Class 9 Kathmandu Question Answer

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.

Q19. 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 Answer Questions

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 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.

2 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.

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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