Give reasons for the following statements.

1. The article has been titled ‘Silk Road.’

Answer: Silk Road was the ancient trade route between Tibet, China and the outside world. The article is titled
Silk Road because the author travelled through the mountains, along this Silk Road.

2. Tibetan mastiffs were popular in China’s imperial courts.

Answer: Tibetan mastiffs were ferocious and huge guard dogs. They would chase unknown people and
vehicles at strong speeds and they were fearless. As a result, they were presented to the Chinese
imperial court as a form of tribute from Tibet.

3. The author’s experience at Hor was in stark contrast to earlier accounts of the place.

Answer: The author’s experience at Hor contrasted with travel accounts such as those of Kawaguchi and
Hedin, who were so impressed by the beauty and serenity of the lake, that they cried. The author
observed a neglected Hor with no vegetation, a rocky and dusty landscape, and discarded waste in the
surrounding area.

4. The author was disappointed with Darchen.

Answer: When they arrived in Darchen, the author couldn’t sleep due to a cold, so he sought treatment
from a Tibetan doctor. He felt lonely and expected to join the other pilgrims but when he looked around
the next day, he noticed there were no pilgrims, which was a major disadvantage for his future journey.

5. The author thought that his positive thinking strategy worked well after all.

Answer: When the author discovered no pilgrims in Darchen, he began to doubt his positive thinking.
But luckily, he ran into Norbu, who had also come to do Kora. When he suggested that they both form a
team, the author realised that his positive thinking had worked well.

Briefly comment on:

Q) The purpose of the author’s journey to Mount Kailash.

Answer: The author had an adventurous spirit and he went on a trip to Mt.Kailash to do the Kora. But his
real purpose was not religious but academic. He wanted to see people and places and experience new
things.

Q) The author’s physical condition in Darchen.

Answer: At Darchen, he got a cold and one of his nostrils was blocked. When he tried to sleep, he got up
because his chest felt uneasy. He could not breathe by lying down. When he tried sleeping by leaning
against a wall, he feared that he will never be able to wake up again. He felt better after taking the
Tibetan medication.

3. The author’s meeting with Norbu.

Answer: The author was lonely in Darchen. Norbu and the author met by chance in Darchen’s cafe.
When Norbu noticed the author reading an English novel, they began talking and soon realised they
were both headed for the Kora and decided to form a group. The author was happy to find an English
speaking partner in such a lonely place.

4. Tsetan’s support to the author during the journey.

Answer:Tsetan drove the author from Ravu to Darchen in his vehicle. He managed to drive safely
through the difficult, snowy terrain. When the author became ill, he also took him to the Darchen
medical college. Throughout, Tsetan was a dependable and genuine/helpful companion.

5. “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.”

Answer:Tsetan was a devout Buddhist who believed that death was not the end of the world. Kailash is a
holy place; going there would be better for the author because it would transport him to heaven. But, if
the author died there, Tsetan would not get paid and it would be bad for his business.

Q) What was the danger of driving over the swathe of snow?

Answer: It was very risky to drive over the slippery surface of the snow, as it could result in overturning
of the car and also prove fatal for the travellers.

Q) What medicine did the doctor give in Darchen?

Answer: The Tibetan doctor gave the author some Traditional Tibetan medicine, to be taken with hot
water. It was a 5 day course. There was a brown powder for morning which tasted like cinnamon. The
lunch and dinner pills looked like sheel dung.