Namaste! Today we are going to talk about waterfalls and Hindi. We’re going to learn how to say waterfall in Hindi, learn about waterfalls, see photos and more!
Inside:
- How to say waterfall in Hindi
- What is a waterfall?
- How is a waterfall formed?
- Photos of types of waterfalls
- Samta Aunty’s waterfall photography
- Review of Hindi vocab covered in this post
How to Say Waterfall in Hindi
Waterfall in Hindi is jharna. Click the play button below to hear how it’s pronounced.
This is a tricky “h” word. Hindi has loads of what I refer to as, “tricky H’s”. These are consonants and vowels followed by an “h” sound. And without that ‘h’ sound the meaning of the word could change. They’re tricky because you have to meld two letters together to say it correctly – and for my students (and I) for whom English is our first language, it takes some getting used to.
What is a Jharna?
A jharna is a river (in Hindi a nadi) or stream that falls off of a cliff.
How is a Jharna Formed?
A jharna is made up of pani (water) and a cliff. Think of the cliff like a cake. It has layers.
At the top is a layer of hard rock. Underneath the hard rock is a layer of softer rock. Both layers of rock erode over time. Erode means that the rock breaks down and disappears because of the fast moving pani that’s constantly flowing on top of it. But as you can probably guess, the softer rock erodes faster than the hard rock.
That means that over time the jharna will get more and more bada (big). And it even moves as the rock fades away. But that takes a looooong time to happen.
The tallest jharna in the duniya (world) is in South America, in a country called Venezuela. It’s 9000 feet! That’s even taller than the tallest building in the world! (the Burj Khalifa).
Types of Jharnas
Did you know there are lots of different types of jharnas?
- Plunge
- Cascade
- Horsetail
- Fan
- Punchbowl
- Block
- Tiered
- Segmented
- Chute
- Slide
- Ribbon
Plunge Jharna
Plunge jharnas feature a vertical drop that does not touch the underlying cliff face.
Cascade Jharna
They fall along a sloped surface.
Horsetail Jharna
The name says it all. These jharnas fan out while dropping along a steep slope and maintain contact with the underlying cliff face.
Fan Jharna
Fan jharnas are similar to horsetail jharnas except they fan out wider. They will descend on a steep slope and maintain contact with the underlying cliff face.
Punchbowl Jharna
These jharnas flow from a narrow stream, then fall over a cliff face into a narrow gorge into a body of water creating an effect that looks like a…punchbowl.
Block Jharna
A block jharna is wider than it is tall. Like Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Canada and Victoria Falls on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Tiered Jharna
A tiered jharna has more than one tier that are close enough together to be seen from one vantage point. The vantage point part can vary a bit depending on the size and location of the tiers.
Segmented Jharna
A segmented jharna splits into into two or more descending parallel flows or threads.
Chute Jharna
A chute jharna rushes through a narrow channel which causes pressure to build up and a strong gush of water over the drop. Chute jharnas are loud, frothy and difficult to distinguish from rapids.
Slide Jharna
Slide jharnas sometimes look more like rapids than a waterfall. It depends on the angle of the slope.
Ribbon Jharna
Ribbon jharnas are thin and long.
Jharna’s Samta Aunty Has Photographed
Hindi Vocabulary Review
Waterfall: jharna
River: nadi
Water: pani
World: duniya
Bada: big
Summary
Today we talked about jharnas – waterfalls. These beautiful natural phenomena can be found across the globe. In addition to learning the science behind jharnas, there are photos of different types as well as a collection of jharnas Samta Aunty has photographed.
Want To Learn Conversational Hindi?
We teach conversational Hindi (no reading, no writing). Our classes are designed for children growing up outside of the Indian Subcontinent. And our classes are fun! Your child will also learn about Indian culture to build connections to relatives and their heritage. Students from across the globe take our classes from the convenience of their living room.
Contact us via the form below or visit our website for more info.
About Samta Aunty
I try to be like the quintessential cool Masi, to all of my students. Smiling, loving, and ALWAYS trying to make them laugh.
Welcome and thank you for joining me today! I set out to create an educational platform for desi children to learn conversational Hindi (no reading, no wriring) and their culture in a fun, no stress, and convenient way. Students across the globe take our classes right from the convenience of their living room!
I learned Hindi at home while growing up in southern California. My parents were amongst the first Indian and South Asian immigrants to this country and I appreciated their efforts and those of the Uncles and Aunty’s that worked hard to foster cultural and religious awareness for us first generation American-born desi kids. Especially when they themselves were establishing their lives in a new country.
And now I’m in a position to continue their work. Language connects people. And for the children I teach I’m helping them connect to their grandparents and other loved ones.
