KATHMANDU

SUMMARY: In this chapter, the writer Vikram Seth describes his visit to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. He visited two temples
there – one was the Pashupatinath temple which is a pilgrimage for the Hindus and the other was the Baudhnath temple which is a
holy place for the Buddhists. At the Pashupatinath temple, entry was restricted to Hindus. There was a lot of chaos with priests,
tourists, pilgrims and animals flocking the place. The holy river Bagmati which flows near the temple was being polluted by
washerwomen who were washing clothes in it, children who were bathing in it and residents who were throwing dry, withered
flowers in it. Small shrines protruded on to the stone platform and it was said that when the platform would emerge completely, then
the goddess would emerge out of it and end the Kaliyug. The scene at the Baudhnath temple was opposite to that at the Pashupatinath
temple. It was a huge white coloured dome surrounded by an outer road. The place was quiet and calm. There was a Tibetan market
outside the temple where Tibetan refugees were selling bags, garments and jewellery. Kathmandu has a variety of things to offer. It
has religious sanctity, it is a business hub and a tourist destination. There are shops selling postcards, antiques, chocolates, imported
cosmetics, camera film rolls and utensils. A variety of sounds could be heard in the streets. The music blaring out of the radios,
honking of the car horns, ringing of the bicycle bells, moo sounds of the cows as they obstructed the motorcycles passing by and the
screaming vendors selling their wares. Vikram ate a marzipan bar, a corn on the cob roasted on charcoal fire and garnished with
lemon juice, salt and chili powder and drank coca cola to digest it. He bought some love story comics and a Reader’s Digest too. On
his way back to Delhi, he considered going by an adventurous route. It would be a bus or train journey till Patna, then a boat ride up
the Ganga river till Allahabad. It would be followed by a boat journey on the Yamuna river to Delhi. As he was tired, he chucked the
idea and took a direct flight from Kathmandu to New Delhi the next day. Outside his hotel, he saw a flute seller. He held a pole out
of which many flutes popped out like the thorns on a porcupine’s body. The man stood quietly and would take out a different flute,
play it for a couple of minutes and replace it with another one. Once in a while he would sell one of them mindlessly. He played the
flute meditatively. He was unlike other hawkers who screamed to sell their wares. The writer got attracted to the music of the flute.
Flutes are played in many regions of the world and they vary in appearance, names and the music that they produce. The sound of a
flute resembles human voice as it is played by exhaling the breadth and its music also pauses when a person inhales a breadth.

WORD MEANINGS:
Proclaims: make known publicly or officially, Febrile confusion: hurried activity; complete chaos
Saffron – clad westerners: foreigners dressed as sadhus, Corpse: dead body, Wilted: dry and withered
Shrine: a place of worship, Protrudes: comes out
Kalyug: it is the fourth and last stages or time period of a Mahayuga. It started with the end of Mahabharata when Lord Krishna left
the Earth.
Immigrants: a person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country., Haven: a safe place
Deities: gods and goddesses, Cows low: the ‘moo’ sound made by cows
Marzipan: a sweet made with grated almonds, Brazier: open stove
Wash down: to drink something after a meal to digest it, Nauseating: sickening
Propelled: drive or push something forward, Per se: by itself, Meditatively: thoughtfully
Offhanded: casual; not showing much interest in something
Fingering: way of placing the fingers to play different notes, Compass: here, range

SHORT ANSWERS:
Q1. Where did the writer stay in Kathmandu? Which two different places of worship did he visit and with whom?
Ans. Vikram Seth, the author, stayed in a modest lodging in the heart of Kathmandu. He went to both the holy places of Buddhists
and Hindus, Boudhanath stupa and the Pashupatinath temple, respectively. He went with a couple of his acquaintances, the nephew
and son of Mr. Shah.

Q2. What is written on the signboard outside the Pashupatinath temple? What does the proclamation signify?
Ans. “Entrance for the Hindus only,” reads the signboard outside the Pashupatinath temple. It represents the doctrinal prejudice used
to prevent this site of worship from being treated like a tourist attraction as well as the rigorous sacredness that it is associated with.

Q3. What does the author imply by ‘febrile confusion’ in the Pashupatinath temple?
Or
What made the atmosphere in and around the Pashupatinath temple full of ‘febrile confusion’?
Ans. This statement is made by the author to highlight the intense activity that results in complete chaos. Priests, vendors, tourists,
cows, monkeys, and pigeons are all crowded together around the shrine. There are a lot of worshippers inside the temple, pushing
each other aside to get closer to the priest. Together, they cause complete confusion.
Q4. Why did the policeman stop the Westerners wearing saffron-colored clothes from entering the Pashupatinath temple?
Ans. The policeman prevented the Westerners wearing saffron from accessing the Pashupatinath temple since non-Hindus are not
permitted inside, and he didn’t think they were Hindus although they were wearing saffron clothing.

Q5. How does the author describe the fight that breaks out between the two monkeys around the temple of Pashupatinath?
Ans. The author explains the altercation that occurs when one monkey chases the other. The fleeing monkey climbs atop a
shivalinga, dash hysterically past the temples, and then descended to the sacred Bagmati River.

Q6. What activities are observed by the writer on the banks of the Bagmati river?
Ans. On the banks of the Bagmati River, the author notices several pollution-producing activities. On the banks of this respected
river, he observes several washerwomen doing laundry, kids bathing, and a body being burned. Moreover, he sees someone dump a
basketful of withered flowers and leaves into the river.

Q7. What is the belief at Pashupatinath about the end of Kaliyug?

Ans. The Pashupatinath temple contains a modest shrine on the banks of the revered Bagmati. This shrine has a raised stone platform
on half of it. It is believed that when the shrine will emerge completely from the platform, the goddess in the shrine will escape and
that will mark the end of the Kaliyug.

Q8. What are the author’s observations about the streets in Kathmandu?
Ans. The author describes Kathmandu’s streets as “vivid, mercenary, and religious.” These streets are quite congested and tight, with
numerous little shrines and some statues covered in flowers. Cows that are wandering around aimlessly moo when they hear
motorcycles. Radios are played at a loud volume, and vendors shout and hawk their items. Also, the noise level is raised by the car
horns and the jingling of bicycle bells.

Q9. What picture of the Baudhnath stupa does the author portray?
Ans. The author gives a brief but vivid picture of the Boudhanath stupa. He respects this shrine’s tranquillity and peace. Even on the
road leading up to the stupa, where several shops are run by Tibetan immigrants, there are no crowds. The stupa is distinguished by
its enormous white dome that exudes peace and tranquillity.

Q10. Describing the streets around the Baudhnath stupa, why does the narrator say this is a haven of quietness in the busy
streets around?
Ans. The Boudhanath stupa, a Buddhist sanctuary, seems to be in a state of calm, according to the narrator. A walkway lined with
little shops offering goods like felt purses, Tibetan artwork, and silver jewellery surrounds the enormous white dome. In contrast to
the bustling action going on around it, the stupa’s silence strikes out. The narrator views this location as a haven of peace in contrast
to the crowded streets nearby.

Q11. The writer says, “All this I wash down with Coca-Cola”. What does all this’ refer to?
Ans. All this is a reference to the food that the author eats while walking around the Boudhanath stupa. Along with the effervescent,
carbonated drinks, Coca-Cola, he also adores a bar of marzipan and a roasted corn cob. In addition, he receives a Reader’s Digest
magazine and several comics with love stories, which he can read mindlessly. The coca-cola helps him digest the food thus, he says
“All this I was down with coca-cola”.

Q12. Which is the longer route from Kathmandu to Delhi? Which route does the author opt for?
Ans. The most time-consuming route from Kathmandu to Delhi is to first travel by bus and train to Patna. After that, pass Benaras
and travel down the Ganges to Allahabad. Finally, cross the Yamuna to travel through Agra to Delhi. The author chose to travel
directly by plane from Kathmandu to Delhi because it was the fastest choice.

Q13. Why does Vikram Seth decide to buy a ticket directly for the homeward journey?
Ans. Vikram Seth has spent a considerable amount of time away from home. He’s feeling quite worn out and lonesome. As his
wanderlust tempts him to choose a longer route to get home, his tiredness and loneliness drive him to purchase an air ticket
straightaway for the return flight to Delhi.

Q14. What difference does the author note between the flute seller and the other hawkers?
Or
How is the flute player’s way of selling flutes different from that of the other hawkers around?
Ans. The seller of the flute plays his instrument gently and contemplatively, the author observes, in contrast to other hawkers who
shout loudly to draw people for their wares. He doesn’t overdo it with showmanship or act desperate to sell his flutes. Even if the
flute player doesn’t yell, the sound of the flute can clearly be heard above the hawkers’ and the traffic’s roar.

Q15. What does Vikram Seth compare to the quills of a porcupine?

Or
Where did Vikram Seth find the flute seller? What did he compare his flutes to?
Ans. In Kathmandu, Vikram Seth came upon a flute vendor who was positioned in a square corner close to his hotel. He was holding
a rod with a hook at the top in his hand. Around fifty to sixty flutes that protruded in all directions were inserted into this rod. The
author likens these jutting flutes to a porcupine’s pointed, stiff, and upright quills.

Q16. Name five kinds of flutes.

Or
Listening to the music of the flute in the square, the author is reminded of various kinds of flutes. Which kinds does he
describe?
Ans. The author is reminded of several flutes as he takes in the music being performed on the flute by the flute salesman. He names
specific varieties of them, including the “cross-flutes,” “reed new,” recorder, Japanese “shakuhachi,” and Hindustani “bansuri.”
Other flutes, such as “the clear or breathy flutes” of South America and the “high-pitched” flutes of China, are distinguished by their
tonal quality.

Q17. What is the impact of the music of the flute on Vikram Seth?
Ans. Vikram Seth feels hypnotised by the flute’s sound. He had a hard time “tearing” himself away from the square where the flute
vendor is playing this music. He is affected by its resemblance to the human voice and is drawn into the shared humanity by its
power to do so.

Q18. Why does the author describe the music of the flute as “the most universal and most particular of sounds”?
Ans. As every civilization in the globe uses the flute, a musical instrument made of hollow bamboo, the author claims that its music
is the most “universal.” But at the same time, its sound is the most “specific” because each flute, even when played almost
identically, produces a different, special, and distinctive style of music.

19. What did the saffron-clad Westerners want?

Ans. The Europeans in saffron wished to enter the Pashupatinath shrine. But the officer of the law stopped them. They were not
Hindus, so he would not permit them to enter the temple. Only Hindus were allowed to enter the temple.

Q20. How did the author want to return to Delhi? What made him change his mind?
Ans. The author intended to take a bus or train to Patna from Kathmandu. Then he would sail the Ganga though Benaras to
Allahabad. Then he would sail the Yamuna through Agra to Delhi. Yet by this time, the author was exhausted. So he made the
decision to fly back to Delhi.

LONG ANSWERS
Q1. How does the author describe the flute seller? What does he say about the flute music?
Ans. In a corner of the square next to his hotel, the author discovered a man selling flutes. His hand was holding a pole.
The pole had an attachment at the top. It was attached to fifty or sixty flutes. These flutes stuck out in every way. These
flutes were compared by the author like porcupine quills. These flutes are made of bamboo. He occasionally places the
pole on the ground. He then picked up a flute and played for a while on it. The sound was audibly louder than the cries of
the hawkers and the noise of the vehicles. He played the flute slowly and thoughtfully. He didn’t advertise his goods
loudly. He occasionally sold flutes to customers. The flute vendor, though, had a casual disposition. The author
appreciated his outlook. He thought that this had been his way of life for a long time. It was difficult for the author to
leave that place. He claimed that the flute was a very popular musical instrument and that it had always drawn him to its
melody. It was prevalent across most cultures. That was the thing that united all of humanity.

Q2. Compare and contrast the atmosphere in and around the Baudhnath shrine with that in the Pashupatinath
Temple.
Ans. In terms of atmosphere, the Buddhist shrine of Baudhnath and the Hindu temple of Pashupatinath stand in stark
contrast. The calm that rules supreme in the Baudhnath temple contrasts with the raucous chaos of the Hindu Temple. In
the Pashupatinath temple, a big crowd of disorganised devotees who push one another in an effort to get closer to the
priest and the deity cause complete pandemonium. There aren’t many people present within the Baudhnath stupa.
The diverse crowd of priests, hawkers, pilgrims, and tourists makes the Pashupatinath Temple environment noisy. The
freedom of movement of animals like cows and dogs, as well as pigeons, add to the complexity.
Even monkeys can be seen playing and fighting on the temple grounds. Some Westerners who want to visit the temple
also cause confusion. On the other hand, the Boudhanath stupa exudes a sense of calm and silence. There is neither bustle
nor commotion, despite the fact that Tibetan immigrants own modest stores on the road surrounding the shrine. The
author refers to the temple as “a haven of stillness” because of how peaceful it is within and around it despite being
surrounded by busy streets.
Q3. How does the author describe Kathmandu’s busiest streets?
Ans. The author describes Kathmandu’s busiest streets as “vibrant, mercenary, and pious.” It is a stunning, colourful
place with a lot of religious activity going on all the time. In addition to well-known locations like the Pashupatinath
Temple and the Baudhnath Stupa, Kathmandu also includes smaller shrines and deities. As a popular tourist destination, a
lot of business thrives in the city’s congested streets. Together with hawkers selling postcard photos, one can also find
fruit vendors and flute merchants. As in any other tourist destination, there are stores selling a variety of goods such as
chocolates, rolls of film, rolls of cosmetics from western nations, antiques from Nepal, and copper pots and pans.
Radios playing movie music, automobile horns, bicycle bells, and sellers shouting to draw customers all contribute to the
cacophony of noise. Also, cows can be heard bellowing as they hear motorcycles. As a result, Kathmandu’s streets are a
cacophony of noise.

Q4. “ To hear any flute is to be drawn into the commonality of all mankind.” Why does the author say this?
Ans. The author is reminded of the numerous forms of music generated by various types of flutes found in various
cultures when he hears a flute being played by a flute salesman in a square close to his hotel in Kathmandu. The flute,
however, is global since it is present in practically all cultures, albeit with varying tones and pitches. The author goes on
to detail the various flutes that go by different names, such as the bansuri in India and the shakuhachi in Japan. Their
sound spectrums and fingering techniques vary. The South American flute produces a crisp, breathy sound, the Chinese
flute produces booming, high-pitched melodies, and the Indian bansuri produces a deep sound.
The author emphasises that despite the variety of flutes and the variances in their music, all flutes’ music closely
resembles the sound of the human voice. Every flute requires pauses and breaths in the same way as words and sentences
are spoken in the human voice in order to generate music. Fingering a flute’s holes causes these pauses and breaths to be
produced. The flutes’ distinctive feature makes the author feel “drawn into the commonality of mankind,” which gives
him a sense of harmony and universality.

Q5. What ideas do you get about the author from the extract “Kathmandu”?
Ans. Vikram Seth’s travelogue, “Heavenly Lake,” contains the excerpt “Kathmandu,” which highlights some of his
personality qualities. Seth exhibits great observational skills while travelling, and his fine aesthetic sense enhances his
capacity to record vivid details. His descriptive writings bring the images of Kathmandu’s temples and its packed streets
to life. When he refers to the stupa as a “haven of calm,” he tacitly suggests that he is a lover of peace and tranquillity as
well. Additionally, he expresses his disapproval of the harmful activities performed along the banks of the Bagmati River
as an ecologist. The fact that Vikram Seth, despite being exhausted, is still considering taking a longer path to get back to
Delhi speaks something about his love of travel. His love of music is evident when he is forced to leave the market square
where the flute is being played by the vendor because he is so entranced by the flute’s music. His reading preferences
demonstrate that he favours reading light, entertaining material when he is weary. He treats himself to the food he
discovers in Kathmandu’s bazaar, like any other traveller would. Thus, the author emerges as a man with a profound
fondness for travelling, love for music, a keen sense of observation, reflective mind, and an ability to portray places and
people minutely and realistically.

Q6. Where does the author find the flute seller and what are his observations about him? What draws the author
to the music of the flute?
Ans. At his hotel in Kathmandu, the author discovers a flute vendor among numerous other hawkers in a corner of the
square. The flute dealer, however, does not operate in the same manner as the other vendors. He doesn’t shout to get
people’s attention or act desperate to sell something. About fifty to sixty flutes are affixed to the top of the pole he is
carrying. The author likens these flutes, which protrude in all directions, to porcupine quills. The majority of the flutes on
the poles are cross-flutes and recorder variants. The flute seller, instead of hawking loudly, places the pole on the ground
every now and then, selects a flute and plays upon it slowly and in a meditative manner without ever resorting to
excessive display. The sound of the flute is distinct and clear and can be heard even above the noise created by the traffic
horns and the shouts of the hawkers. His business does not appear to be particularly active, and it looks that selling flutes
is only a byproduct of his primary activity, which is playing the flute. The author is drawn to the flute by its hypnotic
sound. His attention is captivated by its fascinating notations. He had to compel himself to leave the square where the
flute is being played because the influence is so strong. He takes this music with him to his home in India because it is
permanently ingrained in his memory.

EXTRACT BASED QUESTIONS:

A. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
A corpse is being cremated on its banks; washerwomen are at their work and children bathe.
From a balcony a basket of flowers and leaves, old offerings now wilted, is dropped into the rive
A small shrine half protrudes from the stone platform on the river bank. When it emerges fully
the goddess inside will escape and the evil period of the Kaliyug will end on earth.

Q1. Which river is being talked about here?

Ans. The Holy river Bagmati is being talked about here.
Q2. What is being dropped into the river? And from where?
Ans. A basket of flowers and leaves is being dropped into the river from a balcony
Q3. How does the author indicate the water of the river is polluted here?
Ans. The author indicates that the water of the river is polluted as-
Children take a bath in the river
People drop old offerings into the river
Washermen wash the clothes in the river
Q4. Which temple is being talked about here and where is it located?
Ans. Pashupatinath Temple in Nepal is being talked about here.

B. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
Kathmandu is vivid, mercenary, religious, with small shrines to flower-adorned deities along the narrowest and busiest streets; with
fruit sellers, flute sellers, hawkers of postcards; shops selling Western cosmetics, film rolls and chocolate; or copper utensils and
Nepalese antiques. Film songs blare out from the radios, car horns sound, bicycle bells ring, stray cows low questioningly at
motorcycles, vendors shout out their wares.
Q1. Kathmandu has a religious look because of :
Ans. Kathmandu has a religious look because of small shrines and flower adorned deities
Q2. What were the shopkeepers selling?
Ans. The shopkeepers were selling-
fruits and flutes
film rolls and chocolates
utensils and antiques
Q3. What kind of utensils and antiques are sold in Kathmandu?
Ans. Copper utensils and Nepalese antiques are sold in Kathmandu.
Q4. The meaning of the word ‘mercenary’ is :
Ans. ‘Mercenary’ means greedy.

C. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
I consider what route I should take back home. If I were propelled by enthusiasm for travel per se, I would go by bus and train to
Patna, then sail up the Ganges past Benaras to Allahabad, then up the Yamuna, past Agra to Delhi. But I am too exhausted and
homesick; today is the last day of August. Go home, I tell myself : move directly towards home.
Q1. What did the author think about?
Ans. The author thought about the route he should take back home
Q2.How was the author feeling?
Ans. The author was feeling very exhausted and homesick.
Q3. Why was he feeling so?
Ans. The author was exhausted because he was travelling continuously for a long time.
Q4. Name the rivers mentioned here.
Ans. Ganga and Yamuna

D. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
From time to time he stands the pole on the ground, selects a flute and plays for a few minutes. The sound rises clearly above the
noise of the traffic and the hawkers’ cries. He plays slowly,meditatively, without excessive display. He does not shout out his wares.
Occasionally he makes sales, but in a curiously offhanded way as if this were incidental to his enterprise. Sometimes he breaks off
playing to talk to the fruit seller. I imagine that this has been the pattern of his life for years.
Q1. The sound of the flute rises dearly above the noise of :
Ans. The sound of the flute rises dearly above the noise of mantras.
Q2. How does he play the flute?
Ans. He plays the flute slowly, without excessive display and meditatively.
Q3. Which of the following statements is true about the flute seller?
I. He does not shout out his wares.
II. He indulges in excessive display of his flutes.
III. He showed desperation to sell his flutes.
IV. He shouts harshly to attract customers.
Ans. He does not shout out his wares.
Q4. Why does he break off playing?
Ans. He took a break to talk to the fruit seller

E. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
I find it difficult to tear myself away from the square. Flute music always does this to me : it is once the most universal and most
particular of sounds. There is no culture that does not have i flute-the reed, the recorder, the Japanese shakuhachi, the deep bansuri of
Hindustani class music, the clear or breathy flutes of South America, the high-pitched Chinese flutes. Each has its specific fingering
and compass. It weaves its own associations.
Q1. What does the author find difficult?
Ans. The author found it difficult to go away from the flute sound.
Q2. What does the author mention here?
Ans. The author mentioned five types of flutes.
Q3. What is the quality of Chinese flutes?
Ans. Chinese flutes are high-pitched flutes.
Q4. Different countries’ flutes are different in terms of :
Ans. Flutes are different in terms of fingering and compass