Kathmandu - Q&A
Thinking about the Text Activity
1. On the following map mark out the route, which the author thought of but did not take, to Delhi.
Answer: The route the author thought of but did not take was:
Kathmandu → (by bus/train) Patna → (sail up Ganges) Benaras → Allahabad → (up the Yamuna) Agra → Delhi.
2. Find out the possible routes (by rail, road or air) from Kathmandu to New Delhi/Mumbai/Kolkata/Chennai.
Answer:
Kathmandu to New Delhi:
* Air: Direct flights are available from Tribhuvan International Airport (Kathmandu) to Indira Gandhi International Airport (Delhi).
* Road/Rail: Kathmandu to Gorakhpur (India) by bus, then train to New Delhi. Another route is via Raxaul to Patna, then train to Delhi.
Kathmandu to Mumbai:
* Air: Flights usually connect via Delhi.
* Rail/Road: Kathmandu to Gorakhpur by road, then train (e.g., Godan Express) to Mumbai.
Kathmandu to Kolkata:
* Air: Direct flights are often available.
* Rail/Road: Kathmandu to Raxaul/Birgunj by road, then train (e.g., Mithila Express) to Kolkata (Howrah).
Kathmandu to Chennai:
* Air: Flights connecting via Delhi or Kolkata.
* Rail: Kathmandu to Gorakhpur/Delhi by road/rail, then train (e.g., Tamil Nadu Express or Grand Trunk Express) to Chennai.
I. Answer these questions in one or two words or in short phrases.
1. Name the two temples the author visited in Kathmandu.
Pashupatinath temple and Baudhnath stupa.
2. The writer says, "All this I wash down with Coca Cola." What does 'all this' refer to?
It refers to a bar of marzipan, a corn-on-the-cob roasted in a charcoal brazier, and a couple of love story comics and a Reader's Digest.
3. What does Vikram Seth compare to the quills of a porcupine?
The fifty or sixty bansuris (flutes) protruding in all directions from the pole of the flute seller.
4. Name five kinds of flutes.
The reed neh, the recorder, the Japanese shakuhachi, the deep bansuri of Hindustani classical music, and the clear or breathy flutes of South America (or the high-pitched Chinese flutes).
II. Answer each question in a short paragraph.
1. What difference does the author note between the flute seller and the other hawkers?
The author notes that unlike other hawkers who shout out their wares to attract customers, the flute seller plays his instrument slowly and meditatively. He does not indulge in excessive display and treats his sales as incidental to his music, sometimes even breaking off to talk to a fruit seller.
2. What is the belief at Pashupatinath about the end of Kaliyug?
There is a small shrine that half protrudes from the stone platform on the river bank of the Bagmati. The belief is that when this shrine emerges fully, the goddess inside will escape, and the evil period of the Kaliyug will come to an end on earth.
3. The author has drawn powerful images and pictures. Pick out three examples each of
(i) the atmosphere of 'febrile confusion' outside the temple of Pashupatinath (for example: some people trying to get the priest's attention are elbowed aside...)
Examples:
1. A party of saffron-clad Westerners struggling for permission to enter.
2. A fight breaking out between two monkeys, with one chasing the other onto a shivalinga.
3. Royal princess appearing and everyone bowing and making way.
(ii) the things he sees
Examples:
1. Small shrines to flower-adorned deities along narrow streets.
2. Fruit sellers, flute sellers, and hawkers of postcards.
3. Shops selling Western cosmetics, film rolls, chocolate, or copper utensils and Nepalese antiques.
(iii) the sounds he hears
Examples:
1. Film songs blaring out from the radios.
2. Car horns sounding and bicycle bells ringing.
3. Stray cows lowing questioningly at motorcycles and vendors shouting out their wares.
III. Answer the following questions in not more than 100-150 words each.
1. Compare and contrast the atmosphere in and around the Baudhnath shrine with the Pashupatinath temple.
Answer:
The atmosphere at the Pashupatinath temple is one of "febrile confusion." It is chaotic, noisy, and crowded with priests, hawkers, devotees, tourists, and animals like cows and monkeys. People push and elbow each other to get to the front, and the river banks are bustling with activity like cremation and washing.
In sharp contrast, the Baudhnath stupa is a "haven of quietness." There are no crowds, and a sense of stillness prevails. Its immense white dome is ringed by a road with small shops owned by Tibetan immigrants. The environment is calm and peaceful, standing apart from the busy and noisy streets of Kathmandu surrounding it.
2. How does the author describe Kathmandu's busiest streets?
Answer:
The author describes Kathmandu's busiest streets as "vivid, mercenary, religious." They are narrow and filled with life and commerce. There are small shrines with flower-adorned deities alongside shops selling everything from fruits and flutes to Western cosmetics and Nepalese antiques.
The streets are incredibly noisy, a cacophony of film songs from radios, car horns, bicycle bells, stray cows lowing, and vendors shouting their wares. It is a sensory overload of sights and sounds where religion and commerce coexist side by side in a chaotic but vibrant manner.
3. "To hear any flute is to be drawn into the commonality of all mankind." Why does the author say this?
Answer:
The author says this because he believes the flute is unique yet universal. Every culture in the world has its own version of the flute—whether it is the reed neh, the recorder, the Japanese shakuhachi, or the Indian bansuri. Despite their specific fingerings and ranges, they all share the same "motive force," which is the living breath.
Because it relies on breath, the music of the flute feels closest to the human voice and human expression. Hearing it reminds him of the shared human experience that transcends cultural boundaries, drawing him into the "commonality of all mankind."
Thinking about Language
I. Read the following sentences carefully... Then match the phrasal verbs in Column A with their meanings in Column B.
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| (i) break out | (d) start suddenly, (usually a fight, a war or a disease) |
| (ii) break off | (a) to come apart due to force (or stop suddenly/end) |
| (iii) break down | (f) stop working |
| (iv) break away (from someone) | (e) to escape from someone's grip |
| (v) break up | (b) end a relationship |
| (vi) break into | (c) break and enter illegally: unlawful trespassing |
1. Use the suffixes -ion or -tion to form nouns from the following verbs. Make the necessary changes in the spellings of the words.
Example: proclaim - proclamation
cremate - cremation
act - action
exhaust - exhaustion
invent - invention
tempt - temptation
immigrate - immigration
direct - direction
meditate - meditation
imagine - imagination
dislocate - dislocation
associate - association
dedicate - dedication
2. Now fill in the blanks with suitable words from the ones that you have formed.
(i) Mass literacy was possible only after the invention of the printing machine.
(ii) Ramesh is unable to tackle the situation as he lacks imagination.
(iii) I could not resist the temptation to open the letter.
(iv) Hardwork and dedication are the main keys to success.
(v) The children were almost fainting with exhaustion after being made to stand in the sun.
III. PunctuationUse capital letters, full stops, question marks, commas and inverted commas wherever necessary in the following paragraph.
An arrogant lion was wandering through the jungle one day. He asked the tiger, "Who is stronger than you?" "O lion," replied the tiger. "Who is more fierce than a leopard?" asked the lion. "You, sir," replied the leopard. He marched up to an elephant and asked the same question. The elephant picked him up in his trunk, swung him in the air, and threw him down. "Look," said the lion, "there is no need to get mad just because you don't know the answer."
IV. Simple Present Tense1. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in brackets.
(i) The heart is a pump that sends (send) the blood circulating through our body. The pumping action takes place (take place) when the left ventricle of the heart contracts (contract). This forces (force) the blood out into the arteries, which expand (expand) to receive the oncoming blood.
(ii) The African lungfish can live without water for up to four years. During a drought it digs (dig) a pit and encloses (enclose) itself in a capsule of slime and earth, leaving a tiny opening for air. The capsule dries (dry) and hardens (harden), but when rain comes (come), the mud dissolves (dissolve) and the lungfish swims (swim) away.
(iii) MAHESH: We have to organise a class party for our teacher. Does (Do) anyone play an instrument?
VIPUL: Rohit plays (play) the flute.
MAHESH: Does (Do) he also act?
VIPUL: No, he composes (compose) music.
MAHESH: That's wonderful!
Writing Diary entry for a travelogue
I. The text you read is a travelogue... Imagine that you were with Vikram Seth on his visit to Pashupatinath temple, and you were noting down all that you saw and did there, so that you could write a travelogue later.
Diary Entry (Notes):
At Pashupatinath Temple:
* On reaching: Sign outside says "Entrance for the Hindus only". Chaos everywhere.
* Inside: Atmosphere of "febrile confusion". Crowd includes priests, hawkers, devotees, tourists, cows, monkeys, pigeons, dogs.
* Actions: We offered a few flowers. Saw people elbowing others to get to the priest.
* Incidents: A Nepalese princess arrived; everyone bowed. Westerners in saffron clothes arguing with police to enter. Fight between two monkeys; one jumped on a shivalinga.
* Outside (River Bagmati): A corpse being cremated. Washerwomen washing clothes. Children bathing. Boys dropping wilted flowers from a balcony.
* Impression: It is noisy, chaotic, and intense, very different from a quiet place of worship.
II. Here is your diary entry when you visited Agra. Read the points and try to write a travelogue describing your visit to Agra and the Taj Mahal.
Travelogue: A Day in Agra
It was a chilly morning in January 2003 when we decided to visit the historic city of Agra. We rose before dawn to catch the Shatabdi Express at 6:15 a.m. from Delhi. On the train, we met a lovely newly-married couple from Himachal Pradesh, and our conversation about the hills made the journey fly by.
Upon entering Agra, the atmosphere changed. The city, once grand, now felt crowded with twisted alleys and dense traffic. Rickshaws, cars, and people jostled for space while vendors sold religious artifacts, plastic toys, spices, and sweets on every corner.
Finally, we reached the Taj Mahal. It stood there, constructed entirely of white marble, possessing a truly magical quality. The colour of the monument seemed to change with the varying light and shadow of the day. Up close, we could see the intricate marble inlaid with gemstones. The reflection of the Taj in the pond was breathtaking. The place was bustling with school children, tourists, and guides following them, but the beauty of the Taj rose above it all, timeless and serene.