Unit 8
Reprint 2025-26
'Kathmandu' is an excerpt from the travelogue Heaven Lake written by Vikram Seth. The travelogue is an account of his travel from China, Tibet and Kathmandu to India. Vikram Seth beautifully describes the natural landscape, cultural richness and diversity among people from region to region.
In this lesson, we will explore Seth's descriptions of Kathmandu, his observations about the city, and the cultural aspects he encounters during his travels.
'Kathmandu' is an excerpt from the travelogue Heaven Lake written by Vikram Seth. The travelogue is an account of his travel from China, Tibet and Kathmandu to India. Vikram Seth beautifully describes the natural landscape, cultural richness and diversity among people from region to region.
A river in New Zealand has become the first in the world to be recognised as a living entity with the legal status of a person after a 170-year battle by the local Maori people.
The nation's parliament passed a bill to allow Whanganui River— known by the Maoris as Te Awa Tupua— to represent its own interests and advocate on its own behalf.
This is a unique judgement for sustaining the health and well-being of the river.
(Source: Adapted from The Guardian International Edition, 16 March 2017)
1. Collect information on similar judgements being taken in the context of river Ganga, and discuss in class.
2. Talk about the condition of Bagmati river in Kathmandu written by Vikram Seth.
Rewrite the following words by removing the suffix 'age':
carriage:
coverage:
hermitage:
marriage:
Rewrite the following words by adding the suffix 'ful':
beauty:
colour:
duty:
revenge:
help:
mouth:
mercy:
Read the following passage carefully. What is the event described in the passage? Guess when it took place. Underline and name the tenses in the following passage:
This is a good place to enrich ourselves about plant species which are environment friendly. The residents could gather a lot of information about horticulture at the event. Several states from north India are represented at this event and the florists showcase the best of their horticulture at the show.
The organisers said that several events are lined up for Sunday and these include dance, drawing, painting and a fashion show competition, among others. As many as 85 stalls have been put up by florists, gardening equipment wholesalers and seed retailers. Entry to the show has been made free for all. However, this year, it's the pollution control plants that have been grabbing all eyeballs.
All plants emit oxygen, but it was established in a study conducted by National Aeronautics and Space Administration back in 1989 that some indoor plants could be extremely useful in controlling the air pollution by acting as a 'vacuum cleaner' against the pollutants and absorbing them.
Detox plants, which act as 'vacuum cleaners' inside the house, are a hit in the ongoing event. Nature enthusiasts are preferring them for pollution control as well as interior decoration.
Punctuate the following passage with appropriate punctuation marks:
Kathmandu is vivid mercenary religious with small shrines to flower-adorned deities along the narrowest and busiest streets with fruit sellers flute sellers hawkers of postcards shops selling western cosmetics film rolls and chocolate or copper utensils and nepalese antiques film songs blare out from the radios car horns sound bicycle bells ring stray cows low questioningly at motorcycles vendors shout out their wares
Listen to the passage and answer the questions that follow:
1. Where was the author going?
2. Where was the forest rest-house? How did the group manage to get there?
3. Which creature did they see first?
4. What does the author mean by 'the magnificence of nature'?
5. How are the kingfishers and the open-billed storks described?
6. What were the chital deer and the wild boar doing when the motorboat went past them?
Prepare a short speech on the following and share it in the school assembly:
"Travelling––it offers you a hundred roads to adventure, and gives your heart wings."
"Travelling––it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller."
(Ibn Batuta, a 14th century traveller)
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime."
(Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad)
1. Read/watch the advertisements on tourism. You can also watch the Kerala Tourism advertisement film 'A Reading Room With a View' which is on the cultural diversity of Kerala. The film is awarded the best film in 60 second category at the prestigious Kyoorius Awards. Now create an advertisement for your city or state for promoting tourism.
2. Write a paragraph describing a journey, imaginery, or you have undertaken. You can follow the steps given below:
Jetlag, itchy feet, hit the road, time table, on the home stretch, call it a day, book in advance, travel over, travel through, travel light, any port in a storm, stopover, etc.
1. You have read about the mesmerising effect of the music of flute on Vikram Seth in 'Kathmandu'.
Do you know the instruments for Sufi music differ from one culture to another? In Turkey, Iran and North Africa, the most prominent instrument is the 'Ney' which is the reed flute. In Sufi music the 'Ney' is accompanied by string instruments like saz, santoor, rubab, etc.
Create a class magazine on music and artists. Some suggestions are given below:
2. Plan a trip to the North-east region of the country by road. Explore the various possibilities of the travel. Also, create a map of your travel.
Very expensive
It's easy
Get something exactly right
Do something without having planned beforehand
To make things the same as they were