Kathmandu

TS 9th Class English Guide Unit 8C Kathmandu

Questions and Answers:

Answer the following Questions

Question 1.
What is the belief at Pashupathinath temple about the end of Kaliyuga ?

Answer: 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 Kaliyuga will end on earth. She loves flute music. It is at once the most universal and most particular of sounds. Every culture in the world has its own style of flute music. Each has its own fingering and compass

Question 2.
Why couldnt the narrator tear himself away from the square?

Answer: The narrator couldnt tear himself away from the square because of the flute music

Question 3.
Compare and contrast the atmosphere in and around Baudhnath shrine with Pashupathinath temple?

Answer: Both temples Pashupathinath and Baudhnath Stupa are situated in Kathmandu. Pashupathinath temple is holy place of Hindus. It is always crowded. The worshippers come in large numbers to pray and worship the deity. One has to face elbowing and jostling. It has white dome. It is ringed by a road. There are many small shops selling felt bags Tibetan prints and jewellery. The Great throng of public makes it special place on earth. On the other hand Baudhnath Stupa is very calm place. It is one of the important shrines of the Buddhists. The place presents a serene atmosphere

Question 4.
Do you want to visit the places like Kathmandu? Why?

Answer: I like to visit the places like Kathmandu because they are religious and holy places. They represent the culture of different people, in the world

Project Work:

Imagine that you are the School Pupils Leader of your school. Your school authorities asked you to plan a tour to an interesting and enchanting tourist place

Collect information about various places for better planning by interacting with your neighbours, friends and relatives who have been to various tourist places

QuestionI.
Prepare

Questions to get the information required as above?

Which places would you like to visit

What is the importance of those places

What are the other places close to them

4. What are the facilities available there

What is the distance from here? / How long is that from here?

How can we go? / What are the possible modes of transportation

Which season is suitable for visiting

What are the things to be carried with us

How much money do we have to spend

Which agencies are to be contacted for making arrangements for the tour

Where do we have to stay

Who will make arrangements for food and accommodation

Collect the data in the following given table

Answer:

QuestionII.
Analyse the data furnished in the table and present it before the class. Write about the best place you propose to visit and also speak to your team about the merits of the place?

Answer: Taj Mahal is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It is regarded as the finest example of Mughal architecture. It is a style of construction which combines the elements from Islamic, Persian, Ottoman, Turkish and Indian architectural styles

The most outstanding monument built by Emperor Shahjahan is the Taj Mahal at Agra. It is on the bank of River Yamuna. This grand mausoleum was built in memory of his beloved Queen Mumtaj Mahal. It has beep described as "a dream in marble designed by fairies and completed by jewellers." It is surrounded by beautiful gardens and fountains

It is made of pure white marble. As a monument of love "it is unsurpassed in the world." It stands on a platform of 8.5 meters high. The mausoleum rises to a height of 32.4 meters. It is surmounted by cupolas at each corner. The bulbous dome in the centre of the cupolas has the appearance of an inverted lotus

There are four smaller domes at the four corners of the building. Four minarets stand at each comer of the terrace. The outer walls and the interior walls are richly decorated with exquisite inlay work and calligraphy

It is indeed a memorable event in the life of anyone to visit this wonderful place

Self Assessment:

How well have I understood this unit? Read and tick (?) in the appropriate box.

Kathmandu Summary in English

Kathmandu is an extract from a delightful travelogue From Heaven Lake written by one of the most famous Indian writers in English, Vikram Seth. He has won the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award. Seth has given a vivid picture of the people of Kathmandu and their customs and traditions

Vikram Seth visits Pashupathinath temple and Baudhnath stupa in Kathmandu. They are the most sacred temples for the Hindus and the Buddhists

Pashupathinath temple is a crowded temple. Only the Hindus are permitted to enter the temple. Priests, hawkers, devotees, tourists, cows, monkeys, pigeons and dogs roam through the grounds. There is elbowing and jostling to get the attention of the priest in the temple. They show a lot of respect for the royal family of Nepal. Seth visits the Baudhnath stupa, the Buddhist shrine of Kathmandu. There is a sense of stillness. There are small shops on the outer edge of the road around the white dome of the stupa. It is a place of quietness

Kathmandu is a religious as well as a business centre. There are narrow and busy streets with shrines and fruit sellers, flute sellers, hawkers of postcards, shops selling western cosmetics, film rolls and chocolate, copper utensils and Nepalese antiques. A number of variety things are available. Though he wanted to travel by bus and train to visit many places like Patna, Benaras, Agra and Delhi he decided to go by flight because he was tired

Vikram Seth particularly likes the flute and the flute music. He was totally immersed in flute music. He says that every culture has flute music. Each flute has its specific fingering and compass. It weaves its own associations. There is a commonality of all mankind. Flute music is closest to the human voice because its motive force is living breath

About the Author:

Vikram Seth is an Indian poet, novelist, travel writer, librettist, childrens writer, biographer and memoirist. He won the WH Smith Literary Award and the Commonwealth Writers Prize for his novel, A Suitable Boy. His travelogue "From Heaven Lake: Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet won the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award. It was his first popular suc¬cess. It offers insight to Seth as a person, who is candid about the reality and effect of living abroad

Glossary: febrile (adj) : having or showing a great deal of nervous excitement mercenaw (adj) : interested only in the amount of money that you can get from a situation antique (n) : a decorative object or piece of furniture that is valuable because of its age blare (v) : sound loudly and harshly low (v) : (of a cow) moo marzipan (n) : a sweet yellowish paste of ground almonds, sugar, and egg whites, used to coat large cakes or to make sweets. brazier (n) : a portable heater consisting of a pan or stand holding lighted coals nauseating (adj) : making you feel as if you are going to vomit propel (v) : drive or push forwards per se (adv) : by or of itself offhanded (adj) : casual; not showing much interest in something. enterprise (n) : a business or company. breathy (adj) : (of a voice) having an audible sound of breathing compass (n) : range or scope