NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Social Science (Exploring Society) Part 2 Chapter 5: India, a Home to Many (NCERT 2026–27)

These Class 7 Social Science Exploring Society Part 2 Chapter 5 solutions cover India, a Home to Many from Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), the NCERT textbook (first edition, November 2025), used here for the 2026–27 session. The chapter belongs to the theme Our Cultural Heritage and Knowledge Traditions and explores how, over thousands of years, people fleeing persecution or seeking new opportunities — Jews, Syriac Christians, Parsis, Arab merchants, Siddis, Armenians, Baha’is, Polish children and Tibetan refugees — found a safe home in India, guided by the value of vasudhaiva kutumbakam (“the whole world is family”). Below you get step-by-step answers to all Questions and activities, clear notes on key terms, extra practice, MCQs, Assertion–Reason and FAQs.

Class: 7 Subject: Social Science Book: Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2) Textbook chapter: Part 2, 5 Theme: Our Cultural Heritage and Knowledge Traditions Session: 2026–27
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This is NCERT Part 2 Chapter 5. ClearStudy previously called it Chapter 17 by continuing Part 1; the existing address is retained.

Class 7 Social Science Exploring Society Part 2 Chapter 5 – Overview

Part 2 Chapter 5, India, a Home to Many, looks at a special kind of migrant — people who came to India from other parts of the world and settled here, adding another dimension to India’s diversity. Some fled persecution in their homelands, while others arrived as traders seeking prosperity. The chapter tells the stories of the Jews (Bene Israel and the Cochin Jews), the Syriac (Syrian) Christians of the Malabar coast, the Parsis (Zoroastrians) and the legend of milk and sugar, the Arab merchants of the west coast, the African-origin Siddis, the Armenians who served in the Mughal court, the Baha’is with their Lotus Temple, the ‘Good Maharaja’ who saved Polish orphans, and the Tibetan refugees led by the Dalai Lama. Across all these stories runs one idea — vasudhaiva kutumbakam, “the whole world is family” — the spirit of acceptance and inclusion that is part of the Indian ethos.

Key Terms & Concepts

Migrant (in this chapter): a person who came to India from another part of the world and settled here, adding to India’s diversity — either to escape danger or to seek a better life.

Persecution: hostility, generally arising from religious, ethnic, social or political motives, often accompanied by harassment or violence. It is the main reason many communities fled to India.

Refuge / safe haven: a safe place where people can live and practise their faith without fear; India proved to be such a haven for many persecuted communities.

Jewish communities: Jewish identity can involve religion, ancestry, culture and history. Bene Israel, Cochin Jews and Baghdadi Jews have distinct histories. NCERT reports an early arrival around 175 BCE as a view held by some scholars; the precise date and shipwreck narrative are not securely established facts for all Jewish settlement in India.

Synagogue: a place of worship for Jews where religious services and special ceremonies like weddings are held.

Syriac (Syrian) Christians: Christian groups who used the ancient Syriac language in worship; persecuted as ‘heretics’ in West Asia, they reached the Malabar coast (Kerala) from the 4th century CE.

Heretic: a person considered to be holding beliefs (especially religious ones) contrary to those of the dominant view.

Parsis & Zoroastrianism: the Parsis follow Zoroastrianism, one of the world’s oldest religions, founded by the prophet Zarathushtra and based on the worship of one God, Ahurā Mazdā, and choosing good over evil. They fled Persia and reached Gujarat between the 8th and 10th centuries.

Siddis: Indian communities of African ancestry, with varied languages, religions and regional histories. Many ancestors arrived through enslavement, but this is not the entire history of African migration. Scheduled Tribe recognition applies through specific state and area lists, not automatically to every Siddi person everywhere.

Armenians: merchants and professionals from Armenia who traded in Indian spices and muslins and served in the Mughal court; Kolkata became a major Armenian hub.

Baha’i faith: a religion begun in mid-1800s Persia by Baha’u’llāh, teaching the unity of all people; its Lotus Temple stands in New Delhi.

Vasudhaiva kutumbakam: “the whole world is family” — a core Indian value (from the Hitopadeśha) that, along with atithi devo bhava (“a guest is like God”) and sarve bhavantu sukhinah (“may all be happy”), forms the basis of India’s culture of inclusion.

The Big Questions — answered

1. What has made India a home for people from different parts of the world?

Trade networks, refuge, work, local patronage and long-standing values of hospitality helped communities establish homes. People contributed through everyday work, culture and public service as well as notable achievements.

2. Why did oppressed or persecuted people seek refuge in India?

Many sought safety, freedom to practise their faith and a chance to rebuild family and community life. Reasons differed: some fled persecution or war, some came for trade, and some were forcibly displaced. Not every migrant was a refugee.

3. What enables people to assimilate here?

Sharing languages, livelihoods, neighbourhoods and institutions can build belonging. Respect for differing beliefs helps communities retain traditions while participating in society. Inclusion is an ongoing responsibility, not proof that discrimination or hardship never occurred.

“Questions and activities” — Full Solutions

All questions below are reproduced verbatim from the NCERT textbook’s end-of-chapter Questions and activities section. Answers are original, written in exam-ready style.

1. On the outline of a world map, try to trace the routes that the communities mentioned in this chapter may have used to reach India. What types of physical geographies did they have to negotiate?

ANSWERUse dashed arrows for possible broad routes, not a claim that every community followed one documented journey. Add a legend, approximate periods and the Indian regions where people settled.West Asian communities: draw broad connections through the Persian Gulf or western Indian Ocean towards Konkan, Gujarat and Malabar for Jewish, Parsi, Syriac Christian and Arab trading connections. The Bene Israel shipwreck is a community tradition with uncertain dating; do not invent a continuous ancient sea route from the Mediterranean to the Arabian Sea.African connections: show western Indian Ocean links between eastern Africa and India, sometimes through Arabian ports. Many journeys were forced through enslavement, while other African arrivals had different roles and circumstances.Armenians and Baha’is: indicate connections from Armenia and Iran through West Asian land and sea networks. Polish children: include wartime displacement through the Soviet Union and Iran towards India; routes differed. Tibetans: show Himalayan crossings into India, not a sea route.Label relevant physical obstacles: high passes, cold and thin mountain air, deserts and plateaus, long sea crossings, storms and monsoon winds. Do not draw a modern transport route as evidence for an ancient migration.

2. What are the key values intrinsic to Indian culture that enable it to welcome people of different backgrounds?

ANSWER Indian culture has long held values of acceptance, inclusion and compassion that make it welcoming to people of every background. The key values are: Vasudhaiva kutumbakam — “the whole world is family” — the belief that no one is a stranger and the entire world is one’s own. Atithi devo bhava — “a guest is like God” — treating visitors and refugees with honour and care. Sarve bhavantu sukhinah — “may all creatures be happy” — wishing wellbeing for everyone, not just one’s own group. Compassion and loving-kindness — expressed beautifully in the Buddha’s Karaṇīya Mettā Sutta, which asks us to cherish all living beings with a boundless heart. Because India developed a culture of peaceful coexistence and acceptance of diverse faiths and schools of thought, even small communities found it a secure place where they could keep their traditions over centuries. This spirit of inclusion is the essence of the Indian ethos.

3. Homi Bhabha, Sam Maneckshaw, Ratan Tata, Fali Nariman, Nani Palkivala, and Cornelia Sorabji are a few names of Parsis who excelled in their respective fields. Find out more about people from other communities that made India their home and their contributions.

ANSWERLt Gen J. F. R. Jacob: an Indian officer from Kolkata’s Baghdadi Jewish community, not the Bene Israel. As Eastern Command’s chief of staff, he played a prominent role in the 1971 war and surrender negotiations. Community recollections and biography.Hirabai Lobi: a Siddi social worker from Gujarat who supported women’s livelihoods, farming knowledge and access to services; NCERT records her Padma Shri in 2023.Armenian educational contribution: the Armenian community established schools and institutions. The Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy dates its foundation to 2 April 1821, not the eighteenth century. For a person-focused project, use the founders’ biographies on the institution’s history page and verify each name and role.Record the person’s field, contribution and source. Describe descendants as Indians belonging to these communities where appropriate, rather than assuming each person migrated. Community identity should not be guessed from a name or appearance.

4. Take up a class project. Divide the class into groups. Each group takes up a small project to study a little more about the communities that we have been listed here. Share what you have gathered with your classmates through one of these ways — drama, posters, song, painting, etc.

ANSWER This is a group project activity to be done in class, so the work will vary. Here is a model plan you can follow: Step 1 – Form groups: Divide the class into groups, with each group choosing one community from the chapter — Jews, Syriac Christians, Parsis, Arab merchants, Siddis, Armenians, Baha’is or Tibetans. Step 2 – Research: Each group finds out when and why their community came to India, where they settled, how they kept their faith and traditions, and how they contributed to Indian society (use the textbook, library books and trusted sources). Step 3 – Present creatively: Share your findings through a drama (for example, the legend of milk and sugar, or the Good Maharaja saving Polish children), a poster on a synagogue, fire temple or the Lotus Temple, a song, or a painting like a Parsi wedding scene. Step 4 – Reflect: End with a class discussion on the value of vasudhaiva kutumbakam and how India became a home to many. (Your group’s own project and presentation are accepted.)

Extra Practice Questions

These questions and MCQs are ClearStudy practice, separate from the NCERT exercise.

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1. Who were the Bene Israel, and where did they settle in India?

ANSWERThe Bene Israel are an Indian Jewish community associated particularly with the Konkan coast of Maharashtra. Community tradition tells of survivors of a shipwreck who settled there.NCERT mentions around 175 BCE as a date proposed by some scholars. Present it as uncertain, not as a proven arrival date or proof of a specific sailing itinerary. Indian Jewish communities arrived in different periods and should not be merged into one migration story.

Q2. Why did the Parsis leave Persia and come to India?

ANSWERThe Parsis (Zoroastrians) left Persia to escape religious persecution after the Islamic conquest of Persia in the 7th century CE. They faced forced conversions, religious taxes (jizya) and the destruction of their fire temples. Unable to practise their faith freely, groups of them sailed across the Arabian Sea and reached Gujarat between the 8th and 10th centuries.

Q3. Explain the legend of milk and sugar associated with the Parsis.

ANSWERAccording to the legend, Raja Jadi Rana showed the Parsi newcomers a full vessel of milk to suggest that there was no room for more people. A wise man dissolved sugar in it without spilling the milk, expressing a wish to contribute positively to the host society.The story symbolises welcome and mutual enrichment. It is not a verified record of a specific conversation or a scientific demonstration. Integration can allow people to share social life while preserving distinctive traditions; it need not mean giving up their identity.
Sugar being added to white milk in a ceramic jug, symbolising the Parsi milk-and-sugar legend
Symbolic illustration of the legend: newcomers can enrich a shared society. The picture is not a record of the historical meeting. Tap to view at full size.

Q4. Who are the Siddis, and what is special about their cultural identity?

ANSWERSiddis are Indian communities with African ancestry. Their histories include the forced movement of enslaved people across the Indian Ocean, as well as other journeys and occupations. Do not assume every ancestor arrived in the same way.Their music, performance, languages and religious practices reflect different African and Indian connections. No single costume, religion or occupation represents all Siddis.Scheduled Tribe recognition depends on the applicable state and area notification. The Ministry’s state-wise list illustrates why this is not a uniform all-India designation; current eligibility requires the applicable updated rules. Research on African arrivals also records varied circumstances.

Q5. Who was the ‘Good Maharaja’, and why is he remembered in Poland?

ANSWERDigvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja, Maharaja of Nawanagar, is remembered for providing refuge and care to Polish children at Balachadi near Jamnagar during the Second World War. NCERT credits him with helping around a thousand children between 1942 and 1946.Distinguish this children’s camp from the wider Polish refugee settlements, including Valivade near Kolhapur. Several Indian rulers, organisations and local communities helped refugees. Poland commemorates that hospitality in monuments and schools. Embassy of India, Warsaw.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q1. Describe how the Jewish community came to India and integrated into Indian society.

ANSWERJewish communities reached India in different periods and circumstances. Bene Israel traditions centre on the Konkan coast, Cochin Jewish histories on Kerala, and later Baghdadi Jewish networks on cities including Kolkata and Mumbai.NCERT describes support from local rulers and opportunities to practise Judaism, build synagogues and participate in trade and public life. The early Bene Israel date and shipwreck account require qualification as noted above.Local languages, clothing and livelihoods could be shared while religious practices continued. Such examples show integration without erasing identity. Neither one family photograph nor a single story establishes that every person had an identical experience.

Q2. Discuss the spiritual and linguistic links between Zoroastrianism and India’s ancient Vedic traditions.

ANSWERThere are deep connections between the philosophy of Zoroastrianism and India’s ancient Vedic schools of thought. Spiritually, both share the same idea of a cosmic order that holds the universe together, and both give great importance to fire worship in their rituals. There are also interesting differences: in the Vedas the devas are beneficial gods, but in the Parsis’ sacred text, the Avesta, the daevas are evil gods who bring chaos; the Avesta’s chief god is Ahurā, while in India (after the Vedic period) the asuras are seen as harmful powers. Linguistically, Old Avestan (the language of the Avesta) and Vedic Sanskrit share many word roots and grammatical features — for example, soma (a divine drink) = haoma, hotar (a priest) = haotar, and yajña (sacrifice) = yasna. These similarities show deep spiritual and linguistic ties between ancient Iran and ancient India, which made it easier for the Parsis to combine their traditions with the local culture and enrich Indian society.

Q3. How did the Tibetan refugees come to India, and how did the Indian government help them rebuild their lives?

ANSWERTibet, the ‘Land of Snows’ on the other side of the Himalaya, became a centre of Buddhism in the 7th century. From 1950 onward, the People’s Republic of China overran Tibet in several waves and eventually annexed it. In 1959, after a popular uprising in Lhasa against the Chinese presence, the 14th Dalai Lama was advised to flee across the Himalaya and take refuge in India, where the government granted him asylum. Since then he has been an ‘honoured guest’ living in Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh), from where the Central Tibetan Administration functions as a government-in-exile. The Indian government rehabilitated the Tibetan refugees — it provided education to their children, helped create Tibetan settlements (many in Karnataka), and supported the building of monasteries patterned on the originals in Tibet so that Tibetan Buddhists could follow their way of life without fear. Many non-government organisations also provided livelihoods. Over time the Tibetans have become part of Indian society while preserving their language, culture and heritage — another example of India as a home to many.

MCQs & Assertion–Reason

1. The Bene Israel, a Jewish community, settled on which coast of India?

(a) Coromandel coast    (b) Konkan coast    (c) Malabar coast    (d) Gujarat coast

2. A place of worship for Jews is called a:

(a) church    (b) mosque    (c) synagogue    (d) fire temple

3. The Parsis are followers of which religion?

(a) Judaism    (b) Zoroastrianism    (c) Christianity    (d) the Baha’i faith

4. In the famous legend, the wise Parsi added which item to a jug of milk?

(a) salt    (b) sugar    (c) honey    (d) water

5. The Siddis of India are of which origin?

(a) Persian    (b) Armenian    (c) African    (d) Tibetan

6. Which city became a major hub of the Armenian community in India?

(a) Mumbai    (b) Kolkata    (c) Delhi    (d) Sanjān

7. The Baha’i faith is associated with which famous building in New Delhi?

(a) Jama Masjid    (b) Cheraman Juma Mosque    (c) the Lotus Temple    (d) the Kochi synagogue

8. The ‘Good Maharaja’ who saved Polish orphans was the ruler of:

(a) Travancore    (b) Kochi    (c) Sanjān    (d) Nawanagar (Jamnagar)

9. In which year did the 14th Dalai Lama take refuge in India?

(a) 1947    (b) 1950    (c) 1959    (d) 1962

10. The value vasudhaiva kutumbakam means:

(a) “a guest is like God”    (b) “the whole world is family”    (c) “may all be happy”    (d) “choose good over evil”

Answer key: 1-(b), 2-(c), 3-(b), 4-(b), 5-(c), 6-(b), 7-(c), 8-(d), 9-(c), 10-(b).

For each Assertion–Reason question, choose: (A) Both true and the Reason correctly explains the Assertion; (B) Both true but the Reason is not the correct explanation; (C) Assertion true, Reason false; (D) Assertion false, Reason true.

A-R 1. Assertion: Many communities sought refuge in India over the centuries.

Reason: India proved to be a safe haven where persecuted people could practise their faith without fear.

A-R 2. Assertion: The Parsis fled Persia and came to India.

Reason: They faced religious persecution in Persia after the Islamic conquest in the 7th century CE.

A-R 3. Assertion: Siddi communities are included in specified state and area Scheduled Tribe lists.

Reason: Every Siddi ancestor came to India as a wealthy trader or ruler.

A-R 4. Assertion: Old Avestan and Vedic Sanskrit share many word roots and grammatical features.

Reason: There are deep spiritual and linguistic ties between ancient Iran and ancient India.

A-R 5. Assertion: India has the smallest population of Zoroastrians in the world.

Reason: Today India has the largest population of followers of Zoroastrianism in the world.

Answer key: 1-(A), 2-(A), 3-(C), 4-(A), 5-(D).

In-text observations: describe clothing, language, ceremonies or architecture actually visible in the textbook photographs. Do not infer a person’s beliefs solely from appearance or label all features as belonging to one community.

Refuge discussion: hospitality and practical safety can be considered together. In the household scenario, children should seek help from a trusted adult; national refugee decisions involve institutions and laws beyond a household analogy.

Project checklist: include a source list, approximate dates, a map and a contribution example. Label legends and dramatizations clearly, avoid caricatures, and seek consent before interviewing or photographing people. Do not ask classmates to disclose family migration experiences.

Values: the chapter quotes vasudhaiva kutumbakam from the Hitopadesha; this is not a claim that the expression occurs only there. Zoroastrian reverence for sacred fire should not be simplified to worship of fire as an independent god. Baha’i communities include Indian converts and descendants, not only Iranian migrants.

Reviewed against NCERT Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Class 7, Part 2, Chapter 5, pp. 125–142 (first edition, November 2025). Review date: 10 October 2026.

Exam Tips & Common Mistakes

How to write a clear answer

Make a quick table linking each community with where it came from, when, why, and where it settled — Jewish communities (different West Asian connections and arrival traditions; Konkan, Kerala and later cities), Parsis (Persia, 8th–10th c., persecution, Gujarat), Syriac Christians (West Asia, 4th c., Malabar), Arabs (7th c. onward, west coast trade), Siddis (Africa, 7th–19th c.), Armenians (Mughal era, Kolkata), Baha’is (Persia, 19th c., Lotus Temple), Tibetans (1959, Dharamshala). Remember the three core values — vasudhaiva kutumbakam, atithi devo bhava, sarve bhavantu sukhinah — and the legend of milk and sugar. For map questions, draw a labelled map with a legend, and use words to explain physical obstacles and uncertainty in routes.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Confusing the Bene Israel (Konkan coast) with the Cochin Jews (near Kochi).
  • Mixing up the communities — Parsis follow Zoroastrianism, not the Baha’i faith; the Lotus Temple belongs to the Baha’is.
  • Assuming all Siddi ancestors arrived in one way; the chapter emphasises enslavement, while the wider history includes varied journeys and roles.
  • Forgetting that the ‘Good Maharaja’ ruled Nawanagar (Jamnagar), not Kochi or Travancore.
  • Writing the wrong year — the Dalai Lama took refuge in India in 1959, not 1950.
  • Leaving the activity/project questions blank — give a model plan or your own examples.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Part 2 Chapter 5 of Class 7 Social Science Exploring Society about?

Part 2 Chapter 5, India, a Home to Many, tells the stories of communities — Jews, Syriac Christians, Parsis, Arab merchants, Siddis, Armenians, Baha’is, Polish children and Tibetan refugees — who came to India from other parts of the world to escape persecution or seek a better life, and explains how India’s value of vasudhaiva kutumbakam (“the whole world is family”) made it a welcoming home for them.

Why did so many communities choose to settle in India?

Many communities chose India because it had developed a culture of peaceful coexistence and acceptance of diverse faiths. India became a safe haven for the persecuted, while others came for trade and prosperity. Values like vasudhaiva kutumbakam, atithi devo bhava and sarve bhavantu sukhinah made even small communities feel secure enough to keep their traditions over centuries.

What is the exercise heading for Part 2 Chapter 5 of Exploring Society?

The end-of-chapter exercise in Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2) Part 2 Chapter 5 is headed Questions and activities and contains 4 numbered questions, all answered step by step on this page.

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