Environment
Why This Matters
Have you ever planted a seed and waited for it to grow? At first, nothing happens. The soil just sits there. Day after day you check, and still there is no plant. Then one morning — a tiny green shoot. It is one of the best feelings in the world.
Now think about the bigger picture. Every meal you eat — your rice, your roti, your dal — comes from a plant that grew in soil, drank rain, and soaked up sunlight. We do not always notice it, but our whole life rests on nature.
This unit is called “Environment”. It brings you three pieces of writing about our bond with the natural world. One is a gentle story about a boy and a cherry tree he grows with his own hands. One is a song of thanks to the sun, the rain and the earth. One is about a farmer waiting and waiting for the rain that will not come — and the old woman who helps him understand why.
Together they teach us to slow down, to be patient, to be grateful, and to respect the way nature works. Let us begin.
The Big Idea
Humans and nature depend on each other. We need nature for food, water and life itself — and nature, in turn, responds to our care. The three pieces in this unit teach us three sides of this bond: be patient and care for what you grow, be grateful for what nature gives, and respect nature’s own rhythm — even the tired land needs to rest.
📖 Where to read the original: These writers are modern, and their work is still in copyright, so the full original story, poem and prose are not reproduced here. Read them in your NCERT Poorvi (Grade 8) textbook. This page gives you clear summaries and explanations to study alongside it.
The Story — “The Cherry Tree”
The first piece is a warm, slow-moving story called “The Cherry Tree”, written by Ruskin Bond. Ruskin Bond is one of India’s most loved writers. He lives in the hills near Mussoorie, and many of his stories are set there. This one is about a boy, his grandfather, and a tree they grow together.
What happens
A boy named Rakesh lived with his grandfather in a little cottage on the edge of Mussoorie, in the Himalayan foothills. His parents lived far away in a small village, where they grew maize, rice and barley. There were no schools in the village, so Rakesh was sent to stay with his grandfather and go to school.
One day, when Rakesh was six, he was walking home from the bazaar eating cherries. By the time he reached home, only three were left. He gave one to his grandfather, ate two himself, and kept the last seed. His grandfather told him something wise: a seed is not lucky if you just put it away. “If you want luck, you must put it to some use.” So Rakesh planted the seed in a soft, shady corner of the garden — then ran off to play cricket and forgot all about it.
Months passed. Winter came and went. Then one spring morning, Rakesh found a tiny twig in the garden — and it was rooted! The cherry seed had come up. It was only four inches high. His grandfather told him to water it now and then.
After this, the little tree had a hard life. It grew to about two feet — and then a goat walked into the garden and ate all its leaves. Later, just as new leaves appeared, a woman cutting grass swept her sharp blade and cut the tree in two. Each time, Rakesh feared the tree would die. Each time, his grandfather said the same thing: “Cherry trees are tough.” And each time, the tree grew back.
Slowly, year by year, the tree grew taller. Rakesh grew too. When the tree was four years old, the grandfather called out one morning — there was a pale pink blossom at the end of a branch. They gazed at it as if it had performed a miracle. Soon there were more blossoms, then bees, then birds, then small cherries.
At the end of the story, Rakesh and his grandfather sit together under the tree in the cool evening. Rakesh asks why this one tree, out of all the trees in the forest, is so special to them. His grandfather answers simply: “We planted it ourselves. That’s why it’s special.” Rakesh touches the smooth bark of the tree he grew from a single seed, and whispers, “Is this what it feels to be God?”
The picture below shows the whole shape of the tree’s life. Notice how the line dips down at each setback but always climbs back up — that is the tree’s toughness. Figure 4.1 follows it from seed to first blossom.
The characters and their bond
The story has two main people, and the bond between them is its warm heart.
- Rakesh is a curious, gentle boy. He plants the seed, waters the tree, circles it with pebbles “for privacy”, and even waters it in the rain so the tree “knows he is there”. He grows up alongside the tree.
- Grandfather is wise, patient and kind. He gives Rakesh the small pieces of advice that matter — plant the seed, water it gently, do not worry, cherry trees are tough. He never panics when the tree is hurt.
The two of them share stories by the fire, sit under the tree together, and watch the seasons change. The tree becomes a third member of their little family — something they both love because they raised it together.
The deeper meaning — patience and the joy of growing
Now let us ask the question that NCERT does not fully answer: why does this simple story feel so meaningful? Why does Rakesh end with such a big feeling — “Is this what it feels to be God?”
The answer is the heart of the whole story, so let us slow down. Figure 4.2 lays out the chain of reasons.
Here are the two big lessons hidden inside the story.
The first is patience. A tree cannot be hurried. Rakesh learns this himself — when he stares at the little tree every day, it does not seem to grow. So he stops staring, and after a week or two he finds it has grown an inch. Real growth happens slowly, often when we are not watching. Good things in life — a tree, a skill, a friendship — take time and patient care.
The second is the joy of creating life. At the end, Rakesh asks, “Is this what it feels to be God?” He is not being proud. He is feeling wonder. He took one tiny seed, gave it years of care, and helped a living thing grow tall and bloom. To make life grow with your own hands is one of the most powerful, humbling feelings a person can have. That is why his grandfather’s answer — “We planted it ourselves” — explains everything. The tree is special not because it is rare, but because they made it grow.
The Poem — “Harvest Hymn”
The next piece is a poem called “Harvest Hymn”, written by Sarojini Naidu. Sarojini Naidu was a famous Indian poet and freedom fighter, often called the “Nightingale of India”. A hymn is a song of praise. So a harvest hymn is a song that thanks the powers of nature for giving a good harvest.
What the poem says
The poem is sung by farmers at harvest time, when the crops are ripe and ready. But it is not sung by one voice. The poet splits it into three groups who sing in turn — and this structure is clever, so look at it carefully in Figure 4.3.
Here is what each group sings:
- Men’s Voices praise Surya (the Sun god) for the warm light that ripens the grain. They also praise Varuna (the god of rain and water) for the rain and dew that feed the corn.
- Women’s Voices praise Prithvi (the Earth goddess). They call her a sweet, loving mother whose body feeds everyone, and the land from which all riches are born.
- All Voices together praise Brahma, the Lord of the whole Universe — the source of all life. They call him “the Seed and the Scythe”, meaning he is both the beginning (the seed sown) and the end (the harvest cut down) of the farming cycle.
Every single voice offers the same thing: songs, garlands, and the hard work of their hands, all as a tribute — a gift of thanks.
The speaker and the “why” behind the structure
Now ask: why does the poet break the song into Men’s Voices, Women’s Voices, and All Voices? Why not write it as one single voice?
There are good reasons. By giving men, women and the whole community their own parts, the poet shows that the harvest belongs to everyone — the whole village shares the work and the thanks. The men praise the sky-gods (sun and rain), the women praise the Earth as a mother (a beautiful link, since both mothers and the Earth give birth and feed). Then all the voices join as one to praise the single greatest power. The structure moves from many gods to the one that holds them all — like many small streams flowing into a single river.
This is why the poem feels like a real festival. You can almost hear the cymbals, flutes and drums. It is not one person praying alone. It is a whole community singing together in joy and gratitude.
The “why” behind the message
Why does Sarojini Naidu write a hymn at all, instead of just a poem about farming? Because she wants to capture a feeling that is easy to forget today: gratitude to nature.
The farmers in the poem do not take their harvest for granted. They know the sun, the rain and the earth gave them their food. So they say thank you with songs and garlands. The deeper message is for us too. Our food does not really come “from a shop”. It comes from the sun, the rain and the soil — exactly as it did for these farmers. The poem gently asks us to remember that, and to be grateful.
The Story — “Waiting for the Rain”
The third piece is a short story called “Waiting for the Rain”, written by Kamakshi Balasubramanian. It is about a farmer, a drought, and a surprising lesson about how nature works.
What happens
Velu was a hard-working farmer. For nearly six years he had worked his small piece of land without rest, growing one crop after another. He never took a holiday. His land never failed him.
But this year was different. The rains did not come. Days, weeks and months passed, and still there was no rain. The fields lay untended. The earth grew hard, cracked and dry. Velu and his neighbours could only live on hope.
Velu wanted answers. Some people said they should talk to astrologers to please the heavens, but Velu did not believe that would bring rain. So he walked all the way to the weather office in the city. But even the weather experts were puzzled. They said there were so many good conditions for rain — and yet no rain came. “We are at a loss ourselves!” they admitted.
Tired, thirsty and dejected (sad and disappointed), Velu walked back towards his village. He stopped to rest under the cool shade of a large tree. There, an old woman was already sitting, sheltering from the sun. She was smiling.
Velu poured out his troubles. He felt he was being punished, even though he had worked hard and honestly. The old woman listened, then said something strange: “Perhaps you have worked too hard.” Velu was confused — how can anyone work too hard?
Then she explained the deep idea at the centre of the story. Velu works hard, yes — but so does the land. The earth has worked for years, for centuries, for thousands of years, growing crop after crop. And just as a tired person needs rest, the tired land needs rest too. When the rains do not come, the land is left alone to lie still and recover, “staring at the sky, resting”. When the rain finally returns, the land will spring back, fresh and ready. “Nature is a mother to all of us,” she said. “She takes care to give her children the rest they need.”
Velu slowly began to understand. On his way home, he felt a cool breeze, then a tiny drop on his shoulder. He looked up — the clouds were gathering at last. Soon there would be lightning, thunder, and sweet, fragrant rain. Velu ran home, laughing and happy.
The picture below traces Velu’s feelings through the story — from low and worried, all the way up to joyful when the rain comes. Figure 4.4 follows the five steps.
The characters
- Velu is a sincere, hard-working farmer. He is honest and never lazy. But at first he sees the world in only one way: working is good, resting is wrong. The drought confuses and upsets him because he cannot work.
- The old woman is calm, gentle and wise. She does not lecture Velu. She speaks softly, smiles, and calls him “my son”. She carries the wisdom of nature, and she helps Velu see a truth he had never thought about.
The deeper meaning — even the land needs rest
Here is the big idea of the story, and the “why” worth understanding fully: why is it good for the land to rest? Why is a dry year not always a disaster?
Think about yourself. If you study or play without ever stopping, you get tired and weak. You need sleep and rest to get your strength back. The old woman says the soil is just the same. When a field grows crops season after season with no break, the soil slowly loses its goodness — its nutrients, the food that plants need from the soil. (Real farmers know this. They sometimes leave a field empty for a year so it can recover. This is called fallowing.)
So the dry spell, which felt like a punishment to Velu, is really nature’s way of forcing the land to rest. The land lies still, recovers its strength, and will give an even better crop next time. This is why Velu ends up happy — not just because the rain finally came, but because he now understands that nature has its own wise rhythm. We should respect it, not fight it.
How the Three Pieces Fit Together
At first, a story about a tree, a harvest song, and a tale about a drought seem quite different. But the unit places them together for a reason. Each one shows a different side of our bond with nature.
Let us put their lessons side by side.
| The piece | What kind of writing | What it teaches about nature |
|---|---|---|
| The Cherry Tree | A story by Ruskin Bond | Patience and care make life grow — and growing it feels precious |
| Harvest Hymn | A poem by Sarojini Naidu | Gratitude — thank the sun, rain and earth for our food |
| Waiting for the Rain | A story by Kamakshi Balasubramanian | Respect nature's rhythm — even the tired land needs rest |
So the unit’s title, “Environment”, is not just about pollution or planting trees. It is about our relationship with the natural world. We grow with it (the cherry tree), we live off it (the harvest), and we must move with its rhythm (the rain). Figure 4.5 gathers the whole unit’s idea into one web.
Common Mistakes
A few ideas in this unit are easy to get a little wrong. Let us clear them up before they trip you up.
The first is about the ending of “The Cherry Tree”.
When Rakesh says 'Is this what it feels to be God?', he is being proud and boastful, thinking he is as great as God.
The word 'God' sounds grand and powerful, so it is easy to read the line as a proud, big-headed claim.
Rakesh is not being proud at all — he is filled with quiet wonder and humility. He simply marvelled that he, a boy, had helped a living thing grow from a tiny seed into a tall, blossoming tree. The line captures the awe of creating life, not a boast about being important.
The next is about “Harvest Hymn”.
'Harvest Hymn' praises only one god, so the men's, women's and all voices are really saying the same thing.
All the voices use the same praising, song-like style, so at a glance they can seem to repeat one single prayer.
The voices praise different powers of nature in turn — the Men's Voices praise Surya (Sun) and Varuna (Rain), the Women's Voices praise Prithvi (Earth), and only at the end do All Voices join to praise Brahma. The poem moves from many nature-gods to the one Lord that holds them all, and the split into men, women and all shows the whole community sharing the thanks.
The last is about “Waiting for the Rain”.
In 'Waiting for the Rain', the dry spell is a punishment sent to Velu because he did something wrong.
Velu himself feels he is being punished, and we naturally expect a hard-working, honest man's troubles to have a cause, so his view feels believable.
The drought is not a punishment for anyone. The old woman explains it is simply nature giving the tired land the rest it needs after years of constant farming. It is part of nature's healthy rhythm, not a penalty — which is exactly why Velu ends up happy once he understands.
Quick Check
Let us see how well these three pieces have settled in. Try these short questions.
In 'The Cherry Tree', why does the grandfather say the cherry tree is special?
When Rakesh asks why this one tree is so special, his grandfather answers simply: “We planted it ourselves. That’s why it’s special.” A tree they raised with their own care means far more to them than any other tree.
What does the grandfather mean when he keeps saying 'Cherry trees are tough'?
The tree is hurt again and again — a goat eats its leaves, and a scythe cuts it in two — but each time it grows back. The grandfather is reassuring Rakesh that the tree is hardy and will recover, which it does.
In 'Harvest Hymn', what are the farmers doing through the poem?
A hymn is a song of praise. In this poem the farmers offer songs, garlands and their labour as tribute to Surya, Varuna, Prithvi and Brahma. The whole poem is a joyful song of gratitude to nature for the harvest.
In 'Waiting for the Rain', what does the old woman say is the real reason the rain has not come?
The old woman explains that the earth has worked for thousands of years and is tired. Just as a hard-working person needs rest, the land needs to rest too. The dry spell lets the soil recover, so it is part of nature’s rhythm, not a punishment.
Practice
Now try writing some answers yourself. Attempt each one first, then open the solution to check.
Easy
In one or two sentences, how did Rakesh first come to plant the cherry tree?
Rakesh was eating cherries on his way home and kept the last seed. His grandfather told him that a seed is only lucky if you put it to use, so Rakesh planted the seed in a soft, shady corner of the garden.
What is a 'hymn', and who or what do the farmers praise in 'Harvest Hymn'?
A hymn is a song of praise. In “Harvest Hymn” the farmers praise the powers of nature for a good harvest — Surya (the Sun), Varuna (the Rain), Prithvi (the Earth), and finally Brahma, the Lord of the Universe. They thank them with songs, garlands and their labour.
Medium
The cherry tree faces two big dangers in the story. What are they, and what do they show about the tree? Answer in 3–4 sentences.
First, when the tree was about two feet high, a goat entered the garden and ate all its leaves, leaving only the stem and two thin branches. Later, just as new leaves appeared, a woman cutting grass swept her scythe and cut the tree in two. Both times, Rakesh feared the tree would die, but it grew back each time. These dangers show that the cherry tree is tough and full of the will to live, exactly as the grandfather kept saying.
Explain in your own words why the old woman in 'Waiting for the Rain' says the land needs to rest. Why is this good for the land?
The old woman says the earth has been working for thousands of years, growing crops without a break, so it has become tired. Just as a person who works without rest grows weak and needs sleep, the soil also needs to rest. When the land lies still during a dry spell, it slowly recovers its strength and goodness (its nutrients). Then, when the rain returns, it will spring back fresh and give an even better crop. So the rest is healthy, not a disaster.
Challenge
Vocabulary: explain the words 'tribute', 'fallowing', and 'dejected' in your own simple words, with a tiny example for each.
- Tribute — a gift given to show respect, thanks or honour. Example: In “Harvest Hymn”, the farmers bring songs and garlands as tribute to the gods of nature.
- Fallowing — leaving a field empty, with no crop, for a season or more so the soil can recover its goodness. Example: A farmer may practise fallowing by not sowing one field this year, letting it rest.
- Dejected — feeling sad and disappointed. Example: Velu walked home dejected when the weather office could not tell him when the rain would come.
The unit is called 'Environment' and places three very different pieces together. Explain what links them, using one idea from each piece.
All three pieces are about our deep bond with nature, shown in different ways.
- From ‘The Cherry Tree’: Rakesh grows a tree from a single seed with years of patient care, learning that patience and care make life grow — and that growing something yourself feels precious.
- From ‘Harvest Hymn’: the farmers thank the sun, the rain and the earth for their food, teaching us gratitude to nature.
- From ‘Waiting for the Rain’: Velu learns from the old woman that even the tired land needs rest, teaching us to respect nature’s own rhythm.
So the link is this: humans and nature depend on each other. We grow with nature, we live off it, and we must move with its rhythm — so we should care for it. That is the meaning of “Environment”.
Summary
- “The Cherry Tree” by Ruskin Bond is about a boy, Rakesh, who plants a single cherry seed and, with his grandfather, watches it grow over several years near Mussoorie.
- The tree survives a goat eating its leaves and a scythe cutting it in two, because, as the grandfather says, “cherry trees are tough”. By the time it is four years old, it gives its first pink blossom.
- The story teaches patience and the wonder of creating life. The tree is special because they grew it themselves — which is why Rakesh asks, “Is this what it feels to be God?”
- “Harvest Hymn” by Sarojini Naidu is a song of praise sung by farmers thanking nature for the harvest — Men’s Voices praise Surya (Sun) and Varuna (Rain), Women’s Voices praise Prithvi (Earth), and All Voices praise Brahma. Its lesson: gratitude to nature.
- “Waiting for the Rain” by Kamakshi Balasubramanian is about Velu, a farmer facing a drought, who learns from an old woman that the tired land needs rest just as people do. Its lesson: respect nature’s rhythm.
- All three pieces share one big idea: humans and nature depend on each other, so we must care for the natural world.
- New words to remember: hymn (a song of praise), tribute (a gift of thanks or respect), fallowing (letting land rest), dejected (sad and disappointed).
What’s Next
You have seen three sides of our bond with nature — growing it, thanking it, and respecting its rhythm. In the next unit, Unit 5 — Science and Curiosity, the focus turns to the spark that drives every discovery: the wish to ask “why?” and “how?”. You will meet curious minds who looked at the ordinary world and refused to stop wondering. See you there.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the summary of 'The Cherry Tree' by Ruskin Bond?
A boy named Rakesh, living with his grandfather near Mussoorie, plants a single cherry seed and almost forgets it. Over the next few years the tiny tree survives many dangers — a goat eats its leaves and a woman's scythe cuts it in two — but it keeps growing back because cherry trees are tough. By the time the tree is four years old it gives its first pink blossom. Watching the tree he grew, Rakesh feels deep wonder and asks, 'Is this what it feels to be God?'
Why is the cherry tree special to Rakesh and his grandfather?
The cherry tree is special because they grew it themselves from one small seed. As the grandfather says, 'We planted it ourselves. That's why it's special.' A tree bought from a shop could never mean as much. The years of patient care, watering and waiting are what give the tree its real value to them.
What is the poem 'Harvest Hymn' by Sarojini Naidu about?
'Harvest Hymn' is a song of praise sung by farmers thanking nature for a good harvest. The Men's Voices praise Surya the Sun and Varuna the Rain, the Women's Voices praise Prithvi the Earth as a feeding mother, and All Voices together praise Brahma, the source of all life. Every voice offers songs, garlands and labour as tribute, so the whole poem is a joyful prayer of gratitude.
Why does the old woman say the land needs rest in 'Waiting for the Rain'?
The old woman explains that the earth has worked for thousands of years, growing crops season after season without a break. Just as a hard-working person gets tired and needs rest, the soil also needs to rest to recover its strength. So the dry spell is not a punishment — it is nature letting the tired land lie still, ready to spring back fresh when the rain returns.
What is the common theme of Unit 4 'Environment'?
All three pieces are about our deep bond with nature. 'The Cherry Tree' shows that patience and care make life grow. 'Harvest Hymn' shows gratitude — thanking nature for the food it gives. 'Waiting for the Rain' shows respect for nature's rhythm, since even the land needs rest. The big idea is that humans and nature depend on each other, so we must care for it.