This is a poem of respect , so it must be read slowly, clearly and in a firm, steady voice — never in a sing-song way. Line How to read it What it means “In Bharat's heartland, a grand sight to behold, / The National War Memorial, honours brave stories retold.” Begin strong and unhurried; pause after ‘heartland’. The memorial stands in the centre of the capital, and every name on it carries a story of courage. “With respect and grace, it stands with pride, / Each name etched, each stone, each story to confide.” Slow down on ‘each … each … each’ so the repetition is felt. Every single name is cut into the stone, and each one has a story to tell us. “From battle fields to skies, and to oceans wide, / They stand for Bharat, side by side.” Read the three places as a rising list. The Army, the Air Force and the Navy — soldiers of all three serve together. “The eternal flame, in silence it glows, / Paying homage to their courage that shows.” Drop your voice; this is the quietest couplet. The flame that never goes out is our silent salute to them. “Their sacrifice, always in our mind, / In blessed memory, forever remind.” Steady and thoughtful. We must never forget what they gave up for us. “With pride and respect, let's always remember, / At the National War Memorial, their sacrifice forever.” End firmly, with a full pause before the last three words. A promise: we will keep remembering. Notice the shape of the poem: it is written in six couplets , and the two lines of every couple

Learn it a couplet at a time , using the rhyme to hold each pair together. Read one couplet aloud three times, looking at the book. Cover the second line and say it from memory; then cover both. Add the next couplet and say the two together from the beginning. Go on until all six are joined. Say the whole poem once at night and once the next morning — sleep fixes it in the memory. Couplet Rhyme that helps you remember Picture in your mind 1 behold — retold The tall memorial in the heart of Delhi 2 pride — confide Names cut into stone, one after another 3 wide — side Land, sky and sea — Army, Air Force, Navy 4 glows — shows The eternal flame burning in silence 5 mind — remind A memory kept safe 6 remember — forever Our promise, repeated Why the poem is easy to learn: the couplets follow a natural order — where the memorial is, what is written on it, who is honoured, the flame , our memory , our promise . If you remember that order, the words come back on their own.

NCERT Solutions Poorvi Chapter 5 National War Memorial — Let us do these activities

Book page 161 Updated on2026-09-05

Q1.

Read the poem aloud.

Answer

This is a poem of respect, so it must be read slowly, clearly and in a firm, steady voice — never in a sing-song way.

Line	How to read it	What it means
“In Bharat's heartland, a grand sight to behold, / The National War Memorial, honours brave stories retold.”	Begin strong and unhurried; pause after ‘heartland’.	The memorial stands in the centre of the capital, and every name on it carries a story of courage.
“With respect and grace, it stands with pride, / Each name etched, each stone, each story to confide.”	Slow down on ‘each … each … each’ so the repetition is felt.	Every single name is cut into the stone, and each one has a story to tell us.
“From battle fields to skies, and to oceans wide, / They stand for Bharat, side by side.”	Read the three places as a rising list.	The Army, the Air Force and the Navy — soldiers of all three serve together.
“The eternal flame, in silence it glows, / Paying homage to their courage that shows.”	Drop your voice; this is the quietest couplet.	The flame that never goes out is our silent salute to them.
“Their sacrifice, always in our mind, / In blessed memory, forever remind.”	Steady and thoughtful.	We must never forget what they gave up for us.
“With pride and respect, let's always remember, / At the National War Memorial, their sacrifice forever.”	End firmly, with a full pause before the last three words.	A promise: we will keep remembering.

Notice the shape of the poem: it is written in six couplets, and the two lines of every couplet rhyme — behold/retold, pride/confide, wide/side, glows/shows, mind/remind, remember/forever. Reading it aloud lets you hear that pattern.

Two facts to know before you read: The National War Memorial in New Delhi was established in February 2019, and it was built by the Government of India in honour of our brave soldiers. Beside it burns the Amar Jawan Jyoti, the eternal flame the poem speaks of.

Q2.

Recite the poem with your classmates and teacher.

Answer

Reciting is different from reading — you stand, you look at your listeners, and you speak from memory with feeling.

Do this	Why
Stand straight and still	The poem is about soldiers; your body should show the same respect.
Speak slowly and clearly	Words like etched, confide and homage get lost if you hurry.
Pause at the comma in the middle of each line	Almost every line has one, and it is where the meaning turns.
Do not shout, and do not sing	This is a poem of quiet honour, not a marching song.
Look up at the class between couplets	It makes the words reach your listeners.

A good way to do it in class: divide into six groups and give one couplet to each. Every group recites its own couplet, and then the whole class says the last two lines together. Try it once more with everyone standing in silence for a few seconds at the end, as people do at the memorial itself.

Q3.

Remember the poem.

Answer

Learn it a couplet at a time, using the rhyme to hold each pair together.

Read one couplet aloud three times, looking at the book.
Cover the second line and say it from memory; then cover both.
Add the next couplet and say the two together from the beginning.
Go on until all six are joined. Say the whole poem once at night and once the next morning — sleep fixes it in the memory.

Couplet	Rhyme that helps you remember	Picture in your mind
1	behold — retold	The tall memorial in the heart of Delhi
2	pride — confide	Names cut into stone, one after another
3	wide — side	Land, sky and sea — Army, Air Force, Navy
4	glows — shows	The eternal flame burning in silence
5	mind — remind	A memory kept safe
6	remember — forever	Our promise, repeated

Why the poem is easy to learn: the couplets follow a natural order — where the memorial is, what is written on it, who is honoured, the flame, our memory, our promise. If you remember that order, the words come back on their own.

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