Chapter 13: A Shelter so High!
5th StandardEnvironmental Studies
Chapter Summary
A Shelter so High! - Chapter Summary
# A Shelter So High!
## Overview
In this chapter, we follow traveller Gaurav Jani and his motorcycle, Loner, as they journey from Mumbai to the cold deserts of Ladakh. Through the trip, Gaurav explores different kinds of shelters found in regions of Jammu & Kashmir and how they suit the people living in extreme climates. This chapter highlights the diverse lifestyles, traditional homes, and cultural richness of people living in high-altitude areas.
## Key Topics Covered
### 1. Journey Begins – Planning and Preparation
- Gaurav Jani begins his journey from Mumbai with only essential items: tent, sleeping bag, plastic sheet, warm clothes, food, camera, and petrol cans.
- He travels through Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Delhi before reaching Manali in Himachal Pradesh.
- The excitement builds as he moves towards regions with unique houses and snowy landscapes.
### 2. Entering the Mountains
- Gaurav describes reaching Manali and then travelling through the challenging roads of Jammu and Kashmir.
- He camps in a tiny nylon tent, with his motorcycle standing guard.
- The beauty of the sunrise and quiet surroundings are in contrast to city life.
### 3. Discovering Ladakh – The Cold Desert
- Leh is described as a cold desert—high, dry, flat, and with very little rainfall.
- Gaurav is welcomed with “jule, jule” (welcome) by children in Leh.
- The houses in Leh are white, made of stones, and coated with mud and lime.
### 4. Tashi’s House in Leh
- Tashi, a local boy, shows Gaurav his two-storey house.
- Ground floor: for animals and storage, windowless to retain warmth.
- First floor: living space, with thick mud walls, wooden floors and ceilings.
- Roofs are used to dry vegetables, grains, and cow dung for winter storage.
- Every part of the house is designed to withstand the cold climate.
### 5. High-Altitude Life – Changthang and Changpa Tribe
- Gaurav travels further to Changthang, almost 5000 meters above sea level, where it's hard to breathe due to low oxygen.
- He meets the **Changpa** tribe, nomadic people who rely on goats and sheep for milk, meat, wool, and even tents.
- Their lifestyle revolves around animals, and wealth is measured by the number of goats.
### 6. Rebo – Traditional Tent Shelter
- The Changpas live in cone-shaped tents called **Rebo**, made of yak wool strips stitched and supported with sticks.
- Rebo is warm, wind-resistant, and has space for cooking and storage.
- Nearby, sheep and goats are kept in stone-walled enclosures called **lekha**.
- The Changpa’s adaptation to the harsh environment is a testament to human resilience.
### 7. Pashmina – World Famous Wool
- Changpa goats provide soft wool used for making **pashmina shawls**.
- The wool is collected in summer when goats shed their hair.
- Weaving is done by hand in Kashmir because machines cannot handle such fine fibers.
- Making one plain shawl takes nearly **250 hours** of hand-weaving.
### 8. Srinagar – Houses on Water
- Gaurav travels from Leh to **Srinagar** via **Kargil** and sees very different styles of houses.
- Types of shelters in Srinagar:
- **Houseboats**: Carved wooden boats called *donga* or shikaras float on lakes like Dal and Jhelum.
- **Traditional homes**: Made of brick, wood, stone with beautiful *mehraab* (arches) and wooden designs like *khatamband* (puzzle-style ceiling patterns).
- **Sloping roofs** and stone construction help handle snowfall in villages.
- Some houses have *dab*—a small wooden balcony that extends out from the wall.
### 9. Return to the City
- On the way back through Jammu, Gaurav sees city-style houses of cement, bricks, steel, and glass.
- He reflects on how each region's houses suit their local climate and needs.
- Gaurav feels enriched by the experiences and promises more such journeys with Loner.
## New Terms and Simple Definitions
| Term | Simple Definition |
|--------------|------------------|
| Cold desert | A dry, cold place with very little rainfall, like Ladakh |
| Nylon tent | A small portable tent made of synthetic material |
| Leh | A city in Ladakh, known for cold desert landscape |
| Sloping roof | Roofs built at an angle to let snow or rain slide off |
| Changpa | A nomadic tribe living in the high mountains of Ladakh |
| Pashmina | Very soft and warm wool from a special mountain goat |
| Rebo | Cone-shaped traditional tent made by Changpa people |
| Lekha | Stone-walled animal enclosure used by Changpas |
| Khatamband | Wooden ceiling design that looks like a jigsaw puzzle |
| Dab | A special type of wooden window that juts out from a wall |
## Practice Questions
### Easy (3)
1. **Where did Gaurav Jani start his journey from?**
*Answer*: Mumbai.
2. **What is a Rebo?**
*Answer*: A traditional tent made of yak hair used by Changpa people.
3. **What do the Changpa people get from their goats?**
*Answer*: Milk, meat, wool, skin for tents.
---
### Medium (2)
4. **Why do Changpas live at very high places with cold temperatures?**
*Answer*: Because their goats grow softer hair in colder climates, which is used to make pashmina wool.
5. **What is the roof used for in Tashi’s house in Leh?**
*Answer*: For drying red chillies, pumpkins, corn, and cow dung cakes in summer.
---
### Difficult (3)
6. **How does the design of the Rebo protect the Changpas from the cold?**
*Answer*: It is made of yak wool that is strong and warm, tightly tied with sticks, and partly underground to block icy winds.
7. **Compare the houses of Leh and Srinagar based on their design and location.**
*Answer*: Leh houses are made of stone and mud with flat roofs for drying food; Srinagar houses include wooden houseboats with decorative carvings, and houses with sloping roofs and wooden balconies for snowy weather.
8. **Why is pashmina wool so special and how is it made into shawls?**
*Answer*: It is very fine, soft, and warm. It is collected by hand in summer and woven by hand into shawls since machines can't weave such fine wool.
---
### Very Difficult (2)
9. **Explain how the shelters seen by Gaurav reflect the adaptation of people to their environment.**
*Answer*: Every shelter—stone houses in Leh, tents in Changthang, houseboats in Srinagar—is suited to its climate. People use local materials and designs that provide warmth, mobility, or floatation, showing how human life adapts to nature.
10. **How did the journey change Gaurav’s view on houses and lifestyles across India?**
*Answer*: He realized the beauty and intelligence behind traditional shelters built according to climate and resources, contrasting with the uniform cement buildings in cities.
---
## Overview
In this chapter, we follow traveller Gaurav Jani and his motorcycle, Loner, as they journey from Mumbai to the cold deserts of Ladakh. Through the trip, Gaurav explores different kinds of shelters found in regions of Jammu & Kashmir and how they suit the people living in extreme climates. This chapter highlights the diverse lifestyles, traditional homes, and cultural richness of people living in high-altitude areas.
## Key Topics Covered
### 1. Journey Begins – Planning and Preparation
- Gaurav Jani begins his journey from Mumbai with only essential items: tent, sleeping bag, plastic sheet, warm clothes, food, camera, and petrol cans.
- He travels through Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Delhi before reaching Manali in Himachal Pradesh.
- The excitement builds as he moves towards regions with unique houses and snowy landscapes.
### 2. Entering the Mountains
- Gaurav describes reaching Manali and then travelling through the challenging roads of Jammu and Kashmir.
- He camps in a tiny nylon tent, with his motorcycle standing guard.
- The beauty of the sunrise and quiet surroundings are in contrast to city life.
### 3. Discovering Ladakh – The Cold Desert
- Leh is described as a cold desert—high, dry, flat, and with very little rainfall.
- Gaurav is welcomed with “jule, jule” (welcome) by children in Leh.
- The houses in Leh are white, made of stones, and coated with mud and lime.
### 4. Tashi’s House in Leh
- Tashi, a local boy, shows Gaurav his two-storey house.
- Ground floor: for animals and storage, windowless to retain warmth.
- First floor: living space, with thick mud walls, wooden floors and ceilings.
- Roofs are used to dry vegetables, grains, and cow dung for winter storage.
- Every part of the house is designed to withstand the cold climate.
### 5. High-Altitude Life – Changthang and Changpa Tribe
- Gaurav travels further to Changthang, almost 5000 meters above sea level, where it's hard to breathe due to low oxygen.
- He meets the **Changpa** tribe, nomadic people who rely on goats and sheep for milk, meat, wool, and even tents.
- Their lifestyle revolves around animals, and wealth is measured by the number of goats.
### 6. Rebo – Traditional Tent Shelter
- The Changpas live in cone-shaped tents called **Rebo**, made of yak wool strips stitched and supported with sticks.
- Rebo is warm, wind-resistant, and has space for cooking and storage.
- Nearby, sheep and goats are kept in stone-walled enclosures called **lekha**.
- The Changpa’s adaptation to the harsh environment is a testament to human resilience.
### 7. Pashmina – World Famous Wool
- Changpa goats provide soft wool used for making **pashmina shawls**.
- The wool is collected in summer when goats shed their hair.
- Weaving is done by hand in Kashmir because machines cannot handle such fine fibers.
- Making one plain shawl takes nearly **250 hours** of hand-weaving.
### 8. Srinagar – Houses on Water
- Gaurav travels from Leh to **Srinagar** via **Kargil** and sees very different styles of houses.
- Types of shelters in Srinagar:
- **Houseboats**: Carved wooden boats called *donga* or shikaras float on lakes like Dal and Jhelum.
- **Traditional homes**: Made of brick, wood, stone with beautiful *mehraab* (arches) and wooden designs like *khatamband* (puzzle-style ceiling patterns).
- **Sloping roofs** and stone construction help handle snowfall in villages.
- Some houses have *dab*—a small wooden balcony that extends out from the wall.
### 9. Return to the City
- On the way back through Jammu, Gaurav sees city-style houses of cement, bricks, steel, and glass.
- He reflects on how each region's houses suit their local climate and needs.
- Gaurav feels enriched by the experiences and promises more such journeys with Loner.
## New Terms and Simple Definitions
| Term | Simple Definition |
|--------------|------------------|
| Cold desert | A dry, cold place with very little rainfall, like Ladakh |
| Nylon tent | A small portable tent made of synthetic material |
| Leh | A city in Ladakh, known for cold desert landscape |
| Sloping roof | Roofs built at an angle to let snow or rain slide off |
| Changpa | A nomadic tribe living in the high mountains of Ladakh |
| Pashmina | Very soft and warm wool from a special mountain goat |
| Rebo | Cone-shaped traditional tent made by Changpa people |
| Lekha | Stone-walled animal enclosure used by Changpas |
| Khatamband | Wooden ceiling design that looks like a jigsaw puzzle |
| Dab | A special type of wooden window that juts out from a wall |
## Practice Questions
### Easy (3)
1. **Where did Gaurav Jani start his journey from?**
*Answer*: Mumbai.
2. **What is a Rebo?**
*Answer*: A traditional tent made of yak hair used by Changpa people.
3. **What do the Changpa people get from their goats?**
*Answer*: Milk, meat, wool, skin for tents.
---
### Medium (2)
4. **Why do Changpas live at very high places with cold temperatures?**
*Answer*: Because their goats grow softer hair in colder climates, which is used to make pashmina wool.
5. **What is the roof used for in Tashi’s house in Leh?**
*Answer*: For drying red chillies, pumpkins, corn, and cow dung cakes in summer.
---
### Difficult (3)
6. **How does the design of the Rebo protect the Changpas from the cold?**
*Answer*: It is made of yak wool that is strong and warm, tightly tied with sticks, and partly underground to block icy winds.
7. **Compare the houses of Leh and Srinagar based on their design and location.**
*Answer*: Leh houses are made of stone and mud with flat roofs for drying food; Srinagar houses include wooden houseboats with decorative carvings, and houses with sloping roofs and wooden balconies for snowy weather.
8. **Why is pashmina wool so special and how is it made into shawls?**
*Answer*: It is very fine, soft, and warm. It is collected by hand in summer and woven by hand into shawls since machines can't weave such fine wool.
---
### Very Difficult (2)
9. **Explain how the shelters seen by Gaurav reflect the adaptation of people to their environment.**
*Answer*: Every shelter—stone houses in Leh, tents in Changthang, houseboats in Srinagar—is suited to its climate. People use local materials and designs that provide warmth, mobility, or floatation, showing how human life adapts to nature.
10. **How did the journey change Gaurav’s view on houses and lifestyles across India?**
*Answer*: He realized the beauty and intelligence behind traditional shelters built according to climate and resources, contrasting with the uniform cement buildings in cities.
---
A Shelter So High!
Overview
In this chapter, we follow traveller Gaurav Jani and his motorcycle, Loner, as they journey from Mumbai to the cold deserts of Ladakh. Through the trip, Gaurav explores different kinds of shelters found in regions of Jammu & Kashmir and how they suit the people living in extreme climates. This chapter highlights the diverse lifestyles, traditional homes, and cultural richness of people living in high-altitude areas.
Key Topics Covered
1. Journey Begins – Planning and Preparation
- Gaurav Jani begins his journey from Mumbai with only essential items: tent, sleeping bag, plastic sheet, warm clothes, food, camera, and petrol cans.
- He travels through Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Delhi before reaching Manali in Himachal Pradesh.
- The excitement builds as he moves towards regions with unique houses and snowy landscapes.
2. Entering the Mountains
- Gaurav describes reaching Manali and then travelling through the challenging roads of Jammu and Kashmir.
- He camps in a tiny nylon tent, with his motorcycle standing guard.
- The beauty of the sunrise and quiet surroundings are in contrast to city life.
3. Discovering Ladakh – The Cold Desert
- Leh is described as a cold desert—high, dry, flat, and with very little rainfall.
- Gaurav is welcomed with “jule, jule” (welcome) by children in Leh.
- The houses in Leh are white, made of stones, and coated with mud and lime.
4. Tashi’s House in Leh
- Tashi, a local boy, shows Gaurav his two-storey house.
- Ground floor: for animals and storage, windowless to retain warmth.
- First floor: living space, with thick mud walls, wooden floors and ceilings.
- Roofs are used to dry vegetables, grains, and cow dung for winter storage.
- Every part of the house is designed to withstand the cold climate.
5. High-Altitude Life – Changthang and Changpa Tribe
- Gaurav travels further to Changthang, almost 5000 meters above sea level, where it's hard to breathe due to low oxygen.
- He meets the Changpa tribe, nomadic people who rely on goats and sheep for milk, meat, wool, and even tents.
- Their lifestyle revolves around animals, and wealth is measured by the number of goats.
6. Rebo – Traditional Tent Shelter
- The Changpas live in cone-shaped tents called Rebo, made of yak wool strips stitched and supported with sticks.
- Rebo is warm, wind-resistant, and has space for cooking and storage.
- Nearby, sheep and goats are kept in stone-walled enclosures called lekha.
- The Changpa’s adaptation to the harsh environment is a testament to human resilience.
7. Pashmina – World Famous Wool
- Changpa goats provide soft wool used for making pashmina shawls.
- The wool is collected in summer when goats shed their hair.
- Weaving is done by hand in Kashmir because machines cannot handle such fine fibers.
- Making one plain shawl takes nearly 250 hours of hand-weaving.
8. Srinagar – Houses on Water
- Gaurav travels from Leh to Srinagar via Kargil and sees very different styles of houses.
- Types of shelters in Srinagar:
- Houseboats: Carved wooden boats called donga or shikaras float on lakes like Dal and Jhelum.
- Traditional homes: Made of brick, wood, stone with beautiful mehraab (arches) and wooden designs like khatamband (puzzle-style ceiling patterns).
- Sloping roofs and stone construction help handle snowfall in villages.
- Some houses have dab—a small wooden balcony that extends out from the wall.
9. Return to the City
- On the way back through Jammu, Gaurav sees city-style houses of cement, bricks, steel, and glass.
- He reflects on how each region's houses suit their local climate and needs.
- Gaurav feels enriched by the experiences and promises more such journeys with Loner.
New Terms and Simple Definitions
| Term | Simple Definition |
|---|---|
| Cold desert | A dry, cold place with very little rainfall, like Ladakh |
| Nylon tent | A small portable tent made of synthetic material |
| Leh | A city in Ladakh, known for cold desert landscape |
| Sloping roof | Roofs built at an angle to let snow or rain slide off |
| Changpa | A nomadic tribe living in the high mountains of Ladakh |
| Pashmina | Very soft and warm wool from a special mountain goat |
| Rebo | Cone-shaped traditional tent made by Changpa people |
| Lekha | Stone-walled animal enclosure used by Changpas |
| Khatamband | Wooden ceiling design that looks like a jigsaw puzzle |
| Dab | A special type of wooden window that juts out from a wall |
Practice Questions
Easy (3)
-
Where did Gaurav Jani start his journey from?
Answer: Mumbai. -
What is a Rebo?
Answer: A traditional tent made of yak hair used by Changpa people. -
What do the Changpa people get from their goats?
Answer: Milk, meat, wool, skin for tents.
Medium (2)
-
Why do Changpas live at very high places with cold temperatures?
Answer: Because their goats grow softer hair in colder climates, which is used to make pashmina wool. -
What is the roof used for in Tashi’s house in Leh?
Answer: For drying red chillies, pumpkins, corn, and cow dung cakes in summer.
Difficult (3)
-
How does the design of the Rebo protect the Changpas from the cold?
Answer: It is made of yak wool that is strong and warm, tightly tied with sticks, and partly underground to block icy winds. -
Compare the houses of Leh and Srinagar based on their design and location.
Answer: Leh houses are made of stone and mud with flat roofs for drying food; Srinagar houses include wooden houseboats with decorative carvings, and houses with sloping roofs and wooden balconies for snowy weather. -
Why is pashmina wool so special and how is it made into shawls?
Answer: It is very fine, soft, and warm. It is collected by hand in summer and woven by hand into shawls since machines can't weave such fine wool.
Very Difficult (2)
-
Explain how the shelters seen by Gaurav reflect the adaptation of people to their environment.
Answer: Every shelter—stone houses in Leh, tents in Changthang, houseboats in Srinagar—is suited to its climate. People use local materials and designs that provide warmth, mobility, or floatation, showing how human life adapts to nature. -
How did the journey change Gaurav’s view on houses and lifestyles across India?
Answer: He realized the beauty and intelligence behind traditional shelters built according to climate and resources, contrasting with the uniform cement buildings in cities.