Kathmandu

Summary

Kathmandu is a travelogue written by Vikram Seth. It is the description of the two famous
temples of Kathmandu. One is the Pashupatinath and the other is the Baudhnath Shrine. The
author first visited Pashupatinath Temple where he finds the atmosphere of feverish
confusion. Only Hindus are allowed to enter inside the temple. He finds people performing
different rituals performing on the bank of the holy river Bagmati. He also knew about the
belief related to the end of the Kaliyug. Next he visited Baudhnath Shrine, there is the sense
of stillness in contrast to the Pashupatinath temple. Tibetan immigrants selling different
things on the side of the road. After this he roams on the streets of Kathmandu and finds it
the busiest and more religious city. These streets are crowded with fruit sellers, hawkers of
postcards etc. The shops sell western cosmetics, film rolls chocolates. It is the noisiest city
because of the honking sound of the cars, bells of bicycle and the low of the cows and film
songs of the radios. He becomes tired and homesick and decided to return home.
He buys an airline ticket and returns back to his hotel. Near his hotel he hears the melodious
sound of the flute seller which enchanted him. The care free style of the flute seller of selling
flutes pleases him. It reminds him of the commonality of all mankind as the music of the
flutes unites all mankind in one single thread. He returns back home after a long absence
and is surprised that the ‘bansuri’ has affected him. He would not be affected by such details
on his previous visits.

Comprehension Questions

Short Answer Type Questions (30 to 40 words)

1. Where did the writer stay in Kathmandu? Which two different places of worship did he
visit and with whom?
The writer, Vikram Seth, stayed in a cheap room in the centre of Kathmandu town.
He visited the Pushupatinath temple, sacred to the Hindus, and the Baudhnath stupa, the
holy shrine of the Buddhists. He went with his acquaintances Mr Shah’s son and nephew.

2. What is written on the signboard outside the Pashupatinath temple? What does the
proclamation signify?
Outside the Pashupatinath temple, the signboard announces: ‘Entrance for the Hindus
only’. It signifies the rigid sanctity associated with the place of worship.

3. Why did the policeman stop the Westerners wearing saffron-coloured clothes from
entering the Pashupatinath temple?
The policeman stopped the saffron-clad Westerners from entering the Pashupatinath
temple as the entry of non-Hindus was banned in the temple and he didn’t believe that
they were Hindus, despite their saffron clothes.

4. How does the author describe the fight that breaks out between the two monkeys
around the temple of Pashupatinath?
Fight breaks out between two monkeys in which one chases the other. The monkey being
chased jumps onto a shivalinga, then runs screaming around the temples and finally goes
down to the holy river, Bagmati.

5. What activities are observed by the writer on the banks of the Bagmati River?
The writer observes some washerwomen washing clothes, some children taking a bath
and a dead body being cremated on the banks of the sacred river. He also observes
someone throwing a basketful of wilted flowers and leaves into the river.

6. What does dropping of various things into the river reflect about the people?
Throwing of refuse into the sacred Bagmati reflects that these people lack concern for
environment. Their faith and behaviour do not match, for they pollute the very river which
they consider to be sacred.

7. What are the author’s observations about the streets in Kathmandu?
The author finds the streets in Kathmandu ‘vivid, mercenary and religious’. Extremely
narrow and busy, these streets have many small shrines and some flower adorned deities. Stray cows roam about mooing at the sound of the motorcycles. Vendors sell their wares
shouting loudly and radios are played at a loud pitch. In addition, the horns of the cars
and the ringing of the bicycle bells increase this din.

8. Describing the streets around the Baudhnath stupa, why does the narrator say this is a
haven of quietness in the busy streets around?
The narrator observes a sense of stillness at the Buddhist shrine, the Baudhnath stupa. Its
immense white dome is ringed by a road with small shops selling items like felt bags,
Tibetan prints and silver jewellery. The quietness of the stupa stands out amidst the busy
business activities that go around it. Thus, the narrator regards this place as a haven of
quietness in the busy streets around.

9. Which is the longer route from Kathmandu to Delhi? Which route does the author opt
for?
The longer route from Kathmandu to Delhi is to first reach Patna by bus and train. Then
go past Benares, sail on the Ganges and reach Allahabad. Then cross the Yamuna and
finally reach Delhi via Agra. The shorter option taken by the author is to by air, straight
from Kathmandu to Delhi.

10. Why does the author describe the music of the flute as ‘the most universal and most
particular of sounds’?
The music of the flute, according to the author, is the most ‘universal’ because this
musical instrument, made of hollow bamboo is found in every culture in the world. But at
the same time, its sound is the most ‘particular’ because each flute, though played in
almost a similar manner, emits a distinct, unique, and individual kind of music.

11. Describe how the flute seller sells his wares.
The flute seller has tied fifty or sixty flutes on a pole. He does not shout out his wares.
From time to time, he selects a flute and plays on it. He plays slowly and thoughtfully.
Sometime, he makes a sale. But his attitude is carefree.

12. What difference does the author note between the flute seller and the other hawkers?
The author points out that while other hawkers shout loudly to attract the customers to
buy their wares, the flute seller plays upon his flute slowly and meditatively. He does not
indulge in excessive display nor does he show any desperation to sell his flutes. The
sound of the flute is distinctly heard above the noise of the traffic and of the hawkers.

13. To hear any ‘flute is to be drawn into the commonality of all mankind.’ Explain.
The flute is found in each culture in one form or the other. Thus the sound of the flute
draws a person into the commonality of mankind.

Questions- to be answered in about 100 -150 words each

1. How does the author describe the flute seller? What does he say about the flute music?
The author finds a flute seller in a corner of the square near his hotel. There is a pole in
his hand. There is an attachment at the top of the pole. Fifty or sixty flutes are stuck on it.
These flutes protrude in all directions. The author compares these flutes to the quills of a
porcupine. These flutes are made of bamboo. From time to time, he stands the pole on
the ground. Then he selects a flute and plays on it for a few minutes. The sound rises
clearly above the noise of the traffic and the hawkers’ cries. He plays the flute slowly and
thoughtfully. He does not shout out his wares. Occasionally someone buys a flute from
him. But the flute seller’s attitude is carefree. The author likes his attitude. He imagines
that this has been his pattern of life for years. The author finds it difficult to come away
from there. He has always been attracted by the flute music: He says that the flute is a
very common musical instrument. It is found in almost all cultures. It is the common link
of all mankind.

2. 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?
The author finds a flute seller along with many other hawkers in a corner of the square
near his hotel in Kathmandu. But the flute seller’s style of selling his ware differs
absolutely from that of the other vendors. He does not shout to attract the customers nor
does he show any kind of desperation to sell. He carries a pole with about fifty to sixty
flutes attached at the top. The author compares these flutes protruding in all directions to
the sharp quills of a porcupine. Most of the flutes on the poles are of the varieties of
‘recorders’ and ‘cross-flutes’. 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. He does not seem to run a very brisk business and it appears
as if playing flute is his chief activity and selling of flutes is incidental to it. The
mesmerising music of the flute draws the author to it. He is left spell-bound by its
hypnotic notations. The impact is so deep that he has to force himself to leave the square
where the flute is being played. This music is etched in his memory and he carries it with
him to his home in India.

Answers to Textbook questions

I Answer these questions in one or two words or in short phrases.

1. Name the two temples the author visited in Kathmandu.
The author visited the Pashupati Nath Temple and the Budhnath Stupa.

2. The writer says, “All this I wash down with Coca Cola.” What does ‘all this’ refer to?
All this’ refers to the eatables that the writer enjoys on the road surrounding the
Baudhnath stupa. It includes a bar of marzipan and a roasted corn-cob that he enjoys
along with the fizzy, carbonated drink, Coca Cola. Besides, he also gets some love story
comics and a copy of the Reader’s Digest magazine.

3. What does Vikram Seth compare to the quills of a porcupine?
The flute seller had placed an attachment on top of a pole from which fifty or sixty
bansuris protruded in all directions. They looked like the quills of a porcupine.

4. Name five kinds of flutes.
Bansuri, Reed, Murli, Shakuhachi, and Neh.

II Answer each question in a short paragraph. 

1. What difference does the author note between the flute seller and the other hawkers?

The author notes that the flute seller was not at all bothered about selling his wares. He
was more engrossed in playing his flutes and sometimes talking to fellow vendors. The
sale was incidental for him.

2. What is the belief at Pashupatinath about the end of Kaliyug?
There is a small temple near the banks of the river Baghmati, which is partly submerged.
The age old belief is if the water recedes enough to expose the goddess then the Goddess will leave that place and that will herald the end of the evil period of Kaliyug.

3. The author has drawn powerful images and pictures. Pick out three examples each of
the atmosphere of ‘febrile confusion’ outside the temple of Pashupatinath, the things
he sees, the sounds he hears.
Febrile confusion means a situation of complete chaos or confusion. Like most of the
Hindu pilgrimage centres, Pashupathinath temple is also buzzing with people and
mindless activity. The crowd, monkeys, devotees attempt to get preferential treatment.
He sees small shops owned by Tibetan immigrants, selling bags, prints and jewellery. He also sees the various activities beside the Bagmati River. He hears the calls of hawkers and the sound of the flute. He hears the car horns, bicycle bells, cows mooing.

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.
The atmosphere in Pashupatinath Temple is utterly noisy. People jostle with each other
to catch the glimpse of the God. Monkeys are found near temples. The sacred River Bagmati has wilted flowers and leaves and even corpses thrown into it.
People take bath and wash their clothes in the same water.
The hawkers are selling their wares outside the Pashuptinath temple.
On the other hand, the atmosphere at Budhnath stupa is full of calm. The way of
Budhist worship is more about meditation. The Budhnath stupa has some Tibetans
selling few items. It is a haven of quietness in the busy streets around.

2. How does the author describe Kathmandu’s busiest streets?
The author presents the busiest streets of Kathmandu as ‘vivid, mercenary and religious’.
It is a place with beautiful, vivid, landscape, and a lot of religious activity goes on all the
time. Besides the famous places like the Pashupatinath temple and the, Baudhnath stupa,
Kathmandu also has small shrines and deities. It is ‘mercenary’ as it is a tourist place and a
lot of businesses flourish in the narrow streets. One can find fruit sellers, flute sellers, and
hawkers selling postcard photographs. As in any other tourist place, there are shops
selling various things like cosmetics from western countries, rolls of film, chocolates,
antique things of Nepal, and copper pots and pans. There is a bedlam of noises created
by radios playing film songs, sounds of car-horns, bells of bicycles and vendors shouting
to invite the customers. There are also the cows bellowing as they hear the sounds of motorcycles. Thus, the streets of Kathmandu are full of noise.

3. “To hear any flute is to be drawn into the commonality of all mankind.” Why does the
author say this?
The author hears the music of a flute played by a flute seller in a square near his hotel in
Kathmandu and is reminded of the various kinds of music produced by various types of
flutes found in various cultures. However, the flute is universal because almost every
culture has flutes, though each has a different tone and pitch. The author further
describes the variety of flutes named differently as the shakuhachi in Japan and the
bansuri in India. They have different fingering methods and ranges of sound. The Indian
bansuri has a deep sound, the South American flute emits clear, breathy sound and the
Chinese flute gives out loud, high-pitched melodies.
Despite the variety of flutes and the variations in their music, the author emphasises
that the music of all the flutes closely resembles human voice. To produce music, every
flute needs pauses and breaths in the same manner in which phrases and sentences are
uttered in human voice. These pauses and breaths are generated through fingering of
the holes on a flute. This characteristic feature of the flutes gives the author a feeling of
being ‘drawn into the commonality of mankind’, which gives him a sense of universality
and harmony.

PRACTICE QUESTIONS

Q 1 Read the given extracts and answer the questions that follow.

(a) There are so many worshippers that some people trying to get the priest’s attention

are elbowed aside by others pushing their way to the front.

i. Which place of worship is the narrator describing here?

The narrator is describing Kathmandu’s Pashupatinath temple, which is sacred to

the Hindus.

ii. What is the sign outside the place of worship?

The sign outside the temple proclaims: ‘Entrance for Hindus only’

iii. Why are some people elbowed aside?

The temple is visited by many worshippers, therefore there is a lot of pushing

and jostling while people try to move ahead and get the attention of the priest.

In this attempt, some people are elbowed aside.

iv. Give the synonym of the word ‘worshippers’.

devotees/ believers

(b) I find it difficult to tear myself away from the square. Flute music always does this to

me. It is at once the most universal and most particular of sounds.

i. Who is ‘I’ in the above lines?

‘I’ stands for the narrator, Vikram Seth.

ii. Which square does the speaker refer to?

The speaker, Vikram Seth, refers to the square near his hotel in Kathmandu.

iii. Why does ‘he’ find it difficult to tear himself away from the square?

He finds it difficult to tear himself from the square because he is fascinated by

the mesmerising flute-music being played there by the flute seller.

iv. Give the meaning of the expression ‘tear myself away’?

to separate forcibly

(c) One chases the other, who jumps onto a shivalinga, then runs screaming around the

temples and down to the river.

i. Which river is referred to in this extract?

The river Bagmati that flows below the Pashupatinath temple is referred to here.

ii. Who are chasing each other and why?

A fight breaks out between two monkeys. So, one chases the other.

iii. What are the various activities taking place by the river?

A corpse is being cremated, washerwomen are at work, children bathe, a basket

of withered flowers, leaves and old offerings are thrown into the river from the

balcony of the Pashupatinath temple.

iv. Find the antonym of the word-‘runs away from’

 chases

(d) 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.

i. How has the narrator described the pole of the flute seller?

The pole has an attachment at the top from which fifty or sixty bansuris

protrude in all directions like the quills of a porcupine.

ii. How does he play the flute?

He plays the flute slowly and meditatively without excessive display.

iii. What does the writer say about the flute seller’s attitude to selling his product?

The flute seller occasionally makes a sale, but in a curiously offhanded way as if

this were incidental to his enterprise.

iv. Find the synonym of –‘increases’

rises

Q 2 Answer each of the following questions in 30-40 words.

(a) Why does Vikram Seth decide to buy a ticket directly for homeward journey?

Vikram Seth had been away from home since quite some time. He was feeling

very exhausted and homesick. Though his enthusiasm for travelling tempts him

to take a longer route to reach back home, his exhaustion and homesickness

impel him to buy an air-ticket directly for the homeward journey to Delhi.

(b) What is the impact of the music of the flute on Vikram Seth?

The music of the flute has a hypnotic effect on Vikram Seth. He finds it difficult

to ‘tear’ himself away from the square where this music is being playing by the

flute seller. It has the power to draw him into the commonality of all mankind

and he is moved by its closeness to human voice.

(c) What picture of the Baudhnath stupa does the author portray?

The author gives a brief but vivid picture of the Baudhnath stupa. He admires

the serenity and calmness of this shrine. There are no crowds even on the road

surrounding the stupa which has some shops run by the Tibetan immigrants. The

stupa has an immense white dome with silence and stillness as its distinctive

features.

(d) What does the author imply by ‘febrile confusion’ in the Pashupatinath temple?

The author makes this remark to show the hectic and feverish activity that

causes utter chaos. Around the temple, there is a huge crowd of priests, hawkers,

tourists, and even cows, monkeys and pigeons. Inside the temple, there are a

large number of worshippers who elbow others aside to move closer to the

priest. Together, they create utter confusion.

Q 3 Answer each of the following questions in 100-150 words.

(a) How does the author describe Kathmandu’s busiest streets?

The author presents the busiest streets of Kathmandu as ‘vivid, mercenary and

religious’. It is a place with beautiful, vivid, landscape, and a lot of religious

activity goes on all the time. Besides the famous places like the Pashupatinath

temple and the, Baudhnath stupa, Kathmandu also has small shrines and

deities. It is ‘mercenary’ as it is a tourist place and a lot of businesses flourish in

the narrow streets. One can find fruit sellers, flute sellers, and hawkers selling

postcard photographs. As in any other tourist place, there are shops selling

various things like cosmetics from western countries, rolls of film, chocolates,

antique things of Nepal, and copper pots and pans. There is a bedlam of noises

created by radios playing film songs, sounds of car-horns, bells of bicycles and

vendors shouting to invite the customers. There are also the cows bellowing as

they hear the sounds of motorcycles. Thus, the streets of Kathmandu are full of

noise.

(b) Listening to the music of the flute in the square, the author is reminded of various

kinds of flutes. Which kinds does he describe?

As the author listens to the music of the flute being played by the flute seller, he

is reminded of different kinds of flutes. It is the most universal and most

particular of sounds. There is no culture that does not have its flute.

He mentions certain kinds of them like the ‘cross-flutes’, the ‘reed neh’, the

recorder, the Japanese ‘shakuhachi’ and the Hindustani ‘ bansuri’ . Other flutes

are distinguished by their tonal quality like ‘the clear or breathy flutes’ of South

America and the ‘high-pitched’ flutes of China. Each has its specific fingering and

compass. It weaves its own associations.