NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 8 – Kathmandu
Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 8 – Kathmandu is an engaging travel memoir by Vikram Seth, the celebrated Indian author. The chapter is an excerpt from his travelogue "From Heaven Lake: Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet," in which Seth describes his experiences in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, during his journey back to India. He visits two famous religious sites — the Pashupatinath Temple and the Baudhnath Stupa — and observes the contrasting yet equally vibrant religious and commercial life around them. The chapter is rich in sensory detail and captures the sights, sounds, and atmosphere of Kathmandu with vivid and precise language.
This chapter is part of the CBSE Class 9 English Beehive syllabus and is tested in school examinations through comprehension questions, questions on descriptive writing, vocabulary exercises, grammar tasks on phrasal verbs, noun formation, simple present tense, and writing activities like diary entries and travelogues. The chapter develops students' appreciation of travel writing as a literary form and their ability to observe and describe a place with detail and sensitivity.
NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 8 – Kathmandu
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Question 1. Mark out the route the author thought of but did not take to Delhi.
Answer:
The author considered the following route to Delhi but did not take it: Kathmandu → Bihar (Patna) → Uttar Pradesh (Benares – Allahabad – Agra) → Delhi
Question 2. Find out the possible routes from Kathmandu to New Delhi/Mumbai/Kolkata/Chennai.
Answer:
From Kathmandu, one can reach New Delhi by air via Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport to Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi. Road routes are also available via the Indo-Nepal border crossing at Sonauli (Uttar Pradesh). Similar air and road connections exist to Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai through various Indian cities and border crossings.
Question 3. Name the two temples the author visited in Kathmandu.
Answer:
The author visited the Pashupatinath Temple and the Baudhnath Stupa in Kathmandu.
Question 4. The writer says, "All this I wash down with Coca Cola." What does 'all this' refer to?
Answer:
'All this' refers to the food and items the author enjoyed on the streets of Kathmandu — a bar of marzipan, a corn-on-the-cob roasted in a charcoal brazier on the pavement and rubbed with salt, chilli powder, and lemon, a couple of love story comics, and a Reader's Digest.
Question 5. What does Vikram Seth compare to the quills of a porcupine?
Answer:
The author notices a flute seller standing in a corner of the square near his hotel. The seller holds a pole with an attachment at the top from which fifty to sixty bansuris (flutes) protrude in all directions — these protruding flutes are compared to the quills of a porcupine.
Question 6. Name five kinds of flutes.
Answer:
The author mentions the following kinds of flutes: 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.
Question 7. What difference does the author note between the flute seller and the other hawkers?
Answer:
The other vendors on the streets of Kathmandu shout out their wares loudly to attract customers. The flute seller, in contrast, is calm and meditative. He selects a flute from time to time and plays it slowly and meditatively, without excessive display or shouting. He occasionally makes a sale but does not aggressively advertise himself. His quiet, musical approach stands out beautifully against the surrounding noise and chaos.
Question 8. What is the belief at Pashupatinath about the end of Kaliyug?
Answer:
At Pashupatinath, there is a small shrine that half protrudes from a stone platform on the bank of the river Bagmati. It is believed that when the shrine emerges fully from the platform, the goddess inside will escape and the evil period of Kaliyug will come to an end on earth.
Question 9. Pick out three examples each of (i) the atmosphere of 'febrile confusion' outside Pashupatinath, (ii) things the author sees, and (iii) sounds he hears.
Answer:
(i) Atmosphere of 'febrile confusion' outside Pashupatinath: "Priests, hawkers, devotees, tourists, cows, monkeys, pigeons and dogs roam through the grounds." "Some people trying to get the priest's attention are elbowed aside by others pushing their way to the front." "A party of saffron-clad Westerners struggle for permission to enter."
(ii) Things the author sees: Small shrines and flower-adorned deities along the streets; fruit sellers, flute sellers, hawkers of postcards; shops selling Western cosmetics, film rolls, chocolate, copper utensils, and Nepalese antiques; a corpse being cremated on the banks of the Bagmati River; small shops at the outer edge of the Baudhnath Stupa with bags adorned with Tibetan prints and silver jewellery.
(iii) Sounds the author hears: Film songs blaring from radios; car horns and bicycle bells; the lowing of cows; vendors shouting out their wares; and the captivating, meditative music played by the flute seller rising above the general noise of the streets.
Question 10. Compare and contrast the atmosphere in and around the Baudhnath Stupa with the Pashupatinath Temple.
Answer:
The author describes the atmosphere in and around the Pashupatinath Temple as one of "febrile confusion." Priests, hawkers, devotees, tourists, cows, monkeys, pigeons, and dogs all roam through the grounds together. Worshippers push and elbow each other to reach the priest. Saffron-clad Westerners argue with police for permission to enter. Two monkeys fight and scream. A corpse is being cremated on the banks of the Bagmati River nearby, while washerwomen wash clothes and children bathe in the river. The overall scene is chaotic, noisy, and intensely busy.
In complete contrast, the scene at the Baudhnath Stupa is peaceful and serene. The stupa is a haven of quietness in the midst of the busy surrounding streets. There are no pushing crowds or loud chaos. The atmosphere is still and contemplative, and the visitor is met with a sense of calm that is entirely absent at the Hindu temple.
Question 11. How does the author describe Kathmandu's busiest streets?
Answer:
The streets of Kathmandu are narrow and busy, lined with small shrines and flower-adorned deities. There are fruit sellers, flute sellers, hawkers of postcards, and shops selling Western cosmetics, film rolls, chocolate, copper utensils, and Nepalese antiques side by side.
The streets are filled with a cacophony of sounds — film songs blaring from radios, car horns, bicycle bells, the lowing of stray cows, and vendors shouting their wares. The author enjoys a bar of marzipan and a roasted corn-on-the-cob as he walks through. He also buys some comics and a Reader's Digest. Above all the noise, the meditative music of the flute seller rises, adding a touch of beauty and calm to the bustling scene.
Question 12. "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 because the flute is one of the most universal musical instruments in the world, found in virtually every culture in some form. He describes different types of flutes — the reed neh, the Japanese shakuhachi, the deep bansuri of Hindustani classical music, the breathy flutes of South America, and the high-pitched Chinese flutes. Each has its own specific fingering and musical range.
Yet despite these differences, all flutes produce music through the same means — human breath. Just as different kinds of flutes are ultimately united by the breath that flows through them, human beings are ultimately united by the living breath of life that flows through all of them, regardless of religion, caste, colour, nationality, or culture. The flute thus becomes a symbol of universal human connection.
Question 13. Match the phrasal verbs in Column A with their meanings in Column B.
Answer:
(i) break out → (d) to start suddenly (usually a fight, a war, or a disease) (ii) break off → (a) to come apart due to force (iii) break down → (f) stop working (iv) break away (from someone) → (e) to escape from someone's grip (v) break up → (b) end a relationship (vi) break into → (c) break and enter illegally; unlawful trespassing
Question 14. Use the suffixes -ion or -tion to form nouns from the following verbs.
Answer:
Cremate → cremation — Act → action — Exhaust → exhaustion Invent → invention — Tempt → temptation — Immigrate → immigration Direct → direction — Meditate → meditation — Imagine → imagination Dislocate → dislocation — Associate → association — Dedicate → dedication
Question 15. Fill in the blanks with suitable words from the nouns formed above.
Answer:
(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) Hard work and dedication are the main keys to success. (v) The children were almost fainting with exhaustion after being made to stand in the sun.
Question 16. Punctuate the following paragraph correctly.
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."
Question 17. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in Simple Present Tense.
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 expand to receive the oncoming blood.
(ii) The African lungfish can live without water for up to four years. During a 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!
Question 18. Diary entry — Visit to Pashupatinath Temple.
Answer:
Third Day of Our Trip — Visit to Pashupatinath Temple
On reaching the temple — complete chaos everywhere. Priests, hawkers, devotees, tourists, cows, monkeys, pigeons, and dogs roaming freely through the grounds. Saffron-clad Westerners arguing with police for entry permission. Two monkeys fighting noisily. Inside the temple — devotees pushing and jostling to reach the priest. Outside the temple — a corpse being cremated on the banks of the Bagmati River. Washerwomen washing clothes. Children bathing in the river. Impression — a place of immense religious energy, simultaneously sacred and chaotic. Life and death existing side by side in a way unlike anything I have seen before.
Question 19. Write a travelogue about a visit to Agra and the Taj Mahal.
Answer:
It was the 12th of January 2017. We rose before dawn, had a quick breakfast, and left for New Delhi Railway Station. We boarded the Shatabdi Express at 6.15 a.m. In our cabin, we met a newly married couple travelling to Goa. They were from Himachal Pradesh and we had a long, enjoyable conversation about the beautiful tourist spots there — Kulu, Manali, Shimla, and beyond.
Our train pulled into Agra Cantt. Railway Station. We got off, took a taxi, and headed for our dream destination — the Taj Mahal. Our car crawled through twisted alleys choked with traffic. Rickshaws, cars, people, and vendors selling religious artefacts, plastic toys, spices, and sweets crowded the streets on all sides.
After about an hour we finally reached the Taj Mahal, bought our entry tickets, and stepped inside. The monument, constructed entirely of pure white marble, seemed to glow with a magical, almost otherworldly quality. Its colour shifted gently with every change of light and shadow. Inside the burial chamber, the marble was studded with precious gemstones, and the craftsmanship left us speechless.
The reflection of the majestic monument shimmering in the waters of the Yamuna was breathtaking. All around us were school children, foreign and local tourists, and eager tourist guides following their groups. We returned around 5 pm, tired but deeply moved. My mind was filled with a quiet sense of wonder and joy that I knew would stay with me for a very long time.
FAQs – Chapter 8 Kathmandu
Q1. What is the central theme of the chapter Kathmandu?
The central theme is the contrast between the sacred and the commercial, the ancient and the modern, as observed by a thoughtful traveller. Vikram Seth captures the coexistence of deep religious devotion and busy marketplace activity around both the Pashupatinath Temple and the Baudhnath Stupa. The chapter also reflects on the universality of human experience — people of different faiths and backgrounds coming together in a shared urban and spiritual space.
Q2. What are the two religious sites Vikram Seth visits in Kathmandu?
Vikram Seth visits the Pashupatinath Temple, one of the most sacred Hindu temples in the world dedicated to Lord Shiva, and the Baudhnath Stupa, one of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world. Both sites are centres of intense religious activity surrounded by lively commercial activity.
Q3. How does Seth describe the scene at the Pashupatinath Temple?
Seth describes the Pashupatinath Temple as a place of great religious activity mixed with commercial bustle and "febrile confusion." He observes priests, pilgrims, tourists, and hawkers crowded together, a corpse being cremated nearby, sadhus seeking alms, and monkeys creating chaos. The atmosphere is simultaneously sacred and chaotic, solemn and lively.
Q4. How is the atmosphere at the Baudhnath Stupa different from Pashupatinath?
The Baudhnath Stupa is relatively more peaceful and meditative. Seth finds the stupa quieter and more serene — a haven of stillness in the midst of the busy surrounding streets. Unlike at the Pashupatinath Temple, there are no pushing crowds or loud chaos, and the mood is quietly contemplative.
Q5. What musical instrument does Seth buy and what does it symbolise?
Seth buys a flute from a street vendor. The flute symbolises the simple pleasures of travel and the unexpected connections a traveller makes along the way. It also becomes a symbol of universal human connection, as Seth reflects that the flute — found in every culture in some form — draws all of humanity together through the common breath of life that flows through it.