KATHMANDU
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videoSUMMARYKathmandu is a travelogue written by Vikram Seth. It is the description of the two famous temples of Kathmandu. One is the Pashupatinath and the other is the Baudhnath Shrine.
The author first visited Pashupatinath Temple where he finds the atmosphere of feverish confusion. Only Hindus are allowed to enter inside the temple. He finds people performing different rituals performing on the bank of the holy river Bagmati .He also knew about the belief related to the end of the Kaliyug .Next he visited Baudhnath Shrine, there is the sense of stillness in contrast to the Pashupatinath temple. Tibetan immigrants selling different things on the side of the road. After this he roams on the streets of kathmandu and finds it the busiest and more religious city. These streets are crowded with fruit sellers, hawkers of postcards etc. The shops sell western cosmetics, film rolls chocolates. It is the noisiest city because of the honking sound of the cars , bells of bicycle and the low of the cows and filmy songs of the radios .He becomes tired and homesick and decided to return back to his home.He buys air line ticket and return back to his hotel .Near his hotel he hears the melodious sound of the flute seller which enchanted him. His care free style of selling flutes pleases him. It reminds him of the commonality of all mankind as the music of the flutes unites all mankind in one single thread of universality. He was fascinated to the truth of the flutes. He returns back to his home after a long time. pRESENTATION 9kathmandu from NVSBPL |
SHORT QUESTIONSQ: Why the devotees are involve in a kind of mad race?
A: They are involved to invite the attention of the priests. Q: What did the people do when a Nepali Princess appear? A: They bow before her and make way. Q: What did the Tibetan immigrants sell? A: They see felt bags, Tibetan prints, silver jewellery etc. Q: How did the author enjoy his visit to Kathmandu? A: By visiting Pashupatinath, Baudhnath Stupa and by eating marzipan, corn on the cob, by reading comics and reader digest. Q: What was the author’s reaction to the flute seller? A: He was enchanted by the melodious tune of the flute seller. ANSWERS OF THE TEXT BOOKQ: Name the two temples the author visited in Kathmandu ?
A: Pashupatinath and Baudhnath Stupa Q: The writer says , “All this I wash down with Coca- cola .”What does’all this ‘refer to ? A: It is corn –on –the cob and marzipan . Q: What does Vikram Seth compare to the quills of a porcupine ? A: Vikram compares flutes tied on the top of the fluteseller’s pole to the quills of porcupine . Q: Name five kinds of flutes? A: Five kinds of flutes are -the reed neh , the recorder , the Japanese shskhuachi , the deep bansuri , the breathy flutes of South America , the Chinese flutes . Q: What difference does the author note between the flute seller and the other hawkers? A: The author note that the difference is in the way how they are sold .The Flute seller does not cry out his wares. He sells it occasionally. Where as the other hawkers cry out to sell their wares. Q: What is the belief at Pashupatinath about the end of Kaliyug ? A: The belief is that when the small shrine on the Bagmati river comes out fully, the goddess inside will escape and the Kaliyug will end on the earth . Q: The author has drawn the powerful images and pictures . Pick out three examples each of ? i- The atmosphere of febrile confusion outside the temple of Pashupatinath ii-the things he sees iii-The sounds he hears i-Priests , hawkers , devotees , cows , pigeons dogs roam here and there , the fight between the two monkeys jumping on the Shivlinga . ii-He sees a group of westerners clad in saffron clothes struggling to enter in the temple . A princess of Nepalese royal house appears and people bow and make way for her . Ans- He hears the sound of the vendors, cows low, music and the melodious sound of the flute . Q: Compare and contrasts the atmosphere in and around the Baudhnath shrine with the Pashupati nath temple ? A: The author finds a contrast to that of the atmosphere in and around baudhnath stupa and Pashupatinath .At Pashupatinath the atmosphere is of febrile confusion as it is all disorder and disquiet out side the temple . Many devotees and westerners were trying to enter the temple.Westerners are stopped by the police man as only hindus are allowed to enter the temple . Monkeys are fighting with each other and jumping on the shivlinga .The people are bathing and offering flowers and leaves into the Bagmati river. Where as at Baudh nath shrine there is quiet stillness neither crowd nor sound though stupa is ringed by a road . Q: How does the author describe Kathmandu’s busiest streets ? A: The author describe Kathmandu as the most busiest , vivid and mercenary city . The streets of Kathmandu are full off of small shops and vendors . They sell things of tourists interests like film rolls , postcards etc There are fruit sellers , fruit sellers hawkers shouting for their wares .Many shops sell western cosmetics , copper utensils chocolates and Nepalese antiques . Honking sound of vehicles ,radios blare out the film songs bicycle rings ,vendors shout for their wares . The whole street look like a fair . He bought marzipan , coca-cola oraage drink and enjoy his visit . Q: “To hear any flute is to be drawn into the commonality of all mankind .”Why does the author say this ? A: The author says these due to various reasons, as the flute music is melodious and common for all the the people .It is found in every culture . But they are different from each other . The flute seller plays different melodious tunes and sell his flutes .When he plays the tunes attract and touches the heart of every one. Thus the author said that to hear any flute is to be drawn into the commonality of all mankind.Pashupatinath and Baudhnath Stupa |
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