NCERT Class 5 Environmental Studies Looking Around: Chapter 10 — Walls Tell Stories
This chapter, "Walls Tell Stories," takes students on a virtual visit to Golconda Fort, introducing them to historical architecture and its defensive features. Students learn about the purpose of thick walls, huge gates, and especially bastions (burj), which are round, elevated structures in the fort wall. The text explains that bastions allowed soldiers to see enemies from a distance and attack them. It also highlights that forts were not just palaces for rulers but complete towns housing farmers, workers, gardens, and factories. The chapter emphasizes how historical structures like forts tell stories of the past, the people who lived there, and the rulers who governed them, encouraging students to observe and question the details of historical sites.
Quick info
| Board | CBSE / NCERT |
|---|---|
| Class | Class 5 |
| Subject | Environmental Studies |
| Book | Looking Around |
| Chapter | Chapter 10 — Walls Tell Stories |
| Language | English |
| PDF type | NCERT Textbook |
| Session | CBSE 2026 |
| Reading time | 3 minutes |
| Word count | 417 |
Learning outcomes
- Identify and understand the purpose of architectural features in historical forts like bastions and thick walls.
- Recognize that historical forts were often complete towns with various facilities and inhabitants.
- Appreciate how historical structures can tell stories about the past.
- Understand the importance of security features in ancient forts.
Vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bastion | A projecting part of a fortification built at an angle to the line of the walls, so as to allow defensive fire in several directions (also called burj). |
| Fort | A strongly fortified building or large group of buildings. |
| Sultan | A Muslim sovereign. |
| History | The study of past events, particularly in human affairs. |
| Gate | A hinged barrier used to close an opening in a wall, fence, or hedge. |
| Spokes | Each of the bars or rods radiating from the center of a wheel to the rim. |
| Security | The state of being free from danger or threat. |
| Map | A representation of an area of land or sea showing physical features, cities, roads, etc. |
| Palaces | Large, stately buildings, especially royal or princely residences. |
| Farmers | A person who cultivates land or raises crops or animals. |
| Workers | People employed for wages or salary. |
The complete chapter text is read in the official NCERT PDF viewer below (streamed from ncert.nic.in). This page provides NCERT Help study material — summary, vocabulary, practice questions, and FAQs — not a full reproduction of the textbook.
Read chapter online
This PDF is loaded from the official NCERT website (ncert.nic.in). Use the page buttons below to read — download is disabled on NCERT Help.
Read page by page below. PDF is streamed from the official NCERT website — no download button on this page.
Practice questions
- What are bastions and why were they built in fort walls? Answer: Bastions are round, elevated structures in the fort wall. They were built to help soldiers see enemies from a distance and attack them.
- What did the map of Golconda fort show inside it? Answer: The map showed gardens, fields, factories, and palaces inside the fort.
- Who ruled Golconda from 1518 to 1687? Answer: Qutubshahi Sultans ruled Golconda during that period.
- Why do you think the fort had thick walls and a huge gate? Answer: Thick walls and a huge gate were built to ensure security and protect the people inside the fort.
Frequently asked questions
What is Golconda Fort known for?
Golconda Fort is known for its huge size, high construction, thick walls, huge gates, and numerous bastions, which were designed for security.
What is a bastion (burj)?
A bastion (burj) is a projecting part of a fort wall, often round and higher than the wall, designed to provide a better vantage point for soldiers.
Why were holes made in the bastions?
Holes were made in bastions so soldiers could peep through them to see enemies and attack them from different directions.
What kind of places were found inside Golconda Fort?
Inside Golconda Fort, there were gardens, fields, factories, and palaces, indicating it was a complete town.
Who ruled Golconda before the Qutubshahi Sultans?
Before the Qutubshahi Sultans (who ruled from 1518-1687), the fort was made of mud and different rulers lived there, with mentions of rulers even before 1200.
How do walls tell stories?
Walls tell stories by showing the architecture, defensive features, and the way people lived in historical structures like forts, revealing information about past rulers and societies.
Related resources
Important topics
Topics covered
NCERT Class 5 Environmental Studies — Looking Around — Chapter 10 — Walls Tell Stories. Verified by NCERT Help Editorial Team. Reviewed on 29 Jul 2026. Last updated 10 Aug 2026.