Can anyone give me the character sketch of the lesson silk road of class 11 Hornbill??
Answers
Summary of Silk Road by Nick Middleton?
The author chronicles the challenges and hardships he faced in the Silk Road regions as they are now. The reader finds it refreshing to traverse such vast tracts of physical geography, expanses of the natural world that remain largely untamed.
As a trade route, the Silk Road has been less a single highway and more a network of overland routes linking Europe with Asia, making trade possible between those with a passion for silk, horses and exotic fauna and flora. Just about every transaction imaginable has occurred along its many trails over the centuries.
Middleton's particular passion consists of exposing himself to nature's vicissitudes like facing oxygen starvation in Tibet as he climbs towards the "navel of the universe," and other hardships during the journey.
The author is an adventurer, but at heart more a meticulous academic than a daredevil. Researching the different forms of altitude sickness, he is alarmed to discover it can lead to swelling of the brain or to the lungs slowly filling with fluid.
Having no religious inclinations himself, he begins to speculate on Tibetan Buddhism as a prerequisite for survival at such an altitude, yet makes the classic Western error of putting bodily discipline before mental striving.
This account of the Silk Road, with its contrasts and exotic detail, certainly describes the challenges and hardships Middleton faced. However, if he had sacrificed some of the sense of his own heroism, and introduced instead more of a sense of wonder or of the absurd, the book would have proved a more entertaining read.
SUMMARY IN ENGLISH
Leaving Ravu:
The author left Ravu in the company of Daniel and Tsetan. Before leaving the place, Lhamo gave him a gift. She gave him a long-sleeved sheepskin coat. Their next destination was Mount Kailash and Tsetan knew a short cut. He said the journey would be smooth if there was no snow.
The sight of Drokbas:
As they passed by the hills, they could see the lonely drokbas tending their flocks. There were men and women, well wrapped. They would pause and stare at their car, occasionally waving as they passed.
The Tibetan Mastiff:
As they passed the nomad's tents there were the Tibetan mastiffs. They would explode into action as they neared the tents. They barked furiously and completely fearless. They would chase the car for some distance and would then go back.
Ice blocking their way:
The turns became sharper and bumpier. The sudden and unexpected fall of snow started blocking their way. Both the author and Daniel got out of the car for Tsetan to drive it safely, taking sharp bends. They were at 5210 meters above the sea level. The icy top layer of the snow was very dangerous; the car could slip off the road. The snow continued blocking their way. As they reached 5515 meters above the sea level, the atmospheric pressure became very low and Tsetan opened the lid of the petrol tank to release the evaporated fuel. The author experienced severe headache.
The town of Hor:
By late afternoon, they had reached the small town of Hor. Daniel returned Lhasa and Tsetan repaired the flat tyre of the car. Hor was grim, miserable place. There was no vegetation whatsoever, just dust and rocks. There was the accumulated refuse everywhere. Unlike the past, the place no longer appeared holy.
Reaching Darchen:
By 10.30 p.m., they reached a guesthouse in Darchen. The author had a very troubled night. His sinus were blocked and he was not able to get enough oxygen and finding it difficult to sleep. Most of the night he sat up and was not able to sleep.
Visiting the Medical College:
The next day Tsetan took him to the Darchen Medical College. The doctor told him it was just cold and the altitude giving him troubles. He gave him some medicine and that night he was able to sleep well.
Tsetan leaving for Lhasa:
Tsetan left the author in Darchen and went away. He did not mind if the author would die in Darchen. He was a good Buddhist and believed in life after death. However, he was worried it could affect his business, as he may not get more tourists to be accompanied.
Dry Darchen:
Like Hor Darchen was dusty and heaps of refuse could be seen all around. There were not many shops in Darchen. The town appeared to be sparsely populated. He felt lonely, as they were not any pilgrims. He had reached there very early in the season.
Meeting Norbu:
The author wanted to reach Mount Kailash to do kora. But he didn't want to do it alone. He was looking for someone who could speak or understand English. One day he was sitting in a café. When Norbu saw him reading an English book he came and introduced him to the author. He was a Tibetan, but worked in Beijing at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. He too was there to do kora. But he was not a religious person. Both of them decided to climb Mount Kailash
Lahmo
The author, Nick Middleton had gone to Tibet to do Kora. On the way to Mount Kailash, he had to stay at Ravu with native people; Lhamo was the girl of the family with whom he had stayed for a few days. She developed friendship with the author and as he was to leave Ravu, she gifted the author a drokba, a long-sleeved sheepskin coat that men in Tibet usually wear. Lahmo felt the author did not have enough warm clothes for the severe cold he was to face later on while completing the Kora.
Tsetan
Tsetan was a local Tibetan whose profession was to ferry visitors or tourists to places of interest in Tibet. The narrator, Nick Middleton had hired his cab to travel up to Darchen from Ravu. Tsetan was an expert in driving through the rugged Tibetan terrain and high altitude rough roads. At Drachen also when the author fell ill, Tsetan took him to Darchen medical college. So, Tseatn was really helpful to the author in Tibet.
Daniel
Daniel was the translator whom Nick, Middleton had hired. He helped the narrator to communicate with the local Tibetans. He accompanied the narrator up to the town of Hor. There he parted from him as he was to go to Lahsa. Fortunately he got a ride in truck to Lahsa.
Norbu
The author met Norbu at Darchen. He was a Tibetan who worked at Beijing at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. He had also come to do the Kora. Both of them struck friendship and decided to do the Kora together.