This page offers Silk Road summary Class 11 pdf in easy language. We have presented short and long summaries from 50 words to 300 words. Go through to get a deep insight of chapter Silk Road from the Book Hornbill. It is useful for exam points of view and quick learning of the chapter. Downloadable PDF is also available.
Short Summary of the Chapter: Silk Road
The writer Nick Middleton starts his journey from Ravu in Tibet. A woman named Lhamo gives him a warm sheepskin coat as a gift. He travels with a driver named Tsetan and a man named Daniel. They want to go to Mount Kailash to do the kora, a holy walk around the mountain.
They take a short cut over the Changtang plateau. On the way, they see animals like wild ass (kyang) and gazelles. They also pass tents and black dogs called Tibetan mastiffs, which bark and run after their car.
The road is full of rocks, snow, and sharp turns. At one point, they reach a snowy area at 5,210 metres. They throw dirt on the ice to drive safely. Later, they reach the top of a mountain pass at 5,515 metres. There is a pile of rocks there with prayer flags.
On the way down, Nick gets a headache. They stop near a salt lake to eat noodles. Then they reach a town called Hor, which is dirty and full of rubbish. But it is near the holy Lake Manasarovar. Daniel leaves for Lhasa from here.
Later, they reach Darchen at night. Nick feels very sick and cannot sleep well. He goes to the Darchen medical college the next morning. The Tibetan doctor says it is a cold and high altitude sickness. He gives him Tibetan medicine. Nick feels much better after one night.
Next day, Nick sees the town of Darchen in sunlight. It is quiet. But he is sad because there are no pilgrims. He wanted to go on the holy walk with others, not alone.
Then, in a café, he meets a Tibetan man named Norbu. Norbu is a scholar from Beijing. He has written about the kora, but never done it himself. He is also not fully prepared but excited. They decide to do the kora together.
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Detailed Summary of the Chapter: Silk Road
1. A Goodbye Gift from Lhamo :Nick Middleton was leaving a place called Ravu in Tibet. The morning was beautiful with a half-moon and pink clouds. A kind woman named Lhamo gave him a sheepskin coat as a gift. She knew he was going to Mount Kailash and told him he needed warmer clothes.
2. The Journey Begins: Nick was travelling with Tsetan, the driver, and Daniel, his friend and guide. Tsetan took a short cut through Changtang to reach Mount Kailash. He said the way had many mountain passes but it would be safe if there was no snow.
3. Wild Animals and Black Dogs: On the way, they saw gazelles, wild ass (kyang), and nomads called drokbas. The nomads were looking after their animals. They also passed black tents guarded by huge Tibetan mastiff dogs. These dogs were very strong and fearless. They barked loudly and chased the car.
4. Snow on the Road: Soon, they reached a place with snow on the road. They were at 5,210 metres above sea level. The snow looked thin, but it was icy and slippery. Nick, Daniel, and Tsetan threw dirt over it to make it safe. Tsetan then drove the car over it very carefully.
5. High Mountain Pass: They climbed higher and reached 5,515 metres, the top of the pass. There was a cairn of rocks with prayer flags. They walked around it in a circle, as per Buddhist tradition. Nick’s head was aching due to height, but it got better later.
6. Salt Lake and the Town of Hor: They stopped for noodles near a salt lake. Workers were collecting salt there. By late afternoon, they reached Hor, a town near Lake Manasarovar. Hor looked dirty and full of garbage. But the lake was holy and very important in Hindu and Buddhist beliefs.
7. Illness at Darchen: Nick and Tsetan reached Darchen at 10:30 p.m. Nick felt very sick. He couldn’t breathe properly. He had a blocked nose and felt scared to sleep. The next day, Tsetan took him to a Tibetan doctor in Darchen medical college. The doctor said it was a cold and effect of high altitude.
8. Tibetan Medicine Helps: The doctor gave Nick 15 paper packages of Tibetan medicine. One powder tasted like cinnamon. He also got brown pellets that looked like sheep dung. But the medicine worked. That night, Nick slept peacefully for the first time.
9. A New Day and a New Friend: In the morning, Darchen looked better. The sky was blue and the sun was shining. Nick walked around but felt lonely. He had come to do the kora (a holy walk around Mount Kailash), but there were no pilgrims yet.
10. Meeting Norbu: Nick met a man named Norbu in a small café. Norbu was a Tibetan scholar who worked in Beijing. He had written about the kora but had never done it. He was also not very fit and said it would be hard. But he was excited to try. Nick felt happy. He had found a companion for the journey.
Pointwise Summary of the Chapter: Silk Road
1. Nick Middleton begins his journey from Ravu, where Lhamo gifts him a warm sheepskin coat.
2. He travels with Tsetan (driver) and Daniel (interpreter) to reach Mount Kailash for the kora (holy walk).
3. They take a short cut through the Changtang plateau, crossing plains, mountains, and meeting wild animals like kyang and gazelles.
4. They face danger from Tibetan mastiff dogs and slippery snow-covered roads at 5,210 metres height.
5. At the top of a mountain pass (5,515 metres), they see prayer flags and a cairn of rocks, a sign of respect in Buddhism.
6. They stop at a salt lake for lunch and later reach Hor, a dirty and sad town near the holy Lake Manasarovar.
7. In Darchen, Nick falls sick with a cold and breathing problems due to high altitude and dust.
8. A Tibetan doctor at Darchen medical college gives him 15 packets of herbal medicine, which helps him sleep well.
9. Darchen looks better the next morning, but Nick is sad to see no pilgrims for the kora.
10. He meets Norbu, a Tibetan scholar from Beijing, and they decide to do the kora together as a team.
