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Kathmandu
The atmosphere at the Pashupatinath temple was noisy, and full of chaos and confusion. Worshippers were trying to get the priest's attention; others were pushing their way to the front; saffron-clad Westerners were trying to enter the temple; monkeys were fighting and adding to the general noise; a corpse was being cremated on the banks of the river Bagmati; washerwomen were at their work, while children were bathing. In contrast, the Baudhnath stupa was 'a haven of quietness in the busy streets around'. There was no crowd, which helped build the stillness and serenity at the Buddhist shrine.
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(a) What type of place is Kathmandu, according to the writer?
(b) Mention some of the things that one can buy in Kathmandu bazar.
(c) Find a word from the passage which means ‘clear’.
(i) Which route would the writer take back home if he were propelled by enthusiasm for travel per se?
(ii) Which route does he decide to take up?
(iii) Find the words/expressions from the passage which indicate the same meaning as in –
(a) by itself, (b) thrill.
(a) Why is the writer unable to tear himself away from the square?
(b) Why does the writer consider flute music ‘the most universal’?
(c) Find a word from the passage which means ‘harmony’.
How does the narrator describe Kathmandu?
How does Vikram Seth describe the Hindu temple?
How does Vikram Seth describe the Buddhist shrine of Kathmandu?
What is the belief associated with the half-immersed shrine in the river Bagmati ? What does it tell us?
What attracts Vikram Seth’s attention in the square? Why?
What differentiates the flute-seller from other hawkers and vendors?
How does the flute music affect the narrator?
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