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KATHMANDU by Mind Map: KATHMANDU

1. the writer Vikram Seth describes his visit to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. He visited two temples there - one was the Pashupatinath temple which is a pilgrimage for the Hindus and the other was the Baudhnath temple which is a holy place for the Buddhists.

2. Vikram ate a marzipan bar, a corn on the cob roasted on charcoal fire.He bought some love story comics and a Reader’s Digest too.

3. On his way back to Delhi, he considered going by an adventurous route.

3.1. Outside his hotel, he saw a flute seller. He held a pole out of which many flutes popped out like the thorns on a porcupine’s body. The man stood quietly and would take out a different flute, play it for a couple of minutes and replace it with another one.

4. He played the flute meditatively. He was unlike other hawkers who screamed to sell their wares.The writer got attracted to the music of the flute. Flutes are played in many regions of the world and they vary in appearance, names and the music that they produce. The sound of a flute resembles human voice as it is played by exhaling the breadth and its music also pauses when a person inhales a breadth.

5. Kathmandu is and has been for many years the centre of Nepal's history, art, culture and economy. It has a multiethnic population within a Hindu and Buddhist majority. It is also the home of the Newars. Religious and cultural festivities form a major part of the lives of people residing in Kathmandu.

6. Small shrines protruded on to the stone platform and it was said that when the platform would emerge completely, then the goddess would emerge out of it and end the Kaliyug.

7. The scene at the Baudhnath temple was opposite to that at the Pashupatinath temple. It was a huge white coloured dome surrounded by an outer road. The place was quiet and calm. There was a Tibetan market outside the temple where Tibetan refugees were selling bags, garments and jewellery.

8. There are shops selling postcards, antiques, chocolates, imported cosmetics, camera film rolls and utensils. A variety of sounds could be heard in the streets. The music blaring out of the radios, honking of the car horns, ringing of the bicycle bells, moo sounds of the cows as they obstructed the motorcycles passing by and the screaming vendors selling their wares.