Things We Make and Do

Overview

This topic connects children's everyday experiences with the world of work, crafts, and local production. For UPTET, it falls under Environmental Studies (EVS) and tests your understanding of how communities create goods, practise traditional crafts, and engage in various occupations. The focus is particularly on Uttar Pradesh's rich craft heritage and regional products.

Questions typically assess knowledge of famous crafts and their origin districts, raw materials used in local products, occupations linked to specific regions, and the socio-economic importance of cottage industries. This topic aligns with NCF 2005's emphasis on linking school learning to the child's immediate environment. Expect 2–4 questions on crafts, occupations, and local products in Paper I.

Mastering this topic requires memorising key craft-district associations, understanding the tools and materials involved, and appreciating how these occupations sustain livelihoods in UP's rural and urban areas.

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Key Concepts

• **Local crafts reflect cultural identity**: Every region of UP has distinct crafts shaped by available raw materials, historical patronage, and community skills passed across generations.

• **Cottage and small-scale industries**: Most traditional crafts operate as household or small-workshop industries, providing employment without heavy machinery or large capital.

• **Raw material determines craft location**: Brassware flourishes in Moradabad due to metal availability; Bhadohi carpets thrive because of wool and cotton access.

• **Occupations are linked to geography**: Riverine areas support fishing and pottery (clay from riverbeds); forested regions support wood carving and lac work.

• **GI Tags protect heritage**: Geographical Indication tags (e.g., Lucknow Chikankari, Banaras Brocade) legally protect authenticity and boost artisan income.

• **Tools are often handmade and specialised**: Chikan embroidery uses specific needles; pottery requires the traditional wheel (chaak); weaving needs looms (kargha).

• **Women's contribution is significant**: Many crafts—chikankari, zari work, terracotta painting—are predominantly practised by women, supporting household economies.

• **Government schemes promote crafts**: Schemes like One District One Product (ODOP) and Vishwakarma Shram Samman Yojana aim to revive and market UP's traditional products.

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Key Facts

| Craft / Product | Associated District(s) | Raw Material / Feature | |-----------------|------------------------|------------------------| | Chikankari (embroidery) | Lucknow | White cotton/muslin cloth; shadow-work stitches | | Banarasi Silk Sarees | Varanasi | Silk, gold/silver zari; brocade weaving | | Brassware | Moradabad | Brass; engraving and etching | | Carpet Weaving | Bhadohi, Mirzapur | Wool, silk, cotton; hand-knotted | | Pottery / Terracotta | Khurja (Bulandshahr), Gorakhpur | Clay; black pottery of Nizamabad (now Telangana but often asked) | | Wooden Toys | Varanasi, Chitrakoot | Lac-coated wood; bright colours | | Glass Bangles | Firozabad | Glass; furnace-blown and coloured | | Zardozi (metal embroidery) | Lucknow, Varanasi | Gold/silver threads on fabric | | Leather Goods | Kanpur, Agra | Tanned leather; footwear and bags | | Perfume (Attar) | Kannauj | Distilled flower essences; sandalwood base | | Hand-block Printing | Farrukhabad | Cotton cloth; wooden blocks and natural dyes | | Stone Carving | Agra | Marble; inlay (pietra dura) technique |

**Additional must-remember facts:**

1. Kannauj is called the "Perfume Capital of India." 2. Firozabad produces nearly 70% of India's glass bangles. 3. Moradabad is nicknamed "Pital Nagri" (Brass City). 4. Bhadohi-Mirzapur belt is one of the world's largest hand-knotted carpet clusters. 5. Lucknow Chikankari received GI tag in 2008. 6. ODOP scheme covers all 75 districts of UP, each linked to one signature product.

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Worked Examples

### Example 1 **Question:** Match the following crafts with their districts:

| Craft | District | |-------|----------| | 1. Chikankari | A. Firozabad | | 2. Glass Bangles | B. Lucknow | | 3. Brassware | C. Bhadohi | | 4. Carpets | D. Moradabad |

**Solution:**

• Chikankari → Lucknow (B)
• Glass Bangles → Firozabad (A)
• Brassware → Moradabad (D)
• Carpets → Bhadohi (C)

**Answer:** 1-B, 2-A, 3-D, 4-C

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### Example 2 **Question:** Which raw material is primarily used in making Banarasi sarees?

(a) Cotton (b) Jute (c) Silk with zari (d) Wool

**Solution:** Banarasi sarees are woven from silk threads interlaced with gold or silver zari (metallic thread). Cotton and wool are not the primary materials for this brocade.

**Answer:** (c) Silk with zari

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### Example 3 **Question:** A teacher wants to teach students about local occupations. Which activity would be most appropriate according to EVS pedagogy?

(a) Reading aloud from the textbook about crafts (b) Showing a documentary and asking students to memorise names (c) Organising a visit to a nearby potter's workshop (d) Giving a written test on occupations

**Solution:** EVS pedagogy emphasises experiential and activity-based learning. A field visit to a potter's workshop lets children observe, interact, and learn through direct experience—aligned with NCF 2005 recommendations.

**Answer:** (c) Organising a visit to a nearby potter's workshop

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Common Mistakes

1. **Confusing Moradabad with Firozabad**

• Wrong: "Moradabad is famous for glass bangles."
• Correct: Moradabad → Brassware; Firozabad → Glass bangles. Remember: **M**oradabad = **M**etal (brass); **F**irozabad = Fragile (glass).

2. **Mixing up carpet centres**

• Wrong: "Varanasi is the main carpet-weaving hub."
• Correct: Carpets → Bhadohi and Mirzapur. Varanasi is famous for silk sarees and wooden toys.

3. **Forgetting the raw material link**

• Wrong: Assuming any craft can exist anywhere.
• Correct: Crafts develop where raw materials are available—clay near rivers for pottery, flowers and sandalwood for Kannauj's attar.

4. **Ignoring the role of women artisans**

• Wrong: Viewing crafts as male-dominated industries only.
• Correct: Chikankari, zari embroidery, and terracotta painting employ large numbers of women. UPTET may test gender and livelihood linkages.

5. **Overlooking GI tags and government schemes**

• Wrong: Treating GI tags as irrelevant trivia.
• Correct: GI tags like Lucknow Chikankari, Banaras Brocade are frequently tested; ODOP is a current-affairs favourite.

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Quick Reference

• **Lucknow** = Chikankari, Zardozi
• **Varanasi** = Banarasi silk, wooden toys
• **Moradabad** = Brassware ("Pital Nagri")
• **Firozabad** = Glass bangles
• **Bhadohi-Mirzapur** = Hand-knotted carpets
• **Kannauj** = Attar (perfume capital)
• **Khurja** = Ceramics and pottery
• **Kanpur / Agra** = Leather goods
• **ODOP** = One District One Product scheme linking each UP district to a unique product