Social Science (087) — CBSE Class 10 board question

The revival of Indian folklore played a significant role in strengthening nationalism. The following arguments support this:

1. Recording folk traditions: In late-nineteenth-century India, nationalists began recording folk tales sung by bards and toured villages to collect folk songs and legends, reconnecting people with their roots.

1. Preserving national identity: Nationalists believed these tales gave a true picture of traditional culture corrupted by colonial forces. Preserving them helped people discover their national identity and restore pride in the past.

1. Rabindranath Tagore's contribution: In Bengal, Tagore himself collected ballads, nursery rhymes and myths, leading the movement for folk revival.

1. Natesa Sastri's work: In Madras, he published a four-volume collection, The Folklore of Southern India, calling folklore "the most trustworthy manifestation of people's real thoughts and characteristics."

1. Unifying effect: These shared cultural traditions created a common bond among people across regions, inspiring collective national consciousness.

Source: The Sense of Collective Belonging, Chapter 2

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• The examiner expects 5 distinct points for a 5-mark answer — each point linked directly to how folklore revival built nationalism.
• Always name specific examples: Tagore (Bengal), Natesa Sastri (Madras) — these fetch marks.
• The quote from Natesa Sastri is a scoring detail worth including.
• Avoid vague generalizations; stay grounded in the textbook passage.