SILK ROAD -NICK MIDDLETON

SILK ROAD -NICK MIDDLETON

TITLE -

This chapter is an excerpt from the book Extremes Along the Silk Road, describing the author’s journey along the ancient trade route called Silk Road. Nick Middleton, geographer, travel writer, and Oxford don (teacher) writes about his travel through the extremes of the fabled route that links the East and the West. The Silk Road cuts through one of the most extraordinary landscapes on the planet. A vast region separating China from the Mediterranean, it is one of the most inhospitable places on earth, a forbidding terrain of hostile deserts, treacherous mountain ranges, howling winds, searing heat, and blistering cold. This account of the Silk Road, with contrast and exotic detail, describes the challenges and hardships the author faced while journeying to Mount Kailash on his attempt to do ‘the Kora’- a Buddhist religious practice. It’s a travelogue describing the author’s journey from Ravu to Mount Kailash to do Kora (Buddhist spiritual practice/ ritual) He took silk road to experience the spiritual magic of the lake Manasarovar and Mount Kailash. It’s a vivid, picturesque account of his journey.

About the Author – Nick Middleton

Nick Middleton is a renowned British geographer, writer, and explorer, known for his vivid travelogues and detailed accounts of remote landscapes. He has a special interest in deserts, mountains, and the cultures that inhabit them. Middleton combines personal experience with meticulous research, making his narratives both engaging and informative. In Silk Road, he shares his journey through Tibet, blending scenic descriptions, cultural observations, and the challenges of high-altitude travel, offering readers a deep insight into life along one of history’s most famous trade routes.
Summary of the chapter

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.

1. Departure from Ravu
The author begins his journey from Ravu, receiving a farewell gift of a sheepskin coat from Lhamo to prepare for the harsh weather. Tsetan, his guide, takes a shortcut toward Mount Kailash, warning about possible snow on high passes. The journey introduces readers to the vast plains, rolling hills, and herds of gazelles and wild asses, painting the landscape vividly.
2. Encounters with Nomads and Tibetan Mastiffs
Along the way, the travelers meet nomads tending their flocks, sometimes men, sometimes women. They also encounter fierce Tibetan mastiffs, which are fearless and protect the nomads’ property. These dogs were historically popular in China’s imperial courts, brought along the Silk Road as tribute from Tibet.
3. Snowy Mountain Passes and Altitude Challenges
As they climb higher, snow patches create obstacles for their vehicle, requiring careful navigation. The author experiences the effects of high altitude, including headaches and breathing difficulties, illustrating the physical challenges of such a journey.
4. Arrival at Hor and Darchen
The travelers reach the small town of Hor and later Darchen, near Lake Manasarovar. Hor is grim and dusty, contrasting with earlier accounts of the lake’s sanctity. In Darchen, the author faces altitude sickness and sleep problems but seeks help from a Tibetan doctor and starts Tibetan medicine treatment, which gradually helps him recover.
5. Meeting Norbu
In Darchen, the author meets Norbu, a Tibetan scholar also attempting the Kailash kora. Despite both being ill-equipped, they decide to team up for the pilgrimage. Their meeting provides companionship and practical support for the challenging journey ahead.
6. Observations of Local Life and Culture
The journey highlights the local lifestyle, with simple stores, prayer flags, and people going about daily routines. The author notes the use of Chinese plastic bags as an example of modern trade along the Silk Road.
7. Preparation for the Kora
The author recovers physically and prepares mentally for the pilgrimage around Mount Kailash, observing the importance of timing due to seasonal snow and the challenges of traveling alone. The narrative emphasizes patience, adaptation, and learning from local knowledge.

Character Sketches

1. Nick Middleton (The Author)
Nick Middleton is a keen observer and adventurous traveler. His curiosity drives him to explore remote areas like Tibet and attempt challenging journeys such as the Kailash kora. He shows patience, resilience, and adaptability when faced with high-altitude difficulties, harsh weather, and unfamiliar surroundings. Middleton’s reflective nature allows him to appreciate both the natural beauty and cultural richness of the places he visits, making his travel writing engaging and insightful.
2. Tsetan
Tsetan is a skilled and experienced local guide. He demonstrates patience, resourcefulness, and knowledge of the difficult terrain of Tibet. Tsetan’s practical approach and calm demeanor provide safety and support to Middleton throughout the journey. His familiarity with high-altitude routes and understanding of local customs make him an indispensable companion.
3. Norbu
Norbu is a Tibetan scholar and fellow traveler who joins Middleton for the Kailash kora. Though not a devout Buddhist, he is enthusiastic, resourceful, and collaborative. Norbu’s knowledge of local culture and his willingness to work as a team make him a valuable companion on the challenging pilgrimage.
4. Lhamo
Lhamo is a kind and thoughtful local resident. Her gesture of giving Middleton a warm sheepskin coat reflects her generosity and consideration for the comfort of travelers. She embodies the warmth and hospitality of the local people along the Silk Road.
5.Tsetan
The local Tibetan driver who helps Nick navigate the rugged terrain.

Theme

The article Silk Road explores several interwoven themes:
1. Adventure and Exploration
The journey undertaken by Nick Middleton highlights the spirit of adventure. It showcases the challenges, risks, and rewards of exploring remote and difficult terrains, reflecting humanity’s innate curiosity and desire to discover the unknown.
2. Cultural Exchange and Human Connection
Through interactions with locals like Tsetan, Lhamo, and Norbu, the narrative emphasizes cultural understanding, hospitality, and cooperation. The story illustrates how shared experiences across cultures enrich both the traveler and the community.
3. Resilience and Adaptability
The hardships faced during the journey, such as high-altitude sickness, extreme weather, and treacherous terrain, underline the importance of perseverance, adaptability, and careful planning.
4. Natural Beauty and Geography
The vivid descriptions of snow-capped mountains, plains, salt lakes, and wildlife celebrate the majesty of nature. The text encourages appreciation of the environment and an understanding of its influence on human life along the Silk Road.
5. Spirituality and Reflection
The journey to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar has a spiritual dimension. It symbolizes personal growth, self-reflection, and respect for sacred traditions, blending physical adventure with inner exploration.

SETTING-
In this travelogue ‘Silk Road’, the writer recounts his experience of travelling through the remote region of Tibet, focusing on the challenges and adventures he faced. Middleton, along with his guide Tsetan, traverses harsh landscapes, encounters nomadic people and faces the effects of high altitude on his way to complete Kora.

GENRE -
It is a travelogue driven by a desire to explore uncharted territories and face the unknown with excitement. It demonstrates remarkable endurance and adaptability navigating harsh climates and rugged terrains. This is a highly observant piece of writing providing subtle details in his surroundings, capturing the essence of landscape and culture.

PLOT CONSTRUCTION -
The story "Silk Road" by Nick Middleton follows his journey to Mount Kailash in Tibet to complete the Kora. The plot centres around his journey from Ravu, his initial starting point, to Darchen, the base for the Kora, and the challenges he faces along the way. He travels with companions Tsetan, his driver, and later meets Norbu, who joins him for the Kora. The narrative highlights the difficulties of high-altitude travel, cultural encounters, and the determination required to complete the pilgrimage. First-person Narrative: The story is told from Middleton's perspective, allowing the reader to experience the journey through his thoughts, feelings, and observations, creating a personal and immersive experience.

Silk Road -Text with word meaning

Passage: 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 Meaning:

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

Passage: 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 Meaning:

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 – Trails

Billowed – filled with air; swelled out

Passage: 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 Meaning:

Wilderness – wasteland

Solitary – private

Flocks – a group of birds

Evasive – slippery

Veering – to change direction suddenly

Shaggy – bushy or hairy

Passage: 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.

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 Meaning:

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

Passage: 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 Meaning:

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

Passage: 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 Meaning:

Fling – throw

Lurching – listing

Passage: 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 Meaning:

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

Passage: 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 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 Meaning:

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

Passage: 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 windows. The good view of the lake through one of them helped to compensate for the draught.

Word Meaning:

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

Passage: 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 Meaning:

Filthy – dirty

Rag – scrap cloth

Solitary – private

Confinement – detention; captivity

Stark – plain

Sanctity – pure

Passage: 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 open-air 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 single-nostril 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

Passage: 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 Meaning:

Gasping – breathlessness

Propping – to hold up

Passage: 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

Passage: 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, snow-capped mountain, Gurla Mandhata, with just a wisp of cloud suspended over its summit.

Word Meaning:

Pellets – shots

Derelict – ruined

Heaps – loads

Wisp – a small amount of something

Passage: 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 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 cafe. 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 Meaning:

Rudimentary – basic or primary

Incongruous – strange

Brook – a small stream

Pondering – thinking

Passage: 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 cafe 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 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 Meaning:

Well-trodden – much frequented by travellers

Cavernous – vast

Wreathed – twisted

Stout – firm

Passage: The cafe 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

Passage: 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 positive-thinking 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 Meaning:

Tiresome – dull and boring

Transpired – leaked

Envisaged – predicted

Devout – deep

Prostrating – lying down

LITERARY DEVICES -

Imagery: Middleton uses rich sensory details to paint a picture of the landscapes, weather conditions, and people he encounters. For example, descriptions of the "barren slopes," "twisting tracks," the "biting wind," and the appearance of the Tibetan mastiffs create a strong visual and tactile experience for the reader. The narrative appeals to multiple senses – sight (snow-capped mountains, colorful prayer flags), sound (hissing fuel tank, barking mastiffs), touch (biting wind, sheepskin coat), and even a sense of discomfort (headache from altitude sickness).

Simile: Comparisons using "like" or "as" are used to create relatable images. For instance, the clouds are compared to ‘large French loaves’. Eg-extended banks of clouds like long French loaves.

Symbolism: Mount Kailash itself serves as a powerful symbol of spiritual quest and the ultimate destination of his arduous journey. The kora represents a significant religious ritual and a personal goal for the narrator. The Silk Road itself symbolizes ancient connections and journeys.

Personification: Human qualities are attributed to inanimate objects or animals. The mountains are described as "gathering on the horizon," and the car is said to "labour" up the steep inclines.

🌏 SILK ROAD – FLOW CHART (COMPLETE)

1. Introduction of Journey

⬇

Author Nick Middleton plans a journey to Mount Kailash
Route chosen: Ancient Silk Road
Purpose: pilgrimage + travel experience

2. Beginning of the Journey

⬇

Starts from Delhi
Travels through Kulu Valley
Crosses Rohtang Pass
Landscape changes from green valleys to barren mountains

3. Entering Tibet

⬇

Reaches Tibetan Plateau
Described as a vast, desolate, high-altitude desert
Suffers from altitude sickness
- Headache
- Breathlessness
- Sleeplessness

4. Darchen – Base Camp

⬇

Reaches Darchen, small Tibetan town
Meets Norbu, a Tibetan guide
Norbu wants to do kora (circumambulation) of Mount Kailash

5. Cultural Observations

⬇

Observes Tibetan lifestyle
Yaks, sheep, and nomads
Devout religious beliefs
Prayer flags and monasteries
Simple food and harsh living conditions

6. Decision to Do Kora

⬇

Nick initially unsure due to health
Norbu persuades him
Decides to attempt the 108 km kora

7. Journey During Kora

⬇

Walks through rough terrain
High passes and freezing cold
Meets pilgrims:
- Some walking
- Some doing full-body prostrations

8. Dolma Pass (Critical Point)

⬇

Crosses Dolma Pass (18,600 feet)
Physically exhausting
Spiritual significance
Symbol of death and rebirth

9. Completion of Kora

⬇

Reaches back to Darchen
Feels sense of achievement
Spiritual and emotional satisfaction

10. Conclusion

⬇

Journey teaches:
- Power of faith
- Human endurance
- Beauty of simplicity
Silk Road as a bridge of culture, trade, and religion

Silk Road NCERT Solutions

Understanding the text

I. Give reasons for the following statements.

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

Ans: The article has been titled ‘Silk Road’’ because the protagonist explored the region of old silk route which was one of the historical routes for trade. The route connected Afro-Eurasian land. Trade of Chinese silk, spices, teas and porcelain, Indian textiles, pepper and precious stones, Roman Empire’s gold, silver, glassware, wine, carpets, and jewels were done.

2. Tibetan mastiffs were popular in China’s imperial courts.
Ans: Tibetan mastiffs were popular in China’s imperial courts as big hunting dogs. They were fearless and furious with big jaws. They were brought along the Silk Road as a watchdog from Tibet. They were a tribute in ancient times.

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

Ans: Hor was an ugly and miserable place which had no vegetation and just dust and rocks. It was scattered with gathered refuse and it is luckless that it was on the shore of Lake Mansarovar which is Tibet’s most respected water. 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 a few years, similar effect was on Sven Hedin a Swedish who didn’t have such an emotional outburst.

The protagonist’s car suffered from two punctures in that place. When he reached that place’s only café to have some tea, the place was filled with badly painted concrete and three broken windows.

4. The author was disappointed with Darchen.
Ans: He was disappointed with Darchen because he was having health issues due to change in altitude. He had a cold and was unable to sleep at night. The place had no pilgrims and it was filled with loads of remains and trash.

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

Ans: The author thought that his positive thinking strategy worked well after all because he finally met someone who understood his language and was there to complete the kora just like him. He met Norbu at Darchen’s only café. Earlier, he got ill as soon as he reached the place. No one understood English well. He felt lonely as there were no pilgrims around.

He decided to team up with him to complete his journey. He was glad he maintained his positive thinking approach in life.

II. Briefly comment on

1. The purpose of the author’s journey to Mount Kailash.
Ans: The author wanted to go to Mount Kailash to complete the kora which is an essential display in Buddhism. Buddhists believers are to be performed meditation in this process.

2. The author’s physical condition in Darchen.
Ans: The author was ill when he reached Darchen. His sinus was were blocked because of the cold weather and altitude change. He didn’t sleep well and the next day, he went to the Tibetan doctor who gave him some medicine.

3. The author’s meeting with Norbu.

Ans: He was feeling lonely in Darchen as Tsetan left for Lhasa. No one knew the English language much in that place. There were no pilgrims at that time of year. He met Norbu at local café. Norbu was an academic from Beijing who worked for the Institute of Ethnic Literature. He was at Darchen to complete the kora.

4. Tsetan’s support to the author during the journey.
Ans: Tsetan played an important role during the author’s journey. He was an efficient driver. He took care of the author when he got ill after reaching Darchen. He took him to the medical college and got medicine for him. He also informed him about the places they were visiting in their journey.

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.”
Ans: Tsetan was a Buddhist who believed that death is not the end. He might have gone directly to heaven as Kailash is a holy place. He thought it would be bad if the author died because it might affect his business and he would not get any customers in future. He could have lost his credibility.

Talking about text

Discuss in groups of four

1. The sensitive behaviour of hill-folk.
Ans: The hill-folk are very innocent and unsophisticated people. They are good at hospitality like Tsetan who took care of the author all the time.

2. The reasons why people willingly undergo the travails of difficult journeys.
Ans: The author was an academician who wanted to take the journey for the purpose of education. He wanted to learn from this experience. Normally, people take such a difficult journey for the spirit of adventure. Also, religious beliefs play an important role in such journeys. Mount Kailash is a holy place which is visited by many people for pilgrimage.

3. The accounts of exotic places in legends and the reality.
Ans: Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar are such prominent places in legends. Many people talk about it and there are many articles published online regarding two places.

Thinking about Language

1. Notice the kind of English Tsetan uses while talking to the author. How do you think he picked it up?
Ans: As Tsetan used to speak in a basic format, the author understood what he was saying without any major problem.

2. What do the following utterances indicate?
(i) “I told her, through Daniel …”
(ii) “It’s a cold,” he said finally through Tsetan.

Ans:
(i) She didn’t know English so Daniel translated what the author was saying in the Tibetan language.
(ii) The Tibetan doctor was speaking in the Tibetan language. Tsetan translated it to the author in English.

3. Guess the meaning of the following words.
Kora, drokba, kyang
In which language are these words found?

Ans:
Kora – circumambulation of the temple
Drokba – shepherd
Kyang – a wild ass of Tibet

These words are found in the Tibetan language.

Working with words

1. 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: ‘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.’
‘We entered a valley where the river was wide and mostly clogged with ice, brilliant white and glinting in the sunshine.’

2. Explain the use of the adjectives in the following phrases.
(i) shaggy monsters
(ii) brackish lakes
(iii) rickety table
(iv) hairpin bend
(v) rudimentary general stores

Ans:
(i) hairy
(ii) salty
(iii) shaky
(iv) very sharp
(v) elementary; basic

EXTRA QUESTIONS -

1️⃣ QUESTIONS BASED ON TITLE

Q1. Justify the title “Silk Road”.

Answer Hints:

Ancient trade route connecting Asia and Europe
Route used for cultural and religious exchange
Author travels along the same route
Symbol of journey, connection, and exploration

Q2. How does the title reflect the spirit of the chapter?

Answer Hints:

Journey through history and geography
Cultural encounters with Tibetan people
Blend of physical travel and spiritual quest

2️⃣ QUESTIONS BASED ON THEME

Q3. What are the main themes of Silk Road?

Answer Hints:

Spirituality and faith
Human endurance in harsh conditions
Man versus nature
Cultural diversity and simplicity

Q4. How is the theme of spiritual quest developed in the chapter?

Answer Hints:

Pilgrimage to Mount Kailash
Kora around the mountain
Devotion of pilgrims despite hardship
Inner peace over physical comfort

3️⃣ COMPETENCY-BASED QUESTIONS

Q5. What does Nick Middleton’s altitude sickness teach us about human adaptability?

Answer Hints:

Physical limits of human body
Need for preparation and patience
Nature’s dominance over humans

Q6. Why is Norbu an effective guide and companion?

Answer Hints:

Practical and understanding
Familiar with terrain and culture
Spiritually motivated
Cooperative and supportive

Q7. What life skills can students learn from the author’s journey?

Answer Hints:

Resilience and courage
Decision-making under pressure
Respect for different cultures
Acceptance of discomfort

4️⃣ QUESTIONS BASED ON CURRENT ISSUES

Q8. How does Silk Road highlight the importance of eco-friendly travel?

Answer Hints:

Fragile Himalayan ecosystem
Simple living of Tibetans
Minimal exploitation of nature
Need for responsible tourism

Q9. How is the chapter relevant in today’s fast-paced, stressful world?

Answer Hints:

Emphasis on slow, meaningful travel
Spiritual calm over material success
Mental peace through nature

5️⃣ VALUE-BASED QUESTIONS

Q10. What values are reflected in the lives of Tibetan pilgrims?

Answer Hints:

Faith and devotion
Simplicity and contentment
Perseverance
Respect for nature

Q11. How does the chapter promote tolerance and respect for other cultures?

Answer Hints:

Author’s non-judgmental attitude
Respect for religious practices
Appreciation of different lifestyles

6️⃣ SITUATION-BASED QUESTIONS

Q12. If you were suffering from altitude sickness like the author, what would you do?

Answer Hints:

Assess health condition
Seek medical help
Balance ambition with safety
Make responsible decisions

Q13. A fellow traveller ridicules Tibetan religious beliefs. How would you react?

Answer Hints:

Defend cultural diversity
Promote mutual respect
Explain significance of faith