मोह लेना, सजीव, अद्भुत, सुंदर, बड़ी, रंग-बिरंगा, जोड़ी.

• What is the name of the river?
• How many caves are shown in total?
• Which direction is indicated?
• What does “You are here” mean on a map?
• What is the name of the pond?

• Measure the length and width of your classroom, door, window, and blackboard.

• Green: Make by grinding spinach, mehendi, mint, or green coriander with water.
• Yellow: Mix turmeric powder in water.
• Red: Boil and mash beetroot, then filter to get red.
• Blue: Mix indigo in water.
• Brown: Boil coffee powder or tea leaves for brown.

Use these natural colors for your paintings.

Apart from Ajanta and Ellora, look up other historical sites in India at your library. Read and discuss these with your class.

Nisha wrote a thank you card to her aunt for the memorable Ajanta-Ellora trip. Try writing a thank you note to someone you appreciate.

India's ancient sites and artworks increase our pride and beauty as a nation. We must not touch, scratch, or climb on these monuments as it damages them. Always be careful while visiting heritage spots.

Share your own or your family’s interesting train journey experiences. Write about what you saw, heard, and felt during the journey.

Using numbers from 21 to 49 and 32 to 34, create a drawing and color it with your favorite shades.

Class 5 Hindi Chapter 12 Notes – Hamare Ye Kalamandir Key Revision Points

These Class 5 Hindi Chapter 12 notes provide a complete summary of "Hamare Ye Kalamandir" focused on Ajanta and Ellora caves. Important points are listed so students can revise quickly and remember all key facts during exams. Simple explanations and easy questions help in understanding the story better.

Key vocabulary and natural color-making methods included in these revision notes make learning practical and enjoyable. The notes also contain question patterns found in exams, helping students build confidence and score well in Hindi.