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Silk Road, Silk Road Introduction, The story is written by Nick Middleton. This chapter is about the narrator’s journey from slopes of Ravu, to Mount Kailash to complete the kora. To bid him farewell, Lhamo gave him a long sleeve sheepskin, coat. He hired Tsetan’s car for his journey and took Daniel along to escort him to Darchen., Silk Road Summary, The protagonist wanted to go to Mount Kailash to complete the kora. He hired Tsetan to drive him up to, Mount Kailash. As a farewell gift, Lhamo gave him a long-sleeved sheepskin coat. He took Daniel as his, companion till Darchen., When they started the journey, Tsetan took a short cut to the south-west which was a direct route to, Mount Kailash. They had to cross high mountain passes to reach their destination. Tsetan assured him, that it would be no problem if there would be no snow. They crossed through few gazelles, a herd of, wild asses and shepherds tending the flocks., When they reached the hill, they passed dark tents which were home for nomads. He saw a Tibetan, mastiff standing outside the tent as a guard. These mastiffs ran after his car as he reached near the, tents. These dogs had large jaws., As soon as they entered the valley, they witnessed snow capped mountains with rivers flowing which, were blocked with ice. When they were riding through the hill, the turns became sharper and roads, became bumpier. Tsetan was driving in third gear. The protagonist could feel the pressure in his ears. He, held his nose, snorted to clear the congestion. He checked his wristwatch, they were at 5210 meters, above sea level., They reached their first hurdle which was a road filled with snow. Tsetan threw dirt on the snow and, drove carefully on that road. They resumed their journey. The protagonist felt his head was hurting. He, took a few sips of water from his water bottle. They were still climbing up the hill. They reached at 5515, meters above sea level. They stopped again and this time the fuel tank hissed when Testan unscrewed, the top. As the petrol was expanding due to low atmospheric pressure, Tsetan told them not to smoke, around it., Soon in the afternoon around two o clock, they stopped for lunch. The protagonist‘s headache was, gone by now. By late afternoon, they reached a small town called ‘Hor’. They reached the east-west, highway again. It was the old route from Lhasa to Kashmir. Daniel got off the car and took a lift to Lhasa., Their car had a few punctures which worried Tsetan. He got them fixed and the protagonist waited at a, local café of Hor while having a glass of tea. He found Hor a miserable place. After a while, Tsetan, reached to him and they resumed their journey again., At night around 10.30 pm, they stopped at a guest house in Darchen to spend the night. The protagonist, got ill and suffered from nose-congestion due to the change in altitude and cold weather. He stayed

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awake all night. Next morning, Tsetan took him to Tibetan medical college where a he consulted a, Tibetan Doctor who gave him a five-day course medicines in a brown envelope., After taking a full day of medicine, the protagonist was feeling good. Tsetan left him thereafter assuring, his health condition. The protagonist was staying at Darchen. That place had a general store where, Chinese cigarettes, soap, and other things were available. In the afternoon, the men gathered at a, shabby table to play pool every day. Women would wash their hair in the narrow stream. Darchen had, one problem, it had no pilgrims. According to the local people, in the peak season of pilgrimage the, place would be filled with travellers. He met a person in the Darchen‘s only café. His name was Norbu, who was a Tibetan working in Beijing at the Institute of Ethnic Literature of Chinese Academy of Social, Science. He came to Darchen to complete the kora just like the protagonist. He was fat and found it, difficult to walk. The protagonist decided to go on the pilgrimage with him. They hired yaks to carry their, luggage. Norbu finally said it is not possible for him while he collapsed across the table and laughed, hilariously. His tummy was also too big., Silk Road Lesson Explanation, A FLAWLESS half-moon floated in a perfect blue sky in the morning we said our goodbyes. Extended, banks of cloud-like long French loaves glowed pink as the sun emerged to splash the distant mountain, tops with a rose-tinted blush. Now that we were leaving Ravu, Lhamo said she wanted to give me a, farewell present. One evening I‘d told her through Daniel that I was heading towards Mount Kailash to, complete the kora, and she’d said that I ought to get some warmer clothes. After ducking back into, her tent, she emerged carrying one of the long-sleeved sheepskin coats that all the men wore. Tsetan, sized me up as we clambered into his car. “Ah, yes,” he declared, “drokba, sir.”, We took a short cut to get off the Changtang. Tsetan knew a route that would take us south-west,, almost directly towards Mount Kailash. It involved crossing several fairly high mountain passes, he said., “But no problem, sir”, he assured us, “if there is no snow.” What was the likelihood of that I asked., “Not knowing, sir, until we get there.”, Word meanings, Loaves – bread shaped and baked in one piece which is usually sliced before being eaten, Kora – meditation performed by Buddhist believers, Ducking Back – going inside and then coming out, Size me up – to look at someone attentively, Clambered – move or climb in an awkward way, Drokba – Shepherd

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Explanation - As the protagonist was heading towards Mount Kailash to complete the kora in the, morning, he witnessed a beautiful half-moon in the blue sky. The clouds looked like French bread which, glowed pink because of the sun which spread a slash of rays on the mountain tops. It looked like a rosetinted blush. Ravu and Lhamo wanted to give him a farewell gift. One evening when the protagonist, passed a message to Lhamo through Daniel, she gave him a long-sleeved sheepskin coat which is meant, for men. Tsetan looked at him attentively while he climbed into his car. He declared yes and said Drokba, to him which means kora in the region of Tibet., They took a short cut to cut off the Changtang. His driver knew the short route which took them to the, south-west towards Mount Kailash. They had to pass high mountain passes. Tsetan told him that they, can reach the destination only if there is no snow and they can’t know that until they’ll reach there., From the gently rolling hills of Ravu, the short cut took us across vast open plains with nothing in them, except a few gazelles that would look up from nibbling the arid pastures and frown before bounding, away into the void. Further on, where the plains became more stony than grassy, a great herd of wild, ass came into view. Tsetan told us we were approaching them long before they appeared. “Kyang,”, he said, pointing towards a far-off pall of dust. When we drew near, I could see the herd galloping en, masse, wheeling and turning in tight formation as if they were practising manoeuvres on some, predetermined course. Plumes of dust billowed into the crisp, clean air., Word meanings, Gazelles – an African or Asian mammal with large eyes that moves quickly and hoofs, Nibbling – take a small bite from, Arid – having little or no rain, Pastures – land covered with grass, Frown – to disapprove of something, Bounding – jump; hop; bounce, Wild ass – an animal who have ears shorter than a horse and smaller in size, Herd – a large group of animal, Galloping – progressing in an uncontrollable manner, En masse – in a group, Manoeuvres – military exercises, Plumes – Trail

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Billowed – filled with air; swelled out, Explanation - The route was filled with open plains in Ravu where Gazelles were eating grass from the, land which had little rain and disapproved while hopping back in the void. As they moved forward, a, large group of wild asses appeared. Tsetan told him that they were approaching the wild asses long, before they appeared there. Tsetan pointed out a huge pile of dust which he called ‘Kyang’ in his, local language. When they drew nearer to the destination, they could see a large group of animals, progressing in a fast and uncontrollable manner like they were doing military exercises. Trails of dust, filled with air., As hills started to push up once more from the rocky wilderness, we passed solitary drokbas tending, their flocks. Sometimes men, sometimes women, these well-wrapped figures would pause and stare at, our car, occasionally waving as we passed. When the track took us close to their animals, the sheep, would take evasive action, veering away from the speeding vehicle., We passed nomads‘ dark tents pitched in splendid isolation, usually with a huge black dog, a Tibetan, mastiff, standing guard. These beasts would cock their great big heads when they became aware of our, approach and fix us in their sights. As we continued to draw closer, they would explode into action,, speeding directly towards us, like a bullet from a gun and nearly as fast., Word meanings, Wilderness – wasteland, Solitary – private, Flocks – a group of birds, Evasive – slippery, Veering – to change direction suddenly, Shaggy – bushy or hairy, Explanation - As they move passed the rocky area, they came across private Koras nurturing, their group of birds. Both men and women stared at their car and some also waved at them. As, they moved closer to the animals, the sheep would take a slippery path and would suddenly, move into another direction away from the car., They witnessed nomads‘ tents which were dark in complete isolation and a big black Tibetan dog, standing as their guard. They fixed their gaze on the approaching car and ran behind it as a bullet fired, from a gun., , These shaggy monsters, blacker than the darkest night, usually wore bright red collars and barked, furiously with massive jaws. They were completely fearless of our vehicle, shooting straight into our, path, causing Tsetan to brake and swerve. The dog would make chase for a hundred metres or so before, easing off, having seen us off the property. It wasn‘t difficult to understand why ferocious Tibetan, mastiffs became popular in China’s imperial courts as hunting dogs, brought along the Silk Road in, ancient times as tribute from Tibet.

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By now we could see snow-capped mountains gathering on the horizon. We entered a valley where the, river was wide and mostly clogged with ice, brilliant white and glinting in the sunshine. The trail hugged, its bank, twisting with the meanders as we gradually gained height and the valley sides closed in., Word meanings, Swerve – change direction suddenly, Ferocious – cruel or violent, Mastiffs – a dog who is a strong breed with dropping ears saggy ears, Glinting – sparkle or twinkle, Meanders – to follow a winding course of a river or road, Explanation – Those bushy creatures were blacker than the normal black colour who wore a bright red, collar and they barked angrily at them with big jaws. Those dogs were fearless and were running, towards the car causing Tsetan to apply brakes and change direction suddenly. The dogs ran after them, for a hundred meters more and then stop to watch them go away. These Tibetan Mastiffs became, popular in China’s royal courts as hunting dogs. They were brought along the silk route as tribute in, ancient times from Tibet., As they passed the area with bushy Tibetan dogs, they started witnessing snow-capped mountains. They, entered the valley which was covered with Wide River covered with ice which was white and shiny in, the sun. The track was moving along the river bank as they gained height and the valley was closing in, towards them., The turns became sharper and the ride bumpier, Tsetan now in third gear as we continued to climb. The, track moved away from the icy river, labouring through steeper slopes that sported big rocks daubed, with patches of bright orange lichen. Beneath the rocks, hunks of snow clung on in the near permanent, shade. I felt the pressure building up in my ears, held my nose, snorted and cleared them., We struggled round another tight bend and Tsetan stopped. He had opened his door and jumped out of, his seat before I realised what was going on. “Snow,” said Daniel as he too exited the vehicle, letting, in a breath of cold air as he did so., A swathe of the white stuff lay across the track in front of us, stretching for maybe fifteen metres before, it petered out and the dirt trail reappeared. The snow continued on either side of us, smoothing the, abrupt bank on the upslope side. The bank was too steep for our vehicle to scale, so there was no way, round the snow patch. I joined Daniel as Tsetan stepped on to the encrusted snow and began to slither, and slide forward, stamping his foot from time to time to ascertain how sturdy it was. I looked at my, wristwatch. We were at 5,210 metres above sea level., Word meanings

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Daubed – spread a thick sticky substance on a surface carelessly, Lichen – a slow-growing plant which grows on walls, trees or rocks, Clung – hold tightly onto something, Swathe – a long strip of land, Petered out – to diminish gradually and stop, Encrusted – decorated with a hard surface layer, Slither – to move smoothly over a surface, Explanation – The driver was driving in third gear while the turns were sharper and the ride got bumpier., Then they moved away from the road which ran along the icy river. It had sharp slopes and big rocks, coated with thick sticky orange lichen. Below the rocks were chunks of snow. The protagonist felt a, pressure on his ears, he held his nose and snorted in order to clear them. A sharp turn came again and, Tsetan stopped the car and jumped out from his seat. David too did the same. He exclaimed “snow”, in his excitement., A long track of snow was in front of them which was about fifteen meters long before it diminished and, the normal dirty track appeared again. The snow was on both sides of them and it was difficult to move, the vehicle in that condition. The protagonist joined Daniel as Tsetan tried to move smoothly over the, snowy surface by stamping his foot on the surface. The protagonist saw his wristwatch, they were 5,210, meters above sea level., The snow didn‘t look too deep to me, but the danger wasn’t its depth, Daniel said, so much as its icy, top layer. “If we slip off, the car could turn over,” he suggested, as we saw Tsetan grab handfuls of, dirt and fling them across the frozen surface. We both pitched in and, when the snow was spread with, soil, Daniel and I stayed out of the vehicle to lighten Tsetan‘s load. He backed up and drove towards, the dirty snow, eased the car on to its icy surface and slowly drove its length without apparent difficulty., Ten minutes later, we stopped at another blockage. “Not good, sir,” Tsetan announced as he jumped, out again to survey the scene. This time he decided to try and drive round the snow. The slope was, steep and studded with major rocks, but somehow Tsetan negotiated them, his four-wheel drive vehicle, lurching from one obstacle to the next. In so doing he cut off one of the hairpin bends, regaining the trail, further up where the snow had not drifted., Word meanings, Fling – throw, Lurching – listing

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Explanation – The snow was deep beneath its icy top surface. Daniel said that if they turn their car over,, they could slip off. Tsetan grabbed dirt and threw it across the frozen surface. They pitched in and, helped Tsetan until the snow with soil appeared and it loaded the tension of Tsetan. He drove back the, car and slowly drove to the more comfortable side of the road., After ten minutes, Tsetan stopped again as another obstacle came in front of them. They drove around, the snowy track which was steep and filled with rocks. He further drove from the hairpin bend, moving, on the higher side where the snow was still there., I checked my watch again as we continued to climb in the bright sunshine. We crept past 5,400 metres, and my head began to throb horribly. I took gulps from my water bottle, which is supposed to help a, rapid ascent., We finally reached the top of the pass at 5,515 metres. It was marked by a large cairn of rocks festooned, with white silk scarves and ragged prayer flags. We all took a turn round the cairn, in a clockwise, direction as is the tradition, and Tsetan checked the tyres on his vehicle. He stopped at the petrol tank, and partially unscrewed the top, which emitted a loud hiss. The lower atmospheric pressure was, allowing the fuel to expand. It sounded dangerous to me. “Maybe, sir,” Tsetan laughed “but no, smoking.”, Word meanings, Throb – pulsate, Ascent – climb on an upward slope, Cairn of rocks – the pile of stone on the top of the mountain, especially where someone is buried., Festooned – decorated, Explanation – The protagonist checked his watch again while he was climbing the mountain in the bright, sunlight. They move up to 5400 meters height and his head began to pulsate again. He had a few sips of, water from his bottle which helped him to climb the slope., They reached at 5,515 meters and a large pile of stone was decorated with white silk scarves and some, dirty prayer flags. They took a turn round that stone in a clockwise direction as in the tradition and the, driver checked the tyres of his vehicle. He stopped at the petrol tank and unscrewed its top which made, a loud hiss noise as the pressure was making the fuel expand. The driver told him maybe it’s dangerous, but told him not to smoke around there., My headache soon cleared as we careered down the other side of the pass. It was two o‘clock by the, time we stopped for lunch. We ate hot noodles inside a long canvas tent, part of a workcamp erected, beside a dry salt lake. The plateau is pockmarked with salt flats and brackish lakes, vestiges of the Tethys, Ocean which bordered Tibet before the great continental collision that lifted it skyward. This one was a, hive of activity, men with pickaxes and shovels trudging back and forth in their long sheepskin coats and

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salt-encrusted boots. All wore sunglasses against the glare as a steady stream of blue trucks emerged, from the blindingly white lake laden with piles of salt., By late afternoon we had reached the small town of Hor, back on the main east-west highway that, followed the old trade route from Lhasa to Kashmir. Daniel, who was returning to Lhasa, found a ride in, a truck so Tsetan and I bade him farewell outside a tyre-repair shop. We had suffered two punctures in, quick succession on the drive down from the salt lake and Tsetan was eager to have them fixed since, they left him with no spares. Besides, the second tyre he’d changed had been replaced by one that was, as smooth as my bald head., Word meanings, Careered down – sinking the slope, Salt flats – thatched roof covered with snow, Pockmarked – disfigured with a scar, Brackish – slightly salty water, Vestiges – a trace of something that is disappearing, Laden – loaded, Explanation – His headache cleared as they descended down the slope. It was two o‘clock when they, stopped for lunch at a long canvas tent beside the dry salt lake. They had hot noodles. The plateau was, disfigured and the lake was filled with salty water and thatched roof covered with snow. It had traces of, extinct Tethys Ocean which used to border Tibet before the collision of the continent. Few men were, working there with pickaxes and shovels. They were wearing sunglasses to minimize the glare coming, from blue trucks loaded with pile of salt, salt-encrusted boots, and long sheepskin coats., By the late afternoon, they reached Hor town and back to the east-west highway, which was an old, route from Lhasa to Kashmir. Daniel found a ride as he was on his way back to Lhasa, both of them bid, him farewell at tyre repair shop. Their car suffered two punctures on the way from the salt lake so, Tsetan was eager to get them fixed. They had no spare tyre left and the second tyre which he changed, was replaced by a smooth tyre just like the head of the protagonist., Hor was a grim, miserable place. There was no vegetation whatsoever, just dust and rocks,, liberally scattered with years of accumulated refuse, which was unfortunate given that the town, sat on the shore of Lake Manasarovar, Tibet’s most venerated stretch of water. Ancient Hindu, and Buddhist cosmology pinpoints Manasarovar as the source of four great Indian rivers: the, Indus, the Ganges, the Sutlej and the Brahmaputra. Actually only the Sutlej flows from the lake,, but the headwaters of the others all rise nearby on the flanks of Mount Kailash. We were within, striking distance of the great mountain and I was eager to forge ahead., But I had to wait. Tsetan told me to go and drink some tea in Hor’s only cafe which, like all the, other buildings in town, was constructed from badly painted concrete and had three broken

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windows. The good view of the lake through one of them helped to compensate for the, draught., Word meanings, , Grim – ugly or grey, Accumulated – gathered, Venerated – respected, Cosmology – science about the origin and development of the universe, Flanks – sides, Forge – put together; build-up, Explanation – Hor was an ugly and miserable place which had no vegetation and just dust and rocks. It is, scattered with gathered refuse and it was luckless that it was on the shore of Lake Mansarovar which is, Tibet‘s most respected water. According to ancient Hindu and Buddhist cosmologists, it consists of, four Indian rivers – the Indus, the Ganges, the Sutlej, and the Brahmaputra. Sutlej River flows from this, lake and other three rivers rise near the sides of Mount Kailash. They were in a remarkable distance and, he was eager to build ahead., He waited for Tsetan while having some tea at Hor’s café which was constructed badly from painted, concrete and three broken windows. Although, it had a good view of the lake., I was served by a Chinese youth in military uniform who spread the grease around on my table with a, filthy rag before bringing me a glass and a thermos of tea., Half an hour later, Tsetan relieved me from my solitary confinement and we drove past a lot more rocks, and rubbish westwards out of town towards Mount Kailash., My experience in Hor came as a stark contrast to accounts I’d read of earlier travellers’ first, encounters with Lake Manasarovar. Ekai Kawaguchi, a Japanese monk who had arrived there in 1900,, was so moved by the sanctity of the lake that he burst into tears. A couple of years later, the hallowed, waters had a similar effect on Sven Hedin, a Swede who wasn’t prone to sentimental outbursts., Word meanings, Filthy – dirty, Rag – scrap cloth, Solitary – private, Confinement – detention; captivity

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Stark – plain, Sanctity – pure, , Explanation – The protagonist was served by a Chinese boy who was wearing a military uniform. He, spread the grease around his table with a dirty cloth and brought him a glass and a thermos of tea., Tsetan freed him from his private detention and they started their journey ahead passing more rocks, and rubbish., The protagonist’s experience was opposite from what he read on traveller’s first encounters of the, town. Ekai Kawaguchi was a Japanese monk who arrived in the town in 1900, he was so moved with, the purity of the lake that he cried. After few years, similar effect was on Sven Hedin a Swedish who, didn’t have such an emotional outburst., , It was dark by the time we finally left again and after 10.30 p.m. we drew up outside a guest, house in Darchen for what turned out to be another troubled night. Kicking around in the openair rubbish dump that passed for the town of Hor had set off my cold once more, though if, truth be told it had never quite disappeared with my herbal tea. One of my nostrils was blocked, again and as I lay down to sleep, I wasn‘t convinced that the other would provide me with, sufficient oxygen. My watch told me I was at 4,760 metres. It wasn’t much higher than Ravu,, and there I‘d been gasping for oxygen several times every night. I’d grown accustomed to, these nocturnal disturbances by now, but they still scared me., Tired and hungry, I started breathing through my mouth. After a while, I switched to singlenostril power which seemed to be admitting enough oxygen but, just as I was drifting off, I, woke up abruptly., Something was wrong. My chest felt strangely heavy and I sat up, a movement that cleared my, nasal passages almost instantly and relieved the feeling in my chest. Curious, I thought., , Word meaning, Nocturnal – night time, Explanation – When they resumed their journey from Hor, it was dark at that time. After 10.30 pm they, decided to stay in a guest house in Darchen which turned out to be a difficult night for him. The rubbish, dump in Hor made his cold worse and herbal tea also didn‘t help him. One of his nostrils was blocked, as he lay on the bed. He wasn’t getting sufficient oxygen and he checked his watch. He was at 4760, meters above sea level. The height was not more than Ravu but he would be out of breath several times, a night. He was so familiar to these night time disturbances and he was scared this time., He started breathing from his mouth, he was tired and hungry. He switched back to breathing from, single nostril and as soon as he was about to sleep, he would wake up shortly. He was not feeling well as, his chest felt heavy. He sat up and it cleared his nasal passages. He was curious.

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I lay back down and tried again. Same result. I was on the point of disappearing into the land of nod, when something told me not to. It must have been those emergency electrical impulses again, but this, was not the same as on previous occasions. This time, I wasn’t gasping for breath, I was simply not, allowed to go to sleep., Sitting up once more immediately made me feel better. I could breathe freely and my chest felt fine. But, as soon as I lay down, my sinuses filled and my chest was odd. I tried propping myself upright against the, wall, but now I couldn’t manage to relax enough to drop off. I couldn’t put my finger on the reason, but I, was afraid to go to sleep. A little voice inside me was saying that if I did I might never wake up again. So I, stayed awake all night., Word meanings, Gasping – breathlessness, Propping – to hold up, Explanation – He tried again by laying back on the bed. The same thing happened. He was in the land of, signals where something told him not to do it. He wasn’t able to go to sleep this time. When he was, sitting up, it made him feel better as he could breathe properly and his chest felt light. The opposite, happened as soon as he laid down. He held himself up against the wall but he wasn’t able to relax. He, was afraid to sleep now, a voice inside him told him that he might die if he would try to sleep so he, stayed awake all night., Tsetan took me to the Darchen medical college the following morning. The medical college at Darchen, was new and looked like a monastery from the outside with a very solid door that led into a large, courtyard. We found the consulting room which was dark and cold and occupied by a Tibetan doctor, who wore none of the paraphernalia that I‘d been expecting. No white coat, he looked like any other, Tibetan with a thick pullover and a woolly hat. When I explained my sleepless symptoms and my sudden, aversion to lying down, he shot me a few questions while feeling the veins in my wrist., “It‘s a cold,” he said finally through Tsetan. “A cold and the effects of altitude. I’ll give you, something for it.”, I asked him if he thought I‘d recover enough to be able to do the kora. “Oh yes,” he said, “you’ll, be fine.”, Word meaning, Paraphernalia – miscellaneous articles, Explanation – Tsetan took him to Darchen medical college the next morning. It was new and, looked like a monastery with a door which lead to a large courtyard. They went to a dark and, cold consulting room filled by a Tibetan doctor who wore nothing kind lf random articles which, he expected. He was wearing a thick pullover and a woolly hat. He asked him a few questions

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while feeling his veins. He told the driver that it is cold and he had an effect due to cold and, altitude change. He gave him some medicine and reassured him that he will be able to do the, kora., , I walked out of the medical college clutching a brown envelope stuffed with fifteen screws of paper. I, had a five-day course of Tibetan medicine which I started right away. I opened an after breakfast, package and found it contained a brown powder that I had to take with hot water. It tasted just like, cinnamon. The contents of the lunchtime and bedtime packages were less obviously identifiable. Both, contained small, spherical brown pellets. They looked suspiciously like sheep dung, but of course I took, them. That night, after my first full day’s course, I slept very soundly. Like a log, not a dead man., Once he saw that I was going to live Tsetan left me, to return to Lhasa. As a Buddhist, he told me, he, knew that it didn’t really matter if I passed away, but he thought it would be bad for business., Darchen didn’t look so horrible after a good night’s sleep. It was still dusty, partially derelict and, punctuated by heaps of rubble and refuse, but the sun shone brilliantly in a clear blue sky and the, outlook across the plain to the south gave me a vision of the Himalayas, commanded by a huge, snowcapped mountain, Gurla Mandhata, with just a wisp of cloud suspended over its summit., Word meanings, Pellets – shots, Derelict – ruined, Heaps – loads, Wisp – a small amount of something, Explanation - The Tibetan doctor gave him a five day course. He came out with a brown envelope which, had fifteen screws of paper. After having breakfast, he opened the ‘after breakfast package’ which, had a brown powder which he had to take with hot water. It tasted like cinnamon and the lunchtime, and bedtime packages were nearly the same. They looked like sheep dung, both had small spherical, brown packages. After taking the full day medicine, he slept peacefully that night., Tsetan left him in Darchen when he came to know that he is going to be fine. He told him as a Buddhist, that if he had passed away, it would not matter but it would be bad for business., Next day, Darchen wasn’t looking so bad. It was dusty, partially ruined and had loads of rubble and, refuse everywhere. The brightly shining sun in the blue sky gave him the vision of Himalayas. Gurla, Mandhata, he was able to see a little bit with clouds suspended over it., The town had a couple of rudimentary general stores selling Chinese cigarettes, soap and other basic, provisions, as well as the usual strings of prayer flags. In front of one, men gathered in the afternoon for, a game of pool, the battered table looking supremely incongruous in the open air, while nearby women

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washed their long hair in the icy water of a narrow brook that babbled down past my guest house., Darchen felt relaxed and unhurried but, for me, it came with a significant drawback. There were no, pilgrims., I‘d been told that at the height of the pilgrimage season, the town was bustling with visitors. Many, brought their own accommodation, enlarging the settlement round its edges as they set up their tents, which spilled down on to the plain. I’d timed my arrival for the beginning of the season, but it seemed, I was too early., One afternoon I sat pondering my options over a glass of tea in Darchen‘s only café. After a little, consideration, I concluded they were severely limited. Clearly I hadn’t made much progress with my, self-help programme on positive thinking., Word meanings, Rudimentary – basic or primary, Incongruous – strange, Brook – a small stream, Pondering – thinking, Explanation – Darchen had some basic general stores selling Chinese soaps, cigarettes, and strings of, prayer flags. Every afternoon men would gather for a game of pool. They would sit around a shabby, table looking strange in the open air while women washed their hair in iced water of a small stream, which flowed all the way to his guest house. Darchen had no pilgrims which were a setback for him. He, was told that in the peak season of pilgrimage, in this town was filled with visitors. Some brought their, own accommodation such as tents which were set up in the plains. He felt that he had arrived at that, place way too early. One day while he was thinking about his options while having a glass of tea at, Darchen’s only café, he concluded that there are limited options for him as he made little progress on, the self-help program on positive thinking., In my defence, it hadn’t been easy with all my sleeping difficulties, but however I looked at it, I could, only wait. The pilgrimage trail was well-trodden, but I didn’t fancy doing it alone. The kora was seasonal, because parts of the route were liable to blockage by snow. I had no idea whether or not the snow had, cleared, but I wasn‘t encouraged by the chunks of dirty ice that still clung to the banks of, Darchen’s brook. Since Tsetan had left, I hadn’t come across anyone in Darchen with enough English to, answer even this most basic question., Until, that is, I met Norbu. The café was small, dark and cavernous, with a long metal stove that ran, down the middle. The walls and ceiling were wreathed in sheets of multi-coloured plastic, of the

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Striped variety— broad blue, red and white—that is made into stout, voluminous shopping bags sold all, over China, and in many other countries of Asia as well as Europe. As such, plastic must rate as one of, China‘s most successful exports along the Silk Road today., Word meanings, Well-trodden – much frequented by travellers, Cavernous – vast, Wreathed – twisted, Stout – firm, Explanation – He was having difficulty in sleeping which hadn‘t made it easy for him. He had no option, other than to wait until the peak season of pilgrimage. The trail was much frequented by the travellers., He could do kora alone but it was a seasonal session because of the route blockage by snow. He had no, idea if the snow was cleared and he was not feeling good about dirty ice that still recided on the bank of, Darchen’s small streams. He had been facing communication problems since Tsetan left. No one knew, much English to answer his basic question., He met Norbu in a café which was small, dark and vast with long metal stove. The walls and ceilings, were twisted in multi-coloured plastic sheets of different coloured stripes. It was made into a firm and, big shopping bags which were sold over China and in many other countries of Asia and Europe. Plastic, was China‘s successful export along the Silk Route, The café had a single window beside which I’d taken up position so that I could see the pages of my, notebook. I’d also brought a novel with me to help pass the time., Norbu saw my book when he came in and asked with a gesture if he could sit opposite me at my rickety, table. “You English?” he enquired, after he‘d ordered tea. I told him I was, and we struck up a, conversation., I didn‘t think he was from those parts because he was wearing a windcheater and metal-rimmed, spectacles of a Western style. He was Tibetan, he told me, but worked in Beijing at the Chinese Academy, of Social Sciences, in the Institute of Ethnic Literature. I assumed he was on some sort of fieldwork., “Yes and no,” he said. “I have come to do the kora.” My heart jumped. Norbu had been writing, academic papers about the Kailash kora and its importance in various works of Buddhist literature for, many years, he told me, but he had never actually done it himself., Word meaning, Rickety – unstable

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Explanation - That café had only one window which he would take so that he could see his notebook, clearly and he would also bring a novel with him to pass time. Norbu once saw his book and asked if, he could sit opposite him at his unstable table. He asked him if he is English after he ordered tea. He, told him that he was English. The protagonist guessed that he must not be a local as he was wearing, a windcheater and metal-rimmed spectacles which were of western style., Norbu was a Tibetan who worked in Beijing at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in the Institute, of Ethnic Literature. Norbu told him that he had come here to do kora. The protagonist was happy., Norbu was writing academic papers on Kailash kora and its importance in various Buddhist, literature works. He had never done the kora himself., , When the time came for me to tell him what brought me to Darchen, his eyes lit up. “We could be a, team,” he said excitedly. “Two academics who have escaped from the library.” Perhaps my positivethinking strategy was working after all., My initial relief at meeting Norbu, who was also staying in the guest house, was tempered by the, realisation that he was almost as ill-equipped as I was for the pilgrimage. He kept telling me how fat he, was and how hard it was going to be. “Very high up,” he kept reminding me, “so tiresome to, walk.” He wasn‘t really a practising Buddhist, it transpired, but he had enthusiasm and he was, of, course, Tibetan., Although I‘d originally envisaged making the trek in the company of devout believers, on reflection I, decided that perhaps Norbu would turn out to be the ideal companion. He suggested we hire some yaks, to carry our luggage, which I interpreted as a good sign, and he had no intention of prostrating himself, all round the mountain. “Not possible,” he cried, collapsing across the table in hysterical laughter. It, wasn’t his style, and anyway his tummy was too big., Word meanings, Tiresome – dull and boring, Transpired – leaked, Envisaged – predicted, Devout – deep, Prostrating – lying down, Explanation – Norbu was excited when he got to know why the protagonist was at Darchen. He said they, could be a team who are two academists who escaped from the library. The protagonist believed his, positive thinking strategy was working., Norbu was also staying at a guest house just like him and Norbu was as ill-equipped like him. Norbu kept, telling him that he was too dull, boring and tired to walk and he was fat. Norbu was not a practicing, Buddhist but he was an enthusiast.

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Originally, the protagonist predicted that the trek would be good in a company of any deep believer but, he found Norbu to be an ideal partner. They decided to hire some yaks to carry their luggage and he had, no intention of lying down flat all over the mountain. Norbu finally said it is not possible for him while he, collapsed across the table, laughing hilariously. His tummy was also too big., Question and answers, Q1.Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meanings from the context., 1), 2), 3), 4), 5), , Ducking back - Ans: going inside quickly and coming back out, Swathe - Ans: to wrap or cover, contextual meaning: land covered with snow, Careered down - Ans: descending down the slope, Manoeuvres - Ans: military exercises involving large troops of soldiers, ships etc., Cairn of rocks - Ans: pile of stones that create a mark for a special place like the top of a, mountain or where someone is buried, 6) Salt flats - Ans: houses having thatched roofs covered with snow, 7) Billowed - Ans: filled with air and swelled, Understanding the Text, Give reasons for the following statements., Q1. The article has been titled ‘Silk Road.’, Ans: This article’s name is based on the historic silk road or route, the network which connected the Afro, Eurasian landmass. Many trades were established by it – Chinese silk, spices, teas and porcelain; the, Roman Empire’s gold, silver, fine glassware, carpets, jewels and wine; Indian textiles, pepper and, precious stones. The road largely traded silk with China and was therefore named Silk road. In the, chapter, the author was exploring the Himalayan belt in Tibet and travelled to Mount Kailash. The, chapter is named Silk Road as the author explored this region., Q2. Tibetan mastiffs were popular in China’s imperial courts., Ans: Tibetan mastiffs were popular as hunting dogs in imperial courts of China. In ancient times they, were brought as a tribute from Tibet and they were brought along the Silk Road. They were used as, watchdogs because they were huge and black. They are fast like bullets and explode very quickly. Their, breed is fearless and furious., Q 3. The author’s experience at Hor was in stark contrast to earlier accounts of the place., Ans: Hor was a gloomy and pathetic place. There was very little vegetation and there was dust and rocks, dispersed everywhere. Although the place was situated on the shore of Lake Mansarovar, it still seemed, unfortunate and miserable. The author was really astonished to see the contrast between his, experience with that of the previously read accounts. Ekai Kawaguchi, a Japanese monk arrived there in, 1990 and he got so moved by the holiness of the Lake that tears came into his eyes. A similar effect was

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felt by Sven Hedin, a swede when he visited the hallowed waters. However, when the author reached, the Hor, he had to get two punctures mended first. He felt relaxed only when he was served tea at the, only café in town, by Chinese youth. The café was made with badly painted concrete and it had three, broken windows. However, one of the windows had a good view of the Lake and it helped to, compensate a little., Q 4. The author was disappointed with Darchen., Ans: The author was disappointed with Darchen because he was having health problems due to high, altitudes. He got a bad cold and was unable to sleep at night. There were no pilgrims coming to the, place as the author was one of the firsts to arrive. The place was worn down and it was dusty. There, were heaps of rubble and refuse., Q5. The author thought that his positive thinking strategy worked well after all., Ans: The author was not happy with Darchen. He was in bad health after reaching there. The author also, felt lonely without any pilgrims around. Just then, he met a Tibetan, Norbu, who also wanted to visit, Kailash. They both made a good team as they both were academicians and had escaped the library. The, author began to think positively and he felt new hope and enthusiasm., Q 6. The purpose of the author’s journey to Mount Kailash., Ans: Nick Middleton is a Professor at Oxford and an adventurer as well. He reaches Mount Kailash by, following the most difficult terrain via the Silk Road. He visited the sacred place to complete the Kora., Q7. The author’s physical condition in Darchen., Ans: The author did not feel well when he reached Darchen. He got a very bad cold and his sinuses got, blocked due to the cold wind at Hor. He was not even able to sleep well that night. The very next day, he, was taken to the Darchen Medical College by Tsetan. There, the doctor gave him medicines that, provided him relief., Q 8. The author’s meeting with Norbu., Ans: After Tsetan left for Lhasa, the author felt lonely without him. The author was one of the firsts in, the season to reach Darchen, so there weren’t any pilgrims there. It was then that he met Norbu. He, was also an academician and a Tibetan. He was also visiting Kailash and they both decided to go, together., Q 9. Tsetan’s support to the author during the journey., Ans: Tsetan was an efficient driver and drove the car very carefully. He spoke to the author during the, journey and gave him information about the places that they were visiting. He also took care of the, author when he got to know that he was not well. He took him to the Darchen Medical College and got, him medicine. He was a good Buddhist.

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10. “As a Buddhist, he told me, he knew that it didn‘t really matter if I passed away, but he thought it, would be bad for business.”, Ans: Tsetan was a Buddhist and so he used to believe that death was not the end of life. He believed, that Kailash was a sacred place and it‘s better for him as it would lead him to heaven. But if the author, died there, his business would be affected badly as his credibility would be at risk for looking after the, tourists and he might not get any customers later on., Talking about Text, Q1.Discuss in groups of four., The sensitive behaviour of hill-folk., Ans: The behaviour of hill-folk is innocent and unsophisticated. They are very religious people and fear, God. They are very kind and hospitable. They take good care of the visitors., Q2. The reason why people willingly undergo the travails of difficult journeys., Ans: The author undertook this journey because of educational purposes as he was an academician. He, went on the journey to have a learning experience. People also undertake such journeys because of the, kind of adventure they provide. The areas that the author visited are some of the toughest terrains in, the world. People also visit these places due to religious reasons and as a part of a pilgrimage., Q 3. The accounts if exotic places in legends and reality., Ans: Exotic places hold many accounts in legends and reality. Places like Mount Kailash and Mansarovar, have an important place in the legends. These places are being written about in many articles as well., Thinking about Language, Q1.Notice the kind of English Tsetan uses while talking to the author. How do you think he picked it up?, Ans: Although Tsetan’s mother tongue was not English, he tried to speak it in a well-organised manner, to attract more and more customers. Daniel was a translator who helped Tsetan and the author to, understand each other. However, we should remember that more than words, the language of the heart, is what matters the most. Gestures along with good understanding are pretty enough to understand, someone., Q2. What do the following utterances indicate?, (i), , “I told her, through Daniel…”, , Ans: She was not able to understand English but Daniel translated what he said into the Tibetan, language for her., (ii)“It‘s a cold,” he said finally through Tsetan.

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Tsetan translated into English what the doctor said in Tibetan, for the author., Q 3. Guess the meaning of the following words., In which language are these words found?, Ans: Kora – circumambulate, walking all the way round, Droka – shepherd, Kyang – a wild Tibetan ass, These words are from the Tibetan language., Working with words, Q1. The narrative has many phrases to describe the scenic beauty of the mountainside like:, A flawless half-moon floated in a perfect blue sky., Scan the text to locate other such picturesque phrases., Ans: (I) After ducking back into her tent, she emerged carrying one of the hang sleeved sheepskin coats, that…, (i), (ii), , It involved crossing several fairly high mountain passes., Extended banks of cloud-like French loaves glowed as the Sun emerged to splash the distant, mountain tops with a rose-tinted blush and etc., , Q2. Explain the use of the adjectives in the following phrases., 1), 2), 3), 4), 5), , Shaggy monsters - Ans: hairy, bushy, Brackish lakes – Salty, Rickety table - Shaky, unsteady, Hairpin bend - A very sharp bend, Rudimentary general stores - Elementary, basic, , Noticing Form, 1.The account has only a few passive voice sentences. Locate them. In what way does the use of active, voice contribute to the style of the narrative., Ans: Following are the few passive voice sentences present in the text:, a) What was the likelihood of that I asked., b) By late afternoon we had reached., c) That night, after my first full day‘s course, I slept very soundly., d) Once he saw that I was going to live Tsetan left me

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e) The pilgrimage trail was well-trodden…, f) The café had a single-window beside which I‘d taken up position., The active voice is used to show that the subject of the activity is the person, place, or object that is, doing it. The active voice is used in this story to put the reader in the shoes of the narrator. It allows, us to identify with his adventure as the “I” in the story and to feel as if we are travelling across Tibet, with them., 2. Notice this construction: Tsetan was eager to have them fixed. Write five sentences with a similar, structure., Ans: Following are five sentences with similar sentence structure(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), , Reema was hoping to have the doors fixed., The patient was impatiently waiting to get her teeth fixed., The truck driver was about to have his licence cancelled., The kids were waiting to get their water bottles refilled., The teacher was eager to have her class extended., , Extra Questions, Short Answer Type, Question 1. When they set out on their journey., Answer: The narrator was moving towards Mount Kailash to complete the kora. He recalls the day,, when they set out from Ravu, with nostalgia. It was a ‘perfect’ early morning to start a journey., The clouds looked like long French loaves glimmering pink as the rising sun shone on them. The faraway mountain peaks glowed with a rose-tinted colour. Lhamo presented him with one of the longsleeved sheepskin coats that all the men there wore, for protection against cold., Question 2. Describe the initial phase of their journey., Answer: As they set out, they took a shorter route to get off the Changtang. It was a road that would, take them south¬west, almost directly towards Mount Kailash. It required crossing several quite, high mountain passes. Tsetan was confident that if there was no snow they would have a, comfortable journey but that they would not know till they got there.From the gently sloping hills of, Ravu, the short cut took them across vast open plains with nothing in them except a few antelopes, grazing in the arid pastures. As they moved ahead, the plains became more stony than grassy., There, the antelopes were replaced by herds of wild ass., Question 3.What did the narrator notice about the ‘drokbas’?, Answer: As the narrator went further up the hills from the rocky wasteland, he noticed the solitary, drokbas tending their flocks. Sometimes these well-wrapped figures would halt briefly and stare at

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their car. They seldom waved as they crossed. When the road took them close to the sheep, the, animals would swerve away from the speeding car., Question 4. The narrator was fascinated by the awesome mastiffs. Why?, Answer: Crossing the nomads‘ dark tents pitched in remoteness, the narrator noticed that a huge, black dog, a Tibetan mastiffs, guarded most of the tents. These monstrous creatures would tilt their, great big heads when someone moved towards them. As they drew closer, these dogs would race, straight towards them, like a bullet from a gun. These dogs were pitch black and usually wore bright, red collars.They barked furiously with their gigantic jaws and were so fearless that they ran straight, into the path of their vehicle. They would chase them for about a hundred metres. The narrator, could understand why Tibetan mastiffs became popular in China’s imperial courts as hunting dogs., Question 5. How did Tsetan manoeuvre across the first patch of snow that they came across?, Answer: Tsetan stopped at a tight bend and got out because the snow had covered the path in front, of them. This unexpected-depository was too steep for their vehicle to mount. Tsetan stepped on to, the covered snow, and stamped his foot to determine how sturdy it was. The snow was not deep, but the car could turn over. Tsetan took handfuls of dirt and threw them across the frozen surface., Daniel and the narrator, too, joined in. When the snow was spread with soil, Tsetan backed up the, vehicle and drove towards the dirty snow. The car moved across the icy surface without noticeable, difficulty., Question 6. When did the narrator feel unwell or the first time? What did he do?, Answer: When they went further up the trail and were 5,400 metres above the sea level, the, narrator got an awful headache. He took gulps from his water bottle, which is supposed to help, during a speedy uphill journey. His headache soon cleared as they went down the other side of the, pass., Question 7. What was the sight on the plateau ruins of the Tethys Ocean?, Answer: The narrator and his friends stopped for lunch in a long canvas tent, part of a work camp, erected beside a dry salt lake. The plateau was covered with salty desert area and salty lakes that, were remnants of the Tethys Ocean. This place was bustling with activity. Men with pickaxes and, shovels were moving back and forth in their long sheepskin coats and salt-covered boots. All wore, sunglasses as protection against the dazzling light of blue trucks that energed from the lake with, piles of salt., Question 8. Why was the narrator sorry to see the miserable plight of Hor?, Answer: Hor was a dismal place with no vegetation. It only had dust and rocks coupled with years of, accumulated refuse. He found this unfortunate because this town was on the banks of Lake, Manasarovar, Tibet’s most venerated stretch of water.

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Question 9. What is the belief about Lake Manasarovar? What is the fact?, Answer: According to ancient Hindu and Buddhist cosmology Manasarovar is the source of, four great Indian rivers: the Indus, the Ganges, the Sutlej and the Brahmaputra. In actuality, only the Sutlej flows from the lake, but the headwaters of the all others rise nearby on the, flanks of Mount Kailash. is the source of four great Indian rivers: the Indus, the Ganges, the Sutlej, and the Brahmaputra. In actuality only the Sutlej flows from the lake, but the headwaters of the all, others rise nearby on the flanks of Mount Kailash., Question 10.The narrator ‘slept very soundly. Like a log, not a dead man’. Explain., Answer: After going to the Tibetan doctor the narrator soon recovered. Unpalatable as it seemed,, the medicine led him to a quick recovery. Hence the narrator had a healthy and sound sleep unlike, when he was ailing and restless. He slept undisturbed. He was not tossing and turning because he, was sound a sleep, not because he felt lifeless., Question 11.‘Darchen didn’t look so horrible after a good night‘s sleep.’ Justify, Answer: The narrator had a very uncomfortable night at Darchen. After he rested, although Darchen, was dusty, with heaps of rubble and refuse, the bright sun in a clear blue sky gave the narrator a, view of the Himalayas. He also noticed the huge, snow-capped mountain, Gurla Mandhata, with just, a tuft of cloud suspended over its peak., Question 12.‘I hadn’t made much progress with my self-help programme on positive thinking., ‘ Why does the narrator feel so?, Answer: The narrator was very disappointed with Darchen. It was dusty, with heaps of rubble and, refuse. But he was even more disappointed as there were no pilgrims. As his mind went over the, drawbacks of the place he concluded that he hadn‘t made much progress with his self-help, programme on positive thinking. In that case he would have been more accepting and optimistic., Question 13.Who was Norbu? How could he be a help to the narrator?, Answer: The narrator met Norbu in a café. He was Tibetan, and worked in Beijing at the Chinese, Academy of Social Sciences, in the Institute of Ethnic Literature. He had come to do the kora. Norbu, had been writing academic papers about the Kailash kora and its importance in various works of, Buddhist literature for many years but .he had never actually done it himself. The narrator was, relieved to team up with him. He would not be alone then., Question 14.‘He suggested we hire some yaks to carry our luggage, which I interpreted as a good, sign’. Why does the narrator feel so?, Answer: The narrator was relieved at meeting Norbu. He kept telling the narrator how fat he was, and how hard it was going to be for him to climb. He wasn‘t really a practising Buddhist, but he, was enthusiastic and was a Tibetan. Making the trek in the company of devout believers would not

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be easy as they would go prostrating all round the mountain. But Norbu suggested that they hire, some yaks to carry our luggage. This to the narrator came as a relief., Long Answer Type, Question 1. The narrator on his way to Mount Kailash came across a lot of topographic variation., Comment., Answer: The narrator and his companions took a short cut to get off the Changtang. Tsetan knew a, route that would take them southwest, almost directly towards Mount Kailash. It involved crossing, several fairly high mountain passes. From the gently rising and failing hills of Ravu, the short cut took, them across vast open plains with nothing in them except a few gazelles that were grazing in the, arid pastures. Further ahead,, The plains became more stony than grassy, and there a great herd of wild ass came into view. Still, ahead hills became steeper wh^re solitary drokbas were tending their flocks. This led them to the, snow-capped mountains and then to the valley where the river was wide and by and large clogged, with ice. At a height of 5,515 metres, piles of stones marked the landscape. Next was the plateau, which was covered with salty desert area and salty lakes that were remnants of the Tethys Ocean., Hor was next in line. It was a wretched place with no vegetation just dust and rocks, liberally, scattered with years of accumulated refuse., Question 2. The narrator realized that the snow was both dangerous as well as beautiful. Justify., Answer: Tsetan on his way surveyed the snow on the path by stamping on it. It was not deep. But in, case they slipped the car could turn over. Hence to cover the risk, they flung handfuls of dirt across, the frozen surface. When the snow was spread with soil, they drove without difficulty. Ten minutes, later, they stopped at another blockage. This time they decided to drive round the snow.However,, the risks did not undermine the scenic beauty of the place. In the valley, they saw snow-capped, mountains and the river was wide but mostly blocked with ice that was sparkling in the sunshine. As, they moved ahead, on their upward track, the turns became sharper and the ride bumpier. The, rocks around were covered with patches of bright orange lichen. Under the rocks, seemed unending, shade., Question 3. Enumerate the difficulties that the group faced in Hor., Answer: The group reached the small town of Hor by late afternoon. Daniel, who was returning to, Lhasa, found a ride in a truck and left. They had suffered two punctures in quick succession on the, drive down from the salt lake and they got them replaced. Hor was a gloomy place devoid of, vegetation. It only had dust and rocks, liberally scattered with years of accumulated refuse., Hor’s only café which, like all the other buildings in town, was constructed from badly painted, concrete and had three broken windows. The good view of the lake through one of them helped to, compensate for the draught. The narrator was served by a Chinese youth in military uniform who

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spread the grease around on his table with a filthy rag before bringing him a glass and a thermos of, tea., Question 4. Describe in detail the narrator’s miserable night in Darchen., Answer: The narrator reached the Darchen guesthouse after 10.30 p.m. This was just the beginning, of a troubled night. The open-air rubbish dump in Hor had set off his cold once more. One of his, nostrils was blocked again and he was tired and hungry. He started breathing through his mouth., After a while, he woke up abruptly. His chest felt strangely heavy but when he sat up, his nasal, passages cleared almost instantly and relieved the feeling in his chest. He lay down again. Just as he, was about to doze something told him not to., He was not gasping for breath, but could not go to sleep. He sat up but as soon as he lay down, his, sinuses filled and his chest felt strange. He tried supporting himself against the wall, but could not, manage to relax enough to sleep. He did not know what was wrong but had a feeling that if he slept, he would not wake up again. So he stayed awake all night., Question 5. Narrate the narrator’s meeting with the Tibetan doctor., Answer: After an awfully uncomfortable and breathless night, Tsetan took the narrator to the, Darchen Medical College. The college was new and looked like a monastery from the outside with a, very solid door that led into a large courtyard. The consulting room was dark and cold and occupied, by a Tibetan doctor who did not have any kit that the narrator had been expecting., He wore a thick pullover and a woolly hat. The narrator explained the symptoms and the doctor shot, him a few questions while feeling the veins in his wrist. Finally he said, it was the cold and the, effects of altitude. He said that the narrator would be well enough to do the kora. He gave him a, brown envelope stuffed with fifteen screws of paper. Each package had a brown powder that had to, taken with hot water. It tasted just like cinnamon. The contents of the lunchtime and bedtime, packages were less obviously identifiable. Both contained small, spherical brown pellets. Though the, medicine looked like sheep dung, it helped him recover quickly., Question 6. Meeting Norbu came as an immense relief to the narrator. Why?, Answer: The narrator was not only disappointed with the filth in Darchen but also because of the, lack of pilgrims. Moreover, since Tsetan had left, he had not come across anyone in Darchen with, enough English to answer even this most basic question. It was then that he met Norbu in a café. He, was Tibetan, he told him, but worked in Beijing at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, in the, Institute of Ethnic Literature., He had also come to do the kora. Norbu had been writing academic papers about the Kailash kora, and its importance in various works of Buddhist literature for many years, but he had never actually, done it himself. He was relieved to form a team with another academician. This apart, Norbu, wasn’t, really a practising Buddhist, though he was a Tibetan. He suggested that they hire some yaks to, carry their luggage, as he had no intention of prostrating himself all round the mountain.