13.. Read the passage and answer the following questions: (10 marks)
1. First, a warning. The journey is tough, steep and peppered with hairpin bends. If you are not a hardened traveler, by the time you reach Tawang, your head is likely to be spinning. Add to it the breeze which pierces through all your protective clothing and you could well be wondering what prompted you to make this arduous trip to such Himalayan heights.
2.To get acclimatized to high altitude, the recipe is simple and strict – take it easy on the first day, lest you find yourself out of breath and panting. Tuck yourself in a warm bed and sip some thupka (Tibetan noodle soup) and begin your adventures the following day.
3.In fact when you get up the next morning, you will scarcely believe what you see. The picture postcard beauty of the hill station in Arunachal Pradesh will simply take your breath away. The scenery is pristine and the Himalayan ranges are lush with pine, oak and rhododendron forests. There is also a rich growth of bamboo, which is the favourite food of the red panda found in this part of the Northeast.
4.Located about 10,000 feet above sea level, the Tawang monastery is the second oldest monastery in Asia, which explains the rush of tourists to this remote settlement. The magnificent monastery overlooks the valley and surrounded by mountains that seem to be towering around it like guards. The monastery’s enormous yellow roof and white walls stand out like a beacon. The place is completely isolated from the world.
5. One of the biggest attractions of the monastery is the three storey dukhang (assembly hall) that has a magnificent eight-meter-high gilded image of Buddha.
6. The ancient library, leading onto the parkhang (main courtyard) has an excellent collection of old scriptures, images and thank as (traditional paintings) and monastery – or gompain local language – is over 350 years old and is an important centre of pilgrimage for Buddhists.
7.The sixth Dalai Lama was born here. Also known as the Galden Namgyan Lhatse, the monastery is a repository of Tibetan Buddhist culture.
8.Tawang does not have an airport or railway station of its own. It is connected with other towns in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam by road. Reaching Tawang from Kolkata is braving a long but rewarding journey. The drive through the picturesque mountain country is spectacular and can leave you breathless as you wind around steep hill-roads and maneuver sharp hairpin bends. In parts, the road can be rather treacherous. This is definitely not a drive for the faint-hearted.
9. The journey to Tawang starts from Guwahati on a bus or a taxi to Bomdila Past the Dirang valley with its old dzong (fort), the road climbs sharply to Sela Pass at 13,940 feet. This barren, desolate landscape is softened by a serene lake that lies below Sela Pass.
10. Tawang has one main street and a warren on alleys to the houses that climb up the hillside towards the towering monastery. It also has one quaint little bazaar which sells products ranging from talismans and prayer wheels to garish sunglasses and transistors. Snack stalls are a plenty offering solja, the yak butter tea, thupka and hot momos, the delicious steamed meat dumpling withchilly-sauce.
Answers
Answer:
. First, a warning. The journey is tough, steep and peppered with hairpin bends. If you are not a hardened traveler, by the time you reach Tawang, your head is likely to be spinning. Add to it the breeze which pierces through all your protective clothing and you could well be wondering what prompted you to make this arduous trip to such Himalayan heights.
2.To get acclimatized to high altitude, the recipe is simple and strict – take it easy on the first day, lest you find yourself out of breath and panting. Tuck yourself in a warm bed and sip some thupka (Tibetan noodle soup) and begin your adventures the following day.
3.In fact when you get up the next morning, you will scarcely believe what you see. The picture postcard beauty of the hill station in Arunachal Pradesh will simply take your breath away. The scenery is pristine and the Himalayan ranges are lush with pine, oak and rhododendron forests. There is also a rich growth of bamboo, which is the favourite food of the red panda found in this part of the Northeast.
4.Located about 10,000 feet above sea level, the Tawang monastery is the second oldest monastery in Asia, which explains the rush of tourists to this remote settlement. The magnificent monastery overlooks the valley and surrounded by mountains that seem to be towering around it like guards. The monastery’s enormous yellow roof and white walls stand out like a beacon. The place is completely isolated from the world.
5. One of the biggest attractions of the monastery is the three storey dukhang (assembly hall) that has a magnificent eight-meter-high gilded image of Buddha.
6. The ancient library, leading onto the parkhang (main courtyard) has an excellent collection of old scriptures, images and thank as (traditional paintings) and monastery – or gompain local language – is over 350 years old and is an important centre of pilgrimage for Buddhists.