Riddhi, Beli and Arki are talking about their coming holidays for Holi.

ঋদ্ধি, বেলি আৰু আৰ্কিয়ে তেওঁলোকৰ আহিবলগীয়া হোলীৰ বন্ধৰ বিষয়ে কথা পাতি আছে।

"I am going to Shillong," Riddhi says.

"মই শ্বিলঙলৈ যাম," ঋদ্ধিয়ে কয়।

"How nice! But I will stay here at home. I like the Holi festival very much.

"কিমান ধুনীয়া! কিন্তু মই ইয়াতেই ঘৰত থাকিম। মই হোলী উৎসৱ বহুত ভাল পাওঁ।

I like to enjoy this festival of colour with my friends.

মই এই ৰঙৰ উৎসৱটো মোৰ বন্ধুসকলৰ সৈতে উপভোগ কৰিবলৈ ভাল পাওঁ।

In our neighbourhood we celebrate Holi together. It's really great fun!" Arki tells about her plan.

আমাৰ চুবুৰীত আমি একেলগে হোলী উদযাপন কৰোঁ। এইটো সঁচাকৈয়ে বহুত মজাৰ!" আৰ্কিয়ে তাইৰ পৰিকল্পনাৰ বিষয়ে কয়।

"What about you Beli?" Riddhi asks.

"আৰু তোমাৰ কথা কি বেলি?" ঋদ্ধিয়ে সোধে।

Beli's face brightens up, "You know, Holi is my favourite festival. Every year we go to Barpeta to celebrate Holi".

বেলিৰ মুখখন উজলি উঠিল, "তোমালোকে জানা, হোলী মোৰ প্ৰিয় উৎসৱ। প্ৰতি বছৰে আমি হোলী উদযাপন কৰিবলৈ বৰপেটালৈ যাওঁ"。

"Barpeta? But why do you go to Barpeta only? Holi is celebrated everywhere in India, isn't it?" Arki is curious to know.

"বৰপেটা? কিন্তু তুমি কেৱল বৰপেটালৈ কিয় যোৱা? ভাৰতৰ সকলো ঠাইতে হোলী উদযাপন কৰা হয়, নহয় জানো?" আৰ্কিয়ে জানিবলৈ আগ্ৰহী হয়।

"Yes, Arki. You are right. But it is a special festival for the people of Barpeta. It is called Doul Utsav," Beli says.

"হয়, আৰ্কি। তুমি ঠিক কৈছা। কিন্তু বৰপেটাৰ মানুহৰ বাবে ই এটা বিশেষ উৎসৱ। ইয়াক দৌল উৎসৱ বুলি কোৱা হয়," বেলিয়ে কয়।

Riddhi, who is listening to their conversation, is eager to know more about the festival. "Please tell me about Doul Utsav, Beli," she says.

ঋদ্ধি, যিয়ে তেওঁলোকৰ কথা-বতৰা শুনি আছিল, তাই উৎসৱটোৰ বিষয়ে অধিক জানিবলৈ আগ্ৰহী হৈ পৰে। "অনুগ্ৰহ কৰি মোক দৌল উৎসৱৰ বিষয়ে কোৱাচোন, বেলি," তাই কয়।

Beli turns to Riddhi and says joyfully, "Doul is celebrated for three to five days in Barpeta. It is different from the Holi celebrated in other parts of India.

বেলিয়ে ঋদ্ধিৰ ফালে ঘূৰি আনন্দেৰে কয়, "বৰপেটাত দৌল উৎসৱ তিনিৰ পৰা পাঁচ দিন ধৰি পালন কৰা হয়। ই ভাৰতৰ আন ঠাইত উদযাপন কৰা হোলীতকৈ বেলেগ।

Doul Utsav of Barpeta is closely related to Kirtan Ghar.

বৰপেটাৰ দৌল উৎসৱৰ সৈতে কীৰ্তন ঘৰৰ ওতপ্ৰোত সম্পৰ্ক আছে।

During this festival Mahaprabhu Doul Govinda and Kalia Thakur are brought out from the Manikut of the Kirtan Ghar and some rituals are performed.

এই উৎসৱৰ সময়ত মহাপ্ৰভু দৌল গোবিন্দ আৰু কালিয়া ঠাকুৰক কীৰ্তন ঘৰৰ মণিকূটৰ পৰা উলিয়াই অনা হয় আৰু কিছুমান নীতি-নিয়ম পালন কৰা হয়।

Then thousands of people take them in a procession with Gayan Bayan."

তাৰ পিছত হাজাৰ হাজাৰ মানুহে গায়ন-বায়নৰ সৈতে তেওঁলোকক শোভাযাত্ৰা কৰি লৈ যায়।"

"Oh, really! Do you join the procession?" Riddhi asks.

"অহ, সঁচাকৈয়ে! তুমি শোভাযাত্ৰাত অংশগ্ৰহণ কৰানে?" ঋদ্ধিয়ে সোধে।

Beli replies, "Yes, I always do. During this Doul Utsav the air of Barpeta is filled with Holi Geet. Bhaona is also performed at night."

বেলিয়ে উত্তৰ দিয়ে, "হয়, মই সদায় কৰোঁ। এই দৌল উৎসৱৰ সময়ত বৰপেটাৰ বতাহ হোলী গীতেৰে মুখৰিত হৈ পৰে। ৰাতি ভাওনাও প্ৰদৰ্শন কৰা হয়।"

"I have never seen a Bhaona," Arki says sadly.

"মই কেতিয়াও ভাওনা দেখা নাই," আৰ্কিয়ে দুখেৰে কয়।

Riddhi asks again, "But Beli, don't you play with phaku during Holi?"

ঋদ্ধিয়ে আকৌ সোধে, "কিন্তু বেলি, তুমি হোলীৰ সময়ত ফাকু নেখেলা নেকি?"

"We do Riddhi. The last day of Doul is called Suveri. It is the day of colour.

"আমি খেলোঁ ঋদ্ধি। দৌলৰ শেষৰ দিনটোক সুঁৱেৰী বুলি কোৱা হয়। ই ৰঙৰ দিন।

Everyone showers phaku with joy and sings Holi Geet," Beli replies.

সকলোৱে আনন্দেৰে ফাকু ছটিয়ায় আৰু হোলী গীত গায়," বেলিয়ে উত্তৰ দিয়ে।

"Oh, I would love to go to Barpeta in this Doul Utsav. I will tell my parents today to take me there," Riddhi says.

"অহ, মই এই দৌল উৎসৱত বৰপেটালৈ যাবলৈ বহুত ভাল পাম। মই আজি মোৰ মা-দেউতাক মোক তালৈ লৈ যাবলৈ কম," ঋদ্ধিয়ে কয়।

Beli is very excited. She says, "Oh! It will be very nice. We can enjoy together, Riddhi."

বেলি বহুত উৎসাহিত হৈ পৰে। তাই কয়, "অহ! বৰ ভাল হ'ব। আমি একেলগে উপভোগ কৰিব পাৰিম, ঋদ্ধি।"

1. Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

a) Who are talking about their holidays?
Ans: Riddhi, Beli and Arki are talking about their holidays.

b) Who has planned to go to Shillong during the holidays for Holi?
Ans: Riddhi has planned to go to Shillong during the holidays for Holi.

c) With whom does Arki like to enjoy Holi?
Ans: Arki likes to enjoy Holi with her friends.

d) For how many days is Doul celebrated in Barpeta?
Ans: Doul is celebrated for three to five days in Barpeta.

e) What kinds of songs are sung in Barpeta during Holi?
Ans: Holi Geet are specially sung in Barpeta during Holi.

f) What is performed at night during Holi?
Ans: Bhaona is performed at night during Holi.

g) What is Suweri?
Ans: Suweri is the last day of Doul, which is the day of colour when everyone showers phaku with joy.

2. Write whether the following statements are true or false.

• a) Arki is planning to go to Shillong during her holidays for Holi. → False
• b) Doul is celebrated for three to five days in Barpeta. → True
• c) Kirtan Ghar is in Barpeta. → True
• d) People of Barpeta play with phaku during all the days of Holi. → False

Activity 1: Fill in the blanks with completed answers

a) A fishmonger sells fish. (এজন মাছ বেপাৰীয়ে মাছ বেচে।)

b) A tailor stitches clothes. (এজন দৰ্জীয়ে কাপোৰ চিলায়।)

c) A novelist writes novels. (এজন ঔপন্যাসিকক উপন্যাস লিখে।)

d) A plumber mends taps and pipes. (এজন প্লাম্বাৰে টেপ আৰু পাইপ মেৰামতি কৰে।)

e) A journalist writes for the newspaper. (এজন সাংবাদিকে বাতৰিকাকতৰ বাবে লিখে।)

f) A confectioner sells sweet and pastries. (এজন মিঠাই বিক্ৰেতাই মিঠাই আৰু পেষ্ট্ৰী বেচে।)

g) A greengrocer sells vegetables. (এজন শাক-পাচলি বিক্ৰেতাই শাক-পাচলি বেচে।)

h) A barber cuts hair. (এজন নাপিতে চুলি কাটে।)

i) A poet writes poem. (এজন কবিয়ে কবিতা লিখে।)

j) A florist sells flowers. (এজন ফুল বিক্ৰেতাই ফুল বেচে।)

k) A butcher sells meat. (এজন কছায়ে মাংস বেচে।)

l) A postman delivers letters. (এজন ডাকোৱালে চিঠি বিলায়।)

Activity 2 & 3: Proper, Common, Countable & Uncountable Nouns

Proper Noun: Nepal, Nilachal, January, Sahara, Kamakhya, Pranab, Guwahati, Brahmaputra, India.

Common Noun: boy, hill, temple, mountain, month, city, desert, river, school, library, teacher.

Countable Nouns: book, girl, ring, pencil, lion.

Uncountable Nouns: oil, hair, coffee, salt, silver.

Activity 4 & 5: Match the Abstract Nouns & Find Material Nouns

I. With Adjectives: courage - courageous, anger - angry, goodness - good, kindness - kind, strength - strong, honesty - honest, beauty - beautiful, confidence - confident

II. With Verbs: thought - think, knowledge - know, death - die, education - educate, behaviour - behave, success - succeed, failure - fail

III. With Common Nouns: leadership - leader, childhood - child, kingship - king, motherhood - mother, friendship - friend, agency - agent

Activity 5 (Material Nouns): water, nylon, salt, wool, steel, milk, gold, brick.

Writing Activity: Picture Description

I. Describe the picture of the tiffin box:
This is a beautiful tiffin box. It is rectangular in shape. It is blue in colour and made of plastic. I always bring tiffin to school in it.

II. Describe the picture of the mango tree:
This is a big mango tree. Its leaves are narrow and long in shape. It has many branches and twigs. Its leaves are used in 'puja'. Its roots are strong. People love ripe mangoes.

Build up your vocabulary (Matched words)