NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 19 - Kathmandu

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Answer:

• Yes, I like travelling as it gives an insight into the unknown world.

• Yes, I have heard of the holy places like Ajmer Sharif, Madurai, Sanchi, Varanasi, Sarnath, or Halebid. Some other such places are Amarnath, Vaishno Devi, Haridwar, Ujjain and Shirdi.

• In my city, usually the surroundings of the holy places are cluttered, noisy and overcrowded. Shops selling flowers for offering, idols of different Gods, prasad, etc. line the nearby streets. These places are visited by hundreds of devotees daily.

(A model answer has been provided for students' reference. It is strongly recommended that students prepare the answer based on their own experience and observation.)

Answer:

1. The route the author had thought of but did not take is given below:

Kathmandu — Bihar (Patna) — Uttar Pradesh (Benares-Allahabad-Agra) — Delhi

(Students are recommended to mark the route on the map on their own.)

2. (Students are recommended to mark the route on the map on their own.)

Answer:

1. Pashupatinath temple and Baudhnath stupa.

2. ‘All this’ refers to eating a bar of marzipan, a corn-on-the-cob roasted in a charcoal stove (rubbed with salt, chilli powder and lemon), and reading a couple of love story comics and a Reader’s Digest.

3. Vikram Seth compares the fifty or sixty bansuris protruding in all directions from the pole of a flute seller to the quills of a porcupine.

4. The reed neh, the Japanese shakuhachi, the deep bansuri of Hindustani classical music, the clear or breathy flutes of South America, and the high-pitched Chinese flutes.

Answer:

1. The author notes that while the other hawkers shouted out their wares, the flute seller did not. He simply played a flute, slowly and meditatively, without excessive display.

2. At Pashupatinath, there is a small shrine that protrudes from the stone platform on the river bank of Bagmati. It is believed that when the shrine will emerge fully, the goddess inside it will escape. The evil period of Kaliyug on earth will then end.

3. (i) The author has drawn powerful images and pictures of the atmosphere of ‘febrile confusion’ outside the temple of Pashupatinath. These include the following: a group of saffron-clad Westerners struggling to enter the main gate as only Hindus were allowed to enter the temple; a fight that breaks out between two monkeys; and a royal Nepalese princess for whom everyone makes way.

(ii) The author sees the white dome of Baudhnath Stupa, which was ringed by a road; small shops selling felt bags, Tibetan prints and silver jewellery; and a flute seller holding a pole carrying 50-60 flutes.

(iii) The author hears film songs blaring out from the radios; car horns and bicycle bells; and hawkers' cries.

Answer:

1. The atmosphere at the Pashupatinath temple was noisy, and full of chaos and confusion. Worshippers were trying to get the priest’s attention; others were pushing their way to the front; saffron-clad Westerners were trying to enter the temple; monkeys were fighting and adding to the general noise; a corpse was being cremated on the banks of the river Bagmati; washerwomen were at their work, while children were bathing. In contrast, the Baudhnath stupa was “a haven of quietness in the busy streets around”. There was no crowd, which helped build the stillness and serenity at the Buddhist shrine.

2. Along Kathmandu’s narrowest and busiest streets, there are small shrines and flower-adorned deities. Apart from these, there are fruit sellers, flute sellers, hawkers of postcards, shops selling Western cosmetics, film rolls, chocolate, those selling copper utensils and Nepalese antiques. The author hears film songs that were blaring out from the radios, sounds of car horns and bicycle bells, vendors shouting out their wares. He says that stray cows roam about on the roads. He also draws a vivid picture of a flute seller with many bansuris protruding from his pole. He describes how the serene music produced by the flute seller is heard clearly above all the other noise.

3. The author considers flute music to be “the most universal and most particular” of all music. This is a musical instrument that is common to all cultures. We have the reed neh, the recorder, the Japanese shakuhachi, the deep bansuri of Hindustani classical music, the clear or breathy flutes of South America, the high-pitched Chinese flutes, etc. Even though each of these has its specific fingering and compass yet, for the author, to hear any flute is “to be drawn into the commonality of all mankind”. This is because in spite of their differences, every flute produces music with the help of the human breath. Similarly, despite the differences in caste, culture, religion, region, all human beings are the same, with the same living breath running through all of them.

Answer:

Answer:

1.

2.

(i) Mass literacy was possible only after the invention of the printing machine.

(ii) Ramesh is unable to tackle the situation as he lacks direction.

(iii) I could not resist the temptation to open the letter.

(iv) Hardwork and dedication are the main keys to success.

(v) The children were almost fainting with exhaustion after being made to stand in the sun.

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. He marched up to 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:

(i) The heart is a pump that sends the blood circulating through our body. The pumping action takes place when the left ventricle of the heart contracts. This forces the blood out into the arteries, which expands to receive the oncoming blood.

(ii) The African lungfish can live without water for up to four years. During drought, it digs a pit and encloses itself in a capsule of slime and earth, leaving a tiny opening for air. The capsule dries and hardens, but when rain comes, the mud dissolves and the lungfish swims away.

(iii) Mahesh: We have to organise a class party for our teacher. Does anyone play an instrument?

Vipul: Rohit plays the flute.

Mahesh: Does he also act?

Vipul: No, he composes music.

Mahesh: That’s wonderful!

Answer:

1. Directions:

You may talk about any shrine that you have visited. It could be Ajmer Sharif, Madurai, Sanchi, Varanasi, Sarnath, Halebid, Amarnath, Vaishno Devi, Haridwar, Ujjain, Shirdi, etc.

You may speak about the following points:

• the city where it is located

• reason why it is famous

• surrounding areas/streets/neighbourhood

• any unique feature/ belief associated with the place

• priests or devotees

• anything strange or different thing you may have noticed

(Directions have been provided for students’ reference. It is strongly recommended that students prepare the answer on their own.)

2. (i) Cricket Match:

Team A has won the toss and has come on the field to bat. Ben hits the first ball hard.  The bewildered fielders are trying their best to stop the ball. It's a four. Team A scores four runs on the first ball of the match. The bowler throws the next ball, which just misses the wicket. The batsman survives. The stadium breathes a sign of relief...

(ii) A Parade:

The brave soldiers of AB Battalion are next to march past the President's arena. Around 100 of them are taking part in the parade competition. They are displaying their skills and discipline through their well coordinated march. They salute the guests in the President's arena...

(A model answer has been provided for students' reference. It is strongly recommended that students prepare the answer based on their own creativity and understanding.)

Answer:

Today, being the first day of my trip, I have come to visit the Pashupatinath temple with my friend, Vikram Seth. It is a beautiful place.

• On reaching the temple, I notice a completely chaotic scenario. The priests, hawkers, devotees, tourists, cows, monkeys, pigeons and dogs are roaming through the grounds.

• The temple is crowded with huge number of devotees rushing to worship the deity. People are even pushing to enter.

• Inside the temple, we worship and offer a few flowers to the deity.

• Outside the temple, a signboard declared that only Hindus could enter the premises of the temple.

• According to me, the place is chaotic and noisy, like most holy places in India.

(The above answers are only a sample provided for the student's help. We recommend that students answer such questions using their own creativity and understanding.)

Answer:

It was the January of the year 2003. I rose before dawn and hurriedly dressed up to reach the New Delhi railway station. I boarded the Shatabdi Express for Agra at 6:15 a.m. The journey was interesting as always. I met a newly-married couple on train. They had married a month ago and were going to Himachal Pradesh to visit a critically ill friend. We discussed the popular tourist attractions in Himachal Pradesh, such as Shimla, Kullu, Manali, Dalhousie, Dharamshala.

Soon I reached Agra. I bid the couple farewell and got off the train to continue further with my journey. I entered the once-grand city. The first few things that attracted me were the twisted alleys, dense traffic with lot of rickshaws, cars, people. These overcrowded streets were lined with many shops. Most of the vendors sold religious artefacts, replicas of the Taj Mahal, plastic toys, spices and sweets.

I left my baggage at a hotel and headed straight to the Taj Mahal. Constructed entirely of white marble with gemstones inside, it had a magical quality that mesmerised everyone. Its colour changed with the change in light and shadow. The reflection of the Taj Mahal in the pond attracted the school children and other tourists, who were being followed by the tourist guides.