Class 8 English It So Happened Book Chapter wise word meanings

 

Class 8 NCERT It So Happened Book Chapter wise difficult word meanings 

 

Here, the difficult words and their meanings of all the Chapters of CBSE Class 8 English It So Happened Book have been compiled for the convenience of the students. This is an exhaustive list of the difficult words and meanings of all the Chapters from the It So Happened book for NCERT Class 8 English. The difficult words’ meanings have been explained in an easy language so that every student can understand them easily.

 

• Chapter 1  How the Camel got his hump
• Chapter 2  Children at work
• Chapter 3  The Selfish Giant
• Chapter 4  The Treasure Within
• Chapter 5  Princess September
• Chapter 6  The Fight
• Chapter 7  The Open Window
• Chapter 8  Jalebis
• Chapter 9  The Comet – I
• Chapter 10  The Comet – II
• Chapter 11  Ancient Education System of India
• Honeydew Book (Prose) Word Meaning
• It so Happened Book Word Meaning
• Honeydew Book Lesson Explanation
• It so Happened Book Lesson Explanation

Chapter 1  How the Camel got his hump

 

1. Cud- partly digested food returned from the first stomach of ruminants to the mouth for further chewing
2. Djinn: (pronounced ‘jin’ and variously spelt as ‘genie’, ‘genii’, ‘jinnee’, ‘djinni’, ‘djinny’): a spirit that has strange powers and can assume any form, human or animal
3. Fetch- go and then bring back (something) for someone
4. Howling Desert- a desert where you hear howling noises of both animals and the wind 
5. Hump- a rounded protuberance found on the back of a camel or other animal
6. I’ll humph him: I’ll deal with him appropriately./I’ll set him right. 
7. Panchayat- a council
8. Plough- turn up the earth of (an area of land) with a plough, especially before sowing
9. Prickles- a short pointed outgrowth on the bark or epidermis of a plant; a small thorn
10. Puffing up- becoming bigger
11. Saddle- a seat fastened on the back of a horse or other animal for riding, typically made of leather and raised at the front and rear
12. Thorns- a stiff, sharp-pointed woody projection on the stem or other part of a plant
13. Trot- run at moderate pace with short steps
14. Whew- used to express surprise 
15. Yoke- a wooden cross piece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to the plough or cart that they are to pull

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Chapter 2  Children at work

 

1. Blasted- (here) strike
2. Blockhead: fool
3. Chutney: (here) run over/killed; crushed and ground into chutney
4. Crookedly- at an irregular or improper angle. 
5. Glumly- in a depressed way
6. Grimace- an ugly, twisted expression on a person’s face, typically expressing disgust, pain, or wry amusement 
7.  Grinned- smile broadly
8. Gulped- swallow (drink or food) quickly or in large mouthfuls, often audibly
9. Making his head spin: giving him a headache/making him feel dizzy
10. Mandapam- (in southern India) a temple porch; a temporary platform set up for weddings and religious ceremonies
11. Miserable- unhappy
12. Panicked: was very worried
13. Peeped over- To glance or peer shyly, quickly, or inconspicuously over the top of something 
14. Porter- a person employed to carry luggage and other loads, especially in a railway station, airport, hotel or market
15. Posing: looking important, hoping to impress others
16. Puddles- a small pool of liquid, especially of rainwater on the ground
17. Pulled in- arrived 
18. Sack- a large bag made of a strong material such as hessian, thick paper, or plastic, used for storing and carrying goods
19. Shaking her thumb under his nose- express scorn or ridicule
20. Shove- push (someone or something) roughly
21. Squashy- easily crushed or squeezed into a different shape; having a soft consistency
22. Squinted- look at someone or something with one or both eyes partly closed in an attempt to see more clearly or as a reaction to strong light
23. Tar- a dark, thick flammable liquid distilled from wood or coal, consisting of a mixture of hydrocarbons, resins, alcohols, and other compounds. It is used in road-making and for coating and preserving timber
24. Tiffin: snack (not a proper meal)
25. Trickle- (of a liquid) flow in a small stream 
26. Triplicane- Triplicane, also known as Thiruvallikeni, is one of the oldest neighbourhoods of Chennai, India.
27. Weeding: working in a field removing grass/Digging, etc

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Chapter 3  The Selfish Giant

 

1. Art- here, are
2. Awe- a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder
3. Casement- window that opens on hinges like a door
4. Chimney pots- an earthenware or metal pipe or deflector, often cylindrical, fitted on the top of the chimney to increase draft and reduce or disperse smoke
5. Cloak- a sleeveless outdoor overgarment that hangs loosely from the shoulders; cape
6. Cornish Ogre- a giant of Cornwall (in the U.K.)
7. Crept- move slowly or carefully in order to avoid being heard or noticed 
8. Feeble- weak
9. Gruff- rough; surly
10. Hastened- move hurriedly 
11. Hath- an old-fashioned third person singular form of the verb ‘have’
12. Linnet- a brownish songbird found in Europe 
13. Longed- have a strong wish or desire
14. Marvellous- extremely good or pleasing; splendid
15. Nay- no 
16. Ogre- (in legends and fairy stories) a cruel giant who eats people; (in common usage) a very frightening person
17. Prosecuted- tried in a court of law (here, punished)
18. Rattled- make or cause to make a rapid succession of short, sharp knocking sounds
19. Slate- a fine-grained grey, green, or bluish-purple metamorphic rock easily split into smooth, flat plates
20. Slay- kill someone in a violent way
21. Snow, Frost, North Wind, Hail- All these have been presented as characters or persons. North Wind is the chilly wind, and Hail is the hailstorm 
22. Stole up- to move somewhere quietly and secretly
23. Thee- an old-fashioned word for ‘you’
24. Trespassers- a person entering someone’s land or property without permission
25. Twittering- (of a bird) give a call consisting of repeated light tremulous sounds; chirp

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Chapter 4  The Treasure Within

 

1. Academics: academic or educational matters (books, discussions, debates, etc.)
2. Ammunition- bullets
3. Arithmetic- the branch of mathematics dealing with the properties and manipulation of numbers
4. As far as my things are concerned- perhaps he is referring to matters other than course materials and their details
5. Cakewalk- smooth ride/something easy to achieve
6. Caning- punishment/ beating
7. Chor police- children’s game in which one child (thief) hides and others (policemen) try to find him/her Eat to my heart’s content- eat as much as I wanted; eat my fill 
8. Contention- view; belief or opinion
9. Cope- manage/handle/deal with 
10. Curriculum- (here) school subjects or prescribed courses of study 
11. Defied- broke
12. Distinction- a grade in an examination denoting excellence
13. Distraction- something amusing and pleasurable 
14. Giftedness- having special abilities
15. Incurred- become subject to (something unwelcome or unpleasant) as a result of one’s own behaviour or actions 
16. Incurred the wrath of your teacher- made your teacher furious
17. Insecure- anxious (here)
18. Instinctively- naturally (not coming from training or based on reasoning)
19. Nightmare- haunting fear/frightening dream
20. Psyche- mind or mentality
21. Pull you up-reprimand or scold someone
22. SSC- Secondary School Certificate
23. Strategies- methods of winning fights 
24. Street smart- smart by doing things independently/ by choice rather than force
25. Wrath- extreme anger

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Chapter 5  Princess September

 

1. Absurd- inappropriate
2. Alighted- came down
3. Dawn- the first appearance of light in the sky before sunrise
4. Dew- tiny drops of water that form on cool surfaces at night, when atmospheric vapour condenses
5. Disagreeable- unpleasant 
6. Dreadful- causing or involving great suffering, fear, or unhappiness; extremely bad or serious
7. Dreadful- terrible
8. Fancy- feel a desire or liking for
9. Firm- unlikely to change
10. Glided- move with a smooth, quiet continuous motion
11. Glum- looking or feeling dejected; gloomy
12. Good gracious- Exclamation of surprise, dismay, or alarm
13. Handy- immediately available
14. Hawks- a bird of prey with broad rounded wings and a long tail, typically taking prey by surprise with a short chase
15. Heart go thump- If your heart thumps, it beats more strongly and quickly than usual, because of exercise, fear, or excitement 
16. Hop- jump
17. I dare say- I agree/ accept (that it is true)
18. Lark- a small ground-dwelling songbird with elongated hind claws and a song that is delivered on the wing, typically crested and with brown streaky plumage
19. Maids of Honour- Women attending the Princess
20. Mocked- tease or laugh at in a scornful or contemptuous manner
21. Nightingale- a small migratory thrush with drab brownish plumage, noted for its rich melodious song which can often be heard at night
22. Obstinate- stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so
23. Ominously- threateningly – suggesting that something bad was about to happen
24. Oriental- of the east (the Orient means the countries of the far East. its opposite is the Occident)
25. Peculiar- different o what is normal or expected 
26. Perch-  place where a bird sits or rests
27. Pop- put; push
28. Pound- a unit of weight
29. Pretty Polly-  This simply means ‘God save the king’ as said by the parrot. This was the tradition that to pray for the long life of a king
30. Prowling- (of a person or animal) move about restlessly and stealthily, especially in search of prey
31. Put  their head together- discussed amongst themselves to take a decision 
32. Saucer- a shallow dish, typically having a circular indentation in the centre, on which a cup is placed
33. Siam- now Thailand 
34. Siamese- old fashioned term for Thai (language)
35. Sill- a shelf or slab of stone, wood, or metal at the foot of a window opening or doorway
36. Snares- traps for catching birds or animals
37. Sob- cry noisily, making loud, convulsive gasps
38. Startled- feeling or showing sudden shock or alarm  
39. Stiff- hardened; non-flexible
40. Suking- be silent, morose, and bad-tempered out of annoyance or disappointment
41. Supper- an evening meal, typically a light or informal one
42. Thank you for nothing- dismissive and contemptuous way of telling somebody that they were no help at all; it is as empty of gratitude as the speaker thinks the offer of help is of no use.
43. Vexed- annoyed, frustrated
44. Willow- a tree or shrub of temperate climates which typically has narrow leaves, bears catkins, and grows near water. 

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Chapter 6  The Fight

 

1. Acquiesce- accept quietly
2. Adversary- opponent/ enemy 
3. Assaillant- the person who attacks; (here) enemy/ adversary
4. Astonished- greatly surprised or impressed; amazed
5. At each other’s throats- fighting
6. Bony- (of a person or part of the body) so thin that the bones can be seen
7. Cascading- coming down (like a waterfall)
8. Clawing- scratching (here)
9. Cluster- a group of similar things positioned closely together
10. Conceded- admitted 
11. Dashed- destroyed (hopes or expectations)
12. Dissolved- subside uncontrollably into (an expression of strong feelings); break into
13. Dive- plunge head first into water with one’s arms raised over one’s head
14. Dizzy- having or involving a sensation of spinning around and losing one’s balance
15. Emerged- move out of or away from something and become visible 
16. Encounter- unexpectedly be faced with or experience (something hostile or difficult) 
17. Exhaustion- tiredness/ fatigue
18. Feat- clever act; special skill
19. Ferocity- fierceness (suggesting anger/ cruelty)
20. Frenzied- violent  
21. Gasping- catch one’s breath with an open mouth; owing to pain or astonishment
22. Glistened- shine with a sparkling light
23. Gushing- exaggeratedly enthusiastic
24. Heaving- produce (a sigh)
25. Hissing- to make a long ‘s’ sound
26. Hostile- showing or feeling opposition or dislike; unfriendly
27. Hostility- ill will/ enmity
28. Impasse- (also pronounced ampass) deadlock;  place or position from which there is no way out 
29. Impulse- a sudden strong and unreflective urge or desire to act
30. Interminably- endlessly 
31. Leapt- jumped
32. Limpid- (of a liquid) completely clear and transparent
33. Limpid- clear
34. Listless- lacking energy or enthusiasm 
35. Muster- (here) use; collect or gather
36. Outwit- deceive by greater ingenuity
37. Parched- hot and dry
38. Penetrated- gone through/ into
39. Plunge- jump 
40. Proclaimed- announce officially; make something clear
41. Quench- cool (his body)
42. Sal trees- a North Indian tree that yields hard, durable timber and dammar resin
43. Scowled- looked angrily  
44. Seer- same as ser, a unit of weight used previously in India. A ser, a little less than a litre, was one-fortieth of a maund
45. Solace- comfort or consolation in a time of great distress or sadness
46. Sore- (of a part of one’s body) painful or aching
47. Spluttering- speaking quickly/ confusedly
48. Spouting- send out (liquid) forcibly in a stream
49. Staggered- felt weak/unsteady (due to the blow)
50. Stripped- without clothes
51. Strode- (past of stride) walk with long decisive steps in a specified direction
52. Supple- bending and moving easily and gracefully; flexible
53. Swaying-moving from side to side 
54. Taken aback- surprised 
55. Thickset- stout/ solidly built 
56. Torrent- rushing stream (of water)
57. Translucency- clarity (possible to see through) 
58. Treading water- keeping oneself upright in deep water by moving the feet 
59. Tremendous- great
60. Trickle- weak or thin flow of water
61. Tumbling- fall suddenly, clumsily or headlong
62. Unflinching- (without blinking) looking straight at each other
63. Vigour- strength 
64. Vividly- in a way that produces powerful feelings or strong, clear images in the mind 
65. Wallowed- rolled about (in mud or dirty water)  
66. Wandered- walk or move in a leisurely or aimless way

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Chapter 7  The Open Window

1. Ailments and infirmities- (relating to health) complaints of sickness/weakness  
2. Bog- wet, spongy ground (one may sink into it) 
3. Bolted out- leave suddenly and as if in a hurry
4. Briskly- in an active, quick, or energetic way
5. Bustled- entered (the room) noisily
6. Communion- (here) communication 
7. Dashed off- to leave a place suddenly or quickly
8. Dazed- unable to think or react properly 
9. Delusion-false impression or belief 
10. Discounting- regard (a possibility or fact) as being unworthy of consideration because it lacks credibility
11. Distinct- recognizably different
12. Dreadful- causing or involving great suffering, fear, or unhappiness; extremely bad or serious
13. Duly- in accordance with what is required or appropriate 
14. Dusk- sunset
15. Endeavoured- tried
16. Engulfed- sweep over (something) so as to surround or cover it completely; bury
17. Falteringly- a ‘faltering’ voice is shaky, hesitant; haltingly 
18. Flatter- make (her) happy
19. Gravel drive- A gravel road is a type on unpaved road surfaced with gravel 
20. Grinning- smiling broadly so as to reveal teeth
21. Headlong- in a rush; with reckless haste
22. Hedge- a fence or boundary formed by closely growing bushes or shrubs
23. Imminent- about to happen
24. Laboured-  done with great effort
25. Lose their nerve- to suddenly panic and become too afraid
26. Mackintosh- a full-length waterproof coat
27. Marshes- an area of low-lying land which is flooded in wet seasons or at high tide, and typically remains waterlogged at all times; bog; swamp
28. Moor- grassland 
29. Moping- wander about listlessly and aimlessly because of unhappiness or boredom
30. Out of place- unsuitable
31. Pursued- (here) continued
32. Rattled on- went on 
33. Retreat- a quiet or secluded place in which one can rest and relax. 
34. Romance at short notice- finding occasions for fun and enjoyment, wherever possible
35. Scarcity of birds-  no birds or very few (‘scarcity’ means acute shortage)
36. Self-possessed- calm and confident; sure of herself 
37. Shudder- (of a person) tremble convulsively, typically as a result of fear or revulsion; shake; shiver; tremble
38. Snarling-(of an animal such as a dog) make an aggressive growl with bared teeth
39. Snipe-  water bird that lives in marshes 
40. Spaniel- a dog of a breed with a long silky coat and drooping ears
41. Straying- straying: moving (she was not looking at him) 
42. Suggest masculine habitation- suggest that the room belonged to a man 
43. Sympathetic comprehension- understanding and showing sympathy 
44. Tragedy- an event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress
45. Treacherous- dangerous (though it seems safe) 
46. Unduly- overly; unnecessarily
47. Whirl of apologies-   many apologies (in quick succession)

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Chapter 8  Jalebis

 

1. Assault- attack
2. Ayat-al-kursi- title of a verse in the Holy Quran
3. Bismillah- in the name of God (words spoken before starting something)
4. Blabbering- talking confusedly
5. Cane- walking stick
6. Chabutara- platform 
7. Chachajaan- Uncle (often used as a respectful form of address to a man around the same age as one’s father)
8. Chaprasi- peon 
9. Choo- sound of ‘blowing over the bag’ (to ward off evil) 
10. Clamour- loud noise
11. Clenched- (of the fingers or hand) closed into a tight ball
12. Clutched- grasp (something) tightly
13. Coiled up- to curl oneself or something into a small, compact position.
14. Crouching- sitting (as if hiding)
15. Dashed- run somewhere in great hurry.
16. Devour- eat (food) quickly
17. Farishta- angel 
18. Followed my nose- go straight ahead 
19. Gali- narrow lane
20. Gobbled- eat (something) hurriedly and noisily 
21. Halwai- sweetmeat seller 
22. Id- the festival of Eid
23. Jalebis- syrupy Indian sweet 
24. Jalebi-wielding hand- the hand that held jalebis 
25. Kadhao- large, open pot for cooking/boiling
26. Khanak-khanak- sound of jingling of coins 
27. Kissa khatam, paisa hazam- end of story (literally: story ends, money disappears)
28. Mob- a large crowd of people
29. Mound- a large pile or quantity of something
30. Persuasion- coaxing
31. Prestige- respect
32. Qayamat- Judgement day 
33. Racket- uproar/ loud noise
34. Rupiyas- rupees 
35. Saheb- a word of Arabic origin meaning “companion”
36. Shriek- utter a high-pitched piercing sound or words, especially as an expression of terror, pain, or excitement; scream
37. Strangle- squeeze or constrict
38. Summoned- sent for/ called
39. Surats- verses from the Holy Quran 
40. Tonga- two-wheeled, horse-drawn vehicle 
41. Treasury- wealth 
42. Virtuous- good and noble
43. Wazu- ablution (washing face, hands and feet before praying)
44. Wretched- terrible
45. Wriggled- twist and turn with quick writhing movements 

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Chapter 9  The Comet – I

 

1. Acquired- (here) bought
2. Amateur- a person who is incompetent or inept at a particular activity
3. Ananda Bazar Patrika- an Indian Bengali-language newspaper
4. Aspersions- harsh remarks
5. Astronomer- a scholar of the science of the sun, moon, stars, planets, etc.
6. Bangalore*-  now, Bengaluru
7. Barring- except for; if not for; with the exception of
8. Beckoned- summon (someone) by beckoning (making a gesture) to them 
9. Bowler-hatted- a person wearing a bowler hat 
10. Butler- the chief manservant 
11. Calamities- disasters/misfortunes 
12. Calcutta*- now, Kolkata
13. Catastrophic- involving or causing sudden great damage or suffering
14. Civil servant- a member of the civils service; government official
15. Correlation- a mutual connection between two or more things 
16. Counter-measure- step or action in the opposite direction
17. Deferentially- respectfully 
18. Designing- acting in a calculating, deceitful way
19. Disgust- strong dislike or disapproval 
20. Dreadful- causing or involving great suffering, fear, or unhappiness; extremely bad or serious 
21. Eccentric- unusual/ unlike the orbits of other planets 
22. Ensnared- catch in or as in a trap
23. Faint stars- (of a sight) barely perceptible; unclear
24. Fleeting- lasting for a very short time
25. Fortuitous- (happening) by chance
26. Gigantic- of very great size or extent; huge or enormous
27. Glanced- take a brief or hurried look
28. Hobnob- have friendly talk/ spend time together
29. Huddled-  crowd together; nestle closely
30. Implications- the conclusion that can be drawn from something although it is not explicitly stated
31. Imposition- unfair demand that one is obliged to accept
32. Inevitable- certain to happen; unavoidable
33. Interjected- interrupt
34. Introvert- one who is preoccupied with his/her own thoughts and feelings—not interested in things outside oneself 
35. MA- Masters in arts
36. Mantlepiece- a structure of wood, marble or stone above and around a fireplace
37. Manuscript- paper or book not yet printed
38. Meticulous- careful and exact
39. Muttered- say something in a low or barely audible voice, especially in dissatisfaction or irritation
40. Nebulous- hazy 
41. Oblivious- forgetful
42. Optics- Dibya’s eyes (glass) through which he detected the comet
43. Optimistic- hopeful; expecting the best 
44. Outskirts- the outer parts of a town or city
45. Profound- very great or intense 
46. Provost- the head of certain university colleges, especially at Oxford or Cambridge, and public schools
47. Recedes- goes back; disappears
48. Referee- a person appointed to examine and assess for publication a scientific or other academic work
49. Repress- restrain or prevent (the expression or development of something)
50. Smudges- spots/ marks
51. Tete-a-tete- private meeting/ talk between two persons
52. Typescript- typed copy of a text
53. Utterly- absolutely; completely
54. Wretched- used to express anger or annoyance

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Chapter 10  The Comet – II

 

1. Affinity- a natural liking for and understanding of someone or something
2. Annihilation- total destruction 
3. Averted- prevent or ward off (an undesirable occurrence)
4. Bombarded- subject (someone) to a continuous flow of questions, criticisms, or information
5. Condoned- accept (behaviour that is considered morally wrong or offensive)
6. Correlations- connections 
7. Correspondence- communication by exchanging letters
8. Defensive measures- military action or resources protecting a country
9. Deflected- cause (something) to change direction; turn aside from a straight course
10. Deliberations- long and careful consideration or discussion
11. Deputise- temporarily act or speak on behalf of someone else
12. Descendant- a person that is descended from a particular ancestor
13. Detonating- setting it off; making it explode
14. Dispelled- make (a doubt, feeling, or belief) disappear
15. Futile- useless; in vain
16. Hangers-on-  people in a meeting etc. (usually uninvited) who try to appear very friendly with important people
17. Inevitable- certain to happen; unavoidable
18. Intercept- (here) stop or block
19. Interjected- say (something) abruptly, especially as an aside or interruption.
20. Isles- an island or peninsula, especially a small one
21. Mammoth- huge
22. Offensive action- The primary purpose of the offense is to defeat, destroy, or neutralize an enemy force which in this case, was Comet Dutta.
23. Off-street- not on a public road
24. Outwardly- on the surface; on or front he outside
25. Pacify- quell the anger, agitation or excitement of
26. Pandal- a marquee; a large tent used for social or commercial functions
27. Payload- equipment
28. Probed- seek to uncover information about someone or something
29. Proposition- a suggested scheme or plan of action, especially in a business context
30. Rendezvous- (pronounces rondivoo) meeting place
31. Respite- a short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant
32. Subtle- so delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyse or describe
33. Taboo- something not permitted for religious, social/cultural reasons
34. Triumph- a great victory or achievement
35. Underground bunkers- A bunker is a defensive military fortification designed to protect people and valued materials from falling bombs or other attacks. Bunkers are mostly underground, in contrast to blockhouses which are mostly above ground
36. Virtues- behaviour showing high moral standards 
37. Yajna- a ritual sacrifice with a specific objective

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Chapter 11  Ancient Education System of India

 

1. Arduous- difficult and tiring
2. Aryabhatta- He was the first of the major mathematician-astronomers from the classical age of Indian mathematics and Indian astronomy. He presented a number of innovations in mathematics and astronomy in verse form, which were influential for many centuries.
3. Autonomy- freedom to act on one’s will
4. Brahmapuri- a type of cultural institution
5. Charaka- one of the principal contributors to Ayurveda; The treatise that Charaka compiled is one of the foundational treatises of classical Indian medicine
6. Chatuspadis- a learning home
7. Conscientiously- in a thorough and responsible way
8. Dharmasutras- (Dharma- right way of living or righteousness; sutra- sacred thread or code; Dharmastura- righteousness thread or righteousness code i.e., a guideline to live rightly in Hindu society) a book or scripture that forms the initial foundation of Hindu law, containing regulations regarding government, castes, relationships among people, economic actions, diets and religious affairs. There were many texts considered as dharmasutra, but only four survived into modern times. 
9. Discourses- speak or write authoritatively about a topic 
10. Gurukuls- (Guru- teacher; kula-home) a type of education system in ancient India with shiya (students) living near or with the Guru, in the same house  
11. Heritage- something that is handed down from the past, as a tradition
12. Holistic- characterized by the belief that the parts of something are intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole
13. Humility- the quality of having a modest or low view of one’s importance
14. Imbibing- to take or receive into the mind, as knowledge, ideas  
15. Indigenous- original or occurring naturally in a particular place; native 
16. I-Qing- he was a Tang-era Chinese Buddhist monk famed as a traveller and translator. His account of his travels is an important source for the history of the medieval kingdoms
17. Jain Basadis- a place of worship for Jains, the followers of Jainism
18. Jataka tales- The Jatakas are an important part of Buddhist art and literature. They describe the previous existences or births of the Buddha (the Enlightened One) when he appeared as Bodhisattvas (beings who are yet to attain enlightenment or moksha), in both human and non-human forms.
19. Katyayana- a Sanskrit grammarian, mathematician and Vedic priest who lived in ancient India 
20. Land of wonder- an actual place or scene of great or strange beauty 
21. Madrassas- Madrasa is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, whether for elementary instruction or higher learning
22. Maktabas- library
23. Mathas- a Sanskrit word that means “institute or college” and it also refers to a monastery in Hinduism
24. Panini- Panini was an ancient Sanskrit philologist (the study of language in oral and written historical sources), grammarian and a revered scholar in Ancient India. He was considered as “the father of linguistics”.
25. Patanjali- Patanjali was a sage (rishis; holy figure) in India thought to be the author of number of Sanskrit works
26. Pathshalas- a village school offering a rudimentary education
27. Pious- devoutly religious
28. Pragmatic- dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations; practical
29. Pre-colonial period-the period of time before colonization of a region or territory
30. Rigveda- The Rigveda is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns. It is one of the four sacred canonical  texts of Hinduism known as Vedas. Rigvedic period – 1500BC-1000BC  
31. Sacred- connected with God or a god or dedicated to a religious purpose and so deserving veneration 
32. Sages- someone who has attained wisdom
33. Salient- most noticeable or important
34. Statecraft- the skillful management of state affairs; statesmanship or the skill of governing a country
35. Summon- to officially arrange a meeting of people
36. Sushruta- an ancient Indian physician described as the “father of surgery”
37. Tenets- the main principles of a religion or philosophy
38. Treatises- a written work dealing formally and systematically with a subject
39. University- Institution of higher education 
40. Upanishads- each of a series of Hindu sacred treatises written in Sanskrit c. 800–200 BC, expounding the Vedas in predominantly mystical and monistic terms.
41. Vedas- The Vedas are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. There are four Vedas: the RIgveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda and the Atharvaveda 
42. Viharas- Buddhist monastery
43. Xuan Zang- Xuanzang was a Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who traveled to India in the seventh century and described the interaction between Chinese Buddhism and Indian Buddhism during the early Tang dynasty

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