NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English (Poorvi) Unit 3: Chapter 11 - Harvest Hymn

Chapter 11, "Harvest Hymn," is a lyrical and soul-stirring poem in the NCERT Class 8 English textbook (Poorvi). Written by the celebrated Indian poet Sarojini Naidu, also known as the "Nightingale of India," this poem is a rhythmic tribute to the gods of nature who bless the land with abundance. It captures the spirit of traditional Indian harvest festivals, where the community comes together to offer thanks for the food that sustains them.

The poem serves as a vital bridge for young readers to connect with India's agrarian roots and the spiritual significance of the harvest. It teaches Class 8 students the value of gratitude, humility, and the sacred bond between humans and the earth. Through its rich imagery and musical language, "Harvest Hymn" encourages students to appreciate the labor of farmers and the generosity of the natural world.

We provide comprehensive NCERT Solutions to help students analyze the poetic devices, understand the cultural context, and master the vocabulary used by Naidu. These solutions are meticulously aligned with the NCERT syllabus, providing clear and evocative answers for exam preparation.

1.0Download NCERT Solutions Class 8 English Chapter 11 - Harvest Hymn: Free PDF

In Class 8 English – Chapter 11, "Harvest Hymn", students explore the beauty of nature through the lens of gratitude. Our NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English offer detailed stanza-wise explanations and solved exercises. Download the free PDF below.

2.0Class 8 English Chapter 11 - Harvest Hymn: Brief Explanation

The poem is structured as a communal prayer offered by the men and women of a village as they gather the ripened grain. It is divided into stanzas that address different elements of nature or deities representing the sun, wind, and water. The speakers offer their "hymn" (a song of praise) to Surya (the Sun), Varuna (the God of Water and Wind), and Prithvi (the Earth).

The poem uses vivid sensory details—the golden glow of the sun, the gentle murmur of the breeze, and the heavy weight of the golden grain—to create a festive and reverent atmosphere. Naidu emphasises that the harvest is not just a result of human effort, but a divine gift that must be acknowledged with song and prayer.

Important Lessons from This Chapter

• The Spirit of Gratitude: The poem reminds us to be thankful for the basic necessities of life, like food and water.
• Environmental Harmony: It highlights the interdependence of the sun, wind, and rain in creating the perfect conditions for life.
• Cultural Identity: "Harvest Hymn" reflects the traditional Indian belief in seeing the divine in all aspects of nature.
• The Dignity of Labor: While it is a hymn to the gods, it celebrates the successful conclusion of the farmer's hard work.

3.0NCERT Class 8 English Chapter 11 - Harvest Hymn: Detailed Solutions

Let us discuss

I Write the stanza number for the main idea of each stanza given below. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

Answer:

2. Fill in the blanks by choosing the appropriate words or phrases from within the brackets.
3. 1. The setting of the poem is a rural landscape, possibly during a (harvest/religious) festival.
   2. The tone of the poem is respectful and celebratory because it praises  
   3. (the men and women/ nature and the Lord) with deep respect and gratitude.

In the line ‘Thou art our Hands and our Heart and our Home’, the letter ‘h’ is capitalised in ‘Hands’, ‘Heart’ and ‘Home’ because . (it represents the hard work of farmers/God resides in them)

Answer:

1. harvest
2. nature and the Lord
3. God resides in them.
4. Identify the poetic device used in the following lines from the poem.

• Bright and munificent lord of the morn!
• We bring thee our lives and our labours for tribute

Answer:

• Alliteration
• Alliteration

4. Match the lines from the poem in Column 1 with their expressions in Column 2. Choose the appropriate poetic device from the box given below and write in Column 3.

Answer:

5. Certain words or phrases are repeated in the same line of the poem. For example, The gold of our fields and the gold of our fruit;

Find more such repetitions from the poem. What is the poet’s purpose of using

repetition in the poem? Answer:

We bring thee our songs and our garlands for tribute

We praise thee… (repeated for different deities)

6. The poem uses symbolism to convey deeper meanings. Match the symbols in Column 1 with the meanings they convey in Column 2.

Answer:

Let us think and reflect

I Read the given extracts and answer the questions that follow.

1. We bring thee our songs and our garlands for tribute, The gold of our fields and the gold of our fruit; O giver of mellowing radiance, we hail thee, We praise thee, O Surya, with cymbal and flute.
2. What does the act of bringing songs and garlands as tribute

suggest about the people’s relationship with the divine?

1. They fear the gods and wish to calm them in any way possible.
2. They have a deep sense of reverence and gratitude towards the divine.
3. They are forced to perform rituals without understanding the divine.
4. They depend on the gods for their daily needs and activities.

Answer: B. They have a deep sense of reverence and gratitude towards the divine.

2. Complete the following sentence suitably.

The word ‘gold’ in the phrases ‘the gold of our fields’ and ‘the gold of our fruit’

symbolises .

Answer: richness and abundance of the harvest

How does the description ‘O giver of mellowing radiance’ help us understand Surya’s role in the harvest?

Answer: It highlights Surya’s (Sun’s) role in ripening and nurturing the crops by

providing gentle, life-giving light.

3. Fill in the blank by selecting the correct option from those given in the brackets.

The use of cymbal and flute signifies . (joy and celebration/meditation and worship)

Answer: joy and celebration

2. All Voices:

Lord of the Universe, Lord of our being, Father eternal, ineffable Om!

Thou art the Seed and the Scythe of our harvests, Thou art our Hands and our Heart and our Home.

1. In the phrase ‘Lord of our being,’ what does the word ‘being’ most likely refer to?
2. 1. Our physical body
   2. Our entire existence
   3. Our spiritual practices
   4. Our earthly possessions Answer: B. Our entire existence
2. Identify whether the following statement is true or false.

The imagery of ‘the Seed and the Scythe’ symbolises the divine’s role as both the

beginning (creation) and the end (harvest) of the agricultural cycle.

Answer: True

3. Identify the phrases from the extract that mean the following:
4. 1. The divine as a timeless, everlasting presence
   2. Beyond human comprehension or description Answer: A. Father eternal

B. Ineffable Om

4. How do we know that these lines from the extract are spoken as a chorus? Answer: These lines from the extract are spoken as a chorus because the stanza is introduced with “All Voices”, indicating a collective, choral praise by the entire community.

II Answer the following questions.

1. Why do the farmers hail the God of rain?

Answer: The farmers hail the God of rain because rain is essential for the crops to grow, and they are grateful to Varuna for nourishing the fields with rain and dew.

2. What is being referred to as ‘wealth of our valleys’? Why?

Answer: The phrase “wealth of our valleys’ refers to the freshly harvested crops, which represent the rich produce gathered from the valleys, symbolising prosperity and abundance.

3. State one reason why the women refer to the Earth as a ‘source of manifold gladness’.

Answer: The women refer to the Earth as a ‘source of manifold gladness’ because Mother Earth provides food, shelter, and life, bringing joy, sustenance, and well-being to all.

4. Why does everyone in the poem offer their ‘labours for tribute’?

Answer: Everyone in the poem offers their “labours for tribute’ to show gratitude to the divine for blessing their hard work with a successful harvest, and to dedicate their the celebration, unity, and richness of the efforts to the greater cosmic power. harvest season.

5. Why has the poet presented the poem as voices of men, women, and all voices?

Answer: The poet has presented the poem as voices of men, women, and all voices to show that the entire community — regardless of gender — comes together in unity and gratitude to celebrate the harvest and praise nature and divinity.

6. How does the poet create the joyous atmosphere of rural India at harvesting time?

Answer: The poet creates the joyous atmosphere of rural India at harvesting time by using vivid imagery, musical instruments (like cymbals, flutes, and drums), and words of praise and thanks, the poet conveys.

7. Why is the poem presented as a hymn?

Answer:The poem is presented as a hymn because it is a song of praise and devotion, expressing spiritual gratitude towards nature and the divine for the blessings of the harvest.

4.0Key Features of the Poem and Solutions

• Literary Devices: The solutions explain Naidu's use of Alliteration, Metaphor, and Personification (treating the sun and wind as gods).
• Rhythmic Analysis: We analyse the poem's musical qualities, explaining how the repetition of certain phrases creates a "hymn-like" effect.
• Symbolism of Colors: Detailed explanations of what the "golden" grain and "amber" light symbolize in the context of wealth and health.
• Thematic Questions: Solutions cover "Value-Based" questions about why we should respect the environment and those who feed the nation.
• Stanza-wise Summary: Each stanza is explained in simple prose to help students understand the specific deity being thanked and why.
• Vocabulary Enrichment: Includes meanings for words like hymn, garnered, sheaves, bounteous, and cymbal.