Nature on Pitara Kids Network

The Mighty

Fri, 11 Oct 2002 03:31:44 +0000

At the edge of a forest, stood a big tree. Its branches spread out majestically and so did its roots. It shielded people from the sun under its shady leaves, and provided shelter to countless birds and other small creatures in its branches. It buzzed with activity all the time.

At the foot of the tree grew a little plant. The plant was willowy and delicate, and tended to keel over at the touch of the slightest breeze.

How Many Greens?

Thu, 22 May 2003 08:39:03 +0000

How many greens are there in the park?
Can we count them – one by one?

There’s the light, light green of
the tender little grass
I would like this green
For the walls of my house!

There’s the darker green of the older plants
that have flowered for many years
I would like to have them as friends
For the numerous stories they can tell.

And there’s the darkest green of them all
In trees majestic and strong
They hold up the sky and protect the earth
You see, they are the oldest of them all.

My Garden

Sat, 06 Jan 2001 17:15:59 +0000

There’s a garden in my house
A garden full of flowers
I love to be there all the time
And spend just hours and hours

There are roses, every kind
And lilies in the pool
Sunflowers looking trim and bright
And jasmines white and cool.

There’s a lawn of velvet grass
So soft and oh so green
Like a carpet beneath my feet
The nicest I have seen.

Science Quiz

Sun, 14 Sep 1997 03:11:43 +0000

Do you know what CO2 refers to? Do you know the meaning of light-year? Come, explore the wonderful world of science.

My Dream (A Vision Of Peace)

Sat, 03 Aug 2002 20:42:44 +0000

Where the mountains touch the sky

Where poets DREAM, where eagles fly

A secret place above the crowd

Just beneath a silver-lined cloud.

Lift your eyes to a snowy peak

And see the soon-to-be we seek

Whisper DREAMS and let them rise

To the mountains old and wise.

Climbers climb, it’s time to try

Where the mountains touch the sky
Take me there. Oh take me now…

Someway, Someday, Somewhere, Somehow!

Where the ocean meets the sky

Animal Quiz - 2

Fri, 23 Apr 1999 13:34:38 +0000

It is the largest living creature on earth, and weighs the same as 30 elephants put together. What is it? Check out your animal facts. [A sciene quiz for children about animals]

The Eagle’s Tale

Thu, 02 Jan 2003 23:11:31 +0000

Did you hear the wind
sigh
As it brushed past the neem tree
high?

The wind met an eagle ready to
cry
What’s the matter?
Smile – at least
try.
Said the wind to the eagle

I’ve hurt my wings, I can’t
fly
That’s why I’m ready to
cry

Said the eagle to the wind

Is that all? What are we here for
Said the neem and the wind with a
smile

Who am I

Thu, 19 Dec 2002 21:30:22 +0000

Just read the rhymes that we have made for you. Let us see if you can pick up the clue.

Have You Seen the Cuckoo Bird?

Fri, 23 Jun 2000 21:27:22 +0000

Have you seen the cuckoo bird
With raven-coloured wing?
Although I haven’t seen one yet
I’ve often heard her sing.

The cuckoo on our champak tree
Is hidden from our sight
Because the leaves are thick and close
But how she sings at night!

‘Cuckoo… cuckoo’ says the bird
‘I may be dark, it’s true
But there is not a single bird
That sings the way I do!’

Treehuggers

Sun, 27 Jan 2002 05:51:43 +0000

Children of the fragile forest gather around
Where bird song seems to be the loudest sound

A place called Summer, green as you could please
A place where we all proudly hug the trees.

Hug trees for the walnuts and sweet apples
For the shade above small country chapels

For giving squirrel and crow a place to live
For the priceless gift of oxygen they give.

Sciene Quiz about Flowers

Thu, 04 Jul 2002 07:57:34 +0000

When you want to convey your feelings, you say it with flowers. Do you know that humans have attached different meanings and values to flowers? [A sciene quiz for children about flowers]

Birds

Thu, 18 Mar 1999 15:22:37 +0000

Which bird feeds its young ones so much that they become too fat to fly? And which bird can hold 13 litres of water in the giant pouches of its beak… It’s simply fascinating!

The Song of the Bee

Thu, 03 Jun 1999 22:15:56 +0000

Buzz! buzz! buzz!
This is the song of the bee.
His legs are yellow;
A jolly, good fellow,
And yet a great worker is he.

In days that are sunny
He’s getting his honey,
In days that are cloudy
He’s making his wax:
On pinks and on lilies,
And gay daffodillies,
And columbine blossoms,
He levies a tax!

Buzz! buzz! buzz!
The sweet-smelling clover,
He, humming, hangs over;
The scent of the roses
Makes fragrant his wings:
He never gets lazy;

Little Blue Daisies

Sat, 29 Sep 2001 19:34:09 +0000

Little blue daisies

in my flowerbed
First came the ladybird
red red red
Fly away ladybird
said the daisy blue
Poor little ladybird flew flew flew

Then came the grasshopper
green green green
He hid in the leaves
not to be seen
Hop away grasshopper,
said the daisy blue
Poor little grasshopper
Went hop, hop hop

Third came the bumblebee
black black black
Humming to himself
a brand new song
Fly away bumblebee, said

Excerpts From 'The world of trees'

Thu, 07 Nov 1996 05:51:09 +0000

This is a remarkable book on trees – trees which are not just ‘described’ to you in words as having branches, leaves and sweet-smelling flowers, but trees which you can actually ‘see’ as you read. Big trees, tall trees, stately trees….all come alive with the cries and activities of the numerous birds and insects living on them, the age old myths associated with them and the author’s personal comments, witty and insightful. Indeed, in many places, especially in villages in India, trees are quite inseparable from the way of life of the people.

The Red Flower

Sun, 31 Jan 1999 00:43:46 +0000

RED FLOWER: Hello friends. I am Red Flower. I live here in these fields. All the trees, animals, birds, clouds, winds and the sun are my friends. But my best friend is Sun. It is morning now and time for him to come.

(Morning comes.)

SUN: Hello Red Flower. I bring a good morning to you. Did my sister Night give you any good dreams in your sleep?

RED FLOWER: Yes, more than you dear Sun. She gave me so many dreams from the countries you go to every day. Tell me what you really saw on the other side while I was sleeping?

Earth Quiz: Geogrpahy

Fri, 28 Aug 1998 12:42:00 +0000

Cars can be fun and they can be good to learn.

The Flies and the Honey Pot

Tue, 11 Jul 2000 13:57:58 +0000

A jar of honey chanced to spill
Its contents on the windowsill
In many a viscous pool and rill

The flies, attracted by the sweet,
Began so greedily to eat,
They smeared their fragile wings and feet.

With many a twitch and pull in vain
They gasped to get away again,
And died in aromatic pain.

Animal Talk

Sun, 27 Jan 2002 08:07:04 +0000

Each animal has its special way of communicating – through sounds. So take a guess about animal talk.

The Arrow and the Song

Wed, 11 Jul 2001 04:50:09 +0000

I shot an arrow into the air,
It fell to the earth, I knew not where;
For, so swiftly it flew, the sight
Could not follow it in its flight.

I breathed a song into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For who has sight so keen and strong,
That it can follow the flight of song?

Long, long afterward, in an oak
I found the arrow, still unbroken;
And the song, from beginning to end,
I found again in the heart of a friend.

It's a Beetle's World

Fri, 11 Jun 1999 03:09:41 +0000

Have you ever had winged visitors to your room on a rainy day, that are black, shiny and button-like, and which fall to the ground with a distinct tapping sound? You might also be familiar with those cute-looking insects with bright orange bodies dotted with black, called Ladybirds, hovering over flowers and tender leaves. There also might have been times when an unlucky one splats on your windshield or gets crunched underfoot. Well, these are all different kinds of BEETLES — creatures that can be called evolution’s biggest success story.

My Squirrel Friend

Mon, 04 Dec 2000 06:03:08 +0000

Have you seen my little friend?
I call him nimble-feet
Because he moves so swift and fast
Is nimble – and discreet!

He runs away with all my nuts
And yet is never caught
His striped coat is ever bright
And clean – without a spot

He helps himself to all my things
Which I would never lend
And yet I cannot do without
My frisky squirrel-friend!

Animal Quiz - 1

Sun, 15 Dec 1996 12:14:49 +0000

You’ll be surprised and tickled to know how some animals behave! Each one has its unique feature, which distinguishes itself from the others. These ‘funny facts’ are given to you and all you have to do is guess the name of the animal. [A sciene quiz for children about animals]

The Gardener Bird

Mon, 07 May 2001 07:54:42 +0000

Look at this nest. Doesn’t it remind you of a hut? It is built by a bird with an appropriate name. It is called the gardener bird. It works hard at building its house and decorating it.

The Gardener Bird [Illustration by Shridevi R.]

And, after building the house, it makes a garden around it.

The gardener bird likes colourful objects. So, its house is always surrounded with colourful flowers and shells. These objects are not just thrown together haphazardly. The bird arranges them very carefully and even tries out different patterns before deciding on the final look of the garden.

Call them Together

Thu, 12 Apr 2001 14:27:07 +0000

When there is one of them we call it by its name but when they are in a group we give them a special name. Let’s take a look at a few of the animal groups.

Flowering Bamboos

Sun, 28 Jun 1998 23:44:48 +0000

The huge bamboos, once bare,
Are now covered with beautiful, pale white flowers,
The yellow and green leaves,
Of the bamboos looming in the vast sky,
Make nature so beautiful and sweet.

Behold the pointed, shiny leaves,
Flying everywhere and leaping with the wind,
They are glad there are flowers,
With a fluffy carpet of them on the ground,
Along with the tiny grains.

Can you hear the leaves rustling,
They seem to tell each other a thousand times,

The Nest

Thu, 29 Jul 1999 11:33:53 +0000

Common Birds
Written by Salim Ali and Laeeq Futehally
Published by National Book Trust, New Delhi

Think of birds and you think of Dr. Salim Ali, India’s most famous ornithologist. He is the scientist who succeeded in communicating his passion for studying bird life in India to the ordinary Indian.

Generations of Indians have grown up on his wonderfully warm and crisp writings on birds and have squealed in delight on being able to distinguish a red turtle dove from a spotted dove. Those who have accepted him as a guide have been able to explore the complex societies that nature’s feathered creatures have created – as complex as human societies.

ताती ताती तोता

Thu, 11 May 2000 20:46:43 +0000

ताती ताती तोता
पिंजरे में सोता
पंख जो हरे थे
उड़न से भरे थे
हो गये हैं पीले
पड़ गये हैं ढीले
ताती ताती तोता।
ताती ताती तोता
पिंजरो में रोता
झांखते हैं प्यारे
नन्हें नन्हें तारे
कहते है तोता
काहे को तू रोता
अंधकार छोड़ दे
पिंजरो को तोड़ दे
उड़ते उड़ते सारी रात
आके मिल जा अपने साथ
छोटे भाई तोता प्यारा
तू भी बन जा एक सितारा

बच्चों के लिए हिन्दी कविताएँ
Hindi poem for children

पेड़

Fri, 16 Jan 1998 18:16:26 +0000

आओ इस जंगल में आओ
मत घबराओ
मैं इस जंगल का एक पेड़
तुम्हें बुलाता हूं
अपनी कथा सुनाता हूं
आओ अपने साथियों से
मिलवाता हूं
आओ, छूकर देखो मेरा तना
सीधा और मज़बूत
और ऊपर
मेरी पतली बल खाती
शाखों को देखो
देखो अनगिनत टहनियों को
क्या पूछते हो मेरे दोस्त
वो तो पिछले पतझड़ में गिर गए
लेकिन जल्द ही फिर निकल आएंगे
मेरी डालियों पर लद जाएंगे।
मेरी जड़े नहीं दिखती तुम्हें
लेकिन वे हैं ज़मीन के नीचे
गहराई तक फैली हुई
वही सोखती हैं ज़मीन से पानी
मेरी प्यास बुझाने को
लो फूट आए मेरे हरे भरे कपड़े
लेकिन ये मेरी पोषाक ही नहीं
मेरी पोषाक भी हैं
हवा से खींचते हैं सांस
और सूरज से गर्मी
और बनाते हैं मेरी खुराक।
ये कीड़े मकोड़े
रेंगते, उड़ते, फुदकते हुए
ये सब मेरे दोस्त हैं
मैंने इन्हें
दरारों, छेदों, सुराखों में बसाया है
इनके अंडों को जाड़े गर्मी से बचाया है।
इनके बच्चों को अपने सीने पर सुलाया है।
इसी से खुश होकर
ये गाते हैं गीत
मधुर संगीत
भुन भुन, झिन झिन
और नाचते हैं
सारे सारे दिन।
रंग बिरंगे पंछी
मेरे पास आते हैं
मेरी टहनियों के बीच
अपने घोंसले बनाते हैं
चहकते हैं, गाते हैं
उड़ते हैं, मंडराते हैं
अपने नन्हें मुन्ने बच्चों को
उड़ना सिखाते हैं।
मुझे बच्चे बहुत प्यारे हैं
बच्चों को मैं प्यारा हूं
आते हैं मेरे साए में
ऊधम मचाने
लटकने मेरी डालियों से
झूले बनाने
मेरे खट्ठे मीठे फलों को
चोरी छिपे खाने
मुझे ध्यान से देखो
इस जंगल के
सभी पेड़ों को
प्यार से देखो
हमारा और तुम्हारा
कितना गहरा नाता है
ये जंगल सब प्राणियों के
कितने काम आता है
मेरी लकड़ी से बनी हैं
तुम्हारी मेज़े कुर्सियां
तुम्हारे सोने की चारपाई
तुम्हारे दरवाजे खिड़कियां
और तुम्हारी पेंसिल।
टीचर से पूछो
वो बतलाएंगी कि
मैं बारिश भी करवाता हूं
मिट्टी को बहने से बचाता हूं
बाढ़ भी रूकवाता हूं
और सूखा भी भगाता हूं
ये पूरा जंगल तुम्हारे काम आता है
तुम्हे कितना सुख पहुंचाता है।
लेकिन मुनाफाखोर व्यापारी
इसे अंधाधुंध कटवाता है
नए पेड़ नहीं लगवाता है
रोको रोको
उस लोभी को रोको
ऐसा करने से उसे टोको
नहीं तो एक दिन
ये जंगल खत्म हो जाएगा
सिर्फ ठूंठों का एक श्मशान रह जाएगा।