Thinking about the Text
Activity
1. On the following map mark out the route, which the author thought of but did not take, to Delhi.
Answer: The route which the author thought of but did not take to Delhi was:
Bihar (Patna)- U.P. (Benaras – Allahabad-Agra)-Delhi
2. Find out the possible routes (by rail, road or air) from Kathmandu to New Delhi/Mumbai/Kolkata/Chennai.
Answer: Do it yourself.
I. Answer these questions in one or two words or in short phrases.
1. Name the two temples the author visited in Kathmandu.
Answer: Pashupatinath temple and Baudhnath temple are the two temples that the author visited in Kathmandu.
2. The writer says, “All this I wash down with Coca-Cola.” What does ‘all this’ refer to?
Answer:The phrase "all this" refers to the small treats and items the writer enjoys while relaxing. These include:
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A bar of marzipan,
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A roasted corn on the cob (cooked over charcoal and flavoured with salt, chilli powder, and lemon),
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A couple of love story comic books,
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And a copy of Reader’s Digest.
3. What does Vikram Seth compare to the quills of a porcupine?
Answer: Vikram Seth sees a flute seller holding a long pole with many flutes sticking out from the top in different directions. There are around fifty to sixty flutes arranged closely together. He compares this bunch of flutes to the sharp, spiky quills on the back of a porcupine because they spread out in a similar pattern.
4. Name five kinds of flutes.
Answer: The five kinds of flutes are:
- the reed neh
- the Japanese shakuhachi
- the deep bansuri of Hindustani classical music
- the clear or breathy flutes of South America
- the high-pitched Chinese flutes
II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph
1. What difference does the author note between the flute seller and the other hawkers?
Answer:The author observes that the flute seller is quite different from the other street vendors. While most hawkers loudly advertise their goods and try hard to attract customers, the flute seller remains calm and quiet. He simply sits and plays his flute gently without trying to draw attention. He doesn’t push people to buy, and when someone does make a purchase, he treats it as something casual—not the main purpose of his presence.
2. What is the belief at Pashupatinath about the end of Kaliyug?
Answer: At the Pashupatinath temple, there is a common belief connected to a small shrine that is partly buried on the bank of the Bagmati river. People believe that when this shrine rises completely above the ground, the goddess housed within it will be released. Her release will mark the end of Kaliyug — the age of darkness and evil — bringing peace and goodness back to the world.
3. The author has drawn powerful images and pictures. Pick out three examples each of:
(i) the atmosphere of ‘febrile confusion’ outside the temple of Pashupatinath (for example: some people trying to get the priest’s attention are elbowed aside…)
(ii) the things he sees
(iii) the sounds he hears
Answer:
(i) The atmosphere of ‘febrile confusion’ outside the temple of Pashupatinath:
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The entire temple area is crowded with priests, hawkers, devotees, animals like cows and monkeys, creating a chaotic scene.
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People trying to catch the attention of priests are pushed and elbowed aside.
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A group of saffron-robed Westerners are seen arguing with guards, trying to gain entry into the temple that allows only Hindus.
(ii) The things he sees:
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Narrow and crowded streets lined with small shrines decorated with flowers.
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Street vendors selling flutes, fruits, postcards, and antiques.
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Shops offering a mix of local and foreign goods like Nepalese artifacts, copper utensils, chocolates, cosmetics, and film rolls.
(iii) The sounds he hears:
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Loud Hindi film songs playing from radios.
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Continuous honking of cars and ringing of bicycle bells in the traffic.
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Street vendors shouting to advertise their goods, while cows moo and mingle with the crowd.
III. Answer the following questions in not more than 100–150 words each.
1: Compare and contrast the atmosphere in and around the Baudhnath shrine with the Pashupatinath temple.
Answer:The atmosphere at the Pashupatinath temple is full of noise, rush, and disorder. It is crowded with all kinds of people — priests, pilgrims, hawkers, tourists — along with animals like cows, monkeys, and dogs. There is a lot of pushing and shoving as people try to get to the front. The whole scene feels busy and chaotic, which the author describes as “febrile confusion.”
In contrast, the Baudhnath shrine has a peaceful and calm environment. It is quiet and not crowded. The place offers a feeling of silence and serenity, standing in sharp contrast to the noisy streets around it. It gives the impression of a peaceful escape in the middle of a busy city.
Thus, while Pashupatinath is lively and chaotic, Baudhnath is quiet and meditative.
2: How does the author describe Kathmandu’s busiest streets?
Answer: The author paints a colourful and lively picture of Kathmandu’s busiest streets. He describes them as a mix of religious devotion and commercial activity. The narrow lanes are lined with tiny shrines decorated with flowers for the gods, showing the city's deep spiritual roots.
At the same time, the streets are full of activity — fruit vendors, flute sellers, and postcard hawkers fill the area. Shops sell everything from Western beauty products and chocolates to local items like copper pots and traditional antiques.
The sounds add to the vibrant atmosphere: loud film songs play on radios, horns honk, bells on bicycles ring, cows roam freely, and vendors loudly call out to attract customers. It’s a noisy, busy, and colourful place full of life.
3: “To hear any flute is to be drawn into the commonality of all mankind.” Why does the author say this?
Answer:The author says this to express how the sound of a flute touches something deep and shared in all human beings. He mentions different types of flutes from around the world — like the Indian bansuri, the Japanese shakuhachi, the South American flutes, the Chinese ones, and the reed neh — showing that flutes exist in many cultures.
He believes that the flute is both unique and universal. Its sound is simple yet emotional, and it connects people regardless of where they come from. Just like human life depends on breath, the flute too produces music through breath — it must pause and breathe, just like us. This shared experience of breath and feeling makes the sound of the flute a symbol of our shared humanity
Thinking about Language
I. Read the following sentences carefully to understand the meaning of the italicised phrases. Then match the phrasal verbs in Column A with their meanings in Column B.
1. A communal war broke out when the princess was abducted by the neighbouring prince.
2. The cockpit broke off from the plane during the plane crash.
3. The car broke down on the way and we were left stranded in the jungle.
4. The dacoit broke away from the police as they took him to court.
5. The brothers broke up after the death of the father.
6. The thief broke into our house when we were away.
Answer:
II. 1: Use the suffixes -ion or -tion to form nouns from the following verbs. Make the necessary changes in the spellings of the words.
Example: proclaim – proclamation
cremate ___________ act ___________ exhaust ___________
Answer:cremate cremation; act action; exhaust exhaustion
invent ___________ tempt ___________ immigrate ___________
Answer:invent invention; tempt temptation; immigrate immigration
direct ___________ meditate ___________ imagine ___________
Answer:direct direction; meditate meditation; imagine imagination
dislocate ___________ associate ___________ dedicate ___________
Answer:dislocate dislocation; associate association; dedicate dedication
2: Now fill in the blanks with suitable words from the ones that you have formed.
(i) Mass literacy was possible only after the ___________ of the printing machine.
Answer: Mass literacy was possible only after the invention of the printing machine.
(ii) Ramesh is unable to tackle the situation as he lacks ___________.
Answer:Ramesh is unable to tackle the situation as he lacks imagination.
(iii) I could not resist the ___________ to open the letter.
Answer: I could not resist the temptation to open the letter.
(iv) Hardwork and ___________ are the main keys to success.
Answer: Hardwork and dedication are the main keys to success.
(v) The children were almost fainting with ____________after being made to stand in the sun.
Answer:The children were almost fainting with exhaustion after being made to stand in the sun.
III. Punctuation
Use capital letters, full stops, question marks, commas and inverted commas wherever necessary in the following paragraph.
an arrogant lion was wandering through the jungle one day he asked the tiger who is stronger than you you O lion replied the tiger who is more fierce than a leopard asked the lion you sir replied the leopard he marched upto an elephant and asked the same question the elephant picked him up in his trunk swung him in the air and threw him down look said the lion there is no need to get mad just because you don’t know the answer
Answer:An arrogant lion was wandering through the jungle one day. He asked the tiger, “Who is stronger than you?”
“You, O Lion,” replied the tiger.
“Who is more fierce than a leopard?” asked the lion.
“You, sir,” replied the leopard.
Then he marched up to an elephant and asked the same question. The elephant picked him up in his trunk, swung him through the air, and threw him down.
“Look,” said the lion, “there is no need to get mad just because you don’t know the answer!”
Answer by Mrinmoee
