Kathmandu
Para 1.. Vikram Seth has a pronounced wanderlust that has taken him to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. His uncle and nephew have accompanied him. He has checked into a relatively affordable hotel. After a long night’s sleep, he has gone to visit two famous temples which is revered by both Hindus and Buddhists.
Part 2 .. ‘The Pashupatinath Temple is out of bounds for non-Hindus,’ says a signboard outside. There is a lot of din and bustle in the temple compound. Tourists, priests, devotees, vendors, hawkers, pigeons, cows and even dogs mingled with each other in that limited space. Worshippers are convinced that they can draw God’s attention to them only through the proper channel – the priests. So, they jostle with one another to get near the priests, who are vastly outnumbered by the visitors. The author and his two companions offer a few flowers to the deity. At this time, a princess of the royal household makes her appearance there. Everyone bows to her and makes way for her promptly. At the main gate, a different story unfolds. A group of saffron-clad devotees of western origin coax the guards to let them in, proclaiming their Hindu faith. Since the temple is out of bounds for non-Hindus, the guards refuse to accede to their requests. The guards feel white-skinned people can’t be ‘genuine’ Hindus.
Around this time, two monkeys get into a duel. One jumps on to the Shivalinga and flees to the nearby Bagmati river for safety. The river bank offers a diverse view. A corpse was being cremated, a washerwoman was cleaning clothes and a few boys were bathing in the river water. From a balcony close to the river, some one throws a basket of flowers and leaves into the river. Half portion of a small shrine stands on a stone platform on the edge of the river. It is believed that if and when it emerges fully, the goddess inside will escape marking the end of the Kaliyug.
Part 3 .. The Buddhist shrine, Budhanath Stupa, stands not very far away. Its internal environment is starkly different from that of the Pashupatinath Temple. The Buddhist shrine is a sparklingly white dome. Its surroundings are placid. It looks clean, orderly and bereft of any competitive behaviour of the visitors. Some small shops line up the surrounding wall. These are owned by Tibettan refugees who deal in handicrafts and clothes typical to Tibettan culture.
Part 4 .. Kathmandu is a capital city that flourishes with religiousity, commercial activities and a network of lanes that have small shops bristling with myriad consumer items for local and foreign visitors. The streets also have a lot of commotion. Car horns, loudspeaker music, hawkers’ yells fill the air. From fruits, to antiques, to clothes to fast food items, there is an amazing array of consumer items to cater to the visitors’ needs. The author buys a spiced and roasted corn item from a wayside vendor and then drinks Coca Cola and Orange juice to wash it down his throat. He feels refreshed.
Part 5 .. The author toys with the idea of returning to his home in Delhi by making detour through Patna by road, and then by Ganga till Benaras, and in the final lap by Yamuna to Delhi. But, he feels run down to make such a circuitous trip. He decides to take a flight from Kathmandu to Delhi the next day.
Part 6 .. The author’s eyes fall on a flute-seller standing close to the hotel. The artistry of the artisan who made the flute enchants him. The design appears so creatively different from conventional flutes. The vendor plays the flutes loudly enough so that the sound is not drowned in the traffic noise. Some buyers come to buy the products on display. Once in a while, he takes a break and chats with the fruit vendor standing next to him.
Part 7 .. The sound of the flute strikes a chord in the author’s heart. He hangs on there to listen longer to the soothing music of the flute. The author recalls that flute is an universal musical instrument that finds acceptance around the world. Only, the sound changes somewhat.
Part 8 .. The author is returning home after a long stay abroad. Yet, the music of the local flute remains etched in his memory. The homecoming proves to be quite pleasant for him.
ANSWERS
Thinking about the text ..
I. Answer these questions in one or two words or in short phrases.
- Name the two temples the author visited in Kathmandu.
Ans .. Pashupatinath Temple and the Baudhanath Stupa.
- The writer says, “All this I wash down with Coca Cola.” What does ‘all this’ refer to?
Ans .. He ate some corn-based snacks from wayside vendors. He refers to these snacks.
- What does Vikram Seth compare to the quills of a porcupine?
Ans .. He saw a flute vendor holding a pole. This pole had an attachment from which nearly 50 flutes were hung. They seemed to protrude in all directions. He likened this display to the quilts of a porcupine.
- Name five kinds of flutes.
Ans .. These are Sufi Neh, Japanese Shakuhachi, Hindustani Bansuri, South American and the Chinese varieties.
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II. Answer each question in a short paragraph.
- What difference does the author note between the flute seller and the other hawkers?
Ans .. The flute seller was an ace artist who used his musical skills to entice the customers. He was quiet. Other vendors use their vocal power to draw customers’ attention to their wares.
- What is the belief at Pashupatinath about the end of Kaliyug?
Ans .. There is a small shrine, half part of which is visible. It sits on a stone block on the river bank. It is believed that a goddess hides herself in it. One day, when she comes out of it to escape, Kaliyug would come to an end. This is a popular belief.
- 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…)
Ans .. There was no orderliness in the movement of visitors, devotees, vendors, priests etc.
(ii) the things he sees .. He saw visitors, vendors, cows, pigeons, dogs, and some security personnel
(iii) the sounds he hears .. He heard shouts of vendors, frantic requests of visitors for access to priests etc.
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III. Answer the following questions in not more than 100–150 words each.
- Compare and contrast the atmosphere in and around the Baudhnath shrine with the Pashupatinath temple.
Answer .. There is a gulf of difference in the atmospheres in the two temples. The Pashupatinath Temple is overcrowded, noisy, and disorderly. The Buddhist Stupa is neat, calm, and much less crowded. It looks placid.
- How does the author describe Kathmandu’s busiest streets?
Ans .. The author is taken by surprise to see the hustle and bustle in the business streets of Kathmandu. The shops are small, but they overflow with commodities of all descriptions such as clothes, handicraft items, chocolates, imported electronic items, food stuffs etc. The vendors shout to draw customers to them. Music played in loud speakers fills the air.
- “To hear any flute is to be drawn into the commonality of all mankind.” Why does the author say this?
Ans .. The soothing melodious nature of the flute is common to diverse locations on earth where it is played. Such commonality makes the author feel that the entire mankind has many things in common.
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