Class 9 English — Chapter 15: Kathmandu

What you'll learn

• ▸Atmosphere at Pashupatinath Temple
• ▸Serenity at Baudhnath Stupa
• ▸Contrast Between the Two Holy Sites
• ▸Sensory Description of Kathmandu's Streets
• ▸The Flute Seller and Universality of Music
• ▸Author's Personal Feelings and Travel Decision
• ▸Literary Device: Simple Present Tense for Narration
• ▸Vocabulary: Phrasal Verbs with 'Break'

Chapter Summary

--- PAGE 1 --- 8. Kathmandu 0959CH10 BEFORE You READ * *Do you like travelling? The writer, Vikram Seth, enjoys it very* *much. In his book, Heaven Lake, he describes a long journey* *from China to India, via Tibet and Nepal.* * *Have you heard of places like Ajmer Sharif, Madurai, Sanchi,* *Varanasi, Sarnath, or Halebid? Can you name some other* *places like these?* * *What do the surroundings of a holy place in your city look* *like? Think about it as you read Vikram Seth's description of* *Kathmandu.* 1. I GET a cheap room in the centre of town and sleep for hours. The next morning, with Mr Shah's son and nephew, I visit the two temples in Kathmandu that are most sacred to Hindus and Buddhists. 2. At Pashupatinath (outside which a sign proclaims 'Entrance for the Hindus only') there is an atmosphere of 'febrile confusion'. Priests, hawkers, devotees, tourists, cows, monkeys, pigeons and dogs roam through the grounds. We offer a few flowers. Ther…

Practice Questions from this Chapter

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1. Explain Nepal's unique flag design. Get Solution →
2. Describe the spiritual meaning of flutes. Get Solution →
3. Show me images of Kathmandu temples. Get Solution →
4. Which two main temples does the author visit in Kathmandu? Get Solution →
5. What does the sign outside Pashupatinath temple proclaim? Get Solution →
6. Which holy river flows below the Pashupatinath temple? Get Solution →
7. The author compares the flute seller's pole with protruding flutes to what? Get Solution →
8. What material are the flutes sold by the flute seller primarily made of? Get Solution →

Did you know?

• 💡 Nepal is the only country in the world with a non-rectangular national flag.
• 💡 Kathmandu's Bagmati River is sacred for Hindu cremation rituals and purification.
• 💡 Flutes are among the world's oldest musical instruments, dating back 40,000 years.
• 💡 The bansuri, a bamboo flute, is a key instrument in Indian classical music.
• 💡 Kathmandu Valley boasts seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites within a small area.

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