Chapter 4 · NCERT Class 2 Joyful Mathematics

Shadow Story (Togalu)

Togalu is a beautiful shadow-puppet show from Karnataka. Shadows make shapes on the wall, paper folds into matching halves, and puppets march in patterns. Tap each idea to play.

🔷 3 topics⏱ ~15 min📝 7-question quiz

Play with it

Six shadow ideas

Shadows, matching halves and patterns — all from a lamp and some paper puppets. Tap each word to see what it means.

Explore · Shadows & symmetrytap a word

Learn

The three big ideas

When an object stands in front of a light, it blocks the light and a dark shadow appears.
The shadow is a flat shape that looks like the outline of the object.
Move closer to the light and the shadow grows bigger; move away and it gets smaller.

Let's try. What shape shadow does a round ball make?

A ball makes a round (circle) shadow, because its outline is round.

Fold a shape down the middle. If both halves match exactly, the shape has symmetry.
The fold line is called the mirror line (line of symmetry).
A butterfly, a heart and many leaves have two matching halves.

Let's try. Fold a paper butterfly in half. Do the wings match?

Yes — the left wing covers the right wing exactly, so the butterfly has matching halves.

In a puppet show the puppets can march in a repeating pattern.
Find the small part that repeats — that is the unit. Then you know what comes next.
Patterns can use shapes, colours or puppets: 🔺⬛🔺⬛…

Let's try. What comes next: deer, monkey, deer, monkey, deer, ___ ?

The unit is deer, monkey. After deer comes monkey.

Watch out: not every shape has matching halves. A scribble or a torn paper has no mirror line.

Where you’ll meet it

Shadows & symmetry around you

Hand puppets

Make a dog or a bird shadow on the wall with your hands — your hand blocks the light to make the shape.

Rangoli & kolam

Many rangoli designs have matching halves. Fold the design and the two sides look the same.

Leaves & wings

A peepal leaf and a butterfly both have two matching halves — symmetry is all over nature.